Arts
A publication of
The Times-Herald
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Vibrant arts scene has year-round offerings By Elizabeth Melville ewcomers to Coweta County will find themselves in a community that values and celebrates the arts with a variety of programs, exhibits and artistic offerings year-round. The Newnan Community Theatre Company has been providing Newnan with live theater for over 30 years. NCTC is the city’s only live theater, according to Managing Director Dave Dorrell. The theater presents 10 productions a year, with a mix of comedies, classics, dramatic works, family-friendly fare, holiday
The stepsisters in this NCTC musical are not quite what you'd expect from the traditional story of "Cinderella." They are played by two male actors, Adam Grubbs (Joy) and Jeff Allen (Portia). – NCTC photos courtesy of Randy Drake
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presentations and musicals, according to Artistic Director Paul Conroy. Auditions are held about 8-10 weeks prior to the opening of a show. The audition process, according to Dorrell, is “pretty relaxed” and intended to welcome people of all ages – depending on the production. “We try to do shows that appeal to a wide range of performers and audience members,” said Conroy. Actors auditioning for a show are sometimes asked to prepare a monologue, or to be prepared to do a cold reading from the script, according to Conroy. When auditioning for a musical, the auditioner will additionally be asked to prepare one or two sections of a song, as well as to dance. Every summer, NCTC offers KidsCamp for children who are interested in the world of theatre. Younger kids are separated from the older ones, and they meet daily Monday through Saturday. NCTC offers six weeks of camp each year and recently expanded to include special workshops for middle school aged students in specific areas of theatrical study, according to Conroy. “During the week, participants learn all aspects of theater and put on a show on Saturday,” said Dorrell. Kids get to write scripts, practice memorization, work on sets, learn about stage makeup, practice improvisation, learn choreography and then act out short skits at the week’s culmination. For the person who wants to get involved with NCTC but doesn’t want to be on stage,
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Members of the Newnan Community Theatre Company’s "Rumors" cast are, front to back, Tony Daniel as Ken Gorman, Mary Caroline Moore as Chris Gorman, John Paul Phillips as Glenn Cooper, Christina DiSalvo as Cassie Cooper, Jason Schmidt as Ernie Cusack, Eileen Baldwin as Cookie Cusack, Susan Patterson as Claire Ganz and Jeff Allen as Lenny Ganz.
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Taking bows to a standing ovation at the 2011 Wadsworth and Friends concert at Wadsworth Auditorium are, from left, Bella Hristova, Andres Diaz, Inon Barnatan, Angela Jones Reus, Sarah Taylor and Charles Wadsworth.
“The Wadsworth Auditorium, on Jefferson Street in historic downtown Newnan, features a 625-seat auditorium, renovated dressing rooms, and excellent acoustics.” – Gina Snider, Newnan Public Information Officer
Kiera Patterson, East Coweta High's senior class vice president, delivers the invocation at Baccalaureate held at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts.
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there’s always work backstage with costumes, set construction, administrative duties and front-of-house assistance during productions, according to Conroy. Interested volunteers don’t have to have experience, because the company is happy to offer training. “We are always looking for volunteers,” said Dorrell. “For people who enjoy going to the theater, this is the perfect opportunity to volunteer to be an usher or work the concessions area and then come see the show for free.”
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NEWNAN-COWETA ART ASSOCIATION, INC. INCORPORATED 1968
MEETS THE THIRD THURSDAY EACH MONTH EXCEPT JUNE, JULY & AUGUST 7PM REFRESHMENTS 7:30PM MEETING
MEETINGS INCLUDE AN ART DEMONSTRATION
HARRIET ALEXANDER ART CENTER 31 HOSPITAL ROAD, NEWNAN MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION ON THE WEBSITE
www.newcaa.com E-MAIL: newnanncaa@gmail.com
President Barbara Kelly ~ 770-251-0873
The Newnan-Coweta Art Association displays local art on the second floor of the Newnan Carnegie Library during normal office hours. The painting of waterlilies above is by Sandy Holcomb, and the one below is "Potting Shed" by Eunice E. Nichols.
Every Labor Day Weekend Saturday, Sunday & Monday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts 3 Day Concert for Charity Festival of Food
Admission: $7.00 Gate $5.00 Advance
Children 6 and under are FREE
FREE PARKING ...all proceeds from the festival go directly back into the community... 4766 West Highway 34 Newnan, Georgia 30263 770-253-2011 GPS Coordinates N33 20.332 W84 58.778
www.powersfestival.com find us on facebook and twitter!
For more information about NCTC, including specific audition requirements, visit www.newnantheatre.org. Another popular venue for performances in Coweta County is Wadsworth Auditorium. “The Wadsworth Auditorium, on Jefferson Street in historic downtown Newnan, features a 625-seat auditorium,
There is no better place to meet other artists or share your own work than the Newnan-Coweta Art Association (NCAA). THE ARTS • Coweta Living 2011-12
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Northgate High School students presented "Pippin" at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts in April. The cast included, front from left, Brynn Crosby, Jordan Lunstead, Zach Hatcher, Paige Mikles and Krysten Johnson, and at back, Triumph Gardner, Christian Pollak and Kyle Abraham.
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renovated dressing rooms, and excellent acoustics,” said Newnan Public Information Officer Gina Snider. The auditorium is located in the 1939 Newnan Municipal Building shared by the Newnan Police Department. It was renamed Wadsworth Auditorium in 1998 to honor Charles Wadsworth, a world-renowned classical pianist who grew up in Newnan. Wadsworth founded the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and has directed Spoleto Festival USA’s chamber music series for more than 30 years. Since 1990, Wadsworth has performed annual concerts in Newnan. In addition to the city-sponsored, annual Wadsworth Concert, the building is rented an average of seven or eight times a year by outside groups. Schools and churches most frequently make use of the facility, with the busiest rental months being May and June. It’s not uncommon for concerts, dance recitals and the like to be held within the walls of the Art Deco building, according to Snider.
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The auditorium can be reserved for civic gatherings, concerts, visual performances and community shows.
Cherita Armstrong performed "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts in March.
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In February season ticket holders of the Newnan Community Theatre Company (NCTC) had refreshments and were treated to a little taste of each of the 12 upcoming plays at the theatre at 24 First Ave. From left are NCTC Board Member Barbara Osborne-Harris, Board Chairman Caroline Abbey and Board Member Mike Whiteside.
The Newnan Cultural Arts Commission is planning to offer a series of concerts of different musical genres to the public in the future. The addition is sure to anchor the auditorium’s status as a vital part of the arts scene and a favorite performance venue for the community. Another of Newnan’s gems is the Carnegie Building downtown. Recently restored by the city, the Carnegie has brought back library-type services downtown. The bottom floor of the building serves as a reading room and the second floor as meeting space. The Carnegie serves the public with a non-circulating reading room, children’s area and an art gallery. It seeks to be an integral part of the community by offering print and electronic materials. The Carnegie and Newnan-Coweta Art Association have partnered to bring a rotating art display, which is changed quarterly. The art displays include canvas, watercolor, photography and sculptures. For more information on the Carnegie, visit www.newnancarnegie.com. There is no better place to meet other artists or share your own work than the Newnan-Coweta Art Association (NCAA). The non-profit local group has been in existence for over 40 years and continues to “encourage and aid artists to produce
original works of art of every type and character” and to “furnish the auspices for the display of such works in Coweta County and elsewhere.” The association supports the arts in Coweta schools through annual donations and scholarships to high school students pursuing the arts in college. Membership packages are available. NCAA holds monthly membership meetings throughout the year at the Harriet Alexander Art Center on Hospital Road, and at least two art workshops are scheduled each year. There is a weekly “paint in” at the Harriet Alexander Art Center. Members regularly exhibit their work at venues throughout the county, including Newnan City Hall in downtown Newnan. The NCAA hosts an annual juried member show featuring paintings, sculptures, carvings, turned wood and other artwork, nearly all of it for sale to the public. The group also maintains a directory of members who offer art classes. NCAA memberships are available for students, families and individuals. For more information or to join, visit newcaa.com. Supporters of the arts know one of Coweta’s finest cultural resources is the Coweta County School System’s Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. Since its opening in 2004, the 48,000square-foot arts center on Lower Fayetteville Road in Newnan has provided many opportunities for local students to see and experience the arts, and it has also provided an increased focus on the arts in the community. The front lobby area at the main entrance is an art gallery. Several other spaces in the building also lend themselves to the display of paintings and sculpture. The theater will seat 999. The stage is equipped with lighting and sound that are controlled from booths at the rear of the theater. There are also lecture halls at the facility. For more information on upcoming events or renting the venue, call 770-2542787 or visit www.coweta.k12.ga.us. CL THE ARTS • Coweta Living 2011-12
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