It is with great pride and tremendous gratitude that we share with you that we have surpassed our goal of $10,000 through our Broadway by the River Gala Fundraiser! We are truly humbled by the generosity of this community, and especially to you for making Broadway by the River such a success!

Photo Credit: Jeff Weber

Because of you, The Garfield Center for the Arts will continue to provide quality programming and performances in the heart of Chestertown, and we couldn’t be more excited about what lies ahead. Through our Educational Outreach Program, children from Kent and Queen Anne’s county can see world-renowned taiko drummer Mark H. Rooney for free. We’re partnering with our neighbors at the Mainstay for a concert featuring Haint Blue.  And talented local directors, actors, and stage crew are working hard before the opening of our 15th year of Short Attention Span Theatre on June 21st.

Ensuring that our community has a special gathering place to make and enjoy art is important work, and there is always more to do. We hope you’ll stop back in for the next performances and events in this fantastic season, consider sponsoring an upcoming production, join our team of wonderful volunteers, and of course, save the date of April 3, 2020 for our next Broadway by the River Gala!

Thank you again for affirming that at the Garfield, artists and the arts not only come alive here, they thrive here. Hope to see you soon!

The spring installment of the Garfield’s Educational Outreach Program features Mark H. Rooney, described as “the world’s most dangerous half-Scottish/half-Japanese solo taiko artist”, in a performance that is open to the public on May 28th at 10:30am.

Taiko is a dynamic form of full-body drumming based in Japanese tradition. Based in the Washington, DC area, Rooney’s credits as a performing artist span multiple continents and genres. He began his taiko career in Boston, MA as a performing member of Odaiko New England in 1998. He has since performed with a number of groups in Japan as well as performing widely in Europe and the United States as a touring member of Taikoza. Mark has also collaborated with other artists and groups including Tiger Okoshi, Opera unMet, UpRooted Dance, and Arts on the Horizon.

In addition to serving as Odaiko New England’s Artistic Director from 2008 – 2010, Rooney was the principal architect and instructor for their classes and workshops. He has also taught in after-school programs and colleges (including as the founding instructor for Wesleyan University’s popular taiko program), as well as the Mark H. Rooney Taiko School for his growing number of students in the DC area. Since moving to DC in 2011, he continues to teach ongoing weekly classes, offer special workshops several times each year, and perform for a wide variety of audiences ranging from school children to diplomats.

The Educational Outreach Programs at the Garfield Center are sponsored by the Kent County Arts Council.  General admission is $10, with FREE admission for school groups. Please contact Tess Hogans (thogans@garfieldcenter.org or 410-810-2060) for more information. The Garfield Center is located at 210 High Street in Chestertown.

The Garfield Center for the Arts is holding open auditions for their 15th annual 10-minute play festival, Short Attention Span Theatre. Auditions will take place on the following dates:

Tuesday, April 30 @ 6pm
Thursday, May 2 @ 6pm
Saturday, May 4 @ 11am

Actors should be prepared to do cold readings from provided scripts.  No experience is necessary.

Short Attention Span Theatre will run three weekends: June 21-23, June 28-June 30, and July 5-7.

Everyone is encouraged to audition. Those who are unable to attend auditions can contact the theater at 410-810-2060 to make other arrangements.  Stage crew, set builders, set painters, costumers and assistant directors are also needed. Anyone interested in helping should stop by the Garfield during auditions to leave their contact information.

For more information, contact SAST producers Mark Sullivan and Diane Landskroener at sast@garfieldcenter.org, or call 410-810-2060 or visit our website www.GarfieldCenter.org. The Garfield Center for the Arts is located at 210 High Street in Chestertown.

About Short Attention Span Theatre (SAST):

At the Garfield Center for the Arts at the Prince Theatre, playwrights, directors and actors who delight in the art of the 10-minute play are at it again! Short Attention Span Theatre offers an evening of 10-minute plays, designed to hold your attention for just. long. enough. The plays will feature a multitude of actors, directors and authors, as well as the world premiere of original works by local playwrights.

On April 26th director Bee Betley will be opening a new show at the Garfield Center for the Arts; an adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. A veteran of local theatre, this is Betley’s second full-length production since directing The Little Prince in 2018.

Feeling misunderstood at home and at school, mischievous Max (Lydia Sensenig) escapes to the land of the Wild Things, majestic — and sometimes fierce — creatures. They allow Max to become their leader, and he promises to create a kingdom where everyone will be happy. However, Max soon finds that being king is not easy and that, even being with the Wild Things, there is something missing.Also featuring Sarah Lyle, Izzie Southworth, Paul Cambardella, John Mann, Georgia Rickloff, Mike Heffron, Phebe Wood, Zach Ryan, Aaron Sensenig, Zuzu Kusmider and Alden Swanson.

The show runs for three weekends, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 2pm, April 26 – May 12. This production is appropriate for all ages.

Where the Wild Things Are is sponsored by Aztec Environmental Inc. & Kaleidoscope Children’s Art Studio. The 2019 season of plays at the Garfield is dedicated to the memory of Judy Kohl, a board member, patron, benefactor and friend who is missed dearly.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 for seniors 65+and members of the US Military, and $10 for students. They are available online at www.garfieldcenter.org or by calling the Garfield Center box office at 410-810-2060.

The Garfield Center for the Arts will be pulling out the popcorn this Friday, April 12^th for a 7pm screening of the film, The Gold Rush. Come celebrate Charlie Chaplin’s 130^th birthday this month by enjoying this film that he wrote, produced, directed and starred in. This will be the second in the series of films shown at the theatre in 2019, with four more films planned for this year.

Since the September 2017 installation of the Garfield’s new projector screen, the theatre has been showing classic films whenever their programming schedule permits. The concession stand will be selling popcorn for the evening, as well as the usual theatre bar fare.

About the film: The Gold Rush is a 1925 classic silent comedy in which the Little Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) heads north to join in the Klondike gold rush. Trapped in a small cabin by a blizzard, the Tramp is forced to share close quarters with a successful prospector (Mack Swain) and a fugitive (Tom Murray). Eventually able to leave the cabin, he falls for a lovely barmaid (Georgia Hale), trying valiantly to win her affections. When the prospector needs help locating his claim, it appears the Tramp’s fortunes may change.

This film has a 100% rating on RottenTomatos.com and includes the famous scene with Chaplin eating his own shoe.

The film showing is free, with a $5 suggested donation. For more information about this screening of The Gold Rush, the Movie Night at the Garfield series, or any other upcoming theatre events, please visit garfieldcenter.org, or call the box office at 410-810-2060. The Garfield Center for the Arts is located at 210 High Street in Chestertown.

On April 26th director Bee Betley will be opening a new show at the Garfield Center for the Arts; an adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s famous children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. A veteran director and actress at the Garfield, this will be Betley’s second full length production since she directed The Little Prince in 2018.

The cast and crew are as follows:

Max: Lydia Sensenig

Mom: Sarah Lyle

Claire: Izzie Southworth

Teacher: Paul Cambardella

Carol: John Mann

KW: Georgia Rickloff

Douglas: Mike Heffron

Judith: Phebe Wood

Ira: Zach Ryan

Alexander: Aaron Sensenig

The Bull: Paul Cambardella

Storytellers: Zuzu Kusmider, Alden Swanson

Stage Crew: Fantaye Kehm, Phoebe Kelly, Kaya Rickets

Music: Seth Betley

Production Manager: Sam Clabaugh

Managing Director: Kirby Powell

Director: Bee Betley

The show runs for three weekends, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 2pm, April 26– May 12.

Where the Wild Things Are is sponsored by Aztec Environmental and Kaleidoscope Children’s Art Studio. The 2019 season of plays at the Garfield is dedicated to the memory of Judy Kohl, a board member, patron, benefactor and friend who is missed dearly.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 for seniors 65+and members of the US Military, and $10 for students. They are available online at www.garfieldcenter.org or by calling the Garfield Center box office at 410-810-2060.

The board of directors at the Garfield Center for the Arts are proud to announce the theatre’s 2019 annual gala fundraiser; Broadway by the River! Hosted by New York’s drag queen sensation, Marti Gould Cummings, and featuring an evening of intimate performances and conversations with cast members of various Broadway shows; Emily Trumble of The Sound of Music, Jack Scott of Newsies! and Kristina Nicole Miller of The Preacher’s Wife. Featuring special guest Shannon Whittaker and musical director Blake Allen, Broadway by the River promises to once again deliver some of that “Big Apple” theatre magic to Chestertown on Friday, April 5th at 8pm.

Limited VIP “Broadway Pass” tickets are $100 each and include main level table seating, hors d’oeuvres, a complimentary themed cocktail and after party with the performers at The Kitchen at the Imperial. Tickets for the front row of the balcony are $75, general admission is $50 and tickets to the upper balcony are $25. Tickets can be purchased online at www.GarfieldCenter.org, by calling 410-810-2060 or in person at the Garfield Box Office, located at 210 High Street in Chestertown.

It’s that time of year again! The Garfield Center for the Arts at the Prince Theatre is embarking on the exciting annual adventure in theatre known as “Short Attention Span Theatre”!  (For those not in the know, that’s our annual 10-minute play festival!)  Performance dates are June 21-23, June 28-30, and July 5-7. Members of the Live Playwrights’ Society (LPS) and non-members are encouraged to submit their work.

We are seeking scripts for 10-minute plays and 1-minute plays from local playwrights.

• Please send your submissions to sastplays@garfieldcenter.org
• Non-LPS members may submit up to two 10-minute plays and two 1-minute plays.
• LPS members may submit up to three 10-minute plays and five 1-minute plays.
• Please include a cover sheet with your contact information (email, phone, mobile).
• We anonymize submitted scripts before they are read by our panel of judges, so please refrain from putting your name on each page.
• If possible, please send your scripts in PDF format.
• Your play will fare better if it is well formatted. Look for links on the Live Playwrights’ Society site for tips on formatting (www.liveplaywrightssociety.org).
• The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, April 3, 2019.

Here is our process:  Submissions are anonymized and then read by our panel of judges.  Our panel of judges selects a number of submitted plays which are then offered to our group of directors.  Our directors select from this list (in addition to a list of published plays).  We will announce our final selections by June 1st.

Good luck & get to typing!

Visit the Garfield Center for the Arts website for more information on Short Attention Span Theatre and all of our upcoming events and productions (www.garfieldcenter.org)!

About Short Attention Span Theatre (SAST): Short Attention Span Theatre offers an evening of 10-minute plays, designed to hold your attention for just long enough. The plays will feature a multitude of actors, directors and authors, as well as the world premiere of original works by local playwrights.

About Live Playwrights’ Society: Live Playwrights’ Society (LPS) is a local writers group which was created in 2009 through a collaboration between former Church Hill Theatre Executive Director Steve Arnold, former Prince Theatre Executive Director Lucia Foster, and local writer Mark Sullivan. LPS aims to foster a community of playwrights, actors and critics.