Arts Archives - Page 26 of 40

Magruder Alumnus Gbenga Akinnagbe Now On Hit STARZ Series Power Book II: Ghost

Published April 12, 2023 at 7:04AM

Actor Gbenga Akinnagbe has starred in many high-profile roles, bursting onto the scene as Chris Partlow for 30 episodes in HBO’s The Wire (2002-2008). The MoCo native and Magruder High School alumnus recently made his debut on the STARZ hit show Power Book II: Ghost, playing the role of billionaire Ron Samuel Jenkins (RSJ).

Akinnagbe grew up in Montgomery County and has stated that he was in and out of the Mark Twain School in Rockville, an alternative school that operated under than name until 2009 for students with consistent behavioral or attendance issues. When he got to Magruder on a permanent basis, Akinnagbe joined the wrestling team. “Fast forward a couple of years to when I was in Magruder full-time, and I started wrestling then. I was fortunate. I was really good at it, and I was recruited Division I the next year, my senior year to Bucknell to wrestle.” he said in a Washington Post interview in 2008.

Poetry Reading to Celebrate National Poetry Month to Take Place on April 20

By MCS Staff

Published April 8, 2023 at 10:57AM

In celebration of National Poetry Month, the next Takoma Park Arts poetry reading will feature four local poets who will share their diverse range of work. The featured poets include […]

Poster Contest Open to K–12 Students Sponsored By Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group (APASAAG)

By MCS Staff

Published March 30, 2023 at 7:45AM

As part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, the Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group (APASAAG) is sponsoring a poster contest for K–12 students. This is the fourth year for the contest.

The contest calls for students to submit original artwork reflecting significant moments or events in Asian American and Pacific Islander history and/or culture. Artwork must be drawings, paintings or digital art and submitted electronically. First, second and third place winners will receive cash awards for lower elementary, upper elementary, middle and high school levels. One entry per student is allowed. Submissions are due Friday, April 23.

Exhibit Featuring Artists with Austism and Other Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to Open This Saturday in Rockville

By Patrick Herron

Published March 24, 2023 at 9:51AM

A new exhibit by the artists of the VisAbility Art Lab opens at The Seneca (55 West Gude Drive) in Rockville this Saturday. The VisAbility Art Lab is a studio program that “provides artists with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities a place and the resources to create art and develop the skills necessary to work in the arts.” The exhibit will be open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM through Friday, April 26. Full details below courtesy of VisArts:

We are delighted to announce that more than 30 pieces of art will go on exhibit at The Seneca in Rockville on Saturday, March 25 – works created by the artists of VisArts’ VisAbility Art Lab. These highly talented painters, sketchers, and sculptors have two things in common: they are artists with autism or other intellectual and developmental disabilities and they are successfully pursuing careers in art.

AFI Silver Theatre’s Ray Barry to Retire After 50 Years at AFI

By MCS Staff

Published March 24, 2023 at 6:46AM

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced that Ray Barry, Director of the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, will retire this month after nearly 50 years at AFI. Silver Theatre Director of Programming and Associate Director of the Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, Todd Hitchcock has been named as Barry’s replacement. Additional information below, per AFI’s press release:

Ray Barry has been a fixture at AFI for nearly 50 years, serving as the Director of the AFI Theater at the John F. Kennedy Center, and later spearheading AFI’s initiative to restore the historic Silver Theatre and transform it into the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center—a state-of-the-art center for the moving image. He was also instrumental in the launch of many of AFI’s national programs over the years, including AFI FEST in Los Angeles and the AFI/Discovery Channel SILVERDOCS Documentary Film Festival, the annual AFI European Union Film Showcase and AFI Latin American Film Festival in Washington, DC, as well as having developed a wide variety of special exhibition projects for presentation both in the United States and overseas.

Montgomery Potters Present Ceramics Exhibit Through June 4

By MCS Staff

Published March 23, 2023 at 7:35AM

Arts on the Green presents a ceramics exhibit featuring works by members of Montgomery Potters. The exhibit is on display through June 4, 2023. Meet the artists and view their works at a joint Artists Reception on Thursday, April 27 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at both the Arts Barn & Kentlands Mansion, where the Gaithersburg Fine Arts Association’s exhibition will be on display. The joint reception is open to all and free to attend. Light refreshments will be served. Masks & social distancing are encouraged, but not required.

Members of Montgomery Potters will also provide docent tours of the exhibit from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the Arts Barn’s 20th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, April 15. “We are so pleased to welcome the Montgomery Potters to the Arts Barn Gallery,” says Gallery Program Coordinator Jaree Donnelly. “Their work is terrific and varied in style, and we hope our patrons will enjoy perusing the pieces from this talented group of artists & choose to acquire something from the exhibit for their collection or to give as a wonderful, unique gift.”

Sherwood High School’s Rock N Roll Revival Completes its 52nd Annual Show

By MCS Staff

Published March 16, 2023 at 9:52AM

Sherwood High School’s Rock ‘n Roll Revival just had its 52nd annual show– the tradition has been going strong since 1971, with 2020 being the only year a live show wasn’t produced due to Covid (a virtual show was produced that year). It all began when Sherwood students were inspired by a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Since then, students audition for the show and rehearse for a couple months, working with staff members to put together a show that is routinely seen by thousands of people each year.

Per Dan Gross of MCPS Communications, “performers work on four to five songs a day. Other cast members who rehearse separately accompany the larger group little by little until all 40 songs have been rehearsed en masse. Shortly before opening night, dancers join in when rehearsals move to the theater. In the weeks before opening night, the stage is built and painted, while the tech crew finalizes sound and lighting.” Gross writes that this year’s show involved 250 student performers and crew members and was seen by over 6,000 people over six performances this year. See the full MCPS photo story here.

TRANSFORMATIONS Art Opening Reception to Take Place on Thursday, March 23

By MCS Staff

Published March 14, 2023 at 8:13AM | Updated March 20, 2023 at 8:10AM

Per the Takoma Park Newsletter: The origin of paper winds through history and across centuries from papyrus in ancient Egypt to pulp-based paper from the Han dynasty in China to the invention of photographic paper in the early 19^th century. Artists have transformed this common material into new worlds of invention and creativity. Three artists will share their paper-based work in the TRANSFORMATIONS exhibition at the Takoma Park Community Center (7500 Maple Ave) with an opening reception at 7:30 pm on March 23. The featured artists include Beth Caruso, Landry Dunand, and Randall Williams.

Beth Caruso’s work often depicts aspects of the self and the body in relation to nature. In her Inner Life series, she photographs subjects and scenes and then uses digital tools to transform them into mirrored, kaleidoscopic imagery. “This series stems from a vivid interplay of intellect and emotion, combined with the workings of my conscious and subconscious,” she said. “In this light, the work can be viewed as a dialogue between the inner life of the artist and her surroundings, reflecting a desire to reorder the elements of the external world.”

2023 Oscar Predictions (By MoCo Movie Critic Andrew Italia)

By MCS Staff

Published March 12, 2023 at 2:15PM

Andrew Italia is an attorney in Rockville, 2001 Quince Orchard High School graduate, and MoCo resident. When he was in college at the University of Maryland, he was the movie critic for The Maryland Diamondback. During his time as the movie critic, he began making Oscar predictions for all 24 categories. His all-time record is 21 out of 24, but he usually falls in the 18-20 range. For the fourth straight year he is providing The MoCoShow with his predictions. Earlier this week, he shared his Top 12 Movies of 2022.

I might have nodded off a little early during last year’s Oscar telecast…What did I miss?

Churchill Jazz Ensemble Wins Second Place at Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival Competition

By MCS Staff

Published March 10, 2023 at 8:10AM

The Winston Churchill High School Jazz Ensemble won second place at the annual Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival’s High School Band Competition last month.

Twelve high school bands from across the East Coast competed in the prestigious event, with the top three bands performing in a final round to determine the overall winner. This was the first time the Churchill ensemble has placed in the finals, and they were the only school from the state of Maryland to advance to the final round.

2022: The Top Twelve List (by MoCo Movie Critic, Andrew Italia)

By MCS Staff

Published March 10, 2023 at 7:49AM

By Andrew Italia. Italia is a Quince Orchard High School graduate and MoCo resident. When he was in college at the University of Maryland, he was the movie critic for The Maryland Diamondback. During his time as the movie critic, he began making Oscar predictions for all 24 categories. His all-time record is 21 out of 24, but he usually falls in the 18-20 range. Below is his Top 12 movie list for 2022. For more movies on Twitter, see @Italia_budo

Mark Twain once mused that history might not repeat itself, but it sure did rhyme. In that spirit, we found ourselves sipping on gin and nostalgia last year, as what was once old was new again. The Terps brought back Juan and Gary for a celebration. Putin brought back the Cold War for an invasion. The Fresh Prince got in one little fight (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myjEoDypUD8), his mom got scared (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TG6r6H5iZM), and he had to move back to Bel Air (https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-tv/bel-air). McDonald’s Cheese Danish triumphantly returned after 40 years. Shackleton’s Endurance returned after 107. Johnny Depp performed again (on the witness stand), Mike Tyson fought again (on a JetBlue flight), and Bennifer got engaged again (in a bubble bath). Lizzo felt it was about damn time to play a 200-year-old flute once owned by James Madison (rap name “J Mads”).