This year, the interactive exhibit will feature twelve custom-designed pianos, to be displayed throughout the city at various hot spots and sidewalk locations, and will be accessible to the public 24/7. “We’re bringing them back because so many people have requested it. But more than that, it was the way the Lancaster community has, for the past three years, embraced and cared for the pianos. It was truly inspiring and a testament to an extraordinary community and it further solidifies Lancaster’s status as “The Street Piano Capital of the World”, ” said John Gerdy, president of Music For Everyone. “And we are happy to because this project is a literal expression of what this organization is about – Music For Everyone.”

Lead sponsors of this exhibit include:

Lancaster County Community Foundation

Faulkner BMW

Gallagher & Sons Construction

Environmental Recovery Corporation

Tell Manufacturing

Lancaster International Piano Festival

Cityscape Lofts

Leadership Lancaster

Prima Theatre

Lancaster Day Care Center

North Museum

This year’s exhibition will also include a “MFE Community Piano”, to be located in Lancaster Square. And in the true spirit of “community”, the public will be invited to share their imagination and creativity by adding a personal design touch to this piano from 5:00 – 8:00 PM in Lancaster Square (100 Block of N. Queen Street) on Friday, May 17. “This is the MFE Community Piano, so therefore we thought it would be appropriate that it be painted by the community”, explained Gerdy. “It’ll be fun and it’s a great way to kick off the summer Music Friday concert series.”  MFE Community Piano sponsors include:

Carr’s Restaurant

Lancaster County Motors

McConkey Insurance and Benefits

Integrity Bank

Shayne and Anne Beecher

The Keys For The City project kicks off in conjunction with the Music Friday Summer Concert Series, on May 17, 2013, with an opening concert in Binns Park (100 Block of N. Queen Street). Subsequent events are scheduled at the same location every Music Friday through September, each from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical
Katie Albright
as Miss Jones in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Camp Hill High School
Lindsey Bloomingdale
as Ursula Merkle in Bye Bye Birdie – Bishop McDevitt High School
Brett Helmus
as Smokey in Damn Yankees – Hershey High School
Savannah Moyer
as Jolene Oakes in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – Central Dauphin East High School
Naomi Peña
as Prince Chulalongkorn in The King and I – Palmyra Area High School
Elijah Rahn
as Lefou in Beauty and the Beast – West Perry High School

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Christopher Eppley
as Dr. Einstein in Arsenic and Old Lace – Susquenita High School
Benton Felty
as Lord of the Underworld in Eurydice – Central Dauphin East High School
Ben Folts
as Plato in Rebel Without a Cause – Hershey High School
Mark Rissmiller
as Banquo in Macbeth: In Translation – Lower Dauphin High School
Nick Wasileski
as Clement Howell in The Wisdom of Eve – Camp Hill High School

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
Alicia Campbell
as Ann Deever in All My Sons – Cedar Crest High School
Megan Culbertson
as Natasha Kolenkhov in You Can’t Take It With You – Big Spring High School
Taylor Perry
as Margo Crane in The Wisdom of Eve – Camp Hill High School
Becca Robertson
as Karen Roberts in The Wisdom of Eve – Camp Hill High School
Halle Shank
as Essie Carmichael in You Can’t Take It With You – Big Spring High School
Ally Waverka
as Carol in Real Gone – Cumberland Valley High School

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Angeline Lonardi
as Mrs. MacAfee in Bye Bye Birdie – Bishop McDevitt High School
Rachael Robertson
as Hedy LaRue in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Camp Hill High School
Rebecca Robertson
as Smitty in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Camp Hill High School
Halle Shank
as Minnie Fay in Hello, Dolly! – Big Spring High School
Angela Villanueva
as Mammy Yokum in Li’l Abner – Cedar Crest High School
Erin Vrana
as Meg Boyd in Damn Yankees – Hershey High School
Liz Wiest
as Mae Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie – Bishop McDevitt High School

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
David Carapezza
as Buffalo Bill Cody in Annie Get Your Gun – Bible Baptist School
Zachary Johnson
as Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast – Lower Dauphin High School
Josh Miccio
as Bud Frump in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Camp Hill High School
Matthew Peck
as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast – Lower Dauphin High School
Josh Tittle
as Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! – Big Spring High School
Nick Wasileski
as J.B. Biggley in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Camp Hill High School

Outstanding Student Playwright
Christian Cassidy-Amstutz
for What Was Left – Hershey High School
Kathryn Lebo
for Allergic to the Sun – Bishop McDevitt High School
Jessie Weber
for 36 Across – Hershey High School

Outstanding Play
Camp Hill High School – The Wisdom of Eve
Cedar Crest High School – All My Sons
Cumberland Valley High School – Real Gone
Elizabethtown Area High School – The Crucible
Susquenita High School – Arsenic and Old Lace

Outstanding Student Orchestra
Camp Hill High School – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Cedar Crest High School – Li’l Abner
Central Dauphin East High School – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Elizabethtown Area High School – GREASE
Hershey High School – Damn Yankees
Palmyra Area High School – The King and I

Outstanding Dance Number in a Musical
Camp Hill High School
“Brotherhood of Man” from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Central Dauphin East High School
“The More We Dance” from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Elizabethtown Area High School
“Born to Hand Jive” from GREASE
Hershey High School
“Shoeless Joe” from Damn Yankees
Palmyra Area High School
“The Small House of Uncle Thomas” from The King and I

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Mary Kate Hoag
as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth: In Translation – Lower Dauphin High School
Maddy Hayes
as Kate Keller in All My Sons – Cedar Crest High School
Elaine Knox
as Shirley Darbon in Real Gone – Cumberland Valley High School
Rachael Robertson
as Eve Harrington in The Wisdom of Eve – Camp Hill High School
Amanda Stine
as Martha Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace – Susquenita High School
Abigail Whitehead-Zimmers
as Abby Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace – Susquenita High School

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
David Cisneros
as Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey – Hershey Christian School
Ryan Denlinger
as John Proctor in The Crucible – Elizabethtown Area High School
Noah Luzier
as Mortimer Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace – Susquenita High School
Tyler Marshall
as Chris Keller in All My Sons – Cedar Crest High School
Josh Miccio
as Lloyd Roberts in The Wisdom of Eve – Camp Hill High School
Matthew Peck
as Macbeth in Macbeth: In Translation – Lower Dauphin High School
Nathan Stosius
as Sir Wilfrid Roberts in Witness for the Prosecution – West Perry High School

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Mary Albus
as Anna Leonowens in The King and I – Palmyra Area High School
Cassandra Barrett
as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun – Harrisburg Christian School
Rachel Chambers
as Belle in Beauty and the Beast – Lower Dauphin High School
Amber Emerson
as Esther Smith in Meet Me in St. Louis – ENCORE! Home School Productions
Emily Homburger
as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun – Bible Baptist School
Kaitlin Pagliaro
as Rosie Alvarez in Bye Bye Birdie – Bishop McDevitt High School
Taylor Perry
as Rosemary in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Camp Hill High School

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Cole Batzler
as J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Camp Hill High School
Benton Felty
as Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – Central Dauphin East High School
Ben Folts
as Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees – Hershey High School
Steven Lacey
as Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie – Bishop McDevitt High School
Luke Leone
as Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun – Bible Baptist School
Brendan McAlester
as Beast in Beauty and the Beast – Lower Dauphin High School
Sean Reynolds
as Lawrence Jameson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – Central Dauphin East High School

Outstanding Musical
Bible Baptist School – Annie Get Your Gun
Camp Hill High School – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Central Dauphin East High School – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Hershey High School – Damn Yankees
Lower Dauphin High School – Beauty and the Beast

Spirit of Theater – Play Recipients
Savanah Aqueche                Big Spring High School
Katie Albright                 Camp Hill High School
Tyler George                 Cedar Crest High School
Christian Johnson                 Central Dauphin East High School
Gwen Strom                        Cumberland Valley High School
Andrew Bush                        Elizabethtown Area High School
Kate Clark                         Hershey Christian School
Megan Bittinger                Hershey High School
Anuj Patel                         Lower Dauphin High School
Leila McCrumb                 Palmyra Area High School
Aggie Willoughby                 Susquenita High School
Tessa Morrison                 West Perry High School

Spirit of Theater – Musical Recipients
Mary Papeika                Annville-Cleona High School
Mackenzie Richardson        Bible Baptist School
Sarah Ickes                        Big Spring High School
Nick Devine                        Bishop McDevitt High School
Drew Anderson                Camp Hill High School
John Shuman                        Cedar Crest High School
Sara Mehretab                Central Dauphin East High School
MaKayla Williams                Elizabethtown Area High School
Forrest Davis                        ENCORE! Home School Productions
Trevor Engle                        Greenwood High School
Erin Sheffer                        Harrisburg Academy
Ethan Gardner                Harrisburg Christian School
Adam Firestone                Hershey High School
Michaela Robertson                Lower Dauphin High School
Jon Bernhard                        Palmyra Area High School
Benjamin Schilling                Susquehanna Township High School
Gabriella Lacroce                Susquenita High School
Kaci Berringer                West Perry High School

Twenty schools in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon and Perry counties, in addition to Elizabethtown Area Senior High School, participated in the fifth annual awards program. Throughout the show, production numbers from the five nominated musicals were performed, in addition to monologues and solos by nominated lead actors and actresses. New this year, the Spirit of Theater award was introduced. Each director selected a student from their school’s production to receive this award in recognition of his or her dedication, hard work and commitment to the high school production. This year also marked the inaugural year for the Outstanding Student Playwright award, which recognizes and rewards talented student writers.

The Hershey Theatre Apollo Awards program is named after the Greek god who adorns the decorative ceiling in the Grand Lobby of Hershey Theatre. Apollo was the patron god of music, poetry and the arts – a fitting namesake for this tribute program.

at Adams County Arts Council in June

Gettysburg artist Wendy Allen is known internationally for her paintings depicting the likeness of Abraham Lincoln. She will exhibit a selection of these works at the Adams County Arts Council’s Arts Education Center throughout the month of June as part of the Arts Council’s celebration of the sesquicentennial of the Battle of Gettysburg.

The exhibition, which opens Friday, June 7, will hang in the Reception Hall at the Adams County Arts Council’s Arts Education Center, located at 125 South Washington Street in Gettysburg. The Arts Council will host an artist’s reception and book signing from 5:00 to 7:30 P.M. that evening. The exhibition will run through June 30. Her work can also be seen at www.lincolnintoart.com.

Allen, who typically uses her hands to spread her paints on the canvas, has been painting images of Lincoln for close to 30 years and has completed nearly 200 paintings of the president. “I use his face to explore the concept of history and what it means to be an American,” she says. “I think of each canvas as the place where I can explore Lincoln’s compassion, courage, and determination using artistic tools like composition, color, and texture.”

Allen has focused most of her painting career on Lincoln’s face, which she admits arouses curiosity. “People always ask me what it is about Lincoln that inspires me to paint him over and over again,” she says. “It’s never easy to explain, but I can say that for me, painting Lincoln reflects my love of this country. He was so quintessentially, uniquely American. He’s so recognizable, so iconic, and yet there’s such a warmth about him. His face is courageous and wise but also vulnerable. To me his face represents freedom. And even though it’s very familiar to us, there’s so much yet to discover.”

Allen hopes that her work will help keep Lincoln’s face—and just as importantly, his intelligence and values—at the forefront of the nation’s consciousness. “It puts the best of America out there,” she says. “The things that he said are still relevant today. I don’t want him to get lost. I want people to see him as a modern figure, still powerful and relevant and with much to teach us. He never ceases to inspire me.”

Although she maintains a collection of hundreds of images of Lincoln, Allen says she could paint his face from memory. “He has the most peculiar nose,” she says. “And his lips are bizarre. If you don’t get the lips right, nobody recognizes him. He’s such a mixture of light and shadows. When you get the light and the shadows working, and the darkness under the lip, then you know it’s Lincoln.”

Allen grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and studied political science at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Since 2010, she and her partner, Elaine Henderson, have operated a contemporary art gallery, Lincoln Into Art, at 329 Baltimore Street in Gettysburg. The gallery features prints and originals of Allen’s Lincoln portraits, as well as her other work.

Allen has shown her work widely and has attracted an international following. In 2009 she was featured in a CNN special honoring the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birthday. At that time she also launched a nationwide tribute, “Happy 200^th Birthday, President Lincoln,” in the form of an enormous public “birthday card” that garnered more than 20,000 signatures and heartfelt messages. The National Archives has acquired the card with plans to exhibit it in the future.

Allen’s June exhibition at the Adams County Arts Council will include prints as well as original paintings. If she can complete them in time, she hopes to include two paintings that incorporate sections of “witness wood” taken from trees that were standing in Gettysburg at the time of the historic battle in 1863.

The exhibition also will include sales of Allen’s book, Lincoln into Art: 1983-2013, featuring 100 color plates and a foreword by Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer. Allen will sign copies of her book at the exhibition’s opening on June 7.

For more information about Wendy Allen’s upcoming exhibition, other upcoming Arts Council exhibitions, art classes at the Arts Council’s Arts Education Center, and other news and events from the Adams County Arts Council, visit www.adamsarts.org or call (717) 334-5006.

The Adams County Arts Council’s mission is to cultivate an arts-rich community.

In the Middle of Their National Tour,
Between Performances in Florida and Indiana
The Ware Center Proudly Closes
Its 2012-13 Artistic Season with…

The Annie Moses Band

Friday, May 24, 2013 | 7:30 PM

The Ware Center | 42 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA

The Ware Center kicked-off its second year last September with a concert by country great, grammy-winner John Berry.  Now over 300 performances later, it is fitting then, that the Ware & Winter Centers of Millersville University should end their 2012-13 Season with another stellar musical group – one that offers a unique style of pop, jazz, Celtic and classical music with a contemporary influence — The Annie Moses Band. The band, who recently debuted at the Grand Old Opry to a standing ovation, is composed of six siblings – all Juilliard-trained musicians — with their parents spearheading the lyrics and arrangements. Their performance is followed by the Ware/Winter Centers’ Official 2012-13 Season Closing Party – a family friendly reception open to all Annie Moses Band ticket holders.

The family of eight tours America frequently, each of the six children playing a musical instrument – virtually every stringed instrument found in an orchestra.  The lead singer’s voice, clear and beautiful, is a mixture of Dolly Parton and Celtic Woman.  As a whole, the family has earned numerous awards and achievements – including a Billboard Top Ten Award — that testify to the depth of each member’s artistic ability.

Pilgrims & Prodigals, the band’s first commercial release, is based on the idea that everyone in the world is going somewhere,” observes Alex, who for the first time shares lead vocalist duties with his sister Annie.  “We’re all on a personal journey.  We are all either someone who’s finding our way back home or we’re someone who’s running away from home.  Every song on this album tells one of those two stories.”

Says Alex, “I think that whenever you start a project, there’s a kind of surge that happens artistically and creatively, and I think we all definitely had that in creating this album.”  Adds Annie, “Even though our band started 10 years ago, this really is our first release. I feel in some ways it’s a springboard into the next place, into the next chapter of our life.  And that’s very exciting!”

Here’s what others have said about the Annie Moses band…

The six siblings that comprise Annie Moses Band have built an impressive platform with their blend of disparate classic genres into one modern package.  Pilgrims & Prodigals is perhaps their best work to date with a strong mix of eight original tunes and five covers.   CCM Magazine

Music is a gift but music performed with perfection is a treasure. The Annie Moses Band not only creates beautiful music, but they stir the soul. Whether seeing them on television, in a live concert or listening to their latest CD, any time spent with the Annie Moses Band causes the heart to overflow.  They are, without a doubt, one of the greatest musical groups of our time! Janet Parshall, Nationally Syndicated Talk Show Host  

Listen for yourselves….Annie Moses Band Playing Blarney Pilgrim  or “When Daddy Says I’m Beautiful”

Ticket Information: This event is open to the public. Tickets: $25 for reserved seating, $20 for seniors, $10 for students with ID and children under 18. Tickets may be reserved online, at  www/Millersville.edu/MUARTS. By calling 717-872-3811 or 717-871-2308. Or in person at the Box Office at the at The Ware Center (42 N. Prince St., Lancaster) or Student Memorial Center Ticket Office (Room 103, 21 South George Street, Millersville).  Ticket Offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tickets will also be available for purchase one hour prior to the performance at the Ware Center, if still available. Advanced reservations are strongly urged.

The Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art has extended the submission deadline for its 20th Annual Youth Art Contest.  Submissions will now be accepted until Monday, June 17, 2013.  This year’s contest theme is “Wildlife of the World.”

Aspiring artists grades 1 through 12 (or equivalent) are encouraged to enter the contest – all entrants will receive a Ned Smith Center Signature Series patch.  All artwork must represent birds of the world in their natural habitat.  All subjects depicted in the artwork must be identified (scientific and common name) and listed on the entry form.

Entries are categorized by the artist’s age: grades 1-3, grades 4-6, grades 7-9 and grades 10-12.  First, second, and third place winners and an honorable mention winner will be delected from each category.  Certificates and ribbons will be awarded at the Ned Smith Center Nature and Arts Festival on July 27, 2013.

All entries must be submitted with an official entry form, available for download on the Ned Smith Center’s website (www.nedsmithcenter.org/youthartcontest).  Complete contest rules are available on the Center’s website as well.

Questions about the Youth Art Contest should be directed to Beth Sanders, Director of Education, at 717-692-3699, or via email at bsanders@nedsmithcenter.org.

Saturday, June 1, 2013 Gates open at 12:00 noon Elicker’s Grove Park, Spring Grove

On Saturday, June 1 Susquehanna Folk is assisting festival organizer Art Wachter with the promotion and organization of the East Coast Django Gypsy Fest to be held at Elicker’s Grove Park located near York in Spring Grove, PA. It will be a wonderful day of gypsy jazz music– celebrating the legacy of the great Belgian/French guitarist Django Reinhart by showcasing talented, world renowned musicians such as Frank Vignola & Vinny Raniolo, Olli Soikkel, Evan Perri, Adrian Moignard, Daisy Castro, and Shelby Eicher and Mischievous Swing.

We ARE IN NEED OF SOME VOLUNTEERS WILLING TO HELP SELL TICKETS. Ticket sellers will be asked to work a two hour shift and Arts Wachter has agreed to offer free admission to volunteers.

The shifts will begin 11:30 and end at 7:30. Please respond to this e-mail if you are willing to help and let us know the timeframe that you will be available.

Karen Hostetter, festival volunteer organizer khostetter@yorklibraries.org

The Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art is proud to continue its annual tradition of presenting live outdoor music with the eighth installment of Music on the Riegle Deck on Saturday, June 15.  The evening will feature the music of three central Pennsylvania favorites: After Hours Big Band, with support from Tommy Whitcom and Vince Lanenza.

The After Hours Big Band got its start at the 1995 Lykens Minstrel Show, when several members of the Lykens Liberty Hose Company Band were asked to portray a 1940s big band as a tribute to the end of World War II.  The crowd response was so positive that the band decided to keep the band going.  They play in the traditional big band style: five saxophones, five trumpets, four trombones, and a rhythm section.

From the traditional big band arrangements of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Les Brown to the modern era sounds of big band artists such as Maynard Ferguson and Brian Setzer, The After Hours Big Band covers it all. We also play big band arrangements of contemporary popular music for music lovers with more modern tastes.

From May 24 through August 30, The Hotel Hershey will host live jazz performances by local artists on select Friday evenings from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Guests can relax by the fire pit while enjoying light fare and a cocktail from the special drink menu available on the veranda of The Hotel Hershey.

The exciting lineup of talented musicians is as follows:
May 24                 Jazz Me
May 31                  Amy Banks
June 7                   Wave
June 14                 Katie Rudolph Quartet
June 21                 Jazz Me
June 28                 Ziggy Isaacs Quartet
July 4                     Jazz Me (Special July 4^th Party)
July 5                     Jazz Me
July 12                   Deborah Cohen & The Groove Brothers
July 19                   Andy Mowatt Quartet
August 2                Dave Wilson Quartet
August 9                Jazz Me
August 16               String Theory
August 23               Ryan Kauffman Quartet
August 30               Wave

“For the last 15 summers, community members and Hotel guests have enjoyed this popular series. We are excited to bring it back again and offer a talented lineup of local artists for all to enjoy,” said Brian O’Day, General Manager, The Hotel Hershey.
“Jazz on the Veranda” is free to members of the community as well as guests of Hershey Resorts. For more information, call 717-534-8800 or visit www.DiningInHershey.com.

Robert Redford & Shia LeBeouf star in a thriller about a former Weather Underground activist who goes on the run. With Susan Sarandon & Stanley Tucci.

View Trailer

Show Times:
Friday (5/17) – 7:15 PM
Saturday (5/18) – 4:15 PM and 7:15 PM
Sunday (5/19) – 2:15 PM and 5:15 PM
Monday – Thursday (5/20 – 5/23) – 7:15 PM

Two teenage boys encounter a fugitive & help him evade the bounty hunters on his trail. Stars Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon & Sam Shepard.

View Trailer 

Show Times:
Friday (5/17) – 7:00 PM
Saturday (5/18) – 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM
Sunday (5/19) – 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM
Monday – Thursday (5/20 – 5/23) – 7:00 PM

Tickets: $7.50