Posts tagged with "Pennsylvania"

PSF Returns Post-Covid

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This summer Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival became one of the first professional theatres to open its doors since the coronavirus pandemic closed venues nationwide more than a year ago. The Festival celebrated its 30th Anniversary season welcoming patrons back to in-person performances indoors at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts and outdoors at the new Air Products Open Air Theatre on the campus of DeSales University.

As one of the few active professional theatres in the nation this summer, and despite reduced seating capacity due to COVID restrictions, the Festival successfully produced seven productions and events this season. PSF reached its attendance goals welcoming nearly 10,000 audience members to 64 performances in just four weeks, in contrast to a nine and a half week season in a typical year.

With state, local, and union rules shifting repeatedly in the months leading up to the season, PSF developed multiple scenarios for the summer season, ultimately selecting the scenario that allowed for the highest-level audience experience with the most productions.

“From Shakespeare to August Wilson, from intimate solo performances to large-cast celebrations on a new stage, from indoors, to outdoors, to virtual offerings, this was a season to remember,” says Producing Artistic Director Patrick Mulcahy. “And neither the occasional rain, heat, nor hot air balloon landing adjacent to an outdoor performance could quell the enthusiasm of our patrons in their return to the theatre. Kudos to our staff, our artists, our donors and our patrons for helping us to pull this particular rabbit out of this particular hat.”

When the state announced it would expand attendance capacity for outdoor gatherings the Festival designed a new outdoor space to accommodate additional attendees. With the support of DeSales University, PSF prepared the mall adjacent to the Labuda Center and built the new Air Products Open Air Theatre on the lawn just a few weeks in advance of opening A Midsummer Night’s Dream, marking a memorable debut as PSF’s first-ever outdoor Shakespeare production.

Safety protocols kept patrons, staff and artists safe. In-person productions ran 90-minutes with no intermission and seating capacity was tailored to smaller socially distanced audiences. The Festival programmed the indoor Main Stage theatre for 22% of capacity, where ticketed patrons sat socially distanced and masked. Attendees of the Air Products Open Air Theatre venue were socially distanced but not masked.

Artists quarantined upon arrival, weekly testing began immediately, the summer staff was nearly fully vaccinated, and actors and technicians generally worked in “bubbles.” Careful observance of these protocols helped the Festival achieve a COVID-free summer of performances.

Prior to the season launch the Festival held its Luminosity Gala outdoors under a tent, the first fundraiser held in-person by a major Lehigh Valley arts nonprofit after the pandemic shutdown. Attendance was 252 and the event raised more than $120,000 to help support PSF’s educational and artistic programs. The combination of community, foundation, and government support PSF received, including pandemic rescue dollars, proved crucial to the Festival’s financial strength and continued success in fulfilling its mission.

The Festival is now completing the planning process for summer 2022, and expects to open both indoor theatres to full capacity next summer. A season announcement will be made in October. “We are eager to return to a few of the plays we didn’t get to produce in 2020, and round out the season with a diversity of enriching offerings for an unforgettable summer,” says Mulcahy.

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival features acclaimed actors from Broadway, television, and film, and is traditionally the summer home to more than 200 artists from around the country, including winners and nominees of the Tony, Obie, Emmy, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Jefferson, and Barrymore awards.

About Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Patrick Mulcahy, is the only professional Equity theatre of its scope and scale within a 50-mile radius. PSF is one of only a handful of theatres on the continent producing Shakespeare, musicals, classics, and contemporary plays, all of which can normally be seen in rep and in multiple spaces within a few visits in a single summer season. Similarly, PSF was among just a handful of theatres on the continent in recent summers to produce three Shakespeare plays in a single summer season. A patron would have to travel seven to nine hours from PSF to find a comparable range of offerings at a single theatre within a few weeks’ time.

The Festival’s award-winning company of many world-class artists includes Broadway, film, and television veterans, and winners and nominees of the Tony, Emmy, Obie, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Jefferson, Hayes, Lortel, and Barrymore awards. A leading Shakespeare theatre with a national reputation for excellence, PSF has received coverage in The Washington Post, NPR, American Theatre Magazine, Playbill.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and in recent seasons The New York Times has identified PSF as one of the leading summer theatre festivals in the nation. “A world-class theater experience on a par with the top Bard fests,” is how one New York Drama Desk reviewer characterized PSF.

Founded in 1992 and the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, PSF’s mission is to enrich, inspire, engage, and entertain the widest possible audience through first-rate productions of classical and contemporary plays, with a core commitment to Shakespeare and other master dramatists, and through an array of education and mentorship programs. A not-for-profit theatre, PSF receives significant support from its host, DeSales University, from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Traditionally, with 150 performances of seven productions, the Festival attracts patrons each summer from 30+ states. In 30 years, PSF has offered 200+ total productions (82 Shakespeare), and entertained 1,000,000+ patrons from 50 states, now averaging 34,000-40,000 in attendance each summer season, plus another 13,000 students each year through its WillPower Tour to schools. PSF is a multi-year recipient of awards from the National Endowment for the Arts: Shakespeare in American Communities, and is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group, and the Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA). In 2013, leaders of the world’s premier Shakespeare theatres gathered at PSF as the Festival hosted the international STA Conference.

Black-Owned Crowns × Hops Brewing Beer in Honor of Stacy Abrams

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This past weekend, Crowns & Hops Brewing Co., the first Black-owned craft beer brand in Inglewood, CA, released “The Blue Peach” – a Blueberry Peach gose that is brewed in collaboration with Barrel & Flow (Black beer festival in Pittsburg, PA) and Black Calder Brewing (first Black-owned brewery in Grand Rapids, MI). The beer was made in honor of Stacey Abrams, and a percentage of the funds generated from its sale will be donated to Fair Fight, a national voting rights organization focused on voter suppression and protecting voting rights. “The Blue Peach” is a limited edition beer and is currently available in select retailers in Los Angeles. Please visit Crowns and Hops Brewing Co. to learn more about the release of the beer.

In addition to the release of “The Blue Peach,” Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. will co-host a panel discussion and mixer with the Inglewood Chamber of Commerce and the City of Inglewood. The event takes place on Wednesday, August 25, and is held in celebration of Black Business Month.

Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. recently launched their equity crowdfunding campaign “OWN CROWNS” to invite the community to invest in the brand’s mission and success. The capital raised will go directly to the buildout of their new flagship restaurant/brewpub Crowns Inglewood, a 14k sq foot location off of Manchester & Crenshaw and a little over a mile from the SOFI Stadium. In an effort to collaborate with the community of Inglewood and those who champion racial equity in the U.S., co-founders Beny Ashburn & Teo Hunter believe this opportunity will allow for the community to invest in the city’s development while supporting Black-owned businesses in the region.

As stated by Beny Ashburn, CEO, “Our brand started with the community. Now, we want to offer the community an opportunity to own a part of Crowns in the City of Champions and wherever we expand.”

Crowns Inglewood is a community establishment based in the heart of Inglewood, and will provide a safe, family-friendly space to gather, dine and have delicious independent craft beer. During a time where most Black & Brown communities feel left out of the development of their own neighborhoods, this investment opportunity allows for the community to participate in the revitalization efforts of a city. Crowns & Hops will offer locals and visitors alike an opportunity to publicly connect in Inglewood/South L.A. to enjoy premium products produced in Inglewood.

“We have always celebrated the mission of community and ownership in the craft beer industry. We’re excited to bring these concepts of investment and equity to a region that has been starved of resources for generations,” said Teo Hunter, COO & Head of Beer Operations.

To learn more about the Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. equity crowdfunding campaign and to invest, please visit here.

For additional updates, keep a close eye on the Crowns & Hops social media channels: Instagram | Twitter | Website | Facebook | To Invest

About Crowns & Hops Brewing Company:

In 6-years, Co-Founders Teo Hunter & Beny Ashburn have become the leaders and voices of a craft beer movement bringing much-needed diversity and inclusion to the industry. Hunter & Ashburn disrupted the status quo of the craft beer industry and built a brand that is bigger than beer. Through their global social movement #BlackPeopleLoveBeer & #BrownPeopleLoveBeer, they have been able to galvanize the voices of people of color in craft beer. Crowns & Hops Brewery Co. will be the first Black-owned brewery in Inglewood, CA, a few short miles from the new Rams/Chargers Stadium.

Crowns & Hops Brewing Co’s mission is to create spaces that are community-centric, driving diversity, racial equity, economic growth, and influencing inclusion. This creates jobs and new career paths for people of color in and around the beer industry. Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. is the first-ever craft beer brand that bridges lifestyle, communities of color, “dope” culture, and delicious craft beer. Welcome to The New Now of craft beer. #OWNCROWNS

PA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP TRANSITION

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Today, Patrick Mulcahy who has served as Producing Artistic Director of Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) since 2003, announced that he will step down from his role at the Festival at the end of the summer 2022 season.

Mulcahy will work with the Festival’s Board of Directors, staff, and the Festival’s parent company DeSales University to support a seamless transition to its next artistic leader, determined through a national search in the coming year. PSF is the professional Equity theatre at DeSales University.

“While my professional roots are in Shakespeare and the theatre industry, I shifted in the 1990s to pursue a career in academia,” said Mulcahy, who joined the DeSales faculty as Head of Acting in 1996. “When PSF came knocking in 2001 and then again in 2003, I was reluctant because I was happy living my passion for education as faculty.” Mulcahy eventually accepted the leadership position at PSF, reducing his faculty role, and has led the Festival for longer than any previous leader, including the founder Rev. Gerard J. Schubert, OSFS.

“Leading the Festival has been the honor of my life and has provided me with countless opportunities to continue to learn. A few years back, my wife and I began to talk about my returning to the faculty full-time. The timing is right for us, and we will continue to champion PSF to ‘ascend the brightest heaven of invention’ as patrons and fans.” He added: “PSF has never been in a stronger position. In the arts, we’re in the ‘humanity business’ and I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished at PSF – artistically, institutionally, and in our communities — and am confident our stakeholders and staff will continue to ensure the Festival’s ongoing success. I look forward to continuing to lead PSF through the 2022 season and then bringing what I’ve learned in these nearly two decades back to our students at DeSales.”

Under Mulcahy’s leadership, PSF attracted its first Tony Award-winning artists to its summer seasons, expanded its offerings to include musicals, productions in repertory, and as many as three Shakespeare plays per summer season. The Festival doubled its attendance, served its one-millionth patron, quintupled its endowment, eliminated its debt, created a modest cash reserve, grew and diversified its Board of Directors and company, and secured its first and subsequent grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and other major arts grant makers. In the last decade, PSF has become just one of a handful of professional theatres on the continent offering this range of programming to destination patrons in a single summer season. He also supported added accessibility programming, championed PSF’s education programs, increased the reach of its school tours, and created a Shakespeare for Kids production each season. Recently, PSF successfully pivoted in the pandemic to offer a broad range of indoor, outdoor, and virtual programming for the 2021 season.

“Patrick’s leadership of PSF is a fitting testament to his talents as a Renaissance man – – a courageous strategist, thoughtful visionary, attentive fundraiser, effective manager, artist, motivator, and friend. Rarely have I witnessed so many successes of a leader during his or her tenure of any organization, be it a diversified for-profit business or a nonprofit arts organization,” says PSF Board President Judy Harris. “We hold enormous gratitude for all that Patrick has built and nurtured while leading PSF to the brightest of futures. We bear equal gratitude to DeSales University for having fostered the creation and growth of PSF, and for ensuring that Patrick return full-time to its esteemed faculty.”

Mulcahy led the 2009 strategic planning process that resulted in PSF’s Vision 2030, a commitment to world-class professional theatre, and a body of work that garnered coverage in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playbill magazine, and The Washington Post. He led The Campaign for PSF in 2013-2015, which raised more than $4 million, primarily for endowment growth to support PSF artistic and education programming. Mulcahy also stewards PSF’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism Working Group and, with the support of the entire PSF team, has achieved increasingly diverse programming and summer staffing of artists and artisans.

In addition to having worked closely with Festival founder Fr. Schubert, and having acted and directed at the Festival in the late 1990s, Mulcahy’s tenure as leader of the Festival represents nearly two-thirds of the company’s 30-year history. In his dual role as producing artistic director of PSF and head of acting for DeSales University, Mulcahy has supported the career progression of both emerging leaders and developing artists, including many alumni who are now enjoying successful performing careers or leadership positions at other theatres.

“It’s truly been an honor to work so closely with so many great artists, Board members, and staff. I will continue to support the Festival in any way I can,” says Mulcahy, “once I shift the focus of my attention to serving the students and the DeSales University Theatre Department. It will be a joy to come back full time to this Department, which is rich with distinctive offerings, and to working more closely once again with my gifted colleagues there.”

DeSales University President Rev. James A. Greenfield, OSFS, shared, “on behalf of DeSales University, I thank Patrick for his visionary and transformative leadership of PSF. Its founder, Fr. Jerry Schubert, was famous for his exhortation: ‘Give beauty back.’ Patrick’s work at PSF’s helm has ensured that we will be giving beauty back to countless people for generations to come. I am confident that Patrick’s creative collaboration with the PSF board has fortified the Festival for a transition that will greatly strengthen our future.”

How Has 9/11 Changed America?

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September 11, 2001 will forever remain etched in the memories of Americans. Almost 3,000 innocent lives were lost during the deadly 9/11 terror attack. No one saw it coming until two planes hijacked by terrorists crashed into New York’s World Trade Center.

Terrorists aboard a third plane hovered around the Pentagon while the fourth crashed in Pennsylvania. And this was the beginning of significant changes in America’s history. Nearly everything changed in a bid to make America safe. Below are several things that changed after the terrorist attack.

Start Of War On Terror

The 9/11 terrorist attack on U.S. soil marked the beginning of America’s war on terror. Before then, American troops were home. But a month after the attack, American troops were deployed to Afghanistan. Their main objective was reining in al-Qaeda militia – an outlawed terror group – behind the terrorist attack in the U.S.

In an address to Congress nine days after the attack, declared a global war on terror.

“Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped, and defeated,” Bush’s resolute stand read.

The U.S. troops sustained a long war in dismantling the Taliban government supporting al-Qaeda. It is the most protracted military campaign in the annals of U.S. history. And it didn’t end here. Military troops from the U.S. in 2003 invaded Iraq intending to dethrone Saddam Hussein. Hussein was the leader at the time and was producing weapons for the Taliban forces.

Twenty years later, about 8,000 US troops are still in Afghanistan, taming the Taliban insurgency.

Health Complications

Residents of lower Manhattan in New York reported increasing cases of Ground Zero respiratory diseases five months after the terror attack. Some of the 9/11 related illnesses came as a result of pulverization. When the World Trade Center collapsed, all materials in the building became fine dust spreading all over Manhattan.

The World Trade Center Health Program certifies that there are more cases of respiratory diseases since the attack in the area. Further, other ailments certified by the program include asthma, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, depression, rhinosinusitis, and sleep apnea.

Onset Of Deportations

The Department of Homeland Security didn’t exist before September 11, 2001. President Bush formed it in 2002, working closely with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Deportations rose exponentially during Barack Obama’s administration, having the highest numbers. Between 2009 and 2010, nearly 400,000 people were deported.

Between 1999 and 2001, there were at least 200,000 annual deportations. But they doubled after the 9/11 terror attack.

Airport Security More Elaborate

In 2001, you would wander around the airport in the U.S. without much fuss. Today, you need a ticket to do this. And proper scrutiny of your passenger I.D. is undertaken before boarding a flight. A thorough body check happens today, and you must remove your shoes and your belt. Back then, none of this happened. Security is now elaborate – nothing is ignored. Not even the vaguest intelligence report.

Anti-Muslim Bias

Between 2015 and 2016, FBI data indicates 91 cases of assault stemming from anti-Muslim bias. In contrast to 2001, after the 9/11 attack, this number grew. Americans perceive Islam as a religion advocating for war. Religious discrimination is still a thing in America. The profiling of Muslims continues amid efforts to change the narrative that they are peace-loving.

The aftermath of the 9/11 terror attack in the U.S. in 2001 has a good and an ugly side. In terms of safety, it is a plus for the people. More elaborate security systems are in place today. But America is still in the war two decades later; this is a sad reminder of the aftereffect of the most significant terror attack in the land.

Rising Hyperpop Artist midwxst New Song – Made It Back

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Midwxst, born Edgar Sarratt III, shares the new song and video “Made It Back” via Geffen Records. Directed by Elan Bia / No Soap, the visual is a cinematic sci-fi thriller that merges animations with surrealism for the perfect counterpart to midwxst’s glitched out, genre-crossing sound. The song follows the previously-released single “Ruthless” and his Summer03 EP released earlier this year.

Midwxst is the next generation’s ideal superstar. He’s a cutting-edge artist from the oft-overlooked state of Indiana, a genre-defier combining hyperpop and digicore with hip-hop alongside candid lyrics that reveal he isn’t afraid to let his true feelings show. Midwxst shares, “A lot of people expected me to be a trapper, rapping about guns and all the generic mainstream stuff. When I talk about how your own mental health and emotions can be the most dangerous thing you possess, especially as a teenager or young adult, people get such a different vibe from me and that’s what I strive for.” Midwxst will be performing at Overcast N Friends on October 9th and Day N Vegas Festival November 12th — 14th.

Listen to and watch “Made It Back” above and stay tuned for more from midwxst coming soon.

Tour Dates:

10/9 — Philadelphia, PA @ Overcast N Friends

11/12-14 — Las Vegas, NV @ Day N Vegas

Johnny Yukon – Mystery

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Johnny Yukon returns to the scene with a new single, Mystery.

Singer, songwriter, and producer Johnny Yukon has returned with new track Mystery, the first single off his Elektra Records debut project, Flight Plan 001. In anticipation of the project, Yukon also shared an official trailer, previewing new music as the artist explores a Yukon-branded futuristic airport. Flight Plan 001 arrives August 20th and Mystery is available now on all streaming platforms.

Doubling as an offshoot of his Installation concept, Flight Plan 001 speaks both to Yukon’s lifelong fascination with aviation and opens a different channel for his endless creativity. Following fan demand for proper release, Flight Plan 001 integrates previously released Soundcloud favorites—Grow, 81 Nights, Climate, Yes, and Night Like This—into the tracklisting alongside seven new tracks.

Johnny adds, “This project is like my airport. Last year, I went through a lot of relationship issues. Sitting in one place isn’t ever good for me mentally or creatively. I need to escape. So, I’m escaping isolation with these tunes. Every song is like a plane, and there’s a flight for everyone.”

TRACKLIST

FP001
Night Like This
Mystery
Uptown
Soon
Can’t Stop
Alibi
Yes
Climate
Nights
Don’t Blame Me
Grow

ABOUT JOHNNY YUKON

Much like the recordings of an airplane’s black box, the music of Johnny Yukon chronicles a cloud-scraping personal journey. Spun through a jet stream of lo-fi beatcraft, vintage world-building, hip-hop malleability, and alternative pop eloquence, the Pennsylvania-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and producer navigates through raw emotions with acute storytelling, head-nodding rhymes, and fits of cathartic falsetto. Even though the ideas often gestate from an intimate personal studio, he projects his vision on the big screen with ambitious scope. After making waves from behind the scenes with songwriting placements for Young Thug, Ty Dolla $ign, Camila Cabello, and Leon Bridges, he made his formal artist debut with Installation I in 2018. Johnny’s influence only amplified throughout the global pandemic, co-writing Internet Money’s multi-platinum mega-smash Lemonade [feat. Gunna, Don Toliver, & NAV], Skepta & Pop Smoke’s F9 soundtrack standout Lane Switcha [feat. A$AP Rocky, Juicy J, & Project Pat], and co-producing Trauma from PARTYNEXTDOOR’s Partymobile, which bowed in the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200. Signing to Elektra in early 2021, Johnny continued to write and record at a prolific pace, distilling post-breakup feelings, isolation, and hope into the sonic architecture. Constructing a hub where his emotions and songs may launch from, Johnny Yukon charts a new course forward on his 2021 project, Flight Plan 001.

Sean 9 Lugo – Immigrant Mentality

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Paradigm Gallery is pleased to present Immigrant Mentality, a solo show of new paintings, illustrations, and an installation by artist Sean 9 Lugo. Though Lugo’s work is fueled by his own personal stories and childhood, Immigrant Mentality expresses the shared elements and emotions that Lugo feels are part of the immigrant experience. The back of the exhibition is dedicated to a large-scale installation of an art bodega, composed primarily of handmade “merchandise.” Immigrant Mentality will be on view from July 23–August 22, 2021 with a virtual preview on July 22nd and an in-person opening reception on July 23rd, both at 5:30pm. RSVP is required.

The exhibition is designed to encompass a broad perspective on the culture, community, and values of immigrant families, emphasizing the experience of Hispanic and Latinx immigrants in the United States. The show is centered around 14 new paintings, many of which are based on a trip Lugo took to the Dominican Republic in 2015, including a few directly modeled on photographs the artist took himself. Lugo was inspired by the warmth and selflessness of the people he met living in poverty there. The work El Rey is made on a canvas created entirely of cigar boxes from the Caribbean. On top of the boxes, Lugo painted a Dominican man holding two kittens in his lap; he manifests the man as a king, living his fullest life, relaxing in his own kingdom after years of struggle, finally satisfied.

Immigrant Mentality honors Lugo’s mom, Lulu, who came from Cuba to the United States and worked as a house cleaner to provide a better life for her family; Lulu embodied the drive, work ethic, and generosity that Lugo sees as representative of the “immigrant mindset.” Blue (Lulu’s favorite color) is prominent in the works and represents her presence throughout the exhibition. While the artist’s earlier art reflected the unique circumstances of his life on the streets, this new work is intended to resonate with anyone who has lived as an immigrant or was raised by immigrant parents anywhere in the world.

To harken back to the artist’s early community in New Jersey, a tribute to local neighborhood bodegas, known as papi stores in Philadelphia, will be installed in the gallery, complete with a soda machine, chip rack, toilet paper, and even a wooden bodega cat. Lugo sees the bodega as family—the owners knew him, saw him grow up, and took care of him. By bringing the bodega into the gallery, the artist acknowledges the central and familial role that the space and people have played in his life. To stay true to the bodega experience, all of the pieces within the installation will be reasonably priced. Included are $20 stickers and snack packs to $200 comic books with original art covers. The comic books’ delicate illustrations feature Lugo’s signature style, which playfully reimagines iconic, original comic book figures and covers. The bodega also has a dedicated space for a makeshift shrine, which pays tribute to Puerto Rican astrologer Walter Mercado, and features votive prayer candles and Lugo’s painting, Mucho Mucho Amor.

Immigrant Mentality marks a new chapter in Lugo’s artistic oeuvre as he tackles topics that are both deeply personal and widely shared. In presenting this work, he hopes to honor his past, connect with fellow immigrant families, and teach those who were not raised by and among immigrants about the distinct culture and mindset that comes with leaving your life behind and starting over somewhere new.

A Conversation with Grandmother Edna in Franklin County, PA

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Franklin County Visitors Bureau Invites All to A Conversation with Grandmother Edna: Fabric Artist and Storyteller

Franklin County Visitors Bureau hosts Edna Williams, a fabric artist and storyteller, at the 11/30 Visitors Center on July 17.

Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites the public to A Conversation with Grandmother Edna: Fabric Artist and Storyteller on July 17 at 1 PM in the Great Room of the 11/30 Visitors Center, on the square in Chambersburg PA. Visitors can enjoy more than a dozen quilts and pillow covers, created by Grandmother Edna and learn how she expresses herself through art to tell stories of her life and America’s history. The art, called Pillow Talk is on display in the lobby of the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Centers.

Williams hails from Baltimore and is displayed at the 11/30 Visitors Center through the Franklin County Visitors Bureau’s relationship with the African American Historical Association of Western Maryland.

I reach back to move forward. It is the only way to grow, said Grandmother Edna. Her Pillow Talk display includes stories that connect directly to her mother, father, and grandmother as well as highlight her meetings with poet Maya Angelou and actor Harry Belafonte. Others tell stories related to enslavement and civil justice. Williams believes storytelling is a means to connecting people and endorses the importance of history stating, Why create a mountain when you can cross a hill.

Pillow Talk is displayed as part of the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center’s Let The Journey Begin…People, Places, Possibilities. In addition to the storytelling quilts of Grandmother Edna, the exhibit looks at the quest for freedom from the earliest European settlers to the importance of the Pennsylvania Constitution’s Environmental Amendment.

A Conversation with Grandmother Edna is free and open to the public. Following the presentation, Grandmother Edna will offer a quilting and storytelling activity to participants who want to learn a little more. To reserve seating, please register here. A Conversation with Grandmother Edna is presented by the Franklin County Visitors Bureau as part of the July 17 Chambersburg Comes To Life Celebration, which includes the living history portrayal and light show depicting the 1864 Ransoming, Burning & Rebirth of Chambersburg.

The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore Franklin County PA and enjoy trails of history, arts and architecture, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods, and the warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason Dixon Line and is an easy drive from Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Discover more and plan a visit at their website or by contacting 866-646-(8060).

Q×A with Grandmother Edna

By: Emily Bunn

Showcasing over a dozen quilts and pillow covers, Grandmother Edna weaves stories of her own life and chronicles American history into her fabric fashioning. The complex interweaving of Edna’s own life fluidly connects with the United States’ grappling with enslavement, civil justice, and the quest for freedom. Depicting familial relations, as well as Edna’s encounters with Maya Angelou and Harry Belafonte, Grandmother Edna brings history to life with her quilting and storytelling. 360 Magazine spoke with the artist about the success of “Pillow Talk”, what inspires her to create art, and her upcoming CD release.

When did you begin creating fabric art?

Really, I mentally began in the 1950’s [while] sitting on a stairway watching my grandmother quilting. Then, maybe somewhere around the late 80’s, I decided to pick my poems up from midnight brown paper bags writings to hand sewn quilting.

What first got you interested in American history?

Being Black in the 50’s going with my grandmother to be the help/maid. And, in the 60’s, attending an all white school.

If you were to create fabric art to express our current moment in time, what would that design look like?

I have a new quilt on exhibit titled: “There Was A Time When The Universe Was FREE.”

What inspired you to start selling your quilted creations, pillow covers, and fabric art?

First of all, my quilts will never be for sale. My pillow covers sales will I hope help fund my free educational mobile classroom called “A Grandmother’s Pilgrimage, INC.” and my Grace Wisher Reparation Recovery Youth Scholarship Fund, LLC.

What inspired the name “pillow talk” for your exhibition?

I travel through the country as an invisible soul, no one seems to listen to anything I had to say. I decided to create a nightcap to relax the busy minds of everyone–and just maybe they would have time to hear me.

What has the reaction to “pillow talk” been like?

Amazing, fresh. It’s a newness in the art world.

What has working with the The Franklin County Visitors Bureau and The African American Historical Association of Western Maryland been like?

Exciting, cool and [represents] that change is coming, History being over-hauled. Janet and Ron have been great to partner with. I hope this [exhibit] will … improve that culture sock everyone keep avoiding in this America.

Your fabric art often reflects stories from your own life. What milestones from your life have you felt were most important to include in your artwork?

It’s that front door entry thing for me. The lost traditions of my people.

Are you currently working on any exciting fabric art projects that you can reveal to 360 Magazine’s readers?

Yes, I have my new CD on release. I have a file cabinet packed with poems to be quilted. I have faith the money will come. It’s appears to be easy, but it’s very hard to get paid for a job very well done. This is all fun and relaxing for me. I tell everyone to Just sew your emotions. Thanks 360 Magazine for this new media.

Lindsey Stirling’s Official Music Video – Masquerade

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Ahead of this weekend’s official launch of her cross-country headlining Artemis U.S. Tour, platinum-selling electronic artist, violinist, and multi-talented entertainer Lindsey Stirling, known all over the world for her unique, futuristic violin-driven electronic music and exquisite live show, has gifted fans with a new music video for the song “Masquerade,” off her latest chart-topping studio album Artemis. Inspired by early 20th century silent films, the new visual for the instrumental track was filmed at The Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles and co-directed by Stirling and Stephen Mallett (Pentatonix, Logic, CHVRCHES). Press here to watch.

“While I was writing the song ‘Masquerade,’ I knew immediately that it would be about a wealthy over-the-top aristocratic woman,” shares Stirling. “The song has such a comedic feel to it, which made the music video really, really fun to plan and make.”

The Artemis U.S. Tour marks the first time Stirling will be performing the tracks off Artemis as well as her current single “Lose You Now” in front of an American audience. The 35-date outing, featuring special guest electro-pop artist Kiesza, kicks off this Saturday, July 3rd in Kansas City, MO and will stop in most major markets across the country including New York City (August 2nd at the Beacon Theatre), Los Angeles (August 30th at the Microsoft Theater), Denver (July 7th at Red Rocks Amphitheatre), Dallas, Houston, Nashville, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, and many others, before wrapping September 10th in Milwaukee at Summerfest. See below for full list of tour dates. Visit Lindsey Stirling’s website for all ticketing details including special VIP packages that are also available. Press here to watch the official promo video “First Tour In Forever.”

Stirling has also launched a national contest with Fandiem for the ultimate VIP experience at her San Diego show on August 31st. The winner will receive roundtrip airfare for two plus two-night hotel stay, premium reserved seats in the first 8 rows, meet & greet photo opportunity with Lindsey, lunch at Lindsey’s favorite restaurant, merch, and more, along with a 45-minute helicopter tour of San Diego courtesy of Imagine Jets. Proceeds from entry donations will support Stirling’s nonprofit charity outreach program The Upside Fund, helping families and individuals affected by Covid-19. Press here to enter.

“Lose You Now,” Stirling’s emotive pop hit about loss and grief with artist, producer, and songwriter Mako, stems from the instrumental-only track “Guardian” off her Artemis album. Since its release earlier this year, “Lose You Now” (BMG) has amassed over 9 million global streams, including over 3 million views on the song’s beautifully moving music video, as well as featured placements on American Idol and “Train Tracks” on SiriusXM The Pulse. Press here to watch the official music video for “Lose You Now.” The duo also issued an acoustic version of the song this spring, stripping it down to just piano and a full string accompaniment – Press here to listen to “Lose You Now (Acoustic).”

Artemis, Stirling’s fifth studio album released September 2019 via BMG, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums Chart and remained on the chart for 15 combined weeks. The 13-track album, which has racked up over 200 million total global streams, features the singles “Underground,” “Artemis,” “Sleepwalking,” “Between Twilight” and “The Upside” featuring Elle King along with “Love Goes On and On” featuring Amy Lee. Artemis has also been turned into a successful comic book series, with the sixth edition coming this summer. Press here to listen to Artemis and press here for info on the comic books.

Lindsey Stirling Tour Dates

Artemis U.S. Tour with special guest Kiesza

Saturday, July 3 – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre

Monday, July 5 – Dubuque, IA @ Five Flags Center

Tuesday, July 6 – Omaha, NE @ Baxter Arena

Wednesday, July 7 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Thursday, July 8 – Vail, CO @ Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

Friday, July 9 – Grand Junction, CO @ Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park

Saturday, July 10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre

Friday, July 23 – Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

Saturday, July 24 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Monday, July 26 – New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre

Tuesday, July 27 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart Amphitheater

Thursday, July 29 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater

Saturday, July 31 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater

Monday, August 2 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre

Tuesday, August 3 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met

Wednesday, August 5 – Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap

Friday, August 6 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion

Saturday, August 7 – St. Louis, MO @ Saint Louis Music Park

Monday, August 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory

Tuesday, August 10 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

Wednesday, August 11 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Amphitheater at White River State Park

Thursday, August 12 – Detroit, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

Saturday, August 14 – Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica

Monday, August 16 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Tuesday, August 17 – Boston, MA @ Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion

Wednesday, August 18 – Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre

Monday, August 30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Microsoft Theater

Tuesday, August 31 – San Diego, CA @ San Diego Civic Theatre

Wednesday, September 1 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre

Friday, September 3 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion

Saturday, September 4 – Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Theatre

Monday, September 6 – Portland, OR @ Theater of the Clouds at Moda Center

Tuesday, September 7 – Seattle, WA @ WAMU Theater

Thursday, September 9 – Bonner, MT @ KettleHouse Amphitheater

Friday, September 10 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest

About Lindsey Stirling:

Since the release of her 2012 self-titled debut, the Arizona-raised, Los Angeles-based artist has racked up tens of millions of followers worldwide and more than 3 billion total views on YouTube. Stirling’s sophomore album Shatter Me was certified Gold by the RIAA, after debuting at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 and #1 on the Dance/Electronic Albums Chart and holding the #1 spot on the Classical Albums Chart for 21 consecutive weeks. Her third studio album Brave Enough, featuring guest appearances from Dan + Shay, Christina Perri, Rivers Cuomo, Andrew McMahon and others, earned Stirling her second Billboard Music Award for “Top Dance/Electronic Album.” Stirling closed out 2020 with her all-new, live-streaming holiday special “Lindsey Stirling: Home for the Holidays,” which she independently created, produced, and financed. The hour-long ticketed special, which drew over 100,000 views from tens of thousands of fans and families worldwide, featured performances to seasonal favorites off Stirling’s chart-topping holiday album Warmer In the Winter in addition to the breathtaking performance of her hit “Crystallize,” where Stirling hung by her hair for a captivating Cirque du Soleil inspired aerial display – press here to watch. Additionally, Stirling co-wrote The New York Times best-selling book The Only Pirate at the Party with her sister Brook S. Passey, was the runner-up on Season 25 of “Dancing With the Stars” and has appeared on “America’s Got Talent.”

Follow Lindsey Stirling:

Website // Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // YouTube// Spotify // TikTok // Twitch

Philadelphia × New Jersey Pride Events – Summer 2021

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By: Ally Brewster

Philadelphia is a place with a vibrant, bright LGBTQ+ community. The Covid-19 pandemic put a pause on many events last year, but that’s not the case this year. With places opening back up, with covid guidelines, Pride events are back!

See below for a list of some (but by no means all) of the pride events in and around Philadelphia, as well as across the river in New Jersey, during the 2021 Summer:

BFSC Family Pride Picnic & Pool Party – Wednesday, June 23

Time: 5-8PM
Location: Barclay Farm Swim Club, 315 Whitemarsh Way, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Price: Tickets Will Be Sold At The Door: $20 Each Adult, $10 Each Child
Description: Enjoy games, contests, door prizes, Mr. Softee and a dance floor! Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. Bring your own picnic.

Pride Fashion Show! – Athleta & Ten Thousand Villages Virtual Event!– Thursday, June 24

Facebook Live
Time: 3PM
Description: “Athleta x Ten Thousand Villages are partnering in support of Valley Youth House emergency shelters! LGBTQ+ and Ally volunteers will be modeling Athleta’s Pride month clothing collection along with fair trade accessories to raise awareness for our June donation drive for Valley Youth House’s LGBTQ+ services. All donated items will go into backpacks for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness.
Needed items: Socks, bras, menstrual supplies, soap, underwear, pyjamas, blankets, stuffed animals, board games, keychains, journals, art supplies & coloring books, gift cards Drop off at Ten Thousand Villages or Athleta (Bryn Mawr and Glen Mills).”

Franklin Institute Family Pride – Saturday, June 26

Time: 12:00-4:00 PM
Location: The Franklin Institute 222 North 20th Street Philadelphia, PA 19103
Price: Included with museum admission. Free for Franklin Institute Members.
Description: Join the museum for an afternoon that blur the lines of science and performance! The Franklin Institute will partner with local drag queens for whimsical shows and dissections. It will be an afternoon of expressive coloring, roving demos, the science of bubbles and rainbows, photo-ops, colorful lights, and themed music for a community celebration!

Philly Pride! Make it Glow! – Saturday, June 26

Time: 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm (Arrive 15 minutes early)
Location: 209 Leedom Street in Jenkintown Borough, PA 19046
Price: $38-$47 per person
Description: A night of painting with pride with your instructor Jay! A small class size. Reservations are required prior to arrival. The studio is BYOB, so you can bring your own food and drinks (wine, beer, soft drinks, no hard alcohol. Alcohol for ages 21+).

Pride Storytime – Saturday, June 26

Time: 10:30 AM
Location: 175 W Valley Forge Rd, King of Prussia, PA 19406-1851, United States | King Of Prussia
Description: Join Parker Edge at the UMT Park by the Gazebo @ 10:30AM for a pride-themed Storytime & activities!

Queering Wood Craft Virtual Event!- Saturday, June 26

Live on Zoom, hosted by The Center for Art in Wood
Time: 7:00-8:30 PM EDT
Price: Free! (With a suggested donation of $5 per person enables them to provide programs and exhibitions throughout the year).
Description: “Independent scholar and curator John-Duane Kingsley will lead this roundtable discussion with leading queer woodworkers and artists in wood, sharing the ways their lived experience impacts their craft, process, and aesthetic. Join us for an enlightening and fun evening. The Center for Art in Wood interprets, nurtures, and champions creative engagement and expansion of art, craft, and design in wood to enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of it.”

Upper Darby Pride presents Drag Queen Story Hour and Potluck – Saturday, June 26

Time: 12PM
Location: Sellers Park, PA
Description: “Join your friends at Upper Darby Pride for an early afternoon of friends at Upper Darby’s history Sellers Park and Playground. Bring snacks and food to share with your group. Enjoy storytime with one of UD’s own drag queen readers, a great family friendly event for Pride Month 2021!”

LGBTQ+ Themed Children’s Story Time @ Perkasie Borough Farmer’s Market – Saturday, June 26

Time: 09:00 AM TO 12:00 PM
Location: Perkasie Farmer’s Market, 1 S 7th St, Perkasie, PA 18944
Price: On the grassy area close to the Shelly’s Design Center sign at the corner of 7th & Market.
Decription: There will be blankets to sit on, a table display of Children’s picture books with LGBTQ+ inclusive themes and a pride themed picture book list that can be used to add to your personal library.

Upper Darby Pride Festival – Sunday, June 27

Time: 1:00-7:00PM
Location: Upper Darby High School, 601 N Lansdowne Ave, Drexel Hill, PA, 19026
Description: Attendees are required to wear face masks! Activities fun for all ages! There will be specific kid-friendly activities, vendors, music, opportunities to help fund our mural arts program, and much more.

Pride Power Flow – Sunday, June 27

Time: 12:00 PM TO 01:00 PM
Location: Eagleview Town Center, 565 Wellington Square, Exton, PA 19341, Exton, United States
Price: Approximate price $20
Description: Hosted by Blue Buddha healing arts. Join Krystal in a day of power and strength building yoga while supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Rainbow clothing encouraged! A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Trevor Project!

Our City, Your Orchestra: William Way LGBT Community Center – Monday, June 28

Time: 7:00PM
Location: One South Broad Street | 14th Floor Philadelphia PA | 19107
Description: “The first season of Our City, Your Orchestra culminates with a visit to the William Way LGBT Community Center in celebration of Pride Month in June. The William Way Community Center encourages, supports, and advocates for the well-being and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community of Philadelphia through service, recreational, educational, and cultural programming. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will be joined by GRAMMY-winning composer and Philadelphia resident Jennifer Higdon and members of the Orchestra.”

History Talk: Before Stonewall, Before Gay Pride, there Was Philadelphia Virtual Event!–Wednesday, June 30

Zoom event (registration required)
Time: June 30, 2021 7:00 pm– 8:30 pm
Description: “William Way LGBT Community Center curator Bob Skiba will present on the history of the Philadelphia LGBTQ movement while placing it in a national context of LGBTQ history. This hour long illustrated presentation begins by examining what it was like to be queer in 1950s and 1960s America, an America where anyone who was at all different was demonized, medicated or arrested. It continues with Philadelphia’s response to this relentless oppression – the annual Reminder demonstrations that occurred every 4th of July from 1965 to 1969 in front of Independence Hall, the first organized, regularly recurring protests for gay rights in the country. Finally, it tells how the Stonewall riots changed that paradigm for good, morphing those Annual Reminders into and Gay Pride marches and giving birth to the modern LGBTQ movement.”

In Honor of: GAY PRIDE on The Farm – Saturday, July 17

Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Location: The Farm. 130 Mill Road, Evesham, NJ 08053
Price: Free entry. Drag Queen performances by ticket only ($15-$30).
Description: Activities include Craft Show/Vendors/Food. Drag Queens performing in the evening (by ticket only). Your Hostess will be Ariel Versace. With her will be Chasity St. Claire, Kali Coutour, Zephyra Rivers, Stefani Steel & Vickie Versace.

Bucks-Mont Pride Festival – Sunday, July 18

Time: 1-6PM
Location: Abington Art Center – 515 Meetinghouse Rd, Jenkintown, PA 19046
Description: “SAGA is proud to partner with several local organizationsto bring the first annual PRIDE Festival to Montgomery County, PA. Enjoy live music, food, community resources, family-friendly activities, and more at this free, outdoor event!”

Philadelphia Pride – September (date TBD)

After recent backlash of transphobia and racism, the group that has planned Philadelphia Pride in the past has dissolved (see more information from the Philadelphia Inquirer). Due to this, according to Abdul-Aliy Muhammad per the Philadelphia Inquirer, black and brown LGBTQ+ organizers of the local community are beginning to work on a more inclusive, accepting event in its place this September.

New Jersey Gay Pride Day – Sept 12

Time: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Cooper River Park. GPS users: Use address 7001 N. Park Drive, Cherry Hill, NJ (this is the business address of Standard Merchandising which is directly across the street of our location)
Price: Free!
Description: Bring your blankets, chairs and tables! Headliner: TBD Other Entertainers: Reigning 2017 Ms. South Jersey Gay Pride Ginger Alle, 2019 Mr. South Jersey Gay Pride Manny Tucker Lovett, 2019 Ms. South Jersey Gay Pride Karen Vonsay, Rasta Boi Punany, Jon Kem, DJ Deluxx, and more!

To find more LGBTQ+ events in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, visit Philly Gay Pride, Philly Gay Calendar and Visit Philadelphia!