Events Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Academy Center of the Arts

The Academy 2017 Gala: A Production Unlike any Other

August 21, 2017 by Brittany Griffith

“The plan is to fan this spark into a flame.” —Hamilton Are you ready? We are just four weeks out from the 2017 Academy Gala and the excitement and anticipation is almost too much to bear! On Saturday, September 16th, 2017, the Academy Center of the Arts, the Gala committee, and the ticket holders for this annual fundraiser will experience a “production” unlike any other as we time travel back to the glamorous 1930s and the vintage nightclub culture known as Café Society. At this year’s Gala, the star of this show is indeed “the show.” Straight from Birdland in Manhattan’s theatre district, our host Jim Caruso brings his world famous Cast Party, joined by acclaimed pianist Billy Stritch – straight from Tony Bennett’s world tour! Also stepping up to take their turns at the mic are hometown heroes you’ll not want to miss. So many of our community members – Hope Harris, Spence White, Paul Fitzgerald and others – are “coming from away” to join local favorites Tony Camm, Taylor Rodriguez, Mary Dalton, and Whitney O’Brian in raising their voices for the Academy. In addition to the talent, the Gala will also host a pre-show supper […]

Press Release: West Side Story hits the Academy’s Stage this July

June 27, 2017 by Brittany Griffith

Contact: Kelly Posenauer Director of Education (434) 528-3256 x304 Kposenauer@academycenter.org For Immediate Release: 06/26/2017 WEST SIDE STORY HITS THE ACADEMY’S STAGE THIS JULY The Academy Center of the Arts’ Encore Youth Theatre program is proud to present their 2017 production: West Side Story! The show, directed by Michelle Velastegui, with musical direction from Dashay Glover and choreography from Ronnie Brady and Casi Briggs, will run Friday, July 7, 2017, at 7pm, Saturday, July 8, 2017, at 2pm and 7pm, and Sunday, July 9, 2017, at 2pm. All showings will take place in the Joy and Lynch Christian Warehouse Theatre, located at 519 Commerce St. Based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story takes place in modern-day New York City as two young idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the “American” Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence, and prejudice is one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching and relevant musical dramas of our time. The cast of Encore Youth Theatre is made up of high school students from the Greater Lynchburg community, ranging in age from 14 to 18 years old. In addition to […]

George Clinton Coming to Riverfront Park

June 16, 2017 by Geoff Kershner

The Riverfront Park Concert Series hosted by The Academy Center for the Arts is bringing live music to Downtown Lynchburg. The third event in the series, after Lynchstock Music Festival and the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra concert, will be George Clinton on July 8. About George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic George Clinton and his band Parliament-Funkadelic (which recorded under the names Parliament and Funkadelic) developed a form of funk music during the 1970s and early 1980s that he termed P-Funk, which twists soul music into funk by adding influences from several late-’60s acid heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Sly Stone. He launched a solo career in 1981. George Clinton is regarded, along with James Brown and Sly Stone, as one of the foremost innovators of funk music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, alongside 15 other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. Opening Acts In addition to George Clinton, two other bands will also be performing, the NO BS! Brass Band and Apple Butter Soul. No BS! Brass Band takes the New Orleans brass band into uncharted territory; fearlessly combining elements of James Brown, John Coltrane, Michael Jackson, and Led Zeppelin into their fiercely original sound. […]

Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra to Kick off Concert Series

May 19, 2017 by Geoff Kershner

Riverside Park is now home to the Riverfront Park Concert Series hosted by The Academy Center for the Arts. Following the Lynchstock Music Festival (the first concert series event) will be the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, June 10th (7-9:30pm, gates open at 6pm). This night of music, food, fun, and fireworks is sure to be a hit with the whole family. About the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra The Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of Lynchburg since 1983. Over the years, the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra has performed more than 200 concerts ranging from classical to pops. They have provided annual educational concerts to over 10,000 children at local schools and community centers, given free summer concerts to the community at City Stadium, and welcomed athletes from around the globe each September at the Genworth Virginia Ten Miler. They also have brought celebrities to the area such as Tony Award winning actress and singer, Faith Prince, pianist Gustavo Romero, and country musicians Emmy Lou Harris and Roy Clark. A New Tradition Unfortunately, due to the loss of a funding source, the concert series at City Stadium could no longer continue. By including the Lynchburg Symphony […]

The Youngest Fan

April 27, 2017 by Kate Scullen

In April, Jad Abumrad visited the Academy Center of the Arts for a behind the scenes talk about his work at Radiolab. Fans had the opportunity to meet and greet with Jad, a unique chance for listeners to actually converse with someone they’ve heard speak many times before. One fan in particular stood out among the rest. Parker Chapman, an eleven-year-old from Franklin County, may very well be Jad’s youngest fan. A frequent listener to NPR, Parker says he first heard Jad when he was only nine or ten years. The Chapman family doesn’t have a television, so Parker has grown up listening to WVTF Radio IQ. “[NPR] is primarily what we listen to” his father says. “There’s a bunch of good programs on there and the RadioLab one really caught Parker’s attention.” Parker had been listening to NPR for a while when he first heard Jad speak on RadioLab. “I started hearing him and just wondering what it was, so I figured out what it was and started listening” Now Parker downloads podcasts from RadioLab quite often, and listening to Jad has become part of his daily routine. “Before I go to bed every night I usually listen to […]

A Recipe for Success

April 12, 2017 by Kate Scullen

We are extremely proud to announce the success of our ninth annual Empty Bowls event benefiting the Lynchburg Daily Bread on March 18. The Lynchburg Daily Bread is a local non-profit that has provided hot meals for the hungry 365 days a year, for the last 35 years. In 2016 alone, they served 60,485 meals to the homeless and hungry of the community. During Empty Bowls, attendees were able to select and keep a beautiful ceramic bowl that were hand made and donated by local potters. They then enjoyed a delicious soup tasting with bread and beverage, all donated by local restaurants and individual donors. This year a portion of the bowls were made by men and women from the Continuum of Care’s event Share the Love. Each bowl was selflessly made by these individuals knowing they wouldn’t get to keep their handiwork, but instead they would be used to raise funds for the cause. We are always so excited to see such altruistic acts, including the many service providers and resource workers who stopped by to make a bowl to contribute as well. Last year’s Empty Bowls event enabled us to give a $5617.71 check to The LynchburgDaily […]

Jad Abumrad: A “Gut Churn”ing Experience

March 13, 2017 by Geoff Kershner

The Academy Center of the Arts is proud to welcome Jad Abumrad, creator and host of RadioLab, to our stage. His one man show, “Gut Churn,” is kicking off a new speaker series where professionals can share their stories, inspirations, and experience. About Jad Abumrad Before beginning a career in radio, Abumrad composed film scores. This experience later influenced the sound of RadioLab, which he launched in 2005. Today, RadioLab is broadcast on 524 stations across the nation and downloaded more than 9 million times a month as a podcast. Most days, Radiolab is the 2nd most popular podcast, just behind This American Life. In addition to RadioLab’s success, Abumrad was awarded a MacArthur Genius Award in 2011. We are excited to welcome one of the pioneers of the podcast boom to the our stage to speak on his ups and downs in the business world. Local NPR listeners, podcast fans, aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners will enjoy Abumrad’s presentation. RadioLab Each week on Radiolab, Abumrad and others weave stories and science music-rich documentaries. Topics vary from week to week, with past episodes covering stories such as: Debunking America’s poverty myths A girl who has lived in the U.S. her […]

A Classic Tale Told and Retold Through Time

March 7, 2017 by Kate Scullen

Great Expectations was the thirteenth novel of Charles Dickens and has become a classic to the generations. He began writing it in October of 1860 and its initial publication was in All the Year Round, a weekly periodical founded and owned by Dickens himself. The novel appeared in nine monthly installments from December of 1860 until August 1861. Since it’s release, the classic story has been retold in many adaptations in the form of movies, television and theatre. The first film of Great Expectations was in 1917, directed by Robert G. Vignola and Paul West. While this adaptation told the story close to the original, there was a contemporary film adaptation in 1998, directed by Alfonso Cuaron. In this version, stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert De Niro bring vibrant color to the characters. It is mainly known for being a modernization of Dickens’s novel. The original setting of 1812-1827 London was moved to 1990’s New York (present-time when the film was made). The main character’s name was also changed from Pip to Finn, and Miss Havisham was renamed Nora Dinsmoor. A more recent film of the play was made in 2012, directed by Mike Newell. Starring actors such […]

Family Friendly Theater Troupe Coming to Lynchburg

February 23, 2017 by Geoff Kershner

Barter Players Present: Great Expectations The Barter Players have been acclaimed worldwide as one of the finest theatre troupes for young people anywhere. And now, Lynchburg youth have a chance to see them in action for the first time. This March, they are taking the stage at The Academy Center of the arts to perform the Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations. Plot Synopsis Great Expectations follows the story of Pip, an orphan living on the Kent marshes. Pip lives with his abusive sister and her husband, Joe Gargery, the village blacksmith. While exploring in the churchyard near the tombstones of his parents, Pip is confronted by an escaped convict. After this encounter, Pip begins a journey that takes him from his impoverished village upbringing to a new life as a London gentleman. Along the way, he meets the eccentric Miss Havisham and her ward, the beautiful, haughty Estella. The two fall in love. Determined to prove he is worthy of her, Pip strives to meet his great expectations. However, he experiences a downfall that teaches him the truth about himself and life. Barter Theater History The Barter Theater, a historic theater in Abingdon, VA was started in 1933 with the […]

Sharing the Love

February 2, 2017 by Kate Scullen

Last week a few Academy employees had the pleasure of participating in a community event downtown: Share the Love. This event, hosted by Continuum of Care, takes a census of the homeless in our community but also connects them with various resource agencies. Many people got their hair cut, received food and toiletries and were connected to legal service agencies just to name a few. The Academy was honored to participate, especially since the event connected to one of our outreach programs. On March 18th we are holding our annual Empty Bowls event where local potters and community members make bowls of various shapes and sizes. Participants purchase a bowl for $20 and along with keeping it, they receive a meal of soup, bread and a drink all of which are donated by local restaurants. Proceeds benefit The Daily Bread, a local soup kitchen in downtown Lynchburg. We are so pleased to say that this is a wonderfully successful event that benefits another non-profit organization in our community. Many men and women from the Continuum of Care event had the opportunity to “Share the Love” by making bowls themselves. They knew that those bowls wouldn’t be something they kept but […]