Dig out that rattail comb and old can of Aqua Net®, and make sure every hair is teased and plastered in place for the Broadway show performance of Hairspray, coming to the Crown Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. as part of the Community Concerts of Fayetteville series.

Based on the New Line Cinema fi lm written and directed by John Waters, Hairspray is set in Baltimore in 1962. Big-hearted Tracy Turnblad just wants to dance. After winning a spot on the local TV dance program, The Corny Collins Show, plus-size Tracy with her big hair Twists, Watusis and Swims into celebrity status as she wins the heart of teen idol Link Larkin, integrates a TV show –– and overthrows the current teen queen’s reign.

Hairspray, big on fun, music and choreography, was a smash hit, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and spending more than six record-breaking years on Broadway.

“Hairspray coming to Fayetteville is such a great opportunity for our community,” said Kathy McKnight, vice president of marketing for the all-volunteer, nonprofit Community Concerts, Fayetteville’s oldest arts organization “whose sole mission is to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville.” “This presentation is absolutely what the Community Concerts of Fayetteville organization is all about! Bringing productions like this only enhances our cultural credibility as an excellent community to live, work and play in,” continued McKnight. “We’re very excited to be partnering with Community Concerts,” said Natalie Lewis, marketing and promotions manager for the Crown Center. “This is a top-of-the-line Broadway show.”

Or as ‘60s icon Ed Sullivan might have put it, Hairspray is “…a really big shew!” Tickets are $20-$34 and may be purchased at the Crown Center Box Office, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

For more information, contact Community Concerts at (910) 323- 1991 or the Crown Center at (910) 438-4100.

When it comes to splendor, excitement, edge-of-your seat anticipation and downright giddiness, not much beats the circus. The crowds, the lights, the music, the clowns, acrobats, trapeze artists and large beasts mixed with some peanuts, cotton candy and a medley of other bad-for-you-yetdelicious treats can be darn near close to heaven for the audience — young and old alike.

On Feb. 25 the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® will roll into town to put Illuscination in the center ring.

“It is a little different than a traditional circus,” said Director of Marketing and Sales at the Crown, Frank Zaccaro. “We have the gold version coming in and I know that Ringling Bros. is doing something really special with this version.”

One of the main differences is that each ticket purchase includes a preview hour.

“People can come and meet the performers, learn to juggle, walk on the low wire and try on circus costumes that have been used in other shows,” said Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey® Production Manager Jason Gibson. “It really is fun to watch people interact with the performers and then just light up when they see them later performing in the ring.”

This particular production is called Illuscination, and like the name implies, there is a magical experience for all who enter the arena. Forget the trapeze, David DaVinci attempts a daring escape from a straight jacket while dangling above a den of lions. His act includes 10 colorful winged assistants — a Toucan, an African Grey, Cockatoos and Macaws. Magic and drama are front and center when DaVinci steps into the ring.d

“DaVinci is our illusionist and he weaves his magic act throughout the entire show,” said Gibson. “Most illusionists perform with people sitting in front of them, but David works with people watching him from every angle. It is quite amazing to see him in action.”

What circus would be complete without the splendor of the wild, primal power tamed, or at least trained, and on display? There will be performing elephants, lions (including a magnificent, white male lion) and ponies, and even house cats – all expertly trained and ready to entertain and amuse the audience.

“The male lion knows he is glorious, too,” said Gibson. “You can hear the crowd gasp when he walks in because they’ve never seen anything like him — and he really responds to that.”

Ahh, bring in the clowns. As part of their routine, Trio Caveagna use trumpets and saxophones to bring oomph to their act. While they still hold true to the wackiness of classical clowning, look for a modern kick to it, too. This award winning act has won the Bronze Medal in the 2004 Passauer Festival and a Bronze and Silver Medal at the 2005 and 2006 Festival International de Namur.

We’ve all seen tight rope walkers, but Francleib Rodrigues takes it to a whole new level when he walks upside down in his aerial foot loop act. No nets. No harnesses. Just an inverted hop skip and a jump, so to speak, across the ceiling.

“You really have to be here,” said Zaccaro of the Illuscination tour. “It’s an experience that they (the public) can’t miss. If you love the traditional circus, this will be all that and then some.”

The hour before the show is Gibson’s favorite part of each performance, because he loves to watch people have fun talking to the performers. He said there really isn’t a part of the show that he doesn’t thoroughly enjoy. In fact, he cautions, “Be sure to get your cotton candy and popcorn before the show starts because once the performance begins, things just don’t slow down.”

While the acts named above are just a small peek at what is in store, Gibson hopes that folks will remember that it is all put together with them, the audience, in mind. “We make our living making people smile. It is the best job in the world,” said Gibson. “This show really is for kids of all ages. Our show is about giving people a wonderful experience that they will remember forever.”

The show runs through Feb. 28. For more information and ticket prices, contact the Crown Box Offi ce at 438-4100 or visit the Web site at www. atthecrown.com or tickets are also available at Ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster outlets..

Spring — sunshine, warmer weather and that mile-long to do list. Whether it is the fl ower beds that need some love, the deck that could use some refortifi cation or that cabinet that needs refacing, the Carolina Home & Garden Show offers inspiration, ideas and endless possibilities for turning your home or garden into the retreat you crave. With about 175 booths and 85 vendors, daydreamers and do-it-yourselfers alike will fi nd something to get excited about at the Crown Center Feb. 26-28.

Special guest Roy Underhill, of the PBS series The Woodwright’s Shop, will be speaking several times on Saturday.

“He is going to do three 30 minute demos working exclusively with vintage hand tools,” said Natalie Woodbury, Home Builders Association of Fayetteville executive offi cer. “When he is not on stage he’ll have a display where people can come and talk to him.

”Underhill is not the only dynamic presentation planned for the three-day event. George Quigley will speak on green landscaping while Shauna Haslem will cover vegetable gardening. The lovely Camellia will have its day in the sun when Jim Darden delivers a 30 minute demonstration.

Roger Mercer will be on hand as well, hosting a question and answer session about gardening. Other topics will include container gardening and gardening for kids.

Woodbury is excited about the vendors this year and the wide range of services they offer.

“We’ve got everything from cooking items to gutters to exterminators to carpet and landscaping,” she explained.

As in past years, each day has a theme. Friday, Piedmont Natural Gas is sponsoring Go Green Day. Saturday is Kids Day and will be sponsored by Fayetteville PWC. Military Day falls on Sunday and is sponsored by Weaver Homes.

“Saturday we will have a jump castle for the children and two sessions of kid’s gardening,” said Woodbury, adding that “The Weaver Homes booth will be handing out food vendor coupons to military ID card holders on Sunday.

”There will be musical entertainment by the John Parson Band and the Northwood Temple Senior Band as well, which is an addition from last years booths. Even the vendors will have their own treat to look forward to this year. The Kidsville Kids will be performing at an after hours event on Friday, Feb., 26

.“The Kidsville Kids represent Kidsville News! in promoting the values that the publication stands for — literacy, developing talents and achieving goals,” said Kidsville Kids director Joy Cogswell.

“We’ll be performing a good variety of pieces for the vendors... we’re doing ragtime, rock-n-roll and a patriotic piece, too.”

Look for door prizes and handouts galore throughout the weekend.

Woodbury noted that one of the bigger prizes is a $2,000 landscaping make-over from Green Biz.

“Something people need to know is that this is a great opportunity because all of these wonderful businesses will be under one roof,” said Woodbury. “You don’t have to go from place to place looking for different items and there really is something for everyone in the seminars we have planned with these experts talking about so many different topics.”

Friday, the doors open at noon and close at 6 p.m. Saturday, the show is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday hours are 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are $6 at the door. Visit www.carolinahomeandgardenshow.com for presentation details and more information on the vendors or give the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville Inc. a call at 826-0648.

So now that the Super Bowl is over, what are you going to do? The quarterback for the New Orleans Saints went to Disney World. Instead of going to Disney World, I went to South of the Border. It’s the world’s greatest roadside attraction. The quiet artistry and subtle delights of S.O.B. can never be visited too often.

I made the visit to learn what new and exciting Chinese products are being hawked in Dillon. The fi ne variety of novelty items on display at S.O.B. continues to amaze. However, I am concerned with the lack of tourists frequenting the premises. In a nutshell, the place was a ghost town. The Great Recession has cut deeply into the number of travelers stopping at S.O.B’s Sombrero Room. For a buck you can write your name on a cut out paper sombrero to staple on the wall like the Paleolithic cave dwellers in Lascaux, France. Having your name stapled to the ceiling of the Sombrero room is a form of immortality.

Take some money to S.O.B. soon or it will be as much a thing of the past as the Toyota. The must see sites are the Emporium which has cool novelty items and Fort Pedro which sells the most excellent fi reworks in North America. There were two sales people in the Emporium and I was the only customer during my 20 minute visit. A large box of fake doggy doo is the fi rst thing that greets you when you walk in the door. Apparently the demand for fake doggy doo is down and supply is up. If you need a set of shot glasses held up by plaster alligators, S.O.B. is the place for you.

A flock of ceramic chickens stands watch above the “lovely to look at, delightful to hold, but if you break it, consider it sold” sign. One can never have too many ceramic chickens. The Wee Willie Squirter urinating dolls are still on sale. You can buy an entire village of 10” tall artifi cial Mexican peasants for only $6.95 each. A pack of drunken Chihuahuas nestled next to a tequila bottle was available.

The black velvet art collection is the ne plus ultra of velvet classicism. Black velvet Native Americans, howling wolves, elephants, soaring eagles and pitt bulls are yours for a mere swipe of the Master Card. Wooden back scratchers with life like fi ngers abound for only $1.50. Every size of fake snake known to man can be purchased. Coconut head pirates that shiver your timbers patrol above the raunchily risque Horny Hillbilly in the adult section of the store. I bought three Pedros on a stick for only $1.Next stop was Fort Pedro which has enough fi reworks to destroy all of Iran’s enriched uranium in one afternoon. I am a real fan of the names given to fi reworks. Fireworks are a manly item designed to explode in a shower of sparks and make manly noises like the aftermath of a Super Burrito meal. The “Really Bad Momma” package has a crazed mother talking on the phone with two screaming infants. You can take Momma home for only $35.95 and “shoot fl aming balls” at anyone you like. The Big Bang collection is a six foot tall box of fi reworks that sells for a cool $699.95. It contains artillery shells with comet tails, festival balls and purple shooting stars. A bargain at twice the price.

The TNT Bruno collection boasts maximum powder allowed by law. Who could resist the Pyromaniac selection in its 4 foot tall box with the politically correct “Cave buster” rockets to blow up the al-Qaeda terrorist on your block? There are still many New Millennium Y2K Celebration boxes for sale for $137 each. Guess Y2K didn’t come in with as big a bang as S.O.B. had hoped.

You can write gunpowder Haiku with the names of the fireworks: “Hicktown Heaven/ Unleash the Beast/ Twinkling Bees/ Almost Illegal/ Bone Breaker/ Take Cover/ Wake the Neighbors/ Red, White and Boom/ The Annihilator/ Glorious Crazy Explosion/ Fountain Supreme Delirium” Words to live by. The Fourth of July cannot come soon enough.

My favorite was the Pirate Skull collection of crackling comets which noted “For best view face this side towards spectators.” Those instructions were ambiguous. If you pointed that side towards the spectators, did that mean that the spectators would get the best view of the explosions or the guy lighting the fi reworks would get the best view of the crackling comets slicing through the crowd of panicking spectators? As the King of Siam once said, “It is a puzzlement.”

Take me out to the ball game. Take me out to the play. Whether you’re a baseball fan or not, you’ll love, love, love the Gilbert Theater’s production of Playballs.

It’s a comedy based on the real-life story of Pam Postema, a woman struggling to make it as a professional umpire in the good ‘ol boy’s world of baseball. You’ll come to find that, although most umps can call a clean game, it gets pretty grimy behind the scenes. Director Peter Bonilla, who also stars in the play, had his work cut out for him with a small cast of only three people. He rose to that challenge victoriously though, and rocked the stage with clever lines and a no-holds barred approach to the story.

In the opening scenes we meet the fi ctional version of Postema, Lucy Posner, played by Claudia Warga. Warga brings Posner to life with perfection. She’s stubborn, determined, and beyond anything else, she knows what she wants. She wants to offi ciate in the major leagues, not as the fi rst woman umpire, but simply as an umpire. There are plenty of people to stand in her way though, and Posner has to learn how to take it like a man when things don’t go her way. Her ability to do this is obvious, when she puts her foot down on Mr. Yoblinski, played by Jules Forde, who has denied her acceptance into the all-male umpiring school based on her gender alone. She lets him have it in a heated argument, and stands her ground until he folds. He wants to know one thing when she’s done telling him a thing or two though, so he asks “Where’d you learn to swear like that?” Posner replies bluntly, “My mother.” This was the fi rst of many laughs as she coolly battles against sexist heckles and declares “I don’t cry. I just get pissed off.”

My hat is off to Warga, who never took a single break during the production, didn’t miss a line, or even stutter a word. She wasn’t alone up there though, and many of the lines that had the crowd roaring with laughter were delivered by Bonilla and Forde.

Bonilla is hilarious as Candie, a male chauvinist dirtball, who seems to speak without even knowing what’s going to come out of his mouth. Bonilla plays many parts on stage, from a foul-mouthed coach to the likeable Mr. Leary, and each one is equally as entertaining as the last.

Forde showcases his comedic abilities too, as he plays several roles throughout the production. He’ll make you laugh as an out-of-shape umpire who can barely do three jumping jacks, and then crack you up as a Don Juan-type catcher with a bad mustache, who relentlessly and unsuccessfully hits on Posner.

The three stars of this show bring endless energy, and masterful acting to the stage. You’ll fi nd yourself rooting for Posner, as if she’s the home team, by the end of the play and wishing it could go into extra innings. If you don’t mind a little bit of (alright a lot of) inappropriate language, and you’re looking for something fun to do, make your way downtown to the Gilbert Theater. You’ll love everything from the amazing local talent, to the complimentary cake after the show. Trust me Fayetteville; you don’t want to miss this.

The value of a national competition in a city the size of Fayetteville or on the campus of a college or university is the chance to see what artists are doing from around the country. In one gallery, you can see what an artist in New York, New Jersey or Idaho is doing and what kinds of mediums people are using to express their ideas.

It took the leadership of Seán McDaniel , chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Fayetteville Technical Community College, to undertake and host a national competition for the FTCC Gallery and the community.

Knowing how much work it takes to be an instructor, artist and chairman of a department, I wondered why he would he undertake the task. He was succinct in his answer.

“The competition provides our students and viewing community the access to works created by artists from a broader spectrum and enhances the educational experience,” he said. “Both are the goals of FTCC. I also wanted to expand the exhibition possibilities of the FTCC Gallery so there would be more exhibition opportunities in Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the region.”

He also shared how pleased he was with the response from artists and “how it was interesting to be on the coordinating side instead of being an artist entered an exhibit.” The juror selected 16 works from the more than 100 works submitted. The exhibit represents artists from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Idaho, Florida, North Carolina and the District of Columbia.

He continued, “This has been a great learning experience for me. Having participated, as an artist, in hundreds of competitions, I certainly appreciate the opportunities much more! The reception is scheduled before 4th Friday starts in the downtown area, so I hope people will show their support by stopping by the FTCC Art Gallery on Feb. 26th before going downtown that evening. You just start the night-out a little earlier.”

No small task to coordinate a national competition, the results is an exhibit fi lled with a variety of subjects and approaches to working in the visual arts. The following prevalent themes seem to run throughout the exhibition: investigating or interpreting nature, abstraction as solace and exploring issues identity. 

The abstract acrylic painting by Elizabeth Leal from Greensboro, N.C., immediately draws attention to itself. Her large painting is minimal in style and limited in color — predominately blue. No reference to the nature we see around us, her painting titled From Matter to Spirit brings us to a nonverbal moment, a moment without visual distraction and commotion — abstraction as solace.

The photographs by Trinity Sullivan from Idaho Falls, Idaho, are also evidence of using abstraction to evoke contemplation. In her photograph titled Sky of Zeus, the artist has taken a close-up photograph of painted metal, the upper half of the image is simply off white, the lower half resembling a blue and white sky. Two jagged, diagonal lines of rust cross the two sections, the title suggests an action by an ancient, mythic Sky God.

In the works of several of the artists, the theme of identity unifi ed their work in purpose. Lovell Pulley, an artist from Spring Hope, N.C., challenges our perceptions about racial stereotypes.

Using a very limited palette of black, gray and red, Pulley challenges the racial self-stereotyping from within the African-American community. In his computer graphic work titled The Uncle Tometer, Pulley has created a barren fl at background of gray pebbled texture. On the left side of the image is a thermometer with the red mercury rising after passing phrases like “listening to more than black music, arriving on time, having a large vocabulary, not an avid eater of soul food” and at the top is “dating outside the race.”

TH Gomillion from Washington, D.C., celebrates the African heritage in his casted bronze portrait titled We Are. Mounted on a piece of polished marble, Gomillion’s portrait includes the details of a traditional African male style of adorning oneself. Gomillion’s portrait evokes the presence of ancestry.

Kendra Sumler from Fayetteville, explores the identity of a young woman in the medium of computer graphics. Works titled Pieces of Me and Forced Identity portray the same individual in a collage-like composition. The same individual is portrayed as having a series of expressions. The expressions seem to question, challenge and are often fi lled with angst.

The ceramic forms by Amanda Small from Chapel Hill, N.C., are poetic in their low fi red, oozy, abstract forms. Her work titled Genesis appears to be an interpretation of the beginning of life. Instead of the Garden of Eden, Genesis appears as a beautifully poetic gnarl of pea-like pods emerging from or into a form with tentacles. The grace of the form and use of earth colors reinforces the idea of birth or a beginning.

While Small encourages the viewer to see nature through a new lens, Shane Booth, of Fayetteville, exhibited a print from his new body of work. Instead of using himself as the model, he has switched to bulls!

In Booth’s work, the lone human fi gure has been replaced by a lone bull. The photograph is in high contrast, black and white. The dark bull fi lls the picture frame, off center. We see the bull from an angle beneath the massive animal. The bull’s wet nose drips from the shiny rich blackness of the form against a stark landscape. Booth’s photograph evokes strength and will without being romantic or idealized. The strength and resolve of the image mesmerizes you.

There are many more works to examine in the 1st Annual Juried Exhibition at FTCC’s Art Gallery. The juror for the competition was Chuck Lawson, a new instructor in the fi ne art program at FTCC. Lawson will address his selection for the exhibit during the opening, Feb. 26(4th Friday) between 5-7 p.m. in Gallery 366A, Cumberland Hall on the campus of FTCC.

If you are not able to get to the opening reception, the exhibit remains up until March 12. For gallery hours or information on the exhibit call Seán McDaniel at 910- 678-0042 or email him at mcdaniels@faytechcc.edu.

On Friday, Feb. 26, it’s time again to experience the artistic and entertaining side of historic downtown Fayetteville forFebruary’s 4th Friday. Culture and creativity connect as many artistic venues and restaurants open their doors to exhibit unique galleries, serve great food and drinks, present talented artists and offer many exciting crowd-pleasing activities. 4th Friday Celebration of the arts and downtown is presented by the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. The event highlights are sure to be visually and sonically stimulating as local artists, as well as special guests from across the country come to Fayetteville to share their work.

This 4th Friday, there is something to peak the interests of all ages and much to enjoy for many different tastes. Appropriately timed for the season, Fascinate-U Children’s Museum has free admission and activities planned for kids during which they will be making snowfl akes! Marketing and Development Director, Emily Polley says, “The children will be able to look at many different snowfl akes and discover more about the history. In addition to exploring the exhibits, they’ll have fun folding and cutting their own snowfl akes to take with them.”

There will also be plenty to engage the attention of adults as they visit the lively streets and venues downtown, such as the Cumberland County Headquarters Library where a special musical guest and friends will be presented. “We’re looking forward to hearing Brian Morgan, a Grammy-ominated performer who plays a variety of music on acoustic guitar,” says Kelly Tomita, narketing and communications canager of CCHQL. “Morgan studied under jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd at North Carolina Central University and will entertain us with Jazz, R&B, Funk and Gospel. He’s bringing 45RPM, a group of young vocalists that he put together ages 11-18 who will be performing live music from the ‘70s and ‘80s. We hope families will come out to enjoy this experience with us.”

Cape Fear Studios proudly presents a Fine Crafts Show. Artists who work with wood, metal, ceramics, fabrics and more have been invited from different areas to showcase their unique projects. Brian Bortz out of Durham, N.C. will exhibit his marvelous wood creations. Joel Honeycutt shows his versatile talent in ceramic art, from exotic sculptures to more traditional pieces such as beautifully crafted dishes. The Pixie Ladies from California share their themed quilts and Nancy Nicholson will be sending her stained glass pieces from New York. “Our own Erica Stankwytch Bailey, curator of the event, handpicked the artists after seeing them at American Crafts Council shows in Baltimore, Philadelphia and other cities,” says Chris Castner, executive director of CFS. “The reason Bailey wanted to put this together is to show how fi ne and sophisticated craftwork can be. It goes beyond cute and country. We’re excited to show these amazing works of art that use traditional techniques with unique artistic flair.”

Free events, complimentary refreshments and talented people will come together in the heart of Fayetteville this 4th Friday. Bring your friends and family downtown to see the nationally touring exhibition, Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980-2000. For more information contact 910-323-1776 or visit www.theartscouncil.com.

The Visual Arts Alliance is very excited about the forthcoming visit of Dr. David C. Driskell. People of all ages in the local community and region need to mark their calendars for this once in a lifetime opportunity to meet a historically important artist and scholar of African- American art.

Driskell is this month’s featured guest for the Chancellor’s Distinguished Speaker Series at Fayetteville State University. Driskell will appear on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. in the J.W. Seabrook Auditorium on the FSU campus. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

Born in 1931 into a family of Georgia sharecroppers, Driskell is one of the leading authorities on the subject of African-American art and the black artist in American society. His paintings can be found in major museums and private collections worldwide. His contributions to scholarship in the history of art include many books and more than 40 catalogues for exhibitions he has curated. His essays on the subject of African - American art have appeared in major publications throughout the world.

A few of those publications include Hidden Heritage: Afro-American Art, 1800- 1950, The Other Side of Color: African American Art in the Collection of Camille O. and William H. Cosby Jr., African American Visual Aesthetics: A Postmodernist View, and Black Art: Ancestral Legacy.

Driskell studied at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine and received his undergraduate degree in art at Howard University (1955) and a Masters in Fine Arts degree from Catholic University (1962). He joined the faculty of the Department of Art at the University of Maryland in 1977 and served as its chair from 1978-1983. He has been a practicing artist since the 1950s and his works are in major museums throughout the world, including the National Gallery of Art, the High Museum of Art and Yale University Art Gallery. Solo exhibitions of his art tour the country regularly. He is represented by a host of prominent art galleries throughout the country and abroad.

In 1976, Driskell curated the groundbreaking exhibit Two Centuries of Black American Art: 1750-1950 which laid the foundation for the field of African- American art history. Since 1977, Driskell has served as cultural advisor to Camille O. and William H. Cosby and as the curator of the Cosby Collection of Fine Arts. In 2000, in a White House Ceremony, Driskell received the National Humanities Medal from President Bill Clinton.

In 2001 The University of Maryland, established The David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora at the University of Maryland, College Park. This center celebrates his legacy as a distinguished university professor emeritus of art, artist, art historian, collector, and curator by preserving the rich heritage of African - American visual art and culture. It also provides an intellectual home for artists, museum professionals, art administrators and scholars of color, broadening the field of African diasporic studies.

Driskell’s appearance is presented in partnership with the Fayetteville/ Cumberland County Arts Council and part of the community’s Black History Month celebration. His work is also included in the National Conference of Artists Michigan Chapter exhibition currently on view at the Arts Council galleries entitled Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980 – 2000.

The National Conference of Artists is an organization very dear to Dr. Driskell who was one of the founding charter members in 1959. Established in the era of the modern Civil Rights Movement (1959), this organization has provided support, particularly in the early years, to those who developed careers as artists while teaching at historically black colleges and universities.

The Visual Arts Alliance hopes that you will also attend his lecture and events at the Arts Council on Wednesday February 17 at 2 p.m. This event includes a special lecture and book signing by Dr. David C. Driskell for students at Fayetteville State University, Methodist University, Fayetteville Technical Community College and UNC Pembroke.

The schedule of Dr. Driskell’ visit to Fayetteville can be found at www. theartscouncil.com

Two exhibits in Fayetteville’s downtown galleries are a sharp contrast in content, yet the influence of technology moves seamlessly among the works of art in both galleries. Viewers will see everything from the computer-generated images in the form of traditional Asian-style wall hangings to the many photographs in the 2nd Annual College Faculty Invitational at Cape Fear Studios to the outdoor landscape painters at Olde Towne Gallery, which also use photography as a tool.

A wonderful contrast of the traditional and new tool usage, both exhibits reminds us how we revisit approaches in art while moving forward. We still fi nd it fulfi lling to explore the traditional in a technology saturated culture by painting or drawing the landscape. A square ceramic teacup sitting on an inverted pyramidal saucer is still enticingly beautiful.

A large percentage of the faculty in the invitational exhibit probably do not know each other. In contrast, the four artists showing at the Olde Towne Gallery exhibit titled Road Trip, have painted together for years and are longstanding friends. The difference attributes to the overall aesthetics of each exhibition.

Nineteen faculty members from local and regional higher-education institutions are participating in the invitational: the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Methodist University, Fayetteville State University and Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C.

UNC-Pembroke was well represented in the Faculty Invitational. Design instructor Carla Rokes and printmaker Brandon Sanderson are exhibiting computer-generated graphic images ranging from the abstract to the fi gurative with a twist of dark humor. Dong Jun Shin demonstrates his expertise in ceramics. Margie and John Labadie have their lengthy computer-generated scrolls on the gallery walls. Ann Horton and Jo Ann Hart are exhibiting photographs of nature. Tulla Lightfoot has a landscape painting on display, while Janette Hopper has two mixed-media monoprints.

From Methodist University, Peggy Hinson is exhibiting one of her large mixed-media shadow boxes in a work titled The Sacrifi ce of the Lamb. Kerry Scott Jenkins is showcasing the art of typography; and Silvana Foti is sharing a new body of work — abstracts, which mix thin brass rods with computer graphics and water-based paint.

Painter Dwight Smith represents Fayetteville State University with his large, rhythmic, mixed-media collage. Jonathan Chestnut is exhibiting a single work in computer graphics. Shane Booth and Socorro Hernandez-Hinek are both exhibiting their new photographs.

One lone faculty member from Meredith College, Warner Hyde, a ceramist, returned to this year’s exhibition with one of his large organic forms, fl ower-like, but titled Fungal.

Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Sean McDaniel shares his fi gurative water-color studies, while the new member of the art department, Chuck Lawson, participates with a two-dimensional design titled Dance, Dance, Dance.

The variety of works in the exhibition exemplifi es the infl uence of technology in this group of artists — the use of the camera and the computer. Prevailing themes include religion, abstraction and design.

Unlike the artists in the Faculty Invitational, the four artists participating in Road Trip exemplify how similar can have many variations. Road Trip includes the works of Sandie McFarland, Rose Kennedy, Gail Harris and Annette Sczczkutek. The exhibit is the result of participating in a long weekend workshop in “plein air” landscape painting with landscape artist William Jameson.

Road Trip is an enjoyable exhibit and is the result of an interesting circumstance. The “plein air” painter Jameson was featured in American Artist Workshop magazine and called Harris and Szczekutek to participate in a long weekend workshop that would be documented, then appear in the publication. The four friends decided to participate together as a group.

Working in different mediums, the four artists worked side-by-side each day, while Jameson regularly visited them to review their progress and give constructive instruction. Szczekutek worked in oil paint, while Harris, Kennedy and McFarlane used oil, pastels or watercolors.

I asked McFarlane if she could highlight what she learned with Jameson about working outside and directly from nature. McFarlane was quick to remark: “We worked on site, had one-on-one demonstrations by the instructor. He talked a lot about value and artistic license in a work of art. I learned a great deal about using a limited palette — a view fi nder — so I am not distracted by all the details in nature around us. This allows me to do a sketch quickly to capture the values in a situation where light changes and to use negative shapes as a reference source.”

While you visit Road Trip, look carefully on the information table in the gallery and you will see a copy of American Artist Workshop. Six pages are fi lled with how-to-do text, Jameson’s palette choices, his “12 things to remember about outdoor landscape painting,” and many pictures of Jameson working with the four local artists.

All of the works in the gallery are examples of what Jameson wanted his students to remember about outdoor landscape painting. They all used a “limited palette, worked from big shapes to little shapes, dark values to light values, cool colors to warm colors.” Each artist identifi ed in their work a “center of interest, established a horizon, observed atmospheric perspective, and positioned themselves with the sun on their left or right side.”

The workshop took place in South Carolina’s low county islands of Seabrook, Kiawah and Wadmalaw. The light in each painting becomes more signifi cant than the subject. Each artist worked to capture light that happens when dense foliage opens up to a small pond, an open sky or a watery vista. The wash of light across the surface of a building is more important than the type of building.

With the changing light, each artist needed to take a photograph of the place and the time of day so they could complete the painting or drawing later, after the light had changed so drastically from when they started on the work. Many of the artists fi nished up to five or six pieces.

Anyone interested in undertaking a “plein air” approach to painting will have the opportunity to attend a local workshop by Diane Johnson (founding editor of Plein Air Magazine). The workshop is hosted by Cape Fear Studios and will take place on April 23-25. For information on the workshop, visit the Cape Fear Studios Web site at www.capefearstudios.com or call the studio at 433-2986.

The 2nd Annual College Faculty Invitational is an annual event and will remain open until the third week of February. Road Trip will remain open until Feb. 24. Both exhibits are free and open to the public Monday through Saturday.

Ahhhh, Valentine’s Day. Love might be in the air, but in the world of weddings ‘the devil is in the details.’With 2.2 million couples getting married each year, and 10 percent of those proposals taking place on Valentine’s Day, there’s a whole lot of wedding planning going on. To get the newly engaged off on the right path toward the perfect wedding, the 2010 Bridal Extravaganza will be held on Feb. 20 at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.

The 2010 Bridal Extravaganza, the largest bridal expo in Fayetteville with at least 50 vendors, expects record turn-out again this year. Last year, more than 500 people attended the event to glean ideas for their weddings.

“Every bride who walks in the door gets a bag of goodies — samples, magazines, gift certifi cates, coupons, just everything,” according to Heidi Politi, sales manager for the Holiday Inn Bordeaux. Brides-to-be will also leave with a wealth of information and ideas.

A fashion show, presented by David’s Bridal, will be held from noon to 1 p.m. The show is expected to be “fast-moving, fun, professional and very upbeat.” The models will feature hair styles created by Flawless Visions Hair Studio. Makeup for the models will be done by Mary Kay Cosmetics.

Learning opportunities will be offered throughout the day as rotating seminars will be held every hour. Seminar topics will range from creating a timeline for wedding planning to etiquette, and will even include a home decor session offering insight on how to blend “his” and “hers” into “ours.”

“The free information at the seminars is so valuable because it keeps you from making silly mistakes,” explained Politi. “And at the Extravaganza, you’ll get great ideas that are not just exclusive of weddings. They can really be applied to planning any event.”

Vendors from all areas of wedding expertise will be on display in the grand ballroom. Day spas, including the Renaissance European Day Spa and Cape Fear Aesthetics, will provide ideas on pampering your wedding party before your special event. To help you fi nd the perfect dress and tux for your event, experts from David’s Bridal, Ruth Davis Tuxedos and Cape Fear Formal Wear will be on hand. Flowers from Bordeaux Florist and Owen’s Florist, planning by GC & Company, and special touches from Things Remembered and Slumber Parties will all make your big day something to be remembered. To capture your memories for eternity, photographers will include George Joel Photography and New Creation Photography. But of course, the highlight of any event is the food.

“You really can eat your way through the room,” said Politi. “There are lots of samples of wedding cakes, party favors and other sweet confections, plus the catering experts at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux will have hors d’oeuvres for sampling. Come hungry and with comfortable shoes!”

Not only will attendees leave with a full belly and a mind full of ideas, but also with prizes. Prize drawings occur every three to fi ve minutes and include such treats as wedding cakes, spa treatments, formal wear, photography packages, dining certifi cates, hotel accommodations and more!

“Vendors give us a lot of door prizes,” explained Politi. “Last year we ran out of time to give them all out. Everyone walked away with something.”

The 2010 Bridal Extravaganza runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are available at the door the day of the event for $7, or in advance for $3 up until Feb. 15. To pre-register or for more information on the event, call 910-221-2251.

Beautiful maiden. Jealous stepmother. Jiving mirror. It’s a classic fairy tale — with a twist — when Fayetteville State Theatre brings Snow White to the stage of Butler Theatre on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 18 and 19, at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m., with an additional show on Friday at 7 p.m. All seats for the shows are $3.00, and teachers are free.

“This is not Disney’s Snow White,” said Phoebe Hall, director of theatre and associate professor of speech and theatre. Written by Tim Kelly and directed by Susan B. Paschal, assistant director and assistant professor of speech and theatre, this version of the beloved tale of enchantment features not only a jive-talking mirror, but also “a band of happy minors,” Hall said. “Sarge, Gabby, Gloomy Gus, Ticklish, Spritely, Snore and Slowpoke. It has a slightly different spin than Disney’s version.”

The play is an annual event that started in 2001. Each February, FSU offers the community a children’s play. Paschal has a special interest in children’s theatre. She teaches a course, Children’s Theatre for School and Community, and is also director of the children’s worship arts program at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church.

“Periodically we do new scripts and adaptations,” said Hall. “Snow White features students and community members performing for elementary students. It is a oneact play and lasts about an hour. It is open to the public only on Friday night. In fact, the morning shows are sold out.”

The February performance is only part of the theatre company’s commitment to sharing live theatre with children and the rest of the community. The FSU Touring Company, as part of the performance laboratory class, can arrange to bring impromptu theatre presentations to schools, organizations and meetings, enhancing curriculum or meeting topics while making learning fun and entertaining. Anywhere from three to a dozen actors can present students with an opportunity to participate with improvisational actors to practice skills in creative, critical and imaginative thinking on their feet. The program members can even arrange to customize their exercises to fi t a special topic.

In addition to offering children the magical experience of live theatre and that special interaction between audience and performers that one simply can’t derive from television or movies, the FSU Theatre Company makes a Snow White study guide available for teachers.

“Just email me at phall@uncfsu.edu for a copy,” Hall said. “It includes all kinds of activities for children.”

And the company’s Web site offers a guide to theater etiquette for those who have never attended a live performance — or may need a little reminder — at www.uncfsu.edu/theatre/fsu_drama_guild.htm.

For more information, call (910) 672-1006, and for reservations for Friday evening’s performance, contact FSU’s ticket manager, Antoinette Fairley, at (910) 672-1724. And come share a bite of the “Big Apple.”

Fayetteville Community Concerts heat up on Thursday, Feb. 11 as Sister Sledge, featuring Kathy Sledge, takes to the stage of the Crown Theatre in a show that is sure to leave you dancing in the aisles.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Kathy Sledge is the youngest of five girls from Edwin and Florez Sledge. By age six she was singing songs with her sisters in perfect harmony. Who would have guessed that only 10 years later, she would record a song that would literally touch the hearts of millions around the world.

Kathy and her sisters learned their musical craft at the knee of their grandmother, an experienced opera singer. Their childhoods were spent singing in and out of church. Local talent shows and clubs became their second home. In high school, their popularity spread and the girls quickly signed their fi rst recording contract with Atco Records. As is the case with many acts, they initially gained popularity overseas, but their break out hit “We Are Family” landed them a solid place in the anals of American music. The song and the album went on to reach the No. 1 position on every imaginable chart and also earned a Grammy nomination. That album also spawned two additional hit songs, “Lost in Music” and “He’s the Greatest Dancer.”

Sister Sledge, she went on to sell several million more albums with many popular singles, including “Got to Love Somebody,” “All American Girls,” “My Guy” and “B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Baby).”

Sledge has been called “one of the most original and unique voices in pop music,” and the organizers of the Community Concerts series recognized that by bringing her dynamic show to the community.

“Community Concerts is very excited about bringing Sister Sledge to the Fayetteville Community. Her show promises to be very high energy and fi lled with the kind of showmanship one can expect from a Las Vegas act,”said Community Concerts Marketing Committee Representative Kristie Meave.

“This is something the community will not want to miss.”

Community Concerts is an all volunteer, non-profi t arts organization whose sole mission is to bring the fi nest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville. In addition to concerts, their mission includes an ever growing list of outreach programs including support for Boy’s and Girl

’s Club members and deserving seniors, music clinics for children and a new music scholarship fund. The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets range in price from $18 to $32 and can be purchased at the Crown Box Offi ce and at all Ticketmaster Outlets. For more information, call 323-1991 or visit www.atthecrown. com or www.communityconcerts. com.

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...” —Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Instead of counting the ways, lovers often times fi nd themselves looking for ideas to show they love that special someone this time of year. Sure, the classics work: Flowers and chocolates are appropriate enough and fairly easy to acquire in short order. But, if you are looking for something a little more to really let your sweetheart know what they mean to you, here are a few ideas designed to wow your sweetie.

In what has become an annual tradition over the past five years, the Downtown Alliance is offering horse-drawn carriage rides through historic downtown on Feb. 13 from 1-8 p.m. The white “Cinderella” carriage seats four to six people and tickets cost $15 per person, however, private rides are available for $60. Reservations are not required but are recommended. Each ride lasts about 20 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at City Center Gallery & Books or by calling 678-8899.

The Methodist University Chorale is offering a similar experience with graduated packages. For between $10 and $30 an ensemble of singers will serenade your sweetheart at work, home or anywhere else you choose in the greater Fayetteville area on Feb. 12 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Call 630-7153 for more information.

Radio station WKML is offering a special Valentine’s Day package for its listeners. Get a dozen red roses, a handmade chocolate heart courtesy of the Chocolate Lady and a sterling silver diamond key charm bracelet courtesy of Helzberg Diamonds — all of this delivered by Don Chase, Deano or Larry K. Smith while wearing a tuxedo. Deliveries will be made by noon on Feb. 12.

There is a limited number of packages available. To purchase yours visit http:// wkml.com. Proceeds benefi t St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

The Renaissance Day Spa is offering a series of Valentine packages that include everything from an aroma therapy massage and mud body treatment to couple’s massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and a spa lunch. The prices range from $165 to $480. Visit www.therenaissancedayspa.com or call 484-9922 for more information.

Mihwa’s on Robeson Street has some great specials, too. Whether it is a Swedish massage with a sea salt body scrub and conditioning, a facial or a couple’s massage this salon and spa can make Valentine’s Day special. Prices range from $95 to $150. For more information, visit www.mihwas.com or call 423-4466.

If dinner is more your cup of tea, Fayetteville restaurants are going out of their way to meet your needs. Several local eateries have revved up their menus with this holiday in mind.

The Doubletree Hotel on Cedar Creek Road is offering a Valentine’s Champagne Dinner for Two for $95. It includes an appetizer, salad, surf & turf entree with mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley or an entree of a 4 oz. fi llet, crab cake and shrimp with mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley. The meal includes a bottle of champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

A downtown favorite, Pierro’s is offering a dinner for two for $59.99. Reservations are available by calling 678-8885.

Scrub Oaks, on Ramsey Street has put together a Valentine’s package that includes champagne cocktails, appetizers, choice of 16 oz. bone-in rib eye or crab imperial stuffed salmon, hand-crafted chocolate-covered strawberries and a longstemmed red rose for the ladies. It costs $40 per person and runs Feb. 12-14. Call 884-3072 for reservations.

If you want to make a weekend of the holiday, a local hotel is only too happy to help. The Holiday Inn Bordeaux has a romantic weekend package for $145.99. Guests receive overnight accommodations, dinner for two in the hotel restaurant, champagne and strawberries in their room and breakfast for two in the Cafe Bordeaux. The offer runs Feb. 12-14. Call 323-0111 to make reservations.

Salvador Dali lived larger than life. Throughout his career he was celebrated and reviled — depending on where he was in his career. For a time, he was celebrated by the Surrealists of the period, but they later turned their back on him. His political affi liations lost him many supporters, as did his extravagant lifestyle. But that mattered little to Dali. He lived for his art, and one of the most complex works he created during his long-lived career was the illustration of Dante’s Divine Comedy.

That work, commisisoned by the Italian government in 1957 to celebrate the 700th birthday of Dante, will come to Fayetteville for a special exhibition through the Fayetteville Musuem of Art Feb. 13-29. The exhibition at the Fayetteville Museum of Art is part of a 10-city national tour over a three-year period and contain 100 prints from Dalí’s Divine Comedy Suite. The exhibition also features bilingual text panels.

Due to the sheer size of the exhibit, the museum will hang the show on the fi rst fl oor of the Lundy Building in Festival Park.

“The Lundy Group has allowed us to use 9,000 square feet on the fi rst fl oor to house the exhibit,” said Tom Grubb, executive director of the Fayetteville Museum of Art. “We needed to go there because of the size of the exhibition. It will also allow us to host our school tours and the opening gala all in one location.”

Grubb is excited that the museum is the only facility in North Carolina to be afforded the opportunity to host the exhibit.

In light of the museum’s recent revelations concerning its fi nancial status, the exhibit is, according to museum supporters, a positive step.

“In recent months, we have shared publicly that our fi nancial struggles were serious. The consequences of our struggle are not all negative. Under economic stress, it has become more important than ever that the museum dedicate itself to strong leadership and programming. We have been working hard to realize our goals and would liketo share that we have found our goals to be attainable,” said Meredith Player Stiehl, FMoA president.

Those goals include bringing world-class art exhibits to the community and building relationships with area organizations and providing art education to the community. All of those goals are being achieved through the Dali exhibit. The museum has partnered with the CumberlandCounty Schools to bring students to the exhibit.

“I believe that to understand and appreciate art, young people need to be exposed to the greats. Through the exhibit hosted by the Art Museum, the community gets a chance to see a world renowned artist,” said Dr. Frank Till, Cumberland County Schools superintendent.

Admission to the exhibit is $10 for adults; $6 children (6-18; children 5 and under are free. The exhibit is open Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Special showings will be held on Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m., when wine and snacks will be served complimentary with entry fee during Fourth Friday festivities. On Feb. 16 and 23 the museum will offer military/college appreciation night, with half price entry with appropriate ID between 5 and 7 pm. On Thursday, Feb. 11 the museum will host an opening gala at 7 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person.

For more information, visit the museum Web site at www. fayettevillemuseumart.org/dali.htm or call 485-5121.

No Girls Allowed! That was the rule in many professions until recent decades. Now the thought of telling a woman that she can’t be a fire fighter, a business professional, an airplane pilot, a professional baseball umpire or anything else she wants to be seems ludicrous — at least in this country — but that wasn’t always the case.

Just decades ago, even the most competent of women were commonly denied access to fulfi lling their dreams regardless of their ambition, talent or skill level.

Gilbert Theater is taking on this topic with Play Balls, its third play of this theatrical season. A comedy based on the true-life experiences of Pam Postema and Bernice Gera, Play Balls is about a young woman trying to break into the male dominated world of professional baseball umpiring.

“It’s about more than baseball,” said Director Peter Bonilla.“It’s about breaking sexism. It’s about a woman’s journey trying to achieve a goal in a man’s business. It’s about Pam and her quest to be a professional major league ump and the hell she went through.

”There’s plenty of strong language to be had in the production as fans and umpires hurl obscenities at the main character, so Bonilla cautions that it is not a kid-friendly event, but adds that the story is inspiring, the acting is excellent and the show something that is worth seeing.

“She fought hard, really, really hard,” Bonilla said of Postema. “If you stink, you stink, but to say ‘Get back in the kitchen’? No way. She was a trailblazer women should look up to.

”Claudia Warga carries the lead as Lucy Posner, the fictional version of Postema/Gera. Jules Ollie Forde and Jim Darrien portray Ump 1 and Ump 2 as well as the other back up characters that harass and heckle Posner on her journey through the brutally competitive and chauvinistic world of umpiring.

Bonilla, who has spent the past 17 years in New York City, is no stranger to theater. He’s a professional actor, director, playwright, photographer and editor. Finding himself in Fayetteville for personal reasons, Bonilla sought an outlet for his creative energy and happened upon Gilbert Theater.

“I’m not sure how it started, Lynn Pryer and I got to talking and I mentioned that I am a big baseball fan,” said Bonilla. “Lynn said, ‘Hey I’ve got a book you should read.’ One thing led to another and I guess he liked what I brought to the table.

”The show runs Feb. 11 - Feb 28. Thursday through Saturday, show times are at 8 p.m. There is a matinee each Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and reservations are highly encouraged. Visit www.gilberttheater.com or call 678-7186 for more information.

It’s not often that the audience of the Cape Fear Regional Theatre is full of children, in fact, it’s rare. So, I was happy to see the excited children lining up with their parents for the preview of Peter Pan at the CFRT. I was also a little worried, because while their excitement was contagious, I was worried whether or not they would be able to contain themselves during the show to actually allow the remainder of the audience to enjoy the show. I had nothing to worry about. From the opening music to the closing lines, the children were enchanted by the magic of the show — so were the adults.

Before I go any further in this review, I must come clean and admit that I have a very close tie to this show. The Littlest Burton is one of the Lost Boys. You might be saying to yourself, “Oh, confl ict of interest!” But if you go see the show, you will know I’m speaking nothing but the truth.

The musical brings some great talent to the CFRT stage. Led by Megan Ellis, who brings to life Peter Pan, the cast sang and danced its way into the audience’s heart.

Ellis, a Missouri native, brings an innocence and vitality to the role of Peter Pan. She has a lively spirit and connects well with the cast. Her voice is strong, although on the night I viewed the show her microphone was not working well, and Ellis’ voice got lost when she was at the back of the stage.

Pan’s arch enemy Captain Hook was brought to life by Dirk Lumbard. I was really looking forward to seeing how Lumbard would bring Hook to life. I think he played it to perfection. He embraced the foppish nature of Hook, as seen in the many portrayals over the year. While he made Hook unlikeable, he didn’t take it too far. The audience could still laugh at him. Like Ellis, Lumbard also encountered some microphone problems toward the end of the show. In the last couple of numbers, his microphone was muffl ed due to static.

Lumbard is a consummate showman, and he led his cast of rowdy Pirates in song and dance numbers that were spot on. The Pirates as a whole were hysterical. Their bumbling, fumbling, fawning personna kept the audience in stitches.

Of particular note was Robbie Gay, an Alabama native, who played Hook’s fi rst mate Smee. Gay brought a lot of humor to the show and was a perfect foil to Lumbard’s Hook

.Andrea Mislan, who was last on the CFRT stage in White Christmas, played Tiger Lilly and did the choreography for the show. Mislan spent hours working with the cast to ensure the dance numbers are fi rst class. Her hard work paid off. There were three distinct groups Mislan worked with: the Pirates, the Lost Boys and the Indians. Most of the Pirates and the Indians have had some form of formal dance training. That wasn’t the case with the Lost Boys, but she quickly whipped them into shape

.In my opinion, the showstopper was the “Ugh-A-Wug” sequence performed by Tiger Lilly and her band of Indians and Peter Pan and his Lost Boys. The initial number was something of a dance-off between the Indians and the Lost Boys, with the fi nale being a spectacular drum rhythm performed by the Indians, Tiger Lilly and Peter Pan. It was spectacular.

Mary Mattison Vallery gets kudos for her portrayal of Wendy. Vallery has literally grown up on the CFRT and other local stages. A freshman at Terry Sanford, Vallery has performed in more than 25 plays and musicals to date. She has a great voice and brought a sense of wonder to the stage.

The Lost Boys were composed of two casts of 14. The boys, some of whom have been in other CFRT productions, also deserve kudos. They did a great job and helped create the magic of the show.

While there were some minor technical problems with the performance I viewed, it was still one of the best shows of the season. The audience agreed with me, as I heard nothing but rave reviews from audience members as they exited the building.

Peter Pan brings magic to the CFRT stage — catch it.

The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (FSO) celebrates Black History Month with a performance of William Grant Still’s fi rst Afro-American Symphony on Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. in the J.W Seabrook Auditorium located on the campus of Fayetteville State University.

William Grant Still is the fi rst African-American to conduct a symphony in the South, and have a symphony and opera performed by a major company. Still is referred to as the dean of African-American composers. Still composed his music in the 1930s, during which time a large amount of blues was incorporated into African-American music. Still used these tunes and incorporated them into a symphony instead of pop pieces.

Mark Savage, executive director of the FSO, explained that the orchestra will perform four movements from Still’s symphony: “Longing,” “Sorrow,” “Humor” and “Aspiration.”

Savaged explained the orchestra selected these particular composers because FSO’s tribute to Still is a true celebration of Black History Month. Savage also explained that Still is an African-American composer, who was raised in the United States noting, “It is his time to be recognized.”

The program will also feature Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 in G Minor, and Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird Ballet.

Mozart selected the key of G minor because to him, it was the key of extreme pathos and despair. At the age of 17, Mozart wrote Little G Minor Symphony (No. 25), which was rarely heard in concert halls until after the fi lm Amadeus, in which it served as background music for the opening credits.

The Suite has remained Stravinsky’s most frequently performed work.

The title of Mozart’s fi rst movement is “Allegro Con Brio,” next is “Andante, Menuetto and Trio, and Allegro.”

Stravinsky extracted from a ballet to make the music more accessible for the resources of an orchestra.

From Stravinsky’s symphony, the orchestra will perform six movements: the introduction of the characters of the suite, Firebird and its dance, Princesses Khorovod also known as the (around dance), the Infernal Dance of King Kashchei (he is the bad guy in the ballet). The fi fth movement Berceuse (lullaby), and the sixth movement is the Finale.

Savage explained that Stravinsky’s ballet tells the story of a heroic prince who rescues the beautiful princess Tsarevna and her friends from an evil magician named Kashchey. The Prince marries the princess and a grand ceremony is held for the victor and the Firebird.

Stravinsky was selected because his composition consists of a struggle between good versus evil and good overpowers evil and wins. Savage feels with the state of the economy and the different devastations that are happening at this particular time, good overpowering evil is a nice change. Mozart’s piece was chosen because of its strength, and the fact that it is different from the other two composers, this difference makes it a nice closer for the concert.

Savage added that county residents need to come to the concerts and support the orchestra. He said, “If you come and listen, you won’t be disappointed! You will get your monies worth and then some.”

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for Seniors and Military, and Students with an ID are $8. You can purchase tickets online at www.fayettevillesymphony.org or call (910) 433-4690. Free shuttle service available from a central location — call for details and to make a reservations.

The art community in Fayetteville is a vibrant one. It is not uncommon to fi nd high quality art and exhibits year round at different venues throughout the city, in fact the Friends of African & African-American Art is sponsoring Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980-2000 at the Arts Council. The exhibit opened on Jan. 22 and will hang until March 6.

The show is bigger than the art on display at 301 Hay St., though. There is a sister exhibit at the Rosenthal Gallery at Fayetteville State University.

“People can visit Rosenthal and read the panels to learn more about the artists and see reproductions of the works” said Mary Kinney, Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County marketing manager. “Then they can come here and see the exhibit to learn more — or vice versa. To get the full effect and full benefi t people should visit both places because it is all really one big exhibit.”

There are also events and activities scheduled through the month of February. Assistant Professor of Art at FSU, Dr. Rollinda Thomas, will give a lecture titled Style and Politics: the African American Masters. She’ll be speaking at Rosenthal Gallery Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. and again at the Arts Council at 6 p.m. on Feb. 11.

Thomas is excited about the opportunity to speak with the public about Art of the Masters. As an educator, she welcomes the opportunity to broaden the horizons of interested parties in the community.

“The lecture is intended to give an overview of the artistic styles of the artists,” said Thomas. “We’ll look at how the politics of the time period infl uenced their work. For instance, there is a beautiful ceramic piece that harkens back to Benin, Africa.

”While there is a wide range of art work in the exhibit that covers everything from modern art to more traditional and natural pieces, Thomas is seeking to open the eyes and minds of the audience to the exhibit as a whole.

“This is a wonderful opprtunity to have the chance to share information with the public and with students,” said Thomas. “It is a chance to discuss the exhibit. I am excited about opening people’s eyes and making art accessible.

”Although it is billed as a lecture, Thomas is seeking an exchange with the public. The stunning presentation of African American artists not only lends itself to visually appealing to the audience, there is also an opportunity at the lecture to offer opinions and questions.

“This is definitely meant to be interactive,” said Thomas.The lecture is family friendly.

For more information, please call the Arts Council at 323-1776.

Erica Stankwytch Bailey, a Fayetteville jeweler and metalsmith, is heading to the Grand Canyon to be theartist-in-residence for February.

“So much of my work is about the small within the large — the cell within the larger organism, a shell in an enormous sea — and now I will represent the miniscule being within the vastness of the Grand Canyon.”

She was selected through a competitive application process by the Grand Canyon National Park Artist-In-Residence Program. The National Parks have always welcomed artistic interpretations of the beauty of the land ever since Thomas Moran’s paintings of Yellowstone directly infl uenced the establishment of Yellowstone as our nation’s fi rst National Park. They continue to support the artistic process with more than 40 Artist-in-Residence Programs throughout the National Park Service system. The program at the Grand Canyon seeks artists who are engaged in work that is relevant to the park interpretive themes and who communicate complex issues through their medium. Bailey has been selected for the program on the South Rim and will be given the opportunity to spend three weeks in housing provided by the National Park Service.

“This whole opportunity still seems so surreal to me — I can’t believe it is happening and yet I am so excited. As an artist I am sure that the experience will have a profound effect on my work and my ways of seeing,” said Bailey.

Bailey’s application proposal focused on her plans to hike the Grand Canyon to study the basic forms in nature. “My work has always been inspired by the textures of the earth,” she noted.

She was intrigued by the idea of studying the dynamic habitats within the vastness of the Grand Canyon. An additional component of her proposal was that she would have to simplify her work process to what she could produce from the tools she can take on a plane as she travels to the Canyon. She will be required to produce a piece for the Grand Canyon National Park which will remain with the Park Service on display.

While at the Grand Canyon, Erica will serve as a guest juror for the Seventh Annual Student Art Exhibit at Kolb Studio on the South Rim. She will also present an Evening Program about her work and metalsmithing methods. Upon her return she will be required to make a presentation to the Fayetteville community detailing her experience.

Bailey grew up in Fayetteville and received her high school diploma in the Applied Arts from the North Carolina School of the Arts. She holds a BA in Women’s Studies and a BFA in Metal Design from East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. She is currently teaching jewelry fabrication courses at Fayetteville Technical Community College and works full-time as a metalsmith. She also offers workshops through Cape Fear Studios where she is an exhibiting member. Bailey is the First Vice President of Cape Fear Studios, which is a member organization of the Visual Arts Alliance. She has shows and sells her work nationally at festivals, art centers, galleries and museums and is the winner of several exhibit and artistic merit awards. Additionally she has received several regional artist grants from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County which have allowed her to continue the pursuit of her art.

Bailey’s work involves a variety of technical applications that allow her to create conceptual and aesthetic work. She collects items from nature including shells, seed pods and stones and fi lls her sketchbook with drawings of organic/natural elements which she translates into metal objects. Using techniques such as lamination, chasing, metal weaving, fabrication, enameling, forging and forming she is able to create pieces that are tactile and invoke the senses. If you would like to see examples of her work you may visit her Web site www. ericastankwytchbailey.com or see her work on display at Cape Fear Studios, 148-1 Maxwell St. in Fayetteville.

As a part of her residency, Bailey plans to blog as a means of documenting her experience. Her blog may be accessed at http://www.ericastankwytchbailey. blogspot..com/.

A lot has changed since Dr. M. Elton Hendricks took the helm of
Methodist College (now Methodist University) as its president in 1983.
Enrollment has gone from 771 students to more than 2,000. They've
grown from 110 employees to 545, the operating budget used to be just over $3
million, now it is more that $48.5 million. There were 19 academic programs
27 years ago compared with more than 70 majors and concentrations today.
That is quite a difference from when Hendricks came on board.

"A lot of wonderful things have happened over the years," Hendricks
recalled. "When I fi rst came to Methodist people would ask me ‘Is the college
going to make it?' No one has asked me that in 20 years. We've positioned
ourselves well."

As Hendricks prepares to leave campus this summer, his heart is with the
school and its leadership as they continue to position Methodist University and
its students for further success.

"I hope the school will continue to grow
fi nancially and in their service to the community,"
said Hendicks. "Given the tradition out of which
we've come, our intention is not just the training
of the the mind. We are concerned with the kind
of human beings that our students become... it's
been a pleasure to be at Methodist and I've come
to cherish the friendships of the university and
personal friendships as well. Nothing has been
more meaningful to me than to be able to help
shape the minds of the future."

It is just that philosophy that has led to many of
the successes that the college has experienced lately.

Every decade the institution goes through
a two to three year accreditation process. The
school is scrutinized at every level from its
fi nances to its curriculum. There is the off-site
committee looking through all of the paperwork,
then the on-site committee reviews the off-site
committee's fi ndings and comes to the campus
and looks in every nook and cranny to make sure
that things are running well. Both committees
offer up suggsetions for improvement and, of
course, if there are any serious issues those are
dealt with, too. Methodist University recently
fi nished up this process.

After peeking into every corner, and
inspecting the minutae of how the university is
run, neither committee had any recommendations
for Methodist University. While that is not
unheard of, according to Director of University Relations Pam McEvoy, it is
not all that common either.

"No reccommendation; that meant we didn't have to fi x anything," said
McEvoy. "That was big. I think that speaks to the quality of what we are doing."

In addition to being inspected inside and out, the reaffi rmation also requires
a plan of action for the future called a Quality Enhancement Program (QEP).

"That is really hard," said McEvoy of the QEP. "You have to do it and test
it through the next 10 years (where it will be examined in the next accreditation
process). Our QEP is to develop a culture of reading on campus."

Granted, with things like the Internet, ipods and all the other distractions
- electronic and otherwise - there is a portion of the population that is not
drawn to reading books the way that past generations have been. People like
things that are fast and interactive.

Methodist University is out to change that. Its QEP slogan is "Get between
the covers: Develop a culture of reading." It is campus wide and faculty, staff and
students are all invited to participate. Thousands of books have been donated and
the administration has gone out of their way to make reading appealing.

"There are around 2,000 books that you can just take and read," said
McEvoy. "And we've developed nooks inside and outside on campus - places
that are cool to read. In addition, this year we have put in reading circles."

The reading circles are technically classes, but the students can pick their
genre. They end up reading about fi ve books through the course and the group
meets to have discussions.

"The plan is that when you come in as a freshman you get this test and
as a senior you get one and hopefully comprehension is better," said McEvoy.
"So we send you out into the world as a better reader and you hopefully will be
more profi cient at what you do."

While the outreach programs that Methodist University sponsors range
from their women's basketball team raising money to fi ght breast cancer,
to partnering with the March of Dimes to hold a fundraiser on campus to
the Social Welfare department adopting Pauline Jones Elementary School,
which is one of the poorest in the community, to high quality concerts and
performances, they haven't lost sight of academic commitment either.

With some help from the government, Methodist University has the only
disaster simulator in the nation. It is a virtual reality simulator where students
can get training in different disaster scenarios.

"One scenerio is that you are out in the country and there is a dairy farm
and these cows start falling over, there is another one
where there is a chemical spill and there is a hole in
the ground and what is cool is that you have to deal
with this disaster but you don't get hurt so you can do
it over and over until you get it right. We have another
grant coming up for methamphetamines - that is not
just for educators but is for law enforcement as well,"
said McEvoy.

A school that is strong on science, students at the
university are not only on the leading edge in higherlevel
education, their foundations are strong.

"Some of the degrees that we offer are very cutting
edge. Probably something that people don't know is
that our largest degree program is in biology," said
McEvoy. "That is really good because it is science
and that can lead to a lot of different job possibilites.
We have such a sound science department - that
is probably why we have the best PA (Physician's
Assistant)program in the state. We just got certifi ed to
expand that. We are going from 34 people that we can
get in a group to 50 people."

There are two new buildings going up on campus
to support the quick growth, an anatomy lab and a
teaching center. McEvoy credits a partnership with the
Veteran's Administration Medical Center as the reason
the students can get such outstanding experience and
support in their clinicals, which in turn leads to more
well rounded and better PAs at the end of the program.

In the next year or so there are hopes of adding
another medical program to the curriculum.

"We've always had pre-dental and pre-med
programs," McEvoy noted. "We are going to meet with the nursing board and
they are going to decide if we can have a nursing program. We think we can
do a good job because of our PA program which is basically science and they
(nursing students) will be in a science environment."

If all goes well, the program will start in August.

The Professional Golf Management program at Methodist University is
known nationwide. Not a surprise since it is the largest in the nation and is
PGA endorsed. With two teaching labs, (golf courses) the program teaches
every aspect of golf management from turf, to pro shop management and golf
lessons. Students of this program are routinely placed in internships at courses
like Pebble Beach and other top-of-the-line golf communities.

McEvoy expects that the new art building, which will open in February,
includes an art gallery, will be a boon for the community. It will support the
graphic design degree that was started two or three years ago.

A small school that offers lots of opportunity and a chance for success,
there is growth and momentum in most every area of the campus according,
to McEvoy. SAT scores of new freshmen are up and enrollment is up in every
category. The leadership at Methodist University has created
a world-class institution that is ready to send the next
generation of leaders into the world not only educated, but
also engaged, enriched and
empowered.

On Tuesday, February 9, Methodist University will hold its annual
Loyalty Day fund drive for student scholarships. Volunteers from
throughout Fayetteville will be calling and knocking on doors to ask for your
support.

"Loyalty Day is a long-standing tradition in the Fayetteville/
Cumberland County community that both represents the original
vision and commitment of early Fayetteville leaders in establishing an
independent four-year college here, and continues the involvement of a
broad cross-section of our community in soliciting support for our
educational mission," said Lauren Cook Wike, director of Annual
Fund and Alumni Affairs for the University. "Over the next month,
Loyalty Day Volunteers will be calling on more than 600 businesses
and individuals to ask them to support student scholarships at
Methodist, which is our most critical need."

More than 90 percent of the 2,183 students at Methodist
University receive some form of fi nancial aid or scholarship. With
state cuts in the N.C. Legislative Tuition Grant and the elimination
of the Earned Scholarship, contributions to the scholarship fund are
needed now more than ever.

"Methodist University has been a jewel in our midst for more than
half a century," expressed Margaret Dickson, 2010 Loyalty Day Chair
and N.C. State Senator. "What is so impressive about Methodist is
that is accomplishes its mission with relatively little state investment as
compared to our public universities. Though our state budget does not
allow us to support private universities at the same level as public, our
36 private universities are vital in educating North Carolina students."

For more information about Loyalty Day or Methodist University,
visit www.methodist.edu or contact the Development
Offi ce at 910-630-7200.

The 1700s and 1800s were a magical time in Vienna — musically speaking at least. While towns in Italy, Germany and other European countries were packing out the local opera houses, Vienna was relishing the magic that only an orchestra can deliver. Blockbuster personalities of that era like Franz Schubert and Johann Strauss Jr. brought entertainment that the masses just couldn’t get enough of — and Vienna was the place to be.

William Henry Curry, resident conductor of the North Carolina Symphony, has taken a few of his favorites and put together an evening of entertainment called A Night in Old (and New) Vienna, that will be performed by the NC Symphony on Jan. 29 at Reeves Auditorium.

“I chose the selections for this program — and I only select pieces that I am deeply in love with,” said Curry. “I’ve taken some of the lighter classics from the golden age of Viennese music. What is special about this is that the pieces are simple without being simplistic, they are light without going over the edge to triviality.”

The program contains two works by Schubert, who is one of the maestro’s favorites.

“When I am listening to (Schubert) I feel that all is right with the world,” said Curry.

The “Overture” and “Ballet Music No. 9” from Rosamunde opens the concert. Lively and carefree, Rosamunde came about as Schubert was commissioned to write an overture for the play Rosamunde, Furstin von Cypren (Rosamunde, Princess of Cyprus) by Wilhelmine von Chezy. Unable to compose a new piece in time for the premier , Schubert borrowed from his Die Zauberharpe (The Magic Harp) a fantasy melodrama, which had been inspired by Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

Johann Strauss, Jr. was known as the Waltz King back in his day. Because of his performance schedule he was well traveled and held international celebrity status according to Curry. “Morganblatter, Op 279” (Morning Papers) is the second piece in Curry’s night in Vienna line up.

“While Strauss composed many of his waltzes for dancing, he eventually realized that people just liked to stand and listen to the music,” said Curry. “His music still has the charm and buoyancy of music meant for dancing.”

“Strausianna”, the next composition for the evening, was written by Erich Korngold, the younger son of Julius Korngold, an infl uential 20th century music critic. Born in 1897, Korngold made his mark in the European musical circles, working at a young age as a performer and a composer and even as he served in the Austrian army. By the 1930s Korngold had settled in California and was working as a composer for the fi lm industry, winning two academy awards.

“Straussiana” is made up of Korngold’s versions of three little-known pieces by Johann Strauss, Jr.: “New Pizzicato Polka” from Strauss’ 1893 operetta Furstin Ninetta (Princess Ninetta), where it was used as both a children’s ballet and an intermezzo; the mazurka Bitte Schön! (You’re Welcome!), based on a theme from Cagliostro in Wien (Cagliostro in Vienna) of 1875. It was one of his last works, and is considered one of his most signifi cant as well.

As a musician, Schubert would often write orchestral pieces for amateur musical soirees. It was for one of those events that Symphony No. 5 in B-fl at Major, D. 485 was written. Curry winds up the evening with this sparkling symphony.

“This piece was written for a small orchestra,” said Curry. “It is intimate in scale and does not include the trumpet or drums. It is a true musical gem.”

The concert starts at 8 p.m. Call 919.733.2750 or visit www. ncsymphony.org for more info.

By plane, train, automobile –– or “Big Green Tractor” –– country music fans will want to head on over to Fayetteville’s Crown Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 5, as Jason Aldean takes to the stage during his Wide Open tour, featuring special guest Luke Bryan.

“We want everyone to come on out,” said Frank Zaccaro, director of Sales and Marketing for the Crown Center. “It’s going to be a wonderful show, and we’re tickled to have him as a follow-up to the 2010 Winter Jam, which was a phenomenal success.”

Aldean, a native of Macon, Ga., sold 2 million copies of his fi rst two albums and is now on the second leg of his tour following the release of his third studio album, Wide Open, in April of 2009. His Gold-certifi ed single off the album, “Big Green Tractor,” held the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart for four straight weeks. “Big Green Tractor” is his third No. 1 song, following “Why” in 2006 and “She’s Country” earlier in 2009.

As the title implies, Wide Open celebrates the unlimited opportunities life offers, while recognizing the all-too-familiar speed bumps along the way.

“Wide Open is the only way I know how to live,” explains Aldean. “I don’t do anything half-ass, and you never have to guess on where I stand on things. I’m pretty much an open book. I understand there may be hitches along the way, but if I’m in, I’m in no matter what.”

The song tells the story of a young waitress biding her time at a diner until she comes up with a better plan.

“I like the underlying meaning of this song, that the world’s wide open and the possibilities are endless,” Aldean says. “I also like the line in the chorus, ‘Slingin’ eggs and bacon with a college education,’ because it is really vivid description of the situation she’s in. She’s doing what it takes to pay the bills for the moment, but there’s something bigger waiting on her.”

Members of the Official Jason Aldean Fan Club, or the Aldean Army as it is known, have an opportunity to get up close and personal with the country music star. According to the artist’s Web site, www.jasonaldean.com, fans planning to attend the show may sign up for a chance to win a “meet and greet” with Aldean. But if you want to go to the show, Zaccaro advises folks to buy tickets as soon as possible. Seventeen of the shows on the fall leg of the tour sold out, and “the show is rapidly approaching a sellout,” Zacarro said.

Tickets for the show, which starts at 7:30 p.m., are available for $34.75 and $29.75 plus additional fees and are on sale at the Coliseum Main Box Office, Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

 For more information, visit www.crowncoliseum. com or call 910-438-4100.

There are times when people are having so much fun, that they don’t notice they’re being inspired until later. This is to be expected when the audience is being amused by a muse. The undercover muse, Kira, and her cast of friends are rolling onto the Broadway Series South stage at Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium in the hit musical, Xanadu. In a time when the pressures of life can be overwhelming, an entertaining love story full of fun, great music, lively choreography and unexpectedly meaningful messages about pursuing your heart’s desires is well-received.

Thursday, Jan. 28 – Sunday, Jan. 31, audiences can experience the mystical story of the characters portrayed by Elizabeth Stanley and Max Von Essen, as they overcome interesting challenges and fall in love while mythological fi gures intervene with their Roller Disco venture. The cast members are no strangers to the stage and the impressive level of talent becomes evident in the singing, acting and dancing that is somehow enjoyably expressed while on wheels!

The performances of Natasha Yvette Williams, Annie Golden, Larry Marshall and Kevin Duda bring the magic of Mt. Olympus to the setting of Venice Beach as imaginations are sparked by the retro-fabulous costumes, chart-topping music and balancing-act choreography that can only be found in what has been recently called “the happiest show on Broadway.” The talents of Amy Goldberger, Veronica J. Kuehn, Jesse Nager, Vincent Rodriguez III, Chauntee Schuler, David Tankersley and Tiffany Topol also grace the stage in Douglas Carter Beane’s theatrical adaptation of the 80’s classic.

In an interview with Up & Coming Weekly, Stanley shares her thoughts about her leading role as Clio/Kira, the chemistry of the cast and her overall experience in Xanadu.

UCW: What is it that you like about the current lead character that you portray, Kira?

STANLEY: One of the most fun things about playing Kira is that she’s magical! I think it’s great that she’s superhuman and possesses the abilities to make wonderful things happen for people.

UCW: Are there things about the character that you can actually relate to or see in yourself?

STANLEY: I like to think of myself as a kind person who has compassion for others and also has a love for the arts. In those ways I can see myself in Kira who also likes to inspire people around her to believe in themselves and try new things.

UCW: I know there are many exciting scenes, but what is your favorite scene and why?

STANLEY: That’s always an interesting question to me because my favorite scenes change over time! Each show brings something different to appreciate and I fi nd myself saying ‘That’s my new favorite scene to do!’ But lately, I’m really enjoying doing the opening scene, “I’m Alive”; especially because there are new cast members and it’s a number that we all get to rejoice in and do together.

UCW: In your opinion, what are the lessons that audiences can take from the show?

STANLEY: One of the main things I love is at the end of the show the meaning of Xanadu is revealed, which is “To love someone else and to create art.” I love that theme. I think it’s so beautiful because it’s saying if you can do what your soul really wants to do in this life and then also share your life with someone special — that’s the ultimate reward. I think that’s a pretty deep message to come from such a fun show!

UCW: The cast is a very talented and experienced group of people. What is the chemistry like?

STANLEY: The chemistry is great now and it was great in the old cast too. The ebb and fl ow of the people involved is one of the wonderful things about being a part of a production for an extended period of time. This group is so lovely. Everyone is really excited and there’s so much talent and heart going into the show.

UCW: What is the most interesting thing (that you can comfortably share) that has happened behind the scenes?

STANLEY: Oh my gosh, there are so many things that happen! Max and I like to give each other a hard time. A lot of jokes are made during really chaotic stage changes. When it seems like we’re having a diffi cult time, I’ll ask Max if he’s seen my voice anywhere because I can’t seem to fi nd it! I like to try on everyone’s wigs and sometimes we’ll prance around in the hallways while everyone is getting ready and silly things like that.

For tickets and more information, contact the Raleigh Convention and Conference Center at 919-831-6060 or visit the Broadway Series South Web site at http://www.broadwayseriessouth.com.

Do you remember the old home remedies that your mother insisted were the next best things to a divine healing? Castor oil was the number one choice around my house because of its “cleansing” powers. A big dose — if I could swallow it — was what my mother thought I needed to rid me of all ailments and prevent me from having to pay a visit to the family doctor.

Doctors are wonderful people and I thank God for those who were an extension of my mother’s home remedies and who provided excellent care throughout my life. Dr. Janine Scott- Lowe, a family practice doctor at the Robinson Health Clinic on Fort Bragg, has provided excellent medical care to military families since 2004. Many of her patients are spouses and children of deployed soldiers. Along with their medical needs they are often dealing with depression and other stress-related issues. As a result, she feels the need to be emotionally and spiritually armored in order to be equipped to handle the needs of her patients.

Since moving to Fayetteville from Connecticut in 1996 to complete her residency, Scott-Lowe has experienced her share of rejection in four significant areas: ageism (because she’s young), sexism (because she’s a woman), racism (because she’s African-American) and cultural issues (because she’s from the north). She also experienced the pain of divorce and having her focus shift to the emotional challenges of being a single, working mother. Her thoughts were also on her patients and their emotional needs as well as how she could find ways to be encouraged in the Lord.

In 2004, Scott-Lowe began sending out encouraging writings via email to about 15-20 under the ministry name of “His Hands Extended Online” as a way to uplift her and others in the Lord. A web site ministry entitled,All Things Encouraging (allthingsencouraging. com) was developed and is made up of His Hands Extended Online, Nuggets of Inspirations, Thoughts of inspirations, divine inspirations in prayer and the encouraging “Songs that got Momma over.”

To date, All Things Encouraging reaches countless people with encouraging words from the Word of God. Scott-Lowe has also authored two books entitled Reflections and Inspirations published by Xulon Press which are compilations of her online ministry. She is currently working on two new books which will be released by Cranberry Quill Publishing.

Scott-Lowe loves her profession but she sees her work as a means to fund her calling. She is committed to her ministry’s work and advancing the kingdom of God. She loves the Lord and knows that it’s through him that she and countless others have found strength. “Jesus is our hope. When we see things coming against us, we need a refuge.” This column is about people in our community who live their faith daily. If you know someone who you like to see featured, please contact: editor@upandcomingweekly.com