Teachers get 20% off at Teacher’s Night March 22! 

(February 14, 2025) – Generic Theater, Norfolk’s innovative underground theater venue, proudly presents “ORDINARY DAYS,” a contemporary musical with a small cast, but big message.

The show celebrates the extraordinary nature of everyday life in New York City, and how 8.3 million individual stories can combine in unexpected ways. With music, book, and lyrics by Adam Gwon and direction by Dillon Bates, this intimate production comes to life weekends from March 14 through March 30, 2025, at Generic Theater, located under Chrysler Hall.

“ORDINARY DAYS” follows four young New Yorkers whose lives unexpectedly intersect as they navigate the complexities of finding fulfillment, happiness, love, and yes – even taxi cabs. Through a vibrant score of memorable songs, the production highlights the importance of hope and connection-themes all too important to remember in today’s busy times.

“‘Ordinary Days’ perfectly embodies Generic Theater’s mission,” says Director Dillon Bates. “The show explores how beauty emerges when we take time to connect with one another and truly see the value in our shared experiences. As Warren observes in the show, ‘Beautiful takes a person to make a connection. For beautiful to happen, the beautiful has got to be seen.'”

The production features a talented cast of local performers: Andrew Dulce as Warren, Sarah Schweit as Deb, Dan Zhano McGary as Jason, and Jessi DiPette as Claire. DiPette, recently seen on Netflix’s “Squid Game: The Challenge,” brings her award-winning talent to the Generic stage, while Schweit makes her Generic debut. Rounding out the cast are McGary, who returns to the theater after an eight-year hiatus and Dulce, fresh from his role as Ichabod Crane in Generic’s season opener “Tarrytown,”.

This production aligns with Generic Theater’s commitment to innovative contemporary works while cultivating both established and emerging talent. The intimate setting of the underground theater provides the perfect backdrop for this story about finding connection in a complex world.

Performances March 14-30 at Generic Theater. Tickets: generictheater.org

Teens With a Purpose (TWP) believes that everyone has a story to tell. We are looking for committed, opinionated teenagers with an interest in performance poetry, theatre, songwriting, debate, rap or just being heard. Together students will read, write, critically analyze, bond and can perform on premier stages throughout our region.

The Hear This Youth Poetry Festival is more than a local event; it’s part of a national network of youth literary arts and creative youth development organizations, including Urban Word, New York; Words Beats & Life, Washington DC; DewMore, Baltimore; Southern Word, Tennessee; & Youth Speaks San Francisco with alumni including Amanda Gorman, the Poet for President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2020. HRYP is a unique opportunity for students 13-19 years of age that puts young people at the center of their learning experiences as a way to engage them in their own education, through performance poetry.

The festival also provides young poets who are civically engaged with the opportunity to via for the prestigious Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) title. This title honors their poetic prowess + propels them to compete in the Eastern Regionals and potentially, the National YPL Competition. Youth Poet Laureate identifies youth writers + leaders who are committed to civic/community engagement, poetry & performance, leadership + education across Hampton Roads & Virginia. FAQ here

Required:

To Qualify for YPL Programs – youth must submit their work by 2/28/2025 here. There are two opportunities for youth to apply to take part in the Hampton Roads Youth Poet Laureate and/or Virginia Youth Poet Laureate Programs.

To Qualify for the HRYP Slam program – youth must participate in the Qualifying Slams and move to the finals where winners will be selected. Slam rules FAQ

Incentives: Cash prizes for semi & final winners. Finalists get; recording studio time and placement on TWP’s platforms (spotify, etc); published poems in the Creative Tongues Youth Poetry Anthology, and perform at local and regional events. At the end of the festival, six finalists will qualify to represent all of Hampton Roads at Brave New Voices. The Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, powered by Youth Speaks, is the only festival of its kind. Every year, over 500 young poets, their mentors, and the nation’s leading artists and cultural workers convene in a different U.S. city for 4-5 days of arts education, artistic expression, and civic engagement. This year’s festival will take place July 16th-20th.

Registrations may be submitted online (https://www.twp-themovement.org/programs)

Age:  20’s  or 30’s

Baritone, Handsome, Good mover,Good actor

Christopher is innocent yet determined and a bit rebellious. High spirited. He knows what he wants and is a kind and loving character.

Rehearsal on Saturdays and Sundays which began on February 8th . We are open to adjust the schedule but of course the week preceding the show is mandatory.

Performance Dates

May 2 at 7:30 pm
May 3 at 3 pm & 7:30 pm
May 4 at 3 pm

Contact
Please text : Sherri DeMarino
757-375-8081
Or
Contact Director- Clelia Sheppard 757-331-ARTS

MORE INFO: https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/arts-enter-cape-charles-inc/66f5b587d8798e12ac7759ca

Clyde Santana is featured on the WHRO Curate series!

A public artist reflects on a journey through the arts community, from murals to theater and canvas painting, Clyde Santana has been inspired by life experiences, including love and loss; celebrating art’s power to unite, heal, and bring dignity to communities. From teaching kids to honoring public servants, his work shows how creativity fosters connection and growth.

Airdate: 2025-01-29

WATCH EPISODE

The 2025 American Traditions Vocal Competition takes place January 27 – 31, 2025 in Savannah, Georgia.  With top vocal talent from across the country, representing diverse styles of music from Jazz, Opera, Musical Theatre, Folk, Great American Songbook and more – this is a unique vocal contest not to be missed! Adjudicated by Gospel singer and Tony and Grammy-nominated bass-baritone, Phillip Boykin (Hadestown, Once on This Island, On the Town, Porgy and Bess), Tony-nominated actress Kate Baldwin (Hello, Dolly!, Giant, Big Fish) and conductor, music director, pianist and founder of the American Pops Orchestra, Luke Frazier.

Judges perform first on January 27 at 7pm EST, and the contestants follow suit as they vie for over $40,000 in prize monies over the course of a week, with rounds at 4 and 7:30pm daily.  Only five singers will make it to the Final Round on Friday, January 31 at 7pm EST where we add a rhythm trio and things really heat up.

Tickets are one price for the whole week of livestream.  Typically $50, for our friends at Vocal Jazz Summit, they are only $35. Tune in and watch the incredible vocal talent go for the Gold Medal – plus $12,000 and symphonic contracts!

Past winners include Grammy-winning Jazz artist, Nicole Zuraitis, and other celebrated jazz artists such as Gabrielle Stravelli, Alexis Cole, Cyrille Aimée, and April May Webb; Broadway stars Michael Maliakel, Julie Benko, Mykal Kilgore, Alysha Umphress, Morgan James, and Tituss Burgess; and Cabaret vocalists such as Andrea Ross, Carole Bufford, and many more over our 32 year history.

Use code VJS2025 for your $35 livestream ticket here. 

Virginia Beach, VA – The Little Theatre of Virginia Beach is thrilled to announce its upcoming production of Into the Breeches!, a heartwarming and hilarious comedy by George Brant, opening on January 17 and running through February 9, with performances every weekend at 8pm on Friday and Saturday evenings and 2:30pm on Sunday afternoons.

Into The Breeches!, by American playwright Georg Brant, is set during World War II. Oberon Play House’s director and leading men are off at war with the Axis. Determined to press on, the director’s wife sets out to produce an all-female version of Shakespeare’s Henriad, assembling an increasingly unexpected team united in desire, if not actual theatre experience. Together they deliver a delightful celebration of collaboration and persistence when the show must go on!

This delightful play captures the spirit of resilience, creativity, and community as it tells the story of a group of women determined to save their local theater while the men are away at war. Facing skepticism and societal expectations, they boldly decide to stage Shakespeare’s Henry IV and Henry V—with an all-female cast.

Into the Breeches! is a celebration of art, inclusion, and empowerment, filled with wit and charm. Audiences will laugh, cheer, and be inspired by this tale of overcoming obstacles and finding strength in unexpected places.

Directed by the talented Connor Norton, the production features a stellar cast of local actors, including Ariel Miranda Conkel who was most recently seen as Ida in ROŪGE: Theater Reinvented’s Rosie the Riveter: A Spectacular Experience and Elizabeth Dickerson who is returning to the LTVB stage for the first time since the pandemic! With period costumes, a beautifully crafted set, and a poignant yet comedic script, the play promises an unforgettable experience for theater lovers of all ages.

Into The Breeches! will be performed at the Little Theatre of Virginia Beach located at 550 Barberton Drive, Virginia Beach, VA. Showtimes are as follows: Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00PM, and Sunday matinees at 2:30PM. Tickets start at $25 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under. There is a discount for seniors, ages 60 and up, active duty military, and full-time students at $22 tickets. Group discounts available for groups of 20 and more. On Thursday February 6, there is a special 7:30pm performance for Pride Night, a benefit performance to support LTVB, LGBT Life Center, Stonewall Sports, and Hampton Roads Pride. Tickets are currently available for purchase and can be obtained through the theater’s website at www.ltvb.com or by calling the box office at (757) 428-9233.

For media inquiries or to request press passes, please contact: Maris Smith at [email protected].