Welcome to Delaware Today’s arts blog, the spot to dish on the many cultural opportunities available to Delaware audiences. We’ll cover as many genres as possible, and note great events offered by organizations large and small, in all three counties.
Wilmington’s Art Loop, held the first Friday of most months, hits the streets this weekend. The loop is always fun, but it’s especially nice during the holiday season, when Rodney Square is decorated and people generally feel happier. The Wilmington Children’s Chorus Holiday Concert will be performed as part of the loop at the Delaware Art Museum on Friday, December 4, at 7 p.m.
Also, remember to check out “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” this weekend at The New Candlelight Theatre. I saw the show last week. It’s well-paced, well-sung, well-acted, and it appeals to the whole family. Contact Candlelight at 475-2313.
Blonde Moment
“Legally Blonde” opens at the DuPont Theatre tonight and runs thru Sunday, December 6.
If you enjoyed the film of the same name, you’ll enjoy the live theater version, which has achieved some acclaim on Broadway. Time called it “an Elle of a show.” Get it? Elle, played by Reese Witherspoon in the film, is the central character who proves she has the smarts to survive the rigors of Harvard Law School. And why is that so surprising? Elle is materialistic. She’s more concerned with shoes than she is academics.
And here’s the part that’s hard for a woman of a certain age (me) to write: The reason Elle enrolls at Harvard is to get back with her old boyfriend, who is also studying law there. This is a musical, of course. So often the ingénue’s mission is to land the guy, figuring that love, joy, contentment and financial security will be hers once he proposes. So pre-suffrage movement, right? Thankfully, in this story, Elle bags the dude and gets down to business, proving that women are responsible for themselves. Halleluiah! Of course, another love interest is lurking. Will gals ever learn?
Contact info: duponttheatre.com or 656-4401
Page 2: The Ultimate Classic
The Ultimate Classic
“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” opens tomorrow night and runs thru December 20 at the Delaware Theatre Company.
Being a Frank Capra freak, I’m one of those folks who, much to the dismay of family members, sees the film version a minimum of five times during the holiday season. Christmas is not Christmas without George Bailey, the central character who gets a chance to see how life would’ve been had he not been born. Here’s what George learns: Life can always get better, as long as you combat its toxic influences. Your actions, good and bad, affect others. You do more good than you know, which makes you do less of the bad. If you don’t value the people around you, no one will value you. Most important, life is short. Be grateful for what you have.
The movie is retold in the format of a 1940s radio show at the Delaware Theatre Company. Expect man-made sound effects, old-style commercials and live music. An ensemble of performers will bring to life the characters.
I’ll see the show this weekend, and plan to offer a small review next week.
Contact info: 594-1100 or delawaretheatre.org
