Extended Tours
If you were disappointed to learn that tours of Andrew Wyeth’s recently opened studio were sold out, here’s relief: The Brandywine River Museum has added eight new dates. Schedule a Tuesday—and soon—to see the studio, which shows how a true American master thought and worked. The Chadds Ford studio was Wyeth’s workplace from 1940 until 2008, the place where he created some of his most famous works. Wyeth was the son of renowned artist N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945), famous for illustrating “Treasure Island” and other classic tales, and father of Jamie Wyeth, a famous painter is his own right. Tours take place every Tuesday through Nov. 13. The tours on July 31, Aug. 14, Aug. 28, Sept. 11, Sept. 25, Oct. 9, Oct. 23 and Nov. 6 are sold out. Make your reservation soon. To celebrate the studio’s opening, the museum offers “A Painter’s View: The Andrew Wyeth Studio,” through Oct. 28. The exhibition features paintings and drawings that reflect Wyeth’s interest in the building interior and the individuals who often posed there. It all adds up to a unique look at one of our best. 610-388-2700, brandywinemusuemshop.org
The Bard Never Fades
If you missed the Delaware Shakespeare Festival—the 10th—and its performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” you can catch a performance by Delaware Shakespeare Theatre on Aug. 2 at The Freeman Stage at Bayside in Selbyville. (436-3015, freemanstage.org). And don’t forget “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” as part of Shakespeare in the Garden at the Rehoboth Art League. Meet the New Faces of Shakespeare, a company of the Possum Point Players in Georgetown, on Aug. 4. The old farm is the perfect setting for an evening of magic. 227-8408, rehobothartleague.org
More Centennial Celebration
The Delaware Art Museum will soon acquire 25 copper and brass objects designed by William Arthur Smith Benson, a designer who spent most of his working life collaborating with his good friend, William Morris, producing metal design work for the famous William Morris and Company. Chief Curator Margaretta Frederick will tell you more about Benson and how his objects came to the museum during a gallery chat on Aug. 8. The pieces will be part of 100 Works for 100 Years, part of the museum’s centennial celebration. Benson’s ability to balance good design with economic efficiency enabled him to produce a range of beautiful and affordable household goods. Learn more about how his mass-produced pieces stayed firmly rooted in the Arts and Crafts movement. 571-9590, delart.org
Clap Your Hands, Tap Your Toes
Two very cool shows at The Freeman Stage at Bayside this week take you back to the great music of the past. First, meet The Midtown Men, four stars from the original cast of “Jersey Boys!”—Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer—singing music from Beatles to Beach Boys to Motown and the Four Seasons, of course. It happens Aug. 1. Next up, Masters of Motown celebrates the funky, soulful, stirring, totally classic music that emerged from Detroit in the 1960s. Guaranteed, you won’t be able to resist dancing. Masters of Motown visits Aug. 4. 436-3015, freemanstage.org
They Had Us at ‘Hello’
Big pipes and uproarious comedy—it can be only The Brandywiners, those singular sensations of summer. See their “Hello Dolly!” at Longwood Gardens before it ends Aug. 4. The Tony Award-winning musical includes “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Elegance,” “It Only Takes A Moment” and “So Long, Dearie”—as only The Brandywiners can sing them. Celebrate the joie de vivre of the fabulous Dolly Gallagher Levi in one of the most fabulous places on earth. 800-338-6965, longwoodgardens.org
Showdowns
Don’t miss Clear Space Theatre Company’s Summer Repertory, which is well underway, with productions of “Cabaret” and “Annie,” as well as “Broadway at the Beach,” its own popular revue of classic show tunes. The shows run in two-day rotations, Tuesday through Sunday, through Sept. 2. It’s a boatload of fun. 227-2270, clearspacetheatre.org
The dynamaic duo behind the Rehoboth Summer Children’s Theatre have been hard at work. This year, don’t miss “The Jungle Book” through Aug. 15, “Puss in Boots” through Aug. 21 of “Cinderella” through August 29. Most shows are at the Baycenter for the Performing Arts in Dewey Beach’s Ruddertowne. 227-6766, rehobothchildrenstheatre.org
Art for Our Sake
Also at Brandywine River Museum, see “Summer Sojourns: Art on Holiday,” nearly 100 paintings, drawings and prints from its collection made while their famous creators where visiting other parts of the country, as well as Europe, Asia and the Mideast, on summer vacations. The exhibition includes work from N.C. Wyeth’s visits to Port Clyde, Maine, including “Herring Gut” and Untitled (View of Eight Bells), and works that show how the ocean and dunes in Rehoboth Beach inspired some of Howard Pyle’s paintings of pirate lore. There’s more, of course. See it through Sept. 3. (610) 388-2700, brandywinemuseum.org
A highlight of every season at the Biggs Museum of Art in Dover is “Award Winners,” an annual celebration of achievementsby Delaware Division of the Arts Individual Artist Fellowships recipients. “Award Winners XII” honors top-tier visual and performing artists and writers. They are: Mahasveta Barua, William Bretzger, David Brinley, Anne Marie Cammarato, Fostina Dixon-Kilgoe, Xiang Gao, Gary Hanna, Ramona Maziarz, Abby Millager, James Miller, Ellen Priest, Nicholas Serratore, Jessica Stephens, Sally Van Orden and Carol Woolworth. It’s an opportuniy to see, hear and read the best, as well as study at their knees. See “Award Winners XII” through Oct. 21. 674-2111,
If ever you were even slightly disturbed by your own body, you may be interested in “Entropy” by Carson Zullingier at the DCCA through Sept. 9. The artist explores the inner self through a photographic examination of the body’s decline from birth till death. “We see metaphors for youth and age, dark and light, good and evil, and the spiritual and the physical,” says curator J. Susan Isaacs. “The gallery space represents a tomb and a laboratory,” reflecting Zullinger’s interest in both Egyptian funerary architecture and physics. How do our inner and outer selves relate to the universe? This is one way to look at it. 656-6466, thedcca.org
Also at the DCCA: “And the WORD is…” a group exhibition of work by four contemporary artists who use religious language in their work. That work ranges from humorous and ironic to revelatory. Stephanie Kirk’s photography shows messages on church signs such as, “God wants full custody, not a weekend visit” and, “You think it’s hot here?” Blind sculptor David Stephens’ large wooden panels offer words from the Bible carved in Braille. Martin Brief’s 14-panel installation shows-written book titles searched from Amazon.com containing the word “God.” Nick Kripal steel and salt installation takes center stage, spelling out “Epiphany.” All of it will make you think. 656-6466, thedcca.org
Winterthur’s “Uncorked! Wine, Objects & Tradition,” features 300 objects and imagery created in response to our love of wine. “Uncorked!” shows how wine was marketed and consumed in America and Britain from the 1600s through the 1800s. View unique wine bottles, decanters and cellarettes, lead figures of Bacchus, “Champagne Charlie” song sheets, advertisements and more. The exhibition will be on view through Jan. 6. winterthur.org/uncorked
Jazzed
Jazz fans, don’t miss the new Sunset Jazz Series on Wednesday nights at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington. Local musician Sean Dougherty has lined up a slate of great talent to entertain you in the Sarah Bernhardt Room, where you can enjoy food and drink from neighboring Chelsea Tavern 5 p.m.-8 p.m.. Admission is free—if you buy two drinks—and Chelsea’s food is always fun. The series runs through August. thegrandwilmington.org
The Fringe of Fringe
Fringe Wilmington and Wilmington’s monthly Art on the Town Art Loop have teamed up to present you with adventurous performances of the Fringe Wilmington Festival year round. Fringe Unhinged is a free monthly performance series featuring encores from past festivals. Stick around after the Art Loop for a look at the often unconventional, sometimes bizarre, always entertaining performances. See them at the Film Brothers Film Co-Op, 205 N. Market St., starting at 8:15. Art Loops are usually the first Friday of each month. artloopwilmingtonde.com
