Free movies, musical top arts group’s summer calendar
By Melissa Waites
The North Jefferson News
Summer is here and if you are looking for things to do close to home then look no further than Gardendale.
The Gardendale Arts Council is offering the opportunity to watch or participate in movies, musicals and dances.
Beginning Friday and continuing for the next three Fridays, the council will show movies at the Gardendale amphitheater.
The movies begin at sundown and admission is free.
The first movie being shown is “Bee Movie” on Friday, followed by “Water Horse” on June 20 and “Madagascar” on June 27.
“We encourage families to come and bring blankets and chairs and enjoy a fun filled night eating, snacking and watching a movie under the stars in a relaxed family environment,” said Laura Young, chairperson of the movie committee.
Food and drinks will be available for purchase at each movie.
The movies will be shown rain or shine.
If inclement weather occurs, the movies will be shown on a giant screen in the civic center.
Movies will begin at sunset.
The Sound of Music will be performed in the exhibition hall starting on July 24-26.
This will be the 12th performing arts production in Gardendale.
“I think the musicals add a touch of class to Gardendale. I’m proud that we are able to present such presentations that enable citizens to enjoy the evening without leaving the city,” said Larry York, president of the Gardendale Arts Council.
The show begins at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the civic center after the first of July.
Casting for the musical was complete on May 12 and rehearsals began on May 30.
Actors are both returning and new and come from all over the area.
“I think the cast is dynamic enough to surpass previous productions,” said Greg Maxwell, chairman of the theater committee. “I’m excited about seeing it come together. Every year you think you can’t out do the previous year’s performance, but I think this cast is capable of putting a production together that exceeds past ones.”
The performance is not a fundraiser event. Prices are drawn up according to the cost of the show.
“We try to bring quality performing arts to young and old alike that they can participate in,” said Maxwell. “I want the public to realize that these performances are done as a service to the community, that we not only bring affordable performing arts to the community, but ones that they can be a part of.”
When summer has ended, the activities will still continue.
A southern gospel concert is planned to take place in the civic complex exhibition hall on Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m.
The concert is a tradition and occurs twice a year. Admission is free.
Dance lessons will be offered on Mondays three times a month in August and September.
The lessons will be given Aug. 4, 11 and 18 as well as Sept. 8, 15 and 22.
They will be held in the civic center exhibition hall and will start at 7 p.m.
More information about the lessons will be released as the date approaches, but everything will be taught from bop to shag.
“We will be teaching dances that were popular in the 50s,” said York.
There will be a 1950s-themed dance on Sept. 27 at the civic complex exhibition hall.
The dance will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will end at 10:30 p.m.
Plans are still underway and more information will be released at a later date.
A dinner theater will be held Thursday and Friday, October 23-24 in the exhibition hall of the civic complex.
It will begin at 6:30 p.m.
“We’ve been hosting two dinner theaters a year for the past ten years,” said York.
The group is still deciding what presentation will be shown and what the charge will be.