Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010

Arts Notes

Central Park Band

The Central Park Band will perform at Half Time Sports Bar in Clayton at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23. This is the band's first performance. The bar is located at 11649 U.S. 70 Business, Clayton. For more details, go to www.thecentralparkband.com.

Tenors in Clayton

The Canadian tenors Destino will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at The Clayton Center, 111 E. 2nd St., Clayton. The trio performs what it calls "popera," pop music with an opera flair. Tickets are $22, plus a service fee. They're available online at theclaytoncenter.com. Also, they're available in the box office or by calling 919-553-1737. The box office is open from 10 a.m. till noon and from 1 till 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Comedy in Clayton

Comedian Etta May will return to The Clayton Center at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22, with her new one-woman, two-act show, Dr. Etta, Family Specialist. Staged as a seminar, the performance takes a hilarious and heartfelt look at the breakdown of the American family, in a style that is uniquely and unequivocally Etta May.

"Etta May is always a hit when she performs here," said Heidi Stump, executive director of The Clayton Center. "Her comedy resonates with a wide audience.

"This particular show blends her distinct style of stand-up comedy with a new take on theatre."

Tickets for the show are $20 plus service fees. A group rate for purchases of 10 or more tickets is available. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 919-553-1737, at The Clayton Center Box Office, 111 E. Second Street in downtown Clayton, from 10 a.m. till noon and from 1 till 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.theclaytoncenter.com.

Film festival returning

The third annual Short Circuit Traveling Film Festival will screen at The Clayton Center on Saturday, Feb. 6. Screenings will begin at 1 p.m.

The festival spotlights short films created by filmmakers living and working in the Southeast. The 2009-10 selections range from fiction and animation to experimental and documentary by filmmakers from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee. The Clayton Center in Clayton and the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield are collaborating to present the festival.

The three-hour film festival has been traveling the region since November. Tickets for The Clayton Center screening are $2.50, plus service fee. Tickets may be purchased at The Clayton Center box office, located at 111 E. 2nd St. in downtown Clayton; by calling 919-553-1737, Ext. 2; or online at theclaytoncenter.com.

For a complete list of films and the festival schedule, visit the Short Circuit Traveling Film Festival at southarts.org/shortfilms.

Film festival in Smithfield

The sixth annual Riverkeeper Film Festival is coming to Smithfield on Friday, Jan. 29. A wine and cheese reception will begin at 6 p.m. at The Hut at the corner of Market and Front streets. The following films will screen starting at 6:30 p.m.: "Pier," "Beneath the Blue," "Incident at Tower 37," "Oktapodi," "Heather and Goliath," "Lost and Found," "Gone Fishing," "Change of Life" and "Goldfish."

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For tickets, or to learn more about the films, go to neuseriver.org/neuselittletheater.html.

Art in health care

The first Arts-in-Healthcare program is scheduled from 11 a.m. till 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, in the lobby of Johnston Medical Center on N.C. 42 West in Clayton.

Johnston County artist Janie Prete will share her love of watercolors and the therapeutic benefits she enjoys from her art form. "Watercolor to me is a flow, always changing, never the same," Prete said. "A watercolor painting that is guided by the artist, rather than controlled, and without fear or tightness, becomes a personal journey of partnership between the artist and the painting.

"Water remains the medium that continues to mystify and engage viewers," Prete added. "I often paint with an adventurous attitude, more experimental and a what-if attitude. Being lost in a painting and not knowing how one arrives is fascinating and leads to many discoveries and surprises."

A native of Massachusetts, Prete lived 14 years on the coast of North Carolina and now resides in Clayton with her husband, Gerry, and two cats.

She is a member of Clayton Visual Arts and the N.C. Watercolor Society. Her work is currently on exhibit at the Mattie King Davis Gallery in Beaufort, Handscapes Gallery in Carteret County and Right Angles Art and Framing in Clayton.

The goal of Arts-in-Healthcare is to use the arts to enhance the health-care experience for patients, their families and caregivers at Johnston Medical Center in Clayton.

The program will continue throughout the year with demonstrations on the third Thursday of each month.

The programs will run from 11 a.m. till 1 p.m. at the Clayton hospital. Artist Jimmy Brown will be featured Feb. 18.

For more information, contact the Johnston County Arts Council at 919-553-1930 or info@johnstoncountyarts.org.

Musical comedy

The Towne Players of Garner will stage "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," a musical comedy. Remaining performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Jan. 21-23 and 2 p.m. Jan. 23 in the Garner Historica Auditorium, 742 W. Garner Road, Garner. Tickets will be available at the door. They're $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students.