LOVE IS IN THE AIR AT THE ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS

 

 

 

STORYTELLERS BRING STORIES OF LOVE TO THE FOULDS THEATRE

By Mary Lou Williams

Storytellers of the Round Table and Elephant Showcase Storytellers will take the stage at the Alliance for the Arts on Friday, February 3, 2023, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (EST) to tell their tales of love lost and love gained.

The tellers, in order of appearance, will be Dr. Joel Ying, Rhonda Brazina, Mary Lou Williams, and Marilyn Graham.  Dr. Ying will be the MC; he will tell two folk tales, “The Marriage Boulder” and “The Spring of Youth.”  Both tales originate from Asian folklore.  Rhonda will tell her own personal love story about how she, a hopeless romantic who liked candlelit dinners and red roses, fell in love with a logical realist, who thought flowers were a waste of money.  Mary Lou will tell a literary story, “The Birthmark,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and a fractured fable about “Truth and Story,” who fell in love.  Marilyn will tell a legendary tale called, “The Real McCoy” that features a ghost and may or may not be true.  She will end with a folk tale called “Martina the Beautiful Cockroach,” an entomological love story.

Experience the power of the spoken word.  Captivating, spellbinding, and entertaining.  The stories will be followed by a Talk Back, which is a Q&A session with the audience.  Meet the storytellers.  Discover the stories behind the stories.  The Talk Back has become a popular feature of our storytelling events.

The Alliance for the Arts is located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers.  The ticket price is $18 for members and $20 for non-members.  To purchase tickets visit www.artinlee.org or call 239-939-2787.

January 2023

Speaker: Clarissa Thomasson
Topic: Suspending the Disbelief
January 21, 2023, 10a.m. to Noon

In Person and Zoom Meeting – Register Here

Location: Map
Word of Life Church
6111 South Pointe Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33919

“Suspending the Disbelief” reflects the writings of Florida Historical Authors: Marjorie Rawlings, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, Patrick Smith, Carl Hiaasen, and my own Florida books. The Florida setting of each of these authors directly affects both the characterizations and the plot and makes their stories come to life.

Clarissa Thomasson was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She received a BA in English Literature from Duke University and a MA in English from the University of

Florida. Thomasson taught English, journalism, and creative writing in Montgomery County, MD, until her retirement. Her first two novels, Defending Hillsborough and Reconstructing Hillsborough were chosen by the North Carolina Association of Public School Librarians for use in the high school study of the Civil War. Lorinda’s Legacy was “pick of the month” at Greensboro, NC Barnes and Noble.

In 2000, Thomasson returned to Florida and now resides in Venice, FL. She has written five children’s books in her Little Green Monkey series, four novels: Florida Shadows, Florida Secrets, Florida Sunset and Surviving Sarasota set in Southwest Florida, a World War II novel—Over the Bridge—and Venice Dreamers, which highlights Venice’s original settlers. Thomasson’s stage plays, Over the Bridge and Florida Shadows, each won first place in the Clarence “Bud” Jones Playwriting Competition at the Firehouse Theatre in LaBelle, FL, in 2014 and 2015.

Thomasson is also a freelance writer–having written for GRAND magazine, Yesterday in Florida—where she won a 2005 Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Award for her contributions to Florida history—and Eastside Venice Neighbors—where she authored monthly articles on Florida history. She is also a contributor to the Venice Gondolier.

Thomasson’s newest book, Forgotten Florida, tells the story of the earliest American settlers on Florida’s west coast, was released September 1, 2022. More information at saltmarshpublications.com.

 

STORYTELLING SERIES AT THE ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS

By Mary Lou Williams

The Alliance for the Arts is presenting a series of storytelling showcases in 2023.  The Storytellers of the Round Table and the Elephant Showcase Storytellers will take to the stage to tell their stories of New Beginnings, Stories of Love, and Stories of Luck.  These are the themes of the stories for January, February and March, respectively.

The series will start with a performance on Friday, January 6th, from 7 to 9 pm.  Four storytellers will tell their stories of New Beginnings.  Dr. Joel Ying will kick it off by giving you a Recipe for Life to begin the new year and a personal story.  Then, Mary Lou Williams will tell a medley of Aesop’s fables, updated for a modern audience.  Rhonda Brazina will then tell a personal story.  Last, but not least, Marilyn Graham will tell two folk tales.

The same four storytellers will tell love stories in the spirit of Valentine’s Day on Friday, February 3rd, from 7 to 9 pm.

The third showcase titled, “The Best of Luck,” will be on Friday, March 3rd, from 7 to 9 pm.  Lisa Leonhardt and Pamela Minton will join Dr. Joel Ying and Mary Lou Williams to tell tales of luck, both good and bad, and how one can sometimes be mistaken for the other.

When was the last time a story transported you to another world?  Experience the power of the spoken word – captivating, spellbinding, and entertaining!  The stories will be followed by a talk back, which is a question-and-answer session with the audience.  Meet the storytellers.  Discover the stories behind the stories.  The talk back was an innovation that proved to be popular in last year’s series.

The Alliance for the Arts is located at 10091 McGregor Blvd.  in Fort Myers, FL.  The ticket price is $18 for members and $20 for nonmembers.  To purchase tickets visit www.artinlee.org or call (239) 939-2787.

GCWA 2023 Writing Contest

GCWA 2023 Writing Contest

The deadline has been extended!!!

Please submit your work before the new deadline of 5/31/23

Best Writing Contests of 2022, recommended by Reedsy

Deadline: 11:59pm on May 31, 2023

Writing Contest is open to GCWA members and the public — adults 18 and over, youth 11 to 17.  Winners will be announced at the GCWA meeting in June 2023.

 


Documentation for 2023 Contest (adults 18 and over)

Writing Contest Announcement 2023_LTD

WritingContest Guidelines 2023_LTD

Online Submission Form

Documentation for 2023 Youth Writing Contest (age 11 through 17)

Youth Writing Contest Announcement 2023_LTD

Youth Writing Contest Guidelines 2023_LTD

Online Submission Form


If you have questions please email specialprojects@gulfwriters.org


Sponsor or Donate to keep this contest Free for Youth entrants. Contact specialprojects@gulfwriters.org


All submissions must include full payment made by check to GCWA.
DO NOT MAIL CASH. The Check should be for your entries only and not for other monies owed to GCWA. You can also pay below with PayPal.

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Laboratory Theater
24-Hour Playwriting Project 2022: Jazz Era Cabaret
Oct 22, 2022 8:00 PM

That perennial favorite bucket list event known as The 24-Hour Playwriting project is back for Season 14! The theme for this season, usually a well-guarded secret, is Jazz-Era Cabaret. Directed and coordinated by Char Loomis, playwrights will be assigned a theme, a director, and actors. Within just 24 hours, you will see the fruits of their labor when we present all of their short plays to be judged by a panel of area theater and arts professionals. A hugely popular event!

One-performance only – October 22 at 8 pm.

Playwrights will receive themes and instructions at 8pm on Friday night. They’ll write all night long and then work with directors and actors to produce their work for your enjoyment on Saturday night, starting at 8pm.

Part of your Season Pass! Or purchase tickets for event — $20.

A hugely-popular event – book your seats as soon as possible. Seating is very limited.

The Laboratory Theater of Florida (View)
1634 Woodford Ave
Fort Myers, FL 33901
United States