The arts are a gift to humankind that communicate, celebrate, comfort, and inspire; sharing such gifts with others during the Christmas season not only spreads tidings of joy during the holidays, but creates a meaningful, memorable experience that lingers throughout the new year and beyond.
And Darke County Center for the Arts offers a vast array of gift possibilities to fit every budget and please people of all sizes, temperaments, and persuasions.
Tickets to upcoming productions of DCCA’s Family Theatre Series at beautiful Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall cost just $5, and will delight youngsters of all ages. Lightwire Theatre’s luminescent glow-in-the-dark adventure Dino-Light will literally light up the Memorial Hall stage on Sunday, Jan. 19, and Llama Llama Live! from Bay Area Children’s Theatre, an all-out llama drama that’s filled with fun but actually addresses everyday issues of young children, can help families grow together by sharing a positive experience.
DCCA’s casual, comfortable Coffeehouse Series offering high quality artists performing in inviting intimate venues at the low ticket price of $10 also provides amazing moments to remember, beginning with rightfully popular GuitarMan Jim McCutcheon performing at Union City’s Arts Depot on Thursday, Jan. 9. Siusan O’Rourke and Zig Zeitler will deliver some original tunes as well as old and new roots and Irish music when they appear at Arcanum Historical Society’s Wayne Trail House on Thursday, Feb. 27. Canadian singer/songwriter Luke McMaster will bring his tenor voice and blue-eyed soul to The Coffee Pot on Thursday, March 26; and versatile fiddler Doug Hamilton will close out the Coffeehouse shows with a multi-faceted performance at Montage Cafe on Thursday, April 30. Almost everyone will enjoy any or all of these eclectic shows, and rejoice in the memories long after the music stops.
Costing a bit more but still a bargain for the impact delivered, tickets for DCCA’s remaining Artists Series presentations at Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall truly offer something for everyone. Although many out-of-towners have already snapped up tickets for an exciting look at these rapidly rising stars, some tickets still remain at $25 a pop for the Saturday, Jan. 18 performance by the Malpass Brothers, who are beloved by “real country music” aficionados including bluegrass queen Rhonda Vincent. Legendary rock supergroup “The Hit Men” is made up of the musicians and singers who you heard on the records and the radio as well as in concert creating the revered rock and roll hits that they will perform in concert on Saturday, April 18; those tickets are $30. DCCA’s Kaleidoscope season will conclude on Saturday, May 30 with another extraordinary performance by Toledo Symphony Orchestra, which is celebrating 75 years of presenting beautiful music; tickets for “An Evening with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra “ are $35.
And then, there are the fun fundraisers, great parties that offer a great time for a great cause. DCCA’s Arts In Education and other programs are underwritten in part by the money raised at these highly anticipated events. “A Taste of Wine and Jazz” will happen on Friday, Jan. 17, just in time to brighten the dreary cold of winter, and “Irish Wave” will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with verve and flair on March 13; both of these celebrations of music, food, and delight take place in the inviting atmosphere of Montage Cafe; tickets for these nights to remember are $40.
As if these gift suggestions weren’t enticing enough, DCCA’s Anna Bier Gallery, located in St. Clair Memorial Hall, is offering Jennifer Overholser’s lovely art that will enhance the walls of any home or business through Dec. 14. And Katie Gabbard’s “Merry Maestro” pop-up shop will bring excitement and glitter to Memorial Hall’s main lobby at DCCA’s holiday concert featuring VoicePlay this Saturday night, benefitting DCCA as well as Darke County Endowment for the Arts with a portion of the proceeds.
Wow! So many opportunities to give a gift that keeps on giving, or buy something truly special for yourself! To arrange your ticket purchase, contact DCCA at 937-547-0908 or online at www.darkecountyarts.org
