Katie Wyatt is the new Executive Director of the historic Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities. For 100 years, Weymouth has been the home of culture, writing, arts, music and conservation in the Sandhills and is home of the NC Literary Hall of Fame and the historic James Boyd House.  This only begins to scratch the surface on the history and cultural significance of the Weymouth Center. 

Learn more about it here: www.weymouthcenter.org

In this episode Joe sits down with the cast of "Yes, Virginia", Mindy Sterling and Arnetia Walker, along with writer and director Stan Zimmerman.   The Regional Theatre Premiere of Yes, Virginia is put on by Judson Theatre Company at The Bradshaw Performing Arts Center's Owens Auditorium November 18-21.  Get your tickets, here.

Mindy is most recognizable from  the Austin Powers movies and Nickelodeon's iCarly and has been nominated for two Emmy Awards.  Arnetia performed for many years on Michael Bennett's Dreamgirls on Broadway, the series Nurses,  she has a recurring role on the CW's Dynasty,  and some of her bigger guest spots include Quantum Leap, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Mad About You, NYPD Blue, and Everybody Loves Raymond. 

Mindy and Arnetia are not only super talented with an incredibly long list of TV, Film, and Broadway credits but they are also the perfect podcast guests, they're both extremely funny, down to earth, and easy to talk to.  Thanks for listening!

Stan is most notably known as a television screenwriter and producer.  Stan has written on many TV series including The Golden Girls, Rosanne, The Gilmore Girls  and is the creator of the sitcom, Rita Rocks.  He has also worked as a writer in film on The Brady Bunch and A Very Brady Sequel.  Stan's passion for writing has- recently turned to writing theatre productions.  His play, "Yes, Virginia" will get it's reginal theatre debut on November 18th at the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center in Pinehurst, NC.

While in town, Stan will present his touring show, "An Evening on the Lanai: Remembering the Golden Girls" on Sunday, November 14th in BPAC's Owens Auditorium.  The show features Stan and co-host Alexander Rodriguez as they dish on the behind-the scenes antics, inside gossip and favorite clips from the iconic series.

Learn more about these upcoming shows, here
Learn more about Stan, here

Chris Dunn has been the Executive Director of the Arts Council of Moore County for over 20 years and is an incredible asset to the arts and culture community in our region.  The Arts Council serves this economy in various ways, including showcasing thousands of artists, and supporting arts organizations with grants, ticket sales, and promotions. They are also the NC Arts Council’s Designated County Partner, receiving and distributing Grassroots funding.

Thousands of children have been profoundly impacted as a result of their Youth Programs. Serving over 15,000 children each year in every school – public, private, charter, and home schools and have awarded over $51,000 in scholarships to talented kids. These programs rely completely on grants and community support.

The Campbell House, home to ACMC, is one of the region’s most significant landmarks. Once part of their Weymouth estate, the natural setting is among the nation’s important historic landscapes, encompassing the world’s oldest longleaf pines. For more than 100 years, Campbell House has been a beacon of culture, informing, influencing, and enhancing civic life.  "A gift to the Arts Council is the ultimate expression of faith in our goal of sustaining our community as a place resilient with the arts at its core."

Learn more at https://www.mooreart.org/

Phil Werz is the President and CEO of the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). Located in Moore County, NC, the CVB is the county’s official destination marketing organization, and develops and implements strategies that enhance the economic and brand value of tourism to the benefit of visitors and residents alike.

In this episode, Joe and Phil discuss the range of events and activities that are unique to this area that are responsible for tourism.  In the Sandhills, golf is still king, but it is interesting to know what other events the CVB focuses on to market Moore County as a must-visit destination.

On this episode, Joe catches up with Jay Nash and Josh Day of The Contenders while they are in Nashville recording their 3rd album. Each of these recording artists work on so many other projects, Jay has had a strong solo career and Josh has played and toured with everyone from Sara Bareilles, John Oates (of Hall & Oates), and currently with Jennifer Nettles. But, there's just something special that happens when the two get together and form The Contenders. We talk about how they make the time to grow that endeavor, how they've weathered the pandemic, and what's next.

The Contenders will be in Pinehurst NC, at Bradshaw Performing Arts Center's Owens Auditorium on Saturday, October 2nd.
Tickets & Event Info: https://www.sandhillsbpac.com/events

*AUDIO ONLY EPISODE* On this week's episode Joe talks with upcoming BPAC performer and Grammy® Award-Winning baritone, Lucas Meachem.  Lucas is one of the most accomplished, in-demand singers of the moment, captivating audiences around the world with his “earnest appealing baritone” (The New York Times) and “commanding presence” (San Francisco Chronicle). “A rock star of opera” (Opera Pulse).

On Friday, September 24, 2021 at 6:00pm, Bradshaw Performing Arts Center at Sandhills Community College presents Grammy Award-winning baritone Lucas Meachem in a recital celebrating the release of his first ever solo album, Shall We Gather, out on Rubicon Classics the same day. Performed with his wife, pianist Irina Meachem, Shall We Gather is an  emotional and heartfelt plea for a better, more tolerant world, through 15 art songs that offer a vision of America’s truly rich national character. The recital will feature the Meachems in their favorite songs from the album as well as popular opera arias and showtunes by composers such as Puccini, Wagner, Verdi, and Rodgers and Hammerstein.
www.sandhillsbpac.com
www.sandhillsbpac.com

Marcy's ability to embrace diverse vocal style, coupled with her unquestioned passion, has made her a unique standout in New York theatre over the past 20 years.  From performing coloratura soprano to belting rock musicals, to her latest endeavor Jazz with the incomparable Ethan Iverson, Marcy shows just how multi-talented she is. 

She got her start as Maria in the first world tour of West Side Story, followed by her role as Mimi Marquez in her Broadway debut of Rent, then went on to star opposite Lin Manuel Miranda in In the Heights.  Miranda enjoyed the collaboration so much that he tapped her to perform on the soundtrack for Disney's Moana.   

Along with her many Broadway, Off-Broadway, and concert appearances, she has also been seen on screens both big and small in numerous productions including Men In Black, Death Proof, Nurse Jackie, Ed, NCIS, Queens Supreme, Royal Pains, Manifest, Elementary, Beauty and the Beast, and Law & Order.  Her newfound role as Jazz Singer is yet another evolution, one that has been a long time in the making. The daughter of a truck-driving trumpeter and a gardening visual artist, music was as mandatory as air in her family.  Marcy is thrilled to bring this backdrop to the forefront, with the phenomenal Ethan Iverson to BPAC's Owens Auditorium in Pinehurst, NC on Saturday, September 18th to perform their show, "Back to Bacharach" that features their renditions of hit songs from Burt Bacharach, Hal David, and Dionne Warwick.

Buy tickets to this and upcoming shows HERE
Learn more about Marcy & Ethan HERE
Watch this and previous podcasts HERE

In this week's episode Joe discusses the past, present, and future of BPAC.  Including last week's show with Paul Dabek from Broadway's The Illusionists, how we are navigating the COVID situation, and a breakdown of this fall's upcoming lineup.

Originally from the Czech Republic, Dr. Kristina Henckel is a concert pianist and current faculty member at Sandhills Community College.  Kristina breaks down her early education in the Czech Republic, the rigorous process to earn her doctoral degree, and playing concert piano across Europe. She then made her way to the Pacific Northwest of the United States through her time as a pianist in the official US Army Band:  https://www.goarmy.com/band.html

 Perhaps the most rewarding and successful part of her professional career has been teaching students piano through private instruction. A student of hers was recently a finalist in an international piano contest with more than 1,000 participants world-wide. Kristina herself received an award from the competition for her outstanding teaching. Dr. Henckel is incredibly talented as performer and a teacher and both Sandhills Community College and the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center are lucky to have her. Kristina's upcoming solo recital performance will
be held in BPAC's Owens Auditorium on Saturday, August 21. This event will be
open to the public as well as Livestreamed on BPAC's YouTube Channel. Learn
more about that show at:  https://www.sandhillsbpac.com/events