Darke County Center for the Arts used the stage at St. Clair Memorial Hall to thank its supporters of the current season and announce upcoming events in 2023-24.
Ryan Berry | Daily Advocate
Andrea Jordan, executive director of DCCA, thanked the organizations supporters during the annual event.
Ryan Berry | Daily Advocate
By Ryan Berry
DailyAdvocate.com
GREENVILLE — Darke County Center for the Arts (DCCA) held its annual appreciation luncheon and announced the artists for the 2023-2024 season on Tuesday, May 9 at St. Clair Memorial Hall.
The luncheon was held on the stage at the historic venue to give DCCA’s supporters the opportunity to get a sense of what the artists who take the stage see and feel. DCCA Executive Director Andrea Jordan said, “Thank you all for joining us to celebrate Darke County Center for the Arts’ Bringing You Back Season. This sentiment captured the excitement and hopefulness I experienced a year ago working with the amazing DCCA team in planning and preparing for another year of events and because each and every one of you this season not only continued DCCA’s mission of cultural enrichment, but expanded our visual arts impact with the launching of the Darke County Art Trail and also engaged new audiences attending the Family Theatre Series shows and every Darke County public school student through our Arts in Education program.”
Jordan praised the benefits the arts bring to people of all ages. She said, “I believe that nothing truly captures the unique individual, yet communal feelings one experiences when enjoying a live arts presentation. Whether dancing to Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience or enjoying the ethereal melodies of Sons of Serendip, it is simply undeniable that there are so many delightful emotions and overall positive benefits of experiencing the arts.
The current season will close with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra on May 27. Tickets are still available for this event.
David Warner, artistic director, had the privilege of announcing next season’s artist series event. “I think we’ve got a very diverse group of acts that will be here,” he said. When announcing the group that will kick off DCCA’s 45th year and the Sapphire Celebration Season, Artrageous, Warner said, “We’ve got something a little different with art, magic and music.”
The season will continue with comedian Rex Havens who has been making audiences laugh for over 20 years. Not only has he performed at comedy clubs around the globe, but he has also shared how to maintain successful and interpersonal relationships at work with many Fortune 500 companies.
If you enjoy the rockabilly genre, you will enjoy one of the original Stray Cats, Lee Rocker, when he takes the stage at St. Clair Memorial. Rocker has been heralded for his work on the upright bass and has worked with many artists throughout his career. He has a wide repertoire of music, including songs he performed with the Stray Cats.
Derina Harvey Band will provide an international flare for music lovers. Based in Newfoundland, the Derina Harvey Band brings a fresh take on traditional folk songs mixed with a few originals. Harvey mixes humor, storytelling and incredible music when she hits the stage.
The Toledo Symphony Orchestra will once again close out the DCCA season. The orchestra always provides audiences with beautiful music when they come to Greenville.
According to Darryl Mehaffie, chairman of the DCCA board, the Art Trail will have a new stop this fall when a statue along Tecumseh Trail’s bike and walking path is unveiled. The statue of former State Representative Jim Buchy will join others like Tecumseh at Shawn Prairie and Little Turtle in the Greenville City Park, which are also located on the Darke County Art Trail.
The guest speaker for this year’s DCCA appreciation luncheon was Ohio’s second lady, Tina Husted. An artist herself and a member of the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) board, Husted explained she and Mehaffie, also an OAC board member, had a connection of history and art when he and invited and she accepted the the opportunity to come to Darke County and speak. Husted helped create the Beacon of Light during the COVID lockdowns to “shine a light” on artists across Ohio.
You can read more on Husted in the special section, Women Today, that will be distributed with the May 28 edition of The Early Bird.
DCCA’s Sapphire Celebration Season gets underway on June 21 with Make Music Darke County and the worldwide celebration of Make Music Day. BBQ & Blues returns to the Greenville Library lawn on Friday, July 14 and the Missoula Children’s Theatre will present The Princess and the Pea July 17-22 with a weeklong student theatre camp. Keep watching the Daily Advocate/The Early Bird for more information on all of these events.
To contact Daily Advocate Editor Ryan Berry, email [email protected].
