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Story Hour with Mark Twain: Free, Family – Friendly Entertainment at the Z

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“The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”
Mark Twain

Mark Twain lives, at least for an afternoon in Virginia Beach this November. Kicking off a new Family Time Performance series at the Zeiders American Dream Theater, Arts for Learning’s Ryan Clemens will perform as his famous relative, Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain.

Clemens will present Story Hour with Mark Twain on Saturday, November 18 at 2 p.m. at the Z, located at 4509 Commerce Street in Virginia Beach.

Tickets are free at this link:
Story Hour with Mark Twain

“The Z is such a terrific place for performers like myself to offer our special gifts,” says Ryan Clemens. “I’ve been performing as Mark Twain for decades, and I’m excited to bring him to meet the good folks at Virginia Beach’s own Zeiders American Dream Theater. It’s Mark Twain as you would have met him when he came to visit our area in 1907. He’s full of tall tales, jokes, maybe a ghost story or two, and lots of playful audience banter. Whether you’re 10 years old or 110, you’re sure to enjoy an hour with my jovial, old cousin.”

Story Hour with Mark Twain is part of the Family Time Series, a partnership between Arts for Learning and the Z to provide entertaining, family-oriented programming. Future performances include Orisirisi African Folklore and Roberta Lea in February and storyteller Sarah Osburn Brady in April. Programs will be presented by Arts for Learning’s roster of professional artists who use their art forms to educate and engage audiences while actively exploring artistic traditions and cultures from around the world.

“Our artists are excited for the partnership with Zeiders American Dream Theater,” says Drew Lusher, Arts for Learning’s Artist programming Manager. “In addition to being a modern and inviting performance venue, Zeiders is an energetic organization with a mission that parallels ours. We appreciate the opportunity to pair our performing artists with their beautiful space to further engage the community and inspire creative growth.”

Arts for Learning thanks the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission, Helen G. Gifford Foundation, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Arts for underwriting A4L’s Family Time Series at the Z.

Major News: Arts for Learning Becomes the Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap Affiliate

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We’re… thrilled… honored… happy… ecstatic… overjoyed… and delighted to announce we’re now partnering with the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. As the Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap affiliate, we’ll bring customized arts-based teaching and learning programs to early childhood classrooms.

“Our teaching artists have the opportunity to be trained in the Wolf Trap method, which focuses on bringing arts-integrated strategies into the classrooms of our youngest learners,” said Drew Lusher, Arts for Learning Artist and Programming Manager and Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap Affiliate Director. “We’re excited to foster this work in our community.”

The affiliate program is operated under Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, a program of Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts based in Vienna, Virginia.

Last week, four teaching artists on our roster received paid training to learn creative, interactive techniques of how to work with children in preschool and kindergarten classrooms. Wolf Trap Master Artist Trainer Christina Farrell showed how to incorporate song, movement, imaginative play, and musical instruments into lessons that introduce key curricular concepts such as literacy and social-emotional learning.

The training sessions were held at Children’s Harbor Ghent where the teaching artists had the opportunity to practice what they learned with young learners.

“I greatly appreciated observing Christina with the kids,” said Arts for Learning’s Amelia Zontini. “Each day they bloomed a little more. On my way out to my car on Friday, Miss Destiny and some kids opened their door and cried out, ‘Thank you!’ What a special experience for us all.”

Teaching artists who participated last week were Ryan Clemens, Jennifer Graham, Dylan Pritchett, and Amelia Zontini.

Arts for Learning’s Cindy Aitken, James Cooper, Via Goode, and Roberta Lea will undergo training in September.

Initially, Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap will deliver services in Norfolk, but will branch out to other Hampton Roads’ communities in future academic years. Our Wolf Trap-trained teaching artists will partner with early childhood education classroom teachers, illustrating how they can use the performing arts to engage children, enrich their learning, and reinforce the curriculum. Through multi-day residencies, our teaching artists will work one-on-one with classroom teachers to create custom lesson plans using proven, arts-based learning experiences.

We couldn’t be happier (or more elated… excited… glad… eager… tickled pink… you name it!) to enter into this partnership and join Wolf Trap’s network of 24 affiliates across the United States and Singapore. Thank you to all who made last week’s first training such a success!

An Artistic Tribute to Marty Einhorn

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A very special—and poignant—Arts for Learning performance this month honored the life and legacy of former board president Marty Einhorn.

A4L’s Rita Cohen performed A World of Song and Dance as a free performance in memory of Marty, who died in 2021 at the age of 63. After Marty’s death, Arts for Learning received many gifts in his memory. A board subcommittee decided those donations should be used each year to underwrite a school performance and small stipend for the school’s music educator. Arts for Learning selected Norfolk’s Granby Elementary as the first school because it was where Marty was inspired to learn to play the trumpet after watching a Young Audiences’ performance.

“Granby is a school that is deep, rich with tradition and love of learning,” said Denise J. Green, principal. “Mr. Einhorn was inspired as a youth in this building—he attended here in the 60s, so you’re talking more than 50 years ago. This is a great legacy to leave for the students to be inspired, just the way that he was inspired when he was a young boy. I hope that today was the ignition for some students that they will have the same love for art and music.”Marty’s wife Susan, son Will, and parents Barry and Lois Einhorn attended the memorial performance, which included a tribute to Marty and the impact he made during his life.

“It was so nice to see his generosity and his musical ability and love for music honored here today,” said Susan Einhorn. “I try to be half the person he was. He was the most generous person in the world. And every day I just feel so lucky to have spent most of my life with him.”

A number of A4L board and staff members also enjoyed the program, remembering the man who was a friend to all and passionately devoted to Arts for Learning’s mission of quality arts education.

Board president Beth Hazelette called Marty “the backbone of our organization for as long as I can remember.”

“Marty did so much to make sure we have programming for children. It’s very special that we were able to come back to his school and honor him here. And even though the children were little, I think they understood why we were here.”

Martin (Marty) A. Einhorn passed away February 18, 2021 after contracting COVID-19 while battling cancer. Marty was a founding member of Norfolk CPA firm Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer and an active community and arts advocate who served on the boards of 14 separate nonprofits during his lifetime. After becoming involved with Young Audiences in the mid-1980s, Marty first served as president of the Board of Directors in the early 1990s and was later re-elected in 2011. Marty received our Volunteer of the Year award twice, sharing with us his time, financial resources, creativity, and leadership skills. We are thankful we could use the funds donated in his honor in a way that furthers his legacy.  

To give to Arts for Learning in Marty’s memory, please use this link to donate online, https://young-audiences.networkforgood.com/projects/174292-annual-fund-68, or send a check to Young Audiences of Virginia, 420 N. Center Drive #239, Norfolk, VA 23502.

IDEAL Evening at the Chrysler Art Museum

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Pictures are worth a…. you know the rest. Enjoy these wonderful photos of the student art exhibit, performances, and reception at the Chrysler Museum of Art as the IDEAL (Intentional Designs of Expression in Artistic Languages) residency wrapped up for upper elementary students at Norfolk’s Lindenwood, Portsmouth’s Westhaven, and Virginia Beach’s College Park schools.

It truly was an IDEAL evening as students shared their art for family, friends, educators, and community leaders. Throughout the residency, students created art that explored and expressed their unique identities. The public can view the beautiful artwork through June 11.

We thank all of our partners who made the first year of this residency possible: the funders–with special thanks to our major funder the Hampton Roads Community Foundation–teaching artists; residency stewards; Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach public school divisions; Chrysler Museum of Art; Richmond Ballet; staff and board of Arts for Learning; families; and most of all, the students. We hope they’ll remember this special night forever.

 

Everything Everywhere All at Once (Arts for Learning Style)

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No, we’re not talking about this year’s Best Picture winner (although we DID love it!) We’re talking about springtime at Arts for Learning where we have so much going on—new residencies, workshops, public performances, and more for students from Pre-K to 12th grade!

Residencies

Strings Impact kicks off at Lakeview Elementary in Portsmouth.
John Jenkins leads Strings Impact students at Lakeview Elementary.

Strings Impact: Fourth through sixth graders at three elementary schools in Portsmouth have the opportunity to learn the basics of playing the violin—without having to pay or rent an instrument. Strings Impact is one of our longstanding residencies, and we’re so happy students at Churchland, Lakeview, and Simonsdale are participating in this after-school opportunity. Students from each school will perform concerts for family and friends in May.

Strings Impact at Churchland Elementary, led by teaching artist Tina Culver
Strings Impact at Churchland Elementary, led by teaching artist Tina Culver.

IDEAL, Intentional Designs of Expression in Artistic Languages: Older elementary students from three school divisions—Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach—are also busy after school in a new residency.

Teaching artist Jennifer Graham with students at Norfolk’s Lindenwood Elementary.
Lindenwood Elementary students getting started in their IDEAL residency.

Students are participating in year one of IDEAL where they’re exploring identity and community through poetry, movement, and visual art. Students are being led by A4L teaching artists Cindy Aitken, Gary Garlic, and Jennifer Graham at Lindenwood Elementary in Norfolk, Asiko-oluwa Aderin and Nathan  Richardson at Westhaven Elementary in Portsmouth, and Jackie Adonis and Valerie Davis at College Park Elementary.

In May, students will showcase performances and artwork at the Chrysler Museum, with their art pieces to be professionally hung in a gallery for a month for the public to view!

The Chrysler Museum’s Emily Cayton talks with students visiting from Virginia Beach’s College Park Elementary.

To bring students in the museum and show them it’s their place to have a voice is just an amazing opportunity,” says Anna Green, COO for Arts for Learning. “I can’t even bring words to how important that is, to make the museum accessible and for students to feel like they’re a part of a larger community.”

Students at Westhaven Elementary in Portsmouth work on an art project with Emily Cayton of the Chrysler Museum.

Arts + Learning Snacks: Tessellations

Third graders at Rosemont Elementary in Virginia Beach.
Third grade students at Virginia Beach’s Bayside Elementary say thanks for their new take-home arts kits.

Third-graders at seven elementary schools in Virginia Beach have a new (and so-not-boring) way to study for their math SOL testing in May. Thanks to free bilingual art kits, they’ll get a refresher on measuring perimeter and area by following instructions to design their own tessellations.  (A “tessellation” is an arrangement of shapes closely fitted together using a repeated pattern without gaps or overlapping.) Thanks to support from the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and the Helen G. Gifford Foundation, we distributed 500 take-home kits to students in Title I schools in Virginia Beach.

And how nice to see these smiling faces!

Third grade students at Birdneck Elementary in Virginia Beach receive art kits from A4L Operations Coordinator Stephanie Jackson.

Public Performances and Workshops

Dino O’Dell gets kids hopping at Williamsburg Library.
Valerie Davis portrays Martha Ann Fields at the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center as part of our free performance series underwritten by the Virginia African American Cultural Arts Center.

There’s no excuse to be bored at home anymore—not when we’re offering so many different performances and workshops, certified family friendly, fun, and fabulous. offered throughout greater Hampton Roads.

With programs offered throughout greater Hampton Roads, there’s something for all ages. Click for the latest on our Events Calendar and make sure to check back often because we keep adding more programs. We’ve had some wonderful ones lately—from the “master of tricking kids into learning,” Dino O’Dell, on tour from Kansas City to Valerie Davis’s inspiring portrayals of courageous women in history.

We thank all of those who care about arts education and financially support these programs and more—we couldn’t do it without you! Check out the list of our supporters here.

PLUS THERE’S MORE! Our teaching artists love sharing the joy of the arts with children. Here’s James Cooper leading a Geometric MOSAIC workshop in Norfolk, Stephanie Lask teaching the graphic novel in Virginia Beach, and Amy Harbin guiding Rhythm and Me students in Portsmouth!

                                                 

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Main Office
Arts for Learning
420 North Center Drive
Suite 239
Norfolk, Virginia 23502
Phone: 757-466-7555

Main Office

Arts for Learning Virginia
420 North Center Drive
Suite 239
Norfolk, Virginia 23502
Phone:
757-466-7555