Reading Civic staging 'Music Man'; Hawk Mountain Art Tour set for June 3 [Spotlight]

May 21—Reading Civic Theatre will present "The Music Man," a musical comedy and treasured piece of theater by Meredith Willson, from June 9-18 at its space in the former Fox East theater, Exeter Township.

Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.readingcivic.org.

Willson's musical comedy is one of the most beloved shows in American theater. The story tells of how love changes the lives of a fast-talking salesman, a small town librarian and the good folks of River City, Iowa. It is a comedy that has entertained audiences since 1957.

The plot centers around con man Harold Hill who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with the cash. In River City, the librarian and piano teacher, Marian Paroo, sees through him, but when Hill helps her younger brother overcome his fear of social interactions due to his lisp, Marian begins to fall in love with Harold, who in turn risks being caught to win her over.

In 1957, the show won five Tony Awards, including best musical, and ran for 1,375 performances. The show's success led to revivals and a popular 1962 film adaptation and a 2003 television remake.

The includes Michael Dietrich, Kelly Leibensperger, Dan Elggren, Craig Caltagirone, Amy Bourey, Paul Head, Elizabeth Kaufmann, Rosie Angstadt, Barry Ciabattoni, Mark Ettaro, Peter Bourey, Pete Snow, Drew Hudson, Heather Troxell, Allison Beck, Angela DeAngelo, Kate Ruppert, Kyriakos Vachaviolos, Paige Anderson, Morgan Disch, Chris Pastor, Dave Jones, Jeannette DeAngelo, Karen Levesque, Shirley Pisano, Barb Yurick, Eliese Bortz, Madisyn Dietrich, Isla Elggren, Layla Gibney, Adelaide Hottenstein, Dean Hottenstein, Owen Kueny-Rongione, Maddie Mell, Morgan Wilcox, Emilio Serio, Josue Tinoco, Julie Angstadt, Roger Levesque, Maren Morgan, MaryAnn Sarge, Matt Hottenstein, Mackenzie Buchter, Louise Disch, Evey Fetter, Katie Kaufmann, Lauren Moyer and Nicole Angstadt.

The production team includes Andrew Angstadt (director), Bryan Scollick (musical director), Nicole Angstadt (choreographer), Jeannette DeAngelo (producer), Ed Stallman (stage manager), Barb Yurick (assistant to the director), and Craig Caltagirone and Sheri Ettaro (assistants to the choreographer).

Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for students and seniors at www.readingcivic.org or at the door on the performance dates.

Art

The Hawk Mountain Arts Tour, which includes more than 30 artists and businesses stationed throughout the Kempton valley plus a satellite location hosted by the Hamburg Area Arts Alliance at Etchberger Memorial Park, will be held June 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Stops include local businesses and studios hosting artists who will display a variety of crafts, such as pottery, wood and metal sculptures, and fine art paintings. The free driving tour takes place within a 25-mile radius of scenic Albany Township, and a printable map of the stops can be found online at hawkmountain.org/artstour. Printed maps will also be available to pick up at the Sanctuary's Visitor Center, which is the first stop on the tour featuring six local artisans.

"The route is beautiful during this time of year, and the event is the perfect chance to explore the local community and enjoy a wide array of local talent and small businesses," said Gigi Romano, who helps organize the annual event. "And some artists will even be demonstrating their craft."

The stops are numbered, but the tour is self-guided. Romano recommends that participants choose the artists that interest them the most and visit those first.

In addition to the displays, visitors will be able to purchase pieces and products at most stops. Multiple host locations will be open for business or provide refreshments and locally sourced treats.

----Clay on Main, 313 Main St., Oley, welcomes Emily Whynott, a Philadelphia-based sculptor, for an exhibition starting with an opening reception next Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m., then running through July 2.

Whynott earned a bachelor's in fine arts in sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design and a master's in fine arts in socially-engaged studio art at Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia. She will bring her MFA thesis work, "Sugarcoated," to Clay on Main.

Whynott takes inspiration from her experience in the kitchen and blurs the boundaries of food and art. Her work consists of sculptural installations that evoke whimsy and awe.

She welcomes all to have a seat at her proverbial table and join the larger conversation about food, nourishment and the connections it creates between us.

Gallery hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 5 to 7 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, or by special appointment. For more information, see clayonmain.org.

Music

Santander Arena, Reading, has announced a concert by Romeo Santos, best known as the frontman and lead vocalist of the bachata group Aventura, on Nov. 3. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com.

Santos' solo career has yielded seven No. 1 songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart and 17 No. 1s on the Tropical Airplay chart. He has sold over 40 million albums and over 100 million singles.

----Bryan Bielanski, a singer-songwriter based in Charlotte, N.C., will perform May 31 at 6 p.m. at Chatty Monks Brewing Co., West Reading, during the West Reading Wine Walk.

A hard-touring singer-songwriter who has played throughout the United States and beyond, Bielanski performs songs that are a blend of Nirvana and the Beatles in an acoustic rock format.

He is touring in support of his February album release, "Bryan's Super Happy Fun Time 3." To check it out, visit bryanssuperhappyfuntime.bandcamp.com.

Grant program

Berks Arts has announced a Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator grant program offering $500 to $2,000 in support of creative entrepreneurs starting a business or currently operating a micro-business with gross revenue less than $200,000 in Lancaster, Berks and Schuylkill counties.

Eligible applicants must participate in creative fields such as marketing, architecture, visual arts, crafts, design, film and media, digital games, music, entertainment, publishing or a similar creative field.

Creative entrepreneurs are eligible to apply for the program once every three years. Non-profit organizations are not eligible for funds through this program.

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and live in Berks, Lancaster or Schuylkill counties, manage a business with gross revenue of less than $200,000 or intend to form or operate a business in Pennsylvania and operate in one or more of the following creative industries:

—Marketing — Advertising and marketing agencies and professionals

—Architecture — Architecture firms and architects

—Visual Arts & Crafts — Galleries, artists, artisans, and makers

—Design — Product, interior, graphic, and fashion design firms and designers

—Film & Media — Film, video, animation, television, and radio businesses

—Digital Games — Companies, programmers, and individuals producing games

—Music & Entertainment — Producers, venues, musicians, and performers

—Publishing — Print or electronic businesses and content creators, editors, and writers

For more information, see berksarts.org/grants.