Art House 201 was created with a two-fold purpose. First, it is a celebration of the arts in its diverse forms. ACV believes the arts are foundational to a vibrant community and wants to encourage the public to consider the role of art in their lives. Second, this festival provides an opportunity to educate the community on the mission of CST. CST is an intimate art house that celebrates independent and foreign film as well as unique theater, music, and dance.  Art House 201 features documentaries that highlight three key features in an art curriculum: graphic and visual art, music, and theater.

One thing I’ve heard many people wonder about is how we select the films we feature. The selection for choosing films for any part of our Independent/Foreign Film Series can be somewhat daunting.  It usually involves searching for programming at least two months out, but this is often difficult in the film world for a number of reasons. Anything with wide release doesn’t usually fit our mission because we’re looking to expand the cultural vocabulary of the Valley by providing programming that our patrons wouldn’t be able to find in a mainstream theater.

I usually sift through the upcoming films for about three days, creating a list large enough (typically including eight films) to send to our booker. From those eight films, I can expect that half will simply be too close to their NYC/LA/Chicago runs to be available for us.  Narrative films, those premiering at Sundance or Cannes, are often in high demand after their unveiling.  Even those “independent” movie distribution venues such as Fox Searchlight will often only create a few prints for nationwide release.

For example, where a major release such as Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Part 2 might see 3,000 prints made, even a larger independent producer may only have the funds to create thirty prints.  For Melancholia, our current IFFS narrative selection, only fifteen prints exist.  We are extremely fortunate to have one of those prints in the Valley, given how critically acclaimed this movie is. Our growing popularity as the Valley’s Art House helps us when I contact our booker, whose job it is to negotiate with the distributors.

With documentary films, many of them are so independent and niche-oriented that the production of even one print is outside of their producers’ price range.  However, with digital technology, DVD production is relatively easy, and at Court Square Theater, we are happy to have the ability to display quality DVD projection.  (Our projector also gives us the ability to serve as a movie rental venue for patrons who may want to host a birthday party or enjoy a classic on the big screen again.)  Many documentaries do not even have the opportunity for theatrical release, and our programming may be the first time they’re on a big screen.  Some documentaries also lend themselves into a natural grouping.  These thematic groupings can have the added benefit of allowing a blend between strict premieres and appropriate recent documentaries.

In making the film selections for Art House 201, I had to keep in mind the purpose of the event as well as the potential challenges of film distribution that I outlined above. At the culmination of this process, we are now fortunate to have a strong series featuring the following films:

My Kid Could Paint That:  This movie follows the early artistic career of Marla Olmstead, a young girl from a small New York town who gains fame first as a child prodigy painter of abstract art, and then becomes the subject of controversy concerning whether she truly completed the paintings herself or did so with her parents’ assistance and/or direction.

Young at Heart:  Join the final weeks of rehearsal for the Young at Heart Chorus in Northampton, MA, whose average age is 81, and many of whom must overcome health adversities to participate. Although they have toured Europe and sang for royalty, this account focuses on preparing new songs, not an easy endeavor, for a concert in their home town, which succeeds in spite of several real heartbreaking events.

Rehearsal for a Sicilian Tragedy:  Experience Sicily alongside American actor John Turturro as he brings us along on his working vacation. This colorful, informative travelogue and a touching portrait of a gifted artist’s delight in embracing his family roots also explores the puppetry tradition and its high status in pre-cinematic entertainment.

If you’re planning to come out for one or all of these films, you may also be interested to know that we now have an ABC license and the ability to serve VA beers and (soon) wines for your enjoyment during our features.

As a nonprofit theater, we’re thankful for the support of our community and other organizations, as they help us to thrive. In particular, Art House 201 was made possible by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

For a detailed schedule and to learn more about the films, please visit www.CourtSquareTheater.com or www.ValleyArts.org.

Noah McBrayer Jones is the Manager of Court Square Theater in downtown Harrisonburg.

Aaram Millones in front of the Earth & Tea Café on South Main Street.

Aaram moved to the United States from Peru 17 years ago with his family in search of more opportunities. Earth and Tea Café has been a part of downtown Harrisonburg for the past five years. Aaram worked in real estate for some time and wanted to do something with the money that he had saved. He had plans to travel and move to another country before he visited some tea shops and thought that it was a great concept and an even better business idea for Harrisonburg.

When asked about his future plans, Aaram responded with, “I always have the hope that I can grow more as a business owner and grow the shop and improve. I get excited when downtown also grows with other new businesses coming here. I like the feeling of being a part of something – in this case, being a part of downtown Harrisonburg as a business owner and also as a person who lives and hangs out downtown.”

The tea menu is extensive, with 40 teas from around the world. Aaram purchases the tea from a supplier in Germany, who sources blended varieties from China, Taiwan, Nepal, India, and North and South Africa. The tea selections have been rotated three times since Earth and Tea Café opened as a way to give customers new selections to enjoy. One of the most popular teas, the Masala Chai, is blended right in the café with spices and tea purchased by Aaram from a local shop. For $3, you can get a small pot of delicious tea, which usually serves 2 people, and for $5, you can get a large pot, which usually serves 4 people.

These beautiful tea canisters line the back wall of the cafe and hold the 40 different tea selections that are offered.

Earth and Tea Café also has delicious soups, salads, wraps, tapas, sandwiches, and desserts offered daily. The menu has changed at least six times and is in the process of being revised again in order to offer new dishes while keeping  customer favorites, such as the pear sandwich with gorgonzola and prosciutto, the portobello mushroom sandwich with cheddar cheese, mango salad, zebra cake, and a creamy caramel coffee cake.

Aaram’s love for downtown Harrisonburg is truly contagious. “For all the people who want to experience Harrisonburg, they definitely should try to come downtown. There are different menus that offer teas and beers from around the world, a lot of local musicians, and restaurants with local food. I feel like we are all a part of a big family downtown and we share the same concept of making every person feel welcome and a part of this community. We’re not a big chain; we’re business owners who decided to stay in Harrisonburg. We are a part of this city and we want everyone who lives here or visits here to have a great experience downtown.”

The international flair and warm colors make the café an inviting place to study, enjoy a meal, or just hang out with friends.

With the weekend quickly approaching, Aaram and I both encourage you to come downtown to check out everything that the area has to offer. Downtown Harrisonburg is full of businesses that offer local and international products and foods. So step out into the community, out of your comfort zone, explore a little, and do downtown!

Kerri DeVries is the Visual + Social Media Intern for Spring 2012. She is a senior Media Arts & Design and Corporate Communications double major at James Madison University.

The Super Gr8 Film Festival first hit Harrisonburg in 2010 with one night of 17 black and white Super 8 films. In November of 2011, Super Gr8 came back again, this time expanding to 46 three to four minute films over two nights- one night of black and white films and the other of color films. The festival was so popular that tomorrow night, Thursday, January 26^th, the Super Gr8 Film Festival will be back for an encore at Court Square Theater thanks to the help of one of the Super Gr8 team members, Randall A. See. Doors open at 6:30 pm for the 7 o’clock showing with a small suggested donation upon entry.  All of the films will be shown on this one night, with black and white films showing first, followed by an intermission and then the color films. I can’t believe I missed Super Gr8 the first time around in November (especially the film by Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance’s own Nicole Martorana), but I will definitely be catching the encore tomorrow night. In the meantime, I caught up with the two co-founders, Paul Somers and Tim Estep.

Chatting with Paul and Tim gave me some great insight into the creation of the Super Gr8 Film Festival. Paul got into film and cameras at a young age recording skateboarding stunts. While always a camera and film enthusiast, he didn’t discover the Super 8 format until he came across an old camera in a middle school library while teaching in North Carolina. Tim, on the other hand, began experimenting with Super 8 film as a kid about 25 years ago, but became even more familiar with the format after attending film school.

Since most people don’t have a Super 8 camera lying around, at least not one in working condition, one of the biggest initial challenges was coming up with enough cameras for the participants. Paul and Tim scoured thrift stores and eBay, and along with the help of a particularly handy friend, got them back into working condition. They also provided film festival participants, most with no film experience, with hands-on instruction on how to operate the Super 8 cameras. Paul pointed out that the Super 8 format, at the time of its invention, was marketed as an easy-to-use camera for families, so it isn’t a terribly complicated medium once you get the hang of it.

Paul noted one of the most difficult aspects of the medium is the fact that participants only use one cartridge and there are no edits, so all the scenes have to be filmed in the correct sequence from the get-go. While initially a challenge, Paul described the format as “a haiku, you’re limited in so many ways” but those limits force you to boil everything down to the true essence of the project.

After speaking with Paul and Tim, I really got a feel for how much the festival has grown in just one year, more than doubling from the original 17 entries they featured at the first festival. Paul described the need to reach out to people last year versus this year’s outpouring of support and individuals wanting to get involved. This year, Pro8mm, a company dedicated to the Super 8 medium, stepped in to do the film processing for Paul and Tim at a discounted rate. The company, known for their work with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and J.J. Abrams on the film “Super 8,” even came to Harrisonburg to see the Super Gr8 Film Festival in action and wrote about the experience on their blog.  With the festival growing at such an astounding rate, I was curious if Paul and Tim planned to continue the Super Gr8 Film Festival next year, to which Paul responded quickly with a resounding “definitely.”

Super Gr8 co-founders Paul Somers and Tim Estep

The biggest thing I took away from meeting with Paul and Tim was their passion for our community. Tim spoke of the exciting direction Harrisonburg is going in artistically, and I have to say I agree. The Super Gr8 Film Festival’s strength lies in the fact that it involves the community, not only on the level of viewing art, but in the actual creation stage. Super Gr8 serves as a catalyst, sparking locals’ untapped artistic talents. Whether it’s the filmmakers, actors, musicians, makeup artists, or the audience, Super Gr8 was able to unite hundreds of people in our community in something Paul described as “a web of committed and interested individuals.” On their website, they state that the mission of the Super Gr8 Film Festival is “to bring a community together through film” and they certainly succeeded.

I know I’ll be at the encore showing of Super Gr8 tomorrow night; I hope you will be too!

Katina Stevenson is the Promotions Intern for Spring 2012. She is a senior Communication Studies major with a concentration in Public Relations at James Madison University.

Arepera Las Chamas. Photo: Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance archives.

Recently, I was in charge of planning a downtown lunch for myself and 10 other JMU students.  With over 25 restaurants located in downtown Harrisonburg, there were plenty of options for me to choose from.  I was looking for a unique downtown eatery that may not be as prominent to JMU students as other downtown hotspots.  Arepera Las Chamas was exactly that.

This hidden gem immediately enticed my group with the delicious smells of South American food.  I was very impressed by the friendly service, clean facilities, and the authentic menu.  Las Chamas’s extensive food options provided everyone in the group with a meal that matched their preference.  I ordered a delicious corn wrap filled with beef, egg, yellow plantains, and other veggies,  topped off with a special zesty sauce.  The menu items are written in Spanish, but the descriptions are in English.  This did not faze my group at all, as they embraced the originality of these interesting choices by all ordering a different item.  You do not have to be an adventurous eater in order to visit Las Chamas; they offer salads and wraps and other familiar meals in addition to their Caribbean and Venezuelan specialities.

My hearty corn wrap  satisfied both my stomach and my wallet; my meal filled me up while costing me less than $10!  At the end of the meal, I received many thanks from my group for introducing them to an exciting and new downtown restaurant.  Everyone was as impressed as I was by Las Chamas’s atmosphere, service, and food.

If you are a downtown restaurant enthusiast looking to expand your dietary repertoire, I strongly suggest you make Las Chamas your next stop!

Arepera Las Chamas is located at 50 South Mason Street in downtown Harrisonburg. More information is available here.

Conor Kiely was the Organizational Management Intern in the fall of 2011. He is a senior Psychology major at James Madison University.

I spent a month this past summer in Urbino, Italy with a group of students from JMU and other universities from around the United States and Canada. We learned about video editing and production, photography, feature writing, how to use a language translator, and how to effectively combine all of these elements to create a great story.

I wanted to be an HDR intern because of my love for downtown Harrisonburg. This area has so much to offer and is adding more events and new businesses and restaurants each year.  I especially hope to help university students and Harrisonburg residents learn about the downtown area so that they can take advantage of it even more.

I plan to dedicate my Friday column to giving students and residents insight into all of the exciting opportunities in downtown Harrisonburg! Through multimedia posts over the next four months, I will use my column to feature businesses, restaurants, and events taking place downtown. I hope that this will give the community a better idea of what is happening each week to get them out and active in the Harrisonburg community.

My name is Katina Stevenson and I am the Spring Promotions Intern with Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. I am a Senior at James Madison University majoring in Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations. That means I love meeting people and communicating in every possible medium, including blogging! I am originally from Virginia Beach, and while I will always be a beach bum at heart, I absolutely love exploring the natural beauty of this area. As a Senior, I’ve had some time to get acquainted with our wonderful community and become familiar with a lot of what downtown Harrisonburg has to offer, but I know there is more to discover. This spring, I’m excited to continue to explore with all of you. My stories and posts will keep you updated on upcoming attractions and  in the know about local businesses and vendors.

This spring, I will be writing a column on Wednesdays about one of my favorite things downtown has to offer- arts and entertainment! Every week, I will share with you an experience I had, or will have, downtown in the realm of art, music, or anything and everything else that can entertain. Our downtown is certainly a thriving art and music scene and there is rarely a shortage of things to do.  On any given day of the week, there are a number of attractions, whether it be salsa dancing at the Artful Dodger, live music at Clementine, a DJ at the Blue Nile, or an exhibit at the Virginia Quilt Museum. I am especially excited to cover our thriving downtown music scene. It is always a treat to experience a downtown show, and I’m especially excited about one of my favorite downtown events- MACRoCk.

In addition to music, I am a lover of all things fashion and I have a passion, others call it an obsession, for scouring downtown for the latest deals. My column is arts and entertainment, and in my mind everything offered by Mint, the Yellow Button, Duo, Ten Thousand Villages, the Laughing Dog, James McHone Jewelry, and Polished, Inc certainly fits under that “art” category!

One of the best things about our community is the relationships that are formed with other locals, and in this spirit, I want to hear from you! I encourage you to comment about your experiences as well as suggest events and aspects of downtown that you would like to see featured. I’m excited to get started,  so come back soon and remember, “Do Downtown!”

Other major attractions include the Massanutten Regional Library with over 100,000 visitors annually, the Explore More Discovery Museum with more than 60,000 visitors this year representing over 100 Virginia municipalities and 42 different states, the Harrisonburg Visitor Center with approximately 50,000 visitors from almost every state and many foreign countries, and the Virginia Quilt Museum with approximately 5,000 visitors from a majority of the states and over 20 countries.

All these great businesses and services give people not only many reasons to shop, dine, and visit downtown, but they also add to the quality of life of the people who live and work in or near downtown.

Eddie Bumbaugh is the Executive Director for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.

For those with discerning taste…

Photo Courtesy of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance archives

Downtown Wine & Gourmet – Regional & imported wine, craft beers, gourmet foods

Polished – Modern, vintage, and antique sterling silver jewelry

James McHone Jewelry – Antique and estate jewelry

Merle Norman Cosmetics & Imago Day Spa – Full-service salon, beauty products, jewelry, and art

For the music aficionado…

Photo courtesy of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance archives

Downtown Music 34 – Instruments and music lessons, private party rentals

Whitesel Music – Pianos and organs, sound systems

Shen-Valley Band Instruments Service – Instruments

Wonder Records – Eclectic selection of vinyl records

Cosmic Debris – Vinyl LPs and 45s, CDs, cassettes, movies, and memorabilia

For the artist in your life…

Photo courtesy of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance archives

Oasis Fine Art & Craft – Original fine art and craft items by Shenandoah Valley artisans

Court Square Theater – Independent theater for film, music, dance, and theater

For documenting all of your holiday memories…

Photo courtesy of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance archives

Gitchell’s Photography – Professional photography services, studio and on-location portraits

Glen’s Fair Price Store – Cameras and accessories

For the outdoors enthusiast…

Photo courtesy of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance archives

The Runner’s Corner – Sports clothing and accessories

Shenandoah Bicycle Company – Bicycles and cyclist clothing and accessories

For unique finds…

Photo courtesy of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance archives

The Lady Jane – Vintage and antique furniture, lighting, linens, porcelain, jewelry, and gifts

Laughing Dog T-Shirts & Gifts – Made in the USA & Fair Trade handcrafted jewelry & artisan gifts

A Touch of the Earth – Handmade jewelry, gifts, and clothing

For the kid and kid-at-heart…

Photo courtesy of Katie George

Explore More Discovery Museum – Children’s museum with membership options and special classes

Dragonflies Toys – Whimsical and educational children’s toys

Wishing you happy shopping and happy holidays!

Nicole Martorana is the Promotions Manager for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.

The countdown to this year’s First Night is very exciting for me and I believe that the 19th First Night Harrisonburg will continue the tradition of success from previous years.

This year, we are fortunate to have dedicated volunteers with warm and welcoming hearts and a wide variety of new and returning programs. Together, this creates a winning combination for our community.

Prior to becoming involved in the planning of First Night, it never occurred to me how much behind-the-scenes work and commitment goes into creating this event. I am particularly impressed with the many donors and gifts-in-kind that assist with making First Night successful. Many businesses and individuals in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community have stepped up to contribute funds and services that will make this year’s First Night a true success.

I am also pleased to announce that First Night buttons go on sale today! Admission to all First Night venues, performances, and activities requires the purchase of a button. Presale buttons are $6.00 each. Buttons will also be available for $8.00 each, starting at 5:00 pm on the night of the event, at the offices of the Ritchie Law Firm at 71 Court Square in downtown Harrisonburg.

Pre-sale buttons can be purchased at the following locations:

• Daily News-Record
• Summit Community Bank
• Harrisonburg Tourism in the Hardesty-Higgins House
• Massanutten Regional Library
• Downtown Books
• Downtown Music 34
• Friendly City Food Co-op
• Glen’s Fair Price Store
• Red Front Supermarket
• Massanutten Resort

I invite you to visit our website, www.firstnightharrisonburg.com, to see details of this year’s program, schedule, and other event details.

I’ll look forward to seeing you at First Night Harrisonburg 2012!

Terry Burkhalter is the Executive Director of First Night 2012.

The First Night 2012 logo was designed by Rob Musser of Sidecar Studio.

Shopping locally for holiday gifts will be front and center tonight, Friday, December 16, in downtown Harrisonburg with a new retail event, Shop Til You Drop. With 17 participating downtown businesses staying open until 10:00 pm, customers will have the chance to shop late and enjoy festive treats, special sales, and plenty of holiday cheer.

The event, organized by Anna Melton Pelletier of the urban-mod shop Mint, will feature merchants throughout downtown. Modeled after the success of the First Fridays art walks during the summer, participating locations will offer a chance to mingle in the downtown community and enjoy holiday treats while shopping. “First Fridays in the spring and summer are so much fun,” says Anna. “Why not have a Holiday Friday? I think Shop Til You Drop is another way to show Harrisonburg residents how many wonderful shops there are downtown.”

Anna, who opened Mint in the spring of 2011, grew up in Old Town and after moving back to Harrisonburg several years ago, knew she wanted to own a shop downtown. “There is a growing downtown business community and everyone tries to support each other,” says Anna. “It’s a very positive atmosphere!”

In this spirit of collaboration, Anna first got the idea for Shop Til You Drop when Valerie Weaver of Ten Thousand Villages struck up a conversation with her about holiday events in other Virginia communities. If enough businesses were able to get involved in a shopping event in Harrisonburg and offer holiday specials, Anna thought, it would draw more shoppers downtown. As she points out, “Who doesn’t love cookies and a sale?”

And get other businesses involved, she did. Anna coordinated with 17 downtown merchants to keep their doors open a bit later in the name of holiday cheer and more convenience for shoppers during a hectic season, where there are often too many things to shop for and not enough time in which to shop for them. After talking with the other businesses about participating, Anna also asked local artist Daniel Suter to design the promotional poster for the event.

The businesses participating in tonight’s event are:

·        Mint
·         Dragonflies Toys
·         Wonder and Wonder Records
·         The Yellow Button
·         Duo
·         You Made It!
·         Ten Thousand Villages
·         The Lady Jane
·         Laughing Dog T-Shirts and Gifts
·         A Touch of the Earth
·         Midtowne Market
·         Friendly City Food Co-op
·         James McHone Jewelry
·         Polished
·         All Things Virginia
·         Oasis Fine Art and Craft
·         Downtown Wine & Gourmet

Shop Til You Drop is not only an invitation for shoppers to come downtown and buy their holiday gifts in a festive environment, but it is also a celebration of the diversity of unique, local businesses. “There are so many wonderful businesses downtown,” observes Anna.  “In order for us all to grow, we need the support of the community. Having events like Shop Til You Drop helps to create more awareness of all that downtown offers!”

For more information, please visit the Facebook event page or call Anna at (540) 434-6468.

Nicole Martorana is the Promotions Manager for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.