History museum opens doors after renovation
The History Museum is opening its doors again after a long extensive renovation and remodeling that began in November of 2011, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 6 from 2 to 4 p.m.
"It's finally here. Our re-opening day! We are so excited and we can't wait to share all our efforts with the community. So many hundreds of volunteer hours have gone into this effort in addition to hard work by our contractors. We truly couldn't have accomplished all this without all our donors and supporters. We hope you will take time to join us as we celebrate!," said Connie Nice, museum coordinator for Hood River County.
The museum has completely upgraded the entire facility as well as created all new displays and exhibits. Themes within the new gallery spaces include: Native American Culture, Early Settlers, Timber & Logging, Agriculture, Recreation and the Japanese American Experience.
The museum has also added a new education and exploration space for school tours as well as visits by kids and families.
The new front window display as well as the new Atrium Gallery will feature rotating displays highlighting other stories and collections of artifacts. In addition, the museum offices, store and reception area have been renovated to better serve the public. This includes a new Mezzanine reading lounge that looks down into the Atrium gallery.
The History Museum has been part of Hood River County since 1907 when the Pioneer Society began to collect items that represented the history of Hood River County and the Mid-Columbia region. Over the past 100 years, the collection has grown and the museum has taken its place as the primary historical institution in the County.
Admission for the day of the opening is free. Cookies, hot chocolate and a coffee bar will be provided.
Celebrate story at History Museum
Join The History Museum on Tuesday evenings, Jan. 8 to March 19, as it celebrates the many ways to discover, capture and share the unique story of Hood River County, and learn how these apply to one's own family story.
The museum's Winter Program Series entitled "Celebrate the Story" kicks off on Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m., as Julie Jindal, writer and Cemetery Tales veteran, shares techniques for composing a family history that goes beyond dry data.
For more information, contact the museum at 541-386-6772 or email thmvolunteer@hrecn.net
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Dance with the stars in The Dalles
The TV show Dancing With the Stars is coming to the Mid Columbia area - almost.
The Mid-Columbia Community Concert Association will present the Utah Ballroom Dance Company performing Dancing With the Gorge Stars at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, at The Dalles Wahtonka High School.
Twenty professional dancers will perform standard and Latin ballroom numbers. The dance company, as a unique Mid-Columbia feature, will bring on stage, in front of three local judges, six local dancers with their teachers and counter part professional dancers. The local dancers are: Wasco County sheriff Rick Eisland, The Dalles city attorney Gene Parker, Hood River realtor Gavin McAlpine, law firm bookkeeper Kristi McCavick, Gateway Presbyterian Church secretary Tina Skeele and director of Mid-Columbia Health Foundation Celeste Hill-Thomas.
Concert attendees get one voting ticket at the door but may stuff their favorite's ballot boxes by buying more "votes" to insure they win the Mirror Ball Trophy. This interactive production is the third concert of the current MCCCA five concert season.
Individual concert tickets, $20 each, are available at Waucoma Book Store in Hood River and Klints and Columbia River Music in The Dalles. Tickets are also available at www.MidColumbiaConcerts.org
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Ballroom dance group to perform in Hood River
Columbia Center for the Arts will present the Utah Ballroom Dance Company for a special one night only performance on Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
CineMagic is a theatrical sensation! Hollywood's favorite characters and stories are brought to life with elegant costumes, breathtaking lifts, and beautiful ballroom dancing. Audiences are swept away watching stars like Fred Astarie, Ginger Rodgers, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe and more, dancing to the music from the movies that made them famous.
CineMagic features dances such as the elegant American foxtrot to Gene Kelly's "Singing in the Rain", the intense Spanish Paso Doble to the music from "The Legend of Zorro", the majestic Austrian Waltz to the timeless "Moon River" and so much more.
This 90 minute on-stage production has both majestic and scintillating choreography performed by some of the top ballroom dancers in the world.
Tickets for the show are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors and are available at Columbia Center for the Arts, Waucoma Bookstore and online at www.columbiaarts.org.
CAST to hold auditions for reading
CAST Theater announces auditions for the staged reading of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
by Tennessee Williams on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 13, at 6 p.m. in the Studio at Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River.
Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Rehearsals will begin on Jan. 17. The play will be presented as a staged reading on Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. and is being directed by Richard Parker.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof first heated up Broadway in 1955 with its gothic American story of brothers vying for their dying father's inheritance amid a whirlwind of sexuality, untethered in the person of Maggie the Cat. The play also daringly showcased the burden of sexuality repressed in the agony of her husband, Brick Pollitt.
In spite of the public controversy Cat stirred up, it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and the Drama Critics Circle Award for that year.
The play calls for four women, six men, and four children (two girls and two boys).
For more information contact director Parker at 541-490-4398
Call for middle and high school students
The Dalles Art Center announces the upcoming Mid Columbia Juried art exhibit for middle and high school students.
The exhibit will run Tuesday, Feb. 5, through Saturday, March 2. Entries will be excepted Tuesday, Jan. 29, through Saturday, Feb. 2.
Only one entry per student will be accepted.
Students must reside and attend school in the mid-Columbia region.
Entries must be the students own work (original encouraged and preferred). Flat work must be neatly presented and ready to hang on a hook.
Sculptures and 3-D work must be ready to display on a pedestal.
Entry forms are at The Dalles Art Center, Mid Columbia middle and high schools and www.thedallesartcenter.org
Closing reception will be at The Dalles Art Center on Saturday, March 2, from 2 to 4 p.m. Cash awards will be presented at the reception for Best of Show, Judges' Choice and Peoples Choice.
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