The Triangle Explorer

NCMA mobile app 

The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) this week launched a new mobile app that offers themed, self-guided audio tours of the Museum’s permanent collection. Each tour lasts about 30 minutes and features art in the Museum’s free permanent collection. The free app is available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded through the iTunes Store or at ncartmuseum.org/app.

“This mobile app will encourage NCMA visitors to slow down in the permanent collection galleries and look more closely at the works of art—something we hope will enhance and deepen their appreciation of the art and make their Museum visit a more memorable, personal experience,” says Lawrence J. Wheeler, director of the NCMA. “It perfectly aligns with the mission and vision of the NCMA, which focuses on our commitment to provide compelling encounters with art, present innovative educational opportunities, and enrich lives through the wonder of art.”

The app launches with three themed tours—Curator’s Choice, Lunch Break, and Date Night—and the Museum may add more in the future.

• Curator’s Choice: What is a curator? In art museums curators choose the works of art that go into an exhibition. They also assist in acquiring works for a museum’s collection. Each part of our collection is curated by an expert in a particular period of art history. Listen to a tour from each part of our collection with that curator’s top picks.

• Lunch Break: Experts say changing up your environment can help overcome mental blocks and re-energize your thinking. This tour lets you experience art and food from around the world while taking a quick break from the day. Are you hungry for art? Why wait?

• Date Night: In today’s world of swiping right and posting “It’s complicated,” romance can be tough. Luckily, wandering the galleries of a museum is a great way to spend time with someone special to you. Whether you’re on your first date or going on your first decade as a couple, listen to a tour all about romance and love—as interpreted by artists throughout time.

“This new technology will help us better connect and engage with visitors on our campus in a whole new way,” says Michelle Harrell, the NCMA’s director of teaching and learning. “We see the mobile app as an opportunity to provide customizable experiences, rather than simple audio tours. It introduces art in a manner that many people might not have considered before—for example, as something that can energize you on a lunch break or spice up a date night.”

The mobile app replaces the Museum’s cell phone tour, which is no longer available. It joins the Museum’s Moede app, an interactive work of art designed by Kael Greco and Gregg Perkins that creates a soundtrack to a visitor’s experience in the NCMA’s Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park.

Old Well – 2017

Over the weekend my wife and I did some exploring in Chapel Hill. I took the above picture of the famous Old Well while walking across the UNC campus. It’s a well known landmark for sure, but it got me thinking about its significance. So I did a little digging online find out more about its history.  I learned that the well was commissioned by the Board of Trustees back in 1795 and served as the sole drinking water source for the university for a number of years.

In 1897, university President Edwin Alderman proposed building a new structure over the well. According to Wikipedia “The current decorative form of the Old Well was modeled after the Temple of Love in the Gardens of Versailles“. The structure was designed by Eugene Lewis Harris, a portrait artist and registrar for the university. A drinking water fountain was added in 1925 which is now served by city water. In 1954 the structure over the well was torn down and replaced with a sturdier replica that stands today.

If you are the superstitious type, campus tradition states that drinking from the Old Well on the first day of class will bring good luck and good grades!

Old Well – 1892
(Photograph from the Kemp Battle Album, North Carolina Collection, UNC)

Bill Harrigan Tighe as JM Barrie and Tom Hewitt as Captain Hook in Finding Neverland
(Photo courtesy Jeremy Daniel)

This week the spirit of imagination comes to the stage when “Finding Neverland” opens at the Durham Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, May 23rd with performance through Sunday, May 29th.

Based on the Academy Award winning film of the same name, the musical follows playwright J.M. Barrie as he summons the courage to become the writer and the man he yearns to be. Barrie finds the inspiration he’s been missing when he meets the beautiful widow Sylvia and her four young sons.

Ben Krieger as Peter Lleweln Davies and Christine Dwyer as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies in the National Tour of Finding Neverland
(Photo courtesy of Carol Rosegg)

Delighted by the boys’ hilarious escapades, Barrie uses the boys’ escapades to fulfill his dreams of becoming a writer. Inventing the world of Neverland and its imaginary inhabitants and in the process creates an original play that becomes a high-society hit.

The musical is packed with mesmerizing visuals, irresistible songs and plenty of laughs. It is a timeless story about the power of imagination and proof that you never really have to grow up.

Mitchell Wray, Jordan Cole, Finn Faulconer and Ben Krieger as the Llewelyn Davies Boys in the National Tour of Finding Neverland
(Photo courtesy Carol Rosegg)

In this touring production, the role of Captain Hook is played by Broadway Veteran Tom Hewitt.  He took a moment to chat with me by phone recently between productions.

Hewitt started performing in his small hometown in Western Montana where he made the most of a great local theater seen and benefited from a loving and supportive family. “I am very thankful to my parents for allowing me to pursue theater as a kid. They were very supportive and really there is nothing more magical.”

Hewitt has made a career of playing bad guys and monsters, including on Broadway Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar; Billy Flynn in Chicago; Dracula in Dracula and he has also played Scar in The Lion King. But he brings a unique perspective to playing Barrie’s inner Hook, given that he also played the Captain Hook in both the 1998 and 2011 national touring productions.

But this is a different Captain Hook than you’ve seen before. “This Hook is a is a facet of Barrie’s personality. His job is to encourage Barrie to “pirate up” if you will, explore his darker side and write his own story – basically he helps him find his courage and conviction,” says Hewitt.

“This really is a show for the entire family,” says Hewitt. “It is a show about a show focusing on love, family, and finding the strength to go after what you believe. And along the way there is little humor and special effects added to enhance the wonder”. When I asked about the special effects Hewitt explained that they are beautiful in their simplicity. “I love the way that flying is handled in the show, it is unapologetically theatrical. I am sentimental and it always moves me,” admits Hewitt.

The magic of “Finding Neverland” opens at DPAC on Tuesday, May 23rd and runs through Sunday, May 28th. For tickets visit https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/finding-neverland.

Last weekend I took advantage of the nice weather and went for a run around the campus at Duke. Durham offers many great spots to run, but one of my favorites is along Campus Drive leading up to Duke Chapel. I had to stop for a moment and admire the view and grab this photo. This is graduation weekend at Duke so the chapel will be pretty busy with commencement ceremonies, but I highly recommend you check it later this summer when the campus is a little more quiet. To learn more about Duke Chapel visit https://chapel.duke.edu.

Reginald Cyntje peforms at Beyu Caffe this Friday Night
(Photo courtesy reginaldcyntje.com)

The weather is little iffy this weekend, but I’m hoping things hold off and don’t interfere with weekend plans too much. Here are my top picks for things to check out this weekend.

Friday – May 12th

Music at Beyu Caffe in Durham
Reginald Cyntje is a trombonist, educator, producer, and composer. On Friday night you can catch him at Beyu Caffe for either a 7pm and 9pm show. Reginald’s music is a combination of tradition and calypso style jazz influenced by the Caribbean music he heard growing up in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the social-justice missions that are a part of his persona, and grooves from the D.C. jazz scene. You can purchase tickets here.

Saturday – May 13th

Grow a Food Movement: Pizza in the Garden 
On Saturday take part in a community garden party complete with wood-fired pizza, local brews, and live music, to support the Raleigh Food Corridor! Hosted by the Irregardless Cafe and supported by Crank Arm Brewing, the event supports healthy food systems and healthy neighborhoods in Raleigh. Location is Well Fed Community Garden, 1321 Athens Dr. Learn more at raleighfoodcorridor.org. Tickets are $25 per person or $10 for Friends of the Corridor and can be purchased here.

Ritmo Latin Festival in Cary
Ritmo Latino is a free family festival that showcases Latino music, dance and arts. The festival includes live music, vendors, artists, Latin foods, dance lessons for adults and activities for children. All the fun goes down on Academy Street in Downtown Cary saturday from 12-7pm.

The Loose Strings Band –  Bond Park in Cary
The Loose Strings Band is an all female bluegrass band from Galax, Virginia, that has been together for 11 years. They are known in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and beyond for their tight vocal harmonies and sweet rhythms. This concert is FREE and open to the public! Performance is outside at the Sertoma Amphitheatre in Cary’s Bond Park 7-9pm. For more information visit https://pinecone.org/events/loose-strings-band.

Sunday – May 14th

Geek Craft Expo at The Armory in Durham
This is a FREE curated craft market featuring awesome handmade geek goods created by local artisans! GeekCraft Expo RDU will be held at the Durham Armory on Sunday from 11am to 6pm. For more info visit http://www.geekcraftexpo.com.