NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 22, 1998

CARY TO HOST CULTURAL ARTS WEEKEND

CARY, NC -- To celebrate 20 years of arts programs, services, and facilities, the Town of Cary will host a Cultural Arts Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, September 26 & 27. Festivities will begin on Saturday morning and will include a number of unique events for the entire family. Most of the events are free, and citizens are encouraged to bring picnic meals.

"This weekend symbolizes the Town of Cary’s year-long commitment to arts of all kinds for all people in Cary," said Project Coordinator Judy Willard.

Cary’s Cultural Arts Weekend begins at 11:00 AM on Saturday with the dedication of the Cary Sertoma Amphitheater at Bond Park. Originally constructed in the 1980’s, Cary’s 300-seat Sertoma Amphitheater has just undergone a $162,000 renovation, including the addition of lighting to allow night performances, improved audio system, and new seats which have backs and are more comfortable. Additional Signage, parking, and paving was also part of the renovation.

The dedication will be followed by two free performances by the Raleigh Little Theater. The RLT family of actors will celebrate the natural sciences with Nature Fun Theater, two short productions directed by RLT Youth Theater Director, Maggie Rasnick. Appearing as various insects, reptiles, dinosaurs and mammals will be RTL’s Kathleen Rudolph, Mic Cover, Rasool J'han, and Tonya Cochran-Cooper. In addition, Storytellers, RTL’s select touring ensemble for teen actors, will perform excerpts from popular plays, stories, children's literature, and new works.

On Saturday evening at 7:30 PM, arts enthusiasts will enjoy The Carolina Ballet performance of Square Dance at Regency Park. Choreographed by George Balanchine with music by Antonio Vivaldi and Archangelo Corelli, Square Dance features soloists from the National Opera Company and live music from the Ciompi Quartet. After the performance, the audience will be invited to come on stage for a real hoe-down. Tickets will be available at the gate for $12.

On Sunday, Cultural Arts Weekend offers a 3:00 PM free literary lecture at Page-Walker Arts & History Museum on Jane Austen’s Two Inches of Ivory. The lecture will be followed by a free outdoor concert by the US Air Force Heritage Brass Quintet on the lawn at 5:00 PM. HBQ will span more than 350 years of musical history with a wide variety of chamber, patriotic, and popular tunes. The HBQ is part of the United States Air Force’s 60-piece Heritage of America Band based in Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.

Anyone wishing further information should call 469-4061 or visit the Town’s special Cultural Arts Weekend section on the Town’s website <www.townofcary.org>.

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PRIMARY CONTACTS: Judy Willard, Cary PRCR Projects Coord., 469-4065
Bill Coleman, Town Manager, 469-4002
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, 460-4951