Two artists selected for AVA a-i-r program ‘Rumors’ abound on stage in Tillamook
Blaine Verley, Annie Eskelin granted three-month residency
TAPA presents Neil Simon comedy play Jan. 22 to Feb. 6
ASTORIA — Astoria Visual
Arts’ Artist-in-Residence Pro-
gram has selected Blaine Verley
of Astoria and Annie Eskelin
of :arrenton for the upcoming
three-month residencies, which
run Jan. 1 through March 30.
The two artists will work un-
encumbered in studios provided
rent-free by Astoria Visual Arts,
with support from Astoria Cof-
fee House & Bistro, Albatross
& Co., Astoria Co-op Grocery,
City Lumber, Dots ‘N Doodles
Art Supplies and Fort George
Brewery.
In his 40-plus years of pur-
suing painting, Verley has nev-
er worked out of a studio of his
own, set aside and furnished just
for creating art. He looks forward
to working with larger canvases
that he hasn’t been able to exe-
cute in his current work/living
space. Verley aims to continue to
chronicle “Astoria Nocturne,” a
visual idea he has pursued since
1983. “I truly feel as though I
am reaching my stride when it
comes to painting cityscapes,
landscapes, ¿gures, faces, still
life and purely inventive scenes
from dreamscapes and my imag-
ination,” he says.
In moving to Astoria, Eskelin
resigned as the executive director
for the arts center in La Grande, a
position that fed her artistic spirit
but also kept her busy from cre-
ating her own work.
“I am now a stay-at-home
mom and feel incredibly inspired
TILLAMOOK — The Tillamook
Association for the Performing
Arts presents the Neil Simon
comedy “Rumors,” directed
by Kelli McMellon.
The play opens Friday, Jan.
22 with an opening gala cele-
bration that includes compli-
mentary hors d’oeuvres and
a beverage of choice with the
purchase of each ticket. The
show runs through Feb. 6. Fri-
day and Saturday performanc-
es begin at 7 p.m., and Sun-
day matinees begin at 2 p.m.
Doors open 30 minutes prior
to curtain.
“Rumors” is set in a New
York townhouse, where the
Deputy Mayor of New York
City has just shot himself.
Though only a Àesh wound,
four couples are about to ex-
perience a severe attack of
farce. Gathering for their
10th wedding anniversary, the
host lies bleeding in the other
room, and his wife is nowhere
in sight. His lawyer and law-
yer’s wife must get “the story”
straight before the other guests
arrive. As confusion and mis-
communications mount, the
evening spins off into classic
farcical hilarity.
The cast for this comedy
include both theater veterans
as well as several actors mak-
ing their stage debut. Playing
Ken Gorman and his wife,
Chris, the well-to-do lawyers
who are ¿rst on the scene, are
Submitted photo
A painting by Blaine Verley.
Submitted photo
“Flounder and the Soul” by Annie Eskelin.
by this area,” she says. “I am ea-
ger for the opportunity to have
my own studio, experiment with
different mixed-media elements
and see what happens.”
Although she likes the inti-
macy of working small, Eskelin
will use her residency to work
on a larger scale and hopes to de-
velop a body of work to exhibit
locally.
The AVA a-i-r program is
designed to encourage the cre-
ative, intellectual and profession-
al growth of emerging artists.
:hile no exhibition, publication
or performance is required, com-
munity responsibility includes
a weekend open studio event
before the end of each AVA
a-i-r session. Finalists (currently
limited to locally based artists)
are chosen in a blind selection
process on the basis of artistic
merit by an independent panel of
established working artists and
arts patrons.
AVA was founded in 1989 as
a nonpro¿t membership orga-
nization to enhance, strengthen
and promote the arts in the As-
toria area. For more information,
visit www.astoriavisualarts.org
Best of 2 01 5
Submitted photo
TAPA will present the Neil Simon play “Rumors” Jan. 22 through Feb. 6 in Tillamook.
‘Rumors’
7 p.m. Friday and Saturday,
Jan. 22, 23, 29, 30, Feb. 5 and 6
2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24 and 31
Barn Community Playhouse
1204 Ivy St., Tillamook
$15 adults, $10 children
Christian Chiola and Anita
O’Hagan. Lenny and Claire
Ganz, who arrive after a car
accident, are played by new-
comer Joey Hake and TAPA
veteran Margaret Page. Dave
Mattison is in the role of Ernie
Cusack, a psychiatrist, and is
partnered by newcomer San-
dra Neumiller playing Ernie’s
wife, Cookie. Real-life couple
Micah and Briar Smith play
stage couple Glenn (a state
senator) and Cassie Cooper,
who is convinced Glenn is
cheating on her. Rounding out
the cast is Gerry Cortimilia
playing Of¿cer :elch and Su-
zannah Floyd playing Of¿ce
Pudney.
Tickets are $15 for adults
and $10 for children are 12
and under. Reserved seating
is available through Diamond
Art Jewelers located at 307
Main St.; call 503-842-7940.
For more information, email
info@tillamooktheater.com
Celebrating 35 years in Til-
lamook, TAPA is a nonpro¿t
community theater dedicat-
ed to providing high quality
performing arts experiences
through entertainment, educa-
tion and community participa-
tion. TAPA’s Barn Community
Playhouse is located at 1204
Ivy St.
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16 | January 21, 2016 | coastweekend.com
JAN UARY 28, 2016