SAVANNAH AFRICAN ART MUSEUM RELEASES IMPRESSIVE LINEUP OF UPCOMING SPRING EVENTS

SAVANNAH, GA – FEB. 28, 2022 – The Savannah African Art Museum has several impressive upcoming events on its spring agenda, including being a participant at the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System’s Youth Art Month event, hosting an “Exploring the Role of African Queen Mothers” workshop in celebration of Women’s History Month, and hosting another workshop coinciding with their newly launched cowrie shell exhibit, “Exploring the Use of Cowrie Shells as Currency.”

Savannah-Chatham County Public School System’s Youth Art Month event: Savannah African Art Museum Education, Community Outreach Liaison Lisa Jackson will have a table at the event, engaging the community about the Museum’s West and Central African collection and distributing unique African motif bookmarks with quotes about art and a QR code to scan for information on their spring workshops. SCCPSS Youth Art Month is Saturday, March 5 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Bull Street Library, located at 2002 Bull St, Savannah, GA 31401. Also joining Jackson at the Museum’s table will be artist, SCCPSS art teacher and Scribble Art Studio owner Paige Byrne, a new community collaborator of the Museum.

Byrne, and her husband, Geoff Byrne are artists and art teachers who co-own and operate Scribble Art Studio across the street from the museum. Byrne will promote the studio’s Summer Studio Camp, which includes a sketching class for middle school-aged students. During Scribble’s camp, participants will spend time at the Savannah African Art Museum learning about and sketching pieces of art from the museum’s collection. For more information on Scribble’s camp, please visit www.scribbleartstudiosav.com. 

“Exploring the Role of African Queen Mothers” workshop: In honor of March being Women’s History Month, the Savannah African Art Museum is holding a workshop on Saturday, March 12 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. titled “Exploring the Role of African Queen Mothers” at the museum’s Upbeat Village Terracotta Gallery, located at 201 East 37th Street, Savannah.

Workshop attendees will learn about two important history-making Queen Mothers: Idia, who was the first Queen Mother of Benin, and Yaa Assantawa, who was the Queen Mother of the Ashanti Empire (now part of modern-day Ghana). Attendees will also make their own crown of flowers and other materials to honor mothers.

“Exploring the Use of Cowrie Shells as Currency” workshop: The Savannah African Art Museum is holding a workshop on Saturday, April 9 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. titled “Exploring the Use of Cowrie Shells as Currency” at the museum’s Upbeat Village Terracotta Gallery, located at 201 E. 37th St., Savannah. 

Participants will learn the history of the use of cowrie shells as currency in Africa and then will make a cowrie shell ink stamp with a potato and decorate their own draw-string currency pouches.

Please note that both the March12 and April 9 workshops are held in a room that is accessible by stairs only; no elevator or wheelchair access is available. All participants will be required to wear masks. To register for either workshop or for more information, please visit www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org or call 912-721-7745.

– ENDS –

For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651 or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377). 

GEORGIA TECH-SAVANNAH TO HOST FREE BUSINESS SEMINAR ON SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS IN 2022 AND BEYOND

SAVANNAH, GA – FEBRUARY 28, 2022 – Georgia Tech-Savannah is slated to host the next in their series of breakfast Learners and Leaders seminars to facilitate discussion about the hot topic of supply chain and logistics. This hybrid seminar will be held both on-campus (210 Technology Circle, Savannah) and virtually from 8-9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 19 with breakfast commencing at 7:30 a.m. for those on-campus. 

Supply chain and logistics is now a common phrase used by everyone around the world. There are many questions about how to capitalize on the expediting of technology, business model, and innovation change that has been exhibited during the past two years. During this event, Tim Brown, Managing Director of the Georgia Tech Supply Chain and Logistics Institute, will moderate a panel of experts with topics of discussion ranging from workforce development and future freight flows to the impact on the economic climate.

Participants will hear Mark Ferzacca – Vice President of Warehousing at Matson Logistics Warehousing, Inc., Brian Greene – Chief Supply Chain Officer at HMTX Industries, Eric Howell – CEO of Port City Logistics, Sandy Lake – Director of Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics, and Cliff Pyron – Chief Commercial Officer at Georgia Ports Authority. 

“Learners and Leaders is designed to bring people together in the community to discuss important business topics, and the opportunities in the supply chain and logistics world are front of mind for many people. It’s important to discuss where we are today and to look beyond 2022 to strategize about how businesses can keep their momentum and succeed in this very unique environment,” said Tim Brown, Managing Director of the Georgia Tech Supply Chain and Logistics Institute. “This event is both in-person and virtual, so it is widely accessible to many people. I believe participants will be interested to hear from business leaders who have extensive experience with supply chain and logistics and value the opportunity to ask questions.” 

Attendance is free, but registration is required. To register for this event, please visit 

https://2022supplychain.eventbrite.com. 

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH SAVANNAH:

Georgia Tech-Savannah provides educational experiences for learners of all ages. Our multitude of learning platforms are tailored to meet the needs of a diverse population, from working professionals pursuing career development and those seeking specific certifications to children eager to explore and discover. Georgia Tech-Savannah’s professional education, training and military programs encourages participants to challenge themselves and meet goals by sharpening existing skills and picking up valuable new ones. We’re proud to bring cutting-edge technology, applied research capabilities and innovation to the Coastal Empire, where our campus also serves as a home for various Georgia Tech affiliates, institutes, and centers. To learn more, visit us at pe.gatech.edu/savannah.

THE SALVATION ARMY OF SAVANNAH COMMUNITY CENTER TO HOST RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR GYM RENOVATION ON MARCH 7

SAVANNAH, GA. – Feb. 28, 2022 – The Salvation Army of Savannah is slated to host a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 7 at the Community Center, located on 3000 Bee Rd, Savannah, GA 31404, to celebrate the center’s renovations which include a new gym floor. This new floor will allow The Salvation Army of Savannah to create more programs for the community center. 

This ribbon cutting event will have TSA Cadets-in-training who will be able to chat with attendees as well as various performances by the Savannah Philharmonic. Major Paul Egan will say a few words about the exciting new programs that the organization will implement including new sports teams and offering more youth educational activities. Guests at this event will also hear from a community member who has grown up in TSA’s Community Center and how it changed their life. Finally, everyone will gather for the cutting of the ribbon and attendees will be available to view and play in the renovated gym space. 

We are so fortunate to have such generous donors who help make projects like this possible to improve our facility for the community,” said Major Paul Egan. “This was a much-needed update to our community center that will help serve people who benefit from The Salvation Army of Savannah’s various programs for years to come.”

Much of the work, including demolition, was completed by volunteers from the community. Even with some construction delays, the new floors took just under three months to complete.

The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services without discrimination whatever people’s background, social-economic status, race, gender or sexual orientation.  By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood

For more information about TSA, please visit www.salvationarmygeorgia.org/savannah/ or call 912-200-3004. 

– ENDS –

For media inquiries and interviews, please contact Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, or Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457.

THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED!

Here is a sentence I never expected to write.  Last weekend my husband and I saw The Eagles perform live in Savannah.   When we first visited Savannah in 2003 and then not long afterwards decided to make Coastal Georgia our home, it never occurred to us that this small, charming historic city would someday attract world class acts like The Eagles.  Of course, this was before Coastal Georgia’s dramatic growth, and long before the new Enmarket Arena arrived on the scene.  It was simply fantastic to join 9,500 other music fans who came to see The Eagles play.  This wonderful evening was proof to me that the exciting three dimensional world is returning in all its noisy glory! There seems to be a pent up demand to enjoy live concerts, theatre, movies, festivals, gala events and worship.

Seeing The Eagles has long been on my husband’s bucket list, so we splurged on 4th row seats for last Saturday night’s concert as a joint Christmas gift.  It was worth every penny and more.  As Don Henley said to the audience, their goal was to provide a three hour vacation from all the stress, hassle, and angst in the world, and boy did they deliver. The set opened with Hotel California, and they played every song in that album.  After the break, they played all their other hits and, as Joe Walsh said, “Wow, we’ve been everywhere, but tonight is the first time we’ve been to Savannah!”

The Eagles began in 1971, when Texan Don Henley and Glenn Frey from Michigan were independently hired to perform as part of Linda Ronstadt’s band. Frey and Henley became friends and formed The Eagles, becoming the driving artistic forces in the band.  After some changes in the early years, key members of The Eagles’ line-up consisted of Henley, Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit.

I was a bit young for the Eagles’ heyday but older friends and relatives introduced me to their music in my teens in the 80s.  My husband, as a teenager in the US Midwest in the 1970s, loved their music with a passion but had never seen them perform live until last Saturday night as they kicked off their Hotel California North America tour here in Savannah.  In spite of the fact that Henley, Walsh and Schmit are all in their mid-70s they were in fine form.  Joe Walsh did comment to the audience that he “had more fun in his 20s in the 70s than in his 70s in the 20s” but his energy was impressive.  Of course, Glenn Frey died in 2016 but Schmit, a cancer survivor, still hit all the right notes and Don Henley’s voice did not seem to have aged at all. 

The Eagles were era-defining as their particular brand of country rock was very distinct from the disco sounds, heavy metal and glam rock of many other bands of the 1970s.  Against a backdrop including the likes of David Bowie, Deep Purple and Kiss, they became known as that great band that just walked onto stage in their blue jeans and began to play.  After the height of fame following the release of their masterpiece Hotel California album they disbanded in 1980, as punk and new wave music was becoming more popular.  After the band’s breakup, Don Henley was asked when the Eagles would play together again, and he replied “when hell freezes over”.  So, with a bit of self-deprecating humor in 1994, The Eagles reunited and released their album Hell Freezes Over.  The band toured pretty consistently until Glenn Frey died in 2016, but The Eagles re-formed in 2017, with Glenn’s son Deacon Frey and Vince Gill sharing lead vocals for Frey’s songs.

The Eagles are one of the best-selling bands in history, having sold more than 200 million records, including 100 million in US alone. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and were ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone‘s 2004 list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”.  In the USA, the band had five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards.   There is a lot more information at www.eagles.com

The Eagles were not quite as popular in the UK with only one top ten hit, Hotel California.  Joe Walsh is also not as well known in the land of my birth, but my husband was thrilled when as an unexpected bonus Walsh played some of his solo hits including scorching versions of ‘Funk #49’ and ‘Rocky Mountain Way’.  As for me, I was equally excited when Don Henley played one of his own solo hits ‘Boys of Summer’. I very distinctly remember motoring around London in my little Honda in 1984 listening to this fantastic song on the radio as it hit the UK charts.  And now, live in Savannah in 2022, it was even better.

I leave you this week with a poignant quote from the legendary Eagles front man Glenn Frey. “People don’t run out of dreams – people just run out of time.”

God Bless America!

– ENDS –

Lesley grew up in London, England and made Georgia her home in 2009.  She can be contacted at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com  or via her PR and marketing agency at www.lesleyfrancispr.com

 

GEORGIA TECH-SAVANNAH TO OFFER IN-PERSON OSHA TRAINING CLASSES IN 2022

SAVANNAH, GA. – February 22, 2022 – Georgia Tech-Savannah is offering in-person Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHA) courses throughout 2022. The educational offerings focus on a variety of relevant topics and important OSHA principles and applications. 

Georgia Tech-Savannah’s nationally recognized safety and health training solutions are especially popular in the coastal region, given the proximity to the GA Port of Savannah, distribution center, warehouses, etc. As one of only four OSHA Training Institute Education Centers, Georgia Tech-Savannah offers training for the construction and general industries from Savannah to South Carolina, northern Florida, and beyond. 

The courses are designed to provide participants with the skills needed to help companies reduce accidents, save money, lower worker’s compensation premiums, and increase promotion opportunities and make a positive impact in the workplace. In addition, all these courses are applicable to one of Georgia Tech’s certificates in occupational safety and health. The following courses are scheduled as indicated: 

● OSHA 502: Update for Construction Industry Outreach Trainers
March 8-10 or July 12-14, 2022

● OSHA 503: Update for General Industry Outreach Trainers
March 8-10 or July 12-14, 2022

● OSHA 510: Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Construction Industry
April 26-29 or September 13-16, 2022

● OSHA 511: Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry
April 26-29 or September 13-16, 2022

● NFPA 70E: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace
May 2, 2022

● OSHA 3095: Electrical Standards
May 3-6, 2022

● OSHA 501: Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry
May 17-20 or October 4-7, 2022

● OSHA 500: Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Construction Industry
May 17-20 or October 4-7, 2022

● OSHA 5410: Safety and Health Standards for the Maritime Industry
June 6-10, 2022

● EST 7000: Scaffolding Safety
August 15, 2022

● OSHA 521: OSHA Guide to Industrial Hygiene
August 16-19, 2022

● OSHA 3015: Excavation, Trenching, and Soil Mechanics
August 16-19, 2022

● OSHA 3115: Fall Protection
September 27-30, 2022

● OSHA 2045: Machinery and Machine Guarding Standards
November 1-4, 2022

“All OSHA classes are back to being 100 percent in-person again this year, and we couldn’t be more pleased to connect personally with our participants again and have them on campus,” said Diane Lee, Executive Director of the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus. “We hope individuals and business take advantage of this opportunity to obtain stellar safety and health training to help make a progressive impact in the workplace.”

For more information or to register for one of the OSHA courses, please visit www.pe.gatech.edu/savannah/courses. For more information on the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus, visit www.pe.gatech.edu/savannah.

Georgia Tech’s OSHA Training Institute Education Center (OTIEC) will occasionally offer reduced rate seminars in Atlanta or Savannah. These seminars are the perfect solution for those looking to take a Georgia Tech OSHA course but are not sure where to start. Online registration is required to attend all seminars. Seats fill up fast, please visit www.oshainfogatech.edu for up-to-date information on seminars. 

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH SAVANNAH:

Georgia Tech-Savannah provides educational experiences for learners of all ages. Our multitude of learning platforms are tailored to meet the needs of a diverse population, from working professionals pursuing career development and those seeking specific certifications to children eager to explore and discover. Georgia Tech-Savannah’s professional education, training and military programs encourages participants to challenge themselves and meet goals by sharpening existing skills and picking up valuable new ones. We’re proud to bring cutting-edge technology, applied research capabilities and innovation to the Coastal Empire, where our campus also serves as a home for various Georgia Tech affiliates, institutes, and centers. To learn more, visit us at pe.gatech.edu/savannah.

ASBURY MEMORIAL CHURCH INTRODUCES NEW PROGRAMS (IN-PERSON AND ONLINE)

SAVANNAH, GA – February 21, 2022 – Asbury Memorial Church has announced the return of its innovative Godly Play program for children attending church through the fifth grade, every Sunday during the church’s 11:15 a.m. worship service. Godly Play is based on Montessori principles and focuses clearly and deeply on children’s spirituality. This evolves, enhances, supports, and enlarges the quality of relationships in other activities for children and their families. The Godly Play Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 educational corporation created for the purpose of promoting and guiding Godly Play practice through research, training, and resources.

“We have missed offering children these special ways to experience God and the stories of the Bible, but now it’s back,” said Asbury Memorial Rev. Billy Hester.

Asbury Memorial has also introduced a new eight-week study which is hosted online, based on the Julia Cameron book titled, “Seeking Wisdom: A Spiritual Path to Greater Connection.” This study is facilitated by Rev. Claire Marich, and is offered via Zoom on Wednesday evenings. All are welcome to join the study and take advantage of this opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with others. 

Asbury Memorial Church is a Christ-centered, forward-thinking, all-embracing congregation that celebrates the joy of God creatively. For more information about Asbury Memorial, please visit www.asburymemorial.org.

– ENDS –

For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com, Lesley Francis at lesley@leasleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

BRYAN COUNTY BARK PARK TO HOST RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR NEW ADDITIONS – FEB. 22

RICHMOND HILL, GA – February 18, 2022 – The Bryan Bark Park is slated to host a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new entrance pavilion and expanded washing station at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 22 at the park, located at 15849 Ga Highway 144 Richmond Hill, GA 31324. Refreshments will be served to attendees with two or four legs.

Because of a generous donation from Richmond Hill residents Bob and Charlotte Mock, the Bark Park now has a brand-new entrance pavilion and updated, stainless steel washing stations. The construction, handled by local contractor Ted Flake, took nearly eight months to complete. The Bark Park serves an estimated 1,000 dogs monthly and that is expected to increase due to these upgraded amenities. 

“We are incredibly thankful for Bob and Charlotte Mock whose generous donation has fully funded the construction of a new entrance pavilion and expanded dog wash station,” said Bark Park President Wendy Bolton. “When we first started plans for the park ten years ago, I could only dream of something like this happening, and now it’s a reality through the kind donations and amazing support of community members.” 

The Bryan County Bark Park’s mission is to provide a dog park for the Richmond Hill, GA area which is safe for families and where well-behaved dogs can be let off their leashes to run free. Funds raised help ensure the Bryan County Bark Park continues to provide a well maintained and clean environment for all responsible dog owners in our community.

For more information or to make a donation to the Bryan County Bark Park , go to www.bryanbarkpark.com, call 912-268-0364 or email Woof@bryanbarkpark.com 

– ENDS –

For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457 or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377). 

BEYOND THE BELL UPSON COUNTY HOSTS “UNDERSTANDING OPIOID USE & ABUSE” FREE COMMUNITY EVENT – THURSDAY MARCH 17 AT 6 P.M.

UPSON COUNTY, GA. – February 18, 2022 – Beyond The Bell Upson County is slated to host a free community event “Understanding Opioid Use & Abuse” from 6 – 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 17 at the Thomaston-Upson Civic Center, located at 101 Civic Center Drive Thomaston, Ga. 30268. Law enforcement, medical professionals, and the fire department will update attendees about how opioids impact individuals and their families. 

Speakers for this town hall event include Upson County Sheriff Dan Kilgore, Fire Chief Renee Harris, and Upson County Health Department Registered Nurse Jennifer Rooks who will address the impact of opioids that they have seen in their professional lives. There will be a Q&A session with all speakers following the event and dinner will be provided to attendees.

“The goal of this free town hall event is to raise awareness of the opioid problem in the Upson community and that opioid addiction not only brings danger to the individual, but their entire family,” said Executive Director Sandra Dean. “We believe that the expertise of the guest speakers will give insight into what our community is experiencing right now and what steps we can take to help prevent opioid misuse and abuse in our community’s youth.”

Beyond The Bell, along with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) provides tools and evidence-based strategies to train, educate, and support youth and families in the prevention of alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use and abuse. 

For more information about this free community event, visit Beyond The Bell’s Facebook and Instagram, @beyondthebellupsoncounty. For more information on Beyond The Bell and its programs/resources, please visit www.beyondthebellkids.org. 

– ENDS –

For media inquiries, please contact Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com, Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-547-3100 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

HISTORIC SAVANNAH FOUNDATION LAUNCHES MULTI-FACETED AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVE

SAVANNAH, GA – FEBRUARY 16, 2022 – Historic Savannah Foundation launched its new Affordable Housing Initiative Wednesday, Feb. 16 with a kick-off event designed to celebrate the first phase of the new multi-faceted program. 

The nonprofit preservation organization is addressing the city’s lack of affordable housing in conjunction with a few partner agencies, including the Savannah Dream Maker Home Buyer Assistance Program, the Savannah Landbank Authority, and some private buyers/investors. 

The launch was held at 607 W. 39th St., a small historic home that HSF is rehabilitating to be sold as affordable housing. The house is in Cuyler-Brownville, which is a neighborhood on the west side of Savannah that is part of a locally protected historic district. HSF is working to save and protect vulnerable vacant buildings in the neighborhood, which has lost about 100 historic homes in the last 20 or so years, according to Ryan Arvay, HSF’s Director of Preservation & Historic Properties. This problem is worsening due to a variety of factors.

“It’s mostly because of a high vacancy rate – nearly 30 percent. When absentee property owners don’t maintain their properties, then code compliance officers cite them and issue violations due to valid housing and safety concerns. If a property owner does not rectify or fix the issue then, after a while, code compliance often takes the property to recorder’s court and can appeal to a judge for a court-ordered demolition, which supersedes any local protection. And that’s when historic homes are torn down,” Arvay said. “Other times, a homeowner passes away and leaves no will, or no one to take ownership. Or perhaps, a homeowner does will the home to a relative, but that relative doesn’t have the resources to fix it up.”

Arvay said HSF’s team, led by CEO & President Sue Adler, is committed to avoiding gentrification, which is when improvements to a neighborhood change its character and draw in new businesses and wealthier residents that displace the current inhabitants due to a higher cost of living. 

To combat that, HSF is partnering with the Dream Maker Home Buyer Assistance Program on the West 39th Street home. The program, offered through the City of Savannah’s Housing & Neighborhood Services Department, helps with down payments for qualified low-income, first-time buyers. 

The home was donated to HSF, which is executing the rehabilitation of the property – something they don’t typically do. Instead, when HSF acquires a historic home, they usually stabilize it and sell it to a preservation-minded buyer. As part of the new Affordable House Initiative, however, HSF will be working with LCLS Inc., a minority-owned construction company operated by contractor Freddie Lucas. 

If the refurbishment and sale of this first home goes well, HSF will continue the initiative with subsequent homes in the Cuyler-Brownville neighborhood with the goal of providing more affordable housing options for Savannah’s residents. 

“There is a huge need for affordable housing right now in Savannah, and preservation is actually a good means for providing affordable housing. We have all this unused housing stock just sitting there. So, instead of building more units, we thought, ‘Let’s capitalize on the initial investment of materials, energy, labor and fix these up. Then, we’ll restrict their use to keep them affordable,’” Arvay said. “We won’t sell them any other way.” 

Historic Savannah Foundation, a leading nonprofit preservation and cultural institution, saves buildings, places, and stories that define Savannah’s past, present, and future. Following its formation in 1955, the organization started a Revolving Fund to save endangered historic properties, now totaling nearly 410 buildings throughout several of Savannah’s historic districts. HSF continues to build capacity within its operations, secure new financial resources, improve its image and visibility, and increase public policy efforts to protect Savannah’s historic districts. For more information, visit www.myhsf.org or call 912-233-7787, and follow HSF on their social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

-ENDS-

For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651 or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

WORLD-RENOWNED OPERATIC BARITONE SHERRILL MILNES STARS IN OPERA NAPLES’ PRODUCTION OF ‘ON THE TOWN’ – MARCH 14, 2022 

NAPLES, FL – Feb. 15, 2022 – World-renowned operatic baritone Sherrill Milnes has been invited by Opera Naples to star as the narrator of their production of the Broadway classic, On the Town. The one-time performance of this musical will begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 14 in Cambier Park located at 755 8th Ave S, Naples, FL.

On the Town is set in New York City where three sailors are caught up in a whirlwind of an adventure searching for love 24-hours before heading off to battle in World War II. This musical is based on the 1944 ballet Fancy Free. Developed by Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, the musical score of On the Town has produced several songs that remain as some of the largest Broadway hits to date. 

“I have gotten to know Sherrill over the years now and working with him again will be such a joy,” said Artistic Director, Ramón Tebar, “We are thrilled to have him joining our cast for this American classic. Sherrill Milnes is one of the greatest and most distinguished American baritones and we are honored to have his participation in our Festival. This will definitely be a performance to remember.” 

Milnes is the winner of three Grammy Awards and is the most recorded American singer of his time. In 2008, Milnes received the Opera News Award for Distinguished Achievement for his world-renowned work. Milnes has sung in over 650 performances at the Metropolitan Opera, where he was honored with 16 new productions, seven opening nights, and 10 national telecasts. As a leading artist in the world’s great opera houses, Milnes has performed and recorded with Domingo, Pavarotti, Caballé, Sutherland, Sills, Horne, Price and Tebaldi. 

Tickets for On the Town currently start at $28 for general admission. Opera Naples members will receive discounted tickets. Limited wheelchair accessibility is available. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.operanaples.org/on-events/on-the-town-2022/, call (239) 963-9050 or email info@operanaples.org. 

 

-ENDS-

For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457, Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-547-3100, Lesley Francis at lesley@francis.com or 912-429-3950 or the team at LFPR on 912-417-5377.