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The University's First Lady is playing a leading role in the Columbia Festival of the Arts.
Donna Sorensen is co-chairing the first-ever event, which begins with an elegant black-tie-under-white-tents gala on the Horseshoe April 27 and ends with a free concert and fireworks at Finlay Park May 6.
"The festival is an 11-day, city-wide event that will celebrate the richness of the arts in Columbia," said Sorensen, who has been involved since November 2005. "It was Marvin Chernoff's idea. Marvin is deeply involved in the Columbia arts community, and his observation is that there are a huge number of arts events going on year-round, year after year, and people who live here just don't think of Columbia as being so rich in the arts. We hope the festival will change that."
Festival events include performances in music, dance, and theater; film showings; gallery shows; and open artist studios. Some events will be free, while some will require a purchased ticket.
The list of participants and performers is long and varied. In addition to the opening gala, the University will sponsor several events, including the USC Symphony Orchestra performing with guest artist Marvin Hamlisch; Theatre South Carolina's As You Like It; OPERA at USC's Postcard from Morocco; a USC Dance Company performance; and McMaster Gallery and McKissick Museum exhibits.
"Donna has been significantly involved in gathering together the University's performers and in organizing the gala," said Chernoff, who began the festival in earnest in August 2005. "She plays a major role on the finance committee. She has kept a careful eye on event funds, and has been vigilant to be sure it was all accounted for at every step. It's been a joy working with her."
Other University faculty and staff also are involved, including Mary Ann Fitzpatrick, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who serves on the festival's board of directors.
The gala is open to the public and will feature the culinary arts and a preview of some of the performances that will take place during the festival.
"There will be short performances from Trustus Theatre's Nunsense Amen, the cast of CATS from Town Theatre, Workshop Theatre's Ain't Misbehavin', Bil's Pickin' Parlor," Sorensen said. "It will be a wonderful evening. We hope a lot of our university people will come and celebrate the arts with us."
Both Sorensen and Chernoff see the festival as more than a one-time arts showcase.
"We hope the event is successful enough to become a regular event," Sorensen said. "People who go to these performances for the first time may become lifelong arts enthusiasts. We also hope people come from out of town to see what we have. It will be a good recruiting tool as the city recruits companies to locate here, and as USC recruits companies to join Innovista. I think it will be a big help in selling Columbia as a great place to be."
For more information, go to the festival's Web site at www.columbiafestivalofthearts.com.
4/07
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Donna Sorensen and Marvin Chernoff
