Berks native helms 'LoveNotes' off-Broadway; Genesius staging 'tick, tick ... BOOM!' [Spotlight]

Feb. 4—After a nationwide search for America's best love stories, Berks County native Heather Christie has assembled a cast of 18 storytellers to grace the stage at The Center at West Park, New York City, on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. to share their well-crafted essays about love.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, "LoveNotes!" is a romantic storytelling show in which real people share real stories about real love in all of its incarnations.

Produced and hosted by Christie, the show reveals true stories of first love, last love and all the love in between — tales from hilarious to heartbreaking to heartwarming — stories in which Cupid has shot someone in the heart and that person has lived to tell the tale.

Sam Baker, whose music is described by NPR's Terri Gross as, "simultaneously beautiful and broken, like cracked crockery," will make a rare New York City appearance as the musical accompaniment.

The cast includes Berks County writer Amy Impellizzeri and Christie's mother, Suzanne Christie, in addition to 16 other storytellers from all over the United States.

In-person tickets can be purchased at https://LoveNotes-InPerson.eventbrite.com. In addition, the show will be livestreamed, with tickets available at https://LoveNotes-Livestream.eventbrite.com.

----Genesius Theatre opens its 2024 season with the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning composer Jonathon Larson's semi-autobiographical rock musical, "tick, tick ... BOOM!," running Friday through Feb. 18 at its Reading playhouse.

The show is the precursor to Larson's hit musical "Rent," and is in many ways its origin story. Featuring a similarly rocking score, it offers a backstage tour of the love and sweat Larson put into making his Broadway musical dreams a reality. It includes such memorable songs as "30/90," "Comet to Your Senses," "No More" and the Sondheim-inspired "Sunday."

The production features Genesius veterans Daniel Graf as Jonathan, Cecilia Cooper as Susan, Corey Clark as Michael and Genesius newcomer Alessandra Fanelli as Karessa.

The musical is directed and produced by Genesius Artistic Director L J Fecho, who said, "I'm extremely excited to be working with this awesome team of artists on a production that is about the joyous, messy, complex and very detailed work of creation. At the heart, this playful, rock-filled musical begs the question of how we create a path for ourselves, have a regular life, and still somehow move the world around us."

Ellen Rochlin, a 17-year-old Genesius actor and senior at Antietam High School who has been in many Genesius productions since she was 11 years old, is the choreographer for the production.

Tickets cost $15 to $32.50. For show times, reservations and additional information, visit www.genesiusdifference.org.

Art

Presented in partnership with Berks Nature, "Nature All Around Us" is the latest major exhibition at the Reading Public Museum. It will be on view in the museum's Second Floor Temporary Exhibition Galleries through May 12.

An immersive experience, "Nature All Around Us" gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the wild plants and animals that share their communities. The exhibit features everything from natural history specimens to state-of-the-art digital integrations, including 3-D mapped projections, a virtual bicycle ride, digital periscopes, and fun and challenging games for all ages.

The exhibit also highlights the work of community scientists like Rebecca Ray, internationally recognized arachnid identifier. It was developed by the Natural History Museum of Utah, in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesota.

"'Nature All Around Us' asks visitors to see familiar places with new eyes and provides opportunities to learn and practice the skills of a naturalist," said Lisa Thompson, exhibit developer and interpretive planner at the Natural History Museum of Utah. "We hope to challenge the notion that urban environments are separate or at odds by showing the many ways they are inextricably linked, and to encourage the public to learn about planning, designing, and managing nature in their communities."

Several educational programs presented in coordination between the Reading Public Museum and Berks Nature will complement "Nature All Around Us." For details, see readingpublicmuseum.org.

The museum is open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission per day is $10 for adults (18-64), $6 for children (4 and older), seniors and college students with ID.

----Clay on Main, 313 Main St., Oley, presents a curated exhibition of work by David Gerbstadt, a Berwyn-based artist whose whimsical, colorful work reassures all that "You Are Loved," which serves as the exhibit title. An opening reception will be held today from 4 to 6 p.m.

Gerbstadt's art tells a story about his life and experiences illustrated with humor and kindness.

He states: "Creating has been a part of my life since I stood on a kitchen chair to reach the counter in order to help my mom make cakes and cookies from scratch. (She would always let me lick the mixer beaters.) My inspiration comes from my mother, who showed me that I was able to make something with my hands. My motivation comes from knowing that each moment of life is a gift that I am given, and that making art is why I am here.

"Art has given me a means to cope with several 'disabilities' and brings fulfillment in my life where I never thought possible. Making art allows me to feel part of society and that I belong."

Gallery hours are Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m.; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Fridays, 5 to 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; or by appointment. To learn more, visit www.clayonmain.org.

Books

Berks County children's author and illustrator Meg Auchenbach, a resident of Womelsdorf, released her first picture book, "If You Are an Artist," on Thursday via Peter Pauper Press.

Her author and illustrator debut is inspired by her former career as an elementary art teacher, where she watched children daydream, experiment and create. Her hope is to create stories that inspire magical thoughts and cultivate a sense of wonder.

In the book, she writes: "If you are an artist, you wonder ... How? Why? and What if? You daydream adventure, you stare at the stars, you let your imagination grow, and grow, and GROW! And most importantly, you know that the world is waiting for what YOU and only YOU can create. Because YOU are an artist."

The book follows young artists — each with their own individual contribution — through this inspirational homage to trusting your own voice, believing in yourself, and cultivating your creativity and sense of wonder to make the world a more beautiful place, according to the release.

A former K-12 art teacher, Auchenbach has been a professional illustrator since 2020. "If You Are an Artist" is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org.