First Posted: 3/14/2012

Last week the Dietrich kicked off its class series “Here’s Looking at You!” for students ages five to 12 years old. Under the direction of Stephanie Bush, Everhart Museum Educator, students drew self-portraits of themselves and had to think of one word to describe themselves.

It was neat to see how engaged these students were in creating their masterpieces. Over the next few weeks they will create even more portraits traditional and imaginative using a variety of media including paints, collage and clay. This class relates to the Everhart’s current exhibit Posing Beauty that is available for viewing at the museum through April 1. We are very lucky to have the Everhart so close to home.

We are also fortunate to have the opportunity to see live theatre in our area. I can hardly believe that the Dietrich’s production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Dale Wasserman based on the novel by Ken Kesey is less that a couple of week away. As I am writing this column, the cast and crew are busy painting and creating the set. So much time and talent goes into creating a show and we are the lucky recipients that are able to enjoy it.

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is the story of a rowdy misfit who lands in a mental hospital to avoid the work farm. At the hospital he doesn’t count on the complex psychological society he’s about to upend, the desperate need of the other downtrodden patients for a leader, or the sadistic control of the calm, smiling head nurse. Mischievous Randle P. McMurphy struggles to discover who really belongs in a mental ward, and realizes that he alone can liberate the patients from the merciless Nurse Ratched. But it just may be the ultimate sacrifice.

This community-based production directed by Jennifer Jenkins will be on the Dietrich stage for a five-day run from March 21 to 25. Tickets are available for Wednesday, March 21 at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 25 at 3 p.m. You will not want to miss this play. Tickets are $10 each.

For more information about show times or to reserve your tickets, please call us at 996.1500.

On Saturday, March 24 at 10 a.m. the Dietrich will also be hosting a special yoga class called ‘Yoga for the Spring Equinox.’ The spring equinox is the time to get things moving again and clear out our minds from a summer of activity. It is the perfect time to focus on cleansing and rejuvenation to detox the body and the mind, to rid ourselves of toxins. This Kundalini yoga class led by instructor Barbara Tierney will teach proper breathing and meditation techniques to rid the body of toxins which will help us feel lighter, healthier and more energetic. Admission is $10. For more information, please call the Dietrich at 996.1500.

As you can see the Dietrich is so much more than the movies!