Whidbey Island Center for the Arts Honored by Theatre Puget Sound

For a second year in a row, Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) has been honored by Theatre Puget Sound as the Gregory Awards People's Choice Organization of the Year for North Puget Sound. In addition to this award, WICA is the first theatre outside of Seattle to be nominated and win in lighting design for David Mackie’s work in the December 2023 production of Falstaff in Love. The arts organization was also in the running for Outstanding Community Engagement, which was won by Seattle Public Theatre.

"To be honored by our peers in this way is so gratifying," said WICA Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan. "It speaks to our mission here at WICA to make the arts accessible, to lift up voices, and to enrich lives by fostering these powerful shared experiences in the arts. It means so much to us to receive these honors and to be recognized for the quality of programming we bring to Whidbey Island."

Started in 1998, the Gregory Awards celebrate theatre throughout Puget Sound—highlighting the productions and talent among the numerous arts organizations that call this area home. These awards are examples of the impact that regional theatre can have on a community and statewide level, demonstrating that Washington State is a theatre destination.

This year, in addition to WICA, two other island organizations were among the top five in the North Puget Sound region—Island Shakespeare Festival and OutCast Productions.

"To be nominated with top regional organizations speaks volumes to the types of programming opportunities available here," added Duncan. "This island is an arts and cultural hub and this recognition reinforces that. It is an exciting time for Whidbey and proof that the arts are an intrinsic part of our identity."

To learn more about WICA's work to bring world-class programming and artists to Whidbey Island, visit wicaonline.org.

“A Change is Coming” with the Whidbey Island Nourishes Fundraiser at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts

On November 16, Whidbey Island Nourishes (WIN), in partnership with the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA), will host “A Change is Coming”—a fundraiser event for WIN at the WICA campus in Langley. Filled with intentional engagement, heartfelt conversations, and festive music, the event will feature a community social at 6 p.m., followed by the premiere of a short film highlighting WIN’s work on the island and a concert with American singer and songwriter LeRoy Bell. Bell is a favorite of local audiences, so attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets early, as his shows usually sell out. The ticket price is $100 and can be purchased online on the WICA website.

“For over fifteen years, WIN has worked to close the nutrition gap for South Whidbey Youth, many of whom rely on the free and reduced school lunch programs to meet their nutritional needs. WIN's meal programs help families grappling with food insecurity find a lifeline of support,” says Melinda Gardiner, WIN’s executive director. “WIN's programs, in collaboration with community partners and the South Whidbey School District, help guarantee that no child has to experience hunger and that every student has the opportunity to thrive.”

For the nonprofit, it’s about ensuring that every child is nourished, which is essential for “healthy growth, development, and overall well-being.”

Partnering with WIN for the fundraiser was the perfect collaboration opportunity for WICA Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan.

“We are a year-round cultural hub at WICA,” says Duncan. “We firmly believe it is our responsibility to work with our partners, our island community, and our supporters to help foster real and meaningful impact on this island. When WIN approached us about this fundraiser, it was the perfect blend of arts programming and social change that really speaks to WICA’s mission of enriching lives by creating powerful shared experiences in the arts.”

Event proceeds will directly support WIN’s work on Whidbey Island. “Your contribution is not just important, it's vital to empowering WIN's mission,” says Gardiner. “With your support, we can help nourish dreams and make a tangible difference in the lives of the children and teenagers who rely on WIN for nutritional assistance.”

To learn more about this event, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.wicaonline.org/events-calendar-view/achangeiscoming.

Whidbey Island Center for the Arts Brings Award Winning Playwright Bekah Brunstetter’s Touching Dramedy The Cake to its Stage

April Jane Herrild (left) as Macy and Alyssa Keene (right) as Della on the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts mainstage in The Cake.

Faith, family and frosting collide in The Cake, a touching and timely play by Tony-nominated playwright Bekah Brunstetter, who received the nomination this year for The Notebook on Broadway. Opening at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) on October 11, The Cake is based loosely on the Supreme Court case against the baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same sex couple. The play is set in Della’s Sweets bakery and is an honest, funny, touching story of how our lives can get turned upside down when we begin to question assumptions we’ve always had.

“Whenever I’m trying to figure out how to have a conversation, I write a play about it,” says Brunstetter.

“WICA is presenting a play about acceptance, sticking up for our values, and being kind,” adds WICA Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan. “We feel this is an especially relevant discussion in today’s environment.”

The WICA production, which is directed by Lani Brockman, will feature Alyssa Keene as Della, Cerys Zoe Bishop as Jen, April Jane Herrild as Macy, Tony Salome as Tim, and George Henny as George.

“This play is about love and growth and the willingness to step out of ones’ comfort zone to learn and understand,” says Brockman. “There is no villain in this play, just four people who have strong beliefs, biases and feelings.”

After a preview performance on October 10, the theatre series will officially open on October 11 and will run through October 26. WICA is thrilled to invite Washington State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu and retired Washington State Supreme Court Justice Bobbe Bridge to the stage for a talk back after the show on Sunday, October 13. Judge Yu performed the first legal Washington State same sex marriages in 2012.

Tickets are on sale now. To learn more about the theatre series and to purchase tickets, please visit www.wicaonline.org/thecake.

Capturing Magic Through the Photographer’s Lens

Photography is like a visual diary for Michael Foley—capturing the moments that speak to him. From travels in Botswana to hikes along the Ebey’s Bluff Trail, Foley’s photography is a collection of memories that immediately inspire. From a young age, a camera has never been far away. Given his first camera when he was around seven years old, Foley has been documenting the world around him for as long as he can remember.

“As I got older, I ‘borrowed’ my Dad’s Nikon in my teenage years,” he says. “Given my love of the outdoors, specifically hiking, carrying a camera became natural. Now, as an adult, there is always a camera within reach.”

This enduring love for photography is on display through October 23 at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) Lasher Gallery, where Foley will be showing more than 20 pieces from his collection.

“It is a distinct honor to be able to show my photographs,” says Foley. “It’s a great environment for any artist, with a generous amount of wall space. The WICA staff are all professional, helpful and kind. That helps me feel relaxed knowing I’m in good hands.”

“When I was first shown Michael's work I was so impressed by its scope and variety,” says James Hinkley, Lasher Gallery curator. “He captures so many evocative lines and textures from quite unexpected subject matter. Every image shows his truly unique and detailed point of view.”

For Foley, even though there is some nervousness in sharing his work with the community, it is an exciting opportunity to showcase the images that have really called to him over the years.

“I feel both excited and nervous,” he admits. “Who was it that said, ‘If you’re not a little bit scared, then the game isn’t big enough for you?’ Still, I’m not so nervous, because for this show, I’ve chosen images that simply make me smile. So, at the end of the day, the viewers can have their own experience and I’ll still be wearing a smile.”

Photography is the perfect blend of chance and skill that, for Foley, results in capturing unique moments in time. “Sometimes, moments pass so quickly they get missed altogether. There are elements of chance, but also elements of preparedness or skill. When these elements converge is when magic can happen!”

Ultimately, Foley wants viewers to be inspired by the show to explore nature in new ways. “I hope viewers enjoy the images, but more importantly, I hope people feel inspired to get outside and embrace the wonders of nature,” he says. “We live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, so we don’t have to go very far…there are beautiful moments right outside your door.”

Foley’s work will be on display until October 23. An artist reception will take place September 5 at 4:00 p.m. in the gallery.

American Blues and Soul Singer Martha Redbone at WICA

 A music icon will grace the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) mainstage on September 28 at 7:30 p.m. with a performance by vocalist, songwriter, composer, and educator Martha Redbone. Drawing from her childhood in Harlan County, Kentucky, and infused with the eclectic grit of pre-gentrified Brooklyn, the Martha Redbone Roots Project has been called “a brilliant collision of cultures…” by The New Yorker Magazine. Redbone has also been featured at The Kennedy Center and on PBS.

Redbone and her ensemble of masterful musicians take their audiences on an American music journey through times past and present, weaving the sounds of her childhood and her ancestral homelands in coal country, Harlan County, KY, celebrating the music of her multi-cultural Southeastern heritage. Music that conjures up stories from the early days of the mountain, embodying the folk, blues and gospel sounds from the ancestors of the Black migration mixed with Indigenous foundation of the region. Martha Redbone and her band invite you through sound and story to her HOME.

"We are thrilled to bring the Martha Redbone Roots Project to WICA," says Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan. "This is an unbelievable chance to see Redbone in a smaller, more intimate performance space. As a community arts center, we focus on creating opportunities like this for our patrons, giving them the chance to witness such amazing talent on our mainstage. This is really an experience that should not to be missed."

Tickets are currently on sale for the performance at WICA, which, along with Martha Redbone (vocals, percussion), will feature Aaron Whitby (Piano), Charlie Burnham (Violin), and Fred Cash, Jr. (Bass). Please visit the event website to learn more about this and to purchase tickets for this exciting programming opportunity.