JCWK Dance Lab presents the inaugural Greater Reading Area Dance Exchange (GRADE) Festival on March 13 at 7:30 p.m., March 14 at 7:30 p.m. and March 15 at 4 p.m. at Alvernia University’s Francis Hall Theatre.
Each 90-minute performance features a different program of artists and is family friendly. Alvernia University has on site parking and Francis Hall Theatre is ADA accessible. Tickets are $20-$25 for each performance. Group rates and individual 3-day passes are available. For tickets and more information visit jcwkdancelab.org/gradefestival.
The JCWK Dance Lab will present the Greater Reading Area Dance Exchange Festival. (Courtesy of JCWK Dance Lab)
Led by Berks-County native Jessica Warchal-King, JCWK Dance Lab creates joy, connection, and wellness through story sharing and dance. The GRADE Festival showcases Berks County’s diversity of styles — from ballet to bachata — and ages, with dancers from 18 to 88. The three-day experience coincides with America’s 250 anniversary, utilizing dance to build community and support mental and physical health.
Amanda Pena is a Flamenco dancer.
“I am excited to be a part of an event that’s going to showcase the talent, artistry, and passion for dance that exists in our community,” Pena said. “I hope that these performances will give the audience the opportunity to witness the healing power of dance and music, and inspire them to get involved in the dance community in Berks.”
Participating artists and organizations are all based in the Greater Reading area. In addition to Pena, they include Adam Kissinger, Albright College Dance Team; Alvernia University Dance Company; Alvernia University Dance Team; Barrio Alegria/Grupo Airhani; Go Getter Movement Studioz; Helena Zahra; The Heritage Hotties (from The Heritage of Green Hills); Hooley School of Irish Dance; JCWK Dance Lab; Klassic Contemporary Ballet Company; Latin AF; Que Rico Latin Dance Company; Reading Rebelettes; Reading Royals Ice Angels; WH Dance Academy; and Xion Step and Dance Team.
“I’m thrilled to see GRADE come to life because I know what dance means to this community,” said Anthony Orozco, director of operations and communications for Barrio Alegria. “Movement is healing, expression, and joy for our people. When we see dance, we see tradition or maybe something completely new. This festival and its art form connects us to each other but more importantly, it connects us to ourselves.”
“The GRADE Festival brings the community together through culture, music, and movement,” said Crystal Carper, founder and director of Hooley School of Irish Dance. “We hope audiences walk away inspired, energized, and reminded of how powerful the arts can be in connecting people of all ages.”
Exhibits
The Reading Public Museum, 500 Museum Road, presents Re-Discovering Native America: Stories in Motion with The Red Road Project, a compelling photo-docuseries on view through May 3.
The Red Road Project, “Sage in the Colorado River,” 2014, a photograph on fine art giclee paper. (Courtesy of Bedford Gallery)
This exhibition highlights inspiring stories of present-day Native American individuals and communities, providing a platform for them to share their past, present, and future in their own voices — a perspective too often excluded from the historical record.
Featuring more than 90 color photographs and a video, Re-Discovering Native America explores contemporary narratives of Indigenous communities across the United States.
This is a nationally traveling exhibition organized by Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, Calif.
The exhibition is the result of more than a decade of work by multicultural artist duo Danielle SeeWalker (Hunkpapa and Oglala Lakota) and Carlotta Cardana, founders of The Red Road Project. Since 2013, the artists have documented Native stories that speak to themes of Language, Land Connection, Reservation Life, Urban Natives, Two Worlds, Activism, and Seventh Generation.
Their intention is to redirect the narrative toward an accurate and insightful representation of contemporary Native America, while reclaiming language and stories lost to stereotypes and erasure.
“This exhibition powerfully challenges longstanding stereotypes by centering the lived experiences of Indigenous people today.” said curator Scott Schweigert. “By featuring over a decade of work by The Red Road Project, the museum invites our visitors to move beyond the historical lens and engage with the vibrant, evolving, and resilient voices of contemporary Indigenous communities.”
In February 2024, The Red Road Project conducted a residency in the Bay Area, gathering new photographs and stories of Indigenous communities based in Northern California. These works, alongside national stories collected since 2013, are featured in this installation at RPM.
Through this ongoing series, The Red Road Project illustrates how Native American tribes and nations have endured and resisted centuries of cultural suppression, while powerfully expressing the resilience, revitalization, and continuity of Indigenous life today.
Museum admission per day is $14 adults, 18-64; $8 children/seniors/college students (w/ID); and free to members and children 3 years old and under. Currently enrolled Reading School District students and up to five accompanying guests receive free regular museum admission and free admission to public Neag Planetarium shows with proof of enrollment. The museum is open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit online at www.readingpublicmuseum.org.
About The Red Road Project: Founded in 2013 by Danielle SeeWalker (Hunkpapa and Oglala Lakota) and Italian photographer Carlotta Cardana, The Red Road Project is an ongoing photo-documentary series dedicated to amplifying the voices of Native American individuals and communities who are enacting positive change and carrying cultural traditions forward for future generations.
Theater
Reading Civic Theatre, 4350 Perkiomen Ave., Exeter Township, will be holding auditions for its upcoming production of the musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” on March 22 from 1-6 p.m. Check for casting requirements and audition materials at readingcivict.org.
There will also be a perusal night on March 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the RCT for anyone interested in auditioning to receive additional information, details about the production and a chance to review the audition music if desired. To sign up for auditions, visit readingcivic.org.
Performance dates are June 12,13,14 and 19, 20, 21 at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” is a timeless comedy and is the first musical that Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics for. It blends the ancient Roman farces of Plautus with the fast-paced energy of vaudeville.
The story follows Pseudolus, a clever and scheming slave who longs to win his freedom. He sees his chance when his young master, Hero, falls in love with Philia, a naïve courtesan who lives next door in the house of Marcus Lycus, a dealer in beautiful women. There’s one major problem: Philia has already been sold to the braggart Roman captain Miles Gloriosus.
Pseudolus promises to help Hero win Philia in exchange for his freedom. What follows is a whirlwind of disguises, mistaken identities, elaborate lies, jealous husbands, overbearing parents, and perfectly timed chaos.
As the lies spiral hilariously out of control, secrets are revealed, identities are untangled, and love ultimately triumphs. Through quick wit and outrageous schemes, Pseudolus manages to secure freedom — proving that in this madcap Roman comedy, cleverness beats authority every time.
The musical is famous for its high-energy opening number, “Comedy Tonight,” which sets the tone for the show’s nonstop farce and physical comedy.
Books
Mike Reinert of West Reading has written a second daily devotional book, “Red Letter Devotional,” published by Masthof Press. It features verses from Scripture where Jesus speaks, which many Bibles print in red letters, for each day of the year, along with a brief message and a prayer included.
“Jesus speaks to you each day,” Reinert said. “The devotional is designed to give you inspiration on the go.”
It is available at Masthof Bookstore in Morgantown and through the author.
Reinert’s first book, “Meet With God Daily Devotional” (2016), features a Scripture verse for each day of the year, and more in-depth messages, many from personal experiences, along with a prayer included. It is also available through Masthof Press.
Reinert works for WFMZ-TV 69 Berks Edition in Reading as an advertising account executive and host of the “Berks Time Train” local history reports. He also serves as a certified lay minister and pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Reading.