Roll Call, Role Model: Tyrai Anderson sets his eyes on his next goal—becoming a Harrisburg police officer and inspiring city youth

September 30, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Tyrai Anderson

Tyrai Anderson was always running.

As a high school student at Bishop McDevitt in Harrisburg, Anderson played football, basketball and track and field. In 2009, his track team won the school’s first championship for the sport. Also that year, the football team came out on top as the Mid Penn champions.

He went on to play football at Lock Haven University and was even an NFL prospect, he said.

Anderson started sports when he was young. His mom signed him up to help him stay out of trouble.

When he was 9 years old, a teacher caught him with a pocketknife he found on the ground. The school had just switched to a “zero tolerance” policy. He was in trouble.

“I’ve never been a trouble-maker; I’ve been a kid,” he said. “As a little kid, I had already been going through the juvenile system.”

Growing up in the city, Anderson remembers other encounters with the police.

“I would always resent experiences that I had—run-ins with the police,” he said. “I could’ve easily been someone that had a dislike for law enforcement.”

Back in his football days, Anderson faced his opponents head-on, clashing, tackling, outrunning. But with the police, it was different.

There was a clash, but he decided not to run.

“I always told myself—rather than run away from my fear, why don’t I do something about it?” he said.

Anderson is now enrolled in the Police Academy at HACC. His goal is to graduate and serve as an officer in Harrisburg’s Bureau of Police.

Unique Perspective

Anderson didn’t always see himself as a police officer, mainly because most officers he encountered didn’t look like him.

He wanted to be an athlete, and there were plenty of role models in that realm. One of his influencers was Chris “Handles” Franklin of the Harlem Globetrotters, who mentored him through basketball.

As Anderson grew older, he began to see people of color, like Harrisburg Commissioner Thomas Carter, in law enforcement positions.

He took a position with the Dauphin County sheriff’s office, and it was that job that led him to a career in law enforcement.

Later, he began working as a constable alongside his friend Hanif Johnson, now a magisterial district judge in Harrisburg.

“We both had a passion for sports, and we used that to get a college education,” Johnson said. “Watching him become a member of law enforcement has been very interesting.”

Now, Anderson is training part-time to become a police officer, while continuing to work as a constable.

In his class, he said, he is the only African American.

“I feel like we could have more,” he said. “But I don’t blame them.”

Anderson believes that he brings a perspective, unique from those of his classmates, to the academy, as a Black man from the inner city who has had negative experiences with the police.

“I always remind my classmates and try to be open with them about how I grew up,” he said. “I know what it’s like to sit in the back of a cop car.”

Anderson often goes to Harrisburg schools to talk with kids. He gets their attention with some basketball tricks and then tells them about his story.

He wants to be a role model for kids who are growing up just like he did. To Anderson, representation matters.

“Once I started to see people that look like me in these positions, it made me want to do it,” he said. “I want these kids to know there is someone out there who cares about them.”

Anderson still spends a lot of time out on the field. He is often playing flag football with kids or volunteering with the Holy Name Jets or the Central Penn Crusaders youth football teams. Sometimes, he and Johnson coach together.

“If you made it out of a hard situation and bettered yourself, you should share that blueprint,” Johnson said.

All Love

Tyrai Anderson is always running.

He gets up each morning at 4:45 a.m. to work out at the gym. Then he goes to get his kids ready for school. At 8 a.m., he goes to work as a constable and, afterwards, studies at the police academy until 10 p.m.

But he’s used to hard work.

“I’ve always had to climb up in order to get things,” he said.

Even though Anderson understands the risk that comes with being a police officer, it’s not putting on the uniform that scares him—it’s taking it off.

“I don’t get to wear this uniform all day,” he said, recalling the times he felt profiled or criminalized. “I should be able to look the way I look and talk the way I talk and still be a professional.”

Anderson hopes that becoming an officer will inspire other Black police recruits.

“In order to get young African American males, we have to decorate our police force,” he said. “I wish there was a more diverse police force.”

Anderson is especially passionate about serving his hometown, Harrisburg. He said he wants to follow in the footsteps of one of his heroes—Commissioner Carter.

“The city of Harrisburg is something special to me,” he said. “I don’t want to go anywhere other than the city of Harrisburg.”

Anderson learned a lot during his days as an athlete: hard work, stamina, determination. There’s a lot he can take from the field into being in law enforcement. But the clashing of teams, the polarization—that’s what he wants to avoid.

He remembers what it felt like to be that 9-year-old caught with a knife he had picked up off the ground. He knows the feeling of riding in the cop car.

As a member of law enforcement, Anderson plans to operate on the basis of love, respect and the understanding he has from being on the other side of the law.

“I could literally take someone to jail, and it’ll be all love at the end of the day,” he said.

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Welcome Home: A new director steps up at the Brethren Housing Association

September 30, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Kait Gillis-Hanna

After parking on the 200-block of Hummel Street in Allison Hill, I scanned the buildings for the number 219 or a sign that would let me know which door to knock on.

I was looking for the Brethren Housing Association (BHA), an organization I knew housed mothers and children in need, but I had yet to see their work up close.

Already uncertain, I saw “BHA” written on many of the block’s buildings, leaving me even more confused as to where I was supposed to meet the new executive director. Finally, I saw the word “Office,” and met Kait Gillis-Hanna inside.

She led me into the organization’s humble space, otherwise known as the basement of the First Church of the Brethren. After she stopped to check in on a mother and baby in the lobby, we headed to her dimly lit office.

“I like to be here to make sure the moms are OK,” Gillis-Hanna said. “I make sure someone is always here.”

It was just her fourth month on the job when we talked, but the way she spoke confidently about BHA made it sound like she had been there for years.

“I wanted to make a more direct impact on the community,” she said. “I’ve jumped in with both feet into the neighborhood, and I’ve been welcomed wholeheartedly.”

Gillis-Hanna has held jobs in New York, Philadelphia and locally in human services and communications, focusing on community engagement and improvement. Over time, she realized how foundational housing is to human needs.

Fortunately, putting roofs over people’s heads is what the Brethren Housing Association specializes in. Hence all the buildings marked “BHA.”

The organization provides temporary housing for single mothers and their children. The women attend life skills classes, receiving guidance on things like finances, job searching, cooking and home maintenance. BHA assists them in finding stable housing when they are ready to graduate the program.

“BHA is so unique,” Gillis-Hanna said. “We are really at the forefront of the way nonprofits are starting to go.”

Caring in COVID

I had first met Gillis-Hanna at a press conference about a “Community Classrooms” project launched by Rep. Patty Kim (D-Dauphin). After the Harrisburg School District announced classes would start virtually for the 2020-21 school year, Kim presented an option for concerned working parents.

Gillis-Hanna turned to me, saying how concerned she was for the mothers and children at BHA.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, all of the 18 women in BHA’s program lost their jobs. The organization supported them financially, but it caused them to fall behind in the program.

As the state reopened, they were able to resume work. They then faced the challenge of what to do about their young children, who would need to attend school online. Childcare options were scarce.

“I know how stressful the pandemic was for me, and I got to keep my job and childcare and everything,” said Jessica Johnson Vinton, director of development at BHA.

Gillis-Hanna reached out to local organizations to try to come up with some solution. Pulling resources together as a community was important to her. Eventually, she found programs that could help.

Employment and childcare were some of the biggest issues for BHA during the height of the pandemic—things Gillis-Hanna had to take on immediately upon starting her job.

“Kait came in the middle of a global pandemic and hit the ground running,” Johnson Vinton said. “She is doing a great job. It really makes everyone on staff excited to work with her.”

Safe Haven

In Gillis-Hanna’s office, a framed picture of a little boy and girl sits on a shelf. She told me that she and her husband had been fostering them for over a year.

They always knew they wanted to foster, and here they were with two kids they loved.

“Our children are actually from this area, so it resonates even more with me for why I wanted to work here,” Gillis-Hanna said.

Fostering her two children and watching family members struggle with substance abuse has taught her a lot over the years about how to care for people.

“If I was in this job 10 years ago, I may not have been able to approach it in the way that I have,” she said. “When you experience things personally, your perspective really does shift. That gives me the ability to interact with our moms on a different level.”

Central to BHA’s mission is building one-on-one relationships with participants in the program. Many of the women haven’t had loving relationships like this, Gillis-Hanna said.

“I get to know each of our moms; I get to love them and their babies,” she said. “That part is really special.”

While BHA is a relatively small organization, they’ve made a big impact. They’ve transformed a block into a community—a safe haven for women and children. When there are enough buildings labeled “BHA” to leave me confused, that must mean that they’re doing something right.

Gillis-Hanna believes the next step is partnering with local organizations to serve the community in Allison Hill even better. To her, communication is key.

“Somebody told me that BHA is Harrisburg’s best kept secret,” Gillis-Hanna said. “My vision is to make that statement never said again.”

Brethren Housing Association is located at 219 Hummel St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.bha-pa.org.

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Brave New World: What does live theater in a pandemic look like? Gamut reopens, with answers and restrictions in place

September 30, 2020 | by Tara Herweg-Mann

Jeff Luttermoser and David Ramón Zayas. Photo by Phillip Mann and Jerry Stevens II

Gamut Theatre made the decision to shut its doors on March 12, as the words “COVID,” “social distancing,” and “pandemic” were just entering the American lexicon.

Exactly six months later, on Sept. 12, Gamut reopened to the public with two comedic one-acts by Anton Chekhov, billed under the title, “Love Hurts!” and featuring the resident Core Company. With this move, Gamut Theatre ventured onto virgin soil: What does live theater look like during a pandemic?

The answer lies in the extensive health and safety protocols that have been formulated and put in place by the company, under the leadership of founders Melissa and Clark Nicholson. Working with the PA Department of Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, Gamut Theatre is determined to keep its artists and patrons safe.

Masks are required at all times for all patrons.

“If you have a condition which prevents you from wearing a mask, do not purchase a ticket, as you will be asked to leave,” states Gamut’s website. “This applies to patrons of all ages, including children.”

There will be new, different movement patterns through the theater in order to minimize, if not eradicate, opportunities for traffic jams. While theaters located in “green” counties are permitted to operate at 50% capacity, Gamut has made a decision to operate at 25% capacity, which means that each performance will only have 51 available tickets. Patrons may sit singly, in pairs, or in groups of three—max. If a particular group consists of more than three people, it will be required to separate into groups of no more than three. Visit Gamut’s website for all its health and safety protocols.

The Gamut staff and guest artists recognize just how lucky they are. The size of its downtown Harrisburg theater allows for a responsible reopening, as well as responsible rehearsing. While many artists would love to dive back into the process of producing a show, the Nicholsons had to sit down and suss out how to keep those artists safe. Temperature checks, assigned rehearsal spaces, assigned restrooms and social distancing between the acting cohort and the production staff during rehearsals have all become the new normal.

As mentioned above, the first fall production, “Love Hurts!” was cast with Gamut’s resident Core Company. For their follow-up production, Edward Albee’s “The Zoo Story,” Clark Nicholson worked with another cohort of actors who live together, former Core Company members Jeffrey Luttermoser and David Ramón Zayas.

In a time of rampant disconnect, isolation and uncertainty, Albee’s play examines what kind of effect these circumstances can have on the human condition and to what lengths a person will go to make a genuine connection. The results are startling, but I won’t spoil the play for you. It’s a searing character study that should be seen in person.

“The Zoo Story” is not new territory to Zayas or Luttermoser. A 2004 production of the play marked the beginning of their relationship (the pair married in 2015). Both actors were keen to revisit the show in their adopted hometown of Harrisburg, at the theater they call home. Noting that many of their fellow theater artists are chomping at the bit to get back to work, they feel honored to be a part of bringing live theater back to the area.

Clark Nicholson also has a history with this play, having played one of the two roles, and observes that directing a play like this one, with minimal technical requirements and a two-person cast, allows him a rare opportunity to watch, question and discuss artistic choices made by the actors. So often, he is corralled into choreographing all movements on the stage, making sure sightlines and configurations work for the story they are telling, as well as for their audiences. This time around, instead of having to focus on “you cross here,” he can ask his actors, “Why did you make that choice?”

The act of rehearsing a play with other people in the room scratches a specific itch not only for Zayas, Luttermoser and Nicholson, but also for the production stage manager, Karen Ruch, who seized on this opportunity to work on a show. Ruch was a logical fit for this position, being a member of the Zayas-Luttermoser “pod,” or “bubble,” if you prefer. Having first-hand experience of working in a Ruch-managed show, I can attest that “The Zoo Story” is in exceptionally capable hands.

Attending live theater is a unique type of media consumption. Movies and television, while valuable, simply do not compare. In a performance space, there is a very real exchange of energy between actors and audience. Watching actors tell a story that forces an audience member to question and/or examine their own viewpoints can be a powerful experience. When those actors are only several feet away, close enough to see the tears in their eyes, the sweat on their brow, or to hear the tremor in their voice, that experience verges on earthshaking.

“The Zoo Story” runs from Oct. 9 to 25 at Gamut Theatre, 15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Peggy’s Pub opens 45 minutes before show time in Gamut Theatre’s Capital BlueCross Lobby. Patrons have the option to pre-order their drink before show time by emailing [email protected].

Recognizing that the pandemic has affected people in different ways financially, Gamut allows patrons to “Pick Your Own Price.” Choose a ticket price that is most comfortable for your budget: $30 (suggested) or discounted levels of $20 or $10 each. Seating is available in singles, doubles or triples. All tickets must be reserved in advance. No tickets will be sold at the door.

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Screams & Hygiene: Fall attractions, with a twist, during pandemic times

September 30, 2020 | by M. Diane McCormick

Costumes from Field of Screams. Images courtesy of Field of Screams.

You hear your name whispered in your ear. You turn—but nobody’s there.

“The biggest scare that people get is hearing their own name said back to them, or a gentle touch on the cheek,” says Johlene “Spooky” Riley, owner of Gettysburg Ghost Tours. “Even a seasoned ghost hunter can be taken aback by something like that.”

In a year of real-life frights, central Pennsylvanians are ready to pile it on this fall with ghostly scares. Or they’re shedding their fears amid the serenity of cornstalks and vineyards on a brisk autumn day.

It’s time for one last, COVID-safe excursion before the cold weather chases us back indoors for the scariest encounter of all—possibly more months of quarantine.

Opening Safely

The art of securing a destination involves much more than facemasks and social distancing. Places throughout the region have gone out of their way to remain safe and welcoming, according to Visit Hershey & Harrisburg President and CEO Mary Smith.

“They’ve adjusted floorplans,” she said. “They’ve changed their schedules. They’ve built new seating areas. They reimagined how they use the space that they have.”

Typical COVID-era travelers trust that their destination’s protocols are adequate, Smith added. It’s other visitors they worry about. So, if you’re not confident in your fellow patrons at crowded events, the VHH Adventure Trail presents hiking, biking, kayaking and family fun within a short drive of home.

A bit farther down the road, Riley’s Gettysburg Ghost Tours offers a range of experiences. There are family-friendly walks entirely outdoors and on easy terrain, “an inexpensive way to enjoy the outdoors with your family,” said Riley.

If you dare to venture indoors, the Museum of Haunted Objects in a historic Civil War-era building presents everything from creepy dolls to haunted mirrors. And there are indoor ghost hunts—family-friendly or more extreme—at Civil War landmarks.

People want to be scared until they actually get scared, said Riley. Still, no ghost hunt can equal the frights of pandemic 2020.

“I don’t think any entity on earth or beyond can compare with what’s been going on,” she said. “It’s been a big challenge, but just like everyone, we’re trying to make the best of it and trying to keep everybody safe. We appreciate people being patient with us while we try to navigate the unknown ourselves.”

Point the car toward Mountville, in Lancaster County, and Field of Screams presents gore galore. Owners reviewed guidelines and regulations “up and down and all over” before deciding that the venerable Halloween attraction could go on, said co-owner Jim Schopf. Fans “really are yearning for a fall experience and to have a somewhat normal time, just letting their guard down and having fun.”

Safety restrictions mean reduced capacity, and tickets must be purchased online and in advance. All Field of Screams actors are trained—at “Scare School”—in COVID protocols. Face coverings are worn underneath makeup, or they slipped easily into costume designs—surgical masks in “Frightmare Asylum,” gas masks in “Nocturnal Wasteland.”

“We got a little creative with the coverings,” Schopf said.

Veteran patrons would rather cancel Christmas and birthdays than Field of Screams, and people are ready to scream out the frustrations of a tense year, Schopf said. He used to describe the attraction as a safe scare, where no one gets hurt or injured. Now, safe means protected through protocols, distancing and sanitizing stations.

“It takes on a whole new meaning this year,” he said.

Bottom’s Up

Fall. Beer.

“It’s hard to think about fall and not think about beer trails or breweries,” said VHH’s Smith. “Fall and beer, for some reason, go hand in hand.”

Which makes the new VHH Beer Barons Brew Trail a natural fit. Using a mobile app, beer tourists can explore more than 20 local breweries that are open for business and offering events such as live music or special releases.

And because Gettysburg Ghost Tours is next door to the Tattered Flag Taproom, there just have to be Craft Beer and Spirit Tours, Friday and Saturday nights—and those “spirits” can be the ghostly kind or the mixed-drink kind.

Hop over to the Brewery at Hershey and Vineyard at Hershey, and daytrippers can get in the seasonal mood with the Oktoberfest Flash Gourd’n Pumpkin Ale, or the nice dry Firefly red wine. While wine and beer are still on the menu, the events that have drawn visitors for days that linger into nights have been scaled back but reimagined.

Under strict safety protocols, offerings include free music on weekends. Unleash your creative side with a craft class. At October’s end, dress up the schnauzer for the doggy Halloween party. Purchase food from a food truck parked on site, and under pandemic rules, you can buy alcohol.

“We work with a lot of local food truck owners, and they have been hit hard,” said the Vineyard at Hershey Director of Operations Lynn Day. “A lot of those big festivals that typically happen during the summer season didn’t happen. So, they’re desperate to get out, as well.”

The Vineyard at Hershey’s commitment to fellow businesses extends to Small Business Sunday on Oct. 11, when local vendors set up stands and visitors can shop in the great outdoors.

“We want to help support these small businesses that have just been decimated by this pandemic,” said Day.

Fresh Air

In autumn, nature takes center stage. Pumpkins. Hay rides. Corn mazes. Ziplines.

“We have a 600-foot zipline,” said Debbie Smith, co-owner with her husband, Chris Smith, of Fields of Adventure, in Aspers, Adams County. “That’s fun for those who don’t want to do a whole zipline trail but just want to try it.”

The region’s agritourism takes a deep dive into fall fun. Most are less than an hour’s drive from Harrisburg, scattered around Perry, Lancaster and Cumberland counties.

The 40-acre Fields of Adventure attractions include a corn maze for daytime or flashlight exploring. When you’re hungry, try a Fields of Adventure farm-raised farmburger, pulled pork sandwich, chicken wrap, or popcorn (yes, it grows on cobs). Little ones can ride horse swings. Teens love the human foosball court. Hay rides go into the pick-your-own pumpkin patch.

Of course, you can buy a pumpkin at the Fields of Adventure farm stand, along with its pasture-raised meats and poultry, but “it’s fun for the family to go out and walk through the patch and pick their pumpkins.”

“We’re a family farm,” Smith said. “We just want to share our space and have folks come out, especially this year. People just want a place that’s outside, in fresh air, but mostly just to spend time together.”

A Few Tips

Daytrips are different in the pandemic age. Try these tips for a safe, obstacle-free experience:

Before getting in the car, even for outdoor events, check websites for safety and sanitation protocols, revised hours, group sizes and any restrictions.
Make reservations for ticketed events well in advance.
Try non-peak nights. Field of Screams sells out on Saturdays, but it’s just as spine-tingling on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Make a full day or weekend of the excursion by patronizing surrounding restaurants, hotels and B&Bs.
If you’re not ready for travel, consider nearby autumn offerings from the Pride of the Susquehanna, 3rd in the Burg or Hersheypark.
Support local destinations by buying gift cards. They fit nicely into holiday stockings.

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Voices of the Past: New book tells the stories of Harrisburg’s historic African American community

September 30, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

In August, a new monument celebrating African American history was erected on the Pennsylvania state Capitol grounds.

The Commonwealth Monument Project came out of a desire to pay tribute to Harrisburg’s Old 8th Ward, a historic African American and immigrant neighborhood that was demolished to expand the Capitol grounds.

The best way that Lenwood Sloan, executive director of the project, could think to honor the memory was by introducing people to the families that once lived in the neighborhood.

On the monument, 100 names were inscribed. But that wasn’t enough. He wanted people to know their stories.

Now, each bronze-inscribed name comes to life in a new book entitled “One Hundred Voices: Harrisburg’s Historic African American Community 1850-1920.”

“We came to the revelation that we couldn’t just write their names,” Sloan said. “They are not merely names in a census, but stories that were lost to us. We need to tell the story about these people.”

Brought to Light

“Through my research in Harrisburg, I know quite a few people that were prominent in the community,” said Calobe Jackson Jr., a local historian and co-editor of the book.

Jackson has a well-earned reputation around the city as the history guy. If you need information on an old building, a historic figure or a memorable event, he’s your man. Lenwood Sloan knew this when he reached out to Jackson for a favor.

He needed a list of 100 names of African American figures from the 1850s to 1920s for the monument’s pedestal, names that would later become stories for the book. Jackson put together a file including freedom seekers, abolitionists, activists, police officers, doctors, preachers, janitors and many more. All had ties to Harrisburg and most had ties to the 8th Ward, Jackson said.

“A lot of people didn’t know about or forgot about these people,” Jackson said. “A lot of these people were Harrisburg High School graduates and teachers in the district. I’m proud that we can show students now what these past students did.”

Sloan remembers someone asking him why he was making such a big deal out of the names, especially with many of them being widely unknown.

But these jobs that seem unimportant in modern days, such as street sweeper or housekeeper, were important back then, Sloan said.

“We need to lift them up out of obscurity,” he said.

Through a grant from the Council of Independent Colleges, Messiah University was able to help with the Commonwealth Monument Project and the “One Hundred Voices” book.

Thirty Messiah students researched the historic figures and wrote excerpts on their stories for the book.

“The process of researching these individuals was pretty challenging,” said David Pettegrew, a history professor at Messiah and an editor of the book.

With some of the 100 people being less prominent, Pettegrew said they had to really look deep into archival material—a process he believes was worth the result.

“We need to do more local African American history,” he said. “This book contributes to a broader story about this resilient community who lived through change at the local level. This is Black Lives Matter historically. This is Black Lives Matter locally.”

Beginning of Discovery

Finding the stories behind the names on the list was only the start of something much bigger. Messiah students sent out graphics on social media looking for descendants of the 100 names they had learned so much about.

“Believe it or not, descendants began to contact us,” Pettegrew said.

Around 100 people with ties to the 100 names reached out to the university. Some even assisted in writing the chapters for the book.

“Getting to connect with the descendants has been the most rewarding thing,” Pettegrew said.

Even for those who may not be direct descendants of people in the “One Hundred Voices” book, Sloan believes there is a way for everyone to connect to it.

“The book helps you map your personal narrative in relation to the 100 names,” he said.

Not only is the book about individual education, but Pettegrew hopes that it will engage people in Harrisburg’s history—one that isn’t always told.

“We are hoping this is just the beginning of discovery,” he said. “We want it to inspire people to think about Harrisburg in a new way and the rich African American history.”

“One Hundred Voices: Harrisburg’s Historic African American Community 1850-1920” is free to download on the Digital Harrisburg website. Physical copies are available for purchase at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore or on Amazon. For more information, visit www.digitalharrisburg.com.

The Commonwealth Monument is located at 4th and Walnut streets.

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Artist in Focus: “Art of the State”

September 30, 2020 | by TheBurg Editor

“Art of the State” is among the most anticipated exhibits each year at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

For 2020, though, like with so many things, you can only visit through your computer screen.

“Art of the State” has gone virtual, but that’s not stopping us from highlighting the annual juried exhibit, which includes some of the most noteworthy works by PA artists over the past year.

We’re especially proud that two of our contributing artists, Ryan Spahr and Andrew Guth, both of Harrisburg, had works accepted to be part of the exhibit. Their artwork was among the 108 finalists from 1,901 total entries.

If you like the art featured on this page, we encourage you to go online and take the virtual 360-degree tour to see the other works that comprise this year’s “Art of the State.”

“Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2020” runs virtually through Jan. 3 at www.statemuseumpa.org/aos2020.

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James Erikson

Ellen Silberlicht

Nancy Middlebrook

Andrew Guth

Travis Prince

Ryan Spahr

Heading Home: HSO’s Matthew Herren returns to his central PA roots

September 30, 2020 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Matthew Herren

Novelist Thomas Wolfe’s declaration that “you can’t go home again” has its exceptions.

Matthew Herren has come home successfully—with a twist. He left as a musician playing for an orchestra and returned as an orchestra administrator.

A native of Lancaster and a graduate of McCaskey High School, Herren had music performance ambitions as a young man, later obtaining bachelor and master’s degrees in cello performance from the prestigious Juilliard School in New York. In the mid-1990s, he played that instrument, which he had first embraced in sixth grade, in the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra.

Then “love beckoned,” taking him away from the orchestra and central PA. He played music professionally before entering the world of arts administration. Until recently, he was the executive director of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas.

But then he saw a notice about—and applied for—the parallel position at HSO. He was accepted, starting as the orchestra’s new executive director in June.

“I wasn’t looking for a new job in a certain sense,” he said. “I was curious and looked at weekly listings at orchestras. The opening at Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra leapt off the page. I had a lot of good memories here.”

Herren’s homecoming, said Stuart Malina, the symphony’s music director, is a “testament to the artistic quality of our orchestra, that we were able to bring someone of Matthew’s caliber and experience back to the region.”

In turn, Herren said that he was pleased to see the “tremendous growth” that had occurred in the area he was coming home to.

The executive director is responsible for the human and financial resources of the HSO. Herren, who manages a team of eight full-time and eight part-time staff, said he is grateful for following the successful 17-year tenure of his predecessor, Jeff Woodruff.

“He left good systems in place,” Herren said.

People Need Music

Overall, things are bright at the HSO, which this year marks its 90th anniversary, just as Malina enters his 21st year as music director.

The orchestra aims to do additional outreach to the community and to reach younger and more diverse audiences. Meanwhile, audiences are very loyal, Herren said. Many continued to support the orchestra when the pandemic set in, even though performances were suspended.

The orchestra’s devotion to the community is strong, as well, Herren said. The HSO reaches some 40,000 people annually through its Masterworks and Pops concerts and educational and other programs.

Like other organizations across the country, HSO is watching to see how the coronavirus affects its 2020-21 season. It had put many programs on hold and instituted public health measures in keeping with government regulations regarding the size of gatherings and other restrictions.

What might be possible for other arts organizations would not be so for the orchestra, which has few filmed productions that can be live-streamed. And by their nature, orchestras play music written for a large number of instruments, unlike chamber groups.

One way of adapting is through offering “evergreen” programming. Concerts and other programs are announced only shortly before they’re due to take place, so people don’t make plans in advance that may fall through.

Despite the worries, Herren likes to quote Malina, who “speaks of a big bump, not an existential threat” from the pandemic.

“We will be here,” he said. “People need live music in their lives. There’s nothing like walking into a hall and hearing it live.”

Herren noted that there’s a non-pandemic concern that often plagues performing arts groups—the perception that audiences are “graying.” In other words, since younger people seem to have less interest in the arts—an assumption based on buying habits—eventually there will be no audience left.

The 49-year-old Herren dismisses that fear, asserting that younger people, especially those with children and jobs, may not have the time or disposable income to buy tickets to concerts and other artistic events.

“There will come a time the children will be grown, and the parents will have the income,” he said.

He also believes that the three youth orchestras that HSO sponsors are another step in the right direction.

“They may not necessarily train professional players, but will help the students understand music and come to appreciate it,” Herren said.

Music appreciation remains strong in him, even though he plays cello now only for his own enjoyment. He actually prefers to listen to soprano instruments and voices. And he remains convinced that, pandemic or not, “It’s a wonderful time to turn to the arts.”

For more information about the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, visit www.harrisburgsymphony.org.

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It’s a Go: Market Square Concerts plans a fall season, properly distanced

September 30, 2020 | by Lori M. Myers

Cuarteto Latinoamericano

Timing is everything, whether in life or in music.

No one knows that better than Peter Sirotin, co-director of Market Square Concerts in Harrisburg, who proclaims that this season’s programming “was meant to explore how music can transport us through time and space.”

“This might be our most geographically and historically far-reaching season yet,” he said. “I believe that a concept of using arts to expand one’s horizons by connecting to different cultures and eras is now more meaningful than ever, given how stationary all of us have been for most of 2020.”

But life has arts organizations locally and worldwide impacted by the pandemic, so one must address that proverbial elephant in the room. How will Market Square Concerts journey down that pandemic path during its upcoming 39th season, particularly given the domestic and international travel restrictions their performers might face? What about the audiences who flock to the various local venues to enjoy its concerts at Whitaker Center, Temple Ohev Sholom and Market Square Presbyterian Church?

Sirotin already has had to reschedule a piano recital and masterclass by British pianist Steven Hough to the 2021-22 season after Hough’s entire U.S. tour was cancelled. Fortunately, Sirotin was able to find a replacement for October, but the juggling required a lot of work to make it happen.

“When we had to cancel performances at the end of our previous season, the overwhelming majority of patrons chose to donate the cost of their tickets to MSC instead of requesting refunds,” he said. “As we go forward, we hope that the generous community support will continue because our season will be impacted by having to limit our audience in order to socially distance.”

Sirotin made sure that MSC kept connecting with its audiences despite the interruption by emailing video and audio recordings of performances accumulated over the last decade. As far as this coming season, it’s a go.

“We are passionate about the unique, spiritually nourishing quality of great live performances, but we also are planning to comply with all state and local government guidelines on face coverings and social distancing in order to present these events as safely as possible,” he said. “To accommodate those who may be reluctant to join us, we are planning to offer high quality recordings of concerts, contingent on artists’ permission, of course.”

With that said, MSC’s 2020-21 varied concert season incorporates music from Shakespearean England, the Italian Baroque era, 20th century Latin America and Eastern Europe, and even from the great American songbook.

The season opens on Oct. 6 at Whitaker Center with renowned pianist Mark Markham, whose “Dances and Improvisations” celebrates the freedom of expression by composers from Bach and Chopin to Ravel, Poulenc and others. For 20 years, Markham was the recital partner of the late Jessye Norman, one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th century. A few years ago, he had also performed as a soloist with the Harrisburg Symphony, where he performed the Ravel Piano Concerto.

The Nov. 15 concert at Temple Ohev Sholom showcases the vitality of music from Argentina, Brazil, Spain and Italy. It presents a collaboration between Cuarteto Latinoamericano, winner of the two Latin Grammy awards for best classical recording, and Jiji, a Korean guitarist who won Concert Artists Guild’s international competition.

“This offers a spectacular range of virtuosity and unique style,” Sirotin says. “I am personally looking forward to this concert because one of my favorite string quartet CDs is the Cuarteto Latinoamericano recording of the Ginastera Quartets.”

More Music

When the calendar turns, Market Square Concert’s season will continue, exploring music throughout the world, along with a bit of romance.

On Jan. 13 at Market Square Presbyterian Church, MSC presents Tabea Debus, an award-winning German recorder virtuoso, and American lutenist Paul Morton.

Feb. 17 at Temple Ohev Sholom features the award-winning Sinta Quartet performing works by Schubert, Ligeti and others.

March 14, also at the temple, will feature performances by the Verona Quartet presenting Dvorak’s romantic “Cypresses.”

Finally, on April 28, at the church, “Stuart and Friends” will feature maestro Stuart Malina at the piano joined by Sirotin on violin, among others. Sirotin will perform Korngold’s Piano Quintet with the symphony.

For more details and tickets, call 717-221-9599, visit www.marketsquareconcerts.org/tickets or email [email protected].

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Island Flair: Dania’s Kitchen spices up 2nd Street. Sometimes, out of tragedy, opportunity arises

September 30, 2020 | by Derek Danneker

Damiana Lopez and Suleyka Martinez

The COVID-19 pandemic caused chef Damiana Lopez to lose her job when the restaurant where she worked shut down. She then teamed with her friend, Suleyka Martinez, to open a new place, Dania’s Kitchen, bringing their passion for Dominican and Puerto Rican cooking to downtown Harrisburg.

Lopez came from impoverished beginnings and recalls slaughtering chickens and cooking them in the backyard with extended family before stepping into the healthcare field.

“I was a nurse in Puerto Rico, then when I was pregnant with my first baby, his father went to jail and I thought, ‘I’m going to be alone for this,’” Lopez said.

With her 1-week-old, she found a job working in a bakery that allowed her to care for her child.

“I started cooking bread and made sandwiches first,” she said. “Then they wanted to make pastelitos and, after the cook left, she showed me how I had to make it.”

Lopez was only 19 years old and had never even cooked rice, she said.

As her talents grew, she moved to Florida and Massachusetts, working different restaurant jobs before returning to Puerto Rico to work as a nurse again. However, her inclination for the food industry took hold.

“I like to be a nurse, but I love to be a cook,” she said.

Five years ago, Lopez moved to Harrisburg for its low rent and proximity to family.

“When I came here, I didn’t like it,” she said. “Everything looked depressed, but now it looks a lot better.”

As the city bettered itself, Lopez said that she also did, and, over time, learned to love her surroundings.

“I can say I’m a different person, maybe a business person,” she said.

Learning to live more sustainably, Lopez focused on her cooking and worked at various restaurants before coming to Cidra’s Cabana on Allison Hill as head chef.

Martinez said that, when the pandemic forced that restaurant to close, Lopez kept doing what she loved.

“She would make these fancy dinners for us and would make cooking videos on Facebook showing everyone, and we got a lot of feedback saying, ‘Hey, can I get a plate?’ and ‘You should sell that,’” said Martinez.

With her strong reputation already established, Lopez began taking orders for catering.

“Honestly, she gave me a lot of pushback—she didn’t want to do it,” Martinez said. “When she started doing it, it went way better than we expected.”

The pair discovered their current downtown location when they came to buy a refrigerator. They saw a “for lease” sign and a chance to open their own place in the former home of 2nd Street Shawarma, which had moved down the block.

“We couldn’t keep up with the orders from home,” Martinez said. “The demand called for it.”

Dania’s Restaurant opened in August to a mix of neighborhood patrons and the area’s growing Latino population seeking a taste from their childhood memories. Some customers are willing to drive more than 45 minutes to find a meal, sometimes three to four times a week, Martinez said.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Lopez is learning to specialize in made-to-order takeout.

“Normally, when you get Spanish food, you go, and you see all the food is already cooked,” said Martinez.

Lopez, though, prides herself on fresh food, made to fill the niche of the individual customer, from locally sourced ingredients.

Latin food is typically sautéed at low heat for an extended period as other ingredients are added like garlic, peppers, onions with a variety of spices, which works to trap in the flavor, she said.

Lopez’s favorite dish is the garlic shrimp due to its popularity, but, as the flavors filled her mind, she back-tracked to say that each recipe was her favorite.

From where she’s been to where she’s going, Martinez said she values Lopez’ strength and resiliency.

“It’s so brave of her to put out her menu, her flavor, and she’s putting it out for everyone to critique and taste — that’s big,” said Martinez. “I’m so proud of her.”

Dania’s Kitchen is located at 316 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-695-0006 or visit their Facebook page.

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Monumental Concern: Central PA company has carved out a business from sculpture

September 30, 2020 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Commonwealth Monument Project

As the late afternoon sun set across Harrisburg on a hot summer day, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on the state Capitol grounds for the Commonwealth Monument Project.

What is that? It’s a glinting set of cast sculptures, “A Gathering At The Crossroads: For Such A Time As This,” created as a testament to Harrisburg’s rich African American history and commemorating the 150th and 100th anniversaries of passage of the 15th and 19th amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

It also stands as the pinnacle of a year’s worth of impassioned labor and sweat by its creator, ART Research Enterprises of Lancaster.

ART Research Enterprises is a company specializing in art casting and fabrication, as well as the conservation and restoration of art and architectural objects. Artists Becky Ault and Mike Cunningham founded the company some 40 years ago in Cunningham’s garage before moving to its present location outside of Lancaster.

Today, the company runs between 10 and 30 employees, depending on which projects are underway. Its repertoire includes sculptures, memorials, architectural sculptures and restoration work.

“We do everything from 60-foot sculptures to coffee tables,” Ault said. “We’ve also done work for the Franklin Mint, but mostly, we work for ourselves.”

The company averages 200 to 500 projects each year and has shipped castings around the world—to clients in Germany, England, France, Puerto Rico and many other locations.

The Commonwealth Monument, set at 4th and Walnut streets in Harrisburg, was forged in bronze and sculpted as five elements, Ault said. The project’s initial casting was its 4½-foot base, the “Orator’s Pedestal,” featuring 100 names of families from the city’s Old 8th Ward on its sides, along with homages to businesses and churches that once served as community mainstays.

Topping the pedestal is a relief map of the historic neighborhood that was demolished to make way for the Capitol complex through eminent domain.

On Nov. 14, two historic castings, also by ART Research Enterprises, will join two other figures created by the firm that now surround the pedestal. Cast figures include William Howard Day, an educational reformer and civil rights pioneer; Frances Harper, poet, abolitionist and suffragette; Jacob T. Compton, a sergeant in Company D of the 24th U.S. Colored Infantry and local musician; and T. Morris Chester, Civil War correspondent and recruiter.

All figures related to the project have a Harrisburg connection from the late 1800s, as well as connections either to the 15th Amendment, which granted African American men the right to vote, and/or to the 19th amendment, which guaranteed American women the right to vote. The overall work was created as part of the IIPT Harrisburg Peace Promenade.

“The key factors to anything we do is that we try to envision what you feel it should be,” Cunningham said. “My favorite part about doing this sort of work is the creative aspect. It’s a field that’s constantly changing.”

Lenwood Sloan, the project’s executive director, said that a state search committee selected ART Research Enterprises for the project from a field of 20 candidates. Nominees were invited to apply for the project by the PA Department of General Services, which sought recommendations from “various government agencies” that had commissioned the firms for similar projects, Sloan said.

“They came as highly recommended and were highly engaged during their presentation to us,” he said.

Additionally, the search committee was seeking “a woman-owned business” for the project that, in part, acknowledges the passage of women’s right to vote. ART Research Enterprises stands as the only foundry arts partnership in the mid-Atlantic region headed by a woman, Sloan said.

The company also brought plenty of experience to the project. In all, they’ve completed 20 to 30 monuments across the commonwealth, Sloan said, including castings of Pennsylvania state troopers, the Reading Police Memorial and the Cumberland County Memorial.

“We were all just so impressed by ART Research Enterprises and their willingness to collaborate with the community,” Sloan said.

ART Research Enterprises is located at 3050 Industry Dr., Lancaster. For more information, visit www.thinksculpture.com.

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