Burg Review: Warm up for the holiday with Gamut’s immersive “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”

November 18, 2019 | by Amy Mastrangelo

Lore says that the fantastical country of Narnia stretches for hundreds of miles, and its rulers may rule there for hundreds of years.

The size and scope of the world C.S. Lewis created is massive, yet “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” premiered this Friday at the cozy Gamut Theatre space. Though this story features many larger-than-life characters, the viewer feels a closer connection to each one of them on the Gamut stage. Thanks to Melissa Nicholson’s excellent direction, there is a strong focus on the way each character talks, snarls, prances and moves.

Dramatized by Joseph Robinette, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” is a story of good versus evil at its core. To start, the audience is plunged into darkness, and booms vibrate loud enough to shake the whole theater. Siblings Peter (Lyeneal Griffin), Susan (Leighann Koppenhofer), Edmund (Andrew Webb), and Lucy (Kennedy Commissiong) escape these London bombings to live in a country home, but, once they arrive there, they soon discover that a wardrobe in a spare room is hiding its own secrets.

The younger siblings Lucy and Edmund are the first to find Narnia on the other side of the wardrobe, but their older siblings have their doubts. Commissiong exerts confidence as she leans against the iconic lamppost, welcoming all of her siblings into Narnia with her “told-you-so” body language.

In Narnia, the enchanting cast spans all ages. Several very young performers appear as cute mice twirling amongst the other frolicking forest creatures. The snow-lined stone path leads into a silver forest with tangled branches overhead. We see the Unicorn (Abby Carroll) chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver. The pair (played by Diego Sandino and Erin Shellenberger) quickly become crowd favorites with their warm disposition and good chemistry. Sandino, wearing a cap and suspenders and a long brown tail, speaks in a perfectly nervous yet charming tone.

I was eager to see the White Witch, played by Amber Mann. Wearing a tall, shimmering, icicle tiara, Mann barks orders like “Now” and “Come Forth” in a sharp, piercing tone. The mighty lion Aslan, combining impeccable puppeteering with the booming voice of James Mitchell, is another equally commanding presence who stands for what is good and just. Young performers all worked together to dance, shake tambourines and chant to give Aslan the grand entrance he deserved.

When Aslan appears, the lighting onstage warms up with colorful hues of orange, red and yellow. In contrast, the lighting turns blue, sparse, and fragmented when the Witch works her magic and turns her victims to stone. As Aslan’s followers clash with the Witch’s followers, the four young siblings find themselves in the middle of a prophecy that will determine the fate of Narnia.

What impressed me the most about this production was the immersive, large scope of it all. Specifically, the second act brings about two-dozen performers together for the final battle sequence. The entire stage, including both floors, are used appropriately to showcase all of the performers.

Costume designer Stephanie Jones also knocks it out of the park with intricate head-to-toe costumes for all Narnia beasts, big and small. Fenris Ulf (Garrett Knisley) rips and roars across the stage with his wolf-like ears, tattered pants and studded cuffs. Mr. Tumnus (Will Mueller) walks on his toes with his wide, pointed ears and signature red scarf. Edmund dons an argyle sweater vest and matching socks. Scott Long nails the eccentric swagger of the Professor with an eyebrow raised, a pipe hanging out of his mouth, and a bushy mustache.

Even Father Christmas makes an appearance as “Silent Night” plays softly in the background, and the whole cast seems to catch their breath for a moment of peace.

Now is the perfect time of year to catch this production. As wreaths appear on street lamps and shops stream holiday music, this play fills you with just the right amount of childhood wonder to kick off the holiday season.

“The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe” runs through Dec. 8 at Gamut Theatre, 15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg. For more information and tickets, call 717-238-4111 or visit www.gamuttheatre.org.

Bob’s Art Blog: “Dreams” at SAM

November 18, 2019 | by Bob MacGinnes

“Pink Line” by Peter Ydeen

There is a creature that inhabits Easton in the manner it approaches its prey, the cover of night allows it to hunt unnoticed.

Photographer Peter Ydeen claims nocturnal Easton as his territory. His home turf of the past number of years comes alive under the gossamer gaze of his lens. It is like Ydeen is using night goggles while the rest of the world is experiencing tunnel vision.

The captivating results create a world of atmospheric abandonment and eerie enchantment. He is both an urban landscape photographer and an artist of abandonment. His nightscapes are infused with an internal yearning for a city that has gone missing. His photographic portrayals of emptiness give an otherwise static universe an umbrella of “underground” uniformity. A surreal script, non-linear in its narrative, and the dragnet it throws create “colors and contrasts” and places of substance and shadow.

No one knows better than the Susquehanna Art Museum’s (SAM) Director of Exhibitions Lauren Nye that, when one door closes, another one opens. She was responsible for not only bringing Valeri Larko’s “Hidden City” painted paradise of abandoned spaces to SAM but curating it, as well. Filling the lobby gallery over its three-month run, that exhibit closed on Sunday.

As it became history, Ydeen’s urban landscape photography opened nearby, and I saw it for the first time during last Friday’s 3rd in the Burg. Nye rightfully placed it like a jewel in the DeSoto Family Vault. Ydeen’s “Dreams,” like Larko’s before, share the thread of longing and loss with things and places once inhabited and imbued with life that have become mere relics of the past. Under her steady hand and gimlet eye, Nye showcases “Dreams” in the most intimate of spaces at SAM. When you enter the Vault, you enter a world from another dimension, one that pays homage to isolation and interpretation, to imagination and idylls.

“It’s a Nice Night for a Picnic” by Peter Ydeen

Snapshots from the Vault include “Pink Line,” which derives its title from the neon glow capping the top of the frame. A used car dealership is romanced in its depiction as “Car Heaven” with its pop of pink doubling as a halo. Another, “Garden of Eden,” takes place in nearby Bethlehem, which occupies a space of lush green foliage leading to an open area. The only thing missing are Adam and Eve. Ydeen’s self-deprecating humor is evident in his photo titles like “Tree Eats Mall,” “Digestion,” and “Vogue Couture, Paris, Pennsylvania.”

In producing a sobering study in languid landscapes, Ydeen does not take himself too seriously. He shoots when the lights come on, giving his stage sets life. Swathed in a sodium vapor that is admitted by streetlights, his images cast an ethereal essence that evaporates as night lapses into day. Any semblance of those who once danced and dreamed have been wiped clean, leaving only the props for posterity. The exhibit is a testament to time’s mutability and matter over memory. Ydeen’s photography is both poetic and potent, allowing the viewer to fill in the blanks, populate the portraits or not and wander through the city and landscapes haunted or in harmony with the present state of being.

While at SAM, venture upstairs to see the Main Gallery exhibits—painter Inka Essenhigh’s fantastical “Other Worlds” and the thought provoking “War Is Only Half the Story,” an exhibit from 40 photojournalists that depicts war in all its myriad meanings.

Art in its purest form is meant to fire the imagination, open up new worlds, inspire and challenge, stir emotion and create a connection between art and life, even if landscapes are the only sign of life in the frame.

Art This and That: Upcoming events of note in November

Nov. 22: “Picturing a More Perfect Union: Violet Oakley’s Mural Studies for the Pennsylvania Senate Chamber 1911 to 1919,” opens at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

Nov. 30: The Odd Ones Bazaar, with over 50 artists and vendors, takes place at the Millworks in Harrisburg. Small Business Saturday is on this date, so support your local galleries, merchants and museums. Shop small, think big!

“Dreams” by Peter Ydeen shows through Jan. 12 in the DeSoto Family Vault at the Susquehanna Art Museum, 1401 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.susquehannaartmuseum.org.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

November 15, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse speaks during the official opening of a new city park, which once was a sinkhole-marred street.

The news came at us from all sides last week—Harrisburg city council, the school district, arts, business, etc. Did you miss any of our coverage? Don’t fret, as we have it all recapped below in one convenient place.

Environmental awareness and action will be front and center next week during “A Call for Climate Action: A Community Conversation” to be held at the Dixon University Center in Uptown Harrisburg. Find out more about this important event from our November magazine story.

Gamut Theatre opens “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” this weekend, the first major production in Gamut’s new theater season. Read our recent feature to find out how they’re approaching this venerable fable.

HACC will end its long-running “Live at Rose Lehrman” performing arts series. HACC said that it plans to shut down the 35-year-old series in March, citing decreased attendance and revenue. Our online story has the details.

Harrisburg introduced an ordinance last week that would allow greater housing density in residential neighborhoods. The city’s mayor said that he was proposing the change to help attract more residential development. Click here to read the details.

Harrisburg area home sales and prices in October were up substantially compared to a year ago, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors. Read the latest data and the county-by-county breakdown here.

Harrisburg school district has completed an analysis of the 2019-20 budget it inherited from the prior administration, discovering a revenue shortfall of about $6.7 million. Get all the unpleasant details by reading our online story.

Open Stage this weekend opens “Who’s Holiday,” the first play to be staged in the newly reconstructed theater in downtown Harrisburg. For a preview of this very non-traditional holiday comedy, check out our recent theater feature.

Riverside Firehouse is expected to hit the market after City Council transferred the century-old station to the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority. The authority would put the firehouse up for sale after consolidating two separate parcels. Read the details in our online story.

Sara Bozich has your plans for the weekend, which could include theater openings, a new brewery at Sip @ Soma and 3^rd in the Burg, among a hundred or so other things to do. Visit her “Weekend Roundup” for the most complete event list in Harrisburg.

Seven Bridges Development has decided to delay an effort to rezone a swath of Midtown. The company said that they plan to engage with the community and return next year with a more detailed building proposal. Click here to read our online story.

Sinkhole-plagued S. 14^th Street has gotten new life as a city park. This week, Harrisburg officials unveiled the South 14^th Street Open Space, the culmination of a years-long effort to buy out homeowners and turn the area into green space. Read the details here.

Writeface is a local program that uses the power of the pen to help veterans tell their stories. Naturally, it was our story selection for Veteran’s Day. Click here to read about this important program.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily email digest of news and events delivered right to your inbox? If not, subscribe here!

Developer halts rezoning effort in Midtown Harrisburg, vows more community engagement in new year

November 14, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

These undeveloped parcels at Reily and N. 6th streets make up part of the area that a developer would like to rezone.

A Harrisburg developer has halted an effort to change zoning for a swath of Midtown Harrisburg, stating that his company will put off any further action until next year.

Ian Wewer, the director of development and operations for Seven Bridges Development, said on Thursday that his company will not immediately pursue a change in zoning for a 14-block area just north of the Broad Street Market.

“After collecting the feedback of the residents of Midtown Harrisburg and the surrounding areas, Seven Bridges is withdrawing the Zoning Amendment Application for the proposed area of Midtown,” Wewer said, in an email to TheBurg.

In April, the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority (HRA) named Seven Bridges as its potential developer in the Marketplace townhouse community. The HRA holds some 60 lots in the area, after buying them back earlier this year from State College-based S&A Homes, which stopped developing in the neighborhood more than a decade ago.

Before undertaking any projects, Seven Bridges stated that it needed to change the zoning for the area from “residential medium neighborhood” to “commercial neighborhood,” which would permit greater height, density and mix of uses. A split city Planning Commission recommended the zoning change in early October.

The company was due to make a presentation before City Council on Tuesday on the amendment, as council members need to approve any zoning change. That presentation has now has been cancelled.

“Our intent is to return in the new year with an application infused with greater community involvement and input in the design of the future of their community,” Wewer wrote.

Seven Bridges held a community meeting in September on its zoning change proposal and was met with a mix of support and skepticism from residents. The same occurred at a second, well-attended meeting last month, with several residents requesting greater detail on what Seven Bridges planned to build.

To date, Seven Bridges has been reluctant to reveal details about potential projects, saying only that they may include a mix of residential and commercial uses.

Sinkhole to Park: City unveils new open space in South Harrisburg

November 14, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Mayor Eric Papenfuse spoke on Thursday at the unveiling of the South 14th Street Open Space, a new city park.

Five years ago, a sinkhole began to swallow up the 1400-block of S. 14^th Street in Harrisburg. On Thursday, the once-residential area began a new era as a community green space.

City, state and federal officials–and some former residents–gathered at the South 14th Street Open Space, a new, 2.4-acre city park, which, until recently, was occupied by rows of small, 1950s-era houses and a street.

“I just never saw so much open space over here,” said former S. 14^th Street resident Rhonda Scott, who had lived in the neighborhood for 28 years. “It’s bittersweet; everybody was over here for a long time.”

In 2014, the disaster affected 53 homes, throwing some residents out of their houses and endangering others.

Roads, sidewalks and yards were damaged as well—making it a problem the city needed to solve. At the time, Harrisburg, just out of receivership, was in no financial condition to be tackling an issue this big, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said.

However, at the urging of state and local officials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded much of the sinkhole mitigation project, suppling the city with $1.65 million for it. Never before had FEMA approved a sinkhole project.

“This project changed national policy,” said Steve Ward, a FEMA federal coordinating officer who attended the ceremony.

An additional $4.55 million came from HUD’s Department of Community and Economic Development and Dauphin County’s Community Development Block Grant.

Using these funds, the city was able to buy all of the 53 affected units for their assessed market values. Residents were assisted in finding and purchasing new housing elsewhere. After a tedious, multi-year process, the buildings were demolished last April.

The site was excavated 10 feet deep, backfilled and regraded to help prevent future sinkholes caused by excessive rainfall, as copious rain from Tropical Storm Lee in 2011, passing through the porous ground in the area, likely caused the initial sinkhole outbreak. The area was zoned as a green space, meaning no future construction can occur there.

“This site will allow folks to reflect on local memories,” said Tom Hughes, state hazard mitigation officer for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

The new park includes a walking path, benches and newly planted trees. A permanent plaque will be installed to serve as a memorial to the neighborhood that once stood there.

Some neighbors do have concerns about how well the park will be taken care of.

“We know the community really appreciates it and because they appreciate it, they are going to treat it well,” said Rev. Roberta Thompson, associate pastor at Mount Olive Baptist Church nearby. “We do have some concerns about how we are going to keep it up.”

Papenfuse assured community members that the city will maintain the green space as it does other parks in the city.

Although devastating to those who lived there, the sinkhole project showed Ward the potential of city, state and national organizations uniting on a job that once seemed impossible.

“This is a perfect example of the community coming together and helping those families,” he said.

The South 14th Street Open Space is located on the 1400-block of S. 14^th St., Harrisburg.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

November 14, 2019 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

It’s a sip @ soma weekend! Top-voted brewery, Levity Brewing, is in town TONIGHT and tomorrow — grab the few remaining tickets for tonight at 8 p.m., and if you missed out — you can stop in during open taproom hours tomorrow (Friday) from 1-5 p.m. Other than that, we have some family pics on Sunday (coming to a holiday card near you), and that’s about it! Will it be relaxing? I highly doubt it!

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Harrisburg moves to sell historic Riverside Firehouse (condition: slightly used)

November 13, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

The Riverside Firehouse

Have you ever wanted to own a fire station—some reassembly required?

If so, now’s your chance.

On Tuesday night, the Harrisburg City Council passed a resolution that the city hopes will result in the eventual sale of the historic Riverside Firehouse, which the close-knit Uptown neighborhood has long used for community events and as a polling station.

The site at 3201-03 N. 4th St. is actually comprised of two parcels. One is owned by the city and the other by Riverside Fire Co. No. 15, one of many inactive volunteer fire companies in Harrisburg.

Technically, the resolution transferred ownership of the city’s parcel to the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority (HRA). The fire company has agreed to also transfer its ownership to HRA, according to the city.

HRA then is supposed to consolidate the lots and try to sell the property, according to the resolution.

“By doing this, we would allow the Redevelopment Authority to obtain both of these deeds and tie these parcels together so they can be sold for development in the future,” said council member Ausha Green, chair of the public safety committee, before the unanimous vote in favor.

According to Green, Fire Bureau officials supported the resolution, as the building is in need of significant repair. The bureau would like to see the building restored, even if for another, private use, Green said.

Pat Waller, for one, believes the 3,300-square-foot building, built in 1923 and largely empty for decades, would make a great private residence.

“It’s very unique,” said Waller, president of the Riverside United Neighbors community group. “I’m looking forward to when the sales sign goes up.”

As selling points, she pointed to the tin ceilings and historic charm, but added that a buyer would need to undertake a major restoration.

“I’m quite pleased with the effort so far, but the building is in bad shape,” she said. “It needs a lot of work.”

For the story of a successfully restored Harrisburg fire station, please read our feature on the Allison Hook & Ladder Co. from the November magazine.

Harrisburg revisits proposal to allow greater housing density in residential neighborhoods

November 12, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

A residential street in Midtown Harrisburg

Harrisburg is revisiting an ordinance that would allow greater housing density in residentially zoned areas, the latest move by the administration to spur development in the city.

On Tuesday, Harrisburg City Council introduced an ordinance that would remove density restrictions for the city’s two main residential zones—dubbed “residential low-density” and “residential medium-density.” These two zones cover most of the city’s residential neighborhoods.

According to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, this change would make city neighborhoods more attractive to developers and offer a greater variety of housing to residents at a range of price points.

“We need more units of housing developed,” he said. “We don’t currently have a climate in which that is easy to do.”

Under existing law, the low-density residential zone allows four to eight dwelling units per acre, while the medium-density residential zone permits eight to 20 dwelling units per acre. This ordinance would remove those density restrictions.

The proposal also would repeal the current requirement in another zoning district, the “commercial neighborhood” zone, that mandates a minimum of 1,200 square feet per dwelling unit.

Last week, the city’s Planning Commission, by a 5-1 vote, recommended against this proposal, citing possible adverse consequences by removing density restrictions, as well as concerns over parking.

This is actually the second time that the administration has proposed the zoning change. Last year, council also introduced the ordinance, but ended up taking no further action on it.

Papenfuse said that he decided to reintroduce the changes now in light of a “companion” proposal to rezone a swath of Midtown Harrisburg–the Marketplace neighborhood just north of the Broad Street Market.

In that proposal, the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority hopes to sell dozens of building lots to Harrisburg-based Seven Bridges Development. The builder, however, has stated that it would develop a project only if the 14-block area is rezoned from “residential medium-density” to “commercial neighborhood,” which is better suited for mixed-use projects, according to Seven Bridges.

Papenfuse said that, together, the two proposals offer greater incentive for building on the city’s many empty lots.

“It’s the hope that people would see the effort as not just Midtown, per se, but attracting more housing throughout the city,” he said. “We need this development everywhere in Harrisburg.”

As a next step, council would need to hold a hearing on the ordinance before possibly taking any action on it.

Council also needs to hold a hearing on the amendment to rezone the Marketplace neighborhood. That hearing, originally expected for next week, has now been delayed until December, said council member Danielle Bowers.

Harrisburg school administration issues revised budget, says district in deficit due to past “mismanagement”

November 12, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg school district receiver Dr. Janet Samuels and acting superintendent Dr. John George.

The Harrisburg school district issued a substantial budget revision late on Tuesday, stating that the previous administration mismanaged the district’s finances and drastically overstated revenue.

According to Acting Superintendent John George, the district’s 2019-20 budget has been revised downward to $152.1 million, nearly $6.7 million less than the approved budget, which was finalized in June.

The new budget yields a $2.6 million shortfall for the year.

“One of the first steps in returning educational prosperity to this school district is to stabilize our finances and ensure we are spending and accounting for funds appropriately,” George said, in a statement. “The amount of errors and mismanagement we have uncovered is egregious and truly unfair to the students, staff and taxpayers of this school district.”

Much of the shortfall—$5.1 million—is due to the prior administration overestimating state revenue that the district would receive, according to the district.

Soon after receivership began in June, the district’s new administrative team began to piece together the district’s finances. At the time George, appointed to his post by Receiver Janet Samuels, told TheBurg that the district’s finances were fragmented and in disarray.

The findings released on Tuesday are the result of four months of “painstakingly pouring through Harrisburg’s financial records and systems,” according to the district.

Other findings include a $1.9 million underestimation of tuition payments to charter schools and payments to “ineligible employees.”

The district also lost $2.8 million over the past two years in federal School Improvement Grant funding at John Harris High School, a program designed to help failing students get back on track. The district didn’t properly administer the program, and didn’t provide documentation to the government of how funds were spent, according to a school district statement.

George stated that the district is implementing “a number of financial strategies” to save money for the remainder of the school year. These include:

refinancing debt with lower-interest loans
reviewing medical benefits contracts
recommitting to the sale of dormant assets, such as William Penn High School and Woodward Elementary
pursuing new grants and other non-traditional revenue sources
lowering charter school costs

“Truly, every financial aspect of this school district will continue to be analyzed,” George said. “We will examine contracts with major service providers such as Aramark and our energy management providers. We’ll also be digging into the district’s outstanding legal matters that may have some major financial implications.”

George said that the district already has begun to put in place procedures and training to improve business practices, approval processes and other financial checks.

The district has also established a fraud reporting hotline. Tipsters should call 717-703-4135 or email [email protected].

Sales and prices up again as strong Harrisburg-area housing market continues

November 11, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

A house for sale in Midtown Harrisburg

Inventory dropped and prices rose in the latest monthly accounting of Harrisburg-area home sales.

The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR) reported on Monday that, for October, home sales increased by 8.5 percent while the median sales price jumped by 8.1 percent for its three-county region, compared to the year-ago period.

For the area, listing inventory dropped by 10 percent, while the median cumulative days on the market also fell, according to GHAR.

In Dauphin County, sales totaled 302 units, up from 288, while the median price was $171,500, compared to $160,000 last October. Sales in Cumberland County also rose, totaling 324 units versus 290, with the median price increasing to $218,950 from $206,000, according to GHAR.

In Perry County, 37 units sold versus 33 a year ago, while the median price rose to $179,900 compared to $172,500 in October 2018.

As it has in recent months, GHAR primarily credited lower interest rates for the stronger home sales market. In October 2018, the average interest rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 4.86 percent. Last month, the average was 3.78 percent, according to the economic research company Macrotrends.

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Happy Weekend!

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