NEWS
John Didonna Named 2018 Seminole County Artist Of The Year
Each year, the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners and the Seminole Cultural Arts Council (SCAC) jointly select an individual (performer, visual artist, historian or author) who is a resident of Seminole County and has contributed time and talent for the enrichment of Seminole County. This year, they have recognized teacher, actor, producer and playwright John Didonna as the Seminole County Artist of the Year for 2018.
The award and a county resolution will be presented to Mr. Didonna at the regularly scheduled morning meeting of the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners on June 26th in commission chambers in Sanford.
John Didonna is full-time Program Chair and Artistic Director of Theater at Valencia College. He received his BS in Theater from Syracuse University and MFA from UNC-Greensboro. Didonna founded the critically acclaimed Steampunk/Gothic Victorian troupe, Phantasmagoria, a creative fusion of storytelling, music, dance and aerial and large-scale puppetry which performs throughout the area.
Mr. Didonna has played diverse leading roles ranging from Frank N. Furter in “The Rocky Horror Show” to Lord Byron in “Blood Poetry”, from Sir Thomas More in “A Man for All Seasons” to George in “Virginia Woolf”. As a produced playwright, he has written such works as “33rd”, “Nothing Happened”, “Stripped” and “Bathory-The Blood Countess” for example, and a tribute to Samuel Beckett on that playwright’s 102nd birthday. He has distinguished himself as director in a variety of stage offerings such as “12 Angry Men”, “Quills”, “The Tempest”, “Hair”, “9 Parts of Desire”, “Frozen”, Assassins”, and “Frost/Nixon”. His industrial directing credits include events for Dick Clark Corporate Productions.
He was recognized as Best Thespian 2008, received the John Goring Playwrights’ Round Table Achievement and Actor of the Year/People’s Choice awards in 2011, Best Director and Best Playwright Awards for 2013, honored as 2014’s Best Local Actor, and ranked among the Top 25 Junior & Community College Professors in 2014-15 (rated by students). He serves as a social media ambassador for the City of Sanford, sits on the Arts & Cultural Alliance Board of Directors, chaired the Red Chair Affair at the Bob Carr Theatre, holds the position of Co-Artistic Director of Empty Spaces, and works on local art projects with Sanford businesses.
Funded in part by Seminole County Government-BCC, the SCAC is a registered public 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. SCAC is an advocate for the preservation of local cultural and historic heritage, including performing, literary, visual arts and sciences and serves to sustain, develop and advance the cultural life of Seminole County.
The award and a county resolution will be presented to Mr. Didonna at the regularly scheduled morning meeting of the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners on June 26th in commission chambers in Sanford.
John Didonna is full-time Program Chair and Artistic Director of Theater at Valencia College. He received his BS in Theater from Syracuse University and MFA from UNC-Greensboro. Didonna founded the critically acclaimed Steampunk/Gothic Victorian troupe, Phantasmagoria, a creative fusion of storytelling, music, dance and aerial and large-scale puppetry which performs throughout the area.
Mr. Didonna has played diverse leading roles ranging from Frank N. Furter in “The Rocky Horror Show” to Lord Byron in “Blood Poetry”, from Sir Thomas More in “A Man for All Seasons” to George in “Virginia Woolf”. As a produced playwright, he has written such works as “33rd”, “Nothing Happened”, “Stripped” and “Bathory-The Blood Countess” for example, and a tribute to Samuel Beckett on that playwright’s 102nd birthday. He has distinguished himself as director in a variety of stage offerings such as “12 Angry Men”, “Quills”, “The Tempest”, “Hair”, “9 Parts of Desire”, “Frozen”, Assassins”, and “Frost/Nixon”. His industrial directing credits include events for Dick Clark Corporate Productions.
He was recognized as Best Thespian 2008, received the John Goring Playwrights’ Round Table Achievement and Actor of the Year/People’s Choice awards in 2011, Best Director and Best Playwright Awards for 2013, honored as 2014’s Best Local Actor, and ranked among the Top 25 Junior & Community College Professors in 2014-15 (rated by students). He serves as a social media ambassador for the City of Sanford, sits on the Arts & Cultural Alliance Board of Directors, chaired the Red Chair Affair at the Bob Carr Theatre, holds the position of Co-Artistic Director of Empty Spaces, and works on local art projects with Sanford businesses.
Funded in part by Seminole County Government-BCC, the SCAC is a registered public 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. SCAC is an advocate for the preservation of local cultural and historic heritage, including performing, literary, visual arts and sciences and serves to sustain, develop and advance the cultural life of Seminole County.
The Seminole Cultural Arts Council (SCAC) Recognizes
the City of Casselberry for their 2018 "heART for the Arts: Award
The Seminole Cultural Arts Council (SCAC) Board of Directors has recognized the City of Casselberry in group achievement for the 2018 heART for the ARTS Award in appreciation of Casselberry's long-running commitment to advancing arts and culture in Seminole County.
The City of Casselberry has distinguished itself as a leader in support of the arts with a wide variety of events, many of them free of charge, including a monthly Art & Music in the Park event; showcasing diverse art groups in the city's commission chambers; staging special concerts including a Latin Festival and annual jazz fest; hosting rotating art exhibits; promoting the Casselberry Art House for senior academies, youth art classes and vacation youth camps; and in partnerships with many other local art, historical and cultural organizations.
The 2018 heART for the ARTS Award was presented at a Gala on Saturday, February 10th at Mercedes-Benz of North Orlando in Sanford with food and wine tastings from local restaurants, gallery art areas featuring 3 local artists, a photo booth, a silent auction, live entertainment by the Weldon Street Band Jazz Trio, dancing to Evolution Band, and performance art during the evening by the renowned ensemble Phantasmagoria.
Photos provided by Kathy Rosario
1. Cast members of Phantasmagoria
2. Accepting the award for City of Casselberry: (L-R) Mayor Charlene Glancy; City Commissioner Anthony Aramendia; City Commissioner Sandra Solomon; City Manager Randy Newlin; City Commissioner Bill Hufford; Recreation Manager Linda Moore; and Art Academy Specialist Jason Costa.
3. Weldon Street Jazz Band Trio
the City of Casselberry for their 2018 "heART for the Arts: Award
The Seminole Cultural Arts Council (SCAC) Board of Directors has recognized the City of Casselberry in group achievement for the 2018 heART for the ARTS Award in appreciation of Casselberry's long-running commitment to advancing arts and culture in Seminole County.
The City of Casselberry has distinguished itself as a leader in support of the arts with a wide variety of events, many of them free of charge, including a monthly Art & Music in the Park event; showcasing diverse art groups in the city's commission chambers; staging special concerts including a Latin Festival and annual jazz fest; hosting rotating art exhibits; promoting the Casselberry Art House for senior academies, youth art classes and vacation youth camps; and in partnerships with many other local art, historical and cultural organizations.
The 2018 heART for the ARTS Award was presented at a Gala on Saturday, February 10th at Mercedes-Benz of North Orlando in Sanford with food and wine tastings from local restaurants, gallery art areas featuring 3 local artists, a photo booth, a silent auction, live entertainment by the Weldon Street Band Jazz Trio, dancing to Evolution Band, and performance art during the evening by the renowned ensemble Phantasmagoria.
Photos provided by Kathy Rosario
1. Cast members of Phantasmagoria
2. Accepting the award for City of Casselberry: (L-R) Mayor Charlene Glancy; City Commissioner Anthony Aramendia; City Commissioner Sandra Solomon; City Manager Randy Newlin; City Commissioner Bill Hufford; Recreation Manager Linda Moore; and Art Academy Specialist Jason Costa.
3. Weldon Street Jazz Band Trio
The Seminole Cultural Arts Council (SCAC) Announces
Casselberry Traffic Signal Box Art Wrap
The Seminole Cultural Arts Council (SCAC), working with Board Vice President Anthony Aramendia of the Casselberry City Commission, announces completion of the first art wrap of a traffic signal box in Seminole County.
The first signal box is located at the intersection of U.S. 17-92 and N. Lake Triplet Dr., Casselberry in front of Target. A second box is scheduled for a different location in Casselberry in the coming months. The Friends of the Park organization and the City of Casselberry have underwritten both boxes. Various artists are donating their talents and time to the project to provide the U.S. 17-92 corridor with a unique artistic and cultural character.
The SCAC is proposing this beautification program based on CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) guidelines:
The first signal box is located at the intersection of U.S. 17-92 and N. Lake Triplet Dr., Casselberry in front of Target. A second box is scheduled for a different location in Casselberry in the coming months. The Friends of the Park organization and the City of Casselberry have underwritten both boxes. Various artists are donating their talents and time to the project to provide the U.S. 17-92 corridor with a unique artistic and cultural character.
The SCAC is proposing this beautification program based on CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) guidelines:
- Natural Surveillance ("See and be seen") – Crime decreases in areas where perpetrators can be seen.
- Natural Access Control - Lighting, sidewalks, fencing and signage direct the flow of people while decreasing the opportunity for crime.
- Territorial Reinforcement - Public areas are clearly distinguished from private ones and discourage trespassing.
- Maintenance - Neglected or poorly maintained properties are breeding grounds for criminal activity, so repairs are paramount.
