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ACTOR SPOTLIGHT: BRENDAN SHEEHAN

ACTOR SPOTLIGHT: BRENDAN SHEEHAN

The Ohio Valley is full of talented people who give their time to the arts and enrich our lives with their gifts. At Towngate Theatre, we are lucky to have a large number of these talented people share their creative skills with us. People of all ages and backgrounds gather here to create and experience art onstage.

Towngate’s season opener, Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, brings just such talent.

One of the actors in the production is Brendan Sheehan. A Wheeling native, Brendan is making his debut performance on the Towngate Stage in The Glass Menagerie. He plays the role of Tom.

Brendan Sheehan in Towngate's "The Glass Menagerie"
Brendan Sheehan as Tom, who supports his family but wishes he could escape his life.

Brendan previously played the role of Caliban in Ohio University Eastern’s production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

A postal worker during the day, Brendan said that he was drawn to auditioning for The Glass Menagerie.

“It is a play that I have always enjoyed,” Brendan said.

Brendan noted that he feels connected to the characters, especially the role he is playing, Tom. Tom is an artist who supports his family but dreams of better things.

“Being at the age that I am now, the character of Tom, his difficulties with his family and desire to leave, and the pressure to stay is sometimes very present in my own life,” Brendan said.

In addition to Brendan playing the role of Tom, three other fantastic actors round out the cast. Jamie Stout plays Laura, Tom’s excruciatingly shy daughter who has withdrawn from the outside world. Cathie Spencer plays Amanda, Laura and Tom’s overbearing mother. And Michael Wylie plays the role of Jim O’Connor.

While The Glass Menagerie premiered on Broadway in 1945, the play and its universal themes have tremendous relevance in today’s world.

“I have a lot of sympathy for these characters. And I feel that the play remains present and important even though it is an older work,” Brendan said.

You too can experience The Glass Menagerie, one of the most famous plays of modern theater at Towngate.

Get Tickets

The show will be staged September 16-18 and 23-24. Tickets are on sale now. Purchase in advance at OIonline.com or by calling 304-242-7700. You can buy tickets at the door, too. Admission is $12.50/$11 OI members.

Create Fall-Inspired Crafts at Stifel Center Workshops

Stifel Fine Arts Center Is the Premier Venue for Craft Workshops in Wheeling

WHEELING, W.Va. (September 13, 2016) – – Gather your friends, explore your creative side and take a break from the busy world by enrolling in craft workshops at Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center in Wheeling.

Several upcoming workshops feature fall-inspired craft projects such as basket weaving, ceramic Jack O’Lanterns and stained glass pumpkins.

Stifel Center director Rick Morgan said workshops create a relaxing environment filed with conversation and creativity.

“Learn new techniques and make creative projects under the guidance of our expert instructors,” he said. “You may make some new friends, too. Workshops are very social and interactive. At the end of the workshops, you have great fall decorations to take home.”

Morgan said Stifel Center craft workshops continue to increase in popularity because more and more adults are practicing the art of crafting as a way to unwind and de-stress.

“Our workshops can be an introduction to a potential new hobby or simply be a creative outlet for a few hours,” he said. “Participants create some great pieces and have a great time doing it.”

The Stifel Center provides the instruction, tools, equipment and all supplies for the projects. “All you need is the desire. Just show up. Have fun and create.”

Upcoming fall workshops include:

Basket Weaving
12- 4 p.m. Saturday, September 24
Learn the art of start/stop weaving, overlay and twining to create a fall scarecrow basket with woven Indian corn. The workshop is for ages 18 and up, and the cost is $43 per person. Members of Oglebay Institute receive a discount.

Ceramic Jack O’Lanterns
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Thursday, October 6, 2016
Create a pumpkin with personality. Enjoy an evening filled with friends, fun, food and faces of fright. Workshop is for ages 21 and up, and the cost is $ 35 per person. Members of Oglebay Institute receive a discount. This workshop is BYOB.  Participants can bring a favorite adult beverage. Light hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

Stained Glass Pumpkin Workshop
12-4 p.m. Saturday, October 15
Learn glass-cutting techniques as you choose patterns of different pumpkins to create. The workshop will inspire you to create more art glass projects. Workshop is for ages 18 and up, and the cost is $40. Members of Oglebay Institute receive a discount.

Workshops are offered monthly at the Stifel Fine Arts Center. Topics and projects change seasonally. Some of the winter topics on the schedule include: wreath making, ceramic ornaments, wood burning and paper bead jewelry.

No experience is necessary. Beginners are welcome. Pre-registration is required. Call 304-242-7700 or at www.oionline.com.

Bringing experiences in visual and performing arts to the public, Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center welcomes students of all ages to its ongoing classes in art, dance, digital media, music and more. Public programming also includes changing art exhibitions, jazz and bluegrass concerts, wine and beer tastings, culinary events and more.