Maryland Theatre

The concert with radio show host and recording artist John Tesh originally scheduled for May 7 at The Maryland Theatre has been postponed to a later date to be determined. Current ticket holders should contact The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, MD at 301-790-2000 or online at mdtheatre.org for refunds. For more information regarding Tesh, the new Hagerstown concert date or "The John Tesh Radio Show," go to http://www.tesh.com .

Hagerstown is getting another helping of “Tater Salad.” Comedian Ron "Tater Salad" White is coming back to The Maryland Theatre, according to Jessica Green, the theater's operations manager. White, known for being part of the “Blue Collar Comedy Tour,” is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, as part of his Moral Compass Tour. When he performed at The Maryland Theatre in 2009, a second show had to be added due to an overwhelming response. The first show sold out, and the second nearly sold out, Green said.

Moscow Festival Ballet will present "Swan Lake" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 13, at The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown. Tickets cost $32.50 to $42.50. To purchase tickets, call 301-790-2000 or go to http://www.mdtheatre.org

Patricia Weber Wolford, former executive director of the Maryland Theatre, died early Wednesday at her home in Ocala, Fla., said her husband, Ted Wolford. She was 71. Wolford led the Maryland Theatre for nearly 10 years before retiring in 2006, and is credited by some with saving it from financial troubles. She also made waves as executive director of Potomac Bend Medical Center in Hancock, where her involvement in the firing of three doctors in 1987 led to months of controversy, culminating in the center shutting down and reopening under new management as Tri-State Community Health Center.

Apryll Walker wanted to be mom. Her husband, Brett, wanted to be an inventor. But they both shared a love of music that they couldn't ignore and now it's a family passion. For about a half-dozen years, the Walkers and their seven children have been traveling the United States, keeping hands clapping and toes tapping to the sounds of country, bluegrass and old-time mountain music. It wasn't the kind of life the couple pictured for themselves when they married and began a life together in Alaska.

HAGERSTOWN -- Jay C. Constantz, the new executive director of The Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown, met members of the community Wednesday evening during a welcome reception in the theater's newly refurbished lobby. Constantz said more than 50 people attended, including representatives from the Greater Hagerstown Committee, the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce, arts organizations, the public library and the school system. The reception was sponsored by the theater, the chamber of commerce and AC&T.

By STEVEN T. DENNIS Staff Writer The Washington County Gaming Commission passed over The Maryland Theatre again Monday when it doled out $1.07 million in tip jar money to local fire and rescue companies and charities. Commission Chairwoman Sue Tuckwell said the theater failed to provide detailed financial information sought by the agency to justify the theater's $130,000 funding request. "That's not true," said theater President Patricia Wolford. "We gave them everything they asked for. We justified every dime.

The Maryland Theatre has survived fire, financial woes and a recent plan by its board to consider selling it. It will also survive the departure of Brian Sullivan, its executive director, who resigned - effective immediately - last Thursday, with no explanation. After his predecessor, Pat Wolford, got the theater's finances in order and made some major repairs to the physical plant, Sullivan's job was to make the facility a place for the community instead of just a rental hall.

It was a feast for the eyes, ears and appetite Thursday night as the spotlight shone on City Center's offerings of cuisine, art and music. Taste of the Arts, the third event of its kind in Hagerstown's Arts and Entertainment District, offered a dozen locations, with restaurants, caterers and organizations each presenting eats as well as entertainment, including the instrumental and vocal stylings of Barbara Ingram School for the Arts students....

On Saturday at The Maryland Theatre, the stage will be filled with dancers wearing ballet slippers, pointe shoes, tap shoes, character shoes, jazz shoes, hip-hop sneakers and going barefoot.  Ballet and All That Jazz, under the artistic direction of Ranelle Flurie, will present two shows at 2 and 7 p.m.  The matinee show consists of Little BITs (Ballerinas In Training), the school's youngest dancers with the preschoolers dancing as magical fairies.  The elementary ages will become childhood princesses.

  Band and orchestra students at Barbara Ingram School for the Arts will combine with the Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra of Montgomery County, Md., to present a Mother's Day concert of music for large orchestra. The concert will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday at The Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown.  Featured on the program will be Overture to Arthur Sullivan's “The Yeoman of the Guard,” the “Presto Finale” to Mozart's Symphony No. 36, Gershwin's “Little Rhapsody in Blue” with pianist Jessan Groenendyk, and Rossini's Overture to “The Italian Girl in Algiers.”  Also featured at the concert will be Potomac Valley Orchestra's concerto competition winner Marie Hodges performing Beethoven's Violin Sonata in F. Barbara Ingram will feature All-State alto saxophonist Hansu Sung in Eugene Bozza's Improvisation and Caprice.

Hagerstown BMX Dirt Dreams Series Race More than 200 competitors of all ages will compete for cash and prizes. 8 a.m. Saturday rider clinic by Derek Sipkoi. Following the clinic, riders of all ages will race, up to eight at a time. Sunday registration at 10 a.m., races start at 12:30 p.m. Hagerstown Fairgrounds Park, 370 N. Cannon Ave., Hagerstown. Free for spectators. Go to www.hagerstownbmx.com. Strawberry Festival Food, crafts, games for kids, entertainment by Heavenly Harmony and Back Creek Valley Boys, strawberries by the bag, strawberry sundaes, strawberry shortcake and pies.

Tickets are on sale now for Christian comedian, songwriter and singer Tim Hawkins' concert at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, at The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., downtown Hagerstown. The event is a fundraiser for Boys and Girls Club of Washington County. VIP floor reserved and box reserved seats cost $40 advance only; $45 at the door. Only 48 VIP box seat tickets will be sold. Cost includes a meet and greet with Hawkins after the show. Premium reserved tickets cost $25 in advance; $30 at the door.

This has been an active winter for downtown Hagers-town. A stadium proposal came and went. The school board, on hearing the siren call of City Center, fled for the burbs. The march of small business bankruptcies continued, often leaving unpaid lessors and development loans in their wake. The downtown souffle rose and then fell. The net result is not positive. Perhaps part of the difficulty that Hagerstonians have with downtown recovery lies in a failure of analysis. Look at the news stories, the comments at public meetings, the views expressed in private conversations and you will see that downtown's demise seems to be regarded as an act of fate - rather like an earthquake, hurricane or plague.

Apryll Walker wanted to be mom. Her husband, Brett, wanted to be an inventor. But they both shared a love of music that they couldn't ignore and now it's a family passion. For about a half-dozen years, the Walkers and their seven children have been traveling the United States, keeping hands clapping and toes tapping to the sounds of country, bluegrass and old-time mountain music. It wasn't the kind of life the couple pictured for themselves when they married and began a life together in Alaska.

Here are some of the things happening in Washington County Public Schools this week: Tuesday, April 30   Eighth-grade Day on the Job   Barbara Ingram School for the Arts - Visual- arts open studio, 4:30 p.m. E. Russell Hicks Middle - Power Hour Homework Club, 2:30 p.m. Pleasant Valley Elementary - Chess Club, 2:15 p.m.; Good Citizen Luncheon Sharpsburg Elementary - Spring pictures, 8 to 10:30 a.m.; staff picture, 2:30 p.m. ...

Alex Moore said some of his friends joked with him that he was already like Professor Callahan because Moore can be evil. But the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts student doesn't see himself that way, and Moore said he had to work at perfecting the character of the pompous professor in “Legally Blonde - The Musical.” Will Bureau is a young, confident-looking student at the arts school, but he said it was tough being the condescending boyfriend...

Maryland Life magazine Ten Washington County businesses and attractions recently were honored by the readers and editors of Maryland Life magazine. The magazine's third annual Free State's Finest contest attracted more than 3,400 votes cast in 35 categories and numerous additional editors' choices. Honors went to: • Antietam National Battlefield, finest historic attraction and finest park • Black Rock Golf Course, finest golf course • Blue Goose Fruit Market and Bakery, editors' best-kept secret in Western Maryland • Hagerstown Premium Outlets, finest shopping • Knob Hall Winery, finest winery • LJ's and The Kat Lounge, editors' pick for finest happy hour • The Maryland Theatre, finest concert venue and finest theater • R. Bruce Carson Jeweler, finest jeweler • Sagittarius Salon and Spa, editors' pick for finest spa • Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, finest museum Orthopaedic Associates Dr. Shabbar Hussain opened a satellite office of Orthopaedic Associates on Jan. 2 at 12821 Oak Hill Ave., Suite 3, in Hagerstown.