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Welcome to Artist Alley,
Washington County Arts Council's electronic newsletter.
We hope this publication will engage you with the arts in your community.
WCAC welcomes your ideas and support as it continues to take the lead in bringing together the community's art organizations to strengthen our region's arts culture.
For artist information, arts events, calls for art, and more visit WCAC's web page...
www.washingtoncountyarts.com.
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Washington County Chamber of Commerce! | |
Annual Community Art Show: The Best Local Art of 2023 | |
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DEADLINE: October 20, 2023
Call for Artists
Annual Community Art Show: The Best Local Art of 2023
The Washington County Arts Council, Inc. invites local artists working in any medium to submit their best new works for WCACâs Juried âAnnual Community Art Show: The Best Local Art of 2023.â The juried community art exhibit will be on display virtually and in the gallery from December 7, 2023 through January 2, 2024.
Artists are encouraged to submit up to three entries. No works previously shown at WCAC will be considered. Submissions are FREE!
NEW for 2023! Online Submissions only!
Full Guidelines plus Submission and PR Media Release Form Links
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Call for Films:
Maryland International Film Festival - Hagerstown
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EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: October 6, 2023
Welcome, filmmakers, to the Maryland International Film Festival-Hagerstown. We are excited about our 11th year coming up on March 21st-24th, 2024. We are Movie Magazine's top 50 festival worth their entry fee. For 12 years, we've been bringing in the finest films from around the world. The film festival became a 501(c)3 and launched in 2009 and now screens more than 100 films each year! Hollywood Director Joe Carnahan is our creative director, and has been a powerful partner with our festival! He has brought us such films as "The Grey" and "The A-Team" with Liam Neeson and just released Wheelman to Netflix which is getting RAVE reviews. He now has his own production company with Frank Grillo, and has recently signed a deal with Sony Entertainment to work on their Adaptation of 'UNCHARTED'. So join us! We look forward to having you screen at our 12th anniversary!
The festival is conveniently located downtown; we're in the middle of the arts and entertainment district. And after the films, we host some of the best after parties with live bands and fantastic food and drinks!
Submission Guidelines: Entries must be submitted online, through FilmFreeway's online screener option.
Entry Fees: Checks or money orders must be made payable to Maryland International Film Festival.
Notifications: February 15, 2024
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âGodâs Favorite,â a comedy by Neil Simon is coming to
the Potomac Playmakers stage September 15-17, 2023.
Directed by Wanda Dittmann with Kimberly Jones, Assistant Director
Successful Long Island businessman Joe Benjamin is a modern-day âJobâ with a demanding wife, ungrateful children, and wise-cracking household employees. Just when it seems things couldnât get any worse, he is visited by Sidney Lipton, a.k.a. A Messenger from God (and compulsive film buff) with a mission: test Joeâs faith and report back to âthe Boss.â The jokes and Tests of Faith fly fast and furiously as Neil Simon spins a contemporary morality tale like no other in this hilarious comedy. Performed with permission from Concord Theatricals Corp. Supported in part by grants from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Washington County Arts Council.
All performances will be held at the Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center
17303 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown MD 21740
www.potomacplaymakers.org
potomacplaymakers@gmail.com
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The Jill Fulton Band to perform
September 15, 2023 at HCC
The Hagerstown Community College Alumni Association will host The Jill Fulton Band as part of its Funky Fridays Summer Concert Series, on Friday, September 15, 2023, at 6:15 p.m., in HCCâs Alumni Amphitheater.
Nashville recording artist Jill Fulton has been performing on stage and theatre since she was three years old. She is a soulful singer/songwriter, who pens sweet and sassy tunes that entertain with power and poignancy. The Jill Fulton Band plays covers and originals of country, blues, classic rock, and soul. Her band includes six highly skilled professional musicians: Scott Matlock on fiddle, Laurie Matlock on acoustic guitar, Dale Sharrah on bass, David Gorozdos on keys, Jeffery Shoop on drums, and Wade Wilbur on lead guitar.
Sponsored by the HCC Alumni Association, this concert is free and open to the public. Beer and wine will be sold on site. Food trucks and the alumni concession stand will be open. Please note that no outside food or drink is permitted on the amphitheater grounds. Personal lawn chairs and blankets are permitted for lawn seating.
For more information about the Funky Fridays Summer Concert Series, visit www.hagerstowncc.edu/advancement/hcc-alumni-association.
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The Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater is proud to present their next MainStage performance of 2023, Misery! This thriller opens September 15, 2023, at The Playhouse.
Directed by Rennes Carbaugh, Stephen King's Misery follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his "number one fan", Annie Wilkes, and wakes up captive in her secluded home. This talented cast includes Tod Williams, Jeannie Militio, and Matthew Henning.
The show is preceded by dinner featuring dinner rolls, plated salad, dinner, dessert, and coffee, tea, and iced tea. A full service cash bar is available. Bar tab and gratuity not included.
Misery plays September 15 - October 22 on Friday and Saturday evenings at 6PM and select Sunday matinees at 1PM.
The Washington County Playhouse is located at 44 North Potomac Street, Rear. Since 1985, The Playhouse has been entertaining guests in the heart of Hagerstown's Arts and Entertainment District and City Center.
Tickets (include dinner and show) cost $63.00 for Adults, and $57.00 for Active Military and First Responders. Tickets can be purchased at www.washingtoncountyplayhouse.com or by calling (301)739-7469.
*Misery contains adult language, themes, and violence.
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âCall to Artistsâ for Crystal Ball juried ART GALLERY.
All proceeds will benefit the proposed,
Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine.
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Early autumn, outdoor event
featuring a select group of West Virginia artisans.
You will find artisan-made functional pottery, silver and copper jewelry, functional hand painted mandala glassware, baskets, honey, stained glass, wool applique, blown glass, wood décor, hand carved powder horns, nature mandala art, and much more! All handmade in West Virginia!
Shop local and handmade this fall! This FREE event is on the lawn at Blue Goose Pottery with plenty of parking. 7278 Hedgesville Road, Hedgesville WV 25427
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University System of Maryland
at Hagerstown
to host student-author
community event
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In recognition of National Recovery Month, the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown (USMH) will host a student-author-led discussion and book signing community event on Friday, September 22 at 6 p.m. in the USMH Hospitality Center.
Jamel Freeman, author of âCan I Do This?â, a Salisbury University Social Work student enrolled at the UMSH campus, will share his personal experience, strength, and hope in the face of addiction and his journey with recovery.
National Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life.
This event, hosted by USMH and in partnership with the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center, Washington County Department of Health, Washington County Public Free Library, Horizon Goodwill, and Salisbury University, is free and open to the public. Free event registration available at https://usmhjamelfreeman.eventbrite.com/
Jamel will answer questions submitted by attendees and be available to sign his book, which will be available for purchase at the event. Please submit questions to pfrancis@hagerstown.usmd.edu by Monday, September 18th.
About the book:
Can I Do This? is a powerful story about the thoughts and emotions that alcoholics and addicts go through when entering a rehab facility. Jamel artfully describes the journey from desperation to triumph using the tools and coping strategies he learns in the process. Through the good and the bad, Jamel makes recovery feel attainable, even given the heartbreaking circumstances of his story. (Rachel B.)
About the author:
Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1978, Jamel Freeman grew up with each side of his family being very different. Jamel never fully understood the effect his family's history with alcohol and drug experimentation had on him until later in his school years. Although he faced many challenges, obstacles, trials, and tribulations it was a life-threatening situation that changed his life.
USMH is located at 32 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown. For more information about USMH, please visit our website at www.hagerstown.usmd.edu.
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Washington County Historical Society: Antique Treasure Show
Have you ever wondered about the stories behind the treasures you've inherited? The Washington County Historical Society invites you to uncover the secrets of the past at our Antique Treasure Show.
Picture this: a dusty attic, filled with forgotten relics. Amongst the cobwebs, you stumble upon an exquisite antique bowl that once belonged to your grandmother. Its intricate patterns and delicate craftsmanship leave you mesmerized. Or perhaps, while rummaging through a forgotten drawer, you unearth a pocket watch that has stood the test of time, ticking away with memories of generations past.
Now, imagine being able to delve into the history of these prized possessions. On Saturday, September 23, join us for our Antique Treasure Show! In the style of the popular PBS program "Antique Road Show," this event allows individuals to have live appraisals of their treasures.
From 1:00 PM-3:00 PM, you can get quick appraisals from our panel of appraisers. From 3:00 PM-4:00 PM, they will present in-depth appraisals on objects submitted to them ahead of time.
For an in-depth written appraisal by one of our appraisers, don't hesitate to contact us at info@washcohistory.org or (301)-797-8782 by Sunday, September 10. In-depth appraisals are $20 and will be done by one of our appraisers and available to the first 16 requests.
Spectators are welcome! Guests will be able to tour the interior of the Beaver Creek School Museum. This is your chance to connect with fellow antique enthusiasts, share your own tales of discovery, and gain a deeper appreciation for the artifacts that have shaped our history.
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The Singer Society is collecting items for the popular fundraiser Treasure Sale. The Treasure Sale will be Friday, Nov. 3, 5 to 8 p.m. (ticketed preview sale/tickets go on sale in September); Saturday, Nov. 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 5, 1 to 3 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Visit the MFAâs website for details: www.wcmfa.org/treasure-sale.
or call 301-739-5727.
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The 11th Art at the Point art festival will return to Point of Rocks, MD, on September 30th, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. The event once again will be held at the Community Park along MD 28 in Point of Rocks. | |
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The Maryland Theatre hosts
Eaglemania
Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 7:00 PM
EagleMania has been dazzling audiences for over a decade by spectacularly reproducing the music of The Eagles. EagleMania thrills internationally sold-out audiences with their stunning five part harmony, virtuoso guitar work and uncanny ability to emulate the distinct sound of The Eagles. The EagleMania show consists of the Eaglesâ greatest hits, as well as select Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Joe Walsh solo efforts.
If you like The Eagles you simply must experience the worldâs greatest Eagles Tribute, EagleMania!
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Our Box Office Location is:
The Maryland Theatre
21 South Potomac Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Contact Our Box Office
301-790-2000
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The Maryland Theatre
Box Office Hours
Tuesday 12 PM - 6 PM
Wednesday 12 PM - 5 PM
Thursday 12 PM - 6PM
Friday 12 PM - 5 PM
The Box Office is Open
+1 Hour Prior to Showtimes
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FRIENDS OF MUSIC ANNOUNCES
NEW CONCERT SEASON
The Friends of Music has announced its 2023-2024 concert season. The season will run from October 2023 through May 2024 and include a total of five concerts. Two of the concerts will include performances in both Shepherdstown and Charles Town. The other three will be performed only in Shepherdstown.
The first concert will feature the most active touring piano-wind chamber music ensemble in the world, the Poulenc Trio. It will include two performances: one at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 7 in the Shipley Recital Hall at Shepherd University's Frank Arts Center in Shepherdstown, and the other at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, October 8, 2023, in Charles Town's Zion Episcopal Church. Founded in 2003, the Trio puts a strong emphasis on commissioning, performing, and recording new works by contemporary composers, and this concert will feature a commissioned work by an acclaimed young Vietnamese-American composer, Viet Cuong. It will also include works by Jean Françaix, Francis Poulenc, André Previn, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Gioachino Rossini.
The other concerts will be as follows:
⢠Two Rivers Chamber Orchestraâ7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 4 and 3:00 p.m. Sunday, November 5, 2023. Works from the 18th and 19th centuries by Joseph Bologne, Camille Saint-Saëns, Ciprian Porumbescu, and Ludwig van Beethoven. In the Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (location tentative).
⢠Two Rivers Wind Quintetâ7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 17, 2024. Works from the 18th to 21st centuries by György Ligeti, Malcolm Arnold, Darius Milhaud, Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda, William Grant Still, and Franz Danzi. In Trinity Episcopal Church, Shepherdstown.
⢠Two Rivers Chamber Orchestraâ7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23, and 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 24, 2024. All-Johann Sebastian Bach program, featuring his 3rd, 4th, and 5th Brandenburg concertos.
⢠Two Rivers Chamber Orchestraâ7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18 in the Shipley Recital Hall at Shepherd University's Frank Arts Center in Shepherdstown, and 3:00 p.m. Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Charles Town's Zion Episcopal Church. Works from the 19th and early 20th centuries by Ottorino Respighi and Franz Schubert.
Admission to all the concerts is free for Friends of Music members. Memberships are $175 per person. Nonmembers may buy tickets for individual concerts; the price is $40 per person for the Chamber Orchestra concerts and $35 per person for the Poulenc Trio concert and the Two Rivers Wind Quintet concert.
Memberships and tickets can be purchased on the Friends' website at www.friendswv.org or by mail (FOM, PO Box 220, Shepherdstown, WV 25443). If space is available, tickets for individual concerts will be available at the performances. All major credit cards will be accepted.
Friends of Music is a local non-profit organization founded in 1999 to support and promote musical excellence. It is governed by a board of directors made up of local citizens.

The Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra is the only professional chamber orchestra in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and one of only three in the state. It was established by the Friends of Music in 2007 and has been sustained by the Friends since its inception. Jed Gaylin has been the orchestra's music director since 2012. He also serves as the music director of Baltimore's Hopkins Symphony Orchestra and the Bay Atlantic Symphony in New Jersey, and he is the principal guest conductor of the Cape May New Jersey Music Festival.
This year's Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra concerts are again being supported by a grant from the WV Department of Arts, Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the WV Commission on the Arts. The Friends of Music also receives generous support from the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation's Deltev and Mary Ellen Preissler Fund for the Arts, Music, Design and Nature; Ecloab; the Nora Roberts Foundation; and the Marion Park Lewis Foundation for the Arts. Sustaining corporate sponsors include Jefferson Distributing and John Gibson, DDSâFamily Dentistry. Other corporate sponsors include Jefferson Security Bank, City National Bank, and Heidi Johnston, Keller-Williams Realty.
For more information, contact Friends of Music at info@friendswv.org or 304-876-5765.
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Rocky Horror Picture Show with a LIVE Shadow Cast
October 27 & 28, 2023 at MIDNIGHT
The Potomac Playmakers, in conjunction with #rockyhorrorppp, presents Rocky Horror Picture Show with a LIVE shadow cast. Dress like your favorite characters! The movie starts at Midnight, with games beginning at 11:30pm. Tickets are $18 and may be purchased online or at the door. $3 prop bags and concessions will also be available for cash only. This show is for mature audiences and patrons must be over 18 or accompanied by an adult.
All performances will be held at the Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center
17303 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown MD 21740
www.potomacplaymakers.org
potomacplaymakers@gmail.com
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The Maryland Theatre Presents
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
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The annual tradition for The Rocky Horror Picture Show - Classic 1975 Movie is back!
Friday, October 27, 2023
Doors Open 6:00 pm
Auditorium Opens 6:30 pm
Movie Begins 7:00 pm
Premium Seat Tickets include our Pre-Movie VIP Happy Hour, Prop Bag & Costume Contest; a limited number of Premium Seats are available! Premium Seats are $35. Movie Only Tickets are $15 in Advanced and $20 the Day Of.
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Our Box Office Location is:
The Maryland Theatre
21 South Potomac Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Contact Our Box Office
301-790-2000
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The Maryland Theatre
Box Office Hours
Tuesday 12 PM - 6 PM
Wednesday 12 PM - 5 PM
Thursday 12 PM - 6PM
Friday 12 PM - 5 PM
The Box Office is Open
+1 Hour Prior to Showtimes
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The Alsatia Club Presents
The 96th Annual Mummerâs Parade
Saturday Oct. 28, 2023 at 6:00PM
Tickets can be purchased in person at the Box Office, or by phone at 301-790-2000 or online at Ticketmaster.com. For ticket orders of 8 or more, please visit or call the Box Office directly by phone at 301-790-2000 to purchase.
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About the event...
The first annual Alsatia Mummers Parade was held on Halloween 1921. The parade met with such widespread public approval that except for 1941 through 1945 it is the largest single annual event in Hagerstown.
The Maryland Theatre has partnered with The Alsatia Club to serve as the official box office for ticketed seating along the parade route. For the best selection of seats, we encourage you not to delay and buy your tickets today.
All Tickets must be picked up from the Box Office in person by the morning of the parade.
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September 2023 NOTABLE AUTHOR | |
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Dueling Pianos
Friday Nov. 10, 2023
at 7:30 PM
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Tickets go on sale Friday, September 15, 2023 at Noon
About the Show...
Felix and Fingers brings the party to The Maryland Theatre with a high energy, all request show that thrives off audience participation! From Sinatra to Lady GaGa and anything in between. Felix and Fingers plays your requests and will have you singing along.
Book your seat in the gorgeous Manger Ballroom, select from a choice of banquet tables, high top tables or general admission chairs/standing. If you wish to purchase 8 or more tickets, please call the local box office at 301-790-2000.
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Our Box Office Location is:
The Maryland Theatre
21 South Potomac Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Contact Our Box Office
301-790-2000
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The Maryland Theatre
Box Office Hours
Tuesday 12 PM - 6 PM
Wednesday 12 PM - 5 PM
Thursday 12 PM - 6PM
Friday 12 PM - 5 PM
The Box Office is Open
+1 Hour Prior to Showtimes
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The Community Free Clinic
announces it is back for another year of
Potter's creating & donating beautiful bowls,
for guests to choose & then taste different varieties of soups.
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âOrphans,â by Lyle Kessler will be performed November 10-12 & 17-19, 2023.
Auditions are September 11 & 12, 2023 at 7PM
Directed by Tom Doty with Greg Berezuk, Assistant Director
The Potomac Playmakers proudly announce auditions for the second show of the 2023-2024 Season, the gripping Lyle Kessler thriller âOrphans!â An international success throughout the world, the play details the story of two brothers: Phillip, sensitive, reclusive, never venturing out of his North Philly home; and Treat, a violent pickpocket and thief who kidnaps a mysteriously wealthy businessman. When the businessman turns the table on the two brothers, in a strange, hilarious, and moving way he becomes their long-lost father figure. Produced with kind permission from Concord Theatricals Corp. Supported in part by grants from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Washington County Arts Council.
Audition dates are scheduled for September 11 & 12, 2023 at 7PM,and will be held at the Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center, located at 17303 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. The script calls for two men ages 18-30 years old and one man ranging in age from 40-60 years old, however individuals of all races, ethnicities, and gender identifications will be considered.
All performances will be held at the Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center
17303 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown MD 21740
www.potomacplaymakers.org
potomacplaymakers@gmail.com
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The Sharpsburg Historical Society (SHS) will present a program on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 209 West Main Street, Sharpsburg, about Garnet Jex's paintings of The Upper Potomac in the Civil War.
SHS will display 50 of the original 51 paintings. (SHS knows which painting is missing from the series but does not know its whereabouts.)
These paintings, owned by the historical society, have not been displayed publicly since 2012 as part of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam.
There will be a short lecture about Jex and the paintings that were created for the Washington, D.C., Civil War centennial observation.
The program is free and open to all. Contact VernellD@aol.com or call 301 992 9767.
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Rhythm of the Dance - Yuletide Christmas Special
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 7:00 PM
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The Maryland Theatre Holiday Events | |
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The Frederick News-Post Presents
Holly Jolly Cooking Show & Holiday Market!
Wednesday, November 29 at 7 PM
On Sale This Fall!
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ACT Presents
The Wizard of Oz
Holiday Performance
Saturday, December 2 and 3
On Sale This Fall!
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The Maryland Theatre Presents
A Christmas Carol
Tuesday, December 12
On-Sale Now!
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John Tesh - A Jazzy
Swingin' Christmas
Thursday, December 14
On-Sale Now!
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The City Ballet School
Presents
The Nutcracker
Saturday, December 9 and 10
On Sale This Fall!
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Maryland Symphony Orchestra
Home for the Holidays
December 16 and 17
Buy Tickets Now from the MSO
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Barbara Ingram School for the Arts
Holiday Spectacular
December 20 and 21
On Sale This Fall!
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The Maryland Theatre Presents
Middletown Valley Bank Krumpe's Donut Drop
Saturday, December 31, 2024
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Our Box Office Location is:
The Maryland Theatre
21 South Potomac Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Contact Our Box Office
301-790-2000
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The Maryland Theatre
Box Office Hours
Tuesday 12 PM - 6 PM
Wednesday 12 PM - 5 PM
Thursday 12 PM - 6PM
Friday 12 PM - 5 PM
The Box Office is Open
+1 Hour Prior to Showtimes
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Marie Osmond in Concert
with Special Guest David Osmond
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 at 7:00 PM
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About the Show...
Marie Osmond has spent over 6 iconic decades in the entertainment business performing as a successful singer, television performer and talk show host, dancer, actor, author, entrepreneur and public speaker. She has continued to maintain relevance, remaining an instantly recognizable figure across the globe.
Pre-sales may be limited to availability. For groups of 4 or more, contact the Box Office Directly by Phone at 301-790-2000 to purchase.
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Our Box Office Location is:
The Maryland Theatre
21 South Potomac Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Contact Our Box Office
301-790-2000
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The Maryland Theatre
Box Office Hours
Tuesday 12 PM - 6 PM
Wednesday 12 PM - 5 PM
Thursday 12 PM - 6PM
Friday 12 PM - 5 PM
The Box Office is Open
+1 Hour Prior to Showtimes
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Opportunities for Artists
Explore MSAC grants and opportunities available to independent artists, click here for details.
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The Washington County Arts Council, Inc. is funded by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), an agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development. | |
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The Washington County Arts Council is a proud member of
County Arts Agencies of Maryland,
Maryland Citizens for the Arts, and Americans for the Arts
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The WCAC facility is wheelchair accessible! | |
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Thank you for providing your email address to the
Washington County Arts Council. Your information was obtained from
at least one of the following methods: signing our guest book,
becoming a member, donating, entering a contest, or exhibiting with us.
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