Saint Stephen

BRADENTON -- Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School will hold its annual Fine Arts Week from March 15 to March 21 at the School’s Bradenton campus.

The public is welcome to attend all events throughout the week. The festivities will get underway on Monday, March 15, with a reception for the Alexi Tucker Memorial Art Show, which features artwork created by students in the Upper School visual arts classes.

An annual event for the school since 1999, the exhibit is funded by John and Diane Tucker in memory of their daughter, Alexi, a Saint Stephen’s student with a special love of visual art. Professional artists, gallery owners, and architects from Sarasota and Manatee counties will jury the show and select pieces for special recognition.

The Gordon Langeneger Award will also be presented at the opening of the show, in honor of former Saint Stephen's Art Department chair, Gordon Langeneger.

This award is presented to the student who demonstrates the most interest and promise in the visual arts and who best lives the motto of Mr. Langeneger, ”Never stoop to the mediocre.“

Student works include drawing, painting, photography, mixed media, and ceramics. Each year a professional artist’s work also is featured in one wing of the Alexi Tucker Memorial Gallery.

This year, Sarasota artist and teacher, Jeffery Cornwell, will present his paintings. A reception begins at 5:00 p.m. with refreshments in the Alexi Tucker Memorial Gallery, located in the Upper School’s Russell Building.

The awards presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m., while student musicians play in the background.

The 2010 members of the Saint Stephen’s chapter of the National Art Honor Society will be introduced as well. A second exhibit by students in the Lower, Intermediate, and Middle Schools begins March 15 at 3:00pm in the School’s Upper School library.

Both art exhibits will be open for browsing time from 3:00-5:00pm prior to the all school performance of ”Seussical The Musical“ Thursday through Friday of Fine Arts Week. On Thursday, March 18, the Hoagland Arena will be transformed into an appropriately colorful venue for performances of the popular Broadway show, ”Seussical the Musical.“

The show is directed by Preston Boyd, and the cast, crew, and orchestra for the show consist of over 100 students and faculty members from all divisions. Performances of the musical will take place at 7:30 p.m. March 18-20 and a 2:00 p.m. matinee on March 21. Tickets are $ 7.50 for adults, $ 5.00 for non-Saint Stephen’s students, and free for Saint Stephen’s students. Adult tickets for all four performances are available for $25.

Proceeds from the musical will benefit the School’s Fine Arts Department. Tickets are available in advance at the School’s Campus Center or at the door the day of the event. For more information on tickets, contact the School at (941) 746-2121, extension 104.

Director Preston Boyd said, ”Fine Arts Week is a time for all of our students to stimulate their imagination and celebrate creativity through the visual and performing arts.“

Saint Stephen’s is a fully accredited, independent, college preparatory day school for students in Pre-Kindergarten 3 through 12th grade. The school is located at 315 Forty-First Street West in Bradenton. Saint Stephen’s admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Saint Stephen’s does not discriminate on a basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational or admissions policies, scholarship, athletic or other school administered program.

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