The planning for the 2020 season at The Freeman Stage began soon after the last performance last year, but what would have been the organizations’ biggest lineup to date had to be shelved when the pandemic struck.

While the nation was in quarantine, the nonprofit pivoted its programming to provide virtual arts experiences via social media and local schools. Its staff and Board of Directors closely monitored the ever-changing landscape presented by COVID-19, continually evaluating alternative options that allowed the Stage to stay true to its mission while respecting the mandates from government and public health officials.

This week, The Freeman Stage announced it is moving forward with a special season of the arts — one which will have reduced capacity to comply with physical distancing guidelines and will primarily showcase local and regional talent.

“We’ve decided as an organization the arts need to be present during this time of reopening,” said Executive Director Patti Grimes. “Our Board of Directors supports the key tenets of our mission, which includes...

The “Stay at Home” mandates from the government have impacted a wide range of businesses throughout the nation.

Those that are seasonal — like many of the small businesses in the Maryland and Delaware beach resort areas — have been particularly hard hit. Instead of opening their doors this shoulder season, they have been forced to stay closed.

The Freeman Stage — the open-air performing arts venue, which is a program of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation — was scheduled to announce its 13th season lineup in mid-March, with tickets going on sale soon after. Instead, the nonprofit was forced to hit the pause button like many entertainment venues across the U.S.

The season, which was originally slated to begin Memorial Day weekend, has currently been pushed back to late-June, with the organization currently working to reschedule several performances.

“The Freeman Stage is a place to create everlasting memories with family and friends and experience the joy of the arts — and our goal is to continue that in 2020,” said Patti Grimes, executive director. “Although...

The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation is proud to present a myriad of events and programs to celebrate the Centennial of the 19th Amendment Ratification, including a Celebration March on International Women’s Day, March 8, in Georgetown.

The celebratory march will take place beginning at 3 p.m. at The Circle in Georgetown and will commemorate the suffragettes who marched for women to have the right to vote. The event is open to the public of all ages and gender and will feature a proclamation from the town of Georgetown, a sash-making station, music, and hot beverages and sweet treats — including Girl Scout cookies for sale. The League of Women Voters will also be on-site for voter registration.

“This event is an opportunity to honor all women and kicks off a series of events that celebrate this historic milestone through the arts,” said Patti Grimes, the executive director of the Foundation.

“We are excited to celebrate this pivotal moment in history through the arts,” she said. “We wanted to provide the opportunity for everyone to celebrate in multiple ways and...

By Steven Billups

Thirty-two individuals and groups were honored with the 2019 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award Oct. 29 at Dover Downs Hotel. The recipients were recognized for significant contributions, engagement and impact in diverse activities, including mentoring children, supporting people with disabilities, protecting the environment, and assisting seniors, people who are homeless, and veterans. To read the full article, visit capegazette.com.

By Charlene Sharpe

Students at Stephen Decatur High School last week saw the power of poetry with a performance hosted by The Freeman Stage.

As part of its Art in Education program, The Freeman Stage brought The Mayhem Poets to Stephen Decatur High on Friday, Sept. 20.

“We try to celebrate and inspire poetry in the schools in the Delmarva region,” said Denise Allen, education coordinator for Freeman Stage.

Click here to read full article.

As September nears, The Freeman Stage is excited to celebrate its final events of the 2019 season.

The annual Labor Day celebration with Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and fireworks will take place Saturday, Aug. 31. This performance begins at 7 p.m. and is free for all patrons, though seating and admittance are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Patrons can guarantee a seat for this high attendance event by reserving a ticket on freeemanstage.org for $10; reserved seats will be held until 7:15 p.m.

The MSO, under the direction of Maestro Julien Benichou, will perform an evening of great jazz and light classics. The fireworks display will immediately follow the performance.

“The season finale with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is such a magical evening and a celebrated tradition,” said Patti Grimes, the executive director of The Freeman Stage. “The fireworks cap off the evening as a thank you to the community for their continued support of the arts.”

The Arts & Jazz Festival, will be held Saturday, Sept. 14, and is an all-day event. This event...

The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation is pleased to announce it is a recipient of the Standards for Excellence Institute’s Seal of Excellence for successfully completing the rigorous accreditation program.

The fundraising arts nonprofit voluntarily opened itself up to analysis by a jury of its peers. The peer review team examined the organization for compliance with the Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector, in areas including: mission, strategy and evaluation; leadership: board, staff, and volunteers; legal compliance and ethics; finance and operations; resource development; and public awareness, engagement, and advocacy.

The Standards for Excellence Institute evaluates fundamental values such as honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, responsibility, and accountability, all of which are inherently important in the nonprofit world.

The Foundation’s programs — which include The Freeman Stage as well as its arts in education and community access programs — and services, management, fundraising and financial...

By Maria Counts

In just 11 years in the community, the Freeman Stage at Bayside is looking to expand yet again.

Patti Grimes, executive director of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation told the Sussex County Council on Tuesday, Nov. 13, that its current stage — the second iteration of an arts hub in West Fenwick — will continue to grow.

“Our mission remains the heart of our programming,” she said. “Our mission is partnering to present memorable performances and inspired arts education for all.”

Grimes said Delaware residents and guests alike are welcome at the stage, where they also continue to grow in the diversity of programs offered.

“Over 11 years, we have served over a half a million people in this county — 406,000 at the Freeman Stage and 101,000 children in Sussex County schools,” she said, noting, “Sussex County was an arts desert” prior to the stage, but the venue is now “busting at the seams.”

“We have put Sussex County on the map as a place where everyone can come and enjoy the arts,” Grimes said. “We are now the third-largest arts...

By Laura Walter

Selbyville Middle School students recently spilled color into their world with the newest Arts in Education program by the The Freeman Stage.

The Moving Pastels Project let students, teachers and parents create their own self-portraits as a fish, which they paired with a character trait that best describes them.

Known for colorful and whimsical artworks, lead artist John Donato has also previously overseen schoolwide murals in a number of schools.

“A self-portrait … is like the toughest thing in the world to do,” said Donato. “They’re really reflecting on themselves.”

For the full story, please visit the Coastal Point.

By Ellen Driscoll

For Cape High students who say poetry is boring, a Sept. 19 performance by The Mayhem Poets may have been a game-changer.

“Poetry out loud brings everyone together,” said poet Mikumari Caiyhe. “Black, white, brown, green, everyone.”

To the tune of the “Rocky” theme song “Gonna Fly Now,” the poets performed a one-word poem as if sung by cats, meowing the entire song.

“We love doing it, because you can be fun and silly with poetry and performance,” said poet Scott Raven.

For the full story visit the Cape Gazette.

By Christina Weaver/Special to the Coastal Point

From waiting for an artist’s first bus to arrive around 6 a.m., to precisely placing the very first chair for the evening’s show, to security-wanding each patron as they arrive, to serving thousands of beverages, to removing hundreds of bags of trash and recyclables, to watching the last of the artist’s busses leave after 1 a.m., the Freeman Stage blue- and yellow-shirted workers make each event appear to go like clockwork.

“They don’t have the most glamorous of jobs, but they have an enormous sense of accomplishment,” said Michelle Freeman, chairman and president of the Freeman Stage. “Their dedication to our mission” — partnering to present memorable performances and provide inspired arts education for all — “humbles me. I tell them, they may not get to like their work every day, but they get to love it every day.”

Dave Kittell is the facilities and asset manager. For four years, he worked as a seasonal team member at the Stage while teaching English as a second language at Delaware Technical Community College...

As September nears, The Freeman Stage is excited to celebrate its final events of the 2018 season.

The annual Labor Day celebration with Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and fireworks will take place Sunday, Sept. 2. This performance begins at 7 p.m. and is free for all patrons, though seating and admittance are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Patrons can guarantee a seat for this high attendance event by reserving a ticket on freeemanstage.org for $10; reserved seats will be held until 7:15 p.m.

The MSO, under the direction of Maestro Julien Benichou, will perform an evening of great jazz and light classics. The fireworks display will immediately follow the performance.

“The season finale with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is such a magical evening and a celebrated tradition,” said Patti Grimes, the executive director of The Freeman Stage. “The fireworks cap off the evening as a thank you to the community for their continued support of the arts.”

The Arts & Jazz Festival, will be held Saturday, Sept. 15, and is an all-day event. This event...

The Freeman Stage is excited to announce three Delaware students who participated in the Poetry Out Loud program recited their poems prior to the Delaware All-State Theatre performance of “Evita,” on Tuesday, June 26.

Poetry Out Loud is a national program — sponsored locally by the Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) — that encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. The program uses a pyramid structure that starts at the classroom level where winners advance to a school-wide competition, then a regional and/or state competition before advancing to nationals. Each fall, the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation partners with Sussex County high schools and the DDOA to present poetry residency programs for high school students and to support the Poetry Out Loud program.

The three students who recited their poetry at The Freeman Stage included state semi-finalist Tanaye Purnell from Sussex Central High School, state semi-finalist Tania Laurent from Seaford High School, and state...

The Freeman Stage announced Vol. 2 of the 2018 season Monday, April 9, at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats in Rehoboth Beach. The second announcement pulled back the curtain on over 40 performances, including the Stage’s Young Audience series, cultural performances and free events.

The 2018 season will be the arts nonprofit’s biggest season to date — with 67 events. Headlining acts announced Monday, include Alison Krauss on June 9; The Four Tops & The Temptations on July 2; country artist Lee Brice on July 5; Boys II Men on July 12; Pat Benatar, Neil Giraldo and Rick Springfield on July 23; southern rock jam band Gov’t Mule on July 25; Matisyahu on July 26; Mary Chapin Carpenter on July 28; Gin Blossoms on Aug. 2; Postmodern Jukebox on Aug. 17; SOJA on Aug. 19; Michael Bolton on Aug. 31; Phillip Phillips and Gavin DeGraw on Sept. 1 and the Gipsy Kings on Sept. 16. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Monday, April 16.

This season’s growth was a way to fulfill the needs of everyone in the community, said Patti Grimes, executive director of The...

With more than 60 performances in its 2018 season, The Freeman Stage recently announced Vol. 1 of its two-part season reveal. Vol. 1 of this season’s lineup includes dance, theatre, children’s performances and live music. Tickets will go on sale for these events at 10 a.m. Monday, March 26.

Headlining performances include Smokey Robinson on June 1; The Wailers on June 15; Chris Janson on June 22; Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers with special guest The Wood Brothers on June 30; comedian Jeff Foxworthy on July 7; Tony Award winner Leslie Odom Jr., on July 8; Straight No Chaser on July 24; The Beach Boys on Aug. 3; O.A.R. with special guest Matt Nathanson on Aug. 9; Cheap Trick on Aug. 10; Vince Gill on Aug. 11 and Voodoo Threauxdown featuring Trombone Shorty & News Orleans Avenue, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, New Breed Brass Band and Galactic on Aug. 16.

Crowd favorites, who will once again grace the stage, include the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, the First State Ballet, Clear Space Theatre Company and Brown Box Theatre Project. “Locals Under the Lights,”...