“Collaborate with people you can learn from.”

This quoted advice is one of the guidelines the Arts of the Pamlico follows to grow its arts and cultural offerings and partnerships with groups across our county, region, state and nation. East Carolina University and Arts of the Pamlico continue to grow our collaborative partnership with a common goal of increasing access to the arts in our region.

On March 23, ECU’s Storybook Theatre, led by Dr. Patricia Clark, brought a performance of “Bridge to Terabithia” to the stage of AOP’s historic Turnage Theatre. The musical delighted patrons and offered the opportunity to students to perform in a different venue and theater gem.

This weekend, ECU’s Opera Theater presented “The Coronation of Poppea,” led by Daniel Shirley, on Friday, and will present the opera again for both a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening performance at 7 p.m. Tickets are available both at the theater and online at wwww.artsofthepamlico.org or by phone at 252-946-2504.

On May 2, don’t miss a rich lineup and awards for ECU’s Film and Video Production Senior Showcase on the big screen. This free event will offer our community a lineup of films by seniors getting ready to graduate from film school in collaboration with faculty members Erick Green and Michael Tierno and ECU senior lead, Nich Leach.

This summer, ECU Opera Theater is also partnering with AOP for an exciting new youth arts camp to be hosted at the Turnage Theatre. The camp, Sing Out, will be held Aug. 5-9 from 1 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. each day. AOP’s On Robin’s Wings Art Youth funding is available to help with the cost of the camp, which is $200 for AOP members with a family membership or higher, or $250 for non-members. The camp will introduce children to opera and musical theater. If you are interested in an amazing youth arts opportunity close to home or you would like more information, please contact Rachel Isaac at r.isaacaop@gmail.com.

This fall, the collaborations continue. In mid-October, ECU’s School of Theater and Dance will present “Turn of the Screw.” The ghost story itself is written from the perspective of the governess to whom the story happened. Hired by a bachelor to take care of his niece and nephew, the governess barely arrives at their country home before she starts seeing ghosts.

And in November, ECU’s Opera Theater brings “Hansel and Gretel” to life on the big stage. Hansel and Gretel are the children of a poor woodcutter. When a famine settles over the land, the woodcutter’s wife (stepmother to Hansel and Gretel) decides to take the children into the woods and leave them there to fend for themselves in a greedy act so she and her husband will not starve to death. Don’t miss it! More details coming this summer.

Looking for arts and cultural close to home? Art Beat, from the team at the Arts of the Pamlico’s to offer information about arts and cultural programming offered in Beaufort County, is an opportunity to learn about arts activities in your back yard.

AOP is located in its historic Turnage Theatre at 150 W. Main St., Washington, NC 27889. To learn more about these events or future events go to www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Art Beat is written by Debra Torrence, AOP executive director, and Crystal Holman, AOP weekend coordinator.