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After decades of acting and directing theatrical productions, Hal O'Leary of Wheeling has reimagined his artistic expression with a new focus on poetry.
O'Leary, a member of the Wheeling Hall of Fame in the music and fine arts category, has written a volume of poetry, "For What They're Worth: Poems of Wit and Wisdom." Local Gems Publishing of Long Island, N.Y., has issued the new book. O'Leary said, "They are a small press publisher that takes pride in not being a vanity press."
The retired director of Towngate Theatre will be returning to Oglebay Institute's theater in Wheeling to read from his original works on Dec. 17. The event will open with drinks being served at 6:30 p.m.
O'Leary's reading will begin at 7 p.m. After the reading, a reception and book signing will take place in Towngate's social room.
The poetry reading and reception are free and open to the public. Reservations for the event may be made by calling Oglebay Institute at 304-242-7700 or by registering online at www.oionline.com.
In addition, O'Leary is scheduled to begin the new year by appearing at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library at noon Jan. 3 to read poems from his new collection.
The dedicatory page of O'Leary's book features "A Sonnet for Juliana," a reference to his spouse. In an introductory passage, he writes: "This work is dedicated to the most wonderful wife a man could hope for. Without her it would never have reached fruition."
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Meanwhile, Sean Duffy, coordinator of Lunch With Books, has advised patrons that the Wheeling library will be undergoing renovation beginning in January. The work is scheduled to be complete by July.
Duffy said, "It is possible that during this period it will be necessary to change the location of some programs. Ample notice will be provided. Parking may also be curtailed throughout the project."
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Storyteller Judi Tarowsky of St. Clairsville has been chosen for the eighth annual Women Speak -- Women of Appalachia project. The program is sponsored by Ohio University's Multicultural Center and Women's Center.
Tarowsky joined more than 20 women as juried presenters in the first of a series of performances held at ARTS/West in Athens on Nov. 18. A Dec. 16 performance is planned at the Parkersburg Art Center.
Women selected to participate in the series include poets, essayists and songwriters. Tarowsky said she is the only storyteller in the group. Her presentation is an excerpt from her original story, "Geema's Shivaree."
Kari Gunter-Seymour is founder and curator of the Women of Appalachia project. The series includes gallery presentations by visual artists.
Tarowsky, a former newspaper reporter in the Steubenville-Wheeling area, has been a professional storyteller for eight years.
She was chosen as "a new voice" for the 2016 Stone Soup Storytelling Festival in Woodruff, S.C. Tarowsky also was a presenter at the Story Cafe during the Beyond the Border International Storytelling Festival in St. Donat's, Wales.
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On a social and political note, to paraphrase Nobel laureate Bob Dylan: the times, they are a-changin' in Charleston.
West Virginia Governor-elect Jim Justice will take the oath of office on the south steps of the state Capitol in Charleston at 1 p.m. Jan. 16.
However, in a break from tradition, the Justice Inaugural Committee announced Thursday that the new governor "will join the people of West Virginia" for an inaugural ball at The Greenbrier that evening. Committee members stated, "The event will feature live entertainment from major national and local acts."
Of course, Justice owns the famed resort in White Sulphur Springs. Past inaugural balls have been held in Charleston, often within the confines of the city's civic center.
The committee's announcement also contained this tidbit: "The Justice Inaugural Committee will be hosting a dinner for sponsors at The Greenbrier the evening before the swearing-in ceremony in Charleston, W.Va."
Linda Comins can be reached via email at: lcomins@theintelli gencer.net