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N3RD Thursdays at Delaware Museum of Nature & Science
The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science is inviting you to “embrace your inner nerd and let your geek flag fly” at N3RD Thursdays. The evening will be for adults ages 21 and older and feature a science angle to a variety of themed events. N3RD kicks off Thursday, April 20 (6-9pm) with Prom Night at the Museum. Upcoming themes include Green Carnival (June 15), A Midsummer Night’s Steam (July 20) and Back to School Field Trip (Aug. 17). The series continues through December.
Each event will feature a contest, a dress-up theme, programming from the museum and partners and cash bar. Children are not invited. Tickets are $15 members; $30 non-members. Visit Delmns.org.
City Theater Company Closes Season with a Bang
City Theater Company will close its 29th season with a presentation of Assassins, a show it first performed 25 years ago. Seven performances will be held April 14-22 at The Delaware Contemporary (200 S. Madison St., Wilm.)
The Tony-Award-winning musical features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by John Weidman, which was based on an original concept by Charles Gilbert Jr. The dark and slyly comic show shadows a group of successful and wannabe Presidential assassins throughout U.S. history, framing their experiences in a broader exploration of American ideals. The score reflects the popular music of each era as the characters tell their stories through scenes and songs.
CTC first presented Assassins in 1998. Kerry Kristine McElrone, CTC’s artistic director, played Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme in that production, and is excited about revisiting the show 25 years later.
Says McElrone “When deciding on our 29th season, I knew I wanted us to do a Sondheim piece,” says McElrone. “Assassins has always been an important show to me — in part because it was one of my first professional roles, and as such was pivotal in shaping my approach to my work in myriad ways. I’ve done a number of Sondheim pieces since then, but the time felt right to restage this one for a new CTC audience.”
Tickets are $45 ($30 students). Visit City-Theater.org.
First State Ballet Presents a Classic
First State Ballet, Delaware’s only professional ballet company, will present Don Quixote April 22-23 at The Grand (818 Market St., Wilm.). The Cervantes’ classic features the misadventures of Quixote and his devoted squire, Sancho Panza, and is an entertaining ballet for all ages. Tickets range $20-$57. Visit FirstStateBallet.org.
James Beard Sunday Supper Kicks Off Culinary Celebration
While Wilmington’s culinary rite of spring — City Restaurant Week — kicks off April 24 (see pg. 43), the celebration of the city’s restaurant scene kicks off a day earlier with the inaugural Wilmington James Beard Foundation Sunday Supper on April 23 at The Chancery Market Food Hall & Bar (1313 N. Market St., Wilm.). The evening is being presented by the James Beard Foundation in partnership with Johnson Commercial Real Estate and the City of Wilmington’s It’s Time campaign.
The event will feature a diverse collection of Wilmington chefs, several who are past James Beard nominees. Chefs include: Antimo Dimeo (Bardea Steak, Bardea Food & Drink), Tyler Akin (Le Cavalier at the Green Room), Joe Delago (The Quoin Restaurant), Michael DiBianca (Ciro Food & Drink, Ciro Forty Acres), Dan Butler (Piccolina Toscana, Brandywine Prime) as well Chancery Market owners and chefs Lanice Wilson (The Juice Joint), Nikita Thomas (Rooted AF), Oath 84, Fuku, Katiroll Wala, Market Street Burger and Dog, and Espresso.
The evening will open with a one-hour reception followed by a seated dinner served family-style, which features a different chef preparing each course. Limited tickets are available for $200 per person and can be purchased at EventBrite.
Governor Pete du Pont Collection at Hagley
The Pete du Pont Freedom Foundation has partnered with Hagley Museum and Library to further expand the legacy and preserve the papers of Pierre S. “Pete” du Pont IV (1935–2021), Delaware’s 68th governor (1977–1985) and a Republican candidate for President of the United States during the 1988 campaign.
In addition to his role as governor and presidential run, du Pont was also an attorney, state legislator, member of Congress, commentator, and columnist. He is most well-known for positioning Delaware as a center for the credit card industry, shifting Delaware’s unemployment rate to the lowest in the U.S. at the time.
The Hagley collection fills 28 feet of shelving, with thousands of documents, more than 500 photographs, and scores of videocassettes, scrapbooks, recordings and other materials. The archive also includes an assortment of writings, speeches, videos, and photographs from Governor du Pont’s career as a politician and political journalist, a selection of which has been digitized and is accessible through PeteDupontFreedomFoundation.org as well as Hagley.org/pdpont.
Delaware Gran Fondo Offers Once-A-Year Riding Experience
The Delaware Gran Fondo, a cycling event that provides riders with a once-a-year tour through a collection of Brandywine Valley cultural attractions, returns Sunday, May 21 with a pair of new features. This year’s ride, which last year drew riders from 18 states and four countries, will begin at Wilmington’s Rockford Park and include a ride through the spectacular grounds of Granogue. It’s the first time Granogue has been part of the course. Other cultural attractions on the ride include Hagley Museum, Winterthur Museum, Delaware Museum of Nature & Science, Auburn Heights and Woodside Creamery. The ride offers distances of 12.5 (Governor’s Ride), 34 and 62 miles. A post-ride BBQ including craft beer and ride awards will be held adjacent to Rockford Tower.
The Delaware Gran Fondo is part of the three-day Wilmington Grand Prix, now in its 15th year. Visit WilmGrandPrix.com.
Meals on Wheels Partners with Top Chefs to Fight Senior Hunger
Meals On Wheels Delaware is hosting its’ 26th Annual Celebrity Chefs’ Brunch on Sunday, April 30 (11:30am-2pm) at DuPont Country Club in Wilmington. Funds raised from the event assist Meals on Wheels’ mission of providing delivered meals to homebound senior citizens. Last year, more than 6,200 Delaware seniors benefited from the program.
Chefs Jose Salazar (Mita’s, Cincinnati, Oh.) and Cassy Vires (Bailey’s Restaurants, St. Louis, Mo.) will host the fundraiser as honorary chairs. They will be joined by 23 other award-winning chefs, including Tyler Akin, Michael Blackie, Patrick Bradley, Dan Butler, Hari Cameron, Amber Croom, Mark Daggett, Antimo DiMeo, Don Drake, Dana Herbert, Ken Hodanics, Victoria Jeker, Robbie Jester, Robert Lhulier, Bruce Moffett, Loryn Nalic, Jasmine Norton, Deb Paquette, Paul Reilly, Larry Schreiber, Alex Seidel, John Tesar, and Dru Tevis.
“We are always grateful for the enthusiasm from the chefs who share their talents for a good cause,” says Regina Dodds, director of events for Meals on Wheels Delaware. “We are also fortunate to have the support of the community who join in the goal of raising funds for Meals on Wheels programs statewide.”
Tickets range $75-$175. Visit MealsonWheelsDe.org.
A Special Evening Aboard the Tall Ship Kalmar Nyckel
Salute Delaware’s revolutionary war history with festivities aboard the tall ship Kalmar Nyckel on Saturday, April 15. After a tour of the ship, guests will convene with an indoor reception hosted by the National Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association (W3R-US) at the Kalmar Nyckel building. This event will support Wilmington’s preparations for America’s 250th birthday in 2026. This is an opportunity to celebrate the thousands of American and French troops who passed through Wilmington en route to win American independence in 1781 at Yorktown, Va.
“Wilmington witnessed the march of thousands of French and American troops in 1781 on what is now the Washington Rochambeau National Historical Trail,” said Larry Abell, W3R-US board chair. “The trail spans 10 states from Massachusetts down to Virginia and highlights the journey of the diverse armies and the ordinary citizens who helped them on the road to victory at Yorktown. This evening will shed light on those moments and celebrate the important role the state of Delaware played in the birth of our nation.”
Vincent de Kytspotter, France’s representative to the United Nations, will be the Guest of Honor. The evening will also include a brief talk by archaeologist Wade P. Catts. The tour starts at 4:30pm; the reception at 5:30pm. Attendees will be supporting the historic Washington Rochambeau National Historic Trail. For tickets, visit W3r-us.org/event/wilmington2023.
