Suffolk Center For Cultural Arts

«Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.» ~ Stella Adler
At a time when the arts are tragically being cut from school curriculums, it is vitally important to have a place to go in one’s community where the senses can be ignited. The Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts is one such place. The building that houses the Center used to be the local high school, but in 2006, it was renovated and opened as the Cultural Arts Center.
I’ve been to the building on numerous occasions, but mostly to eat at Mosaic or shop at Jester’s (I’ve written short reviews for both). I was aware of the many classes they offer such as photography, painting, ceramics, etc. but have yet to attend one. You can find a listing of the classes offered on their website. According to their listing here on Unilocal,they also rent out space for events and banquets. A note on hours: everything is closed on Mondays, including Jester’s and Mosaic.
It wasn’t until recently that I learned about the plays held the third Saturday of every month. The Children’s Theater of Hampton Roads puts on a wonderful show for the entire family and the cost is an amazingly low $ 5 per ticket. That’s cheaper than seeing a movie! Two months ago, we saw Uncle Wiggly’s A Christmas Carol, an original production. We enjoyed it, but it paled in comparison to this month’s delightful play: A Journey on the Underground Railroad. This was another original play telling the story of real people from the area. It was a wonderful way to introduce young people to an aspect of history that isn’t pretty, but it so very important to tell.
There are also adult productions that take place in Birdsong Theater throughout the year: plays, musicals, and concerts. Additionally, they often have different galleries on exhibit. All are guaranteed to remind you that you have a soul.