February Newsletter

February 2025

February is here which means LOVE is in the Spotlight and Maywood Fine Arts is going to Steal Your Heart!

Get Ready for La Esmeralda!

This year MFA's Classical Ballet for New Audiences (CBNA) program is producing the dramatic and beautiful ballet, La Esmeralda. The audience will be in for a treat since this ballet is rarely performed in the United States.

It will be staged at the Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church on Friday, March 14th at 7pm.

This ballet, inspired by Victor Hugo's gothic novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is sure to have the audience on its feet and applauding by its conclusion.

Tickets are NOW on sale at MFA's Stairway of the Stars Dance Studio!

A Proud Shoutout to our Dancers!

Maywood Fine Arts couldn't be prouder of our students Nevaeh Ray and Janila Garrett who are both serving as Dance Captains for their high school spring musicals. Nevaeh is leading the dancers at Timothy Christian High School for Mary Poppins and Janila is doing the same at Oak Park River Forest High School for Cinderella. We're sure they will shine on that stage as leaders!

Meanwhile, Alexandria Franklin, a frequent guest artist in our CBNA ballets (most recently as Snow White) is now appearing on the BIG screen in the movie, The Last Showgirl. Kudos to Alexandria!

Join us on February 13 at One Lake Brewing!

Steal Your Heart Fundraiser

KATHY CARANI: In Memory and Gratitude...

When you look through the history of any nonprofit and philanthropic cause, you are sure to find the names of many unsung heroes, people who tirelessly put in the hours supporting a mission and doing what they can to make the world a better place. Kathy Carani, who departed this earth on January 11, was one such person and Maywood Fine Arts is incredibly grateful to her for the contributions she made to our organization.

Kathy devoted her life to the development of youth. In addition to her 10+ years working with MFA as a Board Member and Board President, she was also a teacher, supervisor and Executive Director at the Proviso Area Center for Exceptional Children.

Her fingers also worked overtime, lovingly sewing on sequins and adding ruffles to the many gorgeous costumes our students wore in their performances.

Our hearts reach out to Kathy's family and friends at this time. She stole our hearts and we will cradle our memories of her forever more.

Le Tour de Shore Bike Ride

Registration for our 21st annual bike ride, Le Tour de Shore, will open up on February 9th. We are so excited to get on our bikes to ride 100 miles from Chicago to Michigan for Maywood Fine Arts! If you are riding this year, don't wait to book your room!

Find Out More at www.letourdeshore.com