Art on the Air

Guest Ryan McCurdy is a Consultant, Producer, Writer, and Actor. His work has taken him across the concert and theatrical landscapes with appearances at NYC's Town Hall, Broadway's Minskoff and New Amsterdam Theatres, Carnegie Hall, and the legendary Bitter End.

 

Storyteller, songwriter, and performer Ryan McCurdy will bring his one-man musical Whiterock Cliff to Savannah for a special one-night-only performance at 7PM this Friday, August 28th, at Asbury Memorial Church. The evening will serve as a fundraiser benefiting Asbury Memorial Church and the Savannah Performance Alliance. 

 

More about Ryan:

 

Serving as Music Director and Supervisor, Ryan has collaborated with companies like Manhattan Theatre Club, Second Stage, Rattlestick Theater, and The 24 Hour Plays. As a consultant and founder of Kinetic Stages, a producing organization specializing in Attractions and Museums, Ryan has collaborated with clients including American Prohibition Museum, Marvel, Civis Foundation, Key West Aquarium, Savannah Performance Alliance, and Oglebay Resort.

He is an Actor-Musician trainer and developer, a private voice, acting, and public speaking instructor, and as a writer his projects Whiterock Cliff, 45 Bennington, and NIAGARA: A New Musical (with Lauren Widner) are all being developed for future production and licensing.

Ryan is a twelve instrument multi-instrumentalist whose original music can be heard on stage, television, film, and through his work as a founding member of rock band ARBORETUM.

 

 

More about Whiterock Cliff: 

 

Featuring special guest J.J. Collins – local singer, vocal coach and minister – Whiterock Cliff is a theatrical experience that blends autobiography, fiction, folk music and musical theater into a moving exploration of memory, resilience, creativity and the stories people tell to make sense of their lives.

Set against the backdrop of a future where society has collapsed and the Appalachian Trail has become America's new superhighway, the production is both a fictional musical and a personal reflection on McCurdy's own experiences.

In 2010, McCurdy began a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail with friends before a devastating fall at Jones Falls in Tennessee abruptly ended the journey. Nearly a decade later, he and collaborator Ellie Pyle transformed elements of that experience into a fictional musical set at the end of the world. Then came 2020, when reality unexpectedly echoed many of the themes they had imagined.

The result is Whiterock Cliff — part biographical journey, part memory play and part jukebox musical featuring original folk songs by McCurdy. Audiences are invited into an intimate performance that explores mental health, the creative process, truth, memory and survival through music and storytelling.

"Whiterock Cliff weaves together memory, music, mental health, the creative process, the stories we tell ourselves and the ones we tell each other," McCurdy said. "Share every story you survive."

The Savannah performance marks the launch of McCurdy's Thru-Hike Tour, a yearlong journey bringing Whiterock Cliff to all 14 states along the Appalachian Trail, beginning in Georgia and traveling north. The production's evocative sound design is by Martha Goode with graphic design and branding by Patrick Bonsu. Joining the tour is company manager Katie Schmitz.

All proceeds from the Savannah performance will directly benefit Asbury Memorial Church and the Savannah Performance Alliance, supporting their ongoing efforts to foster arts, culture and community engagement.

 

 

Learn more & follow here:

https://www.actormccurdy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/actormccurdy/

 

 

To purchase tickets, visit  http://whiterockcliff.com/

Join Kate Stanton Melendez for an interview with local baker Abby Longwater.

 

Abby Longwater is a Savannah native that's been decorating cakes for over 15 years. She started as a home chef but has completed multiple classes in Sugar Artistry with celebrity chefs Nicholas Lodge and Ron Ben-Israel. Her dreams of owning her own bakery came true when Wicked Cakes of Savannah was opened in January 2015.

 

Wicked Cakes offers cakes, cupcakes, brownies & bars, cookies, as well as wholesale for local restaurants. Wicked Cakes is currently available for pre-order pickup and delivery, located at 466 Montgomery Street in the heart of Savannah, Georgia.

 

Art(s) on the Air doesn't typically cover the culinary arts, but Wicked Cakes of Savannah crosses into our scope with the multitude of cake decorating classes that they offer. The fall 2026 list of classes was just released, and you can enroll here:

 

https://www.wickedcakesofsavannah.com/cakeworkshopsof Savannah

 

 

Learn more about Wicked Cakes of Savannah & follow along here:

https://www.wickedcakesofsavannah.com/

https://www.instagram.com/wickedcakesofsavannah 

Join Kate Stanton Melendez for an interview with Jessica Broad, a ceramic artist, professor, and Savannah Clay Community organizer.

 

Jessica Broad is an artist living and working in Savannah, GA. Her art explores the sculptural and functional potentials of clay, and sometimes other media. She received a B.F.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 1996 and her M.F.A. from the University of Arizona in 2003. She has completed residencies at the Vermont Clay Studio and the Baltimore Clayworks where she received the Lormina Salter fellowship. She was honored with the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Grant in Visual Arts: Crafts in 2006. She was featured as an emerging artist in the May 2006 issue of Ceramics Monthly, her work has also been published in countless books and magazines, and she's received countless awards and accolades. Jessica has been teaching ceramics since 2001, she is currently a professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design and the director/coordinator of the Savannah Clay Community.

 

Broad is a guest artist in the upcoming show "Fur - Feathers - Familiars: A Ceramic Exhibition Commemorating the Animal Kingdom" at Ology Gallery, located at 415 Bonaventure Rd., Unit 3 (around back), in Thunderbolt. 

 

The show runs Saturday, August 8th through Saturday, September 12th. Join us at the Opening Reception on Saturday, August 8th, from 5:30PM - 8PM, and/or the Closing Reception on Saturday, September 12th, from 5:30PM - 7:30PM.

 

 

 

Learn more about Jessica Broad here:

https://www.jessicabroadceramics.com/index.html

https://www.savannahclaycommunity.com/jessica-broad.html

https://www.scad.edu/academics/faculty/jessica-broad

https://www.instagram.com/jessicabroadceramics/

 

 

Learn more about the upcoming show at Ology here:

https://www.ologygallery.com/furfeathersfamiliars

https://www.instagram.com/ologygallery/?hl=en

Join Kate Staton Melendez for an interview with Sarah Brackett, Co-Founder and Associate Artistic Director of New Oak Theatre. 

 

New Oak Theatre is a public charitable organization and non-equity professional theatre producing a wide variety of plays and musicals ranging from classics to new works. It's a place where people can gather and experience art and community in the heart of historic Savannah, Georgia. New Oak Theatre was founded by husband and wife duo, Chase and Sarah Brackett, in 2023. Inspired by Savannah’s historic architecture, willowy oak trees, and thriving creative spirit, they chose the name New Oak Theatre to reflect a blend of tradition and growth. 

 

Their new black box theater will be located at 15 and 25 E. Maupas Ave., where Maupas and Drayton meet in the vibrant Starland district, and is scheduled to open in fall 2026. 

 

 

Learn more about New Oak Theatre here:

https://www.newoaktheatre.org/

https://www.instagram.com/newoaktheatre

https://www.facebook.com/share/1JrVJK2N4L/?mibextid=wwXlfr

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC82v45IIkDqnUVbC9iKHXgg?ra=m

Join Kate Stanton Melendez for an interview with Lee Heidel, Owner and Managing Partner of Neighborhood Comics. 

 

Neighborhood Comics is downtown Savannah's comic book specialty store. Open 7 days a week from 11AM-7PM, Neighborhood Comics is located just steps from Forsyth Park, at 1205 Bull Street. They offer a full line of new comic books and graphic novels, as well as extensive back issues and key books. You can also find toys, statues, collectibles, and books for young readers. New comics and graphic novels are restocked every Wednesday. 

 

If you've ever wondered what goes into producing sequential art, this is the place to be. Since 2021 Lee & Neighborhood Comics have had a dedicated Artist-in-Residence Program. Select artists have been on-site creating sequential art in some form (comics, storyboards, layouts, etc.) for a minimum of three days per week totaling ten hours or more, in one-month blocks. You can find a list of past, present, and future artists on their website, and apply to participate. (Openings starting July 2027.)

 

Join Neighborhood Comics next door at White Whale Craft Ales on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesdays of every month from 6PM-10PM for a Neighborhood Drink n' Draw. It's a free community event for comics and artists of all ages to work on projects, draw in a relaxed setting, and make some friends. Neighborhood Comics also holds book & zine clubs, book signings, & holds an annual SAVAGE FST cultural exhibition each fall. 

 

A second location, Neighborhood Comics Clubhouse, is located at 822 E Derenne Ave., near Waters in Savannah, GA. It's open five days per week & is dedicated to discount comics and graphic novels. They offer thousands of $1 back issues, as well as toys, statues, and collectibles. 

 

 

 

Lean more, shop, support, and follow here:

https://neighborhoodcomics.com

https://www.instagram.com/nbrhdcomics

Join Kate Stanton Melendez for an interview with Joshua Yates, founder & board chair of the Savannah Center for Photography. 

 

The Savannah Center for Photography is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching Savannah's cultural landscape by advancing the art of photography. Through a community darkroom, workshop space, and rotating gallery exhibitions, SCP provides accessible resources and education that supports image-makers at all levels, and fosters appreciation for diverse photographic work throughout the community.

 

Explore and tour the exciting new non-profit at their open house on Friday, June 26th from 5PM-9PM, and see their inaugural gallery exhibition "SCP Presents" featuring works by local photographers. There will also be an exciting raffle of photocentric items and experiences, & you can be one of the first to sign up for their membership program. 

 

Joshua Yates is a photographer based in Savannah, Georgia. His work has been exhibited nationally, including the Atlanta Photography Group's Focus 2025 and the Houston Center for Photography's 42nd Annual Exhibition, and was awarded 3rd Place at the 2025 Slow Exposures Photo Festival. Prior to founding the Savannah Center for Photography, Yates co-founded and operated Green Truck Neighborhood Pub, an award-winning community-minded burger joint. He previously served on the boards of the Forsyth Farmers’ Market and the Thomas Square Neighborhood Association.  He holds an MBA from Georgia State University and a BSIE from Georgia Tech. His first solo show will be held at the JEA's Montag Art Gallery in August 2026.

 

 

See Joshua Yates' photography here:

https://jwyatesphoto.com/work

https://www.instagram.com/yatesjoshua

 

 

Learn more about the Savannah Center for Photography here:

https://www.savphoto.org/

https://www.instagram.com/savphoto_org   

Join Kate Stanton Melendez for an interview with local artist Isak Dove. 

 

Isak Dove is a self-taught artist b. 1983 Saline, MI, currently based out of Savannah, GA. Most recently her work has been exhibited locally at Gallery 2424 and ARTS Southeast, and internationally at the Zurich Hochshule der Kunst (2025) and Material Gallery (2024) in Zurich, Switzerland. 

 

An avid traveler, Dove often combines her love of journeying the world and her passion for making art, bringing her paints and brushes with her as she travels the globe. In 2024 she spent six weeks alone in the Peruvian countryside, painting fruits and the mountains. In 2018 she was a resident artist at the fantastical Helga's Folly in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and painted in the jungle alongside mischievous monkeys for a month. In 2012 she converted an old broken-down milk truck into a little studio - in an olive grove where the goats roamed, in a desert in the Middle East. That's where she alchemized the first "Goat Girl" into being (a character that appears in many of Dove's paintings). 

 

These days Dove can most often be found locally, live painting in the beautiful Forsyth Park in downtown Savannah. She also dabbles in curating group shows, such as "The Surreal Soiree: A Group Show of Fantastical, Strange, and Uncanny Artworks", opening this week in the Cobra Room of Lone Wolf Lounge. The show features 25 local artists, & opens this Friday, June 5th from 5PM-10PM, as part of First Fridays in Starland. 

 

 

See more of Isak Dove's work here: 

https://www.instagram.com/isak_dove

http://www.isakdove.com/paintings.html

Join Kate Stanton Melendez for an interview with visiting artist Flora Ranis. 

Flora Ranis is a multidisciplinary artist and storyteller from the Florida Everglades whose work explores the molten, hand-made qualities of our built environment. In a celebration of non-dualist ontologies, she explores the intimacy between traditionally natural forms and urban markers of state power. Through metalworking, stone carving, and painting, she reorients quotidian objects as conceptual artifacts and contemporary myth-makers. Flora received her BA from Yale University, where she pursued ethnic studies and learned how to weld.

 

Flora Ranis is in Savannah through ARTS Southeast’s ON::View Residency, from April 8th through May 1st. 

 

 

Upcoming Events:

 

ON::View Residency Artist Talk with Flora Ranis at ARTS Southeast on Wednesday, April 22nd, from 6-7PM. 

 

ON::View Residency Project Finale with Flora Ranis at ARTS Southeast on Friday, May 1st, from 5-9PM during the Sulfer Street Fair, in conjunction with Starland First Fridays. 

 

 

Learn more about the ON::View Residency here:

https://www.instagram.com/onviewresidency

https://artssoutheast.org/onview

 

See more of Flora’s work here:

https://www.instagram.com/flora_ranis

 

Kendra Clark for Georgia House District 165! 

Kendra has a professional background in social work, is a past co-chair of the Savannah DSA, the founder of Hostess City Mutual Aid, & a connoisseur of red lipstick. Join the fight to create a Georgia that works for the many, not the few. 

 

Kendra Clark is fighting for:

Lower Rent Costs

Fully Funded Schools

No Cost Childcare

Raising the Minimum Wage

Expanding Access to Quality, Affordable Healthcare

Ensuring Homes are Owned by Families, Not Corporations

 

Are you in Skidaway, Truman Parkway, Dutch Island, Carver Heights, West Savannah, or Isle of Hope like me? Vote Kendra Clark. 

 

Join us at the Collage Night Fundraiser to Elect Kendra Clark at Midtown Arthouse on Monday, April 20th from 6P-8P. & listen to our last episode with Midtown Arthouse to hear about what other special events & exhibitions they've got coming up.  

 

Learn More:

https://votekendraclark.com/

 

Join Kendra on Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/votekendraclark

https://www.facebook.com/votekendraclark

https://www.tiktok.com/@votekendraclark

Join Kate Stanton Melendez for a chat with Midtown Arthouse's Joanne Morton & Marquette Shaw! 

 

Joanne Morton is a positive energy artist & co-founder of Midtown Arthouse. Marquette Shaw is a photographer, singer, dancer, actor, & social media/marketing extraordinaire. 

 

Midtown Arthouse Upcoming Calendar of Events:

Monday, April 13: The Savannah MIX, Art Exhibit & Business Networking, 6P-7:30P

Wednesday, April 15: Ecstatic Dance with DJ AndAnanda, 7P-8:30P

Friday, April 17: Elemental Fire, Group Art Exhibition, 6P-8P

Monday, April 20: Collage Night Fundraiser to Elect Kendra Clark, 6P-8P

Wednesday, April 22: Shamanic Dance Meditation with Whirling Shaman, 7P-8:30P

Wednesday, April 29: Trickdame & Tom Show, Spoken Word Open Mic, 7P-8:30P

 

Learn More: https://midtownarthouse.my.canva.site/

Visit: 2016 East Broad Street, Open Saturdays 10A-1P

Email: midtownarthousesav@gmail.com

Call: (912) 373-6116

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MidtownArthouseSAV/

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midtownarthousesav

Apply for Boutique Membership: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvWUTmXzd2IyRibg6HrBqE8ZTZscpqx9d2XkM5PEMuYXRCTA/viewform?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio