Monthly Archives: September 2024

Hear the Ghostly Tales of ‘Shades of Sandy Flash’ at Colonial Pennsylvania Farmstead

Lantern Ghost Tours is back with a special theatrical performance of the popular legend of Sandy Flash!

“Shades of Sandy Flash” written and directed by Lisa Panzer, tells the story of notorious land pirate, Sandy Flash. Of all ghostly, strange or outrageous tales told by the fire that populate Pennsylvania folklore, none was so popular as the tale of Sandy Flash – the Terror of Delaware County. So infamous was Sandy Flash, that the road to the Colonial Pennsylvania Farmstead, Sandy Flash Drive, is named after him.

Experience the life and times of Sandy Flash by firelight at the Colonial Pennsylvania Farmstead.

Advanced tickets are required.

DATES:

Saturday, Oct.19
Saturday, Oct. 26

Ticket times:

  • 6 PM
  • 6:30 PM
  • 7 PM
  • 7:30 PM
  • 8 PM

If You Go:

  • Tours leave every half hour from the Visitor Center and run approximately 1-1.5 hours. Please note the tour involves covering about 1 mile on uneven terrain. Light will be offered by campfires, torches, candles, and lanterns. If you have any concerns about mobility, please let us know in advance of your visit.
  • Due to the graphic nature of some stories, we strongly recommend all participants are age 12 and up. 
  • The event is held rain or shine and tickets are non-refundable. Dress comfortably for the weather and wear closed toed shoes. Restrooms are available at the top of the site and not conveniently located to the Visitor Center.
Colonial Pennsylvania Farmstead is at 3900 N Sandy Flash Dr, Newtown Square, PA

Delaware Art Museum presents ‘Jazz Age Illustration’

The Delaware Art Museum presents “Jazz Age Illustration,” opening on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, and running through Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. This much-anticipated original exhibition kicks off DelArt’s “Year of the Illustrator.”

“Jazz Age Illustration” is the first major exhibition to survey the art of popular illustration in the United States between 1919 and 1942, drawing from DelArt’s extraordinary illustration collection and showcasing loans from museums, libraries and private collectors. Featuring more than 120 works of art by prominent illustrators, “Jazz Age Illustration” examines the new mass visual culture that emerged after the end of the First World War—a period characterized by cultural vibrancy and dramatic social change.

“Jazz Age Illustration” tells a story of popular culture and the press that reflects the energy and diversity of this iconic era. Illustrators recorded the rise of jazz musicians, flappers and film stars. It was the age of the Harlem Renaissance with magazines and newspapers dedicated to African American audiences featuring extraordinary artists like Aaron Douglas and Loïs Mailou Jones. Howard Pyle’s students Frank Schoonover and N. C. Wyeth were reaching the pinnacle of their careers during this era, and women artists were forging successful careers as illustrators. The exhibition includes original paintings and drawings that appeared in “Vogue,” “Vanity Fair” and “The Saturday Evening Post,” and in books by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Alain Locke.

Learn more at Jazz Age Illustration – Delaware Art Museum (delart.org).

 

Conversations And Articles About Bluegrass Music

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards and the 2024 inductees to the International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame 

By Steven Brodsky

… The names of the recipients and inductees appear in this International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) press release:

Raleigh, North Carolina (September 26, 2024) — Del McCoury received the coveted “Entertainer of the Year” Award at the 35th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards. The Awards show, hosted by artists John Cowan and Missy Raines, was held September 26 at Raleigh, North Carolina’s Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.
Previously announced inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame – Katy Daley, Jerry Douglas, and Alan Munde were also honored during the show with heartfelt acknowledgement.
The recipients of the 2024 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Del McCoury Band
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Authentic Unlimited
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Travelin’ McCourys
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Fall in Tennessee”
Recorded by Authentic Unlimited
Written by John Meador & Bob Minner
Produced by Authentic Unlimited
Billy Blue Records
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
City of Gold
Recorded by Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Produced by Jerry Douglas & Molly Tuttle
Nonesuch Records
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“God Already Has”
Recorded by Dale Ann Bradley
Written by Mark “Brink” Brinkman & David Stewart
Produced by Dale Ann Bradley
Pinecastle Records
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Knee Deep in Bluegrass”
Recorded by Ashby Frank
Written by Terry Baucom
Produced by Ashby Frank
Mountain Home Music Company
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
East Nash Grass
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Brown’s Ferry Blues”
Recorded by Tony Trischka with Billy Strings
Written by Alton & Rabon Delmore
Produced by Béla Fleck
Down the Road Records
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Danny Paisley
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jaelee Roberts
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Rob McCoury
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Vickie Vaughn
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Deanie Richardson
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Gaven Largent
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cody Kilby
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jesse Brock
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR (TIE)
“Fall in Tennessee”
Authentic Unlimited
“Alberta Bound”
Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Patrick Sauber, Trisha Gagnon, Pharis & Jason Romero, and Claire Lynch
2024 Inductees to International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame:
Alan Munde has been at the forefront of bluegrass music as a banjo player, bandleader, and educator for over five decades. Hailing from Norman, Oklahoma, he played in his first band, The Stone Mountain Boys, in 1965. A subsequent jam session with Byron Berline, Sam Bush, and Wayne Stewart led to the recording of the highly acclaimed instrumental album Poor Richard’s Almanac. Starting in 1970, Munde began a two-year hitch with the King of Bluegrass, Jimmy Martin. From there, it was off to California and the country-rock group, the Flying Burrito Brothers. Munde scored a 20-year run with the progressive West Coast group Country Gazette. One of the Gazette’s seminal early releases was A Traitor in Our Midst. Other career highlights include Munde’s teaching bluegrass at South Plains College in Texas, serving as a columnist for Banjo Newsletter, and sitting as member of the IBMA board of directors. He was a 2008 recipient of an IBMA Distinguished Achievement award.
Jerry Douglas has reigned as bluegrass music’s preeminent Dobro player ever since the middle 1970s when he started with the Country Gentlemen. His fascination with the instrument began at age six when he saw Dobro legend Josh Graves perform on a Flatt & Scruggs show. Throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, Douglas rotated through a series of bands including J. D. Crowe’s New South, Boone Creek, and The Whites. This same period found Douglas becoming an in-demand session player, for both bluegrass and country music albums. In time, he amassed credits on literally thousands of recording sessions. In 1998, he was asked to join Alison Krauss’s Union Station and in 2014 he launched the award-winning Flatt & Scruggs tribute band, the Earls of Leister. Douglas has earned numerous IBMA Awards, including ten for Dobro Player of the Year. He also won fourteen Grammy Awards, and was selected the CMA’s Musician of the Year in 2002, 2005, and 2007. He is also a former vice president of IBMA’s board of directors.
Katy Daley (Patricia Cole Meloon Brown) made her mark as a bluegrass broadcaster in the Washington, D.C., metro area, starting in the early 1970s. Her entry to bluegrass radio came in a circuitous way. She jokingly told WAMU-FM broadcaster Gary Henderson that listening to his program was part of her work assignment at the CIA! A short time later, she signed on at WAMU, preparing and announcing a weekly “Who’s Playing Where” segment. This was followed by a weeknight disc jockey spot from 10:00 to midnight. In November 1978, Daley collaborated on a 13- part series which traced the development of the music: Bluegrass Anthology. In 1980, Daley joined WMZQ, a 24-hour country station in Washington, where her broadcast work included hosting a bluegrass program for three years. Eventually, Daley returned to WAMU’s offshoot, bluegrasscountry.org, and served as a morning air personality. She received two IBMA awards for Bluegrass Broadcaster of the Year and one for Distinguished Achievement. As part of her giving back to the community, she established the Katy Daley Broadcast Media/Sound Engineering Scholarship which is presented each year by the IBMA Foundation.
Awards were voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). The show was aired on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction channel and was livestreamed on IBMA’s Facebook Live.
Awards sponsors include: Virginia Tourism Corporation, Yamaha Guitar Group, BMI, Boston Bluegrass Union, Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, Compass Records, Deering Banjos, Mountain Fever Records, Sound Biscuit Productions, and Turnberry Records,.

Posted 9-28-24

Revisiting With Carl Goldstein, Director of the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival and Treasured Pillar of Bluegrass 

By Steven Brodsky 

Few have done nearly as much for the bluegrass genre and its fans as has Carl. He co-founded the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music in 1971 and has served in a leadership role ever since. Carl has been the director of the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival throughout its history, including when it was known as the Delaware Bluegrass Festival. He is chair of the Brandywine Friends. The Brandywine Friends produces the Festival and a concert series. Carl is an inductee into the WVUD Radio Hall of Fame; he has hosted WVUD’s Fire on the Mountain show since it went on the air in 1977. Carl has also significantly contributed to the history, present-day vibrancy, and future of bluegrass music in other ways. 

 

We’re coming upon the 47th Annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, Labor Day weekend. This Festival is one of the nation’s best (and was recognized as the 2016 IBMA Event of the Year). Carl, when did you have confidence that this Festival was going to have longevity and would reach and maintain the highest level of stature? 

We had no idea how successful we would be for the first several years, even though we had the greatest possible lineup of bluegrass talent headed by Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley. The uniqueness of the concept in the Northeast and weather problems made the first several years tough, but after about year 3 or 4 we started to increase attendance. Of course national attention took a few more years to attain but our progress was steady. 

The website of the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival contains a list of performers who have appeared at the Festival:      http://delawarevalleybluegrass.org/legacy-of-performers/. Many of the greatest names in the history of bluegrass and country music have been on the Festival’s main stage. Which of the artists might you rank among your personal favorites and what songs of theirs do you most enjoy? 

Of course Monroe and Stanley were pioneers of this music. We were incredibly fortunate to have them as our founders and to this day they rank among my favorites. Others would include the Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse, Lester Flatt, the Country Gentlemen, Doc Watson, and our local heroes Ted Lundy and Bob Paisley. In recent years, the Seldom Scene, Alison Krauss, Del McCoury, Sister Sadie, and Patty Loveless would be among my favorites, but let me add, this is a very difficult question to answer. There would be many more if space allowed. To pick specific songs would require even more time and space—so let’s just say a huge number of songs from each of their repertoires remain my favorites. 

Let’s talk about the upcoming Festival. Artists and festival attendees appreciate the capabilities of the Festival’s stage management. Who is involved and for how many years have they stage managed the Festival? What does the role of stage manager at the Festival entail?  

In the early days a very few of us did everything, including MC, stage management, ticket sales and more. More recently Archie Warnock and Howard Parker have adroitly handled stage management. They coordinate all backstage activity, monitor the artists’ performance times and generally get things to run smoothly and on time. Their roles are vital. 

Tell us about the stage announcers.     

We are very fortunate to have two very fine MCs for our festival. Katy Daley is a legend among bluegrass DJs and personalities. She hosted a longtime radio program on WAMU Bluegrass Country and has written widely on the music. She and her co-host Bill Foster, also of WAMU fame, have a deep knowledge of the artists and present and provide a context to the audience to enhance their enjoyment.  

Please touch upon the music and performance lineup of the 47th Annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival.   

We have always tried to provide variety, with a view to emphasizing traditional bluegrass and showcasing its roots in old-time and related fields like western swing, traditional country, Cajun, etc. This year we feature two of the hottest acts in bluegrass, Hot Rize with Tim O’Brien, and Jerry Douglas’ Earls of Leicester, who recreate the classic sounds of Flatt and Scruggs. We also feature four of the six IBMA nominees for Emerging Artist of the Year: Mile Twelve, Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Sister Sadie, and High Fidelity. For variety we have western swing artists the Quebe Sisters, Dom Flemons (formerly of the Carolina Chocolate Drops), Mick Kinney (old-time/ragtime from Georgia), and early 20th century Tin Pan Alley style performers Bill and the Belles. There are a host of other great acts and I encourage your readers to check out our web site where there are not only bios but music clips to enjoy as well. 

What do you most enjoy about Festival weekend, given that you attend to your responsibilities as festival director?  

In addition to hearing as much great music as time allows my greatest satisfaction is watching our audience appreciate and enjoy our offerings, especially those new and unexpected acts we slip in, including folks who rarely and in most cases have never appeared at a bluegrass festival like last year’s Tuba Skinny—Dixieland from New Orleans, or Asleep at the Wheel, or Patty Loveless. 

What are some of your fondest all-time Festival memories? 

There are numerous outstanding memories but I think a couple of them would be the Bill Monroe and Doc Watson duet at our first year at the Salem County Fairgrounds, and the infamous year that Hurricane Edouard hit us head-on and yet, pros that they were, bands like Riders in the Sky played on (with comments like, “Hey those lawn chairs blowing past us look just like tumbleweeds!”). It was a financial challenge but a victory of heart and soul for performers and audience alike. 

 

The website address of the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival is: http://delawarevalleybluegrass.org/.

The Fire on the Mountain radio show is on WVUD: http://www.wvud.org/.                       

 Posted 8/1/2018, Updated 6-13-20

A Conversation With Carl Goldstein, Champion of Bluegrass Music

By Steven Brodsky

Among those who’ve done the most to preserve bluegrass music and further its appreciation is Carl Goldstein.  Consistent with the informal yet respectful norm of the bluegrass community, I’m not using the title “The Honorable” before his name; he was a judge in Delaware for 40 years before retiring in 2013.  With two others, Carl founded the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music in 1971.  He’s provided leadership for the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival since its start in 1972. (The Festival was called the Delaware Bluegrass Festival until it moved to New Jersey in 1990.) Since 1977, Carl has hosted the Fire on the Mountain radio show on WVUD FM.  In 2011, he was inducted into the WVUD Hall of Fame.

Carl, what are your official roles at the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music and the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival?

I’m Chair of the BFOTM and Director of the Festival.

How long have you served in these capacities?

Since the organization and Festival’s inception.

How did you get introduced to bluegrass music?

I became interested in folk music during the “folk music scare” of the ’60s although I had listened to country music and blues even before that time.  I found the more earthy and honest music of early Appalachian music to be even more to my liking.

When you first got involved in bluegrass music, where did you travel to hear the music and to learn more about it?

I travelled with companions to southwest Virginia, western North Carolina and Tennessee to fiddlers’ conventions and the earliest bluegrass festivals.

What drew you to the music and how did it engage you?

The soulful, powerful and yet down to earth nature of the music drew me in.  I started collecting the music and eventually learned to play guitar.

In your early years as a fan of bluegrass music, who were some of your favorite musicians? 

The Stanley Brothers/Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Mississippi John Hurt, and the Country Gentlemen were among some early favorites.

What were some of your favorite songs? 

Too many to single out I’m afraid.

What memories do you have of Sunset Park (the iconic country music venue that was located in Chester County, Pennsylvania)?

I lived only a half hour or so from Sunset Park.  I went there many Sundays during the summer months and was lucky enough to hear many of the greats of bluegrass and country music.  In addition, each week musicians would jam out in the field.

What caused the Delaware Valley to become a hotbed of bluegrass music? 

During the tough economic years of the ’30s many families from the mid south relocated to the area (NE Maryland, Southeastern PA and Delaware) in search of work bringing with them their culture and music.  Among these families were the Paisleys, the Lundys, and the Campbells (Ola Belle Reed) and many others.

How were Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe responsible for the first annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival?

Ralph Stanley, whom I had known from years of following his music, came to us on behalf of himself and Bill Monroe in 1971 asking whether our organization would host a festival – the first in the northeast. They were to supply the talent (although we did have some limited input) and we were to supply the venue and publicity.  We were delighted to agree. The Festival was set for Labor Day weekend 1972.  That first year it was in a KOA campground but moved to a newly constructed music park – Gloryland Park – the second year.

After the third year Bill and Ralph decided to start their own festivals that weekend in their respective home places.  From that point on we produced the Festival ourselves and after their festivals ended in a few years we had each of them back nearly every other year.

Did you believe that the first Festival was going to become an annual event? 

We had high hopes but that first year was a muddy mess.  They (Bill and Ralph) and we persevered.

Please tell us about a few of your most valued memories associated with the Festival.

It was Lester Flatt who stepped up that 4th year at a fee we could afford so we were able to present a fine lineup our first year on our own.

Doc Watson and Bill Monroe did a rare and historic set together in 1990, our first year in New Jersey.

We had some legendary folks perform for us over the years.  In addition to nearly all of the great bluegrass musicians, we have presented Merle Travis, Hank Thompson, and a number of special tribute sets and reunions that were very memorable like, for example, Ricky Skaggs and Ralph Stanley.

I should mention that the Brandywine Friends and hence the Bluegrass Festival is run by a Board of Directors of 16 members.  They are all interesting, smart and funny human beings.  I mention it here because part of the joy of the Festival is doing it with these exceptional folks.

Congratulations on the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival winning the award for 2016 IBMA Event of the Year.  What components make the Festival a favorite of musicians and attendees year after year?

I think that because we are nonprofit and all volunteer we have the luxury of presenting a top-notch lineup of talent – top to bottom each year.  While our main focus is bluegrass, we have always presented some variety with comparable genres like old-time music, traditional country music, Cajun and French Canadian.

We also include features like a Children’s Stage and a Kids’ Academy where youngsters can gain instruction in every bluegrass instrument during the course of the weekend.  We are also known as a great jam festival.  Our campground is filled with folks playing day and night.

Please speak about the lineup for the 46th Annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival taking place on Labor Day weekend.

Once again we have a great lineup featuring some of the best acts in traditional music – Del McCoury, the Gibson Brothers, and a host of others.  We have the perennial favorites: The Grascals, Blue Highway, and IBMA 2016 Male Vocalist of the Year Danny Paisley.  All that in addition to relative newcomers like Becky Buller and Flatt Lonesome and powerful old-time music from the Foghorn Stringband and April Verch – not to mention Asleep at the Wheel who I will in a moment.

Are there performers that you are especially looking forward to seeing this year?  If so, why? 

It’s always a treat for us to surprise our audience with an act that may be unexpected but is fully within our view of traditional music.  This year it is Asleep at the Wheel – the legendary Texas Western Swing band.  That’s gonna be fun.

What do you most enjoy about hosting the Fire on the Mountain radio show?

I think it’s the audience.  Each week I get calls from interesting and informed people.  They have been very loyal over these 40 years and each year those folks lead all programs on the station for our fundraising efforts.  They’re just great.  Besides, if I weren’t playing that music on the air, I’d be home doing the same thing.

What does the future look like for bluegrass music and the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival? 

If you’d asked me that question 15 or so years ago I might not have been as optimistic as I am now.  There are a great number of younger folks playing bluegrass and old-time music these days.  That in turn bodes well for the festivals.

Information is available at: www.delawarevalleybluegrass.org.

Information about the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music is at: www.brandywinefriends.org.

Posted 5/27/17

 

RVCO Hoists the Anchor On Its 118th Season With ‘The Pirates of Penzance.’

The Rose Valley Chorus and Orchestra will hoist the sails and lift the anchor for its fall production, The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan, beginning on October 26 at Strath Haven Middle School in Wallingford. The G & S favorite is fun for the whole family — with plenty of action for children and satiric comedy for adults! Stage direction is by Katherine P. Nealley with music direction by Florrie Marks.

If You Go:

Shows are Saturday, Oct. 26 at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. at the school, 200 S. Providence Rd., Wallingford, PA 19086. Actors will welcome visitors on stage after each Sunday matinee — costumes are welcome!
For more information, cast bios, or to purchase tickets, visit the website at www.rvco.org.

‘La Famiglia’ On Display at the Museum for Art In Wood

On November 1, the Museum for Art in Wood (141 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106) unveils Mark Sfirri: La Famiglia. These new, never-before-seen sculptures by Sfirri center around the theme of family, exploring its many definitions while also reflecting on the immigrant experience, belonging, and the eventual passing of one generation to the next.

Based in Bucks County, PA, Sfirri is an esteemed figure in the world of woodturning and woodworking.  Born with an innate passion for craftsmanship, creativity, and artistic collaboration, he is renowned for his innovations in art in wood. Sfirri earned a BFA and MFA in Furniture Design at Rhode Island School of Design, where he began to explore ways to incorporate lathe-turned parts into furniture and turned double-rimmed platters. 

In addition to his career as an artist, Sfirri is a professor emeritus at Bucks County Community College, where he taught full-time for nearly 40 years. He has received three national awards, including the “Distinguished Educator Award” in 2010 from the Renwick Alliance and, in 2012, the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Collectors of Wood Art, and this year received the prestigious “2024 AAW POP Merit Award” from the American Association of Woodturners. 

In La Famiglia, Sfirri invites the viewer to consider the many interpretations of family and their meanings, including the families we’re born into versus the ones we choose, inherited traits and species (trees and wood types), and formations of communities biological and chosen, with their own histories and backgrounds. The artist embraced a spontaneous, free-flowing process, crafting a series of objects that followed a general concept while allowing room to experiment with different creative directions and techniques. Using this approach, each object Sfirri created informed the next, leading to many series – or “families” – of sculptures. The respective families come in various shapes, designs, and colors, ranging in size from two to 67 inches tall, each developed through a particular combination of woodturning, carving, and surfacing processes.  

Mark Sfirri: La Famiglia is on display in the Museum’s gallery from November 1, 2024, to February 16, 2025. Visit museumforartinwood.org to learn more.

 

 

Next for SALT: ‘Cabaret’

Daring, provocative, and exuberantly entertaining, “Cabaret” explores the dark and heady life of Bohemian Berlin as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Rated PG-13 for adult content.

“Cabaret opened in 1966 during a time of burgeoning political activism in the United States,” comments Lauren McComas, President and Artistic Director of SALT Performing Arts. “It was a groundbreaking new kind of socially responsible musical designed to challenge audiences. Today, with activism at both ends of the political spectrum, “Cabaret” has experienced a renaissance in America as a cautionary morality play with tremendous resonance. We are producing this show because it all still matters.”

If You Go:

  • This production takes place at the Chester Springs location: 1645 Art School Road, Chester Springs PA 19425.

  • Performances Oct. 11 – 27, 2024

  • Tickets can be purchased at https://www.saltpa.com/cabaret

  • All ticket sales are final.
    If you need handicap accessibility, purchase tickets on a computer (not a mobile device) so that you can select your seats. Choose seats in Row A  and email jelliott@saltpa.com to coordinate letting you in the accessible entrance (the main entrance is not handicap accessible).

‘This Is the Week’ at 1812 Productions

1812 Productions is dedicated to creating theatrical works of comedy and comedic works of theater. Their annual political satire This Is The Week That Is runs Oct. 2.-Nov. 3.

An audience favorite, This Is The Week That Is delivers sharp satire and content that changes with the headlines. Featuring musical parodies, improvised comedy, and a versatile cast of comedy pros, this Philly favorite is a hilarious mix of SNL, The Daily Show, and The Carol Burnett Show on a mission to tell the truth and make it funny!

Created and Performed by: Jennifer Childs, Sean Close, Pax Ressler, Newton Buchanan, Lexi Thammavong, Robyn Unger

Newton Buchanan

This production will mark the first time Newton Buchanan is joining the show. He is a Philadelphia theatre artist who got his start at Hedgerow Theatre and was most recently seen in Arden Theatre Company’s production of BFG (Big Friendly Giant), for which he was just nominated for a Barrymore Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play.

If You Go:

Mask-wearing is optional at Plays & Players Theatre for performances of This Is The Week That Is EXCEPT for the following performance when masks are required: Sunday, October 20th at 2pm. Masks will be available in the lobby for those who need one.

Open Captioning will be available at the following performances:

Friday, October 18th at 7pm
Saturday, October 19th at 2pm

All performances at: Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA

Call the box office at 215-592-9560 or visit 1812 Productions for questions/reservations.

 

 

Colonial Theatre’s Fall Events

The historic Colonial Theatre, known as the premiere destination for entertainment in downtown Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, is thrilled to announce its upcoming events and engagements for the 2024 fall season. In the coming months, audiences can look forward to the Noir City Film Festival, Halloween movie screenings, live music performances, and the return of the popular late-night immersive speakeasy experiences.  

The Colonial’s exciting slate of upcoming fall events: 

Concerts & Evening Entertainment: 

Colonial 54, the popular immersive disco experience, returns to the Bank Lobby on Sept. 27. Grab a shiny outfit and your pumps to dance the night away during this tribute to the glitz and glamour of 1970s New York, featuring DJ Moshé, The Spin Therapist. Also, enjoy a performance by Roxanne Rohls  as Liza Minelli herself.

On Sept. 26 and Oct. 17, the Colonial Theatre will host Improv Jam. Open to beginners or  experienced improvisers, the event allows attendees to come together, move, connect with their creativity, and play fun improvised games. The hour-and-a-half Improv Jam will include improvisation for the stage, light scene work, and game playing. It will be led by Phoenixville-based improviser, improv  teacher, and artist Paul Deichmann of the Heartwood Players. 

Come in costume and celebrate Día De Los Muertos at the Colonial Theatre on Nov.1 with a huge Latin dance party. The event will feature DJ Jholi in La Jungla de Perreo. 

Additionally, the Colonial is hosting a variety of concerts for audiences to enjoy, including singer and  songwriter Shannon Curtis: The Good to Me Tour on Sept. 28, Southeastern Pennsylvania ultimate  Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac tribute band Nicks in Time on Oct. 4, The Bacon Brothers  Freestanding Tour on Oct. 6, the Total Mass Retain YES Tribute Band on Oct. 26, and the Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC tribute band Appetite for Voltage on Nov. 2. 

Special Movie Screenings 

  • Frida, which tells the true story of Frida Kahlo and her Husband Diego, on  Sept.22
  • Guillermo del Toro’s Pans Labyrinth, Sept. 29,
  • the 1931 Spanish-language American horror film Drácula on Oct. 6. 

Halloween Events

This October, the Colonial Theatre is celebrating Halloween all month long by offering a variety of  spooky films and events for audiences to enjoy. On Oct. 12, parents can leave the kids at home and  attend the Colonial’s adults-only screening of Hocus Pocus, which will be followed by a Ghouls Night Out  Halloween dance party. Guests can dress up in their best costumes and dance until they die in the theatre’s garden suite and rooftop terrace. 

Horror movie fans who like to stay up late can take part in Exhumed Films’ 24-Hour Horror-thon Part XVI, which is hosted at the Colonial Theatre on Oct. 19. The horror-thon begins at noon on Saturday,  October 19, and ends at noon on Sunday, Oct. 20. As in previous years, the lineup of films is kept  secret; audience members will only find out what the features are as they unspool onto the screen. The show will be a combination of popular horror titles mixed with some really rare gems. The program will also feature classic trailers, shorts, and other oddities projected from 35mm film. 

The weekend before Halloween, the Colonial Theatre will offer a number of horror film classics for audiences to enjoy, including the 1978 35 mm screening of Halloween on Oct. 25, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas on Oct.26, and the 1922 silent horror film Nosferatu which will feature  live theatre organ accompaniment on Oct. 27. 

Film Festivals: 

This fall, NOIR CITY, the most popular film noir festival in the world, returns to the Colonial Theatre on Nov.15 and runs through Nov. 17. The three-day extravaganza features ten films from the heart of Hollywood’s noir movement. Hosted by Eddie Muller, audiences will take a swanky, sexy, and  sinister excursion back in time.  

About Colonial Theatre:

Originally built in 1902, the Colonial is the last surviving of the theatres that once existed in the borough and is the only theatre of its kind in Chester County. The theatre, originally named the Colonial Opera House, debuted its inaugural stage performance in 1903 and was home to live stage shows by Harry Houdini and Mary Pickford, vaudeville acts, and musicals. The Colonial Theatre not only survived both World Wars and the Great Depression but became a national treasure after appearing in several scenes in the 1958 release of the sci-fi horror classic The Blob. 

After renovating and expanding into the adjacent former National Bank of Phoenixville building in 2017, the Colonial now consists of three theatres housed in two connected historic buildings. The older wing of the Colonial Theatre houses the box office and the 658-seat 1903 Theatre, one of only a few theatres left across the country equipped for both 35mm and 2K digital projection. The treasured 1903 Theatre offers a stunning, one-of-a-kind experience for moviegoers or live event attendees. Guests can walk the same aisles as vaudeville greats and film stars of days gone by.  

The most updated wing, the former bank, houses the 174-seat White Rabbit Theatre and the intimate red luxe 65-seat Berry Theatre. Both theatres are equipped for 2k digital projection. The modern, swanky White Rabbit Theatre space boasts retractable seats, allowing for a flexible venue that can be used as a black box theatre or open auditorium. The updated wing also houses rental spaces, the main concession stand, and the bar. Programming at the Colonial includes classic, art, and independent film  howings, live concerts, comedy shows, and a variety of community events. 

The Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460), is situated in the heart of downtown Phoenixville.  

Gripping Drama ‘Roz & Ray’ On PCS 2nd Stage

The Players Club of Swarthmore (PCS Theater) proudly presents “Roz & Ray”, a powerful and poignant drama by Karen Hartman, exploring ethical struggles in medicine during the onset of the AIDS crisis. The production will take place on the Raymond W. Smith Stage. –

Set in the late 1970s and 1980s in San Diego, “Roz & Ray” tells the story of Ray Leon, a single father dedicated to keeping his hemophiliac twin sons alive, and Dr. Roz Kagan, a brilliant physician who believes she’s found a life-saving treatment using the new drug, Factor 8. As they navigate hope, trust, and the consequences of their decisions, unspeakable tragedy strikes. Ray and Roz must grapple with the ethical dilemmas that arise as it’s discovered the miracle drug might pose serious dangers to the very people it was meant to save.

This deeply moving play sheds light on a little-known chapter of medical history, making it relevant today as it explores themes of trust, medical advancement, and the human cost of ethical decisions.

Meet the Cast:

  • Emily-Grace Murray as Dr. Roz Kagan – a warm, brilliant, and conflicted doctor, fighting to heal but discovering the fragility of hope.
  • Eric Rupp as Ray Leon – a father capable of great love and great anger, battling for the lives of his twin sons.

Roz and Ray tells a profound story of love, trust and sacrifice that grapples with the messy process of healing the human heart.

Directed by Michele King, this production promises a powerful theatrical experience, touching on themes that resonate beyond its historical setting. “Having lived through the worst of the AIDS crisis, I remember clearly how devastating it was and how many people we lost.  I remember the government’s early inaction, the fear, the sorrow, blame and the anger.  I heard in my own office cruel things said from people who thought it didn’t concern them.  This play deals with that and more!”, says King.

Performance Dates:

  • Oct. 11, 12, 17, 18, and 19, 2024
  • All performances begin at 7:30 PM 
  • Sunday matinee at 2 pm on Oct. 13.

Location:
PCS Theater (Raymond W. Smith Stage)- only accessible by stairs
614 Fairview Rd, Swarthmore, PA 19081

Special Offer: BOGO Tickets for Blood Donors!
PCS Theater is offering a special Buy One, Get One Free ticket deal to patrons who show proof of a recent blood donation at the box office. This offer is valid throughout the show’s run, encouraging the community to support life-saving causes while experiencing an unforgettable night of theater.

For more information on upcoming events, ticketing, or directions, visit www.pcstheater.org.

New Adaptation of ‘Frankenstein’

Lightbooth Blackout blends the talents of writer/director Dave Ebersole ​and producer/composer/sound designer Mick Loro.

They worked together on numerous projects in the last fifteen years creating theatrical productions and the ​audio drama podcast DASH.

This October, in partnership with Lone Brick Theatre Company, they will stage an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.”  The production will run Oct. 10-20 in Lathem Hall on Widener University’s campus.

Thomas-Robert Irivn, plays Victor Frankenstein and Nolan Maher plays the Creation. Photo by Kathy Lee

Thomas-Robert Irivn, plays Victor Frankenstein and Nolan Maher plays the Creation.. The cast also features Walter McCready, Britt Fauzer, Carlos Jiga and Stacy Skinner.

If You Go:

Performances at Lathem Hall 1301 Potter St, Chester, PA 19013

  • Oct. 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 at 7:30pm
  • Oct. 19 at 3pm & 7:30pm
  • Oct. 20 at 1pm

Tickets available at lightboothblackout.com