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Partial programming support provided by the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission
JANUARY
Partial programming support provided by the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission
- THANK YOU! Blackstone River Theatre saw over 6,000 audience members attend 96 events in 2006. March was a high point with six sold out events and September marked the 6-year anniversary of the reopening of Blackstone River Theatre after over four years of volunteer renovation efforts from July, 1996 to September, 2000. Since reopening, BRT has now presented 515 events in front of over 37,000 audience members!
- Look for details about another six-week round of fiddle classes for continuing and advanced beginners with Cathy Clasper-Torch beginning Jan. 10.
- There will be an exhibit of watercolor paintings by Jerry Aissis in BRT's Art Gallery Jan. 13 through Feb. 10. Jerry, a Director and Artist Member of the Rhode Island Watercolor Society (and a new BRT volunteer!) currently teaches watercolor classes at the Cumberland Library and at the Cumberland Recreation Department.
- Look for details about our Jan. 13 Irish step dance workshops which precede another round of 8-week beginner and advanced beginner/intermediate Irish step dance classes for adults and children starting in February with Terry Houlihan Songini.
Saturday, January 13, 10 AM - 1 PM
Irish Step Dance Workshops for Adults and children
10-10:45 AM: children ages 6 to 12
11-11:45 AM: continuing beginners AND advanced beginners, ages 13+
12-1:00 PM: Intermediate dancers
Saturday, January 13, 8 PM, $12.00
THE ATWATER-DONNELLY TRIO
Opening set by Peter Janson
BRT favorites Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly return with multi-instrumentalist Cathy Clasper-Torch on fiddle, cello and vocals to present another engaging concert of traditional American and Celtic American folk songs, a cappella pieces, hymns, poetry, dance tunes, and original works. Elwood and Aubrey blend unusual harmonies and play guitar, Appalachian mountain dulcimer, Irish tin whistle, harmonica, old-time banjo, bones, limberjack and other musical surprises. Their performance is appealing to all ages, and with humor, audience participation, and a highly relaxed stage presence, Aubrey and Elwood explain song origins to give more relevance to the material. Atwater-Donnelly performs widely in the Northeast and other parts of the United States and Great Britain and their recordings receive international airplay. For 18 years, they have performed and researched folk music extensively in New England, Ireland, England, Prince Edward Island, the Ozarks, and Appalachia. In addition to their nine recordings, Aubrey has written three books of poetry and a song book. Their latest studio CD, "The Blackest Crow," was released in 2004. Their ninth recording, "When Winter Calls," was recorded live at the Blackstone River Theatre and was released in late 2005. Fingerstyle guitarist Peter Janson will perform an opening set.
Sunday, January 14, 7 PM, $12.00 adv/$14.00 day of show
THE APRIL VERCH BAND
When you see 27-year-old April Verch perform, the first thing that strikes you is the pure energy that infuses her fiddle playing and step dancing. When you listen to Take Me Back, her third CD for Rounder Records, though, what draws you in are more subtle things - her confident, tender singing, the finely detailed elegance of her fiddle phrasing, and the depth of a repertoire that ranges through material from Americana to simple country songs and rollicking tunes from her native Ottawa Valley to sparkling original instrumentals. Produced by Dirk Powell and recorded in Louisiana, Take Me Back finds virtuoso fiddler (she counts over 400 competition awards on her résumé, including 1998 Canadian Open Fiddle Champion), vocalist, and step dancer April Verch continuing to broaden the scope of her music while maintaining close ties to the music of her Canadian home. Don't miss a chance to see a star in the making!
Thursday, January 18, 7-10 PM, $5.00
BRT DRUM AND DANCE CIRCLE
Blackstone River Theatre's open drum circle focuses on tribal and multi-ethnic rhythms. Beginners and novices are always welcome... the emphasis is on fun and learning! Since its inception, we have regularly had between 20-35 drummers and on many occasions, members of the bellydance community join in. Bring your own hand drum or rhythm instrument or just your dancing feet!
Saturday, January 20, 11 AM, $6.00 children/$8.00 adults
BILL HARLEY - FAMILY SHOW
Sponsored by Credit Union Central Falls
Ideal for families with children ages 6-and-up. Trying to describe Bill Harley is often as funny as attending one of his concerts. One person will call him a singer/songwriter, another a storyteller. People know Bill from his books, his plays, his concerts or maybe even as a keynote speaker at a conference. With 25 recordings of songs and stories and five childrens books to his credit, Bill's humorous yet meaningful work chronicles the lives of children at school and at home. Armed with his guitar, songs, stories and slightly off center mind, Bill is the kind of performer you just have to see in person! As a storyteller, Bill has appeared numerous times at the prestigious National Storytelling Festival, and at dozens of other regional festivals from California to Florida. He also shows up on your car radio as a regular commentator for National Public Radio's "All Things Considered." His commentaries are filled with his trademark humor and wisdom on topics ranging from T-ball game strategy to first jobs to dead groundhogs. The reasons for Harley's success are obvious - his songs are direct and honest, his stories are filled with the details of daily life, and everything he does has a refreshing dose of fantasy mixed with a healthy breath of reality. Bill is winner of two Grammy nominations and numerous other national awards including Parent's Choice, ALA (American Library Association), NAPPA (The National Parenting Publications Award) and AFIM (Association for Independent Music). Bring the whole family and experience the magic that is the wit and wisdom of Bill Harley!
Saturday, January 20, 8 PM, $12.00
TROUZ BRAS - MUSIC OF BRITTANY
Trouz Bras (pronounced True Brazz) means "Big Noise" in the Celtic language of Brittany, the northwestern region of France. It also translates as "Great Sound" and both of these descriptions fit Trouz Bras perfectly. Firmly rooted in the trance-like medieval spiral dances of Brittany, Trouz Bras catapults traditional Breton dance tunes into the 21st century with blistering bagpipes, soaring fiddle and a dynamic rhythm section. Led by bagpiper and vocalist Ray Price, a globetrotting expert in Breton music and dance, Trouz Bras includes Barry Hall on fiddle, vielle, bouzouki and vocals, Brian Rost on bass and Mance Grady on the bodhran and percussion. Called Brittany in English, Bretagne in French, or Breizh in the Celtic language of Breton, this magical place is an ancient Celtic country that now finds itself in the northwest region of contemporary France. It's a place of barren landscapes, Celtic myths and legends, and unique music and dance. Until recently, there were no musicians representing the fascinating music of Brittany in the USA. That all changed when Trouz Bras was born. Brought together by Ray Price, a longtime supporter of all things Breton and now a Rhode Island resident, Trouz Bras gets any place jumping when they begin to play. Don't miss their BRT debut!
Sunday, January 21, 4:30-8 PM, $6.00 adults/$3.00 kids
IRISH CEILI AND SET DANCE
Sponsored by Open MRI of New England
The Alleged Ceili Band plays a variety of traditional Irish dance music while mixing in occassional waltzes and Irish songs. Irish set dances taught by Barry and Pat Callahan will alternate with ceili dances and waltzes over the course of the entire dance. Laura Travis will be on hand to teach those new to the ceili tradition or for complete beginners from 4:30-5:00 PM. The Band features Bob Drouin on fiddle, Ron Lister on concertina, Chuck Papini on tenor banjo, Jay Gilbert on guitar, Josh Kane on flute and Marianne Kane on bodhran. The emphasis is on fun... learn by doing! No partners are necessary. Try a dance or simply come down to listen to some great music!
Saturday, January 27, 8 PM, $10.00 adv/$12.00 day of show
BILL HARLEY AND KEITH MUNSLOW - "IDs REQUIRED"
You won't want to miss this special show designed for those of us who have managed to reach adulthood! This special evening brings together two of New England's finest children's entertainers, Bill Harley and Keith Munslow, and lets them cut loose with a show aimed at us older folks who are still young at heart! Keith and Bill have been musical compatriots for 15 years, sharing songwriting credits, performing together, and recording on each other's numerous albums. Yeah, sure, they both are known for work with kids and families, but those in the know recognize Munslow as a talented blues pianist and bandleader (Superchief Trio), and Harley as an insightful commentator on the cultural scene and songwriter of the first order. Blues, folk, and running inane commentary on life itself make for a show you won't see anywhere else!
FEBRUARY
Partial programming support provided by the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission
- Look for details about our 8-week Irish step dance classes for for children and adults beginning Feb. 3 and our 8-week Irish step dance classes for advanced beginners and intermediate dancers (including our first hard shoe class!) beginning Feb. 6 with instructor Terry Houlihan Songini.
- The exhibit of watercolor paintings by Jerry Aissis in BRT's Art Gallery continues through Feb. 10. From Feb. 17 through March 18 there will be an exhibit of photography of the West of Ireland by Martin Gavin, a long-time photographer at the Sun Chronicle, who has traveled and shot extensively on his many trips over to the Emerald Isle.
Saturday, February 3, 8 PM, $10.00
PETER JANSON & FRIENDS
One of a breed of new acoustic musicians gaining a reputation for an eclectic approach to performance and composition, Peter Janson offers original fingerstyle guitar music with folk roots, rhythmic grooves, New Age and Jazz aesthetics, and Celtic elements, all woven into a hauntingly beautiful original sound. According to "Wind & Wire" magazine, "Peter Janson is one of the best acoustic guitarists recording today... a true artist's soul." Janson, primarily a solo guitarist, created Beautiful Day, the first in a series of Peter Janson & Friends albums, as an artistic rendition of his belief that if we are to achieve true peace and joy in the world we must all learn to creatively work together. In addition to the captivating instrumentation, the vocalists only sing vowels and a few consonants, as a gesture of the recognition of the universal connections we all have in our most important form of communication - verbal speech - and as a symbol of the hope that once united we can indeed have a future of beautiful days. Janson began playing guitar as a kid in Cambridge, Mass. His list of guitarist influences is long and diverse - Martin Simpson, Pat Metheny, Leo Kottke, Pierre Bensusan, and many more. After receiving an undergraduate degree in music, he studied for two years with David Leisner at the New En
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