1891 Fredonia Opera House - Events Feed

CINEMA SERIES - ONE NIGHT ONLY! - The Karate Kid

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:15:22 -0500

Start: Sep 10 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Sep 10 2010 - 8:00pm

The Karate Kid

Beautifully filmed on location in China with breathtaking cinematography, The Karate Kid has been hailed as “the movie to see this summer...” 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could’ve been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s latest career move has landed him in China. Arriving at his new school, he develops a powerful crush on a pretty classmate. The feeling is mutual, although the cultural divide between the two makes a friendship unlikely, and romance impossible. When a cruel classmate and kung fu prodigy learns of his feelings, he harasses and humiliates Dre in front of the entire school. With no one to turn to for help, Dre confides his fears in kindly maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), an aging kung fu master who knows that serenity and maturity - not punches and power - are the true keys to mastering the martial arts.

“At the end of the movie, the audience with whom I saw the film stood and cheered.” ~ Ty Burr, Boston Globe.

“The chemistry between Jaden Smith & Jackie Chan grounds the movie, imbuing it with sincerity and poignance.” ~ Claudia Puig, USA Today.

“Precisely the sort of rousing, stand-up-and-cheer, feel-good entertainment movie audiences have been starved for.” ~ Tom Long, Detroit News.

Rated PG for bullying, martial arts action violence and some mild language, 140 mins.

CINEMA SERIES - The Kids Are All Right

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:24:16 -0500

Start: Sep 11 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Sep 11 2010 - 8:00pm

The Kids Are All Right

Nic and Jules (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) are married and share a cozy suburban Southern California home with their teenage children, Joni and Laser (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson). Nic and Jules gave birth to and raised their children, and built a family life for the four of them. As Joni prepares to leave for college, Laser presses her to help him find their biological father. Against her better judgment, Joni honors her brother’s request and manages to make contact with “bio-dad” Paul (Mark Ruffalo), an easygoing restauranteur. The kids find themselves drawn to the confirmed bachelor’s footloose style - and as Paul comes into their lives, an unexpected new chapter begins as family ties are defined, re-defined, and then re-re-defined.

“Movies like this -- beautifully written, impeccably played, funny and randy and true -- don’t come along very often.” ~ Ty Burr, Boston Globe.

“The movie we’ve been waiting for all year: a comedy that doesn’t take cheap shots, a drama that doesn’t manipulate, a movie of ideas that doesn’t preach. It’s a rich, layered, juicy film, with quiet revelations punctuated by big laughs.” ~ Dana Stevens, Slate.

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some teen drug and alcohol use, 104 mins.

CINEMA SERIES - The Kids Are All Right

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:25:58 -0500

Start: Sep 14 2010 - 7:30pm

End: Sep 14 2010 - 7:30pm

The Kids Are All RightPlease see the previous entry for more information about this film.

FREE FAMILY FILM SERIES - How To Train Your Dragon

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:19:52 -0500

Start: Sep 17 2010 - 7:00pm

End: Sep 17 2010 - 7:00pm

How To Train Your Dragon

Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, and based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the action comedy tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn't exactly fit in with his tribe's longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup's world is turned upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges him and his fellow Vikings to see the world from an entirely different point of view.

"It's a thrilling action-adventure saga, a clever comedy with witty dialogue, a coming-of-age tale with surprising depth and a sweetly poignant tale of friendship between man and animal." ~ Claudia Puig, USA Today

Rated PG for sequences of intense action and some scary images, and brief mild language.

Admission to Family Night at the Movies is FREE! Children MUST be accompanied by an adult. No food or drink is allowed in the theatre.

CINEMA SERIES - The Girl Who Played with Fire

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:39:52 -0500

Start: Sep 18 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Sep 18 2010 - 8:00pm

The Girl Who Played with Fire

In the highly anticipated second installment of the Millennium Trilogy... Lisbeth Salander is now a wanted woman. A researcher and a journalist about to expose the truth about the sex trade in Sweden are brutally murdered, and Lisbeth’s prints are on the weapon. Her history of unpredictable and vengeful behavior makes her an official danger to society but no one can find her anywhere. Meanwhile, Mikael Blomkvist, editor-in-chief of Millennium, will not believe what he hears on the news. Knowing Salander to be fierce when fearful, he is desperate to get to her before she is cornered and alone. As he fits the pieces of the puzzle together, he unearths some heart-wrenching facts about Salander’s past life. Yet Lisbeth is more avenging angel than helpless victim - descending on those that have hurt her with a righteous anger terrifying in its intensity and truly wonderful in its outcome.

“The Millennium Trilogy is looking like the North American cinematic event of 2010!” ~ James Berardinelli, ReelViews.

“Holds you in a viselike grip.” ~ Peter Travers, Rolling Stone.

Rated R for disturbing violent content including rape, grisly images, sexual material, nudity and language, 130 mins.

Folk in Fredonia Free-For-All

Thu, 27 May 2010 13:49:37 -0500

Start: Sep 19 2010 - 3:00pm

End: Sep 19 2010 - 3:00pm

FREE Admission (ticket required)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series

Fredonia folk music favorites Carmen & Dick Gilman invite their musician friends from throughout the state to join them on the Opera House stage for an afternoon of great music, dance and a humorous story or two!

There also are raffles, drawings for door prizes and loads of fun and laughter.

The unofficial kickoff to the Folk in Fredonia Music Series, this event is great fun for the whole family!

Sponsored by The Gilman Family

Although admission to this event is FREE, tickets are required and may be reserved by calling the Box Office at 716-679-1891.

CINEMA SERIES - The Girl Who Played with Fire

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:41:59 -0500

Start: Sep 21 2010 - 7:30pm

End: Sep 21 2010 - 7:30pm

The Girl Who Played with FirePlease see the previous entry for more information about this film.

CINEMA SERIES - Get Low

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:44:45 -0500

Start: Sep 25 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Sep 25 2010 - 8:00pm

Get Low

It’s 1938, and few folks have spoken with Felix Bush (Robert Duvall) since he disappeared into the Tennessee woods 40 years ago; and the ones who have don’t necessarily have the kindest things to say about him. Gruff, confrontational, and ill-tempered, Felix has been the source of many malicious rumors over the years, though his penchant for walking into town with a shotgun, a wild beard, and threadbare clothes doesn’t exactly give the impression of a man who seeks to make friends. When he walks into Frank Quinn’s (Bill Murray) funeral parlor and announces his intentions to throw his own rollicking funeral party - while he’s still alive - word quickly spreads through town and anticipation starts to run high. Before long the big day has finally arrived, and it’s revealed exactly why Felix shunned society to lead a life of solitude in the deep woods.

“It’s as soothing and pure as the sweetest water from the deepest well.” ~ Ann Hornaday, Washington Post.

“After you get to a certain point with an actor, you don't much care what he does, you just want to watch him doing it. So it is with Robert Duvall and Bill Murray.” ~ Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times.

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and brief violent content, 100 mins.

CINEMA SERIES - Get Low

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:46:28 -0500

Start: Sep 28 2010 - 7:30pm

End: Sep 28 2010 - 7:30pm

Get LowPlease see the previous entry for more information about this film.

CINEMA SERIES - The Extra Man

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:49:29 -0500

Start: Oct 2 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Oct 2 2010 - 8:00pm

The Extra Man

Louis (Paul Dano) is a lonely dreamer who fancies himself the hero of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. When an embarrassing incident forces him to leave his job at an exclusive Princeton prep school, Louis heads to New York City to make a fresh start. He finds a nine-to-five job at an environmental magazine, where he encounters entrancing, green-obsessed co-worker Mary (Katie Holmes). But it’s Louis’ new home life that really sparks his imagination. He rents a room in the ramshackle apartment of Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline), a penniless, wildly eccentric but brilliant playwright. When Henry’s not dancing alone to obscure music or singing operettas, he’s performing the duties of an extra man, a social escort for the wealthy widows of Manhattan high society. Through a series of urban adventures where they encounter everything from drunken nonagenarians to a shady Swiss hunchback and a leaping lion, Louis and Henry form a memorable bond that bridges their differences.

“Exudes the sort of smarts and sophisticated charm specialized audiences seek.” ~ Todd McCarthy, Variety.

“Kline finds every nuance of mirth and melancholy in this wonder of a role and rides it to glory. You can’t take your eyes off him.” Peter Travers, Rolling Stone.

Rated R for some sexual content, 108 mins.

CINEMA SERIES - The Extra Man

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:50:59 -0500

Start: Oct 5 2010 - 7:30pm

End: Oct 5 2010 - 7:30pm

The Extra ManPlease see the previous entry for more information about this film.

FREE FAMILY FILM SERIES - Curious George 2

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:57:37 -0500

Start: Oct 8 2010 - 7:00pm

End: Oct 8 2010 - 7:00pm

Curious George 2

The world's most beloved and inquisitive monkey is back in Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey, the fun-filled sequel to the hit animated movie. Join Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat as they set out on a madcap cross-country adventure to reunite Kayla, a homesick elephant, with her family. This unlikely trio faces all types of comic calamities and colorful characters and in the end, learn that with family, friends and determination, you can achieve anything.

"While obviously not backed by the same sort of budget, the movie is wildly fun, makes good use of rather an interesting story, and has a great soundtrack. For my money, it's a better picture than the first." ~ Marc Eastman, Are You Screening?

Rated G, 81 mins.

Admission to Family Night at the Movies is FREE! Children MUST be accompanied by and adult. No Food or drink is allowed in the theatre.

CINEMA SERIES - Flipped

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:53:40 -0500

Start: Oct 9 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Oct 9 2010 - 8:00pm

Flipped

When second-graders Bryce and Juli first meet, Juli knows it’s love, but Bryce isn’t so sure. Over the next six years, young Bryce does everything he can to keep his outspoken wannabe girlfriend at arm’s length... which isn’t easy since they go to the same school and live across the street from each other. Juli is different from anyone else he knows, and she continues to give him the benefit of the doubt... until those doubts stack up so high that she finally thinks maybe she was wrong about him. Just then, Bryce starts to think maybe he was wrong about her, too. But is he too late? This coming-of-age romantic comedy from director Rob Reiner takes Bryce and Juli from Grade School to Junior High, through triumph and disaster, family drama and first love, as they make the discoveries that will define who they are, and who they are to each other.

“The kind of special movie that wraps you up in so much warmth, humor and humanity that it will leave you wishing that stories like this weren’t so rare.” ~ Betsy Sharkey, LA Times.

“A beautifully crafted, special movie to cherish, likely to stay with you long after most of the so-called summer blockbusters have faded into memory.” ~ Pete Hammond, Box Office Magazine.

Rated PG for language and thematic material, 90 mins.

CINEMA SERIES - Flipped

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:56:14 -0500

Start: Oct 12 2010 - 7:30pm

End: Oct 12 2010 - 7:30pm

FlippedPlease see the previous entry for more information about this film.

Clarence Darrow

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:17:14 -0500

Start: Oct 15 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Oct 15 2010 - 8:00pm

Clarence Darrow

Starring James Ivey

General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members, $8 Students)

In David Rintels' entertaining play, Clarence Darrow, Darrow is depicted as the champion of the underdog, a lawyer for everyman from a time when the practice of law was a noble profession. This one-man, two-act play highlghts the great cases that were the defining moment of Darrow's career.

James Ivey brings Darrow to life and portrays him as a passionate loner with a sense of humor, who fought for causes with every fiber of his being.

Ivey has performed in more than 100 plays and musicals with roles as diverse as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, File in The Rainmaker, Harold Hill in The Music Man, J. Edgar Hoover in Splendid Rebels, Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly!, Cheswick in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, King Arthur in Camelot, and Edgar Lee Masters in Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight.

He began his undergraduate theatre training at Illinois State University in 1973 under the guidance of Drs. Calvin Pritner, Ralph Lane and Jean Scharfenberg. He then followed his muse to the University of Kansas where he finished his bachelor's degree under the tutelage of Dr. Jack Wright, Paul Campbell and Dr. Robert Findlay.

Moving to Chicago he humbly began his performance career as a servant at the Goodman Theatre in Much Ado About Nothing. He went onto act in various venues around the Chicago area earning his Equity card playing Forrest Tucker's son in Patches at the Drury Lane South Theatre.

James IveyIvey received his master’s degree in theatre history at the University of Illinois and his doctorate from Texas Tech University. Upon completion of his doctorate, he became head of the department of theatre at Hardin-Simmons University, in Abilene, Tex. During his nine-year stay at HSU he directed many plays including Tartuffe, Li'l Abner, Guys and Dolls, The Seagull, The Dining Room, J.B., The Triumph of Love and Exit the King.

In the fall of 2000, Ivey joined the faculty of the theatre and dance department at SUNY Fredonia as associate professor and chair of theatre. His 10-year career at Fredonia has been highlighted by productions of The Learned Ladies, The Cherry Orchard, Our Town, Candide, The Wizard of Oz, The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Women's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of A Christmas Carol, Hansel and Gretel, Marat/Sade and most recently Sophocles' Electra. Recently promoted to full professor of theatre, Ivey will direct Carlo Goldoni's The Venetian Twins this coming spring.

Throughout his career in academia, Ivey has kept his performance career alive by working with various theatre companies including Theatre Three and The Dallas Repertory Theatre in A Little Night Music, The Showoff and The Man Who Came to Dinner and with Chautauqua Opera in productions of Fiddler on the Roof, The Music Man and Street Scene.

Inaddition, he trained with Antonio Fava at the Scuola Internazionale dell'Attore Comico in Reggio-Emilia, Italy in the tradition of commedia dell'arte. His continued study of the commedia has prompted him to create Il Piccolo Teatro dell'Edera a traveling commedia production in which he performs the characters of Dottore, Capitano, and Zanni.

Sponsored by the Robert H. Jackson Center

A Storytelling Master Class

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:09:58 -0500

Start: Oct 16 2010 - 9:00am

End: Oct 16 2010 - 9:00am

With Chris Shaw

Registration Fee $25

Designed to cater to the experience level of the participants, this special workshop with master storyteller Chris Shaw offers an opportunity for individual one-on-one feedback and participation. Through a combination of personal critique and demonstration, Shaw helps each participant improve their storytelling skills.

Shaw was raised in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. He was born the son of a commercial steamboat pilot on Lake George. He worked the big boats and grew up listening to the songs and stories passed down from generation to generation, never suspecting he later would bring them to audiences all over the world. An accomplished educator, Shaw also conducts seminars and workshops for storytellers of all ages and skill levels.

Storytelling: It's YOUR turn!

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:07:09 -0500

Start: Oct 16 2010 - 2:00pm

End: Oct 16 2010 - 2:00pm

FREE Admission (ticket required)

Acclaimed storyteller Christopher Shaw entertains the kid in all of us in this special interactive performance. The program starts out with Chris telling one of his premier Adirondack Tall Tales that will have the kids (and probably the adults, too!) rolling in the aisles with laughter.

Then, as the title implies, It's YOUR Turn ... Chris selects members of the audience to come onstage and leads them through the telling of their own "round stories." The round story technique has long been used to introduce young storytellers to the craft, and challenges their verbal, memory and imaginative skills.

We guarantee you'll be surprised at who shines during this performance. Remember what happened to Art Linkletter when he featured kids on his show ... they said the darndest things!

This is a program for kids (ideally grades 3 through middle school) or anyone who has ever been a kid.

Although admission to this event is FREE, tickets are required and may be reserved by calling the Box Office at 716-679-1891.

Sponsored by the Fredonia Teachers Association.

An Evening of Storytelling & Music with Chris Shaw

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:08:10 -0500

Start: Oct 16 2010 - 7:30pm

End: Oct 16 2010 - 7:30pm

General Admission $10
Ticket includes onstage post-performance reception

An evening of storytelling & song for adults ... hosted by Fredonia's favorite irishman Doug Manly and featuring acclaimed Adirondack storyteller, singer and songwriter Christopher Shaw, this evening of wild and witty songs & stories is guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and make you laugh out loud.

Christopher Shaw was raised in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. He was born the son of a commercial steamboat pilot on Lake George. Shaw worked the big boats and grew up listening to the songs and stories passed down from generation to generation, never suspecting he later would bring them to audiences all over the world.

For more than 10 years, Shaw toured for Taylor Guitars traveling from Anchorage to Berlin as a clinician demonstrating American folk and country style guitars. In addition to his trips for Taylor, he has sung songs and told stories at such highly respected venues as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian Institution, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Old Songs Folk Festival and Chautauqua Insitution, as well as in music halls, festivals and coffee houses all across the U.S. and Europe.

He has produced a number of TV soundtracks for Public Television. He wrote the soundtrack for and was the voice of Seneca Ray on the television special "Seneca Ray Stoddard: An American Original," seen coast to coast on PBS. Most recently, a live concert special titled "Chris Shaw: Live in Concert" was shown on PBS stations throughout the country.

Shaw has nine recordings under his belt. His 1988 debut, "Adirondack," has been inducted into the Library of Congress Folk Archives.

The Village on Canadaway - A Fredonia Revue

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:15:59 -0500

Start: Oct 23 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Oct 23 2010 - 8:00pm

Main Street, Fredonia - 1879

General Admission - Goodwill Donation
Presented by the First Presbyterian Church of Fredonia

This special revue is a celebration of Fredonia's past and present and features many familiar faces from throughout the community. Created to honor the Bicentennial of the First Presbyterian Church of Fredonia, the event serves as a gift to the community and to the Opera House. While there is no set admission charge, a goodwill donation will be collected to benefit the Opera House.

Tickets will be available at the door only the night of the show. For more information, contact the Box Office at 716-679-1891.

An Evening of Chopin & Liszt

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:59:49 -0500

Start: Oct 29 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Oct 29 2010 - 8:00pm

Thomas Pandolfi in his 2009 Opera House performance

Featuring Thomas Pandolfi

General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members, $10 Students)
Great Performers Concert Series

After receiving a rousing standing ovation following his Evening of Gershwin concert in 2009, pianist Thomas Pandolfi returns to the Opera House for a bicentennial birthday salute to two of the world's renowned composers - Frederic Chopin and Franz Liszt.

Critically acclaimed for his interpretation of the two great composers' works, Pandolfi will include several well-known and beloved pieces:

   Apres Une Lecture du Dante (Fantasia quasi Sonata) ... Franz Liszt
   Liebestraum No. 3 in A-flat Major ("Dream of Love") ..... Liszt
   Valse Oubliee No. 1 ("Forgotten Waltz") ..................... Liszt
   Widmung ("Dedication") ...................... Robert Schumann/arr.Liszt
   Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 in c-sharp Minor ............... Liszt

   Polonaise in A Major, Op. 40, No. 1 ("Military") ....... Frederic Chopin
   Four Etudes .................................................... Chopin
        No. 1 in A-flat Major, Op. 25 ("Aeolian Harp")
        No. 12 in C Minor, Op. 10 ("Revolutionary")
        No. 8 in F Major, Op. 10 ("Sunshine")
        No. 3 in E Major, Op. 10 ("Tristesse")
   Fantasy-Impromptu in C-sharp Minor, Op. 66 ........ Chopin
   Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53 ("Heroic") ........... Chopin

Pandolfi is an exciting virtuoso who, with each passing season, is becoming more and more sought after by audiences, and showered with superlatives by critics for his passionate artistry and amazing technique. His orchestral appearances often feature not only the beloved masterpiece concerti by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Liszt, but also the equally brilliant ones by Paderewski, Rubenstein and Moskowski. Additionally, in the "pops" genre, Pandolfi is considered a leading interpreter of the works of George Gershwin.

Highlights of the 2009-10 season include the world premiere of British composer Simon Proctor's dazzling and unique "James Bond" Piano Concerto in London. He also performed this work in the U.S. with the St. Augustine (FL) Symphony and with Symphonicity in Virginia. Pandolfi also made guest solo appearances with the Maryland Symphony, the Great Falls (MT) Symphony, Pennsylvania's Allegro Chamber Orchestra and The George Enescu Philharmonic in Bucharest, Romania, among others.

A graduate of the Juiliard School, Pandolfi earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees as a scholarship student.

"Pandolfi is a standout among today's young pianists, demonstrating a great technician's grace, finesse and polish. His virtuosity and strength might have had some believing that Liszt himself had taken over the keyboard." - Asheville Citizen-Times

"... high level pianism and tasteful, diversified musical ideas ... crystalline texture and deft coloration ... charm and bracing elan." - New York Concert Review

Listen to a clip of Pandolfi performing Liebestraum No. 3 in A-flat (Dream of Love)

FREE FAMILY FILM SERIES - Marmaduke

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:56:30 -0500

Start: Nov 12 2010 - 7:00pm

End: Nov 12 2010 - 7:00pm

Marmaduke

A suburban family moves to a new neighborhood with their large yet lovable Great Dane, who has a tendency to wreak havoc in his own oblivious way when canine comic strip star Marmaduke leaps to the big screen with this family-friendly comedy starring Owen Wilson as the voice of the loveable lug.

"The film is packed with adorable dogs and kids, with both Marmaduke and the dad ultimately coming through as heroes." ~ Nancy Churnin, Dallas Morning News

Rated PG for some rude humor and language, 88 mins.

Admission to Family Night at the Movies is FREE! Children MUST be accompanied by and adult. No food or drink is allowed in the theatre.

Anne & Pete Sibley

Wed, 19 May 2010 15:16:21 -0500

Start: Nov 19 2010 - 8:00pm

End: Nov 19 2010 - 8:00pm

Winners, Great American Duet Sing-Off

General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series

For Anne and Pete Sibley, it is the simplicity of the music: the words, the vocals, the harmonies. The storytelling and intimate nature of their original songs has drawn fans and encouraged the husband and wife duo to keep delivering. They aren't afraid of making music that is personal, pairing it down, staying true to their instincts. The audiences and the communities and the correspondence from their fans in the past five short years has made it very rewarding for the couple and reinforced their commitment to their music.

Raised in New England singing in choirs, studying all types of music - except folk and bluegrass - Anne and Pete stumbled upon their true calling when they moved west to Jackson Hole, Wyoming - the land of the Tetons. They consider folk and bluegrass the people's music, nature's music; and they sing it freely and graciously. In April 2009, the Sibleys took top honors in the "Great American Duet Sing-Off" on NPR's A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keilor.

Anne and Pete have recorded four well-received CDs, including one for Christmas. They celebrated their newest release, Coming Home, in April 2009, just as they were winning the Sing-Off.

"What emerges front and center are the couple's transcendent harmonies, vocal renditions that embellish already artful songwriting." - Bluegrass Now magazine

"Their harmonies are warm, tight and soulful; and their performances simple, poignant and unforgettable." - Nashville Public Radio

A Celtic Celebration

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:13:50 -0500

Start: Mar 12 2011 - 8:00pm

End: Mar 12 2011 - 8:00pm

Featuring Ashley MacLeod
with Clann Na Cara Irish Dance

General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day a wee bit early with this special performance of Celtic music and dance!

Ashley MacLeod is from Dalkeith, Ontario, in the county of Glengarry, a hotbed of Scottish culture in Canada. At the age of 10, she literally picked up a fiddle and began playing. In the next few years, she proceeded to win many awards at fiddle competitions throughout Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. At age 14, she was invited to play at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championships as a Junior Showcase artist - an honor given to only four young people across Canada each year!

Bulding from there, MacLeod has gone on to perform her musical magic before thousands of captivated fans all over North America. She has collaborated with many outstanding musicians, including the four-time world champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band and Celtic rock band Hadrian's Wall. She also has performed on recordings with artists The Paperboys, The Shiners and Rathkeltair, among others.

In 2002, she released her first CD titled From the Heart of Glengarry, a collection of traditional Scottish fiddle tunes arranged in Ashley's inimitable style. Her much-anticipated follow-up CD Hold Fast was released in August 2006 to rave reviews.

In 2003, MacLeod performed with the Ottawa Police Services Pipe Band at New York's Carnegie Hall as part of a Canadian presence in September 11th Memorial observations. She has performed on Country Music Television (CMT) with country music artist Johnny Reid. Most recently, she toured Europe with the Juno Award-winning band The Paperboys.

Living in a community so steeped in its Scottish heritage and raised on a farm that has been in the family for more than 200 years gives MacLeod a spirit and depth in the music she plays. Her strathspeys, jigs and reels vibrate with strength, and her waltzes and airs are colored with an aura of peacefulness. It is a gift; and it flows freely from the heart - from the heart of Glengarry.

Clann Na Cara Irish DanceJoining MacLeod will be dancers from Clann Na Cara Irish Dance. Clann Na Cara was established as a western New York Irish dance school in 2006 by four National and World Champion medalists. Prior to receiving their dance teacher certifications, all four founders were regular performers at the Opera House during St. Patrick Day celebration events. In addition, each has led dancers in performances with such notable artists as The Chieftains, Cherish the Ladies and Natalie MacMaster. The students at Clann Na Cara range in age from 4 to 21 and include numerous Preliminary and Championship dancers.

The Music of Simon & Garfunkel

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:40:06 -0500

Start: Apr 15 2011 - 8:00pm

End: Apr 15 2011 - 8:00pm

A.J. Swearingen & Jonathan Beedle

With A.J. Swearingen & Jonathan Beedle

General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
DFT Communications Spotlight Series

A.J. Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle have been performing this remarkable tribute to the music of Simon & Garfunkel for more than a decade; and their sold-out shows prove the effect on their audience is undeniable.

A chance meeting in 1991, in a local club in Bethlehem, Pa., brought these two talented artists together. After only a brief introduction, they were blending their voices as if they had been performing together for a lifetime. Swearingen's warm baritone and Beedle's soaring tenor combine flawlessly to capture the essence and magic of Simon & Garfunkel's sound of the early years in Greenwich Village.

With a quiet stage and an acoustic guitar, Swearingen & Beedle recreate the memories of Simon & Garfunkel's classic hits, including: Scarborough Fair, The Boxer, The Sounds of Silence, I am a Rock, Homeward Bound, 59th Street Bridge Song, and Bridge Over Troubled Water, as well as more obscure songs such as A Most Peculiar Man, Blues Run the Game, Bleeker Street, Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall and Blessed, to name but a few.

Disover why audiences are cheering for this duo as they capture the magic in the music of Simon & Garfunkel.

Room on the Broom

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:34:02 -0500

Start: May 18 2011 - 7:00pm

End: May 18 2011 - 7:00pm

General Admission $10
($7 Seniors, $5 Students/Children)
Carousel Family Series

How the cat purred and how the witch grinned, as they sat on their broomstick and flew through the wind...

The show tells the story of a Witch and her Cat who set out to fight a witch-hunting dragon. Along the way, the Witch loses her hat, bow and wand. Each time she recovers an item, she makes a new friend - a Dog, a Frog and a Bird - and invites them along on her journey. But her broomstick is not meant for five passengers and - CRACK - it snaps in two.

When the dragon turns up, it looks as though the Witch will be eaten, until Cat and her new friends work together to make the perfect mud monster to frighten away the dragon. In celebration, the Witch, with the help of her friends, conjures a magical new broom - with room for all...

Tall Stories Theatre presents this magical, musical theatre production filled with songs, laughs and scary fun for children (and their grown ups). Adapted from the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom features talented musical performers with fantastic puppetry and physical comedy.

"A magical spell of of really enjoyable family fun!" - Maidenhead Advertiser

"An absolute delight." - The Scotsman

April Verch

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:31:16 -0500

Start: May 20 2011 - 8:00pm

End: May 20 2011 - 8:00pm

General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series

Featured in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Canadian fiddler and stepdancer April Verch is a young dynamo credited with introducing roots music to a whole new audience.

Ontario's Ottawa Valley is steeped in cultural history including a musical style and stepdancing heritage influenced by the French, Irish, Scottish, Polish and German settlers of this Canadian region. Verch, a modern pioneer of this tradition is emerging as one of the top female artists in the roots music genre. She has built a repertoire rich in original tunes influenced deeply by the treasure chest of musical jewels passed down through the generations. Her fiddling and stepdancing styles were shaped by the diverse roots of the immigrants drawn to the region's lumber camps in the mid-1800s.

Verch knew as a young girl that she wanted to play fiddle and dance for a living, and by the time she finished high school, she had recorded her first two self-released albums and was touring full time. She studied at Boston's Berklee College of Music and simultaneously captured two fiddling championships - Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion and Canadian Open Fiddle Champion.

April Verch (center) in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter OlympicsIn addition to her fiddling virtuosity and remarkable stepdancing, April has become a soulful songstress, using her vocals to draw the listener into her wistful and evocative lyrics. April's musical tastes continue to grow and evolve, and adding vocals to her repertoire has given even more interest and depth to her performances.

The April Verch Band, with April at the helm on fiddle, delivers richly textured phrasing on traditional roots tunes, bluegrass and newgrass melodies, jazz-influenced compositions and country music all in one electrifying performance. When April trades her fiddling for the rhythmic art of stepdancing, the band takes on the sound of the old lumber camp halls where those without instruments created rhythms with their feet. The metal taps on April's shoes generate exhilarating cadences that enhance her traditional Ottawa Valley arrangements.

"Her style, technique and sheer virtuosity rivals anyone who's ever held a bow. Verch is capable of delivering a variety of material from Carter Family classics to contemporary songs with verve and innovative energy ... a unique mix of old-fashioned and modern sensibilities to make every song special." -- Vintage Guitar magazine

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