{"id":44816,"date":"2020-01-16T08:38:27","date_gmt":"2020-01-16T13:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=44816"},"modified":"2020-01-16T08:38:29","modified_gmt":"2020-01-16T13:38:29","slug":"on-stage-the-band-visits-at-kimmel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=44816","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: &#8216;The Band Visits&#8217; at Kimmel"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span lang=\"EN\"><strong>By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, <\/span><em><span lang=\"EN\">Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10977\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/bandsvisit.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10977\" class=\"wp-image-10977 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/bandsvisit-350x292.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"292\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10977\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Band&#8217;s Visit<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Two of the most highly acclaimed new musicals visiting Philadelphia as part of the Kimmel Center\u2019s Broadway Philadelphia\u2019s 2019-2020 season have a major similarity. They are about strangers in another land \u2013 people who have inadvertently been stranded far from home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The shows are \u201cCome From Away,\u201d which recently had a run in Philly and \u201cThe Band\u2019s Visit,\u201d which is running now through January 19 at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kimmelcenter.org\/\">www.kimmelcenter.org<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cCome From Away\u201d is set in Newfoundland, Canada and features a relatively homogeneous group of characters \u2013 North Americans who were stranded in the Maritime province when flights were rerouted during the 911 crisis.<\/span><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cThe Band\u2019s Visit\u201d is set in a \u201cmythical\u201d Israeli town and features two very diverse groups of characters \u2013 local Jewish townspeople and an Egyptian Police Band that ended up there by mistake. It\u2019s a story of Jews and Arabs getting \u201cup close and personal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cThe Band\u2019s Visit\u201d is a stage musical with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and a book by Itamar Moses, based on the 2007 Israeli film of the same name. The musical opened on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in November 2017, after its off-Broadway premiere at the Atlantic Theater Company in December 2016. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Off-Broadway production of \u201cThe Band&#8217;s Visit\u201d won several major awards, including the 2017 Obie Award for Musical Theatre, as well the year\u2019s New York Drama Critics\u2019 Circle Award for Best Musical. At the 72nd Tony Awards, the show was nominated for 11 awards and won 10 &#8212; including Best Musical.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cThe Band\u2019s Visit\u201d is one of four musicals in Broadway history to win the unofficial \u201cBig Six\u201d Tony Awards, which include Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical. It also won the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The play takes place over the course of one evening in the tiny desert town of Bet Hatikva, Israel. The Egyptian Police Band was actually bound for the similarly named town of Petah Tikvah.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Egyptian Police Band arrives in Israel to play a concert. After a mix-up at the border, it is sent to a remote village in the middle of the desert. With no bus until morning and no hotel in sight, the unfortunate travelers are taken in by the locals. Under the spell of the desert sky, their lives become intertwined in the most unexpected ways.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u00a0The cast of the National Tour features Sasson Gabai as Tewfiq Zakaria, Chilina Kennedy as Dina, Pomme Koch as Itzik, Adam Gabai as Papi, Or Schraiber as Zelger and Marc Ginsburg as Sammy. Ginsburg is an area native who graduated from Bensalem High.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cI didn\u2019t know much about the show other than I had heard a lot about ot and listened to the original soundtrack,\u201d said Ginsburg, during a recent phone interview.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWhen I heard that I had an audition, I watched the movie. I auditioned initially in February 2019. I\u2019m based in L.A. I had a relationship with Rubin Casting and they thought I\u2019d be a decent fit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cThey asked me for a video audition. They sent me a scene and a song. I didn\u2019t hear anything for about a month and then they called e to come to New York.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cI worked with a friend who helped me with the Israeli language. And I also worked with a vocal coach. I auditioned in New York and got a call two days later. That was in late March and rehearsals started in mid-May.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cNow, I\u2019m on the road with the tour. I have a wife and a three-and-a-half-year-old son and we live in Encino (CA). I didn\u2019t want to leave them there, so they came with me on the tour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Bet Hatikva is a rural town where the residents bemoan the boring and monotonous lives they lead in the desert. It has no hotel, one caf\u00e9 and one pay phone. The arrival of a band from Egypt is the most exciting thing that has happened there in years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Dina, the caf\u00e9 owner, tells the group that the next bus does not arrive until the next day. Dina offers the band a meal and a place to stay for the night, and Colonel Tewfiq, the band\u2019s leader, reluctantly agrees. In her kitchen, Tewfiq asks her about her background, and she tells how she was once married, and nothing in real life went as she had idealistically and naively thought. She asks Tewfiq the same, and he tells of a wife and son in Egypt.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWhat draws me to this show and still keeps me passionate about it is the simplicity of it,\u201d said Ginsburg. \u201cThere is something about watching real people on stage not acting \u2013 just being. It\u2019s about relationships and humanity \u2013 and human kindness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cI play Sammy and also play the roller rink guard. I play the people with hot tempers and questionable decisions. Sammy is seeing Dina, but he also is married. The roller rink guard sees Egyptians in town and, automatically, his prejudice shows.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cA lot of what I speak in the show is in Hebrew. My Israeli friends helped me. We have five native Israelis in the cast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Video link for \u201cThe Band\u2019s Visit\u201d &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/qr4N-LFfYNE\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/qr4N-LFfYNE<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cThe Band\u2019s Visit\u201d is running now through January 19 at the Academy of Music. Ticket prices range from $25-$129.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">When music fans think of bluegrass music, they think of the South \u2013 especially the mountains. The southern Blue Ridge area has been known through generations and still today as a hotbed of old-time, bluegrass, blues, and country music.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">When people think of Kalamazoo, Michigan, they think of \u2013 well, who knows what they think of. Maybe they know it\u2019s the home of Western Michigan University. Guitar fans might know it as the home of Gibson Guitars.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10978\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Green3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10978\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10978\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Green3-350x240.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"240\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10978\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Greensky Bluegrass<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Not many people would link Kalamazoo with bluegrass music \u2013 unless they are fans of Greensky Bluegrass.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Greensky Bluegrass is a five-piece American bluegrass\/rock band founded in Kalamazoo in 2000 featuring Anders Beck (dobro), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), Mike Devol (upright bass), and Paul Hoffman (mandolin).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWe got our start in Kalamazoo,\u201d said Hoffman, during a recent phone interview from his home in Denver, Colorado.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cI met two of the guys \u2013 Michael and Dave &#8212; at open mics. We started playing together informally. Anders and Mike joined a little later and the five of us have been together ever since.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Greensky Bluegrass has built a reputation for bringing rock \u2018n\u2019 roll showmanship to high-energy bluegrass.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWhen we first started, we were learning bluegrass but still had rock-and-roll roots,\u201d said Hoffman. \u201cSo, we\u2019ve always approached it with a rock mentality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWe were a single mic band for a long time. It has evolved from bluegrass to a psychedelic rock thing. It was a natural evolution \u2013 learning new tricks step-by-step.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cOur instrumentation is dobro, banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar and upright bass. Two of us \u2013 myself and Dave \u2013 write the songs and sing lead. Altogether, four of us sing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Greensky Bluegrass is known for pushing the limits of traditional bluegrass.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">According to Beck, \u201cWe\u2019re a rock-and-roll band that plays bluegrass instruments. Bluegrass is such a finite thing. Because you have a banjo and a mandolin, you\u2019re supposed to do it a certain way. But we\u2019ve always been ourselves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">For the past 18 years, the band has played up to 175 shows per year and sold out venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the Ryman Auditorium, as well as performed at festivals such as Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, and Outside Lands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Last week, Greensky Bluegrass released a new live album\u00a0\u2013 \u201cCourage For The Road: Fall 2019.\u201d\u00a0It features\u00a014 songs, hand-selected from various performances on their Fall 2019 tour and remixed and mastered by the band\u2019s longtime studio engineer Glenn Brown.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Now, Greensky Bluegrass has embarked on a tour to support the new album. The tour will make a stop locally on January 18 at The Met (858 North Broad Street, Philadelphia,<a href=\"http:\/\/themetphilly.com\/\">http:\/\/themetphilly.com<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Greensky Bluegrass has released 11 albums to date beginning with \u201cLess Than Supper\u201d in 2004. All their releases have been on their own label \u2013 Big Blue Zoo.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWe always just released our records on our own,\u201d said Hoffman. \u201cWe released our records on Big Blue Zoo and have used national distribution companies along the way. CD Baby has been a big help.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWe did I all ourselves. Our fanbase is a thing that we\u2019ve been feeding and it\u2019s growing every day. It\u2019s interesting what you can do independently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cOur fanbase has grown by word-of-mouth. Also, the festival world has been good for our kind of music. We\u2019ve been touring our asses off for 15 years \u2013 200 shows a year for a couple years in a row. We certainly went at it and hit the concrete hard. We played the entire country two times a year for eight years in a row.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The band\u2019s most recent studio album is \u201cAll For Money,\u201d which was released in January 2019 and debuted in the top 10 of Billboard\u2019s bluegrass chart.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWe recorded \u2018All For Money\u2019 \u2013 digital and tape \u2013 at Echo Mountain Studio in Nashville,\u201d said Hoffman. \u201cWe spent two weeks recording the tracks and used a lot of analog gear. We like the way tape sounds. We like some of that vintage character and warmth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWe don\u2019t pay too much attention to whether it\u2019s bluegrass or rock. We just want to push the boundaries and keep challenging ourselves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Video link for Greensky Bluegrass \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/VRwyBwt3dLk\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/VRwyBwt3dLk<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The show at The Met (858 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, <a href=\"http:\/\/themetphilly.com\/\">http:\/\/themetphilly.com<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">There will be two interesting and very different shows in Wilmington, Delaware this weekend \u2013 classical music by the Serafin Ensemble and non-mainstream humor by the Popovich Pet Comedy Theater.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/thumbnail_image-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-10981\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/thumbnail_image-1-350x228.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"228\" \/><\/a>On January 19, Serafin Ensemble will present another installment in its 2019-2020 season at The Arts at Trinity at 4 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church (1108 North Adams Street, Wilmington, Delaware, <a href=\"http:\/\/serafinensemble.org\/\">serafinensemble.org<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cSerafin used to be Serafin String Quartet,\u201d said Artistic Director\/violinist Kate Ransom, during a recent phone interview. \u201cThat started in spring 2001. It became Serafin Ensemble last season. We had been functioning as a quarter for a long time. This is the beginning of our first full season as Serafin Ensemble.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cWe had a lot of changes happening in the viola seat. And, our residency as University of Delaware\u2019s String Quartet was coming to an end. So, we decided to move away from the fixed line-up of a string quartet and move to a roster of artists. We wanted more work with other instrumentalists, so we changed to an ensemble. We have a roster of 11 with strings, piano, horn, flute and voice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Serafin Ensemble is presenting a musically diverse program on Sunday afternoon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The program will feature three pieces &#8212; Michael Haydn\u2019s \u201cDuo for violin and viola,\u201d Caesar Franck\u2019s \u201cPiano Quintet,\u201d and Joseph Haydn\u2019s \u201cPiano Trio in C Major Hob XV:27.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">\u201cHob XV:27 in C major\u201d is the first of a set of three trios dedicated to Therese Jansen, and published in London in 1797, after Haydn had returned to Vienna. Jansen was another pianist whom Haydn had met during his two visits to London. In 1795, at the age of 25, she married Gaetano Bartolozzi and Haydn was a witness at their wedding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Haydn also dedicated to her two of his most important solo piano sonatas, in E flat and C major. This trio, with its virtuoso piano-writing, suggests that she was a very fine performer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Franck\u2019s \u201cPiano Quintet in F minor\u201d is a quintet for piano, two violins, viola, and cello. The work was composed in 1879 and has been described as one of Franck&#8217;s chief achievements alongside his other late works such as Symphony in D minor, the Symphonic Variations, the String Quartet, and the Violin Sonata.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The work, which has been described as having a &#8220;torrid emotional power,\u201d features three movements \u2013 Molto moderato quasi lento \u2013 Allegro; Lento con molto sentimento; and Allegro non troppo ma con fuoco.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">On Sunday, the Serafin Ensemble lineup will feature Kate Ransom and Amos Fayette, violins; Luke Fleming, viola; Jacques-Pierre Malan, cello; and Victor Asuncion, piano.<br \/>\nRansom is the artistic director of Serafin Ensemble and a distinguished chamber musician, recitalist and teacher who has presented hundreds of concerts in major chamber music concert halls in North America and Europe. Ms. Ransom pursued post-graduate chamber music study at The Juilliard School with Robert Mann and holds master&#8217;s and bachelor&#8217;s degrees in violin performance from Yale University and the University of Michigan, respectively. She currently serves as president of The Music School of Delaware and plays a violin made in 1728 by the Venetian master, Sanctus Serafin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Fayette started playing the violin at age two and made his professional debut at the age of eight. He enjoys a diverse career as a performer, educator, and administrator. He holds a bachelor\u2019s degree from the Peabody Conservatory of the John Hopkins University and a master\u2019s degree from the Julliard School of Music. He currently serves as director of\u00a0<a title=\"Protected by Outlook: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/musicschoolofde\/?__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARDSlXrCjcjrt_BNNWxzIsyOP98q65lLBG5Fz5WBIDWGtNS_FK6SbEb-hAx_pleUq7HjYe_6fLEdejVy&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCa9fuo4d3nqHIYsVh4MQEvpaIM2kr0Rf2O7DLfqnbrDEq4VH6-4YL-9UbwcIa\" href=\"https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmusicschoolofde%2F%3F__tn__%3DK-R%26eid%3DARDSlXrCjcjrt_BNNWxzIsyOP98q65lLBG5Fz5WBIDWGtNS_FK6SbEb-hAx_pleUq7HjYe_6fLEdejVy%26fref%3Dmentions%26__xts__%255B0%255D%3D68.ARCa9fuo4d3nqHIYsVh4MQEvpaIM2kr0Rf2O7DLfqnbrDEq4VH6-4YL-9UbwcIaheUVG3_GGFxq6puduUyUOtd-ovFWbXdzpajZSi1H8oEA7HXenIPG8E3CbmxDHaUeWSuQ_1FqxtxPmpuYTjOdXw7CWv0WXg6cYaG7G5yMHSuAZwZcvOPa-OVE2S13Uiwz8bexNRv6DFSwwl6iyVFR0VwwSt8DBptlaRc6uyfo66gYP7GeP1TJ-pY97Bps3aTl-6KCRrhqc1Y19ZXvrMs3_3eKNlxKAh7koTL8CFCKHTVVbKc8mGE__C28N6ImFQbYLSnu1iAJGGIDr2xwFGYoqISowuQ&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C5957e2ef24c340fafd5408d7936dc1e5%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637139971918744520&amp;sdata=PQv2Pon9BfkaPtKJC4Afl1hXFMG9V5VjNN%2BuJT2nzUg%3D&amp;reserved=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Music School of Delaware<\/a>&#8216;s Milford Branch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Fleming is founding artistic director of both the Manhattan Chamber Players and the Crescent City Chamber Music Festival, and Lecturer-in-Residence for the concert series \u2013 \u201cProject: Music Heals Us.\u201d Fleming holds the degrees of Doctor of Musical Arts, Artist Diploma, and Master of Music from the Juilliard School, a Postgraduate Diploma with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Music in London, and a Bachelor of Music\u00a0summa cum laude\u00a0from Louisiana State University<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Malan is a soloist, orchestral musician, teacher, chamber musician and music entrepreneur from South Africa. He received his first cello at the age of six and has pursued an intense musical life and career. Malan holds diplomas, bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in musicology, jazz piano and cello performance from the University of South Africa, University of Pretoria and Peabody Conservatory of the John Hopkins University.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Asuncion is a Filipino-American pianist who has appeared in concert halls in Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Spain, Turkey and the USA, as a recitalist and concerto soloist. He played his orchestral debut at the age of 18 with the Manila Chamber Orchestra, and his New York recital debut in Carnegie\u2019s Weill Recital Hall in 1999. Asuncion is a Steinway artist and founder of FilAm Music Foundation, a nonprofit foundation that is dedicated to promoting Filipino classical musicians through scholarship and performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The concert at Trinity will start at 4 p.m. \u00a0Admission is free with donations appreciated.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10980\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/popovich-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10980\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10980\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/popovich-3-350x233.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"233\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10980\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Popovich Pet Comedy Theater<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Popovich Comedy Pet Theater is a family-oriented blend of the unique blend of comedy and juggling skills of former Moscow Circus veteran Gregory Popovich and the extraordinary talents of his performing pets. His entourage consists of world-class jugglers, Diamond the Shetland Pony and a variety of performing pets including house cats and dogs, geese, white doves and parrots.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">There are more than 30 pets in the show. Each one of the dogs and cats has been rescued from animal shelters and given a new \u201cleash on life!\u201d These rescued animals love to perform their skills and stunts on stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">According to Popovich, \u201cOne of the main messages of my show is to bring attention for animal shelters, and the many homeless pets and rescue efforts out there. Because all my pets in my shows have been rescued by animal shelters, I feel it\u2019s my mission to \u2018payback\u2019 animal shelters and try to help other pets if I have this opportunity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Popovich\u2019s unique philosophy toward animal training is to build tricks around the animals\u2019 personalities, instead of pushing them to perform. His technique centers on positive reinforcement and compassion. Comedy Pet Theater is a new way to incorporate pets in showbiz while spotlighting the personality and individualism of each pet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The animal antics are adorable and amazing with dogs and cats jumping rope, riding scooters, jumping over hurdles, balancing on perilously thin beams and moving wheels, and even pushing a stroller&#8230; with a dog in the baby basket.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Popovich is a fifth-generation circus performer whose parents were stars of the Russian circus. It was in the Big Top where Popovich honed his natural ability by forming special bonds with the animals in his parents\u2019 act. He learned to juggle at a very early age and went on starring in his first solo performance when he was barely a teenager.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">For the next few years, Popovich traveled the world with the Moscow Circus, eventually becoming the star of the circus and its representative at international circus competitions worldwide.\u00a0 He performed his juggling act in the center ring and became the first Russian artist to ever appear in the \u201cGreatest Show on Earth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Popovich, whose resume includes being voted \u201cEntertainer of the Year\u201d in Las Vegas, has shared his expertise for raising, training and living harmoniously with pets in two books \u2013 \u201cYou CAN Train Your Cat\u201d and \u201cDoggy Gone Good\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">He has also produced and starred in a feature film now available for purchase. \u201cPopovich and the Voice of the Fabled American West\u201d has already won several awards including \u201cAudience Choice Award\u201d at the Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles, and International Film Festival in Austin, Texas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Popovich Comedy Pet Theater has a rich performance history, presenting thousands of shows in more than 20 countries and is currently in its 12th season at the Planet Hollywood Resort\/Casino in Las Vegas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Video link for Popovich Comedy Pet Theater &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/-ZG4L6QsBAQ\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/-ZG4L6QsBAQ<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The show at the Grand\u2019s Copeland Hall on January 18 will start at 3 p.m. \u00a0Tickets are $22.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10982\" style=\"width: 211px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/colin-omeara-kennett-flash.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10982\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10982\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/colin-omeara-kennett-flash-201x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10982\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Collin O\u2019Meara<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org\/\">http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will present \u201cCollin O\u2019Meara: The Experience \u2014 An Evening of Standup Comedy\u201d with special guests John Slack, Diego Panessa, and Al DeChino on January 17, Western Centuries with Sarah Larsen on January 18, and \u201cOpen Mic with guest host Jimmy McFadden \u201c on January 19.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/a>) will host Kicking Down Doors on January 18.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">Chaplin\u2019s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/chaplinslive.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http:\/\/chaplinslive.com<\/a>) will have Dancing With MaryJane on January 18.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ardmoremusic.com\/\">www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will host Lez Zeppelin with special guest Olivia Jean on January 17, Splintered Sunlight with special guest John Kadlecik (acoustic) on January 18, Funky Brunch on January 19, and J Roddy Walston (solo) on January 20.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Living Room at 35 East (35 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, <a href=\"https:\/\/thelivingroomat35east.com\/\">https:\/\/thelivingroomat35east.com<\/a>) will present \u201cAn Evening with Lauren Hart\u201d on January 17 and Jessica Graae and Marion Halliday on January 18.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.118northwayne.com\/\">www.118northwayne.com<\/a>) will host \u201cAll For Laughs Comedy Night\u201d with \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.118northwayne.com\/e\/terry-mcneely-mike-merk-gary-garcia-north-comedy-night-86743200247\/\">Terry McNeely<\/a>,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.118northwayne.com\/e\/terry-mcneely-mike-merk-gary-garcia-north-comedy-night-86743200247\/\">Mike Merk, and Gary Garcia<\/a> on January 16, Plush in the Box and Party Line January 17, Loose &amp; Alright (118 Day!) on January 18 and Silas Irvine on January 19.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.keswicktheatre.com\/\">www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) presents \u201cRay On My Mind &#8211; The Ray Charles Story\u201d on January 19.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.st94.com\/\">www.st94.com<\/a>) will present The Launch (Boston, Styx &amp; Queen Tribute) on January 16, Slipkid Ft. Gary Cherone (Of Extreme):\u00a0A Celebration Of The Who on January 17, Son Little with Max Swan on January 18, Masters Of The Telecaster Ft. G.E. Smith &amp; Jim Weider on January 19, and China Crisis &amp; Richard Lloyd (Of Television) on January 22.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EN\">The Locks at Sona (4417 Main Street, Manayunk, 484- 273-0481, <a href=\"http:\/\/sonapub.com\/\">sonapub.com<\/a>) will host Lazer Lloyd with special guest Walt Lafty on January 18.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Two of the most highly acclaimed new musicals visiting Philadelphia as part of the Kimmel Center\u2019s Broadway Philadelphia\u2019s 2019-2020 season have a major similarity. They are about strangers in another land \u2013 people who have inadvertently been stranded far from home. The shows are \u201cCome From Away,\u201d which [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44818,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[12775,7426,12774,12773,12063,12772],"class_list":["post-44816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-collin-omeara","tag-featured","tag-greensky-bluegrass","tag-popovich-pet-comedy-theater","tag-serafin-ensemble","tag-the-bands-visit"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44816"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44817,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44816\/revisions\/44817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/44818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}