{"id":50955,"date":"2022-08-25T08:46:51","date_gmt":"2022-08-25T12:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=50955"},"modified":"2022-08-25T08:46:57","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T12:46:57","slug":"on-stage-linda-gail-lewis-makes-long-awaited-return-to-area","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=50955","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Linda Gail Lewis makes long awaited return to area"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Linda Gail Lewis<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s been almost a year to the day since Linda Gail Lewis had a show scheduled show in the area.<\/p>\n

On August 22, 2021, Lewis was slated to perform in Kennett Square at Kennett Flash\u2019s Rooftop Series.<\/p>\n

The shows in that series were staged on a rooftop of a parking garage in downtown Kennett Square.<\/p>\n

Lewis and her band of local all-stars were all set to perform when Mother Nature stepped in.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t get to play the Kennett Flash show,\u201d said Lewis, during a phone interview Monday from a tour stop in Branford, Connecticut. \u201cThe show got rained out. I felt bad for the people who bought tickets.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it was in the middle of a really grueling tour. In a way, I was really happy the show got cancelled because I was so tired. I thought to myself \u2013 thank God for the rain.\u201d <\/p>\n

Now, Lewis, who is the younger sister of rock\/country\/rockabilly legend Jerry Lee Lewis, is coming back to the area on August 25 when she brings her \u201cFamily Jewels Tour\u201d to Dobbs on south (304 South Street, Philadelphia, www.eventbrite.com\/e\/linda-gail-lewis-danny-b-harvey-annie-marie-lewis-the-family-jewels-tour-tickets-403760296917<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Joining her on stage and as a supporting act will be her daughter\u00a0Annie Marie Lewis\u00a0and son-in-law,\u00a0Danny B. Harvey. Both are also part of her upcoming release, \u201cFamily Jewels,\u201d\u00a0on\u00a0Cleopatra Records.\u00a0\u201cFamily\u201d Jewels\u00a0is\u00a0a live recording and DVD that captures a powerful 2015 performance to a 10,000-person audience in Arzon, France. The DVD will be available for purchase in October and is available for pre-order now.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so excited,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cI\u2019m 75 now and never really had a record company that believed in me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis\u2019 most recent album was made with Robbie Fulks and released in 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout us having a record company, Robbie had to put out his own money for the album. Now, I have a record company that really believes in me \u2013 and promotes me. For a long time, different record companies just worked with me because of my brother\u2019s name.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Jerry Lee Lewis is \u201cThe Killer,\u201d then Linda Gail Lewis is his accomplice \u2013 his partner in crime.<\/p>\n

Their \u201ccrime\u201d is making roof-raising music \u2013 top-caliber, rockabilly, country, rock-and-roll, boogie-woogie music.<\/p>\n

Linda Gail is Jerry Lee\u2019s sister, and both are rockabilly royalty. Additionally, country star\u00a0Mickey Gilley\u00a0and gospel artist\u00a0Jimmy Swaggart\u00a0are her cousins.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother\u2019s name is so big, and I have a reputation of doing his kind of music,\u201d said Linda Gail Lewis. \u201cI do his kind of music and some Elvis and some Texas rockabilly. I\u2019ve been working really hard on it for the last 34 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cleopatra Records brought Lewis on board not because of her family heritage but rather because of the exciting and refreshing music she makes.<\/p>\n

\u201cCleopatra Records has been around for a long time,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cBrian Perera (founder of the label) even came to see me play in a small club in Palacios, Texas. It was a small dive, and I was playing with my trio.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album at a festival in France in front of 10,000 people. The festival had a big sound truck and a film crew with four cameras. It was one of the best shows I\u2019ve ever done in my life \u2013 maybe the best.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy son-in-law Danny B. Harvey has been working with Cleopatra for a long time. They were doing a tribute album to the Cramps and brought me in to do a song. It was a thrill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis has been making music for a long time \u2013 a really long time,<\/p>\n

\u201cI started my solo career when I was 40 when I left my brother\u2019s band. I\u2019m 75 now. The Lord has blessed me with good health and the ability to keep playing my music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis\u00a0is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She has recorded with\u00a0Stephen Ackles,\u00a0Van Morrison, Robbie Fulks, and, of course, her brother,\u00a0Jerry Lee Lewis. She also has recorded with her two daughters, MaryJean Ferguson and Annie Marie Dolan, in a group called the Lewis 3.<\/p>\n

Like her brother Jerry Lee, Rockabilly Hall of Fame member Linda Gail Lewis soaked up the sounds of hillbilly music and rhythm and blues in the rural areas of Louisiana. The siblings grew up in Ferriday, Louisiana.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always singing at home when I was young,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cI first came onstage with my brother when I was 10 years old in a concert he played with Johnny Cash in Monroe, Louisiana.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe lived in Ferriday and music was always in our family. From age 14 on, I was always on the road with Jerry Lee.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to having her brother as an influence, Lewis also drew inspiration in the early days from Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, and Lavern Baker. Her official recording debut came when she performed as Jerry Lee\u2019s duet partner for Sun Records in 1963 on a song called, \u201cTeenage Letter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recording with her brother, she scored a Top 10 country hit in 1969 with a version of Carl and Pearl Butler\u2019s \u201cDon\u2019t Let Me Cross Over.\u201d A rousing duet remake of Chuck Berry\u2019s \u201cRoll Over Beethoven,\u201d a staple of her act, followed it onto the charts the same year.<\/p>\n

The Lewis duo\u2019s 1969 Smash LP \u201cTogether\u201d, featured their rowdy duet style on a variety of country standards and rockers. This led to Lewis\u2019s debut solo album for the label, \u201cThe Two Sides of Linda Gail Lewis\u201d in 1969. Lewis also won an ASCAP award for her song \u201cSmile, Somebody Loves You,\u201d a Top 40 country hit in 1972.<\/p>\n

\u201cI stopped touring with my brother\u2019s band in 1977,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cI wanted to take time off to have a family. I came back in 1987 and then started on my own in 1997.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis is a popular touring act in the states and an extremely popular touring act in Europe \u2013 especially Scandinavia. Top-flight rockabilly acts always draw well across the European continent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always try to tour Norway and Sweden in the summer,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cI also play a lot in Denmark and Finland \u2013 and quite a bit in Germany and Austria. And I do festivals in France.\u201d<\/p>\n

England also figures in the picture.<\/p>\n

Lewis met Van Morrison at a Jerry Lee Lewis convention in England. After a sound-check jam session, Morrison proposed the collaboration, which resulted in the Pointblank\/Virgin duet album, \u201cYou Win Again,\u201d which was released in 2000.<\/p>\n

In 2014, Lewis met rockabilly guitarist Danny B Harvey (Headcat, Rockats) who introduced her to Lanark Records. During four extremely creative days at Lanark Studios in Lancaster (PA), Lewis, Harvey, and her daughter Annie Marie Lewis, along with producer\/bassist Quentin Jones and drummer Blair King cut 12 tracks for an album called \u201cHard Rocking Woman,\u201d which was in 2015 by Lanark Records.<\/p>\n

In 2018, Lewis recorded a duo album with Grammy nominated singer\/guitarist Robbie Fulks. It was recorded and produced by Robbie Fulks who wrote most of the songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cRobbie is a great songwriter and a really great producer,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cAnd he\u2019s a great entertainer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do some writing. I just wrote my new single \u2013 a pandemic song called, \u2018Oh Pandemic.\u2019 I usually have one or two originals on each album.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis also spoke about her brother Jerry Lee, who is recovering from medical problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s doing really well and almost completely recovered from the major hemorrhagic stroke he had,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cHe\u2019s living in Southaven, Mississippi, which is just outside Memphis. \u201cHe\u2019s doing so well. I think he\u2019ll go back onstage \u2013 but not with the heavy schedule he used to have.<\/p>\n

\u201cMyself, I am touring a lot. Sometimes, I do have a set list. Most of the time, I just go on and play. I choose the songs by the reaction I\u2019m getting from the songs I\u2019ve played.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately for Lewis\u2019 fans, a new album is on the horizon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing an album in October,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cI\u2019m doing a lot of new songs. This will be my first studio album for Cleopatra.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Linda Gail Lewis — https:\/\/youtu.be\/8pl5n4-81EA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Dobbs on south on August 25 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is presenting Best Friend\u2019s Girl \u2013 The Cars Experience on August 27.<\/p>\n

\"\"Best Friend\u2019s Girl recreates the timeless hits of The Cars, whose 35-year career featured more than 23 million albums sold and more than 22 songs on the Billboard top 100.<\/p>\n

The Cars carved out their own niche in pop music with hits such as \u201cBest Friends Girl,\u201d \u201cShake It Up,\u201d \u201cMagic,\u201d \u201cLet\u2019s Go\u201d and \u201cMoving in Stereo\u201d (which gained attention from its placement in the movie \u201cFast Times at Ridgemont High\u201d).<\/p>\n

Best Friend\u2019s Girl is comprised of professional musicians whose goal is to keep the music of The Cars alive with every performance.<\/p>\n

Video link for Best Friends Girl — https:\/\/youtu.be\/LRPohN3hc-c<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on August 27, which has Roberta Faceplant as the opener, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

is a prime destination to hear folk, jazz and blues music every Thursday through Sunday.<\/p>\n

The \u201cThursday Night Jazz Jam\u201d and the \u201cSunday Blues Brunch & Jam\u201d are regular features on Jamey\u2019s calendar while Friday and Saturday night shows feature national and regional acts.<\/p>\n

\"\"The headline acts this weekend are DRIVETIME on August 26 and a twin bill on August 27 featuring Deni Bonet & Chris Flynn and Bruce T Carroll.<\/p>\n

DRIVETIME, known for making original jazz music, features Bernie Capodici (Congas\/Percussion\/Producer), Jimmy Dell\u2019Orefice (Keys), Gene Terramani (Guitar), Nick Terramani (Bass), JJ Zeller (Drums).<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s new single, \u201cUn Domani Migliore (A Better Tomorrow),\u201d was released on April 29. It features contributions from Philly\u2019s legendary saxophonist Andrew Neu.<\/p>\n

Video link for DRIVETIME — https:\/\/youtu.be\/8IfC4SMoKbg<\/a><\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on Friday will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Deni Bonet<\/p><\/div>\n

Deni Bonet is a U.S. born singer\/songwriter, electric violinist, and multi-instrumentalist. Bonet has performed and recorded with Cyndi Lauper, R.E.M., Sarah McLachlan and many others. Her previous appearances include Carnegie Hall, The Great Wall of China, the United Nations, and the White House for President Obama and President-elect Biden. She has recently been a soloist with the Baylor Symphony Orchestra, the Symphonic Pops of Long Island, and the Danbury Community Orchestra.<\/p>\n

For the past several years, Bonet has been touring in the U.S. and Europe. She was awarded a grant in 2019 through the Arts Envoy Program of the U.S. Government to spend a month’s residency in Africa teaching violin, songwriting, and rock \u2019n roll at a music college in Zanzibar. She also performed concerts for the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Bonet has released several CDs of her own music, including the critically acclaimed \u201cBright Shiny Objects\u201d on Sony\/RED.<\/p>\n

Video link for Deni Bonet — https:\/\/youtu.be\/AOyCCY_kE6I<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on Saturday will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n

The \u201cThursday Night Jazz Jam\u201d and the \u201cSunday Blues Brunch & Jam\u201d are regular features on Jamey\u2019s calendar while Friday and Saturday night shows feature national and regional acts.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s has started a popular \u201cGuest Singer Series\u201d featuring many of the best singers in the region performing a set from 7-8 p.m. with the backing of the Dave Reiter Trio and occasional guest musicians.<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s featured performer on August 25 will be Maci Miller. The show will start at 8 p.m. There is a $10 cover charge.<\/p>\n

\u201cSunday Blues Brunch & Jam\u201d is a favorite of Jamey\u2019s regulars because Jamey Reilly and his band the Philly Blues Kings (www.phillyblueskings.com<\/a>) are the performers each week.<\/p>\n

The Philly Blues King are a veteran outfit comprised of David Reiter on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Maci Miller on vocals, Bill Marconi on drums and vocals and Reilly on bass guitar. They have performed together for 15 years (except for Miller) and are the house band for Jamey\u2019s House of Music. They are well known for tight, jazz inflected classic blues.<\/p>\n

Reiter performs on a seven-string guitar and Reilly plays a fretless five string bass and that sets the group above the ordinary. The three veteran musicians have each spent decades playing the blues professionally and have backed many well-known national artists. Maci Miller, an internationally recognized jazz singer based in Philadelphia, joined the Blues Kings and quickly established herself as a top-flight front woman.<\/p>\n

Video link for Philly Blues Kings \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/bAnBVLc7Wsg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s House of Music on August 28 will start at noon. Admission is free.<\/p>\n

At The Gates, a Swedish death metal band headlining a show on Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, www.utphilly.com<\/a>) on August 28, disbanded in 1996 \u2013 not long after the group released its fourth album, \u201cSlaughter of the Soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back then, no-one would have believed you is you had said that At The Gates would be touring in 2022 \u2013 and playing all the songs from \u201cSlaughter of the Soul.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s exactly what is happening right now with the band from Gothenburg, Sweden.<\/p>\n

The band — Tomas Lindberg (Vocals), Jonas Bj\u00f6rler (Bass), Martin Larsson (Guitars), Adrian\u00a0Erlandsson\u00a0(Drums) \u2013 was a five-piece when it disbanded with Anders Bj\u00f6rler (Guitars) as the fifth member.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnders caused the breakup in 1996 and we didn\u2019t want to go on without him,\u201d said Larsson, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from a tour stop in Lawrence, Kansas. \u201cWe kind of felt bad \u2013 all those years with no closure.\u201d<\/p>\n

At The Gates broke up in 1996, reformed in 2007 for a reunion tour before breaking up once again in 2008. Then, they got together and reunited for a second time in December 2010. Since then, they have stayed the course as a recording act and a killer live band.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2007, Anders contacted us because he was the guy who left the band in \u201995,\u201d said Larsson. \u201cHe wanted a proper closure for the band. So, we got together.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went on tour in 2008 and played some newer songs. \u201cAfter that, everyone stayed in music and did his own thing. We stayed in contact and were friends in the years that followed.\u2019<\/p>\n

Eventually, At The Gates resumed touring and recording. When the band came back to life a few years ago, the result was its first album in 19 years — \u201cAt War With Reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2014, we made that new album,\u201d said Larsson. \u201cIt was fun, but it also was intense. It was our first time to record together in 19 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt War With Reality\u201d ranked high in the majority of metal media\u2019s 2014 year-end lists, earning \u201cBest Metal Album of the Year\u201d at iTunes (USA\/UK), plus a nomination for a Swedish Grammy (\u201cGrammis\u201d) in the category \u201cBest Hard Rock \/ Metal Album. It also received the National Swedish Radio \u201cP3 Guld\u201d award and the Swedish independent music award \u201cManifest.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band entered the studio to begin recording an album in November 2017, titled\u00a0\u201cTo Drink from the Night Itself,\u201d which was released through Century Media Records in May 2018. At the Gates released their seventh studio album,\u00a0\u201cThe Nightmare of Being,\u201d in July 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018The Nightmare of Being\u2019 was recorded during the pandemic,\u201d said Larsson. \u201cWe recorded the drums in November 2021 in a studio in Stockholm and then did the guitars at King Diamond\u2019s studio. The vocals were done in Gothenburg. Then, we did strings and other overdubs in a studio in the middle of Sweden.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Nightmare Of Being\u201d was released last summer worldwide via Century Media Records. It scored impressive chart entries worldwide upon initial release in July such as: Germany: #8, Austria: #18, Switzerland: #12, Sweden: #20, Sweden (Physical): #1, Sweden (Vinyl): #1, Sweden (Hardrock\/Metal): #2, The Netherlands: #77, Belgium: #84, Finland: #21, Finland (Physical): #5, UK (Rock): #3, USA (Current Hard Music Albums): #1, USA (Current Rock Albums): #4, USA (Current Album Sales): #14. USA (Album Sales): #28.<\/p>\n

American audiences will get to hear some of that album played live for the first time on this tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re playing \u2018Slaughter of the Soul\u2019 in its entirety,\u201d said Larsson. \u201cWe\u2019ll also play some older songs and some newer ones at the start. Then, we\u2019ll walk off and come back a few minutes later to play \u2018Slaughter of the Soul\u2019 from start to finish in the order of the album.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for At The Gates — https:\/\/youtu.be\/oNKxMkHavAw<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on August 28 at Union Transfer, which has Municipal Waste and Enforced as opening acts, will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $35.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Union Transfer are Peter Hook & The Light on August 26, Los Campesinos on August 26, Boris & Nothing on September 1, and Movements on September 7.<\/p>\n

When folk-pop singer\/songwriter Lauren Balthrop headlines a show at Zoetropolis (112 North Water Street, Lancaster, www.zoetropolis.com<\/a>) on August 30, it will be a significant event.<\/p>\n

Balthrop, who has been performing and recording for more than 20 years \u2013 solo, as part on the Bandana Splits, under the pseudonym Dear Georgiana and as part of the band Balthrop, Alabama \u2013has never played a show in Philly or southeastern Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

Now, she is visiting the area on a support tour for her new album, \u201cThings Will Be Different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new album came out on August 12,\u201d said Balthrop, during a phone interview Monday en route from Nashville to a tour stop in Boston.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was recorded during the pandemic. We did the tracking in October 2020 and then did more tracking last year. And we actually did it in person.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe formed a COVID pod. We stayed masked indoors and nobody got COVID. We were all vaxxed for the second session. At the time of the first session, there was no vaccination. We recorded it at Chicken Shack \u2013 a studio in a big open-air barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThings Will Be Different\u201d is a dynamic folk-pop collection of 11 songs that examines nostalgia in all its brutal and benignly beautiful forms. The album came out two weeks ago via Nashville\u2019s newly minted Olivia Records.<\/p>\n

The album was produced by Nick Kinsey (Waxahatchee, Kevin Morby) and features musicians Ellen Kempner (Palehound), David Lizmi, James Paul Mitchell, Matt Combs, Jared Samuel (Invisible Familiars), Matthew Douglas (Mountain Goats), Kevin Copeland, Steven Bernstein and Maya DeVitry.<\/p>\n

\u201cNick Kinsey is a pretty well-known drummer,\u201d said Balthrop, who now lives in Nashville. \u201cWe travelled around together in 2019. We also lived in the same part of Brooklyn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wrote some of the songs prior to the pandemic. Th others were written from March 2020 to October 2020. There definitely was some influence by COVID on the songs on an interpersonal level.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was definitely an element of reflecting on the past \u2013 nostalgia for past memories and hope for the future. Things will get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

A career as a singer\/songwriter was not something Balthrop initially envisioned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up doing theater,\u201d said Balthrop. \u201cI also took music lessons and watched my brother play with his band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Born and raised in the south, Balthrop has lived in Mobile (AL), Brooklyn and Nashville, developing a distinctive, folk-infused style that blends a mellow, downtown lucidity with pangs of Southern charm. She began playing music at an early age, drawn to the gypsy swing style popularized by Django Reinhardt and St\u00e9phane Grappelli, who inspired her to take up violin.<\/p>\n

She later gravitated toward artists like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, who influenced her narrative songwriting style and penchant for open guitar tuning. She took voice and piano lessons, sang in the church choir, taught herself to play guitar, and actively participated in musical theater.<\/p>\n

\u201cI studied theater at Florida State University and then moved to New York,\u201d said Balthrop. \u201cWhen I got to New York, I lost interest in theater. Instead, I was in my brother Pascal\u2019s band \u2013 Balthrop, Alabama.<\/p>\n

Prior to moving to Nashville, Balthrop lived in Brooklyn for more than a decade and was a member of numerous bands (Balthrop, Alabama \/ The Bandana Splits \/ Elizabeth & the Catapult \/ and Dear Georgiana). She sang on records by Bob Weir, Kevin Morby, Benjamin Booker, and Elizabeth and the Catapult. In recent years, she has toured and performed with Kevin Morby, Lucius, Sara Bareilles, Bob Weir, Benjamin Booker and Michaela Anne over the last few years.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn this tour, it\u2019s just me and a guitarist \u2013 James Mitchell from Nashville,\u201d said Balthorp. \u201cWe\u2019re touring on a co-bill with Violet Bell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Lauren Balthrop — https:\/\/youtu.be\/s8WbpmbGYB8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Zoetropolis on August 30 will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15.<\/p>\n

Opera Philadelphia (www.operaphila.org<\/a>) is getting ready to embark on its 2022-2023 season. In addition to live performances, the season will include a multi-day film festival devoted to opera.<\/p>\n

When Opera Philadelphia\u2019s renowned\u00a0Festival O\u00a0returns this September for the first time since 2019, it will spawn a new film festival within the opera festival, composed of some 30 cinematic operas over 12 screenings at the Philadelphia Film Center.<\/p>\n

Patrons can get their first look at the new season with a special concert on August 25 at Dilworth Park\u2019s Greenfield Lawn (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia).<\/p>\n

Opera Philadelphia and\u00a0East Passyunk Opera Project (ePOP)\u00a0will present a concert starring soprano\u00a0Ashley Marie Robillard\u00a0(Musetta in 2019’s\u00a0La\u00a0boh\u00e8me), tenor\u00a0Aaron Crouch\u00a0(Gondolier in September\u2019s production of Rossini’s\u00a0Otello), and baritone\u00a0Benjamin Dickerson, accompanied by pianist\u00a0Aurelien Eulert.<\/p>\n

The performance, which is free and open to the public, will start at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n

Attendees can also stop by the Air Grille for a bite to eat or a cold beverage, including this year’s opera-themed beer,\u00a0Hopera Philadelphia, a hazy IPA from Conshohocken Brewing Company.
\nOpera on Film, presented from Tuesday, Sept. 27 through Sunday, Oct. 2, is a big-screen binge of the operatic art form\u2019s cinematic possibilities, gathering both feature-length and short-form films featuring an array of artists crossing time and genres: artist and director\u00a0William Kentridge; opera singers\u00a0Patricia\u00a0Racette,\u00a0Karen\u00a0Slack,\u00a0Zachary\u00a0James,\u00a0Lester\u00a0Lynch, and NBC\u2019s The Voice finalist\u00a0John\u00a0Holiday; film directors\u00a0James Darrah,\u00a0Pedro Almod\u00f3var,\u00a0Joseph\u00a0Losey,\u00a0Mary\u00a0Birnbaum, and\u00a0E. Elias Merhige; composers\u00a0Tyshawn\u00a0Sorey,\u00a0Rene\u00a0Orth,\u00a0Missy\u00a0Mazzoli,\u00a0Terence\u00a0Blanchard,\u00a0Paola Prestini, and\u00a0Amanda\u00a0Feery; drag superstar\u00a0Sasha\u00a0Velour; actress\u00a0Tilda\u00a0Swinton; and pop superstar\u00a0Beyonc\u00e9.<\/p>\n

According to David B. Devan, General Director & President of Opera Philadelphia. \u201cAs we return to Festival O, we\u2019ve created a series to celebrate this unprecedented period of artistic achievement by performers, directors, and opera producers across the globe, screened alongside classic opera films and films inspired by opera. Whether you\u2019re an opera buff or a film buff, \u201cOpera on Film\u201d is six days of binge-worthy art that we can experience together on two screens at the Philadelphia Film Center, the city\u2019s premiere hub for film.\u201d<\/p>\n

The company received more than 800 submissions to Opera on Film via FilmFreeway. Opera Philadelphia chose 20 official selections to screen alongside special presentations and films.<\/p>\n

Audiences can enjoy the entire series for just $25 with an\u00a0Opera on Film badge. Festival packages, film badges, and performance tickets are now on sale at\u00a0operaphila.org<\/a>, or by calling 215.732.8400 (Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Tickets for individual film screenings will go on sale through the\u00a0Philadelphia Film Center\u00a0box office in September.<\/p>\n

Some of the featured films are \u201cSoldier Songs,\u201d \u201cThe Human Voice,\u201d \u201cRumspringawakening,\u201d \u201cDon Giovanni,\u201d \u201cTakTakShoo,\u201d \u201cThe Copper Queen,\u201d \u201cPolia & Blastema,\u201d \u201cCarmen: A Hip Hopera,\u201d \u201cLa voix humaine,\u201d and \u201cObscura Nox.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Opera Philadelphia — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ttPH-2Tnj-s?list=PLpbhbGwbWvNKh_AzHTw-Mnvz7cPhwHE24<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There are two good productions of Broadway shows in the area that are well worth seeing \u2013 but remember\u2026\u201dif you snooze, you lose.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is the final weekend for both shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Evan Hansen,\u201d which is billed as a \u201cdeeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it,\u201d is making its Philadelphia premiere\u00a0at the\u00a0Forrest\u00a0Theatre (1114 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, www.kimmelculturalcampus.org<\/a>) now through August 28.<\/p>\n

This touring production is being presented by the Shubert Organization in partnership with the Kimmel Cultural Campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Evan Hansen\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0musical\u00a0with music and lyrics by\u00a0Benj Pasek\u00a0and\u00a0Justin Paul, and a\u00a0book\u00a0by\u00a0Steven Levenson. The musical follows Evan Hansen, a high school senior with\u00a0social anxiety \u201cwho invents an important role for himself in a tragedy that he did not earn.\u201d<\/p>\n

The musical opened on\u00a0Broadway\u00a0at the\u00a0Music Box Theatre\u00a0in December 2016 and received critical acclaim. At the\u00a071st Tony Awards, it was nominated for nine awards, winning six, including\u00a0Best Musical,\u00a0Best Book,\u00a0Best Score,\u00a0Best Actor\u00a0for\u00a0Ben Platt, and\u00a0Best Featured Actress\u00a0for\u00a0Rachel Bay Jones.<\/p>\n

The Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway Cast Recording of \u201cDear Evan Hansen\u201d was released in February 2017 and made an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200 — entering the chart at #8, the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961. A remixed cover of \u201cWaving Through a Window\u201d can also claim a rare first for a Broadway show \u2013 as a number one hit on Billboard\u2019s Dance Club chart.<\/p>\n

Basically, Hansen is a geeky high school student who spends much of his time in front of a computer screen \u2013 cut off from the world. His mother is on his case all the time \u2013 exhorting him to interact with his peers.<\/p>\n

In the summer prior to his senior year, Hansen broke his arm and had to start the school year wearing a cast. His mom suggests that he gets people to sign the cast.<\/p>\n

At the same time, Hansen is assigned by his therapist Dr. Sherman to write letters to himself detailing what will be good about each day. His overworked mother Heidi suggests that he ask people to sign the cast on his arm to make friends. Meanwhile, Cynthia and Larry Murphy struggle to connect with their son Connor, a sullen drug user.<\/p>\n

The only one to sign the cast was the school bully Connor Murphy \u2013 mockingly in big letters that leave hardly any room for other signatures.<\/p>\n

Hansen wrote a letter that expresses his loneliness.\u00a0He printed the letter out in school but Murphy grabbed it from the printer tray and refused to give it back.<\/p>\n

Days later, Hansen is called to the principal\u2019s office, where Murphy\u2019s parents tell him that their son had died by suicide. They found Hansen\u2019s letter in their son\u2019s pocket, and mistakenly believe it was written by their kid — indicating a close friendship between them. Murphy\u2019s signature on his cast strengthens that belief despite Hansen\u2019s fumbling attempts to explain.<\/p>\n

The Murphys invite Hansen to their house for dinner, where he is awkward and uncomfortable, so he tells them what he thinks they want to hear, pretending that he and their son had secretly been best friends.<\/p>\n

The plot then deals with how the lie continued to grow.<\/p>\n

Hansen spends an increasing amount of time with Murphy\u2019s family — fabricating details about his \u201cfriendship\u201d with Murphy. The Connor Project is launched, along with a fundraiser to create a memorial space in an orchard.<\/p>\n

The National Tour cast features Anthony Norman as Evan Hansen, Alaina Anderson as Zoe Murphy (Connor\u2019s sister and Evan\u2019s crush), Colleen Sexton as Heidi Hansen (Evan\u2019s sister) and Lili Thomas as Cynthia Murphy.<\/p>\n

In a recent interview, Thomas said, \u201cAudiences really relate to this show. There is a character in this show for everybody to relate to. The message of this show is mainly about connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cDear Evan Hansen\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/6GzU40h_kO8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show will run now through August 28 at the\u00a0Forrest\u00a0Theatre. Tickets prices range from $59-$177.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Candlelight\u00a0Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) is presenting an all-time classic musical as its fourth production run of 2022. The lively comedy \u201cSweet Charity\u201d is running now through August 28.<\/p>\n

\u201cSweet Charity\u201d\u00a0is a musical with music by\u00a0Cy Coleman, lyrics by\u00a0Dorothy Fields\u00a0and book by\u00a0Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by\u00a0Bob Fosse\u00a0starring his wife and muse\u00a0Gwen Verdon\u00a0alongside\u00a0John McMartin.<\/p>\n

It is based on the screenplay for Federico Fellini\u2019s 1957 Italian film, \u201cNights of Cabiria.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides the obvious major change of resetting the story from Rome to New York, the biggest change is Cabiria\/Charity\u2019s occupation. Cabiria is a \u201chooker with a heart of gold.\u201d This had to be softened for American musical audiences in 1966, so Charity works instead as a taxi dancer at the Fandango Ballroom.<\/p>\n

In the early 20th century, men could go to dance halls and pay to dance with the woman of their choice, usually for 10 cents a song (thus the famous Rodgers & Hart song \u201cTen Cents a Dance.\u201d) However, by the1960s, taxi dance halls were not nearly as common. It\u2019s suggested, at least in \u201cSweet Charity,\u201d that most of the women who were still taxi dancers were willing to do more than just dance, if the price is right.<\/p>\n

The musical premiered on\u00a0Broadway\u00a0in 1966, where it was nominated for nine\u00a0Tony Awards, winning the\u00a0Tony Award for Best Choreography. The production also ran in London\u2019s West End\u00a0as well as having revivals and international productions.<\/p>\n

The musical was adapted for the screen in 1969 with\u00a0Shirley MacLaine\u00a0as Charity and\u00a0John McMartin\u00a0recreating his Broadway role as Oscar Lindquist. For Bob Fosse, who directed and choreographed, the\u00a0film\u00a0was his feature-film directorial debut.<\/p>\n

The production at the Candlelight features stellar performances by Phoebe Gavula on the title role of Charity Hope Valentine. The other main character — Oscar Lindquist \u2013 is performed admirably by Jared Calhoun.<\/p>\n

Other key performers are Gabrielle Impriano as Helene, Beth Dugan as Nickie, Tess Sinatra as Carmen, JJ Vavrik as Herman, Joe Falcone as Vittorio Vidal, and Rebecca Schall as Ursula March.<\/p>\n

The production at the Candlelight Dinner Theatre is directed by Jessica Bostock with choreography by Jody Anderson and musical direction by Christopher Tolomeo.<\/p>\n

\u201cSweet Charity\u201d is running now through August 28.<\/p>\n

Tickets, which include dinner, non-alcoholic beverages and free parking, are $65.50 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is presenting The Real Diamond on August 27 and Jazz Jam on August 28.<\/p>\n

Concerts Under the Stars (Upper Merion Township Building Park, King of Prussia, concertsunderthestarskop.com<\/a>) will present Devon Gilfillian on August 25, Brett Dennen on September 14, David Bromberg on September 23, and The Wailers on September 30.<\/p>\n

Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts (9 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr,<\/a> brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com<\/a>) will present The Dirty Grass Players on August 28.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0 It\u2019s been almost a year to the day since Linda Gail Lewis had a show scheduled show in the area. On August 22, 2021, Lewis was slated to perform in Kennett Square at Kennett Flash\u2019s Rooftop Series. The shows in that series were staged on a rooftop of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":50951,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[14697,14695,14696,7426,13998],"class_list":["post-50955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-best-friends-girl","tag-deni-bonet","tag-drivetime","tag-featured","tag-linda-gail-lewis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50955","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=50955"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50956,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50955\/revisions\/50956"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/50951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=50955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=50955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=50955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}