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June 23, 2021

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

Arts Arts Notes

Avalon Theatre Adds New Jazz Wing to Repertoire

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The Avalon Foundation expanded its reach a little further this past weekend with a jazz concert to thank members and founders of the newly formed Avalon Jazz Club.  The Avalon Jazz Club will focus its efforts year round on giving jazz music fans, jazz players and local students the opportunity to experience all that jazz music has to offer in Talbot County and on Delmarva into the future.

Al Bond, CEO of The Avalon Foundation thanked committee members Joe Fischer, Al Sikes, John Malin and Marty Sikes for planning the evening and thanked the Jazz Founders Club for their support.  “I want to thank the Avalon Jazz Foundersfor supporting Jazz in our community. Every single one of you. This event is what is going to propel our effort forward so I hope you all feel a real sense of ownership in what is going to unfold not just over the next several months but in the years to come. You are at the beginning of this so thank you.”

Joe Fischer then introduced a video from Monty Alexander announcing the line-up for none other than the Monty Alexander Jazz Festival and then the night got intop full swing with a jaw-dropping duet on trumpet and piano from jazz stars Dominick Farinacci and Aaron Diehl.  Other numbers included music form The Gypsy Kings, Cole Porter and a screaming rendition of “Screamin Jay” Hawkins “I Put A Spell On You” featuring vocalist, Shenel Johns.

By supporting the May 15 fundraiser, attendees will have the first access to tickets to the Monty Alexander Jazz Festival in September and other upcoming shows, ensuring great seats and they become members of the Avalon Jazz Founders Club. The Monty Alexander Jazz Festival, one of the most distinctive small town jazz festivals in the nation, has been enhanced by its active collaboration with the Avalon Theatre since its inception.

For more information on The Avalon Jazz Club or for upcoming jazz shows from the Avalon please email Kimberly Stevens at Kimberly@avalonfoundation.org or visit The Avalon online at avalonfoundation.org.

The Avalon Presents Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred)

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 Commissioned by the Kennedy Center, composer Zina Goldrich and book writer/lyricist Marcy Heisler have dreamed up a story that’s part “High School Musical,” part “Glee” and part sheer arts-geek wish fulfillment.  The Avalon Foundation acting wing, featuring local high school age actors will put up the witty and zippily executed “Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred) on April 29 and April 30th at 8pm and May 2nd at 3pm at the new outdoor space, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion.  Tickets will be available online at avalonfoundaiton.org or at the door on performance days. 

When an Easton drama club adapts the fairy tale “Snow White, Rose Red” for a regional theater championship – a contest zealously covered by local radio, the teens must cope with a last-minute crisis: An actor sent to spy on a rival Eastern Shore team’s “Hansel and Gretel” has fallen ill.

So a gorgeous prep-school student named Fred steps into the Easton team’s vacant role – with near-catastrophic results. This family-friendly musical comedy re-imagines the Brothers’ Grimm tale about what happens when a high-school drama team desperately tries to win the local thespian competition. Kimberly Stevens, director of the play had this to say about the production, “I had the opportunity to work with the writers a few years ago and promised myself I would put on this show with high school age students when I had the right opportunity.” 

Stevens has previously directed two middle school age productions by the writing team, “Junie B. Jones” and “Dear Edwina”.  “With the shutdown in 2020, I knew it would take some time to get back to the level of children’s theatre productions that we were known for at the Avalon Theatre and I knew we had to start slow…and start small.  Originally written for 5 actors (we have 7 actors in our production), I thought this was a perfect opportunity to put on this fun, musical comedy.  The writers really have a perfect recipe for fun, heart-warming theatre productions.  It’s fast paced, it’s light-hearted and it will give you a ton of good laughs.  A perfect cure for the post pandemic hangover,” said Stevens. The production stars local high schoolers – Luke Adelman, Sara Anthony, Lilly Cook, Ethan Mobarek, Haley Nestel, Emily Royer, and Becca Smith. The show represents a culmination point for a few of the performers in the production. 

“For some of the cast, this is their last local production before heading off to college,” said Tim Weigand who worked as acting coach on the production.  “They have been involved in theatre since they were children whether they were working with Kimberly at Chesapeake Children’s Theatre, Ricky Vitanovic at the elementary or high school level or here at the Avalon in one of the holiday shows.  Good theatre often involves good timing and as a result of the many opportunities they have had over the years, these kids hit it out of the park in this production.  We are happy they were able to pull it off safely during the pandemic.” 

All seating in the pavilion is safe and socially distanced and Covid safety protocols are in place for all Avalon shows.  For more information and or tickets visit The Avalon online at avalonfoundation.org or email tim@avalontheatre.com.       

The Multi-Cultural Vaccination and Wellness Day

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For over 20 years, friends & neighbors have gathered at Idlewild Park in Easton, MD to celebrate the cultural diversity of our community through music, dance, art, crafts, games, food and more.  The Festival celebrates cultural diversity by providing programming that positively showcases cultural differences and encourages people to share and celebrate in unity.  “Planning events during a pandemic presents significant challenges,” states Suzy Moore, the Artistic Director for the Avalon Foundation.  “Historically, international food has been a focus of the annual event, but for many reasons, that is just not feasible this year.”

Through its prior work operating the COVID vaccine call center for the Talbot County Health Department, the Avalon Foundation staff became keenly aware that vaccine distribution was not a one size fits all proposition in Talbot County and that Choptank Community Health was providing much needed options.  “We know that the pandemic has disproportionally affected our communities of color, pivoting the focus of the Festival to concentrate on health and wellness seemed like a logical move and our dream became to use the Multicultural Festival as an opportunity to bring access to vaccines. When it was announced that Choptank Community Health was chosen for the program that provides for federally directed distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, it felt like it could be a perfect match” explains Jessica Bellis, Avalon Foundation Chief Operating Officer.

While planning for the Festival is still in development, through this newly formed partnership those attending the Festival on May 1, 2021 in Idlewild Park in Easton, MD will enjoy live music from local and regional groups, learn from exhibitors about health related services available to them in the County, have their blood pressure checked and register for school based medical care for their children.  The Avalon promises crafts and socially distanced activities to occupy children while their parents get vaccinated with the one dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine (available to anyone over the age of 18+) through Choptank Community Health.  Masks will be a requirement to participate in the festival and all best safety practices will be observed.

“We are excited to present this outdoor vaccination opportunity.  What a great way to get vaccinated – being entertained with live music while you wait, activities to occupy your kids and a feel good celebration of PEACE?  We are hoping many of our friends and neighbours use this as a chance to get vaccinated and we are so grateful to Choptank Community Health for making this a possibility” stated Moore.

If you are interested in sponsoring this event, acting as a health/wellness exhibitor or if you are with a group that would like to utilize this event to vaccinate your members contact Suzy Moore at suzy@avalonfoundation.org.  For more information about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the vaccination process contact Lucie Hughes at Choptank Community Health at lhughes@choptankhealth.org. More information will be coming soon at avalonfoundation.org

The Festival is organized by a committee of people representing a diverse array of community groups and faith based organizations.  It features curated live entertainment provided by community groups and regional acts.  Historically more than 40 vendors such as Healthy Talbot, ChesMRC, the Talbot County Free Library, the Department of Social Services, Adkins Arboretum and more have used this event to engage and educate people across the community. For More Information Contact Artistic Director, Suzy Moore, suzy@avalonfoundation.org or 410-200-8660

Avalon Live Concerts are Back Safely on the Shore

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The Avalon Foundation announces the 2021 official opening of its brand new outdoor music venue, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion. Conceived and constructed in 2020 as a means to keep music going amidst pandemic restrictions, the organization is very excited to program the space over the course of an entire spring, summer and fall. “We are going to program predominantly for the outdoors until the world gets back closer to normal,” said Suzy Moore, Artistic Director at The Avalon.

On March 25th, the Stoltz Pavilion had a soft opening with a couple of concerts for staffers to reacquaint themselves with a space where they have spent very little time up to this point. From getting patrons seated, to focusing lights, to sending out a professional video stream, all hands were back on deck to remount last year’s initiative. “From October to December last year, we were working in temperatures averaging 37 degrees,” said Scott Milligan who directs the technical aspects over all of the Avalon venues, “temperatures are going to be great this spring.” A substantial outdoor landscaping plan is on tap for the Pavilion and will take place over the next couple of weeks. “We wanted to make it prettier and more appealing. It’s great to be one of the first venues in the country to say that concerts are back safely, but it feels even more hopeful to say we are brightening the corners at the Pavilion in 2021,” said Moore.

The Stoltz Pavilion was built from the ground up to ensure that audiences, staff, volunteers, and performers can enjoy live music, while substantially mitigating health risks. But it was also a way to offer musicians a chance to play and make a living again. Putting the hard-hit professional musicians back to work gives audiences a reminder that normal life is on the horizon. While Covid safety measures will stay in place in the immediate future, the Avalon will roll with the changes as the situation continues to evolve. “Yes we must still be safe. And we will abide by that rule first,” said Jess Bellis CFO and COO at The Avalon. “Safety has been at the forefront of our minds ever since our industry vanished into thin air and we were left to reinvent ourselves in 2020. Safety was the reason we came up with putting up an outdoor venue when everything else was shutting down. Keith Stoltz and The Stoltz family made it happen.”

So the plan is to use the outdoor pavilion safely, and to the max this year. “We encourage those groups that think that they may want to use the space, to contact us at the theatre and we will go over with them what is possible outside at the pavilion,” said Bellis. In the meantime, Moore has booked a lineup of stellar bands from across the spectrum to satisfy those who want to hear live music again. The schedule will continue to grow as long as there are no Covid setbacks to slow the process down.

“We are starting with an entirely clean slate and that is exciting to me,” said Tim Weigand, Marketing Director at The Avalon. “It’s the perfect time to get in on the ground floor with what the Avalon is doing in our community and listen to what superb musical acts and players come through our backyard. Our track record has proven it. I don’t care what music you gravitate towards, if you are a music fan, sign up for our email list, or use social media for some good and follow us there to stay in touch with what we are doing. We are one of the first spaces hosting a full calendar in the USA. Because of the vision of Avalon management and Keith Stoltz, we are back safely much earlier than other venues across the nation.”

Statistics show that more people are going to head out to a concert this year than ever before. Gene Simmons of KISS offers this advice when doing so. “Rock is dead. Not because the talent isn’t there, but because the business model just doesn’t work. And so that leaves live performances. And I really hope once this vaccine takes hold that people go out to the local clubs and see all the new bands and support new bands. Like a baby that’s on the floor, go up there, pick that baby up and coddle it, give it love, because those new bands need your love. It’s not going to affect me. I make a living, but the new bands need the love and attention. Don’t just go see Metallica and Taylor Swift or KISS. On the weekends, go to a place that’s got live music. You need to support the new generation of talented people who are musicians and writers and so on. Don’t let the robots take away everything.’”

If you do The Avalon promises to provide the exact same excellent customer service, positive vibes and a fantastic list of new music that thousands have come to know, depend on and love as patrons of the Avalon.

For those who are more comfortable listening and enjoying music at home, all of the Avalon concerts are streamed in High Def and Hi Fidelity on You Tube and facebook on The Avalon Theatre pages. Showtimes are 8pm.

For more information and/or tickets to Avalon shows please visit the organization online at avalonfoundation.org or call Tim Weigand at 410-253-9629.

Concert Line Up

Seamus Kennedy, Friday, March 26 at 8 pm The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion, 8pm $25
Wylder Saturday, March 27, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Pressing Strings , Friday, April 2, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Dead Letter Office, Saturday April 3, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Cris Jacobs Friday, April 9, The Avalon Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $30
The 19th Street Band Saturday, April 10, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Jack West Friday, April 16 The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
The High and Wides Friday, April 23, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Deanna Bogart Saturday, April 24, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $30
Los Day Trippers Friday, May 7, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Tom Rush Two Shows! Saturday, May 8, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion X p.m. and X p.m., $XX
Phillip Dutton and the Alligators Friday, May 14, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8 pm $25
Kentavius Jones Friday, May 21, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8 pm $25
Dan Navarro Saturday, May 22, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $30
Kat Parsons Friday, May 28, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8 pm $25
Anthony Turk Cannon Jazz Saxophonist Saturday, May 29 The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Ryan Martin Friday, June 4, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Vance Gilbert, Saturday, June 5 The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Martin Sexton, Friday, June 18, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $55
Jamie McLean, Saturday, June 19, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Peter Bradley, Sunday, June 20, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25
Dirty Cello, Friday, June 25, The Avalon’s Stoltz Pavilion 8pm $25

The Avalon Answers the Call for Getting Community Vaccinated by Tim Weigand

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It was just after Christmas, the Avalon Holiday play had just been completed and the bleakness of winter was setting in and magnified by the bleakness of the pandemic and rising case and death rates here in Talbot County.  There was an inkling of hope however.  The country had been promised a vaccine but delivery and scheduling of appointments created issues only seen during war time efforts.  Jessica Bellis CFO and COO at The Avalon Foundation knew Easton would be no different than the rest of the country in terms of managing vaccine rollout and immunizations. 

She also knew she had a staff that wanted to get back to work as soon as possible and not only that, they were perfectly suited to help take reservations over the phone.  “I think a lot of people have seen memes across the web touting how the concert industry was a perfect occupation for getting things managed and done in a pandemic.  Nothing about our business is cookie cutter in design.  Each individual event we do is a personal experience for us and the patron, each one takes months to occur and involve hundreds of people each time,” said Bellis. 

So in early January, Bellis reached out to The Talbot County Health Department and offered her staffs services.  On January 22nd  the Avalon was officially running and staffing the newly implemented Vaccine Call Center.  The Center was housed in The Avalon Theatre itself where there was ample room to cover safety protocols.  A full two months and some 5000 calls later the Health Department is ready again to take over the center as vaccination rates have gone up and calls for appointments have ebbed.  “I don’t know why the calls have slowed so much in the last few weeks,” said Suzy Moore who worked with Easton Utilities to set up phone lines and assisted Bellis from the start, ”maybe we registered everybody.” 

The early days of the Vaccine roll out were an entirely different story with phones ringing non- stop.  In a letter informing the staff, Avalon Board Members, and volunteers who worked the phone lines Bellis wrote, “Thank you, first, for answering the call to serve.  More importantly, I want to thank you for the way that you answered the calls.  You were met with a lot of fear, loneliness, some anger and every day, you listened.  Each of you took the time to empathize, support, commiserate and share.  You took the time to help and counsel.  Residents hung up their phones feeling heard and cared for.  I know that this work was important, especially during the transition timeframe for which it occurred.  I heard firsthand the relief in caller’s voices.  Thank you for the way you made our community feel in this time.”

A Talbot County resident since last October Carolyn Yanavich had this to say about her volunteer experience at The Avalon.  “I was truly impressed with the compassion and dedication of the Avalon team in supporting our community during these challenging times. My shifts as a Call Center volunteer have been rewarding ones. As a relatively new resident of the county, it was wonderful to not only engage with my new community members, but also help them with pre-registering or scheduling them for a vaccination appointment.  Hearing the excitement and relief in their voices when I said ‘Yes, there is an appointment available for you!’ is an experience that I will not soon forget.” 

Officially on  Monday, March 29th the Vaccine Call Center will be in the hands of The Talbot County Health Department and The Avalon Foundation will get ready to do what is does best, hosting and bringing to town some of the best new music from across the country.  “In our industry we have to be ready to react immediately.  You try to plan for everything so when something happens out of the ordinary, you are ready to handle it and keep things running smoothly” said Bellis.  “The phone calls we received were individually significant and we answered them with the grace and uniqueness that they deserved.”

Doctor Maria Maguire, Chief Health Officer at The Health Department agreed.  “The Talbot County Health Department is incredibly grateful to the Avalon hosting and staffing the health department’s vaccine call center since its beginnings this past January. The information and reassurance provided by call center workers alleviated a lot of the anxiety and confusion felt by many Talbot residents as they tried to navigate the vaccination process, especially early in the process when call volumes were high. It was truly an example of this community’s ability to come together to help each other in tough times.” The American poet, Maya Angelou wrote “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

The Avalon wishes to extend the following thanks.  Thank you, Talbot County Health Department for this opportunity to help.  Thanks especially to Carrie & Kate for their training and ongoing guidance and to Lisa for helping to coordinate so many great new volunteers.  Thank you Tracey for leading the charge in improving community vaccine communications. 

Thank you to Easton Utilities, especially Fred Christie & Hugh Grunden for making all of our technology challenges disappear!  Finally, thank you to Dr. Maguire for your tireless work on behalf of the health of our community.   

 

 

The Avalon to Present The Monty Alexander Jazz Festival

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The Avalon Foundation is proud to announce that in 2021 the Monty Alexander Jazz Festival (MAJF) will once again be performed over the Labor Day Weekend.

A special kick-off event headlined by Dominick Farinacci and Aaron Diehl to celebrate the collaboration with Monty Alexander will be held in the new Avalon Stoltz Pavilion on May 15. The celebration, a fundraiser, will feature world-class jazz trumpeter Dominick Farinacci in rhythmic and soulful collaborations with pianist Aaron Diehl.

The Monty Alexander Jazz Festival, one of the most distinctive small town jazz festivals in the nation, has been enhanced by its active collaboration with the Avalon Theatre since its inception.

Al Bond, CEO of the Avalon Foundation said, “We are certainly looking forward to working actively with those who have been instrumental in producing the Festival since its beginning eleven years ago.

The group of jazz enthusiasts led by Joe Fischer, Al Sikes, John Malin and Marty Sikes will represent a steering committee within the Avalon Foundation and assist in producing the MAJF.

In addition, noteworthy jazz concerts will be presented throughout the year. “Ultimately, we want to continue hosting a festival and are delighted to partner with the Avalon Foundation because of their multiple venues and excellence as presenters of artistic events,” said Joe Fischer.

The steering committee has a wealth of experience in producing events in the jazz genre for Talbot County. “It was eleven years ago that I began working with the production talent of the Avalon Foundation. Together, with Chesapeake Music, we brought a signature Festival to Easton,” said Al Sikes, the founder of the MAJF.

The official kick-off for the group is a special donor event to establish the Festival’s own wing under the Avalon umbrella. Dominick Farinacci will headline the evening and plans are being made to include Covid-safe perks and other promotions. “We know from the size of the festival’s crowds that there are a lot of music fans who love jazz and everything about the festival and we want to continue to see it be a success,” said Jess Bellis, COO/CFO of the Avalon Foundation. “This is a great way to celebrate spring, great music and help insure the longevity of this great event in Easton.” By supporting the May 15 fundraiser, attendees will have the first access to tickets to the Festival in September ensuring great seats and will become members of the Avalon Jazz Founders Club.

Dominick Farinacci is a jazz trumpeter, composer, and in recent years, a producer. He along with Monty Alexander could be said to regard Easton as a musical second home. Dominick’s recent production, Modern Warrior Live, was premiered in the Avalon Theatre and several weeks later in New York City. It will soon be released as a film.

In 2010, Dominick Farinacci and Aaron Diehl opened the MAJF. Those in attendance were mesmerized by the duo’s soulful rendition of Willow Weep For Me. Aaron, like Dominick, is now at the pinnacle of 21st Century jazz expressions.

For more information about the benefit show, please visit The Avalon Foundation’s web page at avalonfoundation.org or email Kimberly Stevens at kimberly@avalonfoundation.org .

Two More Days for “Ho Ho Hope : A Covid Christmas Play”

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The Avalon Foundation will present the final two performances of their home grown and self-penned theatre production, “Ho Ho Hope : A Covid Christmas Play”, this Saturday and Monday nights at 7pm. There are tickets available for both shows. The show is sponsored by PNC Wealth Management. Back in August, the organization decided it would try and mount their annual holiday production amidst all of the regulations surround the Covid-19 Pandemic. At the start of rehearsals the show was seen as one that would be aired virtually online and run in front of limited audiences indoors.

Once the new Avalon’s Outdoor Stoltz Pavilion was built the show moved outside and currently has run for 6 performances. “Management thought about all of the safety measures that would need to be in place before we made the decision to go through with this,” said Director Tim Weigand. “We started rehearsals indoors from about 15 feet away from each other with masks on originally. Once we were able to rehearse outside at the new pavilion, that really changed everything for the cast. It was colder for sure, but we knew we could do a live show at that point and the show started to take some shape.” The outdoor pavilion built to seat almost 1000 people, in Covid times seats about 96 people. Seats are arranged in “pods” made up of 4 seat patio sets, 2 seat patio sets and 2 seat high back chairs. Only persons in your “covid bubble” are allowed to sit next to you and each pod set is at least 6 feet away from any other pod. “The show does take place outside so people are encouraged to dress warmly and bring blankets to keep warm. Anything you would wear to a Ravens or Redskins game should do the trick. The show was built to be about an hour long and currently runs about an hour and 5 minutes. But it packs a little bit of punch in that time frame. There is singing (most of it pre-recorded), dancing and drama in the show,” says Weigand.

Ho Ho Hope – A COVID Christmas takes place on the East Coast during the Pandemic of 2020. A mother and full-time arts administrator struggles with her colleague’s and organization’s decision to put on a holiday play during a Pandemic. Calling upon a cast of characters from classic holiday stories and the community at large (all while following CDC protocols), the story emphasizes the challenges we face as we work to adjust to our temporary new world. Watch along. Some jokes land, some don’t. The music is great. Hey… it’s a COVID Christmas. “Theatres and venues have been hurt terribly over the course of the 2020 and the start of 2021 is not looking any better. At The Avalon we have moved all of our operations outdoors and online to keep the business relevant, to present entertainment options to patrons and to offer a place to perform for artists. We hope you will come out to support the performers. The kids have been stripped of everything this year. We really wanted to get the play done so they could feel a little bit of normalcy this year. For about an hour during each performance, I think they feel that,” said Weigand.

Tickets for the show must be ordered online at avalonfoundation.org. For more information please email suzy@avalonfoundation.org.

Chesapeake Arts: Avalon Foundation Announces the Stoltz Pavilion

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Like every music venue across the world, the Avalon Foundation has struggled to find ways to present live music during the COVID pandemic.  Since news broke in March, the Avalon Foundation has been committed to the safety and well-being of the community that it serves.  Even today, when it could have audiences of up to 100 people indoors, so far, the Foundation has restricted indoor programming to audiences of no more than 20 or 5% of its normal capacity.  

Attached rendering by acclaimed Easton artist Stewart White

Studies show that there is a 20 fold relative risk increase of transmission between being indoors verses being outdoors, so developing a covered outdoor venue would be a real game changer both for the Avalon Foundation and the many other organizations whose programming used to occur in the Theatre. Today the Avalon Foundation announces a new, socially distanced venue that will help fill this vital social & economic need.

Named “The Avalon Foundation’s Stoltz Pavilion,” this state-of-the-art tent structure will safely bring the fun of a night out back to Easton while supporting the downtown area in these challenging times.

“By creating this space we are giving the public an entertainment option that is specifically designed to significantly reduce infection risk,” said Al Bond, President and CEO of the Avalon Foundation. “But it will also attract more customers to small businesses downtown, especially hard-hit restaurants, while offering non-profit organizations a safer place to hold community events.” 

To ensure safe social distancing, the Stoltz Pavilion will be arranged with 40 separate seating “pods” that will accommodate no more than four people each. According to Suzy Moore, the Avalon Foundation’s Artistic Director, observing healthy precautions in the venue will be a top priority.

“We will strictly adhere to all of the best practices and protocols in regards to COVID and will require that all patrons who choose to come, do the same,” said Moore. “In return, we are creating this very cool, very comfy, and quite cozy space for our guests with the same intimacy and attention to detail that the Avalon Theatre and Stoltz Listening Room are known for.” Each seating pod will contain either a table and stools or a comfortable love seat or love seat & chairs for parties of four. “And to top it off,” Moore added, “there will be table-top propane fire pits in most pods to keep the chill off on fall evenings.” 

Even as it is safer to gather outdoors, the Foundation acknowledges that high risk patrons still need to remain at home. Thus it is committed to continuing to serve everyone by live streaming performances from the Stoltz Pavilion on YouTube and Facebook, so patrons can enjoy Avalon programming from the comfort and safety of their homes.  

According to Bond, the Stoltz Pavilion, to be erected behind Talbot Town Center and NAPA Auto Parts in late October, will be much more than a simple tent edifice. The SaddleSpan S5000, designed by the Canadian-based Tentnology, is used for major festivals and cultural events around the world. The new Pavilion will span 60 x 111 feet. Its unique curved design, often compared to Australia’s iconic Sydney Opera House, uses no poles. The shape and space evenly distribute acoustics within the tent while muting sound outside. 

Moore, who is currently arranging shows for the venue, admits that it feels great to be connecting with musical artists and agents again.

“Although many national artists are opting to stay home, there are still artists performing at safe and socially distanced outdoor venues,” said Moore. “The Stoltz Pavilion will provide such a haven for these artists, plus it offers a great opportunity to showcase some of the amazing regional talent found right here in our community.”

The total cost for the Stoltz Pavilion—including the tent, furnishings, security, etc.—is $210,000.  The funding and development of the pavilion is a big move for the Avalon, ensuring sustainability through the pandemic and beyond.  The pandemic has decimated the music industry and closed venues across the world.  Opening a new venue at this time requires the support of people with real vision. Over many years the Stoltz family has been instrumental in helping the Avalon Foundation grow to be the largest arts organization on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Jack & Susan Stoltz both served on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees with transformational impact.   

Over a decade ago the Foundation collaborated with their son, Keith Stoltz, to create the Stoltz Listening Room, which has grown a reputation in the industry as one of the best small-capacity venues anywhere, and now again to create the Stoltz Pavilion.  As the owner of Electric Lady Studios (now celebrating its 50th year), Keith Stoltz is heavily involved in the music industry and understands how critical it is to develop ways to present live music safely.  

According to Stoltz, “For me the Stoltz Pavilion is a continuation of the long term commitment of the Stoltz family to the Avalon Foundation. Just as importantly it will provide a creative solution to the challenges caused by the pandemic and hopefully become a permanent addition to the community.  The whole industry depends on figuring this out.”  

While the Pavilion is intended to meet important community needs during the ongoing pandemic, Bond imagines it has the potential to grow into a more long-lasting fixture. 

“If everything goes well,” Bond said, “we are interested in pursuing a long-term use of the venue. If so, the exact seating capacity is yet to be determined, but it will certainly be a lot more than its current COVID capacity. In the meantime, the Stoltz Pavilion will provide a resource to the many organizations with whom the Avalon has been a long time partner; it will provide a meaningful boost to struggling businesses; it will put artists and support workers back on the job; it will bring the public a spark of much needed joy.”

For more information about the Stoltz Pavilion contact Al Bond at al@avalonfoundation.org.  For information about booking or community organization rental of the facility contact Suzy Moore at suzy@avalonfoundation.org.  For information about upcoming performances watch avalonfoundation.org or sign up for the Foundation’s weekly email.

 

 

 

 

SSPP Performing Arts Club Presents Macbeth at the Avalon February 21-23

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Macbeth by William Shakespeare, is a classic tragedy of ambition, greed, and equivocation. A brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives an equivocal prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia.

In keeping with SSPP High School Performing Arts Program’s commitment to giving students a broad, well rounded theatre experience over the course of four years, the emphasis of this year’s production will be the elements of a Shakespearean tragedy, gender roles, and character development. What makes a work a tragedy? Is Macbeth a tragic hero? How are gender roles depicted by Shakespeare? Are the witches to blame for the downfall of Macbeth? Is Lady Macbeth to blame? Is Macbeth to blame? All of these questions inform our performance and help guide students to think more critically and analytically about this great tragedy.

In contrast with last year’s Earnestly Earnestine, a contemporary play with two simple interior sets and no special effects or period costumes, this year’s production of Macbeth has three sets: two interior and one exterior. Our production also uses special effects (fog, lighting, sound effect), Victorian costumes, live student musicians, and an elaborate dance routine for the witches. It has a cast of twenty students. Plus, students are being set-creators, make-up artists, back-stage managers, and advertising artists (students created the artwork for our poster, our t-shirts, and our program). In short, this production is aimed to give students a full performing arts experience.

Mr. Mark Ripka, Latin teacher at SSPP, will be directing SSPP High School’s annual play. He is the faculty adviser for the Performing Arts Club, has worked with them for four years–as an actor, producer, and program creator. Ms. Elora Amtower, an English teacher at SSPP, will be the producer. Guest artist, Mrs. Kimberly Dyer, a former professional ballerina, will be choreographing the witches. Mrs. Kate Levey will mentor the production. She has worked in professional, community, and educational theatre settings for over 30 years and was

Program Administrator and Director for the Avalon Theatre’s summer performing arts camps.

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Livingston Taylor to Perform at The Avalon Theater December 27

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Livingston Taylor will perform at The Avalon Theater on Friday, December 27. Click for Info & Tickets.

Livingston Taylor

Livingston Taylor

Livingston Taylor picked up his first guitar at the age of 13, which began a 50-year career that has encompassed performance, songwriting, and teaching. Born in Boston and raised in North Carolina, Livingston is the fourth child in a very musical family that includes Alex, James, Kate, and Hugh. Livingston recorded his first record at the age of 18 and has continued to create well crafted, introspective, and original songs that have earned him listeners worldwide.

From top-40 hits “I Will Be in Love with You” and “I’ll Come Running,” to “I Can Dream of You” and “Boatman,” the last two recorded by his brother James, Livingston’s creative output has continued unabated. His musical knowledge has inspired a varied repertoire, and he is equally at home with a range of musical genres—folk, pop, gospel, jazz—and from upbeat storytelling and touching ballads to full orchestra performances.

Livingston has never stopped performing since those early coffeehouse days, shared the stage with major artists such as Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffett, and Jethro Tull, and he maintains a busy concert schedule, touring internationally. He is a natural performer, peppering his shows with personal stories, anecdotes and ineffable warmth that connect him to his fans. His relaxed on-stage presence belies the depth of his musical knowledge, and fans might just as often be treated to a classic Gershwin or something from the best of Broadway.

Livingston is a full professor at Berklee College of Music, where he has taught a Stage Performance course since 1989. He teaches young artists invaluable lessons learned over the course of an extensive career on the road; the course is consistently voted the most popular at the College. His book, Stage Performance, released in 2011 offers those lessons to anyone who is interested in elevating their presentation standards to professional standards.

Livingston’s 50th year of making music was celebrated by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, both declaring January 18, 2017 “Livingston Taylor Day”. A documentary film entitled “Livingston Taylor: Life is Good” was released in 2018 at national and international film festivals. It has garnered many awards, nominations, and accolades, including The Van Gogh Award for the Feature Documentary category at the Amsterdam International Film Festival. The film premiered to the public on Amazon in November, 2018.

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