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November 8, 2025

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6 Arts Notes

Upcoming Events at the Avalon Theatre

February 8, 2023 by Avalon Foundation

Ivy League of Comedy- Skirmishes of the Sexes. Friday, February 10, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Celebrate Valentine’s Day (or don’t!) with tales of love and not-love, bad dinners and good dates, broken cars and unbroken dreams…all served with a fresh comedic twist!

The Ivy League of Comedy is a premier group of stand-up comedians touring America, known for their elite brand of clever comedy. You’ve heard their brilliant comedic voices on late-night TV and Comedy Central. Now come see them live on the Avalon stage!

The Ivy League of Comedy offers audiences original, well-written comedy that doesn’t resort to playing on stereotypes or picking on the audience. They bring you stand-up comedy’s funniest and brightest.   https://www.ivystandup.com/

Across The Harbor. Saturday, February 11, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Baltimore is teeming with melodies and magic.

This ephemeral show celebrates both the jovial and the lamenting sounds found in the rowhouses, sidewalks corners, concert stages, and local sessions of Baltimore. Across The Harbor will transport you through time and space as the themes of “home” and “belonging” are explored.

You can expect to hear the songs of The Honey Dewdrops, Letitia VanSant, and Caleb Stine, each with a unique twist. The list of traditionally rooted instrumentalists is astonishing: David McKindley-Ward, Alex Lacquement, Patrick McAvinue, Laura Byrne, Brad Kolodner, Meghan Mette, Sam Guthridge, Jonathan Vocke, Matt Mulqueen, Sean McComiskey, and EJ Shaull-Thompson.

Never before have all of these artists performed together, traded tunes and re-imagined songs. Collaborating for Across The Harbor is the artists’ gratitude for the Baltimore music community, personified.   https://www.alexlacquement.com/across-the-harbor.html

Black Dog Alley. Friday, February 17, 2023. Doors: 7:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Easton-based Black Dog Alley is on a mission to move, groove, and rock your very soul! And with a track record of entertaining audiences across Delmarva and Pennsylvania with hundreds of live performances, they know just how to do it!

Their style draws from influences as varied as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, ZZ Top, and Sublime, so their eclectic set list ranges from classic jam rock and rhythm and blues, to funk and reggae-tinged grooves.

If you’re looking for a home-grown blend of classic and original material, Black Dog Alley will not disappoint!  https://www.blackdogalley.com/

High Noon: Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd & Southern Rock. February 24, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

HIGH NOON is the East Coast’s premier tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Southern Rock, performing the classic ‘70s hits of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, 38 Special, and The Marshall Tucker Band. With a deep dedication to the legacy of this timeless music, HIGH NOON brings an authenticity like no other.

Join them on a journey back to a golden age of live music, and experience once again the raw power of all of your favorite anthems from the founding fathers of Southern rock. https://www.highnoonrocks.com/

An Evening with Jorma Kaukonen. Saturday, February 25, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“A gifted writer, Kaukonen shares insight into a life well lived, with a certain amount of luck, a great deal of determination, and a towering love of music.” Relix.com

Jorma Kaukonen is a Grammy nominee, a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and a leading practitioner of fingerstyle guitar…and he also happens to be a founding member of two legendary rock bands: The Jefferson Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna.

In addition to his work with Hot Tuna, Jorma has recorded more than a dozen solo albums on major labels and on his own, beginning with 1974’s “Quah” and continuing with his recent acoustic releases on Red House Records—2007’s “Stars in My Crown” and his new CD “River of Time”, produced by Larry Campbell and featuring Levon Helm.

Join Jorma for this special evening of insightful life stories and great music in the Avalon! https://jormakaukonen.com/

Shane Guerrette. Friday, March 3, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

It’s the old way of doing things that inspires a new sound for this upstate NY-based artist. Drawing influence from classic soul and roots rock genres, Shane Guerrette has only just begun to craft his own retro-flavored sound.  With a recent self-released debut album called “Here’s Hoping”, you’ll want to keep an eye out for what’s to come from this rising star. https://www.shaneguerrette.com/

Karen Jonas. Friday, March 10, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“Hailing from Virginia, Karen Jonas has put herself on the alt-country music map thanks to her strong songwriting, sultry vocals, and compelling stage presence.” Fairfax County Times

Americana/Alt-Country songwriter Karen Jonas knows how to tell a story. She’s both “warmly nostalgic” (American Songwriter) and “insightful, tenacious, and vulnerable” (No Depression).

Be sure to check out why there’s so much buzz around this three-time Wammie Award winner for Best Americana Artist, Mid Atlantic Song Contest winner, Ameripolitan Award nominee, and official SXSW and UK Americanafest Showcasing Artist. https://karenjonasmusic.bandcamp.com/

An Evening with George Winston. Saturday, March 11, 2023. Door: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

George Winston is undeniably a household name.

He’s inspired fans and musicians alike with his singular solo acoustic piano songs for more than 40 years while selling 15 million albums. A tireless road warrior playing nearly 100 concerts annually, live performance for Winston is akin to breathing.

Join him in the Avalon for a special evening of evocative music from his latest release, “Night”—it’s a chance to take a step back from our perpetually busy lives to let our minds adventurously wander. https://www.georgewinston.com/

Guy Davis. Thursday, March 16, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“Truth be told, there just aren’t many who can deliver Americana in as interesting and entertaining a manner – or give acoustic traditional blues such a contemporary sound – as Davis…” The Blues PowR Blog

American roots artist Guy Davis once said, “I like antiques and old things, old places, that still have the dust of those who’ve gone before us lying upon them.”

Blowing just enough dust off roots music to see its beauty is something Guy has excelled at for over twenty years of songwriting and performing. His reverence for the music of the blues masters who’ve gone before him has been evident in every album he’s ever recorded or concert he’s given. Guy’s musical storytelling is influenced by artists like Blind Willie McTell and Big Bill Broonzy, and his musicality by artists as diverse as Lightnin’ Hopkins and Babatunde Olatunji. https://guydavis.com/wp/

The Met: Live in HD 12 pm Lohengrin (Wagner). March 18, 2023, 12pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, Md.

Wagner’s soaring masterpiece makes its triumphant return to the Met stage after 17 years. In a sequel to his revelatory production of Parsifal, director François Girard unveils an atmospheric staging that once again weds his striking visual style and keen dramatic insight to Wagner’s breathtaking music, with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin on the podium to conduct a supreme cast led by tenor Piotr Beczała in the title role of the mysterious swan knight. Soprano Tamara Wilson is the virtuous duchess Elsa, falsely accused of murder, going head-to-head with soprano Christine Goerke as the cunning sorceress Ortrud, who seeks to lay her low. Bass-baritone Evgeny Nikitin is Ortrud’s power-hungry husband, Telramund, and bass Günther Groissböck is King Heinrich.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Medium Debbie Wojciechowski. Saturday, March 18, 2023. Doors: 7:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

During her interactions with audience members, Debbie draws on her extensive background and experience to deliver sensitive messages in a respectful manner from loved ones who have passed on to the “other side.”

Ever since her metaphysical journey began before she was 21 with two near-death experiences and the loss of her parents, Debbie has sought to learn more about her special gift…and to share it with others. Along with her formal certification as a Medium from the Lisa Williams International School of Spiritual Development, she has had a successful career in mental health and grief counseling with federal law enforcement.

Debbie feels both humbled and privileged to channel special messages from beyond to her audience.  https://www.mediumdebbie.com/

Goldpine. Thursday, March 23, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“I love these guys…their never-ending onslaught of bold harmony is undeniable.”  Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes)

Exposing the pains of severed relationships and unearthing the pursuits of love and purpose, Goldpine is cathartic, moody, raucous, and relevant…all intertwined into one.

Veterans of making soul-stirring music, Ben and Kassie have been offering their own brand of raw Americana for years to audiences large and small. Recent winners of the 2022 Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest at the Red Lodge Songwriter Festival, and finalists in the Kerrville Folk Fest 2021 New Folk Competition, the duo’s bold harmonies are clearly a channel for their highly charged songwriting.

They put their hearts and souls into their music, as evidenced by their self-produced debut LP, “One”, a snapshot of the current season of their lives — symbolizing a new beginning and an homage to their past— leading them to where they are now.

Sonny Landreth & Cindy Cashdollar. Friday, March 24, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Meet Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar, the Louisiana slide guitar wizards whose trademark bottle neck chops and dobro and steel string talents culminate in world renowned showcases of guitar virtuosity.

Revered for his unique slide guitar technique, Sonny Landreth has collaborated with many legendary performers, including John Hiatt, Jimmy Buffett, Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton.

Five-time Grammy winner Cindy Cashdollar’s expertise is in great demand on both steel guitar and dobro. She’s worked with many leading artists in various genres including Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, and Ryan Adams.

Performing a mix of original songs with contemporary and traditional blues and roots music, their shows are electric, virtuosic, and tastefully delivered by two great instrumental masters.

The Steel Wheels. Friday, March 31, 2023. Doors 7:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Having staked their claim as independent upstarts in the burgeoning Americana scene, The Steel Wheels have long been at home in the creative space between tradition and innovation, informed by the familiar sounds of the Virginia mountains where the band was formed, but always moving forward with insightful lyrics and an evolving sound.

Whether at a joyous summer festival, in their many shows across the country and beyond, or in the studio, The Steel Wheels continue their mission set out over a decade ago: shaking up traditions to see what sticks, telling stories, and joining communities through song.

Having gained the experience of thousands of shows, festivals and many miles on the road, this stubbornly independent band has formed deep bonds with each other and the audience that sustains them. https://www.thesteelwheels.com/

The Met: Live in HD, 12:30 pm Falstaff (Verdi). Saturday April 1, 2023, 12:30pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover St, Easton, Md.

Baritone Michael Volle stars as the caddish knight Falstaff, gleefully tormented by a trio of clever women who deliver his comeuppance, in Verdi’s glorious Shakespearean comedy. Maestro Daniele Rustioni takes the podium on April 1 to oversee a brilliant ensemble cast that features sopranos Hera Hyesang Park, Ailyn Pérez, and Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano Marie-Nicole Lemieux, tenor Bogdan Volkov, and baritone Christopher Maltman.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Mile Twelve. Saturday, April 1, 2023. Doors: 7:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“Mile Twelve’s strength lies in its ability to apply bluegrass’ natural affect to modern concerns.” WBUR, Boston’s NPR Station

Boston’s modern string band, Mile Twelve, is back in motion. From the first manic downbeat of their virtuosic new record, “Close Enough to Hear”, you’ll discover a band that is ready to explode from a restless pandemic-induced hiatus.

You’ll hear the same warmth and innovation that earned the band IBMA’s 2019 Album of the Year nomination and 2020 New Artist of the Year Award, and that’s gained them an international reputation as one of the most dynamic bands in contemporary acoustic music.

Heard as a whole, “Close Enough to Hear” and their live shows display the vast creative potential of the bluegrass quintet — banjo (BB Bowness), mandolin (Korey Brodsky), fiddle (Ella Jordan), acoustic guitar (Evan Murphy) and upright bass (Nate Sabat) — in the hands of world-class musicians.  https://www.miletwelveband.com/

Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors. Friday, April 7, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Chris Barron, the singer and founding member of Spin Doctors, is known these days for solo shows that have all the lyric poetry and singing virtuosity that Spin Doctors fans appreciate, along with a range of expression and songwriting that will delight and surprise.

Chris plays nifty chords on an old Gibson to masterfully crafted songs that are poignant yet wistful and funny, all the while singing in a manner that’s sweet and somewhat different from what you would expect if you only knew his hits, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes”.

Live, his stage patter is almost as entertaining as his singing. A powerful storyteller, at once hilarious and thought provoking, Chris sets up his songs with anecdotes from a life on the road, from opening for and encountering legends like the Rolling Stones to Polar expeditions.  https://thechrisbarron.com/home

Shemekia Copeland. Saturday, April 8, 2023. Doors: 7 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“Shemekia Copeland has established herself as one of the leading blues artists of our time.” NPR Music

Award-winning blues, soul and Americana singer Shemekia Copeland possesses one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time. She is beloved worldwide for the fearlessness, honesty and humor of her revelatory music, as well as for delivering each song she performs with unmatched passion.

Winner of the 2021 Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year, Copeland connects with her audience on an intensely personal level, taking them with her on what The Wall Street Journal calls “a consequential ride” of “bold and timely blues.” NPR Music says Shemekia sings with “punchy defiance and potent conviction.” The Houston Chronicle describes her songs as “resilient pleas for a kinder tomorrow.” https://shemekiacopeland.com/

The Met: Live in HD, Der Rosenkavalier (Strauss). Saturday April 15, 2023, 12pm. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md.

A dream cast assembles for Strauss’s grand Viennese comedy. Soprano Lise Davidsen is the aging Marschallin, opposite mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as her lover Octavian and soprano Erin Morley as Sophie, the beautiful younger woman who steals his heart. Bass Günther Groissböck returns as the churlish Baron Ochs, and Markus Brück is Sophie’s wealthy father, Faninal. Maestro Simone Young takes the Met podium to oversee Robert Carsen’s fin-de-siècle staging.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Karla Bonoff. Friday, April 21, 2023. Doors: 7:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Born and raised in Southern California, Karla Bonoff was a songwriter by the age of fifteen. Establishing herself in the early ‘80s as one of LA’s major artists and songwriters, Karla’s legacy as a writer and performer is captured in Billboard’s review of her song “All My Life” (made popular by Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt’s Grammy-winning cover): “Long before Alanis and Jewel, there was a breed of singer/songwriters whose earthly anthems of soul-searching, heartache and joy touched souls in a way few can muster today.”

Karla’s many accomplishments include: opening for James Taylor and Jackson Browne, working with musicians such as Russ Kunkel, Joe Walsh, Waddy Wachtel, Danny Kortchmar, Don Henley, and Peter Frampton, and singing “Somebody’s Eyes” in the hit Kevin Bacon movie “Footloose”. https://www.karlabonoff.com/

Adam Ezra Group. Thursday, April 27, 2023. Doors: 7:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Working outside the confines of the traditional music industry, Adam Ezra and his bandmates – Corinna Smith (fiddle), Alex Martin (drums), Poche Ponce (bass) – built a community of fans through sheer grit and determination.

Fusing folk intimacy and rock energy with soul power and pop charm, the band first emerged from Boston in the early 2000s and quickly garnered widespread acclaim for their bold, insightful songwriting and interactive, euphoric performances.

From hole-in-the-wall bars and house concerts to sold-out headline shows and dates with the likes of Little Big Town, The Wallflowers, Gavin DeGraw, Train, and The Wailers, Ezra and his bandmates treated every single gig like their last, attracting a die-hard following that believed not just in the music, but in their commitment to activism and social change, as well.  https://www.adamezra.com/

Glenn Miller Orchestra. Friday, April 28, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“A band ought to have a sound all of its own. It ought to have a personality.”  – Glenn Miller

Formed in 1938, the Glenn Miller Orchestra — which would later include the likes of Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton, Ray Eberle, Paul Tanner, Johnny Best, Hal McIntyre, and Al Klinck — soon began breaking attendance records all up and down the East Coast.

They would also go on to create record-breaking recordings that defined a world-changing era, such as “Tuxedo Junction”, “In the Mood”, “Moonlight Serenade,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000”, and “Chattanooga Choo-Choo”, among so many other classics.

Don’t miss this opportunity to capture the enduring magic of Glenn Miller Orchestra’s unique sound on the Avalon stage!

The Met: Live in HD, Champion (Blanchard). Saturday, April 29, 2023 12:55pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, Md

Six-time Grammy Award–winning composer Terence Blanchard brings his first opera to the Met after his Fire Shut Up in My Bones triumphantly premiered with the company to universal acclaim in 2021–22. Bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green is the young boxer Emile Griffith, who rises from obscurity to become a world champion, and bass-baritone Eric Owens portrays Griffith’s older self, haunted by the ghosts of his past. Soprano Latonia Moore is Emelda Griffith, the boxer’s estranged mother, and mezzo- soprano Stephanie Blythe is the bar owner Kathy Hagan. Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium for Blanchard’s second Met premiere, also reuniting the director-and-choreographer team of James Robinson and Camille A. Brown.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

The Max Kaplan Band. Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

With a captivating front-man, soulful guitar leads, and a tight rhythm section, Memphis-based Max Kaplan has an exciting and original sound harkening back to the sonic landscape of funky Motown and Stax-era soul, to the guitar-driven blues of the 1960s.

Max is an energetic vocalist and stage performer whose influences include B.B. King, Leon Bridges, James Brown, Alabama Shakes, Al Green, The Staples Singers, and more. www.linktr.ee/mkappy33

The Met: Live in HD, Don Giovanni (Mozart). May 20, 2023 12:55pm. Avalon Theatre 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, Md

Tony Award–winning director of Broadway’s A View from the Bridge and West Side Story, Ivo van Hove makes a major Met debut with a new take on Mozart’s tragicomedy, re-setting the familiar tale of deceit and damnation in an abstract architectural landscape and shining a light into the dark corners of the story and its characters. Maestro Nathalie Stutzmann makes her Met debut conducting a star-studded cast led by baritone Peter Mattei as a magnetic Don Giovanni, alongside the Leporello of bass-baritone Adam Plachetka. Sopranos Federica Lombardi, Ana María Martínez, and Ying Fang make a superlative trio as Giovanni’s conquests—Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Zerlina—and tenor Ben Bliss is Don Ottavio.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

The Met: Live in HD, Die Zauberflote (Mozart). Saturday, June 3, 12:55pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover St, Easton Md

One of opera’s most beloved works receives its first new Met staging in 19 years—a daring vision by renowned English director Simon McBurney that The Wall Street Journal declared “the best production I’ve ever witnessed of Mozart’s opera.” Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Met Orchestra, with the pit raised to make the musicians visible to the audience and allow interaction with the cast. In his Met-debut staging, McBurney lets loose a volley of theatrical flourishes, incorporating projections, sound effects, and acrobatics to match the spectacle and drama of Mozart’s fable. The brilliant cast includes soprano Erin Morley as Pamina, tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Tamino, baritone Thomas Oliemans in his Met debut as Papageno, soprano Kathryn Lewek as the Queen of the Night, and bass Stephen Milling as Sarastro.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

The Wildwoods. Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Doors: 7:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

The Wildwoods are an enchanting Folk/Americana trio based in Lincoln, Nebraska, whose flowing songwriting tandem has been praised by Paste Magazine as “focused and charmingly human”.

Comprised of husband and wife team Noah (guitar) and Chloe Gose (violin), as well as Andrew Vaggalis (bass), The Wildwoods draw inspiration from a wide range of influences, including the styles of: Watchhouse, The Decemberists, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Peter, Paul, & Mary, Nickel Creek, Joni Mitchell, and Gregory Alan Isakov.

The folk/Americana trio work to harmoniously and delicately blend their voices to create a sound so nostalgic that you may find yourself dreaming and longing for those sweet memories from your former days.  https://www.thewildwoodsband.com/

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Filed Under: 6 Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Avalon Theatre, local news

Upcoming Events at the Avalon Theatre

January 25, 2023 by Avalon Foundation

“1964”: The Tribute. Friday, January 27, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD                                                                                                        

“Best Beatles Tribute on Earth” Rolling Stone

For those who never saw The Beatles perform LIVE and always wanted to know what it must have been like, this is as close as anyone could possibly get to…FEELING the MAGIC of that special time!  The Beatles toured (and changed) the world in the early 1960s, but now only a precious few remain who actually saw them perform live, who actually felt the “mania” that brought them to world acclaim.

Today, all that remains are a few scant memories and some captured images in pictures and on poor quality film and video. “1964” meticulously re-creates the “MAGIC” of The Beatles’ early, live performances with artful precision and unerring accuracy. https://1964web.com/

Skribe with Daphne Eckman. Saturday, January 28, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street Easton, MD, Tickets: $25

They call it ‘garage folk,’ perhaps because the music is crafted without any more polish than it needs to showcase the allure of its soulfully delivered down-to-earth lyrics.” Visit Annapolis.

This show is a sure-fire way to heat things up on a wintry Saturday night in the Stoltz! Renowned for creating what’s been dubbed “garage folk Americana,” Skribe has shared the stage with artists like The Decembrists, Gregg Allman, G. Love & Special Sauce, Yarn, and so many others!

How to describe Skribe’s sound? It’s rhythmic acoustic strumming and plucking with emphatic vocals that epitomize the musical landscape of Annapolis’ small-town feel. https://www.skribestudios.com/

Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams. Thursday, February 2, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD, Tickets: $30                                                                        

“Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams are partners in music and in life, a husband and wife who work together as a duo as well as accompanying some legendary names in American music.” AllMusic.com

After a 7-year stint in Levon Helm’s band and frequent guest appearances with Phil Lesh, Little Feat, Jorma Kaukonen, and Jack Casady, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Larry Campbell and singer-guitarist Teresa Williams finally brought the crackling creative energy of their 30-year marriage to the stage in 2015.

Their music comes from an organic place, with a mixture of all of the influences in their lives. In their songs you’ll hear a little Tennessee twang, a dab of Delta blues, and some folky fascination. It’s Americana, but more.  https://www.larryandteresa.com/

Journos with Bryan Russo & Ryan Abbott “In the Key of WTF” Album Release! Friday, February 3, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD.

“Smart lyrics and great musicianship. Journos plays the role of court jester: Clever and chaotic rabble-rousers whose job is to remind the monarchy of its mortality.” PopRiot Music

Award-winning journalist and lyricist Bryan Russo teams up with workhorse punk-rocker Ryan Abbott to produce a terrific collection of deep-thinking, hard-drinking songs.

A scathing editorial, Journos’ debut full-length album “In the Key of WTF” is a sonic statement that neither buries the lead nor misses the point. Russo’s lyrics recall the snark of Elvis Costello and dry humor of Randy Newman, while Abbott’s hooks relentlessly propel this hard-driving quintessential record.

“In the Key of WTF” is a palate cleanser for an audience saturated with the static of televised news commentary, but it also does the trick turned up with your car windows down on a hot August night.  https://www.bryanrusso.com/  https://journos.hearnow.com/

High Voltage: AC/DC Tribute. Saturday, February 4, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

High Voltage, the nation’s premier AC/DC tribute band, consists of five veteran musicians putting it all on the line every time they take the stage to give audiences the most authentic AC/DC live performance possible.

Next to the real thing, Baltimore’s own High Voltage is the most entertaining AC/DC live show you will see. For over 10 years, they have delivered the pure energy, excitement, and concert experience that true AC/DC fans around the world have grown to expect.

High Voltage performs the very best AC/DC songs and the most recognizable hits, spanning the full range of epic hit songs from the Bon Scott era through the days with Brian Johnson at the helm.

Be prepared to rock to AC/DC’s biggest hits (“You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Highway To Hell”, “Back In Black”, “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”, and “Hells Bells”), as well as fan favorites (such as “Shoot To Thrill”, “Sin City”, “For Those About to Rock”, and more).  https://www.highvoltage.rocks/

Ivy League of Comedy- Skirmishes of the Sexes. Friday, February 10, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Celebrate Valentine’s Day (or don’t!) with tales of love and not-love, bad dinners and good dates, broken cars and unbroken dreams…all served with a fresh comedic twist!

The Ivy League of Comedy is a premier group of stand-up comedians touring America, known for their elite brand of clever comedy. You’ve heard their brilliant comedic voices on late-night TV and Comedy Central. Now come see them live on the Avalon stage!

The Ivy League of Comedy offers audiences original, well-written comedy that doesn’t resort to playing on stereotypes or picking on the audience. They bring you stand-up comedy’s funniest and brightest.   https://www.ivystandup.com/

Across The Harbor. Saturday, February 11, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Baltimore is teeming with melodies and magic.

This ephemeral show celebrates both the jovial and the lamenting sounds found in the rowhouses, sidewalks corners, concert stages, and local sessions of Baltimore. Across The Harbor will transport you through time and space as the themes of “home” and “belonging” are explored.

You can expect to hear the songs of The Honey Dewdrops, Letitia VanSant, and Caleb Stine, each with a unique twist. The list of traditionally rooted instrumentalists is astonishing: David McKindley-Ward, Alex Lacquement, Patrick McAvinue, Laura Byrne, Brad Kolodner, Meghan Mette, Sam Guthridge, Jonathan Vocke, Matt Mulqueen, Sean McComiskey, and EJ Shaull-Thompson.

Never before have all of these artists performed together, traded tunes and re-imagined songs. Collaborating for Across The Harbor is the artists’ gratitude for the Baltimore music community, personified.   https://www.alexlacquement.com/across-the-harbor.html

An Evening with Jorma Kaukonen. Saturday, February 25, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“A gifted writer, Kaukonen shares insight into a life well lived, with a certain amount of luck, a great deal of determination, and a towering love of music.” Relix.com

Jorma Kaukonen is a Grammy nominee, a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and a leading practitioner of fingerstyle guitar…and he also happens to be a founding member of two legendary rock bands: The Jefferson Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna.

In addition to his work with Hot Tuna, Jorma has recorded more than a dozen solo albums on major labels and on his own, beginning with 1974’s “Quah” and continuing with his recent acoustic releases on Red House Records—2007’s “Stars in My Crown” and his new CD “River of Time”, produced by Larry Campbell and featuring Levon Helm.

Join Jorma for this special evening of insightful life stories and great music in the Avalon! https://jormakaukonen.com/

An Evening with George Winston. Saturday, March 11, 2023. Door: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

George Winston is undeniably a household name.

He’s inspired fans and musicians alike with his singular solo acoustic piano songs for more than 40 years while selling 15 million albums. A tireless road warrior playing nearly 100 concerts annually, live performance for Winston is akin to breathing.

Join him in the Avalon for a special evening of evocative music from his latest release, “Night”—it’s a chance to take a step back from our perpetually busy lives to let our minds adventurously wander. https://www.georgewinston.com/

Guy Davis. Thursday, March 16, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“Truth be told, there just aren’t many who can deliver Americana in as interesting and entertaining a manner – or give acoustic traditional blues such a contemporary sound – as Davis…” The Blues PowR Blog

American roots artist Guy Davis once said, “I like antiques and old things, old places, that still have the dust of those who’ve gone before us lying upon them.”

Blowing just enough dust off roots music to see its beauty is something Guy has excelled at for over twenty years of songwriting and performing. His reverence for the music of the blues masters who’ve gone before him has been evident in every album he’s ever recorded or concert he’s given. Guy’s musical storytelling is influenced by artists like Blind Willie McTell and Big Bill Broonzy, and his musicality by artists as diverse as Lightnin’ Hopkins and Babatunde Olatunji. https://guydavis.com/wp/

The Met: Live in HD 12 pm Lohengrin (Wagner). March 18, 2023, 12pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, Md.

Wagner’s soaring masterpiece makes its triumphant return to the Met stage after 17 years. In a sequel to his revelatory production of Parsifal, director François Girard unveils an atmospheric staging that once again weds his striking visual style and keen dramatic insight to Wagner’s breathtaking music, with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin on the podium to conduct a supreme cast led by tenor Piotr Beczała in the title role of the mysterious swan knight. Soprano Tamara Wilson is the virtuous duchess Elsa, falsely accused of murder, going head-to-head with soprano Christine Goerke as the cunning sorceress Ortrud, who seeks to lay her low. Bass-baritone Evgeny Nikitin is Ortrud’s power-hungry husband, Telramund, and bass Günther Groissböck is King Heinrich.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Medium Debbie Wojciechowski. Saturday, March 18, 2023. Doors: 7:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

During her interactions with audience members, Debbie draws on her extensive background and experience to deliver sensitive messages in a respectful manner from loved ones who have passed on to the “other side.”

Ever since her metaphysical journey began before she was 21 with two near-death experiences and the loss of her parents, Debbie has sought to learn more about her special gift…and to share it with others. Along with her formal certification as a Medium from the Lisa Williams International School of Spiritual Development, she has had a successful career in mental health and grief counseling with federal law enforcement.

Debbie feels both humbled and privileged to channel special messages from beyond to her audience.  https://www.mediumdebbie.com/

Goldpine. Thursday, March 23, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“I love these guys…their never-ending onslaught of bold harmony is undeniable.”  Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes)

Exposing the pains of severed relationships and unearthing the pursuits of love and purpose, Goldpine is cathartic, moody, raucous, and relevant…all intertwined into one.

Veterans of making soul-stirring music, Ben and Kassie have been offering their own brand of raw Americana for years to audiences large and small. Recent winners of the 2022 Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest at the Red Lodge Songwriter Festival, and finalists in the Kerrville Folk Fest 2021 New Folk Competition, the duo’s bold harmonies are clearly a channel for their highly charged songwriting.

They put their hearts and souls into their music, as evidenced by their self-produced debut LP, “One”, a snapshot of the current season of their lives — symbolizing a new beginning and an homage to their past— leading them to where they are now.

Sonny Landreth & Cindy Cashdollar. Friday, March 24, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Meet Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar, the Louisiana slide guitar wizards whose trademark bottle neck chops and dobro and steel string talents culminate in world renowned showcases of guitar virtuosity.

Revered for his unique slide guitar technique, Sonny Landreth has collaborated with many legendary performers, including John Hiatt, Jimmy Buffett, Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton.

Five-time Grammy winner Cindy Cashdollar’s expertise is in great demand on both steel guitar and dobro. She’s worked with many leading artists in various genres including Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, and Ryan Adams.

Performing a mix of original songs with contemporary and traditional blues and roots music, their shows are electric, virtuosic, and tastefully delivered by two great instrumental masters.

The Met: Live in HD, 12:30 pm Falstaff (Verdi). Saturday April 1, 2023, 12:30pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover St, Easton, Md.

Baritone Michael Volle stars as the caddish knight Falstaff, gleefully tormented by a trio of clever women who deliver his comeuppance, in Verdi’s glorious Shakespearean comedy. Maestro Daniele Rustioni takes the podium on April 1 to oversee a brilliant ensemble cast that features sopranos Hera Hyesang Park, Ailyn Pérez, and Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano Marie-Nicole Lemieux, tenor Bogdan Volkov, and baritone Christopher Maltman.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors. Friday, April 7, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Chris Barron, the singer and founding member of Spin Doctors, is known these days for solo shows that have all the lyric poetry and singing virtuosity that Spin Doctors fans appreciate, along with a range of expression and songwriting that will delight and surprise.

Chris plays nifty chords on an old Gibson to masterfully crafted songs that are poignant yet wistful and funny, all the while singing in a manner that’s sweet and somewhat different from what you would expect if you only knew his hits, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes”.

Live, his stage patter is almost as entertaining as his singing. A powerful storyteller, at once hilarious and thought provoking, Chris sets up his songs with anecdotes from a life on the road, from opening for and encountering legends like the Rolling Stones to Polar expeditions.  https://thechrisbarron.com/home

The Met: Live in HD, Der Rosenkavalier (Strauss). Saturday April 15, 2023, 12pm. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md.

A dream cast assembles for Strauss’s grand Viennese comedy. Soprano Lise Davidsen is the aging Marschallin, opposite mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as her lover Octavian and soprano Erin Morley as Sophie, the beautiful younger woman who steals his heart. Bass Günther Groissböck returns as the churlish Baron Ochs, and Markus Brück is Sophie’s wealthy father, Faninal. Maestro Simone Young takes the Met podium to oversee Robert Carsen’s fin-de-siècle staging.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Glenn Miller Orchestra. Friday, April 28, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“A band ought to have a sound all of its own. It ought to have a personality.”  – Glenn Miller

Formed in 1938, the Glenn Miller Orchestra — which would later include the likes of Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton, Ray Eberle, Paul Tanner, Johnny Best, Hal McIntyre, and Al Klinck — soon began breaking attendance records all up and down the East Coast.

They would also go on to create record-breaking recordings that defined a world-changing era, such as “Tuxedo Junction”, “In the Mood”, “Moonlight Serenade,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000”, and “Chattanooga Choo-Choo”, among so many other classics.

Don’t miss this opportunity to capture the enduring magic of Glenn Miller Orchestra’s unique sound on the Avalon stage!

The Met: Live in HD, Champion (Blanchard). Saturday, April 29, 2023 12:55pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, Md

Six-time Grammy Award–winning composer Terence Blanchard brings his first opera to the Met after his Fire Shut Up in My Bones triumphantly premiered with the company to universal acclaim in 2021–22. Bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green is the young boxer Emile Griffith, who rises from obscurity to become a world champion, and bass-baritone Eric Owens portrays Griffith’s older self, haunted by the ghosts of his past. Soprano Latonia Moore is Emelda Griffith, the boxer’s estranged mother, and mezzo- soprano Stephanie Blythe is the bar owner Kathy Hagan. Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium for Blanchard’s second Met premiere, also reuniting the director-and-choreographer team of James Robinson and Camille A. Brown.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

The Met: Live in HD, Don Giovanni (Mozart). May 20, 2023 12:55pm. Avalon Theatre 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, Md

Tony Award–winning director of Broadway’s A View from the Bridge and West Side Story, Ivo van Hove makes a major Met debut with a new take on Mozart’s tragicomedy, re-setting the familiar tale of deceit and damnation in an abstract architectural landscape and shining a light into the dark corners of the story and its characters. Maestro Nathalie Stutzmann makes her Met debut conducting a star-studded cast led by baritone Peter Mattei as a magnetic Don Giovanni, alongside the Leporello of bass-baritone Adam Plachetka. Sopranos Federica Lombardi, Ana María Martínez, and Ying Fang make a superlative trio as Giovanni’s conquests—Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Zerlina—and tenor Ben Bliss is Don Ottavio.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

The Met: Live in HD, Die Zauberflote (Mozart). Saturday, June 3, 12:55pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover St, Easton Md

One of opera’s most beloved works receives its first new Met staging in 19 years—a daring vision by renowned English director Simon McBurney that The Wall Street Journal declared “the best production I’ve ever witnessed of Mozart’s opera.” Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Met Orchestra, with the pit raised to make the musicians visible to the audience and allow interaction with the cast. In his Met-debut staging, McBurney lets loose a volley of theatrical flourishes, incorporating projections, sound effects, and acrobatics to match the spectacle and drama of Mozart’s fable. The brilliant cast includes soprano Erin Morley as Pamina, tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Tamino, baritone Thomas Oliemans in his Met debut as Papageno, soprano Kathryn Lewek as the Queen of the Night, and bass Stephen Milling as Sarastro.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

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Filed Under: 6 Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Avalon Theatre, local news

Marcus Roberts and The Modern Jazz Generation at The Avalon Theater September 3

August 18, 2022 by Avalon Foundation

In October of 2021, acclaimed jazz pianist Marcus Roberts was honored to receive a Jazz Road Creative Residency grant through South Arts (funded by the Doris Duke Foundation). The award supports the creation, performance, and audiovisual recording of a new work by Roberts and his band, The Modern Jazz Generation.

The new work is entitled “Tomorrow’s Promises” and seamlessly fuses new music, narration, and spoken word, designed to appeal to a culturally-diverse, multi-generational audience.

The Modern Jazz Generation, an 11-piece band led by Roberts at the piano, will perform this new work composed by Roberts on Saturday, September 3, at The Avalon Theater in Easton, MD.

The Modern Jazz Generation is an extraordinarily talented group of musicians whose playing is filled with soul, charisma, and style. The group first came to national attention with its critically-acclaimed 2014 release, Romance, Swing, and the Blues.  This new work highlights new directions taken by the band over the last five years.

Marcus Roberts and The Modern Jazz Generation. Photo courtesy of Marcus Roberts

“Tomorrow’s Promises” will be at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, MD by Marcus Roberts and the award-winning Modern Jazz Generation band on September 3rd.

The Modern Jazz Generation
Marcus Roberts, piano
Roland Guerin, bass
Bryan Carter, drums
Joe Goldberg, clarinet/tenor sax
Sam Taylor, alto saxophone
Ricardo Pascal, tenor/soprano sax
Tissa Khosla, baritone saxophone
Tim Blackmon, trumpet
Jianni Lazaga, trumpet
Andre Hayward, trombone

Show Details:
Avalon Theatre
Sept 3, 2022 @ 8:00 pm

Video Clips:
SHORT VIDEOS
1-minute trailer: Marcus Roberts & the Modern Jazz Generation
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8j1rpIlADs

12-second trailer– Marcus Roberts
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9vIL3k2mFs

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Filed Under: 6 Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Avalon Theatre, local news

Roomful of Blues to Perform Live in Easton

July 30, 2022 by Avalon Foundation

“Brawny shuffles, swinging horns, searing guitar, passionate vocals and balls-to-the-wall enthusiasm”
–Living Blues

“Jubilant, jazzy R&B…boisterous horn-propelled magnificence…infectiously joyous spirit” –Blues Music Magazine

Roomful of Blues, the world-renowned, horn-powered, houserocking blues band, will give a free performance as part of the Avalon Foundation’s Outdoor Summer Concert Series in Easton on Saturday, August 13, 2022. The band’s latest Alligator Records release is In A Roomful Of Blues. The Rhode Island-based group has been delighting audiences for over 50 years. Blues Music Magazine calls them “the best little big band in the blues.” The group has earned five Grammy Award nominations and a slew of other accolades, including seven Blues Music Awards. Twice, the prestigious DownBeat International Critics Poll selected them as Best Blues Band.

Concert information is as follows:

Date: Saturday, August 13, 2022
Event: Avalon Foundation’s Outdoor Summer Concert Series
Venue: Downtown Easton
Address: On Harrison Street between Dover and Goldsborough Streets
City: Easton, MD
Phone: 410-822-7299
Showtime: 7:00pm
Ticket price: Free admission
Website: www.avalonfoundation.org/outdoor-summer-concert-series
*See website for complete concert series information

Click here for full album stream.

*Please do not publish or distribute this link.

Click here for bio, cover art and high-res jpegs.

In A Roomful Of Blues, the band’s sixth release on Alligator Records (and 19th overall), was produced by guitarist and bandleader Chris Vachon and features 13 wide-ranging songs, including ten band-composed originals—more than on any previous Roomful album. Eight songs were written or co-written by Vachon (including one authored with vocalist Phil Pemberton) plus one each by sax player Alek Razdan and keyboardist Rusty Scott. From the rocking We’d Have A Love Sublime to the funkified You Move Me to the closing-time lament She Quit Me Again to the up-to-the-minute Phone Zombies, In A Roomful Of Blues is filled with soaring blues, zydeco twists, late-night ballads, Latin-tinged funk and a touch of vintage, fifth-gear rock ‘n’ roll.

Vachon first joined Roomful in 1990 and has been leading the band since 1998. Guitar Player says Vachon’s guitar playing “burns with explosive solos and a delightfully greasy sense of rhythm.” The band has maintained its signature sound through great musicianship and a stellar horn section—featuring tenor and alto saxophonist Rich Lataille, who first joined the band in 1970. Lataille’s masterful playing can evoke either the fat-toned, honking sax of the glory days of early rock or the cool elegance of big band swing jazz.

While Roomful of Blues has always been one of the tightest, most joyful blues ensembles in the world, they have never sounded fresher or stronger than with the current line-up. Along with Vachon and Lataille, the band includes vocalist Phil Pemberton, baritone and tenor saxophonist Alek Razdan, trumpeter Carl “Geerz” Gerhard, bassist John Turner, drummer Mike Coffey and keyboardist Rusty Scott.

Roomful of Blues began in 1967 when a group of southern Rhode Island teenagers with a shared passion for the blues formed a straight-ahead Chicago-style electric blues band to explore the music of their heroes. They added a horn section (including Rich Lataille) in 1970 and released their self-titled debut album in 1977 on Island Records (reissued on Hyena Records), which brought them to the attention of fans and critics from coast to coast. The band has performed in cities around the world, travelling abroad to 22 countries including Lebanon, Poland, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey and Russia. The New Yorker says the band brings “thunderous performances that get feet stomping and hands clapping.”

With In A Roomful Of Blues, the band has once again captured all of their frenetic energy and musical power in the studio, proving without doubt that this is a band built to stand the test of time. While keenly aware of the group’s half century of history, Vachon is quick to note, however, that they are constantly looking forward. “We always keep things fresh and we keep the excitement level high. Playing this music is an immense amount of fun for us,” he says. “And it’s just as much fun for our audience.”

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Filed Under: 6 Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Avalon Foundation, local news

Avalon Foundation Fall Summer 2022 Programs

July 29, 2022 by Avalon Foundation

FREE OUTDOOR SUMMER CONCERTS THRU AUGUST

All outdoor summer concerts, on Harrison Street between Dover and Goldsborough Streets, begin 7 p.m. They are free and open to the public.  Children are welcome and dancing is encouraged. Rain venue: Avalon Theatre.

Patrick Alban & Noche Latina Saturday, July 30.FREE, 7pm on Harrison St, Easton Md

Patrick Alban and his band perform world music.  Their festive sound is a zesty combination of Latin and acoustic rock with a touch of salsa and a South Beach feel.

Chandler Travis Philharmonic Saturday, August 6.FREE, 7pm on Harrison St, Easton Md

The Chandler Travis Philharmonic offers a one-of-a-kind blend of humor, rock, blues, and jazz with lots of surprises along the way! Hailing from Boston and Cape Cod, the band includes a horn section, string bass, keyboard, mandocello, guitar, drums, accordion, and singing valet.

Roomful of Blues Saturday, August 13.FREE, 7pm on Harrison St, Easton Md

DownBeat magazine says Roomful of Blues “are in a class by themselves.” With their masterful combination of jumping, horn-heavy, hard-edged blues and R&B, it’s no wonder why the great Count Basie called them “the hottest blues band I ever heard.”

US Navy Band Country Current Saturday, August 20.FREE, 7pm on Harrison St, Easton Md

The United States Navy Band Country Current, the Navy’s premier country-bluegrass ensemble, is nationally renowned for its “eye-popping” blend of modern country music and cutting-edge bluegrass.

Motown & More Saturday, August 27.  FREE, 7pm on Harrison St, Easton Md

The Motown legacy lives on with an ensemble of today’s most talented artists. Several top vocalists come together with exquisite harmonies to recreate classics and develop new musical arrangements that will have you dancing in the streets!

AVALON THEATRE CONCERT SCHEDULE                                                                                              

Tickets for the following shows inside The Avalon can be purchased online at avalonfoundation.org or at the theatre on Dover Street downtown.                                                             

Crack the Sky Friday, August 5, 8 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton, Md

Originally formed in Ohio back in the ‘70s (and later adopted in Maryland as “The Beatles of Baltimore”), this beloved progressive rock band is still going strong with their unique balance of artfully experimental and methodically structured rock-n-roll.

Dustbowl Revival Thursday, August 18, 8 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton, Md

“…a more refined and deepened sense of pop…” Pop Matters.  Dustbowl Revival has always been about pushing the boundaries of what American roots music can be. Their joyful, booty-shaking soul songs and cut-to-heart folk-rock ballads always lift up their transcendent live shows.

Leslie Mendelson Saturday, August 20, 8 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton, Md

Described by Relix Magazine as an artist with “a loyal, cross-generational audience that hugs the hippie, hipster, coffee shop and society crowds,”.

Leslie Mendelson’s timeless musicality and evocative songwriting cuts a wide swath. All Music writes that Leslie evokes “1970s songwriter influences in the vein of Carole King and Carly Simon,” while The Aquarian declares she is “the closest thing one can get to a truly honest musical experience.”     What’s truly telling is that Leslie has also drawn the attention of The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir who recorded a duet with her on Roy Orbison’s standard, “Blue Bayou,” while no less than classic rock royalty The Who invited her to open two shows at Madison Square Garden. With some of music’s most legitimate voices seeking Leslie out, it leaves no doubt the rarefied air she inhabits as an artist.

Taimane Sunday, August 21, 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton, Md

“She shreds on ukulele and rocks everything from Beethoven to Led Zeppelin. Somehow she manages to not only rock out but connect the audience with meaningful Hawai’ian traditions and dances.”  – Austin American-Statesman.  Virtuoso musician and songwriter Taimane takes the Avalon stage as part of her first tour outside of Hawai‘i since 2020.  Dazzling audiences with her unique talent, style, and repertoire—from Bach to rock, flamenco infernos to tribal hymns.

Shovels & Rope Wednesday, August 24, 8pm. Avalon Theatre, Easton, Md

South Carolina husband-and-wife duo Shovels & Rope channel country, folk, bluegrass, Americana, and blues through a nervy indie-rock prism.  Inspired by the likes of Woody Guthrie, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, the Cramps, and the soulful harmonies of Johnny Cash and June Carter, the pair provided tour support for like-minded artists such as Justin Townes Earle, Hayes Carll, and the Felice Brothers before heading into their own impressive career.

Avalon Jazz Experience ~Labor Day Weekend~, Friday, September 2, 2022 – Sunday, September 4, The Avalon Theatre 

We are excited to announce the Avalon Jazz Experience ~ Labor Day Weekend ~, renowned as the “best small town music festival in America”!

What began in 2009 as a single concert by the Monty Alexander Trio with the support and leadership of a small group of local jazz enthusiasts has now grown into an annual three-day extravaganza with world-class jazz musicians performing on the Avalon stage over the Labor Day weekend.

Why not make a whole weekend out of it with a Jazz weekend package!  Special pricing available!  As you check out this year’s prestigious line-up below, please remember: seats often go quickly for these Festival shows!

Dominick Farinacci and Triad featuring Shenel Johns, Friday, September 2, 8:00 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md 

New York City-based trumpeter Dominick Farinacci created his newest group, Triad, to weave together the diverse musical worlds of jazz, blues, orchestral, and world music. Featuring the music of Astor Piazzolla, Kurt Veil, John Mayer, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Jacques Brel and more, Triad bridges musical worlds with three unique musical voices that generally don’t overlap: trumpet, accordion, and marimba. Guest vocalist Shenel Johns joins Triad in the Festival’s opening night performance.

Marcus Roberts Modern Jazz Generation, Saturday, September 3, 8:00 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md

“Pianist Marcus Roberts is known for many things: a genius skill that makes him the logical successor to Thelonious Monk’s wild style (with a lot of Fats Waller in his stride), an immense love of the blues, technological innovations in regard to composing for the blind, and a soulful sense of tradition and invention.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Founded in 2013 by acclaimed jazz pianist Marcus Roberts with his trio members Jason Marsalis (drums) and Rodney Jordan (bass), the Modern Jazz Generation blends the whole history of the genre…from the classic sounds of New Orleans to the modern polyrhythms of the Marcus Roberts Trio.

Based on the principle of mentoring that has played such a critical part of the evolution of jazz, the band also incorporates into the roster of every performance a core group of talented younger musicians as part of its mission to pass on the grand legacy of jazz to new generation.

Jon Thomas and Firm Roots, Sunday, September 4, 4:00 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md

With his musical roots firmly planted in his gospel upbringing, jazz pianist Jon Thomas brings a soulful and meaningful intent to every note he plays.

As a recent graduate of The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and The Juilliard School, he was not only awarded the ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award but has hosted a bi-weekly session at Smalls Jazz club from 2015 to 2019. He’ll be joined by Firm Roots in this performance that concludes an incredible weekend of great jazz at the Avalon!

Judy Collins, Friday, September 9, 8 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md

A dear, intimate friend of the Avalon returns!  The award-winning singer-songwriter is esteemed for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards and her own poetically poignant original compositions.

David Bromberg Quintet, Thursday, September 15, 8 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md

“Bromberg is a hell of a bandleader as well as a nonpareil musician.” Relix Magazine.  Americana godfather David Bromberg’s legendary musical journey includes adventures with everyone from Bob Dylan and George Harrison to the Grateful Dead and Emmylou Harris. His quintet’s new album, Big Road, gives Bromberg fans the most intimate portrait to date of David and the band, musically and visually.

Chris Smither Friday, September 23, 8 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md

“Smither is an American original – a product of the musical melting pot and one of the absolute best singer-songwriters in the world.” Associated Press.  Chris Smither’s enduring, singular guitar sound evolved from his New Orleans musical experiences – a beat-driven finger-picking, strongly influenced by the playing of Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin’ Hopkins, layered over the ever-present backbeat of his rhythmic, tapping feet (always mic’d in performance).

Beth McDonald & Joe Holt “A Century of Song” September 30, 8 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md

In “A Century of Song,” Beth and Joe will take the audience on a trip back to the 1920s, traveling all the way through today, combining original compositions and classic gems and weaving a unique musical melding of classic and contemporary, joys and sorrows, soul searching and carefree romping. Join us for an evening that will touch your heart and spirit.

The Black Opry Revue Friday, October 7, 8 p.m. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md

Country music has been made by and loved by Black people since its conception. For just as long, Black artists have been overlooked and disregarded in the genre by fans and executives. Black Opry wants to change that. This show invites you to discover, support, and enjoy the Black artists that make magic in this space.  Featuring singers and songwriters in the round, the Black Opry Revue showcases the diversity in sound and stories that Black artists offer to a genre that has often ignored them.

For tickets and/or more information please feel free to call The Avalon at 410-822-7299 or visit online at avalonfoundation.org.  We hope to see you in the theatre!!!!

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Filed Under: 6 Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Avalon Foundation, local news

22nd Annual Multicultural Festival Offers Way to Reconnect and Celebrate Community

April 13, 2022 by Avalon Foundation

It’s been a trying time of separation for everyone since Covid shut everything down two years ago.

Through it all, however, the diverse and durable bonds of our community have not only survived but continue to thrive.

That’s what this year’s Multicultural Festival, the first to be held since 2019, is going to be all about: bringing everyone together again to celebrate the diverse strengths of our resilient community.

Although the Mid-Shore has weathered these challenging times well, Moore says she feels we’re all ready for a big reunion of sorts.

“We want this year’s Festival to be an opportunity for us all to reconnect with each other and celebrate this special place we share,” she said.“Everyone is invited to come out for a fun day of live music, ethnic food, crafts, and children’s games.”

The Multicultural Festival will be on Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Easton’s Idlewild Park. The rain venue is Easton Middle School.

Founded in 2000 by Talbot County Peace Education and Community Effort (P.E.A.C.E.), the Multicultural Festival celebrates the many distinct heritages of the Mid-Shore, some dating back several generations, others arriving more recently to call this area their home.

If you would like to be an exhibitor at the event, please contact Suzy Moore at [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 5 News Notes Tagged With: Avalon Foundation, local news, The Talbot Spy

February to March Current Shows at The Avalon Theatre

February 4, 2022 by Avalon Foundation

Peter Fogel’s Til Death Do Us Part…You First

Friday, February 11, 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD. Tickets: $30

Eternal bachelor Peter Fogel has major commitment issues as the love of his life has just broken up with him on Valentine’s Day. He senses his own mortality and after much soul searching he decides to revisit the scene of all his romantic disasters.

Young or old, divorced or married… if you’ve ever been single (and that’s everyone) and want to experience (again) the feeling of finding that Special Person to spend the rest of your life with — then you’ll want to fasten your seat belt for 75 minutes of non-stop laughs with Peter Fogel’s “Til Death Do Us Part … You First!”

Peter Fogel stars in, “Til Death Do Us Part… You First!” (Directed by Academy Award-nominee Chazz Palminteri)

Amy Helm                                                                                                                                                                     

Saturday, February 19, 2022, 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

The daughter of Levon Helm, the iconic drummer and mandolin player in The Band, and songwriter Libby Titus (“Love Has No Pride”), Helm grew up with a front-row seat to the rock ’n’ roll generation. She brings her full band to the Avalon this February and audiences can expect and electric night of incredible music.

Music is a family affair for Helm. Amy was a backing musician for Levon’s Midnight Rambles band which played concerts at his farm in Woodstock and grew to become almost mythical shows in the world of roots music.

Often a musician with a famous parent will run from her legacy. That’s understandable and Amy Helm has certainly forged her own individual path over the years. But sometimes it’s good to come home and, on What the Flood Leaves Behind, her latest album, the spontaneity, sense of playfulness, and grounding in soul that made all the Midnight Rambles held on the farm so special, permeates.

Her sound in concert is shaped by rich acoustic chords and Helm’s elastic voice.

Amy Helm is the answer to the question, “How can a mandolin player also be such a soulful vocalist?” Well, it’s in her bloodline. While there are several tunes that highlight her mandolin playing, most fall squarely within Stax territory. Helm swings deep into a slow dance groove, Memphis style but by the end of the night the whole crowd is up and rolling to what looks to be one of the most promising artists in music today. Catch her while you can.

Black Dog Alley

Friday, February 25, 2022, 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD. Tickets: $20

“Black Dog Alley has quietly turned into a “Go To” Band on The Eastern Shore. Always solid, great set list and a good bunch of guys who just keep getting better and better and never disappoint. Every time they play the audiences just say how much they love them” Suzy Moore, Artistic Director, Avalon Theatre.

The mission of local band Black Dog Alley is pretty basic: to move you, to groove you, and to rock your very soul. And with the release of their first album and this live show in the Avalon, that’s just what they plan to do! With a set list ranging from classic jam rock and rhythm and blues, to funk and reggae-tinged grooves, this Easton-based band lists among its eclectic influences Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, ZZ Top, and Sublime.

Miss Tess

Thursday, March 10, 2022. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover St. Easton, MD. Tickets: $25

“Old-time warmth, 21st-century sass.” — No Depression

Defying genres while transcending eras and resisting clichés is what Miss Tess is all about.

Drawing from jazz, country, blues and old-school rock and roll, she has employed all of her influences and talents on a tour-de-force, while cleverly taking standard perspectives and ideas, like the definition of a love song, to task.

However varied Tess’s music can be, front and center sits her voice that has been described as “alternately seductive and sexy, and a pure joy to listen to” (Pop Matters). Her music is further heightened by her partner, Thomas Bryan Eaton, who helps to shape the songs and arrangements with a deft touch on guitar & pedal steel.   https://www.misstessmusic.com/home.

Comedian Drew Landry

Saturday, January 22, 2022, 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD. Tickets: $25

Drew Landry, an LA-based stand-up comedian and writer from Baltimore, started doing comedy when he was 13, and went on tour with Carlos Mencia (Comedy Central’s “Mind Of Mencia”) just two weeks after graduating high school.

“In terms of my stand-up, I love attacking the stage with excessive energy. I’ve never really been the type to have messages or social commentary in my act. I do every now and then but it’s not frequent. There’s already enough of that out there, so I try to just focus on silly stuff,” says Landry.

In addition to his stand-up, Landry writes satirical articles for the popular hip-hop site DJBooth. Recently named one of the official top 50 humor writers on Medium.

Robert Cray Band

Sunday, March 20, 2022, 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD. Tickets: $60

“His guitar, his live stage show and his band are no joke. Stellar”..Tim Weigand, Avalon Theatre

“The most commercially and critically successful blues artist of his generation, Robert Cray took his music to the upper reaches of the pop and rock charts when many major blues acts were counting their sales in the tens of thousands.” Allmusic.com.

Five-time Grammy Award-winning Robert Cray has created a sound that rises from American roots and arrives today both fresh and familiar. In just over 40 years Cray and his band have recorded 20 studio releases, 15 of which have been on the Billboard charts, and played bars, concert halls, festivals and arenas around the world. In short Robert Cray is turning legend. And part of that legend are his live shows. Totally captivating and wrapping around you like a wall of sound, his live show is as good and memorable as they come.

Cray is a multithreat talent: fearless formal innovator, brainy bandleader, terse yet fluent guitarist, and the most authoritative singer to emerge from blues since Bland and King.

Lilli Lewis

Thursday, March 31, 2022, 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover St., Easton, MD. Tickets: $25

Lilli Lewis is having a breakout year, including a Kennedy Center performance that the Center describes as powerful.

Lewis has composed in every tradition that inspires her, including soul, Americana, hip hop, classical, folk, jazz, rock, gospel, blues, soul and R&B. She integrated elements of New Orleans funk while co-writing and co-producing “Mask Up” in the summer of 2020. After carving out space for herself as an African-American lesbian of size, Lewis has also lent her voice to the inclusion and equity in the music industry.

And she’s further sharing her message in the music of her eagerly awaited “Americana” album, following 2019’s critically acclaimed “We Belong.” In all things, Lewis does her best to live by the creed she and her ensemble have become known for: Practice Radical Decency.  https://www.folkrockdiva.com/

Joan Osborne (performing with a trio)

Friday, April 1, 2022, 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD. Tickets:$50

“I feel like music has this important job to do right now. Part of that job is to help imagine a better future – and to hang on to hope. I want to play for people and get them up on their feet and dancing. To let music do that thing it does – bring joy and energy because we really need that right now.”…Joan Osbourne

Since she broke through 25 years ago with the multi-platinum “Relish” and its touchstone mega-smash “One of Us,” seven-time Grammy nominee Joan Osborne has never played it safe.She’s followed her restless musical heart, exploring a diverse range of genres: pop rock, soul, R&B, blues, roots rock, gospel, funk, and country – all of which can be heard on her tenth studio album, the masterful “Trouble and Strife”.

With stunning vocals, a diverse range of sonics, and incisive lyrics, this deeply engaging collection of new original songs is her response to “the crazy, chaotic times we’re living in,” she says, and “a recognition of the important role music has to play in this moment. Music has a unique ability to re-energize people and allow us to continue to hang on to that sense of joy of being alive.”

Avalon Theatre Technicolor Motor Home (Steely Dan Tribute)

Friday, April 22, 2022, 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD. Tickets: $25

“Technicolor Motor Home proves you can buy a thrill – just check out one of their shows.” — Best of Baltimore

Steely Dan tribute band Technicolor Motor Home is a mix of elegance and function.

Led by Crack the Sky’s keyboardist Glenn Workman, this 10-piece band not only plays selections from every Steely Dan album, it does so with the necessary precision and passion—horns and backup singers included.

Any major dude will tell you that this is a must-see show for fans of Steely Dan and everyone who loves great live music!  https://mail.technicolormotorhome.com/Home.html

High Voltage (AC/DC Tribute)                                                                                                                               

Saturday, May 14, 2022, 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD. Tickets: $25

For every High Voltage show, the nation’s premier AC/DC tribute band puts it all on the line so audiences can enjoy as authentic an AC/DC live performance as possible…next to the real thing.

For over 10 years, Baltimore’s High Voltage has delivered the pure energy, excitement, and concert experience that true AC/DC fans around the world have grown to expect. They perform the very best AC/DC songs and the most recognizable hits, spanning the full range of epic hit songs from the Bon Scott era through the days with Brian Johnson at the helm.

High Voltage rocks you with the biggest hits: “You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Highway To Hell”, “Back In Black”, “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”, “T.N.T.”, “Whole Lotta Rosie”, “Hells Bells” as well as big fan favorites such as “Shoot To Thrill”, “Sin City”, “For Those About to Rock”, “Shot Down In Flames” and many, many more.  https://www.highvoltage.rocks/

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 6 Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Avalon Theatre, local news

A New COVID Q & A Show Launches for Delmarva

January 9, 2022 by Avalon Foundation

Choptank Community Health’s Senior Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer, Megan Wojtko, CRNP

As Covid Rates across the region continue to skyrocket the Avalon Foundation and Choptank Community Health have decided to partner together again to connect the community with valuable, local answers about Covid 19.

Capitalizing upon the Avalon Foundation’s expertise in video production and communications and using Choptank Community Health’s medical resources, the organizations have committed to producing two video Question and Answer sessions a week to inform the local community.  The short 2 to 5 minute videos titled “COVID Answers with Choptank Community Health” will drop online by 7pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  The program will feature Choptank Community Health’s Senior Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer, Megan Wojtko, CRNP.  Megan has a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Salisbury University and a Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner from Duke University.

“We’re grateful to partner with the Avalon in reaching out with this messaging to our communities,” said Choptank Community Health System CEO Sara Rich. “As our Chief Clinical Officer overseeing our primary patient care and leading our ongoing clinical COVID response, Megan understands patient concerns and can share her medical knowledge on this platform to help us all navigate towards a healthy future.”

“I know people have concerns and questions about COVID variants, boosters, and more,” said Wojtko. “We want to use this platform to give timely answers to the most common questions our offices are receiving from patients every day.”

Each episode will begin with an update of what Megan is seeing regarding COVID across the region and with any updates to medical guidance or advice regarding the ever changing pandemic.  Megan will then answer a few questions.

“We recognize that the medical system is currently stretched and that getting access from our providers is not as easy as we would like it to be.  Our goal is to ask Megan the kinds of questions that we all wish we could ask our primary care providers right now.” said Jessica Bellis, Chief Operating & Finance Officer for the Avalon Foundation, Inc.  “There is so much anxiety out there, people are wondering…What do we do if we test positive?  Do I have to quarantine if my child has COVID? What supplies should I have on hand?  How reliable are the at home tests?  We hope we can work on these questions and answers together and share this info with the broader community.”

The organizations hope to provide an immediate, valuable resource to the community.  Participation is encouraged by submitting questions and topics for Megan to cover.  “We will be monitoring the threads on social media for questions and we welcome viewers to email us at [email protected] with questions for the program as well.” said Lucie Hughes, Director of Communications at Choptank Community Health.  The program will run at least through the last week of January.

“COVID Answers with Choptank Community Health” will be available on the Choptank Community Health and Avalon Theatre Facebook pages, on YouTube youtube.com/MidshoreCommunityTelevision and will be reported in The Spy.

“We were proud of the work that we did with Choptank Community Health last year to aid in equitable vaccine access and distribution at the Multicultural Festival and Fourth of July.  We are pleased to act as a community resource with them once again as the pandemic reaches a new phase.” concluded Ms. Bellis from the Avalon Foundation.

Choptank Community Health System provides medical and dental services in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot counties, with a mission to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare for all. Choptank Community Health’s medical services include primary healthcare, women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health, chronic health management, and care navigation, with new medical patients now being accepted. More information is at www.choptankhealth.org.

The mission of the Avalon Foundation is to foster a strong community on the Eastern Shore by creating accessible, uplifting arts, education, and cultural experiences that appeal to the interests of a diverse population and to ensure the long term viability of the historic Avalon Theatre. More information about the work of the Avalon Foundation and a list of current programming can be found at www.avalonfoundation.org

This is the link to the first episode https://youtu.be/MaFMTET9T5k

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Lead Tagged With: choptank community health, Health, local news

The Avalon Theatre to Present the Classic White Christmas This Holiday Season

December 4, 2021 by Avalon Foundation

Paramount Pictures released the movie musical White Christmas in 1954. Directed by Michael Curtiz, the film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, and featured 17 songs by Irving Berlin. The top moneymaker of 1954, White Christmas set a new record as Hollywood’s all-time highest-grossing musical.

Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former army commander. With a dazzling score featuring well-known standards including “Blue Skies,” “I Love A Piano,” “How Deep Is the Ocean” and the perennial title song, White Christmas is an uplifting musical worthy of any Holiday Season.

The Avalon Holiday Show has become an Eastern Shore Tradition, so much so that the organization actually put on a holiday show last year, outside in freezing temperatures during the pandemic.  Come see your Friends and Neighbors bring the tradition back inside in this wonderful adaptation of the beloved musical.  It will surely raise your spirits.

The show dates and times are as follows, December 9, 10, 11 at 7 pm, December 12, Matinee 2pm and December 16, 17, 18 at 7 pm and December 19, Matinee 2 at 2pm.  You can order tickets online at avalonfoundation.org or call Deana in the box office at 410-822-7299.  Please understand that there will be some restrictions due to Covid.  We apologize for the inconvenience, but nevertheless we wish you the best of Holiday Seasons!!

“Simplicity, generosity and decency were our main themes and objectives in putting on this production,” said Tim Weigand who directs this year’s tradition.  The show is a light hearted telling of a man who is losing his business and the characters around him realize their connections and responsibilities to everyone around them.  We hope you will come and be a part of it.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 6 Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Avalon Theatre, local news

Avalon Features Talbot County Improv Troupe on Black Friday

November 21, 2021 by Avalon Foundation

The Avalon Theatre tradition of hosting a Black Friday show continues this year with an evening of improvisational fun.  Members of the Talbot County Improv troupe will take the stage at the Avalon on Friday, November 26 at 7:00 pm. The show will feature members of the Reflex Improv Easton, Annapolis and Virginia groups.

Improvisational performance – also known as improv – is spontaneous and unscripted. No one, including the performers, knows what will come up. The audience becomes a part of the show by offering a word or location suggestions that spark ideas for games and scenes made up on the spot. Members of the audience will be invited on to the stage for a few scenes.

Improv classes came to the Eastern Shore in 2019 when Nancy Andrew, a student of Dan Brown’s Reflex Improv, invited Brown to teach a class in Easton. Since then, beginners and more experienced improv actors have met weekly to learn the fundamentals and to have fun.

Members of the Reflex Improv Easton and Annapolis troupes sold out the Avalon Foundation’s Stoltz Pavilion for their summer show. The improv performers are the headliners at the Avalon Theatre on Friday, November 26 at 7pm for their Black Friday holiday show.

“Dan is a great teacher! He encourages us to have fun while we learn,” Andrews says. “He reminds us that we can’t do it wrong.”

Andrews adds, “Improv has helped me be more creative, develop my listening skills, and be more fully present. Those of us who get together every week say that we made friends with people we may never have met if we hadn’t played with them in improv class.”

Describing improv, Brown says, “Some people tell me that they can’t do improv because they’re not funny. You don’t need to be a natural comedian to learn how to do improv. Once you learn the fundamentals the fun will follow,”

The fundamentals of improv include the concept of “Yes – and,” which encourages everyone in a scene to listen to one another and find agreement. Two other improv fundamentals – “I’ve got your back” and making each other look good – encourage team work. “When everyone follows the process, funny happens.” Brown says.

Tim Weigand from the Avalon Foundation invited the Talbot County Improv students to perform at the Stoltz Pavilion after taking an intro class with them this summer. The show sold out and several members of the audience signed up for the next series of classes. “The Avalon is looking forward to what our local improv actors come up with to entertain local residents and their guests on Black Friday,” Weigand says.

Brown will be offering the next round of 6-week introduction and intermediate classes in Easton beginning Tuesday, January 11, 2022. For more information about Reflex Improv, visit https://www.refleximprov.com/easton.

The Avalon Theatre is located at 40 E. Dover Street in Easton. Tickets for the Talbot County Improv show on Friday, November 26 are $20 and can be purchased at tickets.avalontheatre.com.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 6 Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Avalon Theatre, local news

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