Firehouse

Freckleface Strawberry
2024-03-02 11:00 (America/New_York) | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Non-Members: $15 for adults/$10 for children
Members: $13 for Adults/$8 for Children
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Freckleface Strawberry will do anything to get rid of her freckles – from scrubbing them with soap to caking on makeup… and even wearing a ski mask to school! Will her schoolmates realize that it’s her under the mask? Will Freckleface be brave enough to finally face her complexion in the mirror? With the help of her loveable schoolmates, including an amazingly talented ballerina, a cutie jock, a charming ditz and a totally kooky teacher, Freckleface learns that everyone is different – and that’s what makes everyone special.
Length of show: ~55 minutes
Great show for ALL ages!!
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The Pettengill House Benefit Concert
2024-03-01 18:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
feat. Ayla Brown & Rob Bellamy
$60 General Admission
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A special evening to benefit The Pettengill House, Inc., featuring a welcome reception with fine desserts, wine, and beer, followed by an intimate duo performance by Ayla Brown & Rob Bellamy.

All proceeds will go to support The Pettengill House, Inc., the area’s lead provider of community-based social services since 1994, serving thousands of at-risk adults, children, and families in need. Learn more at pettengillhouse.org

Doors open 6:30
Welcome Reception 6:30-7:30
Concert 7:30-9:30

About the Artists:

Ayla Brown
Having multiple talents and interests hasn’t deterred Ayla Brown from achieving many significant hallmarks in her young career. She’s released 5 studio albums, has performed on the Grand Ole Opry stage twice, placed 13th on Season 5 of American Idol, performed overseas for the troops in 13 different countries, sang live on national television including on ESPN, FOX & Friends, CNN, and CBS, and was a full scholarship basketball player for Boston College. She has opened up for artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Josh Turner, Charlie Daniels, Sara Evans, Phil Vassar, and more and now she is a full-time co-host on Country 102.5 WKLB in Boston, MA on the “Jonathan Wier and Ayla Brown” morning show.

Rob Bellamy
Rob Bellamy recorded and released an EP called “Long Freight Train” in 2016 and a single called “Walk it with Me” in 2020, and since the release he has been touring and opening up for country music artists such as Carly Pearce, Mark Wills, Dylan Scott and Russell Dickerson. Recently, he was Country 102.5’s “Catch of the Week,” where weekly they highlight an emerging country artist. Rob played hockey for four years at the University of Maine, and in 2004 he was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 3rd round, and played 7 years of semi-professional hockey in Pennsylvania, New York,
South Carolina, and England.

You can find more about each artist at www.AylaBrown.com and https://robbellamy.com.

Please note that all sales are final.

The 10-Minute Plays of Deirdre Girard
2024-02-24 14:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Presented by Second Act Readers Theatre

Tickets: $5
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Directed by Charles Van Eman
A Year to Grieve
Two murder mystery writers in a secluded cabin in the woods joke about killing one of their spouses.
But is it really a joke?
Heather – Bette Lischke
Thomas – Roger Burgess
Fungus
Sometimes it takes a creative prescription to heal what hurts the most.
Evelyn – Candie Benjamin
Heather – Deborah Baker

Turk, Turk, Turk
Too many turkeys turn good neighbors into great neighbors.
Danny – Lenora Salvucci
Michael – Andy Griffith

Letting Go
A veterinarian is deeply challenged by a woman struggling to let go of her dying dog.
Diana – Sharon Curtis Phelan
Dr. Lanza – Mary Corsetto
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Deirdre Girard, who tells women’s stories, received her Playwriting MFA at Boston University. She has had dozens of award winning one-act plays produced both nationally and internationally; her full-length productions include The Christina Experiment at The Firehouse Center for the Arts, Reconsidering Hanna(h) at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre and Short and Scary at the Lynn Arts Center. Her work has been published by Applause Books, Smith & Kraus, Next Stage Press and Heuer Publishing. Deirdre was named a 2012/13 and returning 2013/14 Playwriting Fellow at New Repertory Theater, and was selected for both the Company One Play Labs and Central Square Theater’s TWSS play development programs. Her one-act play In the Buff was commissioned by Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA and subsequently won QC Theatre’s Susan Glaspell National Playwriting Award. Most recently, Women at the Center, her collection of short plays featuring female protagonists was published, she was selected for Barrington Stages 2023 10 x 10 festival and The 2023 Boston Theater Marathon, had a monologue from her full-length play In This House selected for The Best Female Monologues of 2022 anthology by Smith & Kraus and had her play Soulmate selected by Smith & Kraus for their Best 10-minute plays of 2023 anthology. She is a playwriting instructor/mentor for several organizations including Gloucester Stage, Boston University’s Massachusetts Young Playwrights Project, and Northeastern University’s Silver Masque Theatre as well as a member of the Boston Playwright’s Theatre Advisory Council, an editor for Stage Source’s New Play Alliance Newsletter and a founding member of the Newburyport Arts Collective.

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Bathtubs Over Broadway
2024-02-23 18:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Presented by Newburyport Documentary Film Festival
$15/Adults
$12/Students and Seniors
All Seats are General Admission
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Sponsored by Dyno Records, this is the inaugural screening of the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival’s NBPT DOCU BEST Series celebrating their 20th anniversary, welcoming back an award-winning audience favorite that opened their 2018 festival.
While gathering material for a segment on THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, comedy writer Steve Young stumbled onto a few vintage records that would change his life forever.
Bizarre cast recordings marked “internal use only” revealed elaborate Broadway-style musicals about some of the most recognizable corporations in America: General Electric, McDonald’s, Ford, DuPont, Xerox. Directed by Dava Whisenant, BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY follows Steve on his quest to find all he can about this hidden world. Along the way, Steve forms unlikely friendships and discovers that this discarded musical genre starring tractors and bathtubs was bigger than Broadway. Featuring David Letterman, Chita Rivera, Martin Short, Jello Biafra, Florence Henderson, and more.
6:00 PM Reception with Steve Young
7:00 PM Film Screening
8:30 PM Q&A with Steve Young with a LIVE performance of Steve’s favorite corporate showtunes + BONUS screening
EBT Card Holders are eligible for a 50% ticket discount for up to four tickets. Code:CARD2CULTURE

Long Live The King
2024-02-10 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
A Tribute to Elvis Presley as performed by Rick Anthony
Non-Member: $25
Member: $22
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R.A. Entertainment presents “Long Live the King” – Elvis tribute show! The celebration will feature live performances by Rick Anthony, a local award winning Elvis Tribute artist backed by his live band “Flaming Star” in addition to “The Blue Moon Brass” & “Pure Gold Vocal Band”. This production will provide great entertainment and offer New England residents a unique way to celebrate Elvis’ legacy and style from his 23 year career. In this production Anthony, will portray Elvis from different eras in his career starting with 50’s & 60’s hits, hollywood years, the iconic 1968 comeback special, and culminating with the historic “Aloha From Hawaii” satellite concert from 1973 in a stunning visual performance. He has performed to audiences throughout New England, Walt Disney World and internationally for more than a decade and was most recently seen as “Elvis” in the Firehouse Center for the Arts production of Million Dollar Quartet.
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Jeffrey Gaines
2024-02-09 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Non-Member: $22
Member: $20
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Jeffrey Gaines has been heralded for his soul-searching lyrics and his powerful live performances. With only his voice and a guitar for accompaniment, Gaines has earned a reputation as a captivating performer, entertaining his audiences worldwide.
Gaines has released eight albums internationally, which includes gems like the hit single “Hero In Me” from his debut album. The Boston Globe declared that “Gaines’ soulful, wounded vocals make a case for him being one of pop’s finest singers…” Rolling Stone went on to call him “the voice of a generation” noting his body of work and his larger than life voice.
Jeffrey has toured the world headlining theaters and clubs, and was named Pollstar’s Best Live Solo Artist. With compelling live performances gaining high respect from peers, Gaines was asked to join tours as Special Guest with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in Europe, Tracy Chapman, and Stevie Nicks with Sheryl Crow. Gaines’ critical acclaim, international tours and avid fan base have established him as one of the most treasured songwriters, vocalists and inspirations in music today.
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Yes Darling
2024-02-03 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Featuring Ryan Montbleau and Hayley Jane
Non-Member: $40
Member: $35
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Hayley sings. Ryan plays guitar and sings. Which means Ryan does more. Yeah, but Hayley puts way more time and effort into looking and sounding good on stage and is the face of the project.
Led by the legendary Ryan Montbleau and commanded by the illustrious Hayley Jane, there is rarely a disagreement or power struggle within the project. The two get along like peas and carrots. Except for when they don’t. But they do. Yeah, sometimes. Hayley, you’re ruining this bio right now. Well, Ryan, I told you to just let me do it! That never ends well. And you’re supposed to leave two spaces after the end of a sentence, I’ve had to go back and fix all of yours. What? I have never heard of that in my entire life! Don’t fix that one. Ugh, fine. Let’s get back to writing about how great we are.
Ryan Montbleau has been an acclaimed singer, songwriter, and bandleader for more than a decade. Through relentless touring (both on his own and with the Ryan Montbleau Band) and recording seven studio albums, Ryan’s earned a reputation for his gift for melody and a remarkably open-armed approach to songwriting.
Hayley Jane is a singer, songwriter, and dancer. She commands the stage with style, grace, and a dynamic force that brings joy and inspiration to her devoted fanbase. Hayley Jane is currently recording and touring as a solo artist after years with her national touring act, Hayley Jane and The Primates.
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Winter Comedy Night
2024-02-02 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$20/All Tickets
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Break those winter blues for a night of laughs as Comedy Night returns to the Firehouse featuring some of the best comedic talent in the region! Hosted by Mike Smith with headliner Rafi Gonzalez along with Jason Merrill and Jay Martin.
Rafi Gonzalez has skyrocketed to the top of the comedy ranks and is touring nationally and internationally as a headlining performer on Carnival Cruise lines. He has appeared on HBO MAX as part of the Ha Comedy Festival, was a finalist in the Boston Comedy Festival and was voted “Best of the Fest” in The Noho Comedy Festival and The Burbank Comedy Festival in Los Angeles. In 2022, Gonzalez participated in the prestigious San Francisco Comedy Competition and has appeared on Gotham Comedy TV Live, The Punchline, MGM Springfield, Laugh Boston, and major clubs nationally.

Jason Merrill works the top clubs in New England and is a featured performer at Giggles, Kowloon, The Tupelo, the Bradley Playhouse and more, as well as sharing the stage with the likes of comedy stars Lenny Clarke, Steve Sweeney, and Paul D’Angelo. Merrill quickly rose through the comedy ranks and is well on his way to being a star on the Boston comedy scene.

Jay Martin is an up and coming comedian selected to perform in the Rogue Island Comedy Festival and is a regular at Laugh Boston, Off Cabot Comedy Club and most recently had his first headlining weekend at Nick’s Comedy Stop. He has performed at Comedy Scene at Patriot Place, Roar Comedy Club, The Stand in New York and The Comedy Shop also in New York.
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An Evening of Shorts - 22nd Annual New Works Festival
2024-01-27 20:00, 2024-01-20 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$16/All Seats
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MEETING FINGERMAN by Mark Evan Chimsky
*HONEGGER PRIZE WINNER FOR BEST SHORT PLAY*
Directed by Pam Battin-Sacks

When novice writer Nate Crane shows his new short story to his idol–the literary lion Saul Fingerman–things take an unexpected, disastrous turn.
PENDING PICKUP by Glenn Arthur Pierce
Directed by Eden Tomaszewski
Two men meet to transfer a microwave oven, as arranged through a social-media giveaway site. One has a suspicious confidence and the other is amidst a personal crisis. And he’s about to learn the true price of free appliances.
ROOTS by James McLindon
Directed by Arlene Barnard
A man and a woman are hunting something in the woods … hoping they’re not being hunted as well.
TOMMY AND MARY SPELL CANAJOHARIE by John Minigan
Directed by Suzanne Hitchcock-Bryan
Mary, claiming she’s had a vision, has pulled the car off the highway in the middle of the night. Her brother Tommy has to convince her to get back on the road if they’re going to get to their destination in time to say good-bye to their father.
SEA CHANGE by L.W. Lucas Hasten
Directed by Tim Diering
Two male clownfish must come to grips with the fact that one of them is becoming biologically female.
DOG PARK by Julie Amery
Directed by Bruce Menin
Two dogs communicate with each other and try to figure out their humans as they all engage in separate conversations. When Ryan figures out how he knows Pam, he unwittingly helps her by giving her advice she once gave him.
THE COLLEGIANS by Tim Lehnert
Directed by Corinne Hickey
To gain admission to The College, you have to really want it, and that means defeating the competition; otherwise, it’s hello safety school!
SO LONG, STUART JOHN MILL by R.D. Murphy
Directed by David Houlden
Actions are right in the proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness, and always remember to take the cannoli.
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An Evening of One Acts - 22nd Annual New Works Festival
2024-01-26 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$16/All Seats
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ARTHUR, READING by Elaine Brousseau
*HONEGGER PRIZE WINNER FOR BEST ONE ACT*

What does it mean to be your brother’s keeper? In Arthur, Reading, a play about mental illness, Carol struggles to balance the needs of her brother, Arthur, who suffers from schizophrenia, with her own. With compassion and humor, the play explores Arthur’s relationships with his sister and with Michael, his case manager and friend.
INDIAN SUMMER by Mitchell Ganem
Directed by Robyn Buckley
Kate and Terry are best friends. Terry is dying and retreated from the city to a rural lake side community. Kate has come from the city to bring him pills in case he wants to end his suffering – and also to remind him of the importance of life, love and hope.

Modern Broadway Revue
2024-01-24 18:30 | Sea Level Oyster Bar, 1 Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$85/Person
Proceeds go directly towards funding our community programs like our School Show Series and Theater for Young Audience Productions along with bringing high level, Boston quality concert and theatrical programming to Newburyport.
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Spend an enchanting evening as we present the music of some of the biggest hits on Broadway, or just Off-Broadway, over the past 20(ish) years. Take in the music of Pasek and Paul, Jason Robert Brown, Stephen Sondheim, and more sung live while you enjoy a three-course meal prepared and hosted by Sea Level Oyster Bar. Featuring Firehouse alumni Kathryn Daughton, Andy LeBlanc, Ari Schmidt, and Andy Cico, you will leave the evening full of both food and song.
Dinner for the evening will start with your choice of a House Salad or a homemade Cup of Chowder. From there, you will have the option of a delicious Stuffed Haddock; tender, juicy Steak Tips; or, a Sea Level favorite, Baja Tacos. Finish the evening with a scrumptious, warm Brownie Sundae topped with Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Syrup. The meal alone is worth the price of admission…
Music will include: Moving Too Fast from The Last Five Years; Falling Slowly from Once; Send In The Clowns from A Little Night Music; A Way Back to Then from Title of Show; She Used To Be Mine from Waitress; and so many more.
January can be cold – join us so we can keep each other warm with music, food, and community.
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Warren Miller's ALL TIME
2024-01-21 19:00, 2024-01-21 15:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$13/Non-Member
$10/Member
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Warren Miller’s ALL TIME is bringing 74 years of filmmaking reimagined to a theater near you this fall. And this season, it’s all about good turns and good snow on good hills with good people. Narrated by Jonny Moseley, ALL TIME dives deep into elements that Warren himself first identified as the stuff of which snowy dreams are made. From the birth of ski towns like Sun Valley and Aspen to icons and innovators like the original hotdoggers, the film brings the best of seven decades along with humor and inspiration from today—featuring Maine’s finest athlete, Donny Pelletier, and the next generation of skiers and riders at Woodward Park City.
Less a documentary than a love letter, ALL TIME is a way to honor how, where, and with whom we’ve made ski and snowboard movies since Warren first picked up a camera in 1949.
Join us as we celebrate how snow sports have burrowed into our collective consciousness as an obsession and a way of life.
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The Sixth or the Eighth - 22nd Annual New Works Festival
2024-01-19 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$16/All Seats
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THE SIXTH OR THE EIGHTH by Andy Reynolds
*HONEGGER PRIZE WINNER FOR BEST FULL LENGTH*
Directed by Jocelyn Duford

When gay, liberal Patrick James McDonough the sixth (or the eighth) uncovers a secret about his conservative Irish father’s background, it has an echoing effect on his family for generations – both past and present. A multigenerational story told in three parts set in three different eras, The Sixth or The Eighth humorously and compassionately explores ancestry, political affiliations, gender identity, and all of the things that bring families together and ultimately drive them apart.
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King in the Wilderness
2024-01-15 12:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
presented by the YWCA of Greater Newburyport

Students are Free but a ticket is required
Adults: $11.50 in honor of MLK, Jr.’s Birthday: 1/15
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In commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, the YWCA of Greater Newburyport presents a screening and discussion of King in the Wilderness. This film tells the story of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s final years through the personal stories of those who surrounded him.
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Sweet Baby James: The #1 James Taylor Tribute
2024-01-14 19:00, 2024-01-13 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$25/Non-Member
$22/Member
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Don’t miss the return of America’s #1 James Taylor tribute Sweet Baby James, as Nashville musician Bill Griese performs the songs of the legendary JT. Not your typical tribute band fare, and not a “look-alike” act, Griese delights audiences using only his uncanny Taylor-like vocals & guitar playing and a refreshingly authentic stage presence.

Fans rave: “the next best thing to James,” “close my eyes and it’s JT,” “James would be proud,” “amazing guitar playing,” “sounds just like JT,” “his voice is spot on!” Enjoy the ultimate James Taylor experience with favorites like Fire and Rain, You’ve Got a Friend, Shower the People, How Sweet It Is, and Steamroller. A Taylor made event honoring one of our greatest troubadours.
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RVCS presents "The Drowsy Chaperone Jr."
2024-01-12 18:00, 2024-01-11 18:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Tickets $5.00 per person.
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A man shares with the audience his favorite record – the 1928 musical The Drowsy Chaperone. As he plays the record, the show comes to life in his apartment. Mix in two lovebirds on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatre producer, a not-so-bright hostess, gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan, and a sleepy chaperone, and the RVCS Theatre Arts Project Group will give you an evening to cherish.
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Tom Rush WIth Special Guest Matt Nakoa
2024-01-06 19:00, 2024-01-05 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$50/Non-Member
$45/Member
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Tom Rush is a gifted musician and performer, whose shows offer a musical celebration…a journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues.
Rush’s impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the ’60s and the renaissance of the ’80s and ’90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone, “Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences.” Country music star Garth Brooks has credited Rush with being one of his top five musical influences. Rush has long championed emerging artists. His early recordings introduced the world to the work of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor, and in more recent years his Club 47® concerts have brought artists such as Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin to wider audiences when they were just beginning to build their own reputations.
Today, Tom Rush lives in Massachusetts when he’s not touring. His voice has grown even richer and more melodic, and his music, like a fine wine, has matured and ripened in the blending of traditional and modern influences. He’s written a number of new songs. He’s doing what he loves, and what audiences love him for: writing and playing …passionately, tenderly…knitting together the musical traditions and talents of our times.
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Fastball
2023-12-30 20:00 | MA
$50/All Tickets
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Formed in 1994 in Austin, Texas, Fastball combined a fondness for melodic, Beatles-inspired pop with the alternative aesthetic of late-’90s mainstream rock. Guitarist/vocalist Miles Zuniga, bassist/vocalist Tony Scalzo, and drummer Joey Shuffield — all veterans of Austin’s underground rock scene — originally banded together under the name Magneto U.S.A. After signing with Hollywood Records, the musicians changed their name to Fastball and released their debut album, Make Your Mama Proud, in 1996. The album demonstrated the band’s synthesis of modern flavor and bygone pop hooks, a combination that would later launch Fastball into the mainstream.
The follow-up effort, All the Pain Money Can Buy, appeared in early 1998, featuring a considerably tighter band and more pop flourishes. Although the bandmates were still working side jobs at the time of its release, lead-off single “The Way” proved to be a meteoric hit, topping the American rock charts for seven weeks while enjoying crossover success as a pop single. “Fire Escape” and the piano-fueled “Out of My Head” did similarly well, and All the Pain Money Can Buy went platinum within six months of its release, earning two Grammy nominations along the way. Fastball celebrated their success with a considerable amount of touring, including shows alongside Marcy Playground and Everclear.
The Harsh Light of Day arrived in fall 2000, featuring piano work by Billy Preston and an increasingly arty sound, including the Top 40 hit “You’re an Ocean.” Fastball eventually left the Hollywood roster in favor of a new deal with Rykodisc. A retrospective compilation, Painting the Corners: The Best of Fastball, marked the band’s final release for Hollywood Records in 2002. Two years later, they resurfaced with Keep Your Wig On, having fully embraced their power pop roots with the help of co-producer Adam Schlesinger. The album strengthened Fastball’s work ethic, with frontmen Zuniga and Scalzo writing together for the first time. That collaborative spirit helped fuel another album, Little White Lies, which appeared in 2009 to warm reviews.
After several years of focusing on live work, Fastball returned to the studio in 2015, recording in their hometown of Austin. The project emerged in May 2017, a self-released album titled Step into Light, and the band supported it with an extensive tour of the United States and Canada. The following year, Fastball celebrated the 20th anniversary of All the Pain Money Can Buy with an expanded edition of the 1998 album; they accompanied the reissue with a hometown concert in Austin, Texas.
Most recently, in October 2019, Fastball returned with The Help Machine, an album produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, and in Sept 2021 and throughout 2022 have been releasing music exclusively thru Patreon. Their new album, The Deep End, was released on June 17, 2022 and they have spent most of 2023 touring the country with Gin Blossoms, Sugar Ray, and Tonic.
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Blessid Union of Souls
2023-12-29 20:00 | MA
$50/All Tickets
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Since their 1995 debut release, ‘Home’, Blessid Union of Souls have sold millions of records worldwide and never stopped living their dream: Creating and performing music that touches the hearts of countless people across the globe. 2020 marked the 25th Anniversary of their iconic first single ‘I Believe’ which not only topped the charts; it was the 4th most played song on radio of that year! On this, as well as their other top 40 hits, their message of hope and unity has continued into the next generation.
Stronger than ever, original lead singer/songwriter, Eliot Sloan, along with Brian Lovely, Dan Dorff, David Lessing and Dave Ramos, are going into their 9th year of touring. They released their first Live DVD,’ Blessid Union of Souls Live at Never on Sundays ‘recorded in their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. The stellar musicianship of the band is showcased on every track, including the only live performance of ‘Brother My Brother’ which was featured on Pokemon-The First Movie.
In the course of their career, not only has the band performed in all 50 of these United States several times over, but around the world as well. With appreciation for those who risk their lives every day for our freedom, Blessid Union has had the honor and privilege of performing for U.S. military troops in Germany, Cuba and Africa, as well as Japan, Bahrain and South Korea.
Nothing short of amazing, it’s been a long stretch of road paved with hope and inspired by countless fans, friends and relationships that continue to grow after 25 years. The heart, soul and spirit of this band is still embodied in one simple phrase: Love is the answer. That’s one thing that will never change when it comes to Blessid Union of Souls.​
Blessid Union of Souls is:
Eliot Sloan – Lead Vocals, Piano
Brian Lovely – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Dan Dorff – Drums, Backing Vocals
Dave Ramos – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
David Lessing – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
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A Cinderella Panto
2023-12-23 15:00, 2023-12-22 19:00, 2023-12-22 15:00, 2023-12-17 15:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Presented in partnership with Theater in the Open
Non-Member Adults: $20
Member/Student/Senior: $18
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Come celebrate the holidays with everyone’s favorite soot-stained step-sister, as Cinderella shows her selfish, scroogey step-siblings the true meaning of Christmas, falls in love with a charming prince, and melts a lot of frozen hearts along the way! Cinderella is perhaps the most popular perennial panto across the pond, and we’re proud to present this classic to you at the Firehouse Center for the Arts this December with our own TitO twist! Get ready to cheer the goodies, boo the baddies, sing some carols and sling some snowballs as Theater in the Open and The Firehouse Center for the Arts present Cinderella in December: A Frozen Fairytale Panto!
What does Panto mean? Pantomime (informally, panto)— not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime. Panto is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally performed in the United Kingdom, mostly during Christmas and New Year season.
About Theater in the Open: The mission of Theater in the Open is to transform the magical tradition of storytelling into theater. Using puppetry, pageantry, music, movement, and acting, TITO presents and explores myths, classic literature, original scripts, and modern dramas that reflect the diversity of cultures around us. TITO embraces their audiences and invite the community to create with them from seed to flower, enjoying the beauty of art and nature in an affordable, accessible, and educational manner. TITO develops the talent and range of abilities of their unified company through a disciplined work ethic, fun, and a desire to grow. For more information about Theater in the Open please visit their website at www.theaterintheopen.org
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Renee and the Renegades Holiday Hoedown
2023-12-20 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Non-Member: $15
Member: $12
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Renee and the Renegades return to the Firehouse Center for the Arts – this time with a holiday twist. Combining holiday classics along with Christmas spirituals, this show is sure to leave you feeling cheery and in the holiday spirit.
“Renee Leavitt is the real deal,” said legendary rock n’ roller, Gary U.S. Bonds. Renee starting singing at the age of three and entered her first contest at the age of eight, finishing in 2nd place overall. Leavitt is building upon her fan base through her songwriting abilities, catchy tunes, pure voice, poised stage presence and her “girl next door,” blue eyed, strawberry blonde, country look.
To date, this country sensation has 21 original songs. Her band, Renee and the Renegades, has what fans and their manager call a ‘unique’ sound. There is no one in country music that can scratch an itch for one of their original scores. Her Karen Carpenter like voice mixes Zydeco, Irish Folk, Pop, Rock, and Vintage Country. Some have characterized it as: Americana.
Renee has been played on several radio stations in New England and Ireland, including WKLB Country 102.5, The Bull 101.7, WOKQ 97.5, the River 92.5, North Shore 104.9, WRKO 680, WMEX 1510 and Ireland’s own KFM Radio. Leavitt will soon be heard on PBS, singing the theme song “Friends For Life” for a Children’s Animated Series, called Charlie Horse.
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The Sweetback Sisters Country Christmas
2023-12-19 19:00 | MA
Non-Member: $30
Member: $27
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The Sweetback Sisters are BACK! For the first time since 2019, The Sweetback Sisters will be bringing their Country Christmas Sing Along Spectacular to the Firehouse Center for the Arts and we can’t wait for an evening full of music, trivia, prizes, warm-n-fuzzies, and so.much.more. Don’t miss out on this holiday tradition!
Technically speaking, The Sweetback Sisters come from Brooklyn, but philosophically, they hail from a parallel universe, one where country music history zigged instead of zagged.
“I wouldn’t call us a throwback band,” says Emily Miller. “What we do is look back to the golden era of country music and imagine that the genre took a different evolutionary fork, that the honky-tonk element took over rather than the pop-rock sound you hear everywhere today. I feel like we’re actually a very modern band, just on an alternate timeline.”
It’s been more than 15 years since The Sweetback Sisters first began forging their own sonic universe, and on their new album, ‘King Of Killing Time,’ they push their sound into more adventurous and playful territory than ever before. Centered around the charismatic, airtight harmonies of Emily Miller and Zara Bode, the record’s ten tracks are a mix of infectious originals and unexpected interpretations of everything from George Jones to Gram Parsons. Hints of jazz and ragtime flesh out the Sisters’ unique brand of classic country, as Miller, Bode, and their remarkably versatile band conjure up a singular blend of heart, humor, and virtuosic musicianship.
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