Off The Beaten Path Shorts Block
2022-09-17 11:30 (America/New_York) | The Screening Room, 82 State Street, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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More often than not, life leads us off the narrow paths we thought we’d set for ourselves. These short films take us (and their subjects) to places we can scarcely imagine.
The Beautiful Worlds of David Riley A self-taught artist unlocks a hidden talent in his 40s. As a child, David was exposed to high levels of lead, affecting his physical and mental health. But does his disability also fuel his creativity?
The Traditional Brazilian Family KATU A photographic essay produced in the year 2007 portrayed the indigenous roots of 12 adolescents from remote Brazil. Twelve years later the photographer returns to Katu in search of his subjects.
What Travelers Are Saying About Jornada del Muerto Visitors to the Tularosa Basin of New Mexico, site of the first detonation of an atomic bomb, contribute to the production of public memory by making “the journey of the dead.”
Where Land Ends On a one-by-two-mile island off the coast of Massachusetts, the last student at the last one room school house in Cuttyhunk is graduating. With no more students, the school will close.

Musher
2022-09-17 13:40 | The Screening Room, 82 State Street, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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AT THE SCREENING ROOM
Four women bond with their dogs and the world of sled-dog racing. As they prepare for the annual Copperdog race, we get intimate insight into the mushing community.

The Wake Up Call
2022-09-17 13:40 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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Dave Evans was a renowned prosthetist, humanitarian and peace activist. A double amputee himself, he dedicated his post-military career to transforming lives shattered by our world of never-ending wars.

2022-09-17 15:30 | The Screening Room, 82 State Street, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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Guanglin is a blind boy who displays great skill at the ancient Chinese board game Go. Raised by a single father with limited means, they face deep societal prejudice against the blind.

Free Renty: Lanier v. Harvard
2022-09-17 15:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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Tamara Lanier, an African American woman, wants Harvard University to cede possession of its daguerreotypes of her great-great-great grandfather, an enslaved man named Renty.

Deconstructing Karen
2022-09-17 19:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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RECEPTION AT THE FIREHOUSE BEGINNING AT 6:30PM
A group of nice white ladies gather for provocative dinner conversation about the unwitting ways they’re upholding everyday white supremacy.

I Am Not
2022-09-18 10:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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Oren has Asperger syndrome. As an adopted child, it’s very difficult for him to adapt. Suddenly, his life changes with the help of the camera, which becomes an extraordinary therapy tool.

Paper City
2022-09-18 12:15 | The Screening Room, 82 State Street, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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AT THE SCREENING ROOM
In March 1945, the US launched a massive air raid on Tokyo, unleashing an intense firestorm. Decades later, three elderly survivors race against the clock to preserve some memory of this forgotten tragedy.

Scrap
2022-09-18 12:15 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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Discover the vast and beautiful places where things go to die, and meet the people who collect, restore, and recycle the world’s scrap. This film scratches beneath surfaces to reveal the pathos in the ugliness we leave behind.

Black Lives Matter Shorts Block
2022-09-18 14:00 | The Screening Room, 82 State Street, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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AT THE SCREENING ROOM
Two films that address the ongoing struggle for justice for all. “The Sun Rises in the East” tells the little-known story of The East, an ambitious pan-African cultural collective established in Brooklyn in 1969. “Digging for Life” follows the incredible true story of a Cameroonian man who set out to seek better prospects, only to find himself enslaved in the modern world.
Digging For Life When a young Cameroonian man attempts to pursue the dream of a better life in post-apartheid South Africa, he finds himself trapped as a slave in Angola.
The Sun Rises in the East This powerful film chronicles the birth, rise and legacy of The East, a pan-African cultural organization founded in 1969 by teens and young adults in Brooklyn.

The Jewish Jail Lady and The Holy Thief/Alfredo's Island
2022-09-18 14:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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The Jewish Lady and The Holy Thief
He was a convict turned rabbi. She was a sex-addicted housewife. Together, they saved thousands of lives in recovery.
Alfredo’s Island
Alfredo describes his life on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Shot and produced under the mentorship of Werner Herzog.

Delikado
2022-09-18 16:00 | The Screening Room, 82 State Street, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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AT THE SCREENING ROOM
In an idyllic Philippine tourist destination, forests and wildlife are being destroyed by illegal loggers. A small troop of environmental crusaders risk their lives to catch the culprits in the act.

Wicked New England Shorts Block
2022-09-18 16:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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If you live in our neck of the woods, you know it can get a little kooky here at times. From snowstorms and wild turkeys to the two boys from Needham who spent the summer of 1967 trundling to Montreal to see the World’s Fair – in a cart pulled by their family’s Shetland pony! Only in New England.
Pony Boys Summer, 1967. Two young Massachusetts brothers set off on an improbable journey with their family pet, a Shetland pony named King, to visit the World’s Fair in Montreal.
Snow Money An intimate portrait of an “everday Joe” — a snow plower in Boston who struggles to buy his first home as global warming impacts his business.
Turkey Town After vanishing completely from Massachusetts, the wild turkey was reintroduced fifty years ago. Since then, the population has exploded.

The House We Lived In
2022-09-18 18:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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A young filmmaker chronicles his father’s journey to recover from a traumatic brain injury. As his memories return in the form of dreams, the family struggles to accept this new version of their father.

Storm Surge: 2040 Film
2022-09-28 19:00 | MA
Tickets: Free
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2040 is a hybrid feature documentary that looks to the future, but is vitally important NOW!
Drawing on the best minds from around the world to focus on climate, economics, technology, civil society, agriculture and sustainability, 2040 maps out a pathway for change that can lead us to a more ecologically sustainable and equitable future.
Motivated by his 4-year-old daughter and concern for the planet she will inherit, Damon Gameau embarks on a global journey to meet the innovators and change makers pioneering the best solutions already available to us today to improve the health of our planet and societies. Inspired by these discoveries and guided by the many children he consults with along the way, Damon interweaves dramatic sequences and high-end visual effects to conjure a positive portrait of what ‘could be’ instead of the current dystopian future we are so often presented.
Aimed at a broad audience that includes children and their parents, serious information is delivered with irreverence and humor. Experts are shrunk into scenes to emphasize a point, animation makes the invisible visible and visual effects show how scaling these solutions by 2040 will positively impact our lives and our planet. This rich visual approach combined with the structure of an intimate letter to a daughter from her father allows for lightness and cheekiness, ensuring the film is both entertaining and educational, with the end goal being to inspire action and change.
Many academics believe that people become inactive or paralyzed on this topic because it all just feels too overwhelming and alarming. 2040 is an aspirational film full of hope about the possibility to make changes that will shift the course for humanity and the planet.
This is the narrative the next generation needs to see, to aspire to, and to believe is possible.
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Arthur Miller's The Crucible
2022-09-29 18:00 | MA
$20/General Admission
Rocky Hill Meeting House
4 Old Portsmouth Road
Amesbury, MA
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PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEATER IN THE OPEN
The recipient of the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play, The Crucible is a dark and chilling play studying the events leading up to the 1692 Salem witch trials. Based on true people and events, the story revolves around the accused, the accusing, and their tragic fates as bigotry and fear tear apart a small community.
Join us at Rocky Hill Meeting House in Amesbury for a unique performance of Arthur Miller’s classic.
MEET THE CAST AND ARTISTIC TEAM
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS PRODUCTION
Please plan to park by 5:30 PM. Parking will be in the Sparhawk School parking lot. If that is full, overflow parking will be in the Stop and Shop parking lot which is a five-minute walk to the Rocky Hill Meeting House.
Please plan to arrive at the Meeting House by 5:45 PM. The show will begin outside in front of the Meeting House at 6:00 PM. The audience will then proceed into the Meeting House together.
Please dress warmly, consider bringing a seat cushion, and, if you’d like, your own flashlight. Rocky Hill Meeting House is a historic building and, as such, there is limited lighting, no heat, and the original pews in which you’ll be sitting are wooden.
The show will last approximately three hours including a 15-minute intermission. There will be Port-O-Potties outside the building. Only clear liquids are permitted in this historical venue.
Lastly, please be advised that this play will be presented as originally written which includes strong language and traumatic historical events.

Moonglow
2022-10-06 19:30 | MA
$30/Adults
$28/Student, Senior, Member
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“The Players’ Ring stunning and intimate production of MOONGLOW puts Jack Neary’s soulful, scathingly funny play in the hands of a talented cast who knows and seamlessly inhabits the world of the play. The true voice of 1967 Lowell , MA is resonant in every character.” Gordon Clapp
“MOONGLOW is a beautifully crafted story that is both surprising and touching. Surprising because it is so specific in time and place yet universal; touching, well, it’s funny and romantic and the audience was cheering at the outcome. We’re bringing friends who missed it to see MOONGLOW at the Firehouse.” R.D. Murphy
“Bravo on a brilliant piece of theater. I’ve never been a huge fan of non-musicals but that could be because I hadn’t been lucky enough to see great non-musical theater – this was GREAT non-musical theater. You make a believer out of me yet! Congratulations and I look forward to checking out the next one.” John Moynihan, Executive Director. Firehouse Center for the Arts
The Actors Studio & The Players Ring present
Moonglow by Jack Neary
It’s 1967. Ray Healy is a music teacher and a marching band leader in his parish. At 50, he’s single, he’s highly respected, and he leads a quiet life. Arlene Hodge, 45, assists him with the marching band, and would like to get closer to him. She’s heard a rumor that he had been married years ago, but that’s something he never discusses. As one of his students says, Ray is a “big question mark.” Arlene sets out to answer that question, and when she does, she finds herself embroiled in a dilemma she never thought she’d have the courage to confront. But she believes Ray is worth it. Question is, does Ray believe that himself? Coming off a successful run at The Players Ring this past spring, The Actors Studio is excited to bring this production to Newburyport in collaboration with The Players Ring.
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CAST
Ray | John Budzyna
Dorothy | Ava Valianti
Arlene | Kimberly Holliday
Clancy | Ashley Risteen
Father Hackett | Tom Hickey
Linda | Kerry Quinn

Danny Harrington Quintet with Donna Byrne
2022-10-14 19:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
IN MEMORY OF LES HARRIS, SR.
Tickets:
$20/Non-Members
$18/Members
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Baritone saxophonist, Danny Harrington, was born in Providence, Rhode Island and now lives Newburyport, Massachusetts with his wife, Risa, and daughter, Nina. Danny’s main instrument is the baritone saxophone. When asked about his choice of baritone Danny says….” I never really consciously chose the bari….it was a natural feeling.” His approach to the big horn has been to try to combine the sound of Harry Carney, the lyricism of Serge Chaloff and Gerry Mulligan, the energy and dexterity of Pepper Adams and Nick Brignola with his own individuality and spirit. Danny comments, “It is a life long evolution and dedication”.
Donna Byrne has been invited by none other than Tony Bennett to open several of his shows both in the U.S. and abroad, including a concert at Royal Albert Hall in London. She has appeared on Sunday Open House, has won “Best of Boston Best Jazz Vocals,” and has been nominated multiple times for Boston Music Awards.
Les Harris Jr. is a 1983 graduate of the Berklee College of Music and is currently a faculty member at the University of New Hampshire, the University of Southern Maine, and Phillips Exeter Academy.
Les is the son of retired Berklee College of Music professor and drummer Les Harris Sr. and he began playing the drums at a young age under the tutelage of his father. He was sitting in with jazz greats, Herb Pomeroy, Phil Wilson, John LaPorta, and Teddy Wilson by the time he was 14 and began playing professionally at 15 with Annie Bosteels’ trio.
While attending Berklee, Les studied with Joe Hunt and Robert Kaufman and upon graduation studied with legendary drummer and educator Alan Dawson. From 1983-1996, Les was the drummer with the jazz vocal group, “The Ritz”, appearing on seven recordings and performing worldwide including engagements at The Sea Jazz Festival in Finland, The Blue Note Jazz Clubs in Tokyo, Fukuoka, Jakarta and NYC, The New Morning Club in Paris, The Village Vanguard and the Newport Jazz Festival in Japan.
Les also toured with the Artie Shaw Orchestra,(under the direction of Dick Johnson), saxophonist Scott Hamilton, (including performances at The Subway Club in Cologne and the Montreal Jazz Festival), and worked with Diana Krall’s trio in Boston throughout the early 90’s.
In 2001 he performed with Cheryl Bentyne, of The Manhattan Transfer at Birdland in NYC, The Egg in Albany, NY and Benaroya Hall in Seattle.
Les was a longtime member of the Tommy Gallant Trio, the Paul Broadnax Trio and has played with some of the best known artists in jazz, including Clark Terry, Milt Jackson, Phil Woods, Art Farmer, Annie Ross, Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, Ray Brown, Marian McPartland, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Mark Murphy, Sheila Jordan and Bobby Watson. Les currently performs throughout New England with many of the areas top jazz artists.
Marshall Wood has enjoyed a comprehensive jazz education at the hands of true jazz masters for over 40 years. Some of the performers include: Big Joe Turner, Anita O’Day, Tony Bennett, Joe Pass, Gene Bertoncini, Gray Sargent, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Ruby Braff, Urbie Green, Phil Wilson, George Masso, Al Cohn, Bud Freeman, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Randy Brecker, Tommy Flanaghan, Monty Alexander, John Bunch, Makoto Ozone, Nelson Riddle, Ralph Sharon, Phil Woods, Joe Williams, Dorothy Donegan, Marian McPartland and a host of others. Marshall Wood’s recording credits include CDs with Carol Sloane, Anita O’Day, Scott Hamilton, Dave McKenna, Tommy Flanagan, Bucky Pizzarelli, Michael Moore, George Masso and Donna Byrne. Marshall has been Tony Bennett’s recording and touring bassist since May, 2009. In that time, he has traveled all over the world, appeared in all the major jazz festivals in North America, Europe and Asia and on many major network television shows He also recorded two Grammy-winning records with Tony Bennett and a host of duet partners.

Tim Ray’s wide-ranging skills as a soloist and accompanist have afforded him the opportunity to perform with legendary performers from all walks of music. He is perhaps best known as Tony Bennett’s most recent pianist and musical director, appearing in concerts with him until his retirement from singing in 2020. Featured on over 100 recordings to date, Tim has performed in concert with an extensive list of pop music icons, notably Aretha Franklin, Lyle Lovett, Jane Siberry and Soul Asylum. He regularly performs with leading figures in the jazz world, among them Kurt Elling, Gary Burton, Esperanza Spalding, Phil Woods, Terri Lyne Carrington, Scott Hamilton, Dave Douglas, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, Lewis Nash and Rufus Reid; and his classical credits include solo performances and concerts with Gunther Schuller, the Boston Pops, and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Tim’s busy schedule has included frequent tours throughout the Americas, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and has included performances at Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Kennedy Center and the 1992 Presidential Inauguration. Tim has also performed repeatedly on “The Tonight Show” (Johnny Carson, Jay Leno), “Late Night with David Letterman,” “The Conan O’Brien Show,” “Austin City Limits” and various other national TV and radio broadcasts. His most recent CD as a leader is “Excursions & Adventures”, featuring drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and bassist John Patitucci, released on the Whaling City Sounds label. A sought-after arranger and composer, Tim has penned numerous original works for his trio Tre Corda, for solo piano, big band, string orchestra, and an extensive body of writing for jazz trio and quartet. He is a grant recipient from the National Endowment for the Arts, and is a professor on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music. For more info, visit AgitatedCatMusic.com.
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The Suitcase Junket
2022-10-15 20:00 | MA
w/ special guest Al Olender
Tickets:
$20/non-member
$18/member
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ABOUT THE SUITCASE JUNKET:
Matt Lorenz’s vision, manifest in The Suitcase Junket, developed in the tension between the grand and the solitary. Grand in its imagery, sound, and staging. Solitary in its thrift and self-reliance. What instruments he requires, Lorenz builds from scratch and salvage. What parts five players would perform, he performs alone. The spectacle of his one-man set bears constant comparison to legends of showmanship, brilliance, madness, and invention.
While audiences are captivated by his solitary form and the show itself, Lorenz, who homesteads with rescue dogs and chickens in rural Western Massachusetts, is most serious about the songs. He has been building a catalog, writing a world into existence. Solitary on stage and on the road, his mind is crowded with characters, narratives, voices, imagery, sounds as wide and varied as mountain throat singers and roadhouse juke boxes, plus newsreels of the planet’s destruction and salvage. With this 2020 release, The End is New, Lorenz’s grand vision for the song overrides the how of it.
The End is New is an artist expanding his possibilities, collaborating, matching his lyrical power over eleven tracks with the epic sounds and narratives of his imagination. “Black Holes and Overdoses” riffs off the unrelenting news cycle, the numbness that wants for oblivion. “And Then There Was Fire” finds Lorenz reflecting on current events, inspired by the destructive wildfire in Australia, which seems like three years ago at this point, but took place right at the end of last year and beginning of this year. “Light a Candle” is the simmering doom of lost love. “Can’t Look Away” protests the overuse of a planet. “Jesus! King of the Dinosaurs” is a romp poking fun at extremists and biblical timelines.
ABOUT AL OLENDER:
There’s nothing scarier than being honest with yourself. For singer/songwriter Al Olender, facing her fear of the truth has been a cleansing, often cathartic process that’s led to the kind of revelations she had previously thought unobtainable. On her debut full-length album Easy Crier, the Upstate New York based artist asks: what happens if we vow to never tell a lie, ever again? Charting the daunting territories of staring your demons right in the face and prodding at the ugly parts of your reflection, Olender pieces together her most vulnerable moments to produce a celebratory and beautiful rumination on grief, and reminds us of the power that comes in really getting to know yourself.
Easy Crier isn’t an album about death. It’s an album about unending love. It wipes away the mask we put on for others and instead, embraces the exhale that comes from spilling your guts. It’s the moment in your favorite rom-com when they finally admit their feelings for one another, and kiss in a way that only seems to happen in movies; on Easy Crier, Olender plays both parts. There are moments of ease, and exploring the often fine line between funny and sad that makes Easy Crier a portal for relief, whether that’s through tears of joy or pain. It’s an album that takes each shattered, heartbroken piece and puts them back together to form a strangely beautiful mosaic. “It’s a love letter to everything I’ve lost,” she says. “And forms a real insight into how telling the truth has truly changed my life.” Here, Olender is finally letting herself feel everything all at once, no matter how uncomfortable or scary it can be.
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Roomful of Blues
2022-10-16 19:00 | MA
Tickets:
$30/non-member
$27/member
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Even though Roomful of Blues’ lineup has changed over the years, the band has always been one of the tightest, most joyful blues ensembles in the world. Currently an eight-piece unit led by guitarist Chris Vachon, the band has never sounded fresher or stronger. Singer Phil Pemberton brings his sweet and soulful vocals and adds another bright new dimension to the jazzy, jump-blues musical roots. Thier winning combination of jump, swing, blues, R&B and soul remains their calling card, as does their ability to fill the dance floor. Along with bassist John Turner, trumpeter Carl Gerhard, drummer Mike Coffey, keyboardist Rusty Scott, baritone and tenor saxophonist Alek Razdan, tenor and alto saxophonist Rich Lataille , Roomful keeps on rockin’.
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ABOUT THE BAND MEMBERS
Phil Pemberton – Vocals
As leader of his own bands for the last 20 years, this Massachusetts native has found himself playing to intimate clubs all the way to large festivals, throughout the US, England, France and Canada. In addition, The Philip Pemberton Band was also the 1st Western band to play in the former capital of China, Xi’an on a 2 week tour broadcast to ½ a billion people throughout Asia.
“His voice can ache with tenderness, or rattle the rafters with it’s power…”-Patricia Smith (Pulitzer nominated Journalist) Boston Globe
“This man could sing his way outta Jail…” -Bill Smith
Chris Vachon – Guitar
Chris is a true multi-talent. His prowess as a guitar slinger is well documented, and his strengths as a producer and songwriter grow from album to album. He produced the band’s eight most recent albums—There Goes the Neighborhood (1998), Watch You When You Go (2001), Live at Wolf Trap (2002) the Grammy nominated That’s Right! (2003), and Standing Room Only (2004),
“Raisin’ A Ruckus” (2008), Hook, Line & Sinker (2011) and 45 Live (2013) after co-producing all of Roomful’s other albums recorded in the ’90s. Chris’ songs—such as “Turn It On! Turn It Up!,” “Running Out of Time,” “She’ll Be So Fine,” “Blue, Blue World,” “Dynamite” and “Keep on Rockin'”—have become firm favorites in AAA and blues radio formats, bringing many new fans into the Roomful fold.
John Turner – Upright and Electric Bass
A veteran of the New England jazz scene, bassist John Turner has performed and recorded with just about everybody–specifically the Either/Orchestra,Charlie Kohlhase, Scott Hamilton, Roswell Rudd, Lee Konitz, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, members of Ornette Coleman’s band, and , Magic Dick-Jay Geils and Blues Time to name a few. John’s rock solid bottom is the essential element of the swing groove which Roomful is renowned for.
Rusty Scott – Piano and B3
Rusty Scott has been a fixture on the Boston jazz and blues scene for a number of years now. He began playing piano at the age of eight. His jazz studies began with Burlington jazz musician, Bruce Sklar, while attending the University of Vermont. In 1989 he attended Berklee College of Music. Rusty also plays Hammond B3 organ and in addition to being a member of Roomful of Blues he currently heads up the Rusty Scott Organ Group, playing major venues throughout Boston and New England. Rusty’s solid rhythm, driving piano solos, and howlin’ organ riffs are a first class addition to the “Roomful Tradition”.
Mike Coffey – Drums
From Newport Rhode Island Mike Coffey spent 20 years performing with the US Navy band. Upon retirement he performed with local blues artist Chris Stoval Brown and other well known blues artist in the Boston area. As part of a weekly Jazz series he has performed with Mike Renzi and Grey Sargent both members of Tony Bennett’s band and other renown jazz artist. He also performs with 50s doo wop group”The Diamonds” when they perform in New England. He studied with renown drum instructors Alan Dawson and Gary Chaffee. Known for his versatility and ability to enhance any group he performs with he been a welcome new member of Roomful of Blues
Rich Lataille – Tenor and Alto Sax
Rich joined Roomful in 1970 and was there at the beginning of what has become the most legendary horn section in contemporary blues. It was Rich’s interest in the swinging bands of the ’30s and ’40s that led Roomful to forge the distinctive sound that has become the band’s trademark. A man who can play both sides of the fence, lyrically tender or blisteringly hot, Rich has a big, warm tone that is always jam-packed with feeling. His melodic inventiveness reflects the depth and breadth of his wide-ranging influences. Rich worked with various local and high-school bands before beginning his long-term relationship with Roomful.
Alek Razdan – Baritone and Tenor Sax
Hailing from Rockport, MA, Alek Razdan is truly a lifelong fan of Roomful of Blues, exposed to the band’s LPs from his parents’ record collection since before he could walk. Idolizing the tone, energy, and conviction of saxophone greats such as Illinois Jacquet, Big Jay McNeely, Arnett Cobb, Red Prysock, and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Alek is a perfect fit as the newest member of Roomful’s legendary horn section. Since he began performing at the age of 8, Alek has shared the stage with and/or benefited from the mentorship of Mark Earley, Sax “Gordon” Beadle, Bobby Hebb, Barrence Whitfield, Whoopi Goldberg, Willie “Loco” Alexander, and many others. When not performing with Roomful, Alek can also be found playing in the air-tight horn section of The American
Symphony of Soul, a 9-piece Boston-based funk band, and The A-Train Orchestra, his own blues and jazz group based out of Boston’s North Shore.
Carl Gerhard – Trumpet
Carl “Geerz” Gerhard is a Basking Ridge, New Jersey native. He recently finished a 30-yr career in the U.S. Navy Band, first as a performer, and ultimately, as Director and Conductor. He has led Navy Bands in the United States, Europe and the Far East, performed in over 20 countries, and has also conducted both the Tokyo Symphony and Boston Pops orchestras multiple times. As a trumpeter, he has toured and recorded extensively with the iconic rock band Phish as an original member of The Giant Country Horns.
Laying down his roots now in New England, Carl’s pure melodic style, infectious energy, and love of the blues can be heard every time Roomful of Blues takes the stage!

EVIL DEAD the Musical
2022-10-21 22:00 | MA
$60/SPLASH ZONE (includes FREE EVIL DEAD T-shirt)
$35/members
$40/non-members
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Evil Dead The Musical takes all the elements of the cult classic films, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, and Army of Darkness and combines them for one of the craziest, funniest, and bloodiest theatrical experiences of all time.
Five college students go to an abandoned cabin in the woods, and accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them all into demons. It’s all up to Ash (a housewares employee, turned demon-killing hero), and his trusty chainsaw to save the day. Blood flies. Limbs are dismembered. Demons tell bad jokes… and all to music. The songs in the show are completely off the wall as well. Titles like “All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons” and “What the F**k was That?” has had audiences rolling in their seats, and screaming for more and more blood.

You don’t need to be a fan of Evil Dead to love this show. You don’t need to be a fan of horror to love this show. You don’t even need to be a fan of musicals to love this show. As long as you like having fun… this show is for you.

Is it scary? No! Is it gory? No. This is a pure comedy start to finish. It has fun with the horror genre, and in doing so appeals to a wider audience than you could ever imagine. Plus it’s the only show with a “Splatter Zone” – a section of the audience that gets covered in fake blood. And with this combination of blood, jokes, cheesy effects, and really awesome musical numbers, Evil Dead The Musical is unlike any live show you’ve ever seen.
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Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium (in concert)
2022-10-28 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Tickets:
$20/Non-Members
$17/Members
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Brooke and Zeke are thrilled to be starring in a mysterious show called The Phantom, and not the least bit frightened by the old legend that the play is cursed. But when strange, spooky messages
start appearing, and a masked menace starts disrupting rehearsals, they begin to wonder: what if there really is a ghost haunting their school, determined to stop the show?! Prepare to get goosebumps as they race to solve the mystery in this thrilling—and chilling—new musical, based on the classic series by R.L. Stine.
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The Three Little Pigs
2022-10-29 11:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Tickets:
$15/$10 Non-Member
$12/$8 Member
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From Stiles and Drewe, the award-winning musical team behind Honk! and Broadway’s Mary Poppins, comes The Three Little Pigs, a “very curly musical tail” that is perfect for the whole family! This new version of the classic story is full of catchy songs, clever rhymes and silly charm, but also has some very smart things to say about home and family.
When the pigpen starts to look like a real sty, Mama says it’s time to leave and build something new. Help Cha, Siu and Bao watch for wolves while they use hay, sticks and bricks to make it in a big, bad world.
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Second Act Readers Theatre present OLD LOVE
2022-10-29 15:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$5/All Seats
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30 years ago, Bud was enchanted by a woman who happened to be the wife of his boss. What better time for him to pursue his old infatuation than at the boss’s recent funeral. Old Love takes you on a giddy romp across the decades of Bud and Molly’s separate by equally unhappy marriages and into the sweet possibility of finding love long after you thought it possible.
Directed by Charles Van Eman
Featuring:
Molly – Mariantonia Boulay, Robin Chase, Lenora Salvucci, Maureen Daley
Bud – Allan Haley
Young Molly – Candie Benjamin, Sharon Curtis Phelan, Bette Lischke
Young Bud – Roger Burgess
Kitty – Robin Hosking, Deborah Baker
Arthur & Arthur Jr. – Jeffrey Cousminer
Kendra – Robin Hosking
Sandra – Lenora Salvucci
Delores – Sharon Curtis Phelan
Claire – Robin Hosking
Shirley – Candie Benjamin
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Carrie the Musical (in concert)
2022-10-29 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Tickets:
$20/Non-Member
$17/Member
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Carrie White is a teenage outcast who longs to fit in. At school, she’s bullied by the popular crowd, and virtually invisible to everyone else. At home, she’s dominated by her loving but cruelly controlling mother. What none of them know is that Carrie’s just discovered she’s got a special power, and if pushed too far, she’s not afraid to use it.
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
2022-11-04 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$30/Member
$33/Non-Member
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Recipient of the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play
A play by Simon Stephens
Based on the novel by Mark Haddon
Directed by Brooke Snow
15-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain: He is exceptional at mathematics but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. Now it is 7 minutes after midnight, and Christopher stands beside his neighbor’s dead dog, Wellington, who has been speared with a garden fork. Finding himself under suspicion, Christopher is determined to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington, and he carefully records each fact of the crime. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a thrilling journey that upturns his world.
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Joppa Dance Company presents Nutcrackah!
2022-12-02 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$15/$12 Adults
$12/$10 Students
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Joppa Dance Company returns to the Firehouse with its original holiday production, NUTCRACKAH! Joppa’s newest Nutcracker alternative has a Boston twist: Evil rats are NY Yankees, and our cast of characters tour the likes of the Boston Aquarium and Frog Pond, among other beloved sites. This fun and energetic production is full of festive music and dancing that will entertain the whole family! Running time: Approximately 1 hour, no intermission.
Joppa Dance Company is a non-profit 501c3 youth dance troupe founded in 1982, and based at The Dance Place in Newburyport. Joppa performs locally throughout the year, and also internationally with Performing Arts Educators. The company has had the pleasure or traveling and performing in Scotland, Spain, Italy and Greece. Joppa is made up of three age levels: Joppa Junior, grades 4-6; Joppa 2, grades 7 & 8; Joppa T2/Teen, grades 9-12.
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Through the Wardrobe: A Winter Wonderland Panto!
2022-12-09 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Tickets: $18/Non-Member Adults
$14/Members, Students, and Seniors
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Edward Speck and Joshua Shack bring back a favorite Theater in the Open holiday panto, Through the Wardrobe! Fauns and turkish delight and pies-in-the-face return to the Firehouse Center for the Arts! Why? Because it’s panto time silly! Will our heroes survive their adventures in the wardrobe? Will good triumph over evil? Will someone throw balled-up socks at you? Yes, yes, and DEFINITELY.
See you for another holiday panto this December!

Audience members of Theater in the Open’s “Through the Wardrobe Panto” are encouraged to bring toiletries, canned soups, and other non-perishable items along to the performance; you can even come up on stage to make your donation to The Pettengill House in Salisbury!
Here are some suggested “Most Needed” items for the food pantry that are frequently in short supply:
* Children’s healthy snacks – Some examples include Nutri-bars, kid’s fruit snacks, kid’s healthy fruit cups, granola breakfast bars, etc.
* Another category families are always in need of are toiletries, all the personal care items we take for granted such as toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, body wash, shampoo, deodorant, etc.
*The Pettengill House serves so many families with small children, diapers are always a big need (especially the larger sizes 4, 5, 6 and pull-ups) along with baby wipes. Some other items include facial tissue, paper towels, laundry soap, dish soap, plastic utensils, paper plates, cups, can openers.

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Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play
2022-12-09 19:00 | MA
$40 Adult
$35 Student/Senior
THIS SHOW WILL BE PERFORMED AT:
Andover Center for History and Culture
97 Main Street
Andover, MA 01810
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We are thrilled to be returning to Andover for our second year and to be presenting MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET: A LIVE MUSICAL RADIO PLAY.
When a department store Santa claims he’s the real Kris Kringle, his case gets taken all the way to the Supreme Court, and a little girl’s belief makes the difference in the ‘miracle.’ With live Foley effects and a score of holiday carols, Miracle on 34th Street is a beloved musical that will melt even the most cynical of hearts.
Directed by Taryn Herman
Music Directed by Breanne Battey
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An Evening with Tom Rush
2022-12-14 19:00 | MA
$50/non-members
$45/members
Accompanied by Seth Glier
with special guest Monica Rizzio
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Tom Rush – Now celebrating 54+ years of touring, Tom has been thrilling audiences here and abroad with hits like No Regrets, Circle Game, Remember Song, Urge for Going and Merrimack County.
Tom 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, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty and Garth Brooks have cited Tom as major influences. His early recordings introduced the world to the work of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor. Subsequently, his Club 47 concerts brought attention to artists such as Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin.
As vital and engaging as ever, Tom is still doing what audiences love him for: writing and playing …passionately, tenderly…knitting together the musical traditions and talents of our times. He’s also celebrating a YouTube hit, The Remember Song, for his generation that’s gone viral with over 7 million views.
Grammy-nominated Seth Glier is a singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. NPR describes his voice as “otherworldly” while praising him as “an engaging performer and storyteller.” His critically acclaimed, emotionally dense catalog of work often draws upon traditional roots music, experimental instrumentation, and moody atmospheres that result in soulfully intelligent stories that can alternatively fight the power or break your heart.

Americana singer-songwriter Monica Rizzio has a keen ability to connect; her songs are often autobiographical, yet delivered through a fictional approach that creates a universal experience. Monica was nominated for a 2022 Boston Music Award and winner of the Grassy Hill CT Songwriting Competition. Aside from writing and performing she has a deep passion as an educator. She opened up WASHASHORE MUSIC in 2021, a private music instructional studio for all ages specializing in songwriting, piano, fiddle, ukulele, voice, guitar and artist development in Orleans, MA.

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