Methuen Ballet Ensemble Presents Cinderella
2020-04-19 15:00 (America/New_York) | MA
Purchase Tickets

The Methuen Ballet Ensemble returns to the Firehouse stage to present its rendition of Cinderella. The ballet follows the story of Cinderella, a young maiden, forced by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters to live as a servant in her own home. When the prince announces that there will be a grand ball at the castle, Cinderella begs her stepmother that she be allowed to attend but her stepmother refuses. Cinderella’s dreams of attending the ball are interrupted when an old beggar woman arrives at their door. Her stepmother cruelly sends her away, but Cinderella, shows her kindness and offers her food.

Soon after her family leaves for the ball, the beggar woman returns and reveals herself as Cinderella’s godmother. As a reward for her kindness, she calls upon the Fairies of the Four Seasons, to bestow gifts to Cinderella. With the help of her godmother, she prepares for the ball but is warned that she must leave the ball before midnight, as the magic will not last! Will Cinderella finally meet her prince and live happily ever after? Or will the stepsisters’ efforts to woo the prince prevail?

The production features Cinderella’s magical pumpkin coach, glass slippers, mice that transform into horses, a glowing fireplace, gorgeous costumes, and colorful sets. This production is truly one for all ages!

The Methuen Ballet Ensemble is an established local ballet company under the artistic direction of Vanessa Rae Voter. Principal roles are performed by members of Methuen Ballet Ensemble, whose experience totals over 150 years of classical ballet training under Ms. Voter’s tutelage. All student and children roles are performed by students of Voter’s School of Dance in Salem, NH.
Tickets $25

History of the Methuen Ballet Ensemble:

Vanessa Rae Voter founded Methuen Ballet Ensemble in 1989 as a platform for promising students to showcase their talents, performing both classical and modern ballets for the public. Her inspiration came from her years as a dancer with Boston Ballet. During the audition process for The Nutcracker, those children not cast in roles touched her, by their disappointment and tears. She vowed that someday she would have a company of her own, where every child who auditioned would be guaranteed a part. She realized her dream and has been successfully staging The Nutcracker for over 20 years, never having rejected an auditioning dancer.
About Vanessa Rae Voter:
Vanessa Rae Voter is Artistic Director and Choreographer for Methuen Ballet Ensemble, a semi-professional ballet company. She is also Director of the Classical Ballet program at Voter’s School of Dance, founded by her mother, Pam Voter, in 1951.
Ms. Voter attended The Boston Conservatory. In addition to dancing with Boston Ballet, she also performed with Ballet Dance Theatre of Boston. Her extensive training includes instruction from Marina Svetlova, Madame Sulamith Messerer (former Prima Ballerina and teacher with the Bolshoi Ballet), E. Virginia Williams, Violette Verdy, Robert Pierce, and David Howard. She has been a guest teacher for Dance Teachers Club of Boston and Dance Teachers Club of Brockton, as well as serving on judge’s panels in both Boston and Brockton. She is a member of Dance Teachers Club of Boston and National Council of America and a member of Dance Masters of America.
In addition to teaching classical ballet on a full-time basis, Ms. Voter has also choreographed all ballets performed by Methuen Ballet Ensemble. Included in her portfolio are: Swan Lake, Peter and the Wolf, Peter Pan, Snow White, The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, The Fisherman & The Maiden, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Coppellia, The Magic Flute, Petrushka, La Petite Fantastique, and The Nutcracker.
Visit Methuen Ballet Ensemble online at:
methuenballetensemble.com

Alisa Amador
2020-04-18 19:30
Purchase Tickets

It was in green rooms, living room rehearsals, and cramped mini vans that Alisa Amador received her first musical education, singing backup vocals since the age of five for her parents’ Latin band, Sol y Canto. But, how did Alisa’s sound grow into the Latin- Jazz- Soul and Blues-influenced folk rock that it is today? Start with years of jazz study, solo performance, and training in vocal harmony and improvisation, and add a life-changing trip to Buenos Aires. Alisa returned from Argentina with a renewed belief in the power of music to break down social, political, and emotional barriers and create a space where everyone belongs. From sold out shows at Club Passim in Harvard Square to a packed house at WBUR CitySpace in Boston, Alisa now brings her special blend of rock, jazz, and Latin-influenced blues to the Firehouse!
Tickets $25 (*Firehouse Members get 10% off!)

Sweet Baby James: An Intimate Evening of James Taylor Music
2020-04-17 20:00
Purchase Tickets

Get ready for an intimate evening of JT’s greatest hits & gems played acoustically just for you in this unique and historic venue. Nashville’s Bill Griese (aka “Sweet Baby James”) sounds so much like James vocally, and plays his signature guitar style so closely and convincingly, there are times you’ll close your eyes and swear you’re listening the legend himself. Come hear your favorite hits, like Fire & Rain, You’ve Got a Friend, Handyman, Shower the People, and of course Sweet Baby James… and be ready to enjoy some great deep cuts as well. Come see why audiences continuously say things like: “The next best thing to seeing James himself,” “It’s like having James Taylor in your living room,” and “If you are a James Taylor fan, you must see Sweet Baby James!”
Tickets $20 (*Firehouse Members get 10% off!)

John Gorka
2020-04-16 19:00
Purchase Tickets

From New Jersey, John Gorka is a world-renowned singer-songwriter who got his start at a neighborhood coffeehouse in eastern Pennsylvania. His rich multifaceted songs full of depth, beauty and emotion gained attention from critics and audiences across the country, as well as in Europe . In addition to his 11 critically acclaimed albums, many well known artists have recorded and/or performed John Gorka songs, including Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Mary Black and Maura O’Connell. John has graced the stage of Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage, etown and has appeared on CNN. His new song “Where No Monuments Stand” is featured in the upcoming documentary Every War Has Two Losers, about activist and Oregon Poet Laureate William Stafford (1914-1993).

Tickets $28 in advance/$33 day of show

Acting Out! presents: James and the Giant Peach
2020-04-11 19:00, 2020-04-11 15:00, 2020-04-10 19:00, 2020-04-10 16:00
Purchase Tickets

From the book by Roald Dahl. Dramatized by Richard R. George.
Directed by John Budzyna, Assistant Director Deirdre Budzyna
Fri. April 10, 4pm & 7pm
Sat. April 11, 3pm & 7pm
A magical peach! An imprisoned boy! Insect friends! An incredible journey! This amazing adventure of James Henry Trotter will fulfill the fantasy of anyone who has ever dreamed of escape. Roald Dahl’s story comes hilariously to life in this delightful dramatization that reveals the wickedness of some, the goodness of others, and the indecision encountered by many when they are faced with crises. Join James, Old-Green Grasshopper, Silkworm, Centipede, Spider, Lady Bug and Earthworm as they take us on an amazing journey in a Giant Peach. You will also meet James’ mean Aunt Spiker (played by Anne Easter Smith) and cruel Aunt Sponge (played by Maureen Daley) come to a suitably sticky end. There are two casts of student actors so be sure to choose the correct show if you are fan of a particular performer!
Cast A (performing Fri. April 10th at 7pm and Saturday April 11th at 3pm)
Maureen Daley, Anne Easter Smith, Dan Dehner, Oliver Dehner Steph Dehner, Alexa Warhol, Kairi Bohanan, Melina Bohanan, Lila Sumner, , Leo Oakes, Lori McIntosh, Michael LeBlanc, Kaitlyn Foster, Jack Ames, Ruby Wallace, Amelia Wallace, Aria Slocum, Annie Kate Ames, Courtney Metzdorf, Molly Wellehan and Ellie Jimenez.
Cast B (performing Fri. April 10th at 4pm and Saturday April 11th at 7pm)
Maureen Daley, Anne Easter Smith, Steph Dehner, Dan Dehner, Emmy Kmiec, Sydney McIntosh, Chloe Davis, , Owen Donahue, Lori McIntosh, Calliope Herrera, Kathryn Langille, Isabella Silva, Noelle Gerth, Lilly Cantone, Xela Herrera, Atticus Lawler, Claire Seese, Max Donahue, Ava Roy-Arsenault, Lucy Donahue, Phoebe Coffey and Sarah Day

Acting Out! presents: Rumplestiltskin
2020-04-11 11:00, 2020-04-09 19:00
Purchase Tickets

Story by The Brothers Grimm, Adapted by Jack Neary
Directed by Jack Neary, Assistant Director Deirdre Budzyna
Thursday, April 9, 7pm
Saturday, April 11, 11am
RUMPELSTILTSKIN, one of the greatest of all the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, comes to life in this brand new adaptation written by Jack Neary exclusively for the talented young actors in the Acting Out Productions company. In the classic story, the King has learned that the Miller, one of his subjects, has not paid his taxes. The Miller, frightened beyond measure when challenged to pay or else, promises the King that his sister Eliza can spin straw into gold. When the Miller thoughtlessly leaves Eliza at the palace to accomplish the impossible, she encounters a mysterious little man who spins the straw into gold for her—at a price. The little man wants Eliza to give him her first-born child! With nowhere else to turn for help, she agrees. Time passes. The little man comes back to claim his prize, and Eliza must find a way to thwart him and keep her beautiful baby boy. It’s an exciting story with a surprise ending, and, rest assured, there will be plenty of laughs along the way, believe it or not. Audiences who have enjoyed Jack Neary’s adaptations of THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, SLEEPING BEAUTY, CHICKEN LITTLE, THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE, LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD and many others will absolutely love RUMPELSTILTSKIN!
The Cast for both performances:
RUMPLESTLTSKIN WILL HOPWOOD
THE KING SAM BELL
ELIZA OLIVIA GUSTAFSON
WENCH HANNA GUSTAFSON
MILLER LINCOLN BOHANAN
PRIME MINISTER CARMELLA MAESTRANGELO
MR. IMPERIOUS DESHAWN STANDARD
SCHWARZNEGGER (the trainer) CATHERINE MELNICK
CHOLESTEROL (the cook) SHELBY FISHER
CLARKSON (the vocal coach) SAMI LEARY
DITSY MIA MCKAY
STREEP (the acting coach) AUDREY SISTO
TWITCH JARED NEWMAN
STITCH AVA VALIANTI
HENRIETTA BROOKE LAWTON

From Stage IV To Center Stage
2020-04-04 14:00
Purchase Tickets

The documentary, FROM STAGE IV TO CENTER STAGE, is based on the book of the same name authored by Denise DeSimone.
In 2005 Denise was given possibly 90 days to live because of a stage IV diagnosis of head and neck cancer. Doctors warned if she lived she may never be able to sing again.

This is the story of Denise’s inward journey from stage IV throat and neck cancer to singing the National Anthem at Fenway Park just 22 months after diagnosis as part of the Pan Mass Challenge.

This isn’t a story about how sick she got, this is the story of how she realized, curing was the work of the doctors and healing herself from the inside out was the work of her soul.

This story will inspire and motivate everyone, not just those touched by cancer.

Purchase Tickets

The Jon Stetson Experience
2020-04-03 20:00
A five-time Whitehouse Performer and the inspiration for the CBS TV Show “The Mentalist”!
Purchase Tickets

There is simply NO other audience interactive performer like Jon Stetson. Known across the globe as America’s Master Mentalist, Jon knows what you’re thinking. No he really does! What is The Stetson Experience? A truly mind-blowing, crowd pleasing, audience interactive mix of magic, mind reading, and amazing mystery all packaged together and delivered by an engaging and very funny comedic personality.
President Bush, President Carter, The King of Sweden, Bob Kraft & the New England Patriots, Fortune 1000 organizations, associations and celebrity audiences have experienced Jon Stetson worldwide.
Tickets $20 (*Firehouse Members get 10% off!)

Toxic Beauty
2020-04-01 19:00
Purchase Tickets

All Tickets: $10
Toxic Beauty reveals the truth about harmful health consequences of chemicals found in everyday cosmetic and beauty products, the huge corporations that knowingly use them and the lack of governmental regulations to protect consumers. Toxic Beauty is a documentary feature that follows the class action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and the plaintiffs; women fighting for justice in a race against time.
Following the film, there will be a reception at Face Food Natural Beauty Market & Spa at 8 Market square with 15% off shopping!
Purchase Tickets

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
2020-03-29, 2020-03-28, 2020-03-27, 2020-03-26, 2020-03-22, 2020-03-21, 2020-03-20, 2020-03-19 and 4 more dates
Please note: performances March 13 – 15 have been cancelled.
Firehouse Center for the Arts 2019-2020 Mainstage Production. In partnership with Seven Stages Shakespeare Company.
Tickets: $25
*Firehouse members receive a 10% discount
Purchase Tickets

Tom Stoppard’s Tony Award-winning Best Play imagines the lives of two minor characters from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. As the story unfolds, they voice their confusion about the play that’s being performed without them, untangling bigger questions about life and death, reality and art. Written by Academy Award and four-time Best Play Tony Award winner Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love, The Real Thing, and Arcadia), and directed by Seven Stages Shakespeare Company’s Co-Founder & Artistic Director Dan Beaulieu.
Purchase Tickets

Interested in seeing all the Firehouse Mainstage shows? Purchase a package here:
Purchase Package

NORTHSHORE PHOTOGRAPHY LECTURE SERIES: A Wing and a Care
2020-03-25 19:00 - 20:30
Purchase Tickets

Lecture by Shawn Carey followed by Q&A
Co-sponsored by Sweethaven Gallery and Firehouse Center for the Arts
Adults ($10), Students ($5) Plus $2 processing charge.
Snowy Owls, Atlantic Puffins, and American Kestrels are connected by more than simply a resemblance of form or function. A crucial thread ties them together: each one has an advocate committed to protecting it and educating others about its plight. Migration Productions’ latest work, “A Wing And A Care,” opens a window onto the lives of these three birds, and introduces you to the men dedicated to their preservation and survival.
“A Wing And A Care” follows the stories of these three men as they work to protect the birds they love, and shows how a single individual can make a world of difference in the life of a bird. And it asks a critical question: how can each one of us get involved and help build a better future for these incredible birds?

Shawn Carey
Originally from Pennsylvania, Shawn moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1986 and has been photographing birds and other wildlife for over 20 years. He’s been teaching wildlife photography for Mass Audubon for the past 18 years. He’s on the board of directors for Eastern Mass HawkWatch where he serves as their Vice President. He’s also on the advisory board for the Massachusetts Audubon Society and Mass Audubon Museum of American Bird Art. He is past board member for the Brookline Bird Club and past council member for the Nuttall Ornithological Club. Shawn co-founded Migration Productions in 1996 with Jim Grady and the two have produced all its productions. Shawn also provides almost all digital photography used in their productions. “I LOVE the natural world; if it walks, crawls, flies, swims or slithers…I’ll photograph it!”
Purchase Tickets

ShakesBEERience NBPT: Hamlet
2020-03-16 18:30
Regrettably, ShakesBEERience NBPT: Hamlet has been postponed to support efforts to reduce the Coronavirus spread. We hope to hold this event in the coming weeks pending the status of COVID-19 and the best interests of the public health. As soon as we have more information, we’ll post it here and on our website!
——-
Get Your Free Ticket

For one night only, Firehouse Center for the Arts is partnering with Seven Stages Shakespeare Company (7SSC) to bring their ultra-popular ShakesBEERience series to Newburyport! This FREE FOR ALL, Or Pay What You Will event will offer audience members the opportunity to experience Shakespeare’s Hamlet at Sea Level Oyster Bar on Monday, March 16 at 6:30PM. ShakesBEERience is 7SSC’s play reading program, now in its 8th Season. Using the vernacular of the bar, with script in one hand and libation in the other, actors navigate their way through Shakespeare’s plays while audiences are free to order dinner or drinks as the play happens around them. The goal is to unpack the language in a fun, unique and accessible way in an easy-going, and entertaining environment.

This event is timed during the run of the full production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at the Firehouse. Since the characters in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead are all from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, this ShakesBEERience event will offer audiences the real treat of seeing the same cast in both the full production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at the Firehouse, and the ShakesBEERience Hamlet event at Sea Level Oyster Bar.

This event is FREE FOR ALL, Or Pay What You Will (except, of course for the delish food & drinks from Sea Level Oyster Bar!) Whether you come for the whole reading, or can just stay for one scene- the ShakesBEERience you have is up to you!

Reserve your free ticket to attend, and we hope to see you on March 16th!

Get Your Free Ticket

Pete Robbins Quintet
2020-03-06 20:00
Purchase Tickets

Newburyport resident and Massachusetts native Pete Robbins, an “industrious and venturesome alto saxophonist” (New York Times) leads his “ambitious ensemble that combines [jazz] with the melodic punch of rock” (New York Times) at his hometown venue, The Firehouse Center, for the first time on March 6, 2020. According to The Village Voice: “several of Robbins‘ tunes are flag-wavers, teeming with broad, catchy melodies…As a horn player, Robbins has a liquid timbre that can remind you just how pretty modern jazz can be.” Robbins will be accompanied by Downbeat magazine “Rising Star Saxophonist” and Boston-area resident Noah Preminger on tenor saxophone, New England Conservatory graduate Max Light on guitar, Bar Harbor native Kim Cass on bass, and one of The New York Times “Five Jazz Drummers To Watch” Dan Weiss on percussion.

Cold Spring Harbor
2020-03-05 19:00
Purchase Tickets

Cold Spring Harbor is a Billy Joel tribute band consisting of eight fantastic musicians, and great friends, from the North Shore Greater Boston area: Benjamin Eramo, Lead Singer/Pianist; Josh Heselton, Drummer; Andrew Pesaturo, Lead Guitarist; Jake Smith, Guitarist; Matthew Kelly, Aux. Keyboardist; Rob Macy, Bassist, Sean Godbout, Percussion; and a rotating saxophonist.
At any Cold Spring Harbor show, you can count on sold out performances with the crowd singing along and enjoying every second of their favorite timeless Billy Joel songs.
