Firehouse

A Comedy Concoction
2024-08-19 19:00 (America/New_York) | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$20/Adults
$18/Students (and anyone with white hair)
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“Comedy is defiance. It is a snort of contempt in the face of fear and anxiety. It is the laughter that allows the hope to creep back in.” Will Durst
“Comedy is like catching lightning in a bottle, laughter an instant vacation” Mel Brooks
Join us and revel in a night of comedy with some local daredevils who are new to the stage!. “Dying is easy. Comedy is hard” It genuinely takes a daring person to try this. The show is a fast paced, full of surprises, stand up comedy show loaded with more comedians than you will see in one night anyplace else!
Produced and hosted by Newburyport award winning townie Kathy Isbell.
Come for the catharsis of comedy!
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An Evening with John Gorka
2024-08-28 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$35/Members
$40/Non-Members
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From New Jersey, John Gorka is a world-renowned singer-songwriter who got his start at a neighborhood coffeehouse in eastern Pennsylvania. Though small, Godfrey Daniels was and is one of the oldest and most venerable music institutions and has long been a hangout for music lovers and aspiring musicians. In the late 1970’s, John was was one of these aspiring musicians. Although his academic coursework at Moravian College lay in Philosophy and History, music began to offer paramount enticements. Soon he found himself living in the club’s basement and acting as resident MC and sound man, encountering legendary folk troubadours like Canadian singer-songwriter Stan Rogers, Eric Andersen, Tom Paxton and Claudia Schmidt. Their brand of folk-inspired acoustic music inspired him, and before long he was performing his own songs – mostly as an opener for visiting acts. Soon he started traveling to New York City, where Jack Hardy’s legendary Fast Folk circle (a breeding ground for many a major singer-songwriter) became a powerful source of education and encouragement. Folk meccas like Texas’ Kerrville Folk Festival (where he won the New Folk Award in 1984) and Boston followed, and his stunningly soulful baritone voice and original songwriting began turning heads. Those who had at one time inspired him – Suzanne Vega, Bill Morrissey, Nanci Griffith, Christine Lavin, Shawn Colvin – had become his peers.
In 1987, the young Minnesota-based Red House Records caught wind of John’s talents and released his first album, I Know, to popular and critical acclaim. With unusual drive and focus, John hit the ground running and, when an offer came from Windham Hill’s Will Ackerman in 1989, he signed with that label’s imprint, High Street Records. He proceeded to record five albums with High Street over the next seven years: Land of the Bottom Line, Jack’s Crows, Temporary Road, Out of the Valley and Between Five and Seven. His albums and his touring (over 150 nights a year at times) brought new accolades for his craft. His rich multifaceted songs full of depth, beauty and emotion gained increasing attention from critics and audiences across the country, as well as in Europe where his tours led him through Italy, Belgium, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Switzerland and Germany. He also started sharing tours with many notable friends—Nanci Griffith and Mary Chapin Carpenter among them. All this brought his music to an ever-widening audience. His video for the single “When She Kisses Me” found a long-term rotation on VH-1’s “Current Country,” as well as on CMT and the Nashville Network.
In 1998, after five successful recordings and seven years at Windham Hill/High Street, John felt the need for a change and decided to return to his musical roots at Red House Records. The choice was driven, in part, by the artistic integrity that the label represents in an industry where the business of music too often takes precedence. The 1998 release After Yesterday marked a decidedly different attitude towards making music for John, and his next release The Company You Keep held fast to his tradition of fine songwriting, yet moved forward down new avenues. Its fourteen songs displays John’s creative use of lyrics and attention to detail. Andy Stochansky played drums and shared production credits with John and Rob Genadek. Ani DiFranco, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lucy Kaplansky and Patty Larkin contributed stellar guitar work and vocals to this fan favorite. Old Futures Gone was informed by his life as husband and father of two young children and also contained the colorful experience of many hard years on the road. Writing in the Margins followed in 2006 and was an engaging collection of sweet and serious songs that spanned many musical genres—folk, pop, country and soul—and featured guest vocalists Nanci Griffith, Lucy Kaplansky and Alice Peacock. Now with this, his 11th studio album, he returns to his roots with So Dark You See, his most compelling and traditional album to date.
In addition to his 11 critically acclaimed albums, John released a collector’s edition box featuring a hi-definition DVD and companion CD called The Gypsy Life. Windham Hill also released a collection of John’s greatest hits from the label called Pure John Gorka. In 2010, he also released an album with his friends and Red House label-mates Lucy Kaplansky and Eliza Gilkyson under the name Red Horse. Getting high praise from critics and fans alike, it landed on the Billboard Folk Charts and was one of the most played albums on folk radio.
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).
John Gorka lives in Minnesota and when not on the road, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children. He continues to tour, playing festivals, theaters and clubs all over North America and Europe.
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Big Yellow Taxi
2024-08-30 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
New England’s Premier Joni Mitchell Tribute Band
$22/Members
$25/Non-Members
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Big Yellow Taxi was created to explore Joni’s amazing music from it’s early folk roots, to her pop masterpieces to her jazz influenced compositions, Big Yellow Taxi brings Joni’s music alive.
The band features the expressive and soaring voice of Teresa Lorenço. Teresa’s vocals pays homage to Joni’s sweet, husky, and bell-like voice delivering an emotional journey through Joni’s expansive catalog.​
The mission of the band is to present a show that immerses the audience in an intimate journey through many of Joni’s best loved and most powerful songs: a performance beyond mere imitation, to delve into Joni’s musical intensity and genius, to leave audiences entertained, moved and elated.
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Comedy Night at the Firehouse
2024-09-06 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$20/All Tickets
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Take a load off and join us 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 Brian Glowacki along with Jack Lynch and David Lamb.

Brian Glowacki became the first independent, regional comedian to headline the historic Wilbur Theatre in Boston MA. He received “Best of Fest” honors at Burbank Comedy Festival, Big Pine Comedy Festival and San Diego Comedy Festival. As well as headlining regional clubs Glowacki has performed on the Funny or Die “Oddball Comedy and Curiosity Festival”.

Jack Lynch has performed at all the major Boston venues as well as The Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, The Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, The Improv in Miami Beach, The Punchline in Atlanta, Georgia, the Comedy Works in Montreal, Canada, as well as many colleges up and down the East Coast. Lynch has been seen on Comedy Central.

Dave Lamb has been performing stand-up comedy for 10 years sharing the stage with some of the best in the business including Lenny Clarke, Steve Sweeney and more. A full-time teacher, Lamb is a regular in theaters, and top comedy venues such as the Tupelo Music Hall, the Spire Center for the Arts, and more.

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The Suitcase Junket
2024-09-07 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$18/Members
$20/Non-Members
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“A master of musical imagination” NPR World Cafe
“The overall sound lands somewhere between the Avett Brothers and early, dirty Black Keys. There is a Tom Waits vibe in the fuzzy megaphone reverb mic, and something ancient, near tribal, in his whistles and moans” The Boston Globe
The Suitcase Junket is multi instrumentalist Matthew Lorenz. 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 his 2020 release, The End is New, Lorenzs grand vision for the song overrides the how of it. The End is New is Lorenz’s sixth full length album as The Suitcase Junket, his first for Renew Records/BMG.
The End is New was produced by trusted friend, producer Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, who produced The Suitcase Junket’s acclaimed 2018 release, Mean Dog Trampoline. “I told Steve I wanted to make a doom folk record,” says Lorenz. “That is what I had started calling my music when people asked. He was game. Neither of us knew quite what that meant at the time, but I think we found out with The End is New. There is a heavy mix of hope and desperation in the sound and lyrically I was trying to be a mirror to society using truth, myth, confessions and stories.”
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YellowHouse Blues Band
2024-09-11 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$22/Member
$25/Non-Member
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The YellowHouse Blues Band is a 9-piece, high energy band with horns and multiple vocalists. They’re known for putting their own take on popular songs and playing benefit concerts for causes we believe in, selling out venues all over New England.
Rooted in their love of the blues, they bring a fresh, fun approach to a variety of songs, from classics to the modern day. Their extensive song list encompasses material from Blues legends like Howlin’ Wolf and BB King, to Motown stars like Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, and to modern day artists such as Eric Gales, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Gary Clark, Jr.
For their fundraising efforts, they focus on organizations that serve at-risk youth, and support access to music education. To date, they’ve raised over $150,000 for non-profits in our community.
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Synchronized Living
2024-09-12 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$30 ALL TICKETS
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Proceeds to benefit the work and mission of Turning Point, Inc. and Firehouse Center for the Arts
Join Charles Shaughnessy (The Nanny, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Mad Men) and his wife, Susan (Trading Places, Star Trek-The Next Generation), as they share personal – and often times humorous – stories about their lives, careers, and marriage in Hollywood. Presented by THE GERAGHTY GROUP AT MORGAN STANLEY, this special one night event will benefit two local non-profits: Turning Point, Inc. and Firehouse Center for the Arts.
TURNING POINT, INC. is committed to providing exceptional services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Turning Point, Inc., with its team of dedicated employees, strives to teach, empower and encourage the individuals to be self-confident and to make positive contributions. In doing so, we remain committed to providing a safe and healthy environment on their journey.
FIREHOUSE CENTER FOR THE ARTS is deeply committed to delivering genuine, uplifting experiences that transform audiences and provide an essential sense of community and connectedness. We deliver the best in theatrical and musical performances within a historic and intimate setting, bringing people together to experience powerful stories and music as it was meant to – in the company of others.
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Duke Robillard Band
2024-09-13 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$25/Members
$30/Non-Members
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Whether it’s a song, a style, an idiom or an image, Duke Robillard will render it with mastery, power, nuance and an unerring grasp of its essence.
Born Michael John Robillard on October 4, 1948, in Woonsocket, R.I., Duke has carved out one of blues’ most illustrious legacies, while also trodding some lofty related territories as a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, bandleader, studio sideman, producer, label operator and educator.
After showing an early affinity for music and guitar, he founded Roomful Of Blues with pianist Al Copley in Westerly, R.I., in 1967. By adding horns, Roomful announced itself emphatically as the prototypical jump blues band, and became a New England legend and a fixture beyond, as did Duke himself.
His unsurpassed mastery of the guitar style of T-Bone Walker (later crystallized memorably in his 2004 release “Blue Mood”) was deservedly heralded, but his breadth was also head-turning – from swing, standards and ballads to rockers, gutbucket Chicago blues and rockabilly.
By the time Duke left Roomful after a dozen years, he was firmly established in the upper echelon of contemporary blues guitarists. Duke went from Roomful to a stint with rockabilly revivalist Robert Gordon and then to the first iteration of the Legendary Blues Band, composed primarily of then-recent Muddy Waters sidemen.
The Duke Robillard Band debuted in 1981, re-emerging as The Pleasure Kings with their eponymous 1984 album on Rounder. It and its sequel, “Too Hot To Handle,” burnished Duke’s songwriting portfolio; the 1987 jazz outing “Swing” (with saxophonist Scott Hamilton) underscored his versatility and remains a highlight.
Continuing his solo career, Duke replaced Jimmie Vaughan with The Fabulous Thunderbirds in 1990. He cut his own much-awaited straight blues album “Duke’s Blues” in 1993 for Canadian imprint Stony Plain, leading eventually to a rewarding, continuing and prolific alliance, along with releases during the ensuing years on Point Blank/Virgin and Shanachie, as well as instructional videos. He has also launched his own labels with Jesse Finkelstein, Blue Duchess/Shining Stone.
Duke’s prolificity has included producing albums by Billy Boy Arnold, Joe Louis Walker, Rosco Gordon, Jimmy Witherspoon and Jay McShann, Zuzu Bollin, Billy Price and Otis Clay, Sunny Crownover, Bryan Lee and Al Basile as well as recording two collaborations with Herb Ellis, a pairing with his successor in Roomful, Ronnie Earl, a seat in the New Guitar Summit with J. Geils and Gerry Beaudoin, additional studio credits with Bob Dylan (the well-regarded 1997 “Time Out Of Mind”), Ruth Brown, Johnny Adams, Pinetop Perkins, Snooky Pryor, Al Copley, Todd Sharpville and Tony Z, and touring with Tom Waits in 2006.
Duke’s resume is decorated with Grammy nominations, Handy Awards and Blues Music Awards, and other honors for his artistry, recordings and productions within the United States and internationally. On his latest release, “Duke Robillard and his Dames of Rhythm” on M.C. Records, he wields an acoustic archtop and joins six thrushes for evocative and enjoyable renditions of 1920s and 1930s swing tunes; it’s a worthy successor to his 2016 BMA-winning “The Acoustic Blues And Roots Of Duke Robillard.”
Duke remains based in Rhode Island and a whirlwind as a musician, producer, gardener and photographer. But wait, there’s more: he’s now creating fine art abstract paintings, too! At this point for Duke, versatility and mastery should come as anything but a surprise; it just means more richness in a superlative career for us to celebrate.
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3rd Annual Fashion Show
2024-09-17 18:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$75 VIP Tickets (LIMITED TO 50)
VIP Reception Begins at 5:30pm
$45 General Admission
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Join us for a night of Fun, Fashion and Fundraising! Our third annual Fashion Show to benefit the Rotary Club of Newburyport will showcase Fall and Holiday styles on the Main Stage!!
This years’ event offers 2 ticket options. VIP tickets include early admission, pre-show reception, and swag bag!! Limit 50 tickets.
General admission tickets get you into the show! 50/50 raffle tickets and other fun surprises will be offered throughout the evening.

BLKBOK
2024-09-19 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$18/Members
$20/Non-Members
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Born and raised in Detroit’s inner-city, BLKBOK (born Charles Wilson IIl), grew up in a music-filled house. While his parents and siblings were all musically inclined little Charles could always be found walking his chubby fingers up and down the piano keys. His Mom had no choice but to nurture her baby’s keyboard obsession and by the time he was 8, BLKBOK was an acclaimed piano prodigy, winning statewide accolades and college-level competitions.
When it came to music, most of the kids he grew up with pursued hip-hop adopting rapper names. However, it’s no coincidence that Charles chose the name BLKBOK, which echoes that of one of the greatest pianists and composers of all time. The tag is also an apt reflection of the elements that have contributed to the artist’s identity and symbolizes his colorful journey from pop and hip-hop culture to his critically acclaimed, neo-classical debut album Black Book, and various Mixtape projects and collaborations.
BLKBOK is no stranger to the industry grind, having hit the road throughout his career as a lead pianist or musical director with artists including Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, Cirque Du Soleil, John Mayer and more. BLKBOK’s explosive and immersive live music performances engage his audience with his incredible talent and channels his experience from sharing the stage with the World’s biggest performers.
BLKBOK’s critically-acclaimed debut album Black Book, served as a founding cornerstone at the Juneteenth Foundation’s Freedom Concert. His first Mixtape release, (VRARI, and current Mixtape project Angels Watching Over Me, with world-renowned tenor Lawrence Brownlee, illustrate the innovative and disruptive musical landscape that is BLKBOK.
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Newburyport Documentary Film Festival
2024-09-20 17:00 - 2024-09-22 17:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!
The Newburyport Documentary Film Festival will kick-off on Friday, September 20 at the Firehouse Center for the Arts. Starting NOW, you can purchase an ALL ACCESS PASS and gain admission to ALL films screened as well as special NDFF receptions and After Parties.
ALL ACCESS PASS
$150 + $15 Ticketing fee
BUY NOW

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
FILM LISTINGS

Teletherapy
2024-09-25 20:00 - 21:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Lawrence Hennesy and Mark Davis present Teletherapy!

Very dark! Deeply disturbing! Really funny! A comedy about a man who couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not.

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Hurricane Diane
2024-10-04 19:00 - 20:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
General Audience: $20
Students/Seniors : $15

Northern Essex Community College presents Hurricane Diane, by Madeleine George.

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An ancient god on an earthly mission, gardener Diane comes spiraling in on a Red Bank cul-du-sac, forever altering the lives of four New Jersey housewives. Set on convincing each woman to implement her environmentally friendly landscape design, Diane soon learns there is a lot more to the neighborhood than its “curb appeal.”

Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr.
2024-10-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$18 Students/Seniors/Members
$20 Adults/Non-Members
Acting Out Presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR

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Produced by Acting Out Productions
Directed by Deirdre & John Budzyna

From classic literature to the Academy Award-winning film and Broadway musical, Ariel’s Undersea Journey is a beautiful love story for the ages. Journey “under the sea” with Ariel and her aquatic friends. Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories, Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR. is an enchanting look at the sacrifices we all make for love and acceptance. In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home — and her fins — behind and live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, and convince the handsome Prince Eric that she’s the girl whose enchanting voice he’s been seeking. Featuring a talented cast of over 60 student performers. If you wish to see a specific actor, be sure to get tickets to the correct cast show.
Cast A Shows: Thu., Oct. 10 at 7pm., Sat., Oct. 12 at 1pm.
Cast B Shows: Fri., Oct. 11 at 7pm., Sat., Oct. 12 at 10am.
CAST A
Christopher Carney, Dominic Corjay, Easton Botto-Hanson, Lukas Sutton, Owen Donahue, Silas Robbins, Jackson Boger, Addyson Bagnall, Audrina Lazarus, Ella Mills, Paige Solioutis, Brightly Laansma, Isabella Schwarzkopf, Chloe Auger, Lorelei Rea, Elyse Farrell, Ruby O’Toole, Violet Treem, Maggie Temple, Lukas Sutton, Sagan Gilkey-Anderson, Hazel Clinton, Elle Sullivan, Emilie Lombart, Nora Wedge, Caela Farrell, Vivian Potts, Elle Sullivan, Preston Jackman, Nieve Farrell, Luciana Foster, George Boger, Wilder Laansma, Quinn Dulaney, Izzy V, Charlotte O’Toole, Evelyn Pitts, Makayla Pataro, Louie Temple, Evie Clowe and Tatum Jones.

CAST B
Christopher Carney, Owen Donahue, Alex Barton, Addyson Bagnall, Lukas Sutton, Dominic Corjay, Easton Botto-Hanson, Silas Robbins, Maddie Beams, Paige Solioutis, Cady Beams, Elspeth Mercer, Fiona Whitten, Mae Estrin, Anabel Pappas, Sienna Dole, Zoe Fasching, Addyson Bagnall, Reagan Foss, Kate Clinton, Elle Sullivan, Emilie Lombart, Nora Wedge, Scarlett Nelezen, Vivian Potts, Elle Sullivan, Tessa McCarron, Daisy Hanson, Avery Griffin, Vivian Santoro, Soleil Glickman, Sylvie Whitten, Lyla Erirso, Winnie Feinstein, Fatima Sharifi, Leah Haber and Finn Packer.

Friday Night Comedy Special
2024-10-11 21:00 - 22:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$20 all seats

Firehouse Center for the Arts Presents!
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Join us for a special Friday Night Anniversary Comedy Event! Celebrate 11 years of comedy with Michael Petit, Steve Scarfo, and Joland Logan. Starting at 9pm, grab a drink and get ready for a hilarious night filled with incredible comedians!
Michael Petit is a national headlining comedian who has appeared on Comedy Central, E Entertainment, NESN Comedy All Stars, and is a regular in Las Vegas and New York. Petit performs at the Improv, Comedy Store, Laugh Factory in LA and top comedy rooms across the country.
Steve Scarfo is a comedy standout and is a regular at the Comedy Connection, Nick’s, and major clubs across the country. Scarfo is so well respected that as well as headlining from Maine to Los Angeles he has shared the stage with many of the top comedians in the business including Jeff Dunham, Bob Marley, Lenny Clarke, Victoria Jackson, and many more.
Jolanda Logan is a regular at top regional clubs like the Mohegan Sun and she has performed at the Tupelo Music Hall, and as part of the Boston Comedy Festival.

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A Masquerade Gala
2024-10-18 18:00 | Blue Ocean Music Hall, 4 Ocean Front N, Salisbury, 01952, United States
At the Firehouse Center for the Arts, a historic, vibrant theatre producing world-class shows, we pride ourselves on producing quality, big city shows within an intimate venue at reasonable prices, bringing the highest caliber of professional actors, directors, and designers from Boston, New York, and beyond to North Shore audiences.
We enjoy a regional reputation of professionalism and artistic excellence for programming that inspires, educates, and connects, routinely leaving audiences delighted and surprised.
The Firehouse acts as a vibrant cultural and community hub to fuel the local economy and provide rich cultural experiences.
HOSTED BY KIM CARRIGAN
What: Our Annual Gala
Where: Blue Ocean Music Hall
When: Friday, October 18 at 6:00pm
Tickets: $125 per person
$1000 for a Table of 10

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Once again, M.K. Benatti is offering THREE amazing gift certificates in support of the Firehouse Center for the Arts! Purchase tickets today for your chance to win!
1 for $20 // 3 for $50
BUY RAFFLE TICKETS

GRAND PRIZE: $3,000
SECOND PRIZE: $1,500
THIRD PRIZE: $500

An Evening with Melissa Ferrick
2024-10-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$25 Members
$30 Non-Members
Firehouse Center for the Arts Presents An Evening with Melissa Ferrick!

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On August 15th, 2023, Ferrick released Black Dress, their first single in eight years, via the venerable Kill Rock Stars Records. This release coincides with the 30th anniversary of Ferrick’s critically acclaimed major label debut, Massive Blur. Ferrick will be celebrating the new release and her 30th Anniversary by touring a retrospective show titled, Throughlines. In other big news, Melissa has started a management company, Drive Music Agency (D.M.A.), where she represents Brennan Wedl and Joh Chase.

Melissa Ferrick is regarded in the industry and by their peers as one of the most prolific, generous, and hardworking people in the business. After opening for Morrissey in the U.S. and UK, Ferrick signed with Atlantic Records at the age of 21 and released her debut and sophomore albums with them. Between 1996 and 1999, Melissa released three albums with the Colorado-based indie label W.A.R. Records. In 2000, Melissa launched the nationally distributed independent record label Right On Records. Ferrick put out two critically acclaimed albums with NY-based label MPress Records between 2011 and 2013. She’s released seventeen albums over the last twenty-five years and has won numerous awards for songwriting, production, and performance. Melissa has shared the stage with countless acts, some of which include Morrissey, Joan Armatrading, Weezer, Tegan and Sara, Mark Cohen, Paul Westerberg, Bob Dylan, John Hiatt, Ani DiFranco, k.d. Lang, Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, and many others.

Besides her work in the music industry, Ferrick is a Professor of the Practice at Northeastern University in the Music Department. Melissa teaches courses in the music business, songwriting, creative entrepreneurship, demo recording and production, live performance, and the psychology of creativity. From 2013 – to 2019, Melissa was an Associate Professor of Songwriting at Berklee College of Music. She holds an Ed.M from Harvard University.

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Halloween Party
2024-10-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
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Join us at the Firehouse for a Family Friendly morning of Face Painting, Trick or Treating, On Stage Dance Party, Costume Contest, Pumpkin Painting, Crafts, and more!

Hocus Pocus
2024-10-20 14:00 - 15:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Firehouse Center for the Arts presents Hocus Pocus!
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Grab your popcorn and wear your favorite costume for this afternoon of fun with your favorite Halloween movie! A wonderfully comical and charming tale of three Salem witches that are resurrected by a teenage boy, who, with the help of his little sister and love interest, must try to stop them from stealing the souls of children.

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The Rocky Horror Picture Show
2024-10-25 22:00 - 23:59 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$20 all seats
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In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon), stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker (Meat Loaf) and a creepy butler (Richard O’Brien). Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.”
Prop bags are included with your ticket!
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Soggy Po Boys - Album Release
2024-11-01 20:00 - 22:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$15/Member
$18/Non-Member

Soggy Po Boys return for an epic Album Release Tour!

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This fall, New Orleans jazz exponents The Soggy Po Boys will celebrate the release of their 6th
full-length album, Leave the Light On, in a series of not-to-be-missed release shows around the
Northeast.
The Po Boys formed in 2012 to shake the walls of a local club on a Fat Tuesday but have honed
their sound and become more than a Mardi Gras centerpiece. Exploring the vast musical
traditions of New Orleans and expanding their repertoire to look beyond NOLA jazz, the band
performs traditional Caribbean tunes (it’s been said that New Orleans is the northernmost city in
the Caribbean), as well as Meters funk, soul, and brass band / street beat music.
The latest record captures the 7-piece band’s mission of embracing tradition without becoming a
museum piece. By blending traditional and original songs, the album embraces themes of joy,
frustration, loneliness, love, and sadness, and explores these feelings with the group’s trademark
humorous sincerity.
Leave the Light On was recorded at Acadia Recording Company in Portland, Maine where it was
tracked by Jason Phelps. Phelps helped to sculpt the sounds and provided a perfect environment
to capture the essence of what the band loves most: playing live. The result is music that is very
much grounded in the sonic liminal space that the Po Boys occupy best–happy-ish, live-ish,
new-ish, and bull-ish.
“These guys have done their homework, worked it out on the bandstand and put in the hours in
the studio. It all adds up to a party you can bring with you when you want to treat your friends to
a real good time.” -Ben Schenck of New Orleans’ Panorama Jazz Band
“There’s no retro to their sound, no putting on airs, this is living music respectful of the source,
played by consummate professionals.” -Syncopated Times

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It's Not Over 'Til It's Over...
2024-11-02 14:00 - 15:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$10 / General Admission

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The Firehouse Center for the Arts and Second Act Readers Theater present It’s Not Over ‘Til It’s Over… Eight short plays about life – and it’s surprises!

Waiting for 7
by Philip W. Hall
Six husbands just aren’t enough!
Mary – Ruth Allen
Ethel – Candie Benjamin

Piece of Cake
by Maximillian Gill
Two sisters squabble over a piece of cake. Or, is it really about just a piece of cake?
Betty – Pat Tosches
Glenda – Deborah Baker

She Knows When You’ve Been Latte. She Knows When You’ve Been Iced
by R.D. Murphy
Two, somewhat disenchanted women, talk about life and work. Maybe it will lead to something neither of them expects.
Minerva – Anna Bradfield
Sandy Claus -Ruth Benjamin

Roman Forever
adapted by Myron Moss from an Edith Wharton short story
After many years, two longtime friends return to Rome
Alida – Madeline Sherwood
Grace – Sharon Wintner

Crossing Harvey
by David Susman
Harvey’s great escape doesn’t take him far, but it does prove rewarding.
Eleanor – Camille Garro
Harvey – Terry Blanchard

Sight Lines
by R.D. Murphy
A life drawing class leads to more than disrobing.
Prentice – Gretchen Stone
Rolando – Andy Griffith

Glenda Jackson in a Bodega (I Am Not)
by R.D. Murphy
Is it really Glenda Jackson? Somebody certainly thinks so – or do they?
Errington – Lenora Salvucci
Deirdre – Dena Stern

Escape From Baked Alaska
by R.D. Murphy
Maggie misses Raj, the love of her life.
Burton – Roger Burgess
Maggie – Bette Lischke

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Beetlejuice Jr.
2024-11-14 19:00 - 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$20/Adults
$15/Students
The Firehouse Center for the Arts is excited to announce Beetlejuice Jr.!
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It’s our show now, kid. The ghost-with-the-most comes to the stage in Beetlejuice JR., the frightfully funny musical based on the beloved motion picture turned Broadway phenomenon. Lydia Deetz is a strange and unusual teenager, still grieving the loss of her mother and obsessed with the whole “being dead thing.” Lucky for Lydia, she and her father move to a new house haunted by a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a delightful demon with a real zest for life. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter shows his true stripes, unleashing a (Nether)world of pandemonium.

Chris Smither and The Motivators
2024-11-19 19:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$37/Members
$40/Non-Members
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Having distilled his own signature sound of blues and folk for over 50 years and twenty records, CHRIS SMITHER is truly an American original. A profound songwriter, Chris continues to draw deeply from the blues, American folk music, modern poets and philosophers. From his early days as the New Orleans transplant in the Boston folk scene, through his wilderness years, to his reemergence in the 1990s as one of America’s most distinctive acoustic performers, Chris Smither continues to hone his distinctive sound. He has always traveled his own road and stayed true to his musical vision. He has developed and maintained loyal friendships over the years with kindred-spirited musicians like Bonnie Raitt, Jorma Kaukonen, and Tim O’Brien, while at the same time throughout his career been inspired by and inspiring to today’s next-generation of musicians like The Suitcase Junket and Peter Mulvey. He may be best known for writing “Love You Like A Man” which Bonnie Raitt and, more recently, jazz great Diana Krall have covered. His music has been covered by numerous artists and featured in soundtrack albums, independent films, television, and commercials. Reviewers continue to praise his dazzling guitar work, gravelly voice and songwriting.

Chris Smither and The Motivators embark this November 2024 on a limited-edition, rare band tour featuring musicians from the recording session for All About the Bones (2024 Signature Sounds), Chris’ 20th recording. The record sports the unmistakable guitar sound Chris has made his own meshed with spare, brilliant songs, delivered in a bone-wise, hard-won voice. The Motivators are: producer/musician David Goodrich, Zak Trojano, and BettySoo.

NEW YORK TIMES: folk-blues stalwart Chris Smither has been contemplating mortality throughout his decades of songwriting; at 80, he’s more convincing than ever”

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Jeffrey Gaines
2024-11-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$22 Members
$25 Non-Members

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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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Christmas with the King!
2024-11-29 19:00 - 20:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$25 Members
$30 Non-Members
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Get ready to rock around the Christmas tree as New England’s #1 award-winning and internationally known ELVIS PRESLEY Tribute Artist, RICK ANTHONY, backed by his KING-SIZED show band, “The King’s Court” will take the stage live and in person presented by Th Firehouse Center For the Arts in Newburyport, MA. This show is a unique production in the New England Area. None other like it! Experience the magic of Elvis Presley’s timeless hits and festive holiday classics. Don’t miss this unforgettable evening of music, laughter and holiday cheer. Get your blue suede shoes ready and celebrate Christmas with the King – Holiday Tribute Spectacular!
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Joppa Dance Company presents The Port Express!
2024-12-06 19:30 - 20:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$13 Students
$15 Adults

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Joppa Dance Company presents, The Port Express!, another exciting holiday production, this time adapted from the Christmas favorite, The Polar Express. Shows are Friday, December 6th 7:30pm, Saturday, December 7th 2:00pm & 7:30pm, and Sunday, December 8th 2:00pm. On Christmas Eve three sisters realize they have lost the magic bell. Fearful that it will curse their Christmas celebration, they find themselves on the train to the North Pole for Santa’s help. The journey takes them through magical places including an enchanted forrest and a land of sweets. Joppa Jr. 2, Joppa Jr., Joppa 2, Joppa T2, and Joppa Teen bring the story to life with jazz, ballet, and contemporary dance pieces. More information about Joppa Dance Co. is at https://www.danceplacenbpt.com/joppa-dance-company.
Running time, approximately 1 hour.

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A Christmas Carol Panto!
2024-12-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$18/ Students – Seniors – Members
$20/ Adults

Bah, humbug! Theater in the Open celebrates the holiday season with this Dickens classic, presented in true TITO panto style. So bring your whole family and your figgy pudding be prepared for anything to happen!
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A Sinatra Christmas
2024-12-17 15:00 - 16:30 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
$32 / Members
$35 / Non-Members
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“A Sinatra Christmas” is coming to The Firehouse Center with all your holiday favorites like “Jingle Bells” & “White Christmas”, mixed with Frank’s iconic beloved songs including “My Way” & “New York, New York”, performed by Rich DiMare and The Ron Poster Trio.

Rich DiMare is an American singer who specializes in the Frank Sinatra songbook and has 20 years experience providing entertainment across the country. Rich spent 15 years live on-air at Boston’s highest rated morning show, KISS 108’s Matty in the Morning, and as a host on Boston’s Fox25 TV. Because of this experience in media and music, Rich is a seasoned showman.
Ron Poster is a Boston based pianist and keyboard artist who specializes in Popular & Classic American music as a soloist and with small groups. He’s been the organist for the Boston Bruins at TD Garden since 2001 and also toured in the 90’s and early 2000’s with the band Missing Persons.
Rich and Ron’s understanding of the Sinatra songbook, coupled with their interactions on stage makes this “Ol’ Blue Eyes” experience something Rat Pack lovers won’t forget!

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Christmas Family Sing-A-Long
2024-12-21 10:00 - 11:00 | MA
$7/ Children & Students
$10/ Adults

The Firehouse Center for the Arts presents the return of our Family Christmas Sing-A-Long! Bring the young ones, the young at heart, and the entire family for a morning of your favorite Christmas carols, songs, and classics. Enjoy a reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and a special guest appearance by the jolly man himself for photos!

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