{"id":29424,"date":"2024-04-19T09:21:27","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T13:21:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=29424"},"modified":"2024-04-19T09:21:28","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T13:21:28","slug":"on-stage-unionvilles-litzenberg-play-key-role-in-come-from-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=29424","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Unionville’s Litzenberg play key role in ‘Come From Away’"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Kristin Litzenberg<\/p><\/div>\n

Kristin Litzenberg is an acclaimed theater actress who grew up in Kennett Square and has performed all around theworld. A few years ago, she had the opportunity to perform close to home.<\/p>\n

\u201cSister Act\u201d touched down at the DuPont Theatre (now known as The Playhouse on Rodney Square, Hotel DuPont, Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 3http:\/\/www.broadwayinwilmington.org<\/a>) and Litzenberg, a 2009 graduate of Unionville High School, was a member of the cast.<\/p>\n

This weekend, Litzenberg will return to the Playhouse (as it is now known) to perform a key role in the international hit musical \u201cCome From Away.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show will open on April 19 and run through April 21 at the venerable theater in downtown Wilmington.<\/p>\n

The words \u201cjoyous\u201d and \u201cuplifting\u201d are frequently used to describe plays, songs or musical acts. In reality, the words are often misused and should be put in the \u201chyperbole\u201d category.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome from Away,\u201d the hit musical which is on a national tour, is a play that is joyous, uplifting and a lot more.<\/p>\n

The musical \u201cCome from Away\u201d is the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the people of Gander, Newfoundland, the small Canadian town that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was on tour with \u2018Sister Act\u2019 in Asia when \u2018Come From Away\u2019 came out,\u201d said Litzenberg during a phone interview Tuesday from Ithaca, New York. \u201cWhen they were closing in 2023, I knew it was going to be touring. When I heard they were doing non-union, I got ready to auditioned last arch in Arizona.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome from Away\u201d is a Canadian musical with book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. It is set in the week following the September 11 attacks and tells the true story of what transpired when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly in the small town of Gander\u00a0in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon.<\/p>\n

The characters in the musical are based on (and in most cases share the names of) real Gander\u00a0residents as well as some of the thousands of stranded travelers they housed and fed.<\/p>\n

All of the cast members play several characters whose roles are interwoven through the action during the course of the play. Litzenberg plays the roles of Beulah Cooper, Diane Davis and others.<\/p>\n

This show starts on September 11 and continues right until the planes departed Gander. When you watch this show, you see how the people of Gander\u00a0were unflappable.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved that it was such an ensemble piece \u2013 12 actors on the stage at the same time,\u201d said Litzenberg. \u201cIndividual performances stand out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really didn\u2019t know about Newfoundland before this show. Now, I\u2019m friends on Facebook with most of the people from the show. It\u2019s fun to see what their day-to-day lives are like. I\u2019m going to go up there next year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had the opportunity to meet Diane when we were in Halifax. She and some of the other characters from the show came and saw the show in Nova Scotia. She talked to all of us all after the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Litzenberg has been involved with music and theater for a while.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father Scott\u00a0Litzenberg\u00a0was a teacher and band director at Unionville High,\u201d said Litzenberg. \u201cBoth my parents are music teachers. I performed in musicals every year in high school and was Dolly in \u2018Hello Dolly\u2019 in my senior year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was also a member of the marching band. And I played soccer for 12 years but eventually realized that I like theater more.\u201d<\/p>\n

After graduating from Unionville,\u00a0Litzenberg\u00a0attended AMDA (American Musical and Drama Academy) and had a bi-coastal undergraduate education on her way to a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music theater.<\/p>\n

\u201cAMDA has schools in New York and Los Angeles,\u201d said\u00a0Litzenberg, whose credits include \u201cChildren of\u00a0Eden\u201d (Eve\/Mama Noah),\u00a0\u201cThe Secret Garden\u201d\u00a0(Martha) and\u00a0\u201cI Love You, You\u2019re Perfect, Now Change\u00a0(Woman 2).<\/p>\n

\u201cI spent the first two years in New York and then took a year off to do regional theater and summer stock. I spent the last two years in Hollywood.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, she is bringing the emotional story of 911 in Gander to theaters across the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re touring to so many types of towns \u2013 especially smaller towns \u2013and people in the audience can see themselves in it. When we finish that last note, the people are on their feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cCome From Away\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/m5wfPPNZsrk<\/a><\/p>\n

The show will open on April 19 and run through April 21 at The Playhouse with performances at 8 p.m. on Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $99.<\/p>\n

Classical music fans will be in for a special treat this weekend when the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia presents two concerts featuring Mary Elizabeth Bowden.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Mary Elizabeth Bowden<\/p><\/div>\n

Admired for her brilliant and colorful sound, acclaimed classical trumpeter Mary Elizabeth Bowden\u00a0will perform as featured soloist with the\u00a0Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia\u00a0on\u00a0April 19 at 7:30 p.m.\u00a0and\u00a0April 21at 2:30 p.m.\u00a0at the\u00a0Perelman Theater\u00a0in the\u00a0Kimmel Center for Performing Arts (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, chamberorchestra.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

As part of the orchestra\u2019s program Shostakovich & Verkl\u00e4rte Nacht, conducted by Music Director\u00a0Dirk Bross\u00e9, Bowden is featured in the Philadelphia premiere of\u00a0Clarice Assad\u2019s new trumpet concerto\u00a0Bohemian Queen.\u00a0Pianist\u00a0Henry Kramer\u00a0is also featured in the program, performing with Bowden on\u00a0Shostakovich\u2019s\u00a0Concerto in C minor for Piano, Trumpet, and Strings.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fun to bring a new piece to life,\u201d said Bowden in a phone interview Wednesday evening as she was takin a walk around Center City Philadelphia. \u201cIt\u2019s also nice because it\u2019s not that often you have a trumpet soloist performing with a chamber orchestra.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bohemian Queen\u00a0celebrates the surrealist art of Gertrude Abercrombie (1909-1977), an American painter based in Chicago and often called \u201cthe queen of the bohemian artists.\u201d As Assad observes in the program notes for the piece, \u201cAbercrombie\u2019s paintings are characterized by their use of dreamlike symbolism and careful attention to detail. She was profoundly in the jazz scene and friends with no less than musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughan and used to throw some amazing parties for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

In this three-movement piece, the first two movements are inspired by Abercrombie\u2019s paintings \u201cGirl Searching\u201d (1945) and \u201cThe Stroll\u201d (1943), respectively. The third movement, \u201cHyde Park Jam,\u201d is an imagined depiction of Abercrombie\u2019s memorable parties, where she sometimes sat in as a pianist herself to play alongside jazz\u2019s greatest masters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first two movements are about two of Abercrombie\u2019s paintings,\u201d said Bowden, who currently resides in New York. \u201cShe often paints self-portraits. Her paintings are very dark. I start off the movement playing a flugelhorn, which gives it a darker feel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the second movement — \u2018The Stroll\u2019 \u2013 she is walking alongside a black cat. When I play it, I think about my cat Duke and my walking him on a leash. I love cats and I\u2019m very inspired by her love of cats. This movement is very upbeat and lush with a lot of gorgeous melodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kramer takes his turn as soloist in\u00a0Shostakovich\u2019s\u00a0Concerto in C minor for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra, a composition of mesmerizing athleticism in the composer\u2019s unmistakable style. Closing the program is Schoenberg\u2019s\u00a0Verkl\u00e4rte Nacht, considered one of the composer\u2019s most romantic works.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the piano concerto, Henry Kramer is the pianist,\u201d said Bowden, who is currently Assistant Professor of Trumpet at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia. \u201cThe piece has some exciting fanfare \u2013 and a very prominent solo trumpet part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowden is a Gold Medal Global Music Award Winner, Opus Klassik Nominee, and Yamaha Performing Artist. She works diligently to establish a new repertoire for the trumpet through creative, collaborative commissioning projects and award-winning albums.<\/p>\n

Bowden\u2019s 2023\/2024 season brings an impressive lineup of solo performances, including four world premiere concertos. Highlights include her debut with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, where she performs a program including Clarice Assad\u2019s Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra and Shostakovich\u2019s\u00a0Concerto in C minor for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra\u00a0with pianist Henry Kramer \u2013 and the premiere of Assad\u2019s\u00a0Bohemian Queen.<\/p>\n

Bowden has performed as a soloist across the U.S., appearing with ensembles including the Erie Philharmonic, Chautauqua Symphony, Waynesboro Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic, Peninsula Symphony (California), Chameleon Arts Ensemble (Boston), Springfield Symphony (in both Missouri and Ohio), Richmond Philharmonic Orchestra, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, and San Juan Symphony, and at Montana\u2019s Big Sky Festival.<\/p>\n

In 2019, she made her German debut in Eisenach at the Wartburg Castle, and her French debut at the Ch\u00e2teau de Courances, both through the World and European Brass Association. She made her Russian debut with a performance in Sochi with famed trumpeter Otto Sauter\u2019s handpicked \u201c10 of the Best\u201d trumpet soloists from around the world. Other international solo engagements have brought her to China\u2019s Hunan Symphony Orchestra, Croatian Army Wind Band at the Velika Gorica Brass Festival, Lieksa Brass Week in Finland and The Banff Center in Canada, as well as residencies in Courances, France, and both Guadalajara and Cancun, Mexico.<\/p>\n

The highly respected trumpet player, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs, has released two acclaimed solo recordings on Summit Records: her debut album,\u00a0\u201cRadiance\u201d\u00a0(featuring new American works), and her second solo album,\u00a0\u201cR\u00eaverie,\u201d\u00a0with the Kassia Ensemble. \u201cR\u00eaverie\u201d was featured as one of the Top Albums of the Year for the Global Music Awards and on Textura Magazine\u2019s Top Ten Classical Albums of the Year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a lot of different projects,\u201d said Bowden. \u201cI\u2019m also the leader of Seraph Brass, an all-woman brass quintet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowden earned her Bachelor of Music degree from The Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with David Bilger, then principal trumpeter of the Philadelphia Orchestra. She earned her Master of Music degree in 2006 from the Yale School of Music, where she studied on a full scholarship with trumpeter Allan Dean.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoyed my time in Philadelphia when I went to Curtis,\u201d said Bowden. \u201cThis feels like a homecoming event though I haven\u2019t lived here for 20 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re lucky at Curtis that we get to perform at the Academy of Music. When I was a freshman at Curtis, I performed Mahler\u2019s Ninth at the Academy of Music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Mary Elizabeth Bowden \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/iNV2WkEsPj8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The concerts at the Kimmel Center are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on April 19 and 2:30 p.m. on April 21.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices range from $29-$104.<\/p>\n

This weekend will also feature a special concert by The No Name Pops.<\/p>\n

Special guest conductor, Carl Topilow and renowned pianist George Burton will appear at the Pops\u2019 upcoming concert,\u00a0\u201cTimeless: A Tribute to the Legacy of Peter\u00a0Nero\u201d at the Kimmel Center on April 20 at 3 p.m. What makes their participation in this performance significant is that they both worked with Peter\u00a0Nero\u00a0and were inspired by his talent.<\/p>\n

The No Name Pops, which was founded in 2023, is a new, versatile ensemble composed of the former musicians of The Philly Pops with a mission to deliver authentic, exceptional musical experiences in the Philadelphia region. Drawing from Philly\u2019s rich symphonic pops legacy, melding tradition with an innovative approach unbound by musical genre for concert experiences that will entertain and empower the entire community.<\/p>\n

The No Name Pops respects the rich legacy of the music of Peter\u00a0Nero, Grammy Award-winning pianist and conductor who launched Pops music in Philadelphia for over three decades. Led by accomplished conductors and featuring world-class soloists, The No Name Pops continues to captivate audiences with its vibrant and diverse repertoire.<\/p>\n

This production is the premiere appearance of famed conductor Carl Topilow in Philadelphia. Highlights of the music include such hits of\u00a0Nero\u2019s as\u00a0Sunday in New York, The Summer of \u201942,\u00a0and pieces like \u201cFantasy and Improvisations,\u201d \u201cScratch My Bach,\u201d \u201cVariations on I Got Rhythm\u201d and many more.<\/p>\n

Topilow, Conductor and Director of the Orchestral Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music<\/a>\u00a0for over 40 years, performed with\u00a0Nero\u00a0at the Institute\u2019s 10th\u00a0anniversary concert.<\/p>\n

Burton, an acclaimed pianist who grew up in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia, garnered the winning votes of judges in the prestigious 2002 Peter\u00a0Nero\u00a0Piano Competition, including from Maestro\u00a0Nero\u00a0himself.<\/p>\n

Burton, an award-winning pianist, composer, and bandleader, is a transformative figure in contemporary jazz. His musical journey is rooted in Philadelphia’s rich musical heritage where he lived in Mt. Airy, attended Creative and Performing Arts High School (CAPA) and won a Peter\u00a0Nero\u00a0piano competition. He blends classical, avant-garde, and traditional jazz effortlessly.<\/p>\n

His illustrious discography exemplifies a persistent pursuit to redefine jazz\u2019s limits. His albums,\u00a0\u201cThe Truth Of What I Am: The Narcissist\u201d as well as\u00a0\u201cReciprocity,\u201d\u00a0have garnered global acclaim, with the latter earning a NAACP Image Award nomination in 2021. Burton’s latest release,\u00a0\u201cThe Yule Log,\u201d beautifully showcases Burton’s talent for merging diverse musical elements, this time weaving a rich classical tapestry accentuated by a powerful string trio and marking yet another milestone in his boundary-pushing career.<\/p>\n

Burton began his virtuoso journey surrounded by the rich cultural tapestry of Philadelphia. His upbringing was deeply rooted in music, his mother a dedicated Philadelphia School District violin teacher, and his father an accomplished organist.\u00a0His connection to Philadelphia is profound: \u201cGrowing up in Philadelphia,\u201d he says, \u201cI grew up learning from and listening to the greats in music \u2013 from the Philadelphia Orchestra to the best jazz musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe No Name Pops gave me a call,\u201d said Burton, during a phone interview Wednesday from his home in New York. \u201cThey needed a pianist to fill Peter\u2019s shows \u2013 which is an impossible task.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won his Piano Competition in 2003 before I went to New York. I knew Peter. We talked a lot, and he gave me advice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regarding the upcoming concert, Burton shared, \u201cWhen I got the phone call from Matt Koveal, the executive director of The No Name Pops, I was speechless. Winning the Peter\u00a0Nero\u00a0competition made such a positive impact on my life. It built my confidence in my ability to play piano. It is overwhelming to be filling such a \u2018big pair of shoes!\u2019 It\u2019s coming full circle for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Burton grew up with music.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom was a violin teacher for the Philadelphia School District,\u201d said Burton, who studied piano at Temple University. \u201cMy dad was a pianist \u2013 a church pianist \u2013 and he taught lessons. But I did not take lessons from my parents.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started out playing violin and then studied viola when I was 14. Then, I switched to piano. I was Concert Master at CAPA for a few years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was listening to classical and jazz. I didn\u2019t grow up just playing one style of music. I listened to R&B, rock, hip hop, Philly soul \u2013 and I grew up with church music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nero\u2019s music spanned genres and so will this concert.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey said they wanted to do a tribute to Peter,\u201d said Burton. \u201cI wasn\u2019t sure what they meant so they sent me stuff. They sent me some of the most difficult songs he wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing eight or nine pieces in this show. All are very large, long pieces. And I cover all the genres. I knew a lot of the songs but not the arrangements. There are a couple pieces he wrote that I really get. Peter crossed genres \u2013 from R&B to Tin Pan Alley.\u201d<\/p>\n

About Maestro Carl Topilow:<\/p>\n

Founding conductor of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Topilow\u2019s eclectic programs have been acclaimed by audiences and critics alike. He enjoys a dual career as both conductor and clarinetist. Topilow has performed as guest conductor with 132 different orchestras in 37 states and 12 foreign countries. In addition, he is Conductor of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra, a regional orchestra based in Sandusky, Ohio, and after 42 years as conductor of the National Repertory Orchestra (NRO), a summer festival in Breckenridge, CO, he is continuing an active role with the orchestra as Conductor Laureate.<\/p>\n

He was named Faculty Emeritus after 37 years as Conductor and Director of the Orchestral Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) and has served as principal pops conductor of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and Mansfield Symphony Orchestra. Topilow is the author of\u00a0The Orchestral Conductor\u2019s Career Handbook, published by Rowman and Littlefield, is now available through www.carltopilow.com<\/a>\u00a0and www.rowman.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Video link for George Burton \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/xJrN6rFBvvY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Kimmel Center will start at 3\u00a0p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets range in price from $51-$121 and can be purchased at www.ensembleartsphilly.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh and North Jersey are known for their hard-working, blue collar, blues-based rock bands \u2013 bands such as Jersey\u2019s Southside Johnny and Pittsburgh\u2019s Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers.<\/p>\n

The Iron City has another band that fits the mold \u2013 Bill Toms and Hard Rain.<\/p>\n

Like the other two, Toms and his band play American music \u2013 John Mellencamp style music \u2013 music you\u2019d expect to be played at a Fourth of July parade outside Wall Drug Store in South Dakota.<\/p>\n

On April 20, Bill Toms and Hard Rain will bring their hard rocking music to Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Toms\u00a0was lead guitarist for Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers and has since moved on to deliver now his 10th studio album,\u00a0\u201cKeep Movin\u2019 On,\u201d\u00a0with his band Hard Rain.\u00a0They are mainly a boisterous rock n\u2019 roll unit complete with a three-piece horn section, the Soulville Horns.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had Hard Rain together since 1997,\u201d said Toms. \u201cWe put out our first recording (\u201cMy Own Eyes\u201d on Moondog Records) in 1999.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was still with Joe Grushecky. I left him in 2000 to focus on our own stuff. For a while, I was trying to do both at the same time. Now, I have a nine-piece band with horns.\u201d<\/p>\n

Staffed mainly by former members of the Houserockers with more than 20 years of shared experience.<\/p>\n

Hard Rain features\u00a0Tom Valentine\u00a0(bass),\u00a0Tom Breiding\u00a0(guitars),\u00a0Phil Brontz\u00a0(tenor sax),\u00a0Steve Binsberger\u00a0(piano, organ),\u00a0Steve Graham\u00a0(trombone),\u00a0Bernie Herr\u00a0(drums), George Arner\u00a0(trumpet) and multi-instrumentalist\u00a0Rick Witkowski\u00a0(drums, guitar, keyboards, bass, vocals).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe group I\u2019m bringing to Jamey\u2019s has two horns — George Arner\u00a0on trumpet and Phil Brontz\u00a0on tenor sax \u2013 along with Steve Binsberger\u00a0on keyboards, Eric Kurtzrock on drums and Tom Valentine\u00a0on bass. I\u2019ll also be doing some solo shows and also have a blues band with some older guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toms launched his musical career in 1987 as lead guitarist of Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers, During that period, he opened for and played with such legendary names as The Band, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. While playing guitar, co-writing, and adding backup vocals for the Houserockers, Toms and the band recorded six studio albums and one live concert album.<\/p>\n

\u201cI play mostly in the Northeast,\u201d said Toms, a Pittsburgh native who attended Chartiers Valley High School.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m playing Philly this week. Then, I\u2019ll be doing shows in Columbus, Ohio and Durham, North Carolina. I used to play Europe every year until COVID came along.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve put out 10 studio and two live albums. My most recent record was \u2018Keep Movin; On\u2019 two years ago. It had 10 songs of originals \u2013 nine by me and one by Bubs McKeg.<\/p>\n

\u201cI released two singles since the album including \u2018Walking on Water\u2019 last year. Two weeks ago, I released \u2018I Fulfilled My Dream,\u2019 which is sort of a cinematic type of thing looking back at my life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hoping to have an album out by Christmas. I\u2019m not under the gun with a big record label so I can put it out when I\u2019m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans can expect to hear both songs in Bill Toms and Hard Rain\u2019s current set.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of songs we can draw from,\u201d said Toms. \u201cWe like to keep it fresh. We do have some \u2018must play\u2019 songs \u2013 \u2018Mona Lisa Smile,\u2019 Darkest Side of Tow,\u2019 and \u2018Smithfield Caf\u00e9.\u2019 Smithfield was a real place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Bill Toms and Hard Rain — https:\/\/youtu.be\/g6KijjrTpxo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s House of Music will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. It will also be available as a pay-per-view at $15.<\/p>\n

On April 20, live entertainment will be provided by another Pittsburgh band — The Billy Price Band.<\/p>\n

2016 Blues Music Award (BMA) Winner and frequent BMA nominee Billy Price first attracted national attention during his three-year association with guitarist Roy Buchanan.<\/p>\n

Price\u2019s album \u201cThis Time for Real,\u201d with the late Chicago soul singer Otis Clay, received a 2016 Blues Music Award in the category of best soul blues album. He received BMA nominations in 2019 (\u201cReckoning\u201d) and 2020 (\u201cDog Eat Dog\u201d) for best soul blues album, and in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024 for best male soul blues artist. He has also been nominated in 2024 for a BMA for Instrumentalist – Vocals.
\nThe Billy Price Band includes Dave Dodd (drums), Tom Valentine (bass), Lenny Smith (guitar), Jim Britton (keyboards), Eric Spaulding (sax), and Joe Herndon (trumpet). They won the Pittsburgh City Paper Reader\u2019s Poll in 2021 and 2022 as the top blues band in the city.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. It will also be available as a pay-per-view at $15.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s features either \u201cJazz at Jamey\u2019s\u201d or \u201cAnything Goes\u201d on Thursdays featuring the Dave Reiter Trio and occasional guest musicians.<\/p>\n

\u201cJazz at Jamey\u2019s\u201d will be presented every second and fourth Thursday, and \u201cAnything Goes\u201d every first, third and fifth Thursday.<\/p>\n

Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM\u201d featuring the Philly Blues Kings. On the second Sunday each month, the featured act is the Girke-Davis Project which features club owner Jamey Reilly, Roger Girke, Glenn Bickel, Fred Berman and Colgan-Davis.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Mystery of Edwin Drood,\u201d which is running now through April 21 at the Candlelight\u00a0Theater (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313, www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>), is definitely a mystery.<\/p>\n

The cast for the show includes many Candlelight veterans including Anthony Connell (Phillip Baz, Bazzard), Dan Healy (James Throttle), Julia Kershetsky (Alice Nutting, Edwin Drood), Sarah Mackus (Beatrice), Constance Clay Pelesh (Princess Puffer, Angela Prysock), Samantha Ricchiuti (Florence Gill), Shaun Yates (Nick Cricker) and Victoria Healy (Ensemble).<\/p>\n

The Candlelight Theatre provided some information with this message on its website and handout flyers \u2013<\/p>\n

\u201cTHE MYSTERY of EDWIN DROOD, based on Charles Dickens\u2019 final unfinished novel, is presented by a delightfully zany, vaudeville-type company at The Music Hall Royale.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe story features John Jasper, a Jekyll-and-Hyde choirmaster who is quite madly in love with the fair Miss Rosa Bud who is engaged to Jasper\u2019s nephew, young Edwin Drood. Drood disappears after dinner on a stormy night and is thought to have been murdered. If so, then whodunnit?<\/p>\n

\u201cYOU, the audience, must decide and vote.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust how many possible endings can there be? The secret is in the number of combinations made possible by three separate sets of roles chosen by you, the audience. The total? 480!<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich show will you see? You vote on the ending, so it\u2019s entirely up to you!\u201d<\/p>\n

As\u00a0\u201cDrood\u201d is\u00a0metatheatrical, the characters of the play\u00a0\u201cThe Mystery of Edwin Drood\u201d\u00a0are played by actors of the \u201cMusic Hall Royale,\u201d within the production.<\/p>\n

Metatheatre, and the closely related term\u00a0metadrama, describes the aspects of a\u00a0play\u00a0that draw attention to its nature as\u00a0drama\u00a0or\u00a0theatre, or to the circumstances of its performance.\u00a0\u201cBreaking the Fourth Wall\u201d\u00a0is an example of a metatheatrical device.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a murder mystery,\u201d said Connell. \u201cIt\u2019s a fun show with great audience participation. The audience votes on who they think murdered Edwin Drood.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are all sorts of clues throughout the play concerning who the murderer might be. Audience members take notes and play a role in the play\u2019s final stages.<\/p>\n

\u201cAudiences like it,\u201d said Connell. \u201cIt\u2019s something different \u2013 something interactive. Audiences always live murder mysteries. Personally, I like when actors can go into the audience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Candlelight\u00a0Theatre is presenting \u201cThe Mystery of Edwin Drood\u201d now through April 21. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings (doors 6 p.m.\/show, 8 p.m.) and Sunday afternoons (doors, 1 p.m.\/show, 3 p.m.). Tickets, which include dinner and show, are $63 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is presenting Sweet Baby James on April 19 and Not Dade Away on April 20.<\/p>\n

This week, the Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com<\/a>) will host Karen Jonas + Ramona & The Holy Smokes<\/a>\u00a0on April 19 and Steal Your Peach on April 20.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Kristin Litzenberg is an acclaimed theater actress who grew up in Kennett Square and has performed all around theworld. A few years ago, she had the opportunity to perform close to home. \u201cSister Act\u201d touched down at the DuPont Theatre (now known as The Playhouse on Rodney Square, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29422,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[7764,8364,3162,11555,11554],"class_list":["post-29424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-chamber-orchestra-of-philadelphia","tag-come-from-away","tag-featured","tag-kristin-litzenberg","tag-mary-elizabeth-bowden"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29424"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29425,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29424\/revisions\/29425"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}