{"id":25203,"date":"2017-07-27T09:06:11","date_gmt":"2017-07-27T13:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=25203"},"modified":"2017-07-27T09:06:15","modified_gmt":"2017-07-27T13:06:15","slug":"on-stage-spackman-returns-to-phoenixville-for-planned-parenthood-benefit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=25203","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Spackman returns to Phoenixville for Planned Parenthood benefit"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Staff Writer, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Anna Spackman<\/p><\/div>\n

Anna Spackman, a talented singer-songwriter whose career has bicoastal roots, played many shows in her formative years at Steel City Coffee House in Phoenixville.<\/p>\n

On July 27, Spackman will be performing in Phoenixville again.<\/p>\n

Laura Keen is hosting a benefit for Planned Parenthood\u2019s West Chester Health Center in West Chester at her home at 154 Sixth Avenue, Phoenixville.<\/p>\n

The event will feature performances by Spackman and Hurricane Hoss.<\/p>\n

Born and raised in Chester Springs, Spackman first started hosting and performing at open mics when she was 17 and quickly started headlining at venues such as Seven Stones Cafe in Media and the Steel City Coffee House.<\/p>\n

Spackman lived in Portland, Oregon from 2008-2014, where she started, hosted, and featured in a monthly variety show called Art Anon at The Waypost. She also was featured several times at the Portland Poetry Slam.<\/p>\n

During her last two years in Portland, she worked as a MusicRx specialist at the Children\u2019s Cancer Association, where she played music with hospitalized kids and teenagers with a variety of medical conditions.<\/p>\n

Spackman moved back to the East Coast in the fall of 2014 to\u00a0complete her third album,\u00a0\u201cHouse on the Sea,\u201d with her brother\/producer\/drummer\/bassist Donnie Spackman at Great Time Studios.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy parents were music lovers,\u201d said Spackman, during a phone interview Monday. \u201cMy mom sings and plays guitar. I started taking piano lessons when I was five or six and guitar lessons when I was 11.<\/p>\n

\u201cI began playing at open mics when I was in high school. My influences were classic folk-rock singers from the 60s like James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. Queen was also a big influence with how complicated their songs are. In high school, I also really got into Ani DiFranco.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spackman attended high school at The Westtown School.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom taught at Westtown,\u201d said Spackman. \u201cI graduated in 2008. I was influenced by the Quaker values there.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery week, we\u2019d have a meeting for worship which was done in silence. My songwriting process comes from sitting and seeing what emerges.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter Westtown School, I went to college at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. I studied psychology and played music in clubs. After I graduated, I lived in Portland for six years.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of factors brought me back to Chester County. My family is all here. I grew up on my family\u2019s farm in Chester Springs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin a year of being back, I met my fianc\u00e9 Shawn Cephas at Steel City. He plays bass and keys and we play in each other\u2019s bands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spackman\u2019s return to the East Coast also allowed her to record her third album in comfortable and affordable surroundings \u2013 her brother\u2019s studio on the family farm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made my first album \u2018Skin and Bones\u2019 in 2008 when I was still in high school,\u201d said Spackman. \u201cMy second album \u2018Her Voice\u2019 was done in Portland in 2011.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded my latest album \u2018House on Sea\u2019 when I got back to Pennsylvania. I cut it at my brother Donnie\u2019s studio \u2013 Great Time Studio.<\/p>\n

\u201cDonnie is an engineer and he has a great studio here on the farm. We\u2019re working on a new album now. The bare bones for each track is there.<\/p>\n

\u201cSongs are my way of working through things. I\u2019m fascinated by people and interested in helping people. With my songwriting, I\u2019ll be messing around on guitar and find a chord pattern I like.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, a lyric or two will come to me. Sometimes, I\u2019ll have an issue in mind but usually, it starts with one or two lines. I like seeing where the song takes me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The charity event on July 27 will have an artisan marketplace featuring crafts and other items from local vendors including Chakramama Creations, Bad Chicken Photography, ReallyCoolNotebooks, and The Design Grove.<\/p>\n

Additionally, there will be a silent auction featuring donated items including a dress from vocalist Gwen Stefani, an autographed photo and guitar pick from singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco, and original artwork from numerous renowned artists.<\/p>\n

This is the sixth charity event that Keen, a professional photographer, has hosted since she moved to Phoenixville in 2011. She chose Planned Parenthood this year due to impending budget cuts and potential cuts to health insurance coverage.<\/p>\n

Video link or Anna Spackman \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/JncbMps4MzQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The event will run from 6:30-9 p.m. at 154 Sixth Avenue, Phoenixville. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n

On July 28, Spackman\u2019s fianc\u00e9 Shawn Cephas will perform at the Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/em><\/a>) under his stage name Street Greek. He will share the bill with Petite Sketches.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Steel City are Jeffrey Gaines on July 29 and \u201cMagic!\u201d on July 30 with magicians Al Angello, Steve Friedberg and Vince Mendoza.<\/p>\n

Green jobs have been growing in popularity in recent years and there was even a Green Jobs Act in 2007 to help generate employment that focused on energy efficiency and more environmentally-friendly practices.<\/p>\n

Now, green jobs are beginning to disappear — and may dry up completely — if the current administration has its way.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Wicked<\/p><\/div>\n

But, there is one \u201cgreen job\u201d that is safe \u2013 as long as the smash musical \u201cWicked\u201d is on Broadway or out as a National Tour. The \u201cgreen job\u201d is the part played by the actress in the role of Elphaba, the show\u2019s infamous green witch.<\/p>\n

Now through August 27, Elphaba and her cast-mates from the show will be in Philadelphia when \u201cWicked\u201d touches down for a five-week run at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, www.kimmelcenter.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cWicked\u201d is based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire. A winner of 15 major awards — including a Grammy Award and three Tony Awards — the show features the music and lyrics of Stephen Schwartz.<\/p>\n

The ultra-popular show depicts what the witches of Oz were doing before they encountered Dorothy and how they got to be the way they were.<\/p>\n

\u201cWicked\u201d, which carries the subtitle \u201cthe untold story of the witches of Oz\u201d, tells the story of two girls who meet in the Land of Oz. The one born with emerald green skin is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.<\/p>\n

The show tells the tale of how these two unlikely friends end up as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the Good Witch.<\/p>\n

Isabel Keating, whose Broadway credits include \u201cHairspray\u201d and \u201cIt\u2019s Only a Dream,\u201d plays the role of Madame Morrible in \u201cWicked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Madame Morrible is the headmistress of Shiz University\u2019s Crage Hall, which Elphaba and Glinda attend. Elphaba and her friends suspect Morrible to be responsible for the murder of Doctor Dillamond.<\/p>\n

At one point, Madame Morrible proposes that Elphaba, Galinda, and Nessarose become future behind-the-scenes rulers in Oz, a proposal that they never willingly accept.<\/p>\n

Elphaba suspects that Madame Morrible has at least some magical powers, and may have indeed controlled the fates of the three women. It remains unknown whether Elphaba murdered her or if she died of natural causes minutes before Elphaba\u2019s attempt.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do I like about Madam Morrible? \u2013 Everything,\u201d said Keating, during a phone interview last week from a tour stop in Boston.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like the fact that she\u2019s looked at as being despicable while I think she is just misunderstood. She is an interesting character. Her award-winning costumes are delicious to wear and she has fantastic wigs.\u201d<\/p>\n

It may be a fun role to play but it is not without challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe role was created for Carole Shelly,\u201d said Keating. \u201cShe\u2019s a powerful actress. I found it a little intimidating to step into such enormous shoes.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother big challenge is to make Madame Morrible relevant to the story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keating, who has a solid film career including \u201cThe Nanny Diaries\u201d and last year\u2019s \u201cIndignation,\u201d is a relatively new addition to the cast of the National Tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cI joined the company late last year,\u201d said Keating. \u201cI started in mid-November in East Lansing, Michigan. This current tour of \u2018Wicked\u2019 is the only tour of the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been out for seven years and it\u2019s still going strong. Some of the ensemble members have been with the tour the whole time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was on Broadway doing \u2018The Boy from Oz\u2019 with Hugh Jackman when \u2018Wicked\u2019 opened on Broadway in 2003. I played Judy Garland and Stephanie J. Block played my daughter Liza Minelli.<\/p>\n

\u201cStephanie had played the role of Elphaba in the development of \u2018Wicked\u2019 and I got to see her in that. I loved the story and the music.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I saw \u2018Wicked\u2019 on Broadway, it never occurred to me that I would be in the show\u2019s cast someday. It wasn\u2019t until much later that I thought I could be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, Keating did know back then that \u201cWicked\u201d was something special.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved the story of the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda \u2013 these two very special girls,\u201d said Keating. \u201cI also loved the message of acceptance of other people\u2019s differences.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was impressed with how funny the play was \u2013 how relevant it was to the times back in 2005 and how relevant it is now.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe get people who come to the stage door and ask us if we changed the script to align with the world the way it is now. In reality, not a word has been changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cElphaba is a girl who is green. That speaks a lot to racial divide. There is such a unifying element to the play. There is a real strong message of acceptance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are people who have seen this show more than 100 times. They always find something new in it. We make it fresh every time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cWicked\u201d \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/0joZAGUHatA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWicked\u201d is running now through August 27 at the Academy of Music. Ticket prices range from $39-$109.<\/p>\n

Another Broadway classic \u2013 one with a much longer history \u2013 is being presented now at the Candlelight Theater (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-313,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The show, which is running through August 27, is the hilarious Neil Simon play \u201cBarefoot in the Park.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBarefoot in the Park,\u201d which opened on Broadway in 1963 and was nominated for three 1964 Tony Awards, tells the story of Corie and Paul Bratter \u2013 the story of what transpired in the first few days in their lives as newlyweds.<\/p>\n

For their first home, they live in an apartment on the top floor of a brownstone in New York City.<\/p>\n

During the course of four days, the couple learns to live together while facing the usual daily ups-and-downs. Corrie tries to convince Paul to become more easygoing \u2013 not an easy task.<\/p>\n

Dave Polgar does a fine job in his portrayal of Paul Bratter. Sarah Robertson does an outstanding job of playing Corie Bratter. Her sense of timing, pretty face and unbridled perkiness makes it seems as if Simon created the role for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019m a lot like Corie in real life,\u201d said Robertson, during a phone interview Wednesday morning from her office in Wilmington.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to make other people happy. I like to have fun in life. When I auditioned for the role, I just tried to be myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cCorie is so vivacious. She enjoys life as much as she can and doesn\u2019t let things get her down \u2013 there\u2019s a hole in the ceiling\u2026I\u2019ll light the stove. She\u2019s ready for whatever life throws at her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though she is outrageously suited for the part, the role still presents her with some challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the big challenges is all the lines,\u201d said Robertson, a native of Mount Gilead, Ohio. \u201cNeil Simon is such a good playwright. Learning the exact pacing he has written is hard — but very important.<\/p>\n

\u201cCorie is a very strong person \u2013 incredibly confident and strong-willed \u2013 so I had to pull that out. Also, Paul and I have to remain likeable throughout the show. She gets angry but she\u2019s still a lovable person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robertson graduated from Ohio State University in 2011 with a major in history and a minor in theater.<\/p>\n

\u201cA liberal arts education is really important for an actor,\u201d said Robertson, who also studied at the American Theater Wing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI moved to Delaware after I finished school and now work for a digital marketing agency.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my third show in Delaware. Prior to this show, I did two shows with the Delaware Children\u2019s Theatre. In Ohio, I worked in a lot of regional theater productions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to do \u2018Barefoot in the Park.\u2019 I saw a stage version at Ohio State. I also saw the film and loved it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoy reading plays so I read the script of \u2018Barefoot in the Park\u2019 a number of times. It\u2019s a great show for anyone who has ever been in a relationship.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Barefoot in the Park\u2019 is a hilarious show. It\u2019s sweet. It has a lot of heart and a lot of characters who are very likable. And, the show has so many great one-liners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cBarefoot in the Park\u201d (original movie) \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/rY-uQehpXf0<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarefoot in the Park\u201d is running now through August 27 at the Candlelight Theater. Tickets, which include a tasty buffet dinner, are $60 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Tom Segura<\/p><\/div>\n

Tom Segura, who is performing on July 28 at the Grand Opera House (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-652-5577, www.thegrandwilmington.org<\/a>), is a veteran comedian who also has a number of films to his credit.<\/p>\n

The show Segura is bringing to Wilmington is billed as his \u201cNo Teeth No Entry Tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis tour kicked off in January,\u201d said Segura, during a phone interview last week from his home in Los Angeles. \u201c60 cities \u2013 it\u2019s a pretty big tour. It\u2019s mostly a theater tour but I do play some clubs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Segura, who is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, is well-known for his Netflix specials \u201cCompletely Normal\u201d and \u201cMostly Stories\u201d as well as his appearances on \u201cConan,\u201d \u201cWorkaholics,\u201d \u201cHappy Endings,\u201d \u201cThe Late Late Show,\u201d \u201cHow To Be A Grown Up,\u201d and \u201cComedy Central.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cComedy is always something I was drawn to do,\u201d said Segura, who has performed at many of the top comedy festivals in the world, including Montreal\u2019s \u201cJust For Laughs Comedy Festival,\u201d \u201cThe Melbourne International Comedy Festival\u201d and \u201cThe Comedy Festival — Las Vegas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI came to L.A, and thought I\u2019d be an actor. I took improv classes and friends told me that I should go into comedy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hosted a talent show in high school \u2013 it was a version of stand-up \u2013 and I got off on it. So, I thought it made sense to be a comedic actor.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time I did stand-up was in 2002 at Goodbar on Sunset Boulevard. I lied to the bouncer and said I was a stand-up comedian. So, I did the show and that was the start of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith live shows, most of it is your set. It\u2019s set and you run through it. The show is always evolving.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe attraction of stand-up is the immediacy. You can just be yourself and you get an immediate reaction. Keeping fresh is a challenge. But for me, it always feels like the norm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Comedy had a boom several years ago. It peaked and has been working hard to hold its own ever since.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time you book a gig, it\u2019s just one gig,\u201d said Segura. \u201cJust getting paid gigs is a mountain to climb. Also, there are worries about making money. It\u2019s a grind. It takes years to get over that. The first threshold is hard to get past.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I started, there were comedy club everywhere.\u00a0 I came up during the comedy boom. Comedy is still doing well. It\u2019s a great time to be a comedian at a club level. Obviously, it\u2019s very competitive. But, there are a lot of places out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Segura regularly appears on XM radio comedy channels and fan favorites such as \u201cBennington Show.<\/em>\u201d <\/em>Segura has been a regular guest on some of the most downloaded podcasts in the world of comedy such as \u201cThe Joe Rogan Experience\u201d <\/em>and \u201cWTF with Marc Maron.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, Segura\u2019s well-received podcast, \u201cYour Mom\u2019s House,<\/em>\u201d <\/em>which he co-hosts with his wife, comedian Christina Pazsitzky, was a finalist for Best Comedy Podcast at the Stitcher Awards and profiled by VICE.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA big part of my success was getting a couple Netflix specials,\u201d said Segura. \u201cAlso, podcasts have brought good results. Between television specials and podcasts, my audience has really grown.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy have I been successful as a comedian \u2013 it\u2019s almost a philosophical question. I have a way of saying something people are thinking. I think it\u2019s like-mindedness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Tom Segura \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/0kM7aXofMC4<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Grand will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32, $36 and $39.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Warchild<\/p><\/div>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/em><\/a>) will host Raymond the Amish Comic and Chris Coccia on July 28 and Warchild – A Tribute to Jethro Tull on July 29.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/em><\/a>) will present<\/p>\n

Band From Mars (David Bowie tribute) and Jonathan Scales Fourchestra on July 27; Brian Collins and Sonia Leigh on July 28; and Splintered Sunlight (Grateful Dead tribute) and Steal Your Peach Is The Band (Performing A Mashup of The Allman Brothers and The Band) on July 29.<\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/em><\/a>) will host The Drunken Hearts<\/a> and Grant Stinnett<\/a> on July 27, Gary Hoey<\/a> and Craig Kelley Band<\/a> on July 28 and Mary Fahl on July 29.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times Anna Spackman, a talented singer-songwriter whose career has bicoastal roots, played many shows in her formative years at Steel City Coffee House in Phoenixville. On July 27, Spackman will be performing in Phoenixville again. Laura Keen is hosting a benefit for Planned Parenthood\u2019s West Chester Health Center in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25205,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[9241,9244,6518,6611,9243,9245,9242],"class_list":["post-25203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-anna-spackman","tag-barefoot-in-the-park","tag-featured","tag-planned-parenthood","tag-tom-segura","tag-warchild","tag-wicked"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25203"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25204,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25203\/revisions\/25204"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}