{"id":30983,"date":"2019-02-14T08:33:26","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T13:33:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=30983"},"modified":"2019-02-14T08:33:34","modified_gmt":"2019-02-14T13:33:34","slug":"on-stage-the-play-is-the-thing-this-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=30983","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: The play is the thing this weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"\"<\/a>

A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream<\/p><\/div>\n

This is a great time of year to see top-flight stage productions around the area.<\/p>\n

There is a wide variety of shows on the calendar right now \u2013 a performance of an opera based on a Shakespeare story, an American premiere of a play by a playwright from Great Britain, a musical theater piece geared for young girls, an award-winning musical based on an award-winning play, a dinner theater production of a timeless classic musical and the final weekend of Philly Theatre Week.<\/p>\n

The performance of an opera based on a Shakespeare story is Opera Philadelphia\u2019s production of Benjamin Britten\u2019s\u00a0\u201cA Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream.\u201d Performances are scheduled for February 15 and 17 at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, www.operaphila.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cA Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op.<\/a> 64\u201d is an opera with music by Benjamin Britten<\/a> and set to a libretto<\/a> adapted by the composer and Peter Pears<\/a> from William Shakespeare<\/a>\u2019s play, \u201cA Midsummer Night’s Dream<\/a>.\u201d It premiered in 1960 at the Aldeburgh Festival<\/a>, where it was conducted by the composer and with set and costume designs by Carl Toms<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Opera Philadelphia production\u00a0marks the long-awaited\u00a0first American presentation\u00a0of\u00a0Robert\u00a0Carsen\u2019s\u00a0classic staging of the opera, which has been touring the world for more than a quarter of a century.<\/p>\n

The revival will be directed by\u00a0Emmanuelle Bastet, Carsen\u2019s collaborator for the past two decades. As in Europe, the production features\u00a0Michael Levine\u2019s original set and costume design with lighting by Robert Carsen and\u00a0Peter Van\u00a0Praet\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0choreography\u00a0of\u00a0Matthew Bourne.<\/p>\n

Benjamin Britten\u2019s\u00a0\u201cA Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream,\u201d\u00a0which is led by Music Director\u00a0Corrado\u00a0Rovaris<\/a>, features British countertenor\u00a0Tim Mead,\u00a0American soprano Anna Christy, and\u00a0\u201cGame of Thrones\u201d\u00a0alum\/English actor\u00a0 Miltos\u00a0Yerolemou. Grammy Award-winning tenor\u00a0Brenton Ryan\u00a0sings\u00a0opposite soprano\u00a0Georgia\u00a0Jarman. Rounding out the quartet of lovers are German-American mezzo-soprano\u00a0Siena Licht Mille and American baritone\u00a0Johnathan McCullough.<\/p>\n

\u201cBritten does an amazing job of setting the text so that the music really complements what\u2019s going on with the drama,\u201d said McCulllough, during a phone interview last weekend from his home in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

McCulllough received a Bachelor of Music degree, Master of Music in Opera degree and Artist Diploma, all from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He is a native of Sherman Oaks, California.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are 15 principal roles in this production which is quite a lot for an opera,\u201d said McCullough, who is a recipient of the Partners for the Arts First Prize in the Promising Young Artist Category, second place in the Mario Lanza Voice Competition, the Bel canto vocal scholarship, a 2013 Career Bridges grant and a 2012 George London Foundation Encouragement Award.<\/p>\n

\u201c15 singers plus a children\u2019s chorus is quite a feat. Robert\u00a0Carsen\u2019s\u00a0production is 25 years old and this is the first time it is being presented in America. It\u2019s a fresh, cutting-edge production. Even though it is 25 years old, it still looks very new today.\u201d<\/p>\n

English National Opera’s production of 2011, directed by Christopher Alden, set the opera in a mid-20th-century school, with Oberon (Iestyn Davies) and Tytania (Anna Christy) as teachers and Puck and the fairies as schoolboys. Oberon’s relationship with Puck is given overtly sexual overtones, and Puck responds with alternate anger and despair to Oberon’s new-found interest in Tytania’s Changeling boy. The silent older man who stalks the action in the first two acts is revealed to be Theseus.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe plot is great, and the music is great,\u201d said McCullough, whose Sherman Oaks alma mater Notre Dame High has star-studded list of alumni. The list of ND grads includes Rami Malek, Kirsten Dunst, Nick Cassavetes, Jane\u2019s Addiction\u2019s Dave Navarro and Stephen Perkins, Jerry Mathers (Beaver from \u201cLeave It to Beaver\u201d), Staci Keenan and a number of pro sports luminaries such as MLB\u2019s 2017 MVP Giancarlo Stanton.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis opera is a story about lovers \u2013 relationships, jealousy, conflict resolution. The last 30 minutes is some of the funniest opera I\u2019ve ever seen. Visually, it\u2019s amazing \u2013 and it\u2019s in English.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Opera Philadelphia\u2019s production of Benjamin Britten\u2019s\u00a0\u201cA Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/-tptCEeK7FU<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Performances are scheduled for February 15 at 8 p.m. and February 17 at 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $25-$299.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The American premiere of a play by a playwright from Great Britain\u2019s is Inis Nua Theatre production of \u201cBox Clever\u201d by English playwright Monsay Whitney. The show, which is directed by Inis Nua Theatre\u2019s Artistic Director Tom Reing, is running now through February 24 at the Louis Bluver Theatre at the Drake (302 South Hicks Street, Philadelphia, https:\/\/inisnuatheatre.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cI first saw \u2018Box Clever\u2019 in Scotland,\u201d said Reing, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. \u201cI saw it when it premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2017.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur mission at Inis Nua Theatre is to present contemporary provocative plays Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. \u2018Box Clever\u2019 is the type of play that we look for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Playwright Monsay Whitney is an actress and playwright living in London with her daughter. Her writing career began with the Lyric Young Writers class, and her play Hand to Mouth was developed and shown at the Lyric Hammersmith and chosen by Simon Stephens as Theatre 503\u2019s \u201cPlaywright Presents\u201d scheme.\u00a0\u201cBox\u00a0Clever\u201d\u00a0is her third play — and her first to have a full run.<\/p>\n

\u201cBox Clever\u201d may be a two-handed play but it still has a lot of depth, plenty of characters and an interesting story.<\/p>\n

In a women\u2019s shelter in London, headstrong, mouthy and maybe a little crazy Marnie struggles to take care of her four-year-old daughter in a moving and relevant dark comedy.<\/p>\n

Marnie\u2019s three useless ex-boyfriends can\u2019t seem to leave her alone. There\u2019s Danny, the father of her daughter. There\u2019s Liam, a junkie who keeps leaving her voicemails. And there\u2019s Stevie, who she calls \u201can angel\u201d but who calls her a stalker.<\/p>\n

Add to the mix Fi Fi — her so-called feminist social worker who follows her around constantly \u201clike a roving mosquito handpicking an arse cheek\u201d and Marnie\u2019s struggle to keep her head above water is just starting. She wants to protect the place she\u2019s secured for herself and her daughter at a women\u2019s home, but it\u2019s an uphill battle full of twists and setbacks that she can\u2019t always control.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s set in the present day in London \u2013 all over London but mostly in the southside. It covers a period of a few months. The set is just a chaise lounge, two chairs and a table. The floor is a board game \u2013 \u2018Snakes and Ladders.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Reing draws on his experiences working at Catholic charity group homes to stage the play.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore I became Artistic Director here, I was Education Director at InterAct Theatre Company,\u201d said Reing. \u201cWe did residencies in group homes for mothers and their babies.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe used theater to teach education and to create empathy between mothers and their babies. A lot of them are coming from a history of abuse and their skills are limited. The women were trying to gain independent living for themselves and their children but there were always things stacked up against them. The current safety net is not enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw the play (\u2018Box Clever\u2019) and remembered my time working with the Catholic Charities on those programs. I wanted to bring the play here to highlight the problem \u2013 that we should be investing more in a safety net for these people. When you ask for help, you should be able to get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The edgy two-hander stars\u00a0Inis\u00a0Nua Theatre newcomer Ruby Wolf as Marnie, and\u00a0Inis\u00a0alumna Rachel Brodeur playing all other roles.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarnie plays Ruby and Rachel plays all the rest — 24 different characters including Ruby\u2019s daughter, a social worker and Ruby\u2019s ex-boyfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBox Clever\u201d will run through February 24 at the Louis Bluver Theatre at the Drake, 302 South Hicks Street. Tickets are $25 and $35. Reservations can be made by calling (215) 454-9776 or visiting\u00a0inisnuatheatre.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The musical theater piece geared for young girls is \u201cAmerican Girl Live.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

American Girl Live<\/p><\/div>\n

From February 14-17, the Kimmel Center (Broad and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, www.kimmelcenter.org<\/a>), is presenting \u201cAmerican Girl Live\u201d in the Perelman Theater as part of its Family Discovery Series.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican Girl Live\u201d is a Mills Entertainment stage production, featuring all-original songs and unforgettable experiences \u2013 including a sleepover camp with some new friends for an exciting summer away from home.\u202f As bold tales of bravery and friendship come to life, iconic American Girl characters lend a hand through story and song.<\/p>\n

In \u201cAmerican Girl Live,\u2019 a new, original, 90-minute musical that celebrates the power of girls and strength of friendship, audiences join five spunky campers and their fearless counselor at Camp American Girl, an overnight camp in the North Woods.<\/p>\n

Overcoming fears and obstacles along the way to having the summer of their lives, these brave campers rely on wisdom and advice delivered by Rebecca, Maryellen, Julie, Nanea, Luciana, and Melody \u2013 the beloved American Girl dolls they\u2019ve brought along to camp \u2013 who inspire audiences in surprising and delightful musical numbers, each reflecting their historical eras.<\/p>\n

Empowered by the stories and conviction of their American Girls, the campers learn that they can overcome anything and achieve their dreams, so long as they stay true to themselves and support one another.<\/p>\n

The show\u2019s director is Gina Rattan, who is also the director of the currently running National Tour of \u201cRodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s Cinderella\u201d and thechoreographer is Emilie Renier, who has choreographed and performed in productions both nationally and internationally.<\/p>\n

\u201cI joined the team last August,\u201d said Renier, during a phone interview last week from Loveland, Colorado. \u201cI worked with Gina on the National Tour of \u2018Rodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s Cinderella\u2019 as assistant choreographer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen she started with American Girl in December 2017, she contacted me to choreograph the show. We also had worked together for three years with \u2018Cinderella.\u2019 I started \u2018Cinderella\u2019 as a performer and moved into a choreographer position.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of Renier\u2019s performing credits include Disney\u2019s \u201cBeauty and the Beast\u201d (National and International Tour), \u201cMary Poppins,\u201d and \u201cShe Loves Me.\u201d Some of her choreography credits are the national tour of \u201cRodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s Cinderella\u201d (Asst. Choreographer), \u201cHair\u201d (Asst. Choreographer), and \u201cKiss Me, Kate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith American Girl, they used to have a musical that was performed in American Girl\u2019s New York store,\u201d said Renier. \u201cThey talked to people at Mills Entertainment \u2013 talked about a new musical with the American Girl brand. They wanted a show where the American Girls come to life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this show, five girls go to camp with their American Girl dolls. They face obstacles at camp and the dolls, who are there in doll form, transform into live girls.<\/p>\n

One character is the new girl and she deals with the social anxiety of being an outsider. Another obstacle is very science-based where the girl has to figure out how to fix a robot \u2013 with the help of friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show is aimed at pre-teen girls \u2013 and has the ability to deal with that age group\u2019s somewhat limited attention span.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a 90-minute show in two acts,\u201d said Renier. \u201cIt\u2019s fast-moving and has a lot of interesting music. The audience never gets bored.\u201d Video link for \u201cAmerican Girl Live\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/r5QRb5gcdTM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican Girl Live\u201d performances are scheduled for February 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. and February 16 and 17 at 11 a.m., 2 and 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets range from $15-$59.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The <\/span>award-winning musical based on an award-winning play is \u201cThe Bridges of Madison County<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now through March 3, \u201cThe Bridges at Madison County\u201d will be performed <\/span>by Philadelphia Theatre Company at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, philadelphiatheatrecompany.org<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The show is based on the 1992 best-selling novel by Robert James Waller. In 1995, the book was adapted into an Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated movie directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2014, the team of multiple TONY Award winner Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World) and Pulitzer Prize and TONY Award winner Marsha Norman (\u2018Night Mother, The Color Purple) brought the story to the stage. \u00a0The show went on to win two Drama Desk Awards for Music and Orchestration and two TONY Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show in Philadelphia is directed by Mark Martino.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe score, which won the Tony Award, is really remarkable<\/span>,\u201d said Martino, during a phone interview this week.<\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s romantic, lush and almost operatic.<\/span> It\u2019s about two people whose lives change in a few days. The story has resonated deeply with anyone who has seen it. For those three days, these two people find something that is almost perfect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Francesca Johnson, a beautiful Italian woman who married an American soldier to flee war-ravaged Italy<\/span>, is looking forward to a rare weekend alone on her Iowa farm while her family heads to the 1965 State Fair. Soon after they depart, ruggedly handsome National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid pulls into her driveway seeking directions.<\/span><\/p>\n

People might be familiar with \u201cThe Bridges of Madison County\u201d via the book, the movie, the musical \u2013 or all three.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think people are familiar with the movie,\u201d said Martino. \u201cThe book was a gigantic bestseller. The film was a big hit too. The musical is the last of the three iterations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bridges of Madison County\u201d is running now through March 3 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre. Ticket prices range from $20-$75.<\/span><\/p>\n

The dinner theater production of a timeless classic musical is the Candlelight Dinner Theater\u2019s latest show \u2013 \u201cGuys and Dolls.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cGuys and Dolls\u201d has come to Delaware for a multi-week run <\/span>through February 24 at the Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGuys and Dolls\u201d is one of the all-time classics of American musical theater. It features music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and <\/span>Abe Burrows and is based on a pair of short stories by Damon Runyon.<\/span><\/p>\n

The hit musical opened on Broadway in 1950, ran for more than 1,200 performances and won five Tony Awards in 1951 \u2014 Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical.<\/span><\/p>\n

Runyon\u2019s short stories, which were written in the 1920s and 1930s, featured gangsters, gamblers and other assorted unsavory characters from New York\u2019s seedy underworld. Runyon was known for the unique dialect he employed in his stories \u2014 a mixture of highly formal language and slang.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show revolves around four main characters \u2014 Miss Adelaide, a veteran night club performer; Sky Masterson, a professional gambler addicted to his profession; Sergeant Sarah Brown, a prim and proper member of a Salvation Army style band; and Nathan Detroit, who runs an illegal floating crap game.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the biggest reasons for the show\u2019s continuing popularity is the music. The score is really good. Every single song in the show has become a standard. \u201cLuck Be a Lady\u201d still pops up on contemporary vocalists\u2019 set lists. And, the characters are just as valid today as they were in the 1950s.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Candlelight Theatre\u2019s production of \u201cGuys and Dolls\u201d is running now through February 24. 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).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>This week<\/span>end marks the final few days of Theatre Philadelphia<\/span>\u2019s Philly Theatre Week<\/span>. The event features 81 organizations, 100 events and more than 300 performances now through February 17. This year\u2019s Philly Theatre Week is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
\nThe festive celebration showcase<\/span>s the vibrant and diverse theatre scene in the tri-state region with the goal of making liv<\/span>e theater even more accessible to the community. Participating organizations range from professional regional theaters to local community theaters, to self-producing artists, and everything in between.<\/span><\/p>\n

Events will include full performances, workshops, panels and more in Philadelphia and the Philly suburbs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. All tickets for participating shows are free, $15 or $30. Philly Theatre Week tickets are officially on sale now at www.phillytheatreweek.org<\/span><\/a> and through the TodayTix app.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are proud to continue Philly Theatre Week as a new annual tradition in our region, celebrating the breadth and diversity of artists and organizations that make Philadelphia a vibrant hub for performing arts.\u201d said Theatre Philadelphia Executive Director Leigh Goldenberg.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLast year, we had 83 events. This year, we have 100 events and well over 300 individual performances from indie artists presenting free events to Opera Philadelphia, Philadelphia Theater Company and the Kimmel Center. We have community theaters in the suburbs \u2013 Trenton, Bucks County, Wilmington, the Main Line. There are musical events, improv theater, jazz events, new plays. We just ask that any performing group have tickets for participating shows priced free, $15 or $30.\u201d<\/p>\n

Local productions include Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center\u2019s \u201cJazz Cocktail Hour,\u201d People\u2019s Light\u2019s \u201cSweat\u201d by Lynn Notage, Delaware Theatre Company\u2019s \u201cSaint Joan,\u201d and Media Theatre Company\u2019s \u201cJulius Caesar.\u201d<\/p>\n

For additional information, visit www.phillytheatreweek.com<\/a> or call 267-761-9950.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Paula Johns<\/p><\/div>\n

Should your entertainment tastes gravitate more to live music rather than live theater, there are also many good options this weekend including a Jazz Cocktail \u201cHour\u201d with Paula Johns on February 15, a concert by The Devil Makes Three on February 14 and a show by Liily on February 15.<\/p>\n

The Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (236 North High Street, West Chester, https:\/\/uptownwestchester.org\/<\/a>) is hosting \u201cDueling Pianos\u201d on February 14 (which is sold out) and \u201cJazz Cocktail Hour \u2013 Paula Johns presents \u2018The Look of Love,\u2019 A Tribute to Burt Bacharach & Dionne Warwick\u201d on February 15.<\/p>\n

The Jazz Cocktail \u201cHour\u201d<\/a> begins with drinks and small bites. Concerts are held on the second floor of the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center — The Univest Room. This intimate room allows the audience to experience the creative, improvisational form of jazz, up close and personal. Sara Michaels, jazz and blues vocalist and local resident, gives a brief introduction to connect the artist with the audience.<\/p>\n

In the show by Paula Johns, the audience will hear an array of Burt Bachrach compositions. Bachrach has written a slew of hits that worm their way into your brain after just a few listening. You can hear \u201cRaindrops Keep Falling\u201d at 10 a.m. and the song will still be popping up in your head at dinnertime.<\/p>\n

Johns will be performing Bachrach classics such as \u201cAlfie,\u201d \u201cWhat the World Needs Now,\u201d \u201cValley of the Dolls,\u201d \u201cThe Look of Love,\u201d \u201cI Say A Little Prayer,\u201d along with many other familiar and not so familiar songs.<\/p>\n

The Jazz Cocktail \u201cHour\u201d will start at 7 p.m. on February 15. Tickets are $40 for adults and $25 for students.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Devil Makes Three<\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019re listening to an album or a concert by The Devil Makes Three and you hear a song in a genre that you\u2019re not crazy about \u2013 hang in there. The next tune up will likely be in a completely different genre \u2013 most probably one more to your liking.<\/p>\n

The veteran Americana band, which will play at Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, 215-232-2100, www.utphilly.com<\/a>) on February 14, has a repertoire of songs that spans genres with ease \u2013 genres such as bluegrass, ragtime, folk, old-time, country, jazz, blues and rock.<\/p>\n

The talented and versatile trio features guitarist Pete Bernhard, upright bass player Lucia Turino, and guitarist\/tenor banjo player Cooper McBean. The band\u2019s first album was an eponymous release in 2002. Since then, The Devil Makes Three has released several live albums and a handful of studio albums \u2013 the newest of which is \u201cChains Are Broken.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChains Are Broken,\u201d which is the band\u2019s first record of original songs since 2013\u2019s\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m a Stranger Here,\u201d was released on August 24, 2018 via New West Records and debuted in the Top 10 Bluegrass Album Charts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been pretty busy since last summer,\u201d said Bernhard, during a phone earlier interview this week from a tour stop in Burlington, Vermont. \u201cWe toured Europe after the album came out. Then, we did a West Coast tour and now we\u2019re finishing up an East Coast tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Devil Makes Three is the core trio but often appears in augmented form with a drummer and a fiddle player joining the group in live shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been a \u2018five-piece\u2019 for a while,\u201d said Bernhard. \u201cWe expanded the lineup to make the sound fuller. The expanded lineup is fun. It allows us to do more things.\u201d<\/p>\n

McBean and Bernhard are originally from the Brattleboro (Vermont) area where they played music together as childhood friends and when they were in high school. They were also acquainted with Turino, who was raised in Vermont, but didn\u2019t know her well.<\/p>\n

After graduating from high school, all three moved to California separately. They became reacquainted in Santa Cruz, home of the University of California Santa Cruz \u201cFighting Banana Slugs.\u201d Around 2010, Bernhard and Turino moved back to Brattleboro while McBean moved to Austin, Texas.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur music has evolved a lot over the years,\u201d said Bernhard. \u201cIt really has changed a lot. The biggest thing is that we\u2019ve been growing and have become better musicians. And, we\u2019ve become more collaborative.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe made the new album at Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, Texas with producer Ted Hutt. The studio is located on a huge pecan farm in the middle of nowhere. It\u2019s an eerie experience. The place is really remote.<\/p>\n

\u201cRecording \u2018Chains Are Broken\u2019 was a different process for us. Normally, we record 100 per cent live in the studio. This time, we used th studio more. Multitracking made it possible to do all those really cool things.\u201d<\/p>\n

The songs were deeper musically and lyrically.<\/p>\n

According to Bernhard, \u201cI always want our songs to unfold like short stories. You could think of them like the chapters of a book. Of course, they\u2019re shorter and maybe more poetic. This was a much more personal album about what it takes to be an artist or writer of any kind\u2014and what you have to do to make your dream possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really the headspace I was in. It might have something to do with getting older. You start reflecting on life and the people around you. I was doing that in these songs. That\u2019s what makes the record more personal. I\u2019m pulling from these things. Some of it is about drug addiction. Some of it is about the things you sacrifice. Some of it is about the detrimental things we do for inspiration. Nevertheless, they all have some sort of narrative.\u201d<\/p>\n

All along, The Devil Makes Three has been more comfortable onstage than in the studio.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re a live band,\u201d said Bernhard. \u201cWe love to play live, and people love to see us live. That\u2019s our bread and butter. We play a lot of our songs differently live. Right now, we\u2019re playing five songs from the new album. The set is a mixture from really old to really new. We like to draw from the whole catalogue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The Devil Makes Three — https:\/\/youtu.be\/8U8NhHQ5xz8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Union Transfer, which has Lost Dog Street Band as the opener, will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $30.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Union Transfer are Bob Mould Band and Titus Andronicus on February 15, Daughters, Wolf Eyes, and HIDE on February 16, and Jacob Banks and ABIR on February 20.<\/p>\n

Sherman Oaks will be \u201cin the house\u201d in Philly on February 15. In addition to opera singer\/Sherman Oaks native Johnathan McCullough performing Friday at the Academy of Music, Liily, a rocking young quartet from Sherman Oaks, will be performing the same night at Johnny Brenda\u2019s (1201 North Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-739-9684, www.johnnybrendas.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Liily<\/p><\/div>\n

Liily \u2013 Maxx Morando, drums; Sam De La Torre, guitar; Charlie Anastasis, bass; Dylan Nash, vocals — will be opening for The Glorious Sons at the popular venue in Fishtown.<\/p>\n

Liily is an alt-rock band of four teenagers hailing from deep in the San Fernando Valley \u2013 a band so young and fresh that it has just three singles to its credit. According to the band, its latest single \u201cSepulveda Basin\u201d is a \u201csong about the pleasures of living in the greatest place in the world: the San Fernando Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve is a recreation area in the Valley located between Sherman Oaks and Van Nuys.<\/p>\n

The single \u201cSepulveda Basin\u201d follows the band\u2019s two breakout tracks \u201cToro\u201d and \u201cSold\u201d from 2018, both which will appear on the foursome\u2019s debut EP \u201cI Can Fool Anybody In This Town.\u201d \u00a0The EP will be released on March 8 via Southern California-based indie label Flush Records.<\/p>\n

Liily has already received support from the rock community with radio-play on local favorites KCSN and KLOS, and big-time streaming activity with both \u201cSold\u201d and \u201cToro.\u201d The video for \u201cSold\u201d premiered exclusively on Spotify’s \u201cRock This\u201d and \u201cNew Noise\u201d playlists and has gained nearly 400k views and over 1M streams.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe band has been together a little over two years,\u201d said Nash, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from a tour stop in Cambridge, Massachusetts. \u201cWe released our first single back in August.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anastasis said, \u201cOriginally, we were all in separate things. Me and Maxx played in other bands. It was hard to find like-minded individuals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all just met up at parties and just started jamming together. The next step was playing together. It evolved naturally.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe and Maxx and Sam played together for a year without a singer. We were more of an experimental jam band. We were playing gigs in backyards and warehouses. We just recently started playing in actual venues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving up to a new plateau, Liily started playing shows at established clubs and began making records.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have three singles and just released the third one about a month ago,\u201d said Nash. \u201cIt\u2019s called \u2018Sepulveda Basin\u2019 and it\u2019s all about growing up in the Valley.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just finished making our debut EP at a studio in the Valley called The Steakhouse. We were only in the studio for about a week. We also did some recoding at 64 Sound Studio in Silver Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anastasis said, \u201cMost of the making of the EP took place in Maxx\u2019s home. He has a bunch of recording gear. And, me and Dylan did stuff on my computer that ended up on the EP. Now, we\u2019re working on our first album \u2013 just doing it at Maxx\u2019s house.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the EP is a great starting point. We\u2019re starting to come into our own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Liily \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/BECUnls4QHA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Johnny Brenda\u2019s, which also features The Glorious Sons and JJ Wilde, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Johnny Brenda\u2019s are Ecstatic Vision on February 14, Mo Lowda & The Humble on February 16, and Adia Victoria on February 20.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will present Chuck Prophet & Stephanie Finch on February 14, \u201c33 1\/3 Live\u2019s Killer Queen Experience\u201d on February 15, Countdown To Ecstasy on February 16, and Open Mic with guest host Guenevere Calabrese on February 17.<\/p>\n

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/a>) will host ETC Theater Company\u2019s \u201cLove Stinks\u201d on February 14 and Jeffrey Gaines on February 16.<\/p>\n

Chaplin\u2019s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110,\u00a0http:\/\/chaplinslive.com<\/a>) will have Underwater Robots, Ed Matthews, Jake Currie and Rob Levy on February 15 and Duncan, Wormtooth, Koresh and Sans Blix on February 16.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will present Patrizio Buanne with special guest Remember Jones Duo on February 14, Splintered Sunlight \/ Wax Future on February 15, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, National Reserve with special guest Hannah Taylor & Rekardo Lee on February 16, and Bill Frisell on February 17.<\/p>\n

Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547,\u00a0www.burlapandbean.com<\/a>) will present Craig Bickhardt and Andrea Carlson on February 16.<\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) presents \u201cWho\u2019s Bad\u201d on February 15, Neal Morse Band on February 16 and Jack Hanna on February 17.<\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>) will host Kick It Out (Heart Tribute) on February 14, Vanessa Collier on February 15, Martin Sexton on February 16, Roger Kabler\u2019s \u201cRobin, the Ultimate Robin Williams Tribute Experience\u201d & Over Actor\u2019s Anonymous on February 17, and The Spring \u00a0on February 20.<\/p>\n

The Locks at Sona (4417 Main Street, Manayunk, 484- 273-0481, sonapub.com<\/a>) will host Brian Seymour, Andrea Nardello, Lauren Hart on February 14, Jared Feinman with special guest HANN on February 15, Andy McKee with special guest Dave Bakey on February 16, and Rachael Yamagata with special guest Zach Djanikian on February 17.<\/p>\n

Rrazz Room (6426 Lower York Road, New Hope, 888-596-1027, www.TheRrazzRoom.com<\/a>) presents Kathy Graham \u201cA Time For Love\u201d featuring Bob Egan, Music Director.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times This is a great time of year to see top-flight stage productions around the area. There is a wide variety of shows on the calendar right now \u2013 a performance of an opera based on a Shakespeare story, an American premiere of a play by a playwright from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30985,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[10978,10980,10979,6518,10983,10981,10982],"class_list":["post-30983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-a-midsummer-nights-dream","tag-american-girl-live","tag-box-clever","tag-featured","tag-liily","tag-the-bridges-of-madison-county","tag-the-devil-makes-three"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30983","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=30983"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30983\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30984,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30983\/revisions\/30984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}