{"id":40166,"date":"2022-11-03T09:40:57","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T13:40:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=40166"},"modified":"2022-11-03T09:41:03","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T13:41:03","slug":"on-stage-kennett-symphony-plays-traditionally-and-untraditionally-this-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=40166","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Kennett Symphony plays traditionally and untraditionally this weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff,<\/strong> Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

The Kennett Symphony<\/p><\/div>\n

Chester County is home to a musical treasure \u2013 the Kennett Symphony. Kennett Symphony was established in 1940 and provides the musical landscape of a historic region renowned for the arts.<\/p>\n

Concerts by the Kennett Symphony are always a welcome addition to the area\u2019s entertainment schedule.<\/p>\n

This weekend, the Kennett Symphony (kennettsymphony.org<\/a>) is performing two concerts, and both will offer more than just well-played classical music.<\/p>\n

The first will be \u201cSchubert & Champagne\u201d on November 5 at 11 a.m. at Mendenhall Inn (323 Kennett Pike, Chadds Ford). The second will be \u201cMasterworks 1\u201d on November 6 at 3 p.m. in the Auditorium at Unionville High School (750 Unionville Road, Kennett Square). <\/p>\n

At the\u00a0\u201cSchubert & Champagne\u201d concert, seating around the orchestra will provide the audience with a unique perspective. Food and drink will be available throughout this one-hour long performance in a relaxed atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of our discover concerts that we\u2019ve been doing,\u201d said Kennett Symphony Music Director Michael Hall during a phone interview Wednesday evening.\u00a0It makes it fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole idea of a concert series is to make it fun. This will be very relaxed \u2013 sit, have a drink and enjoy some food. It will be general admission, and everyone sits arounds the orchestra at Mendenhall Inn.\u201d<\/p>\n

The program for Saturday\u2019s matinee will feature Schubert\u2019s \u201cEntr\u2019acte No. 3 from\u00a0Rosamunde\u201d and \u201cSymphony No. 8 \u201cUnfinished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe take one master work and I talk about it,\u201d said Hall. \u201cThere are screens with visuals about Schubert, I talk about his life and then we perform the piece.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s early in the day \u2013 11 a.m. One hour and then people are out to move on with the rest of their day. A lot of people have told me that they\u2019ve learned a lot about master works this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schubert is considered the last of the classical composers and one of the first romantic ones. Schubert’s music is notable for its melody and harmony.<\/p>\n

Born in 1797, in Himmelpfortgrund, Austria, Schubert demonstrated an early gift for music. As a child, his talents included an ability to play the piano, violin and organ. He was also an excellent singer. By 1814, the young composer had written a number of piano pieces, and had produced string quartets, a symphony, and a three-act opera.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Schubert had health problems and he died on November 19, 1828, in Vienna, Austria.<\/p>\n

It was only after Schubert’s passing that his musical genius received the kind of recognition it deserved. His talent lay in is ability to adapt to almost any kind of musical form. His vocal contributions, more than 500 in all, were written for male and female voices, as well as mixed voices.<\/p>\n

Like the poets whose work he wrote his music around, Schubert was an unrivaled master of lyrical beauty. Schubert produced masterful works with rich harmonies and legendary melodies for a variety of genres.<\/p>\n

\u201cSchubert\u2019s \u2018Symphony No. 8 \u201cUnfinished\u2019 is so beautiful, so passionate,\u201d said Hall. \u201cIt really jumps off the stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cSchubert composed two movements, but he never finished the symphony. I talk about the history of the piece. It\u2019s one of Schubert\u2019s most famous pieces.<\/p>\n

\u201cSchubert was a genius who wasn\u2019t recognized in his lifetime. He died when he was only 31. \u2018Entr\u2019acte No. 3 from\u00a0Rosamunde\u2019 is a piece he wrote for a play. It will be the first thing we play on Saturday just to get Schubert in people\u2019s ears.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ticket price includes the concert, your first mimosa or other beverage, and light hors d’oeuvres. Cash bar also available on site.<\/p>\n

All seating is General Admission (no pre-assigned seats) with tickets priced at $50 for adults and $10 for students up to age 18.<\/p>\n

At Sunday\u2019s performance, there will be a \u201cPre-Concert Talk\u201d by Hall from 2-2:30 p.m. followed by the concert at 3 p.m.<\/p>\n

The program will include \u201cFour Poems\u201d by Christine Donkin, \u201cSerenade No. 2\u201d by Johannes Brahms along with another performance of Schubert\u2019s \u201cSymphony No. 8 \u201cUnfinished\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a repeat of \u2018Unfinished\u2019 without any talking,\u201d said Hall. \u201cThere are two ways for people to enjoy the Kennett Symphony. With this one, I do a pre-concert talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brahms is a German composer and pianist of the\u00a0Romantic\u00a0period, who wrote\u00a0symphonies,\u00a0concerti,\u00a0chamber music, piano works,\u00a0choral\u00a0compositions, and more than 200\u00a0songs. Brahms was the great master of symphonic and\u00a0sonata\u00a0style in the second half of the 19th century.<\/p>\n

He can be viewed as the protagonist of the Classical tradition of\u00a0Joseph Haydn,\u00a0Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and\u00a0Ludwig van Beethoven\u00a0in a period when the standards of this tradition were being questioned or overturned by the\u00a0Romantics.<\/p>\n

Brahms was the son of Jakob Brahms, an impecunious horn and\u00a0double bass\u00a0player. He showed early promise as a pianist and first studied music with his father. Between ages 14 and 16 Brahms earned money to help his family by playing in rough inns in the dock area of Hamburg and meanwhile composing and sometimes giving recitals.<\/p>\n

The first turning point came in 1853, when he met the\u00a0violin\u00a0virtuoso\u00a0Joseph Joachim, who instantly realized the talent of Brahms. Joachim in turn recommended Brahms to the composer\u00a0Robert Schumann, and an immediate friendship between the two composers resulted.<\/p>\n

Between 1857 and 1860 Brahms moved between the court of Detmold and\u00a0G\u00f6ttingen. At this point Brahms\u2019s productivity increased and he composed the two delightful\u00a0\u201cSerenades\u201d\u00a0for\u00a0orchestra\u00a0and the colorful first\u00a0\u201cString Sextet in B-flat Major.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Serenade No. 2\u2019 is a piece unusual for orchestra in that there are no violins,\u201d said Hall. \u201cThat gives the piece a darker hued quality.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrahms was 43 years old before he wrote his first symphony and in order to prepare, he composed this smaller, shorter \u2018Serenade,\u2019 which is a masterpiece in its own right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christine Donkin is an award-winning composer whose music appeals to a broad range of listeners and performers. Described by critics as \u201cstunning\u201d, \u201cpoignant\u201d, and \u201castonishingly beautiful\u201d, her work is promoted by several publishers and is performed all over the continent and beyond.<\/p>\n

Donkin, who was born in northwest Alberta, is known for her skill in composing music for a wide range of performers. While her compositions have been programmed at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall and the Moscow Conservatory, they are also frequently played at concerts featuring music students, community orchestras, and church choirs.<\/p>\n

\u201cChristine Donkin is a Canadian composer who is with the Vancouver Conservatory,\u201d said Hall. \u201cHer \u2018Four Poems\u2019 captures the essence of poetry that describes the changing of the seasons and the moods that they invoke.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets for Sunday\u2019s performance, which includes a post-concert Q&A with Hall, are $35, $50, $58 with student tickets priced at $10.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to take farewell tours seriously.<\/p>\n

Music acts such as the Who, Frank Sinatra, Cher and David Bowie have all, at one time or another in their careers, embarked on a \u201cFarewell Tour.\u201d No-one really believed them and, eventually, the artists were back on stage performing again.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Les Mis\u00e9rables<\/p><\/div>\n

The hit musical \u201cLes Mis\u00e9rables\u201d went out on its \u201cFarewell Tour\u201d in 2006. Just as with the music acts, everyone felt sure that the popular song-laden classic would be playing theaters around the country again sometime in the not-too-distant future.<\/p>\n

And, that\u2019s just what happened.<\/p>\n

A few years ago, \u201cLes Mis\u00e9rables\u201d was back on the road with a highly acclaimed 25th anniversary tour. Then, the show returned to Broadway for a run that closed in September 2016, after 1,026 performances.<\/p>\n

But, like the Energizer Bunny, \u201cLes Miserables\u201d just keeps going and going \u2013 from Broadway to yet another national tour.<\/p>\n

Now, \u201cLes Miserables\u201d is back in Philly again.<\/p>\n

Cameron Mackintosh\u2019s acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Sch\u00f6nberg\u2019s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon,\u00a0\u201cLes\u00a0Mis\u00e9rables,\u201d is running now through November 13 on Philadelphia\u2019s Kimmel Cultural Campus at the historic Academy of Music. This engagement is hosted by the Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Shubert Organization.<\/p>\n

Celebrated tour alums Nick Cartell and Preston Truman Boyd will return to the barricades to portray the fugitive \u2018Jean Valjean\u2019 and \u2018Inspector Javert,\u2019 respectively. They are joined by Matt Crowle as \u2018Th\u00e9nardier,\u2019 Christina Rose Hall as \u2018Madame Th\u00e9nardier,\u2019 Haley Dortch as \u2018Fantine,\u2019 Devin Archer as \u2018Enjolras,\u2019 Christine Heesun Hwang as \u2018\u00c9ponine,\u2019 Gregory Lee Rodriguez as \u2018Marius\u2019 and Addie Morales as \u2018Cosette.\u2019 Cora Jane Messer and Hazel Vogel alternate in the role of \u2018Little Cosette\/Young \u00c9ponine.\u2019 Harrison Fox and Gabriel Lafazan alternate in the role of \u2018Gavroche.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cLes Mis\u00e9rables\u201d, which had its world premiere at the Barbican Theatre in London on October 8, 1985, has been seen in person by more than 70 million people around the world. There have been more than 60,000 performances, more than 50 major theater awards (including eight Tony Awards in 1987) and more than 30 cast recordings.<\/p>\n

A year after closing on Broadway, Cameron Mackintosh\u2019s monumental new production of \u201cLes Miserables\u201d launched its first national tour. Based on Victor Hugo\u2019s novel, this sweeping epic is one of the most popular musicals in history, a tale of love and revolution that draws audiences in time and time again. Its classic score, written by Herbert Kretzmer and Claude-Michel Schonberg, includes the timeless \u201cI Dreamed A Dream,\u201d \u201cOne Day More\u201d and \u201cDo You Hear the People Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The main story is the tale of Jean Valjean, a fugitive whose devotion to doing the right thing leads to problems as he engages in a life-long struggle to elude Inspector Javert, a self-righteous and cruel police officer.<\/p>\n

Two years after the Revolution of 1830, France is on the brink of violence once again. Dismayed that one king has been replaced by another, a group of rebels are plotting to overthrow the monarchy and lay claim to the throne for the common people.<\/p>\n

Against this backdrop of simmering rebellion, we follow the story of Jean Valjean, an escaped convict who manages to build a new life for himself and his adopted daughter Cosette. Yet his new-found happiness cannot last for long, because the unrelenting police inspector Javert, who has been hunting Valjean for two decades, is close on his tail.<\/p>\n

As Valjean\u2019s past finally catches up with him, all of the characters are swept up in the chaos that breaks out on the streets of Paris in an epic story of thwarted love, forgiveness and the enduring strength of the human spirit.<\/p>\n

On the surface, Valjean has the role of the good guy while Javert looks like the villain. In reality, Javert is merely obsessed with justice. He respects the law above all else and relentlessly pursues Valjean, hoping to bring the escaped convict to justice. He firmly believes in the justice of the law and has no room for mercy. In the end he commits suicide, broken by the mercy he experiences from Valjean.<\/p>\n

The real villains in the show are the Th\u00e9nardiers.<\/p>\n

A second-rate thief, Th\u00e9nardier runs a small inn where he continually bilks his customers. He and his family later travel to Paris, where he sets up as the leader of a gang of street thugs and con men. An eternal survivor, Th\u00e9nardier is above nothing and below everything.<\/p>\n

As innkeepers, Th\u00e9nardier and his wife Madame Th\u00e9nardier abuse Cosette as a child and extract payment from Fantine for her support \u2014 until Valjean takes Cosette away. They become bankrupt and relocate under the name Jondrette to a house in Paris called the Gorbeau house, living in the room next to Marius.<\/p>\n

The husband associates with a criminal group called \u201cthe Patron-Minette,\u201d and conspires to rob Valjean until he is thwarted by Marius.<\/p>\n

Javert arrests the couple. Madame Th\u00e9nardier dies in prison. Her husband attempts to blackmail Marius with his knowledge of Valjean\u2019s past, but Marius pays him to leave the country. He becomes a slave trader in the United States.<\/p>\n

In this production, Christina Rose Hall is the actress portraying one of theater\u2019s most villainous characters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my first time doing \u2018Les Mis\u00e9rables\u2019 in my life much less a national tour,\u201d said Hall, during a recent phone interview from a tour stop in Cleveland.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is going to be the 12th time \u2018Les Mis\u00e9rables\u2019 has played Philadelphia. It\u2019s an opportunity to bring a tradition. It\u2019s an amazing epic story and a lot of people will be seeing the show for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hall grew up in a suburb of Houston and was an acting major at Southern Methodist University with a minor in classical voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter college, I moved form Texas to Chicago. I\u2019m a Chicago-based actor. I spent the last 14 years in Chicago prior to the pandemic. I auditioned for this tour in Chicago and then went to New York for callbacks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw \u201cLes Mis\u00e9rables\u2019 in College Station when I was in high school. I cried my little eyeballs out. The show is truly epic. There is so much I love.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt a story about perseverance of the human spirit. It\u2019s about love and trying to make the world a better place.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get to play the humorous role. It\u2019s delightfully fun. I like that Madame Th\u00e9nardier is very straight-forward. I definitely really like being able to blow off steam.\u201d<\/p>\n

To date, Les Mis\u00e9rables remains one of the longest-running Broadway productions of all time. The new tour will undoubtedly play to packed houses around the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cLes Mis\u00e9rables\u201d has been able to remain popular for such a long time because of the now-familiar music \u2014 and because the story is such a universal story. It is a story that has the ability to touch people.<\/p>\n

Video link for\u00a0\u201cLes Mis\u00e9rables\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/YPiWnNQtGog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cLes Mis\u00e9rables\u201d will run now through November 13 at the Academy of Music. Ticket prices start at $20.<\/p>\n

On November 5 and 6, Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/a>) will present two very different and very attractive shows \u2013 Trampled by Turtles on November 5 and MANIA \u2013 the ABBA Tribute on November 6.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Trampled By Turtles<\/p><\/div>\n

Celebrated Minnesota sextet Trampled By Turtles will perform at The Fillmore in support of their new album,\u00a0\u201cAlpenglow,\u201d which was just released on October 28 on Thirty Tigers. Their first new album in four years, which was produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, offers 11 new songs that feature the group\u2019s signature blend of rock, folk, punk, country, and progressive bluegrass.<\/p>\n

Trampled by Turtles\u00a0is an American\u00a0bluegrass-influenced\u00a0band from\u00a0Duluth,\u00a0Minnesota. The band formed in 2003 and has released 10 albums, three of which reached No. 1 on the U.S.\u00a0Billboard<\/a>\u00a0bluegrass\u00a0chart<\/a>. Their fifth release,\u00a0\u201cPalomino<\/a>,\u201d stayed in the chart’s Top 10 for 52 straight weeks.<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s chemistry has always been great, and the lineup still features the original six members \u2013 Dave Simonett (guitar), Erik Berry (mandolin), Ryan Young (fiddle), Dave Carroll (banjo), Tim Saxhaug (bass) and Eamonn McLain (cello).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe made the album in 8-10 days,\u201d said Saxhaug, during a phone interview Monday from his home in Grand Rapids, Michigan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had Jeff Tweedy from Wilco producing it and recorded it at Wilco\u2019s studio, The Loft.<\/p>\n

\u201cCOVID put the kabosh on touring, so we looked for a studio to use. We\u2019ve all been fans of Wilco for a while. We reached out to them. It was a shot in the dark and it worked out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t do much pre-production. We had run through three songs backstage before shows but that was about it. We like to go into the studio fresh.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the songs hadn\u2019t seen the light of day. They were all fresh. We did three or four takes at the most for each song. That\u2019s our M.O. A lot of it was because we were recording live. We had 10 days booked in the studio and only used eight.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Tweedy, \u201cI enjoy TBT\u2019s musicianship and ability to stick hard inside a genre, all the while stretching that same genre. It\u2019s like you need to infiltrate it before you can pull it apart. They have a brotherly thing going on, too, which is always a great feel.\u201d
\n\u201cAlpenglow,\u201d named after the optical phenomenon that takes places when the sun casts a reddish glow across the mountains at dawn and dusk, opens with the wistful beauty of \u201cIt\u2019s So Hard To Hold On.\u201d The narrator contemplates the passing of time and how imperative it is to savor it while you have it.<\/p>\n

Ten of the 11 tracks on\u00a0\u201cAlpenglow\u201d\u00a0were written by lead singer Dave Simonett, whose introspective and literate songwriting is the foundation of the unwavering connection the group\u2019s music has with its fervent and ever-growing audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn The Highway\u201d expresses a longing to wander but struggles with the value in maintaining roots. \u201cCentral Hillside Blues\u201d addresses nostalgia and loss while \u201cQuitting Is Rough\u201d deals with having inner strength to not lose sight of what is real, with its beautiful and inspiring refrain \u201cclimb out, climb out, climb out.\u201d The Tweedy-penned \u201cA Lifetime To Find\u201d features a simple back-and-forth dialogue with Death, which ends as one might expect.<\/p>\n

\u201cDave writes all the songs and all the lyrics,\u201d said Saxhaug. \u201cOur part is as arrangers. In addition to the 11 songs we used on the album, we had two extras \u2013 instrumental tracks by our banjo player.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Trampled by Turtles — https:\/\/youtu.be\/fE-LXOfTH7Q<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Fillmore on November 5 will start at<\/p>\n

Tickets are $37.50.<\/p>\n

\"\"What is one of the most popular palindromes in the world and is also a name of one of the best-selling bands in the history of popular music?<\/p>\n

ABBA, of course.<\/p>\n

ABBA\u00a0is a Swedish pop group formed in\u00a0Stockholm\u00a0in 1972 by\u00a0Agnetha F\u00e4ltskog,\u00a0Bj\u00f6rn Ulvaeus,\u00a0Benny Andersson, and\u00a0Anni -Frid Lyngstad. The group\u2019s name is an\u00a0acronym\u00a0of the first letters of their first names arranged as a\u00a0palindrome. One of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time,\u00a0they became one of the\u00a0best-selling music acts\u00a0in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1983, and in 2021.<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, there are a lot of ABBA tribute bands such as Dancing Queen, Abbafab, Almost Abba and Abba Again. There are more than 50 ABBA tribute bands in the U.K. alone.<\/p>\n

One of the best ABBA tribute bands actually got its start in the U.K. \u2013 \u201cMANIA – The ABBA Tribute.\u201d<\/p>\n

On November 6, \u201cMANIA – The ABBA Tribute\u201d will visit the area for a show at the Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Formed in 1999,\u00a0MANIA -The ABBA Tribute\u00a0has sold out theaters and concert halls across the globe, bringing the music of the beloved Swedish super group to more than three million people.<\/p>\n

Abba\u2019s timeless songs were written to be enjoyed live and\u00a0MANIA\u00a0delivers.<\/p>\n

In an exhilarating two-hour recreation of ABBA\u2019s last ever concert,\u00a0Mania the ABBA Tribute\u00a0brings to life the flamboyance of the 70s and all the uplifting, dance-inducing, and sometimes heart-breaking songs from the Swedish supergroup — fully live with fantastic costumes, staging, lighting and effects.<\/p>\n

MANIA recently toured the United States for the 10th time with an impressive 37-date national tour, selling over 50,000 tickets and visiting 18 states.<\/p>\n

The band members are Alison Ward (Agnetha F\u00e4ltskog), Hana Keala Freeman (Frida Lyngstad), James Allen (Bjorn Ulvaeus) and Jeff Pike (Benny Andersson)<\/p>\n

Originally from Liverpool, England, Ward has performed as a vocalist throughout the United Kingdom, including at Her Majesty\u2019s Theatre in London. She sang as lead vocalist in a show at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and she remains a Las Vegas resident to this day. Ward has also performed with an array of major cruise lines worldwide.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis show has been running since 1999 with a company in the U.K.,\u201d said Ward, during a phone interview Monday from a tour stop in Burlington, Vermont. \u201cI\u2019ve been lucky enough to have been with the show since 2010.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in a musical family, so I was familiar with ABBA since I was young.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ward has also been involved in entertainment since she was young.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in dance school since I was little,\u201d said Ward. \u201cThen, I majored in mathematics at Leeds University. My goal was to keep my mum and dad happy. After I graduated, they gave me my wings \u2013 gave me my freedom.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got my cap and gown and then went immediately to L.A. to be a singer. I went from Liverpool to L.A. and then got a job in Las Vegas. I\u2019ve been a headliner with my own show on the Vegas strip for the last 10 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoy this ABBA show. We do a replica of one of their concerts. We even use replicas of their costumes \u2013 with their permission. We even talk in the show with Swedish accents. It\u2019s just like being at an ABBA concert.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for MANIA \u2013 the ABBA Tribute —\u00a0https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oZdWFHtolyc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

MANIA \u2013 the ABBA Tribute will play the Fillmore on November 6 at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices range from $27.50 to $64.50.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Theatre Company (Suzanne Roberts Theatre,\u00a0480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia,\u00a0www.philatheatreco.org<\/a>) is presenting a rock musical that celebrates empowering women and their autonomy. It is also a show that features an actress who grew up in West Chester \u2013 Grace Slear.<\/p>\n

Slear, who grew up in West Chester and now lives in New York, graduated from the Center for Performing and Fine Arts through the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School. They play Lady Viola and recently made their Broadway debut in \u201cJagged Little Pill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe\u00a0Tattooed\u00a0Lady,\u201d which runs now through November 20, is a new musical by Obie Award-winning playwright Erin Courtney (Map of Virtue), Lortel-winner Max Vernon (KPOP on Broadway, The View Upstairs). It was developed and directed by Drama League-winner Ellie Heyman (Space Dogs) and choreographed by Mayte Natalio (How to Dance in Ohio).<\/p>\n

The story of this new musical highlights one of sideshow\u2019s biggest stars, the fictional Ida Gibson, in a moving tale that reveals the generational chasms and connections between Gibson and her granddaughter Joy. A parade of beguiling characters returns from the dead on a mission to liberate Gibson from her self-imposed exile and help Joy find freedom through forgiveness. The musical celebrates the resilience of women whose choices have the power to liberate them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis show is about the tattooed ladies of the 1800s and 1900s,\u201d said Slear. \u201cThey were the only people in freak shows that chose to be in a freak show. They weren\u2019t born different. They chose to get tattoos on their bodies.<\/p>\n

\u201cIda is the oldest living \u2018Tattoo Lady.\u2019 She retired from being in freak shows and became a Christian woman living in suburbia. The ghosts of tattooed ladies from the past visit her. They come out of a sideshow trunk. Ida hid from her past. She covered it all up and denied it was true. The ghosts are mad because she is dishonoring their past. For them, to have one of their own turn her back on them is horrific.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cThe Tattooed Lady\u201d \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/EJEryefSr14?list=TLGGpB7KqEUyeFAyODEwMjAyMg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Tattoed Lady\u201d is running now through November 20. Ticket prices start at $25.<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is presenting Bad Animals on October 28, 7 Bridges on November 3, Kung Yang Lin Dancers on November 5, Better Than Bacon on November 11, Miche Braden & The Aaron Graves Jazz Ensemble on November 12, Sherry Wilson Butler & the Hot Saints of Jazz with dancer Lauren Putty on November 13, The Cartoon Christmas on December 6, and The Last Big Band Holiday Show on December 20.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is hosting Sonia on November 5, Angry Young Band on November 11, UZO on November 12, Antje Duvekot on November 18, The D Corridori Project on November 19, Jazz Jam on November 27, Dead Flowers on December 3, and Bryan Tuk Project on December 10.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) presents headline shows on the weekend nights always draw appreciative crowds. The show this Friday features the Roger Girke Trio. This Saturday evening\u2019s concert showcases theDeb Callahan Band.<\/p>\n

The Sound Bank (119 South Main Street, Phoenixville, www.soundbankphx.com<\/a>) will have Michael Sarian on November 3, Haywood Trout on November 4, Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise on November 10, Lower Case Blues on November 12, and E Street Shuffle on November 18.<\/p>\n

Phantom Power (121 West Frederick Street, Millersville, www.phantompower.net<\/a>) will have Tigers Jaw on November 3, Animal Magnetism on November 5, Dancing Bears on November 12, Couch on November 18, Brass Monkeys on November 26, Local H on December 3, Maya de Vitry on December 9, and Aunt Mary Pat on December 29.<\/p>\n

Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, thecolonialtheatre.com\/events<\/a>) is hosting Bruce Hornsby on November 16 and Jessica Lynn on December 9.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0 Chester County is home to a musical treasure \u2013 the Kennett Symphony. Kennett Symphony was established in 1940 and provides the musical landscape of a historic region renowned for the arts. Concerts by the Kennett Symphony are always a welcome addition to the area\u2019s entertainment schedule. This weekend, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":40162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[6518,1229,9860,13909,10239],"class_list":["post-40166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-featured","tag-kennett-symphony","tag-les-miserables","tag-mania","tag-trampled-by-turtles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40166","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=40166"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40166\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40167,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40166\/revisions\/40167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/40162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=40166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=40166"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=40166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}