DANCE - FINE ARTS - MUSIC - THEATER - WRITING

ARTBITS by Richard B. Harper


VOLUME 6 * * All Arts News On the Web * * July 18, 2002

STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

      ArtBits always features a calendar of the goings on of Franklin County artists. Check out these events around Franklin County. Each issue includes the entire text of our weekly newspaper column.


      Stop in for the AAC CoffeeHouses at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month. These gatherings bring new opportunities, gossip, "show-and-tell" and workshops. We come together on the second Wednesday for a booked musical performance and an art exhibit at Simple Pleasures in St Albans. On the fourth Wednesday come to the Kept Writer in St Albans for acoustic Open Mike Night featuring music, readings, and more from the best new artists in Vermont.


      It's a busy week in the arts with music in Franklin, Highgate, Manchester, Montgomery, Richford, and St Albans City and Town, plus Shakespeare, art shows, crafts, and even a parade. Manchester?


SATURDAY ARTS FESTS

      The All Arts Council and the Town of St Albans begin a biweekly series of Saturday Arts Fests in the St Albans Town Park this Saturday afternoon. Each Festival will build special events around a show and sale of local artworks and fine crafts.
      This weekend features fine crafts plus the Allard Brothers at the Vermont Firefighters convention free evening concert on the lakeshore and the work of local photographers. In two weeks, the Arts Fest includes crafts plus an exhibit of Digital Photography; Denise St Hilaire will lead dance lessons for grades 3-10. Then, on August 17, the Croppies introduce their new CD against a backdrop of fine crafts and a special black and white photography show.
      The Saturday Arts Fests will be take place rain or shine in and around the St Albans Town Park pavilion from 2-8 p.m. Admission is free, although the Town Park charges $3 per car for parking. All Arts Council for more info.


SUMMER SUMMER SOUNDS SOUNDS

      This Sunday, The Vermont Maple Festival/Summer Sounds Concert Series has a double bill with outdoor family concerts at both ends of the county. These maple and music events are always on Sunday evenings at 7 p.m., always in a town park, and always free.

ST ALBANS--Better Planet Books Toys and Hobbies, Betty's Flower Basket, The Dressing Room, Drinkwaters Jewelry Store, Lorraine's, and Maple City Cards and Candy present the popular folk duo Anderson-Gram from New Hampshire on Sunday in Taylor Park.
      Gayle Anderson and Bob Gram are a finely tuned acoustic group with great chemistry honed both from years of performing and married life. The solid song writing team will play a mix of original folk songs plus covers of Jimmy Buffett, the Everly Brothers, Kate Wolf, and even the Counting Crows. Their current CD, Where It All Begins, is a mix of folk, bluegrass and country. With eleven A-G originals and the Kate Wolf song Give Yourself to Love that was performed at Gayle & Bob's wedding. Their recordings are available at amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Borders, bestbuy.com, and FolkWeb.
      Before and during the concert, the Foster Grandparents will serve a tableful of goodies for your sweet tooth.

RICHFORD--Also on Sunday, Davis Park goes wildly Celtic as Banknorth-Vermont, the Crossing Restaurant, and Kaytek present Atlantic Crossing playing the ballads and instrumental music of Scotland, Ireland, England, New England, the Maritimes, and Quebec.
      Atlantic Crossing is a very large trio with Rick Klein, guitar and vocals; Brian Perkins, mandolin, tenor banjo, bouzouki, feet, and vocals; Peter MacFarlane, fiddle and vocals; and Viveka Fox, fiddle and bodhran. Their stirring songs, haunting airs, and driving sets of dance tunes show the many moods of these musical traditions.
      "We play Scottish and Cape Breton music and some of the folk music unique to Vermont," Mr. Klein said.
      Their second CD, Full and Away, was named one of the top 10 Vermont albums of 2000.

      Summer Sounds concerts are presented by the Vermont Maple Festival, the City of St Albans and the Town of Richford, and the All Arts Council, and sponsored in St Albans by A. N. Deringer Insurance, Ben & Jerry's, the Handy Group, Northwestern Medical Center, and the St Albans Main Street Merchants, and around Franklin County by Banknorth-Vermont, The Crossing Restaurant, Franklin General Store, Franklin Telephone, Kaytek, Dick Wright Ford, and Wright Excavating.
      The rain sites are the Methodist Church in St Albans and the Town Hall in Richford. The community based All Arts Council brings the performing arts to northwestern Vermont.


ALLARD BROTHERS ON FIRE

      Desorcie's Emergency Equipment and the Town of St Albans present the Allard Brothers Saturday evening as part of a weekend long 2002 Vermont State Fire Convention.
      Vermont's favorite rock band, the Allard Brothers have entertained at Vermont dances, concerts, parties and charity shows for over 30 years. In 1964, following the tide of the early British rock bands, Mike Allard formed the Shiadas (a sailboat). That group morphed into Past Present & Future and then, took the name of the principals in 1978. The Allard Brothers are Mike Allard, lead vocals and bass guitar, Steve Allard, drums and lead vocalist, Bill Lacrosse, lead guitar and vocals, and Bill Lunna, keyboards.
      The Allard Brothers concert begins Saturday at 8 p.m. at the pavilion in St Albans Bay Park. Admission is free. There will be a $3 per car parking fee.


SHAKESPEARE COMES TO FAIRFAX

      The Fairfax Community Theatre Company presents A Midsummer Night's Dream at BFA-Fairfax, tonight through July 20.
      "A 'Midsummer Night's Dream' is light and fun, but with deeper, darker moments," said director Margie Cain of a production that breaks the tradition of summer musicals.
      The BFA Old Gym will be transformed into the Real World and the Fairy world of Shakespeare's time and the show will be partially staged in "theater-in-the-round " style. The trees, shrubs, and bushes making "the woods" come alive were provided by Arbortech.
      The production includes Jenna Basiliere as Helena, Karin Eisenberg as Hippolyta, Pamela Dewey as Titania, Jesse Gaudette as Lysander, Riley Kempton as Demetrius, Crystal Pugh as Hermia, Richard Hanson as Theseus, Michel Denizot as Oberon/Philostrate, Bob Martin as Bottom, and Amanda Bryan as Puck. The cast features Normand Lavallee as Egeus, Jenn Leach as the Royal Attendant, Tessa Hynek as Dewdrop, Peaseblossom Francesca Aiuto, Maggie Barnett as Cobweb , Kate Petrillo as Moth, Deb Bryan as Mustardseed, Daniel Greaves as Hedgehog, Emily Lyons as Peter Quince, Peg Bushey as Snout, Jacques Boudreau as Flute, Warren Lyndes as Starveling, and Tom Townsend as Snug. Directed by Margie Cain, the all volunteer production staff includes Maggie Barnett, Jesse Dunham-Friel, Dennis Getty, Chris Murphy Tom Townsend, and Kim Ward,
      Show times are at 8 p.m. tonight, Friday, and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and senior citizens, and are available at Minor's Country Store and Foothills Bakery. Call 849-2120 or 849-6638, or E-mail for more info for more info.


JUMPIN' JAZZ

      The Montgomery Historical Society presents its 14th annual Summer Concert Series with Vermont's finest jazz vocalist and stylist Jenni Johnson with her sextet the Jazz Junketeers on Saturday evening.
      A gifted jazz vocalist, Ms. Johnson brings emotional intensity and impeccable phrasing to every jazzy, bluesy, funky, and nearly perfect concert. She is a regular performer in Summer Sounds, Discover Jazz, Yarasavi, First Night and at ChowBella!
      The MHS Summer Concert Series is in Pratt Hall, Route 118 in Montgomery Village, on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $13 and $8 for students and are available at Lutz' Automotive and at the door. Call 326-4528 for reservations and info.


STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

HIGHGATE CENTER--The Highgate United Methodist Church presents the annual Town Band concert and Ice Cream Social, featuring the Fairfax-Fletcher-Westford Band at the church on Friday at 7 p.m.

FRANKLIN-Josh Brooks plays his popular mix of story-based originals and folk songs at the Boonys Saturday night starting at 7 p.m.


BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

      Peter Paul and Mary and Counterpoint will honor acclaimed composer-conductor (and Counterpoint Director) Robert deCormier with a celebration concert marking his 80th birthday in Manchester on Saturday evening.
      Counterpoint, a professional Vermont vocal group, features soprano Claire Hungerford of St Albans in concerts and in school programs around the state. Counterpoint also includes soprano Colleen Flynn Campbell; altos Louise De Cormier, Linda Radtke, and Melissa Chestnut Tangerman; tenors Piero Bonamico, Eric Brooks, and Roger Grow; and basses Danny Lichtenfelde and Brett Murphy.
      "Counterpoint will be singing with Peter Paul and Mary well as performing on our own," Ms. Hungerford said.
      Peter, Paul & Mary and Counterpoint will play at Riley Arena in Manchester, Vermont, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45/reserved, $35/general, and $15/lawn and can be purchased through Ticket Master, Filenes, Pure Pop, or on-line at Mad River Chorale


JULY-AUGUST ART DEADLINES

PUBLIC ART (July 31)--The City of Kettering, Ohio, is accepting applications for a permanent three dimensional work to be installed on an exterior site. Click here for more info.

ARTS GRANTS (August 12)--The NEA Arts Education Grants deadline looms for arts education programs from early childhood through age 18, in and out of school, in Early Childhood, School-Based, Community-Based, and Nonprofit categories. Click here for more info.

2002 FILM FESTIVAL (August 19)--High Falls Film Festival celebrates the work of women in film with shorts under 20 minutes. Call Karen van Meenen (585-242-0191) for more info.

ARTIST RESIDENCY (August 31)--Woonsocket, Rhode Island's award-winning neighborhood redevelopment agency wants a community-friendly professional artist for year-long residency. All media. Free in a three-bedroom, newly renovated apartment, in exchange for five hours/weekly working on art with local kids. Can be renewed for up to three years. Click here for more info.

2002 MISSISSIPPI REVIEW PRIZE (August 31)--University of Southern Mississippi offers $1000 and publication for unpublished fiction up to 4000 words or up to 3 poems. Entry fee. E-mail for more info.


CLICK HERE: ART SITE OF THE WEEK

      Tired of the quick quote at the bottom of everyone else's email? Here's the definitive source. "I have gathered a posie of other men's flowers, and nothing but the thread that binds them is mine own." John Bartlett wrote. The Tenth edition of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations contains over 11,000 searchable quotations online.

Here is this week's list of performers' sites:
Click here for more info on Anderson-Gram
Click here for more info on Atlantic Crossing
Click here for more info on Josh Brooks
Click here for more info for Counterpoint
Click here for more info on Jenni Johnson


FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF

      ArtBits features a quick weekly peek at the bookshelf or night stand of the folks you know in and around Franklin County. That popular feature has a page of its own at the Franklin County Bookshelf here on the AAC site.


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      This article was originally published in the St Albans Messenger and other traditional print media. It is Copyright © 2002 by Richard B. Harper. All rights reserved. Archival material is provided as-is. Links are not necessarily maintained (if a link in this article fails, try Google.com or your favorite search engine).
      Thanks to recent misuse of copyright material on the Internet by individuals and archival firms alike, we emphasize that your rights to this article are limited to viewing it and printing it for personal use only. You must receive explicit permission from the All Arts Council and the author before reprinting or redistributing this article in any medium.