Access Monthly - September 2017

PREVIEWS FOR THEATER + MUSIC \\ LOCAL EVENTS

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ARTS PREVIEW

Events & lifestyle news for Winchester, Frederick & Clarke counties

upcoming U P CO M I N G

SEPTEMBER

Get out your calendar and pencil in these dates. . .

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HIPPIEFEST

Bring some canned goods for C-CAP, enjoy great BBQ and food by Bonnie Blue, local beer and wine, plus live music from the '60s and '70s by Orange Sunshine. You'll have a hippie good time.

Noon - 4 p.m, Bonnie Blue back lot, free with food donation.

7 - 10 10 SKYLINE INDIE FILM FEST

Four days of 52 new, undistributed indie films shown throughout Old Town in various locations, plus a meet-the-filmmakers panel and screenwriting workshops.

Times and prices vary, Old Town Winchester, skylineindiefilmfest.org for schedule

OKTOBERFEST

It’s fall, y’all — and what better way to get in the spirit than at Escutcheon’s Oktoberfest. Live music

by Burning Dirty Band, food by chef Dan Kalber of Village Square, release of Habermehl’s Oktoberfest.

2 - 4 p.m., Escutcheon Brewing, free.

11 - 16

Three courses for $30 — give your kitchen a break and dine downtown instead of cooking dinner at home.

Participating restaurants in Old Town Winchester, $30 per person.

KITCHEN KAPERS

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You've dined al fresco, but have you dined in the middle of Main Street?

Reserve your spot for this farm to table dining experience, which benefits adults with disabilities in the NW Works program. 4 p.m., Middletown Main Street, $75. nwworks.com

RESTAURANT WEEK

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Get inspired by five of the most beautiful and interesting kitchens in the area — from “glam traditional” to “modern contemporary” and renovated historic home kitchens, you're sure to be delighted. Proceeds benefit the ChildSafe Center — Child Advocacy Center. Tickets available at Venice Italian Restaurant, Beyond the Fringe, and The Daily Grind. 1 - 5 p.m., various locations in Winchester and Frederick County; $20 advance; $25 door.

FARM TO TABLE DINNER

winchesterrestaurantweek.com for menus.

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WATERMELON PARK FEST

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SHENANDOAH VALLEY APPLE HARVEST FESTIVAL

Apples pies, apple butter, apple everything over the course of two days at the 42nd Annual Shenandoah Valley Apple Harvest Festival, organized each year by the Rotary Club of Winchester.

Join 7,000 of your closest friends as you take in over 150 artisan and craft vendors, apple displays, apple pie eating contests, apple butter making demonstrations, bingo, music, antique cars and trucks, a beer and cider garden, plus activities for the kids. It might take you two days to do it all.

10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Frederick County Fairgrounds, $5 winchesterappleharvest.com

Dance it up on the edge of the Shenandoah River during this family-friendly Americana and Roots music festival, featuring The Del McCoury Band and Marty Stuart.

Prices vary. Watermelon Park, watermelonparkfest.com

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NIFTY FIFTIES GALA

Take a trip back in time to the 1950s during the Celebration of the Decades benefiting the ChildSafe Center — CAC. Poodle skirts, blue suede shoes, and leather jackets welcome.

7 p.m., Youth Development Center, $65. childsafecenter.com

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EUROPEAN FESTIVAL

Take a mini-vacation to Germany, Italy, and the British Isles during Valley Health's European Festival. You'll encounter music, dancing, food and beverages all themed to each country represented. Proceeds benefit the Valley Health Cancer Center.

11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Winchester Medical Center campus, $5 - $25. valleyhealthlink.com

escutcheonbrewing.com

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THE FALL ARTS

by JENNY BAKER

ACCESS MONTHLY | SEPTEMBER 2017

The Conservatory’s patron base is about 35,000, drawing from D.C. to West Virginia. “We’ll have people in any particular performance, where one person maybe last heard that musical work was when they were in Royal Albert Hall in London, and sitting next to them is another couple that are attending the first classical performance of their life,” described Stepniak.

“I think we’re successful when we move the person who is a connoiseur and the person who is completely unfamiliar.”

The Conservatory has new goals for reaching out to the Winchester community. Programming for children is something he hopes they can one day offer, with little to no ticket charge.

“Talent doesn’t discriminate across financial barriers. The poorest families in the hardest financial situations deserve as much access as those who can afford it more.”

The other goal is for a new symphony hall.

“Armstrong Concert Hall has served its purpose, served us well. We desperately need a space for training dance and music students, and a concert hall that really matches the worldclass level of performance not only by our students but by our guests,” he said.

The rise of the arts across the board has a snowball effect, attracting other artistic individuals to a community.

“I see Winchester starting to hum that way and develop. . . I imagine that will further add to the city’s growth and development.”

photo by Scott Mason/The Winchester Star

PREVIEW

The arts are alive and growing in our fair city. In our April edition we discussed with local visual arts professionals how far we’ve come and what work still needs to be done; for our fall performance arts issue, we sought to have a similar conversation. With the addition of performance venues like the Bright Box, which brings in performers and acts from across the country, an increased presence of venues like Valley Cat for local musicians, a new theater at The Hideaway Cafe, there is an undeniable rise in both the amount of interest and opportunities for performing arts in our area. We sat down with Dr. Michael Stepniak, dean of Shenandoah Conservatory, to discuss this topic.

“I think Winchester has changed to a remarkable extent in the past decade,” said Stepniak, who is now in his ninth year both as dean and as a Winchester resident. “It’s not only the increased vitality of the walking mall, places like the Bright Box… but certainly internally for the Conservatory, there was a performance season that was pretty robust when I got here, but nothing like what we have now.” Stepniak gives the example of the January 2017 performance of Kremerata Baltica, a chamber orchestra made up of young musicians from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, founded and led by one of the world’s leading violinists, Gidon Kremer. Kremer and his orchestra made only three U.S. university stops that

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“The best artists aren’t always the best mentors and the best mentors aren’t always the best artists,” said Stepniak. He said that Courtney Reilly, managing director of the Conservatory and artistic director of Performing Arts Live, prioritizes bringing artists in who enjoy mentoring students.

Challenges exist in today’s performance arts. Performance halls across the country sometimes struggle with filling seats, and turn to staging lighter fare — like a movie soundtrack orchestra performance — in order to attract audiences.

“There seems to be a place for those things, but I’m always reminded that they don’t have longevity,” he said.

“There isn’t a profundity of purpose, of substance. . . I think there’s a place for less serious, less weighty entertainment that simply delights — doesn’t challenge, doesn’t provoke. . . Each of us in the path of our lives have periods where that’s really all that we want or can handle. But inevitably we come to a place where we say I want to consider something that is beautiful, consider something that’s meaningful, that adds to the vitality and quality of my life,” he said.

Stepniak said this is where a good arts program comes in, when three things are present: where both the work and performance are of exceptional high quality, but one additional ingredient is needed for the transformative arts encounter: “The third thing is that the performers need to bring with them a really exceptional generosity, courage, and generosity of spirit. So that you feel not that you’re watching something in the distance, but that someone is seeking to speak to you.”

year — Princeton, Stanford, and Shenandoah University.

“The performance season that we’re now able to offer is a season that would have pride of place in any major metropolitan center in the world. To have it in Winchester, I think is phenomenal,” said Stepniak. He credits this quality of performances to his faculty, staff, Shenandoah University’s president Tracy Fitzsimmons, and the board of trustees.

Stepniak moved here from the New York area, to what he found was a fairly conservative audience. When planning the conservatory’s season, the staff strives to not surprise people. Some of their performances, like last season’s “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot,” carried every warning label possible.

“We don’t shy away —- the arts speak honestly, not only to what’s pretty but also to what’s ugly. . . We don’t shy away from something that is challenging.”

While these performances are beneficial to the community, Stepniak’s first priority is his students — to ensure the season programming complements their study and pushes their understanding of what exceptional art is about. The visiting artists work with Conservatory students during their time here, which is of utmost important to Stepniak and the Conservatory faculty and staff.

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THE FALL ARTS PREVIEW: 14 MUST-SEE PERFORMANCES "BREATH OF SPRING" WINCHESTER LITTLE THEATRE

OLD TOWN

WI N C H E ST E R

Need a good laugh? Find out why the London Daily Mirror critic said the show caused “two hours of...moments when I was helpless with laughter.” Dame Beatrice, whose fortune is now diminished, rents rooms to a diverse group of mature adults who can barely tolerate each other. When the maid steals an expensive fur, they scheme together a plan to surreptitiously return it.

They find this so exciting, they do the only sensible thing and begin to steal (and return) furs themselves!

“Our season opener is a delightful comedy about geriatric delinquency — all in the name of charity, of course,” said director Bill Heavner. “What could be more refreshing at the end of a long weary summer than ‘Breath of Spring’?”

Details: September 8 - 23 (Thursdays - Sunday shows). Winchester Little Theatre.

8 p.m.; Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. $15.50 - $19.75. www.wltonline.org

STREET CORNER SYMPHONY BRIGHT BOX Runners up of NBC's all-vocal competition show, “The Sing-Off,” the Nashville-based Street Corner Symphony returns to the Bright Box Theatre in Old Town Winchester.

Bringing their laid back yet dynamic a cappella style, the group has a wide repertoire ranging from country, barbershop, rock and pop, which they blend to create a unique style that can appeal to audiences of all ages. “These guys are extremely talented, engaging, and fun,” said Bill Rogers, talent buyer and promotions manager for Bright Box. “And they have such wide appeal, playing all sorts of music styles and familiar songs.

It's always a great time when Street Corner Symphony plays at Bright Box.” Details: September 15, Bright Box Theatre. 8 p.m. $15 advance, $20 door. All ages. www.brightboxwinchester.com

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cover story "THE LARAMIE PROJECT" THE BOILER ROOM THEATRE The Selah Theatre Project interprets the 1998 story of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student who was kidnapped, severely beaten, left tied to a fence, and later died in the hospital. Members of the New York based Tectonic Theater Project made trips to Laramie over a year and a half, attending the trial of the two young men accused of killing Shepard, and conducting more than 200 interviews with citizens. Their work in capturing the breadth of reactions to the crime allowed the theater group to bring a deeply moving theatrical experience to the stage. Winchester's Selah Theatre Project takes on the challenge in October, staging a collage that explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable. “This is my third time directing this play, but the first time with teenagers. . . I wanted to give them something with depth and character development,” said LaTasha Do’zia-Earley, director and founder of The Selah Theatre Project.

Directed & choreographed by Kevin Covert Music direction by Rick Edinger

BRIAN GANZ BARNS OF ROSE HILL

"CABARET" OHRSTROM-BRYANT THEATRE

VADYM KHOLODENKO ARMSTRONG CONCERT HALL

“The Barns is known for bringing worldclass music to Berryville, and Brian is no exception,” said Morgan Morrison, program director for Barns of Rose Hill. “He is widely considered one of the leading pianists of his generation, having appeared as a soloist with such orchestras as the St. Louis Symphony, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Baltimore Symphony, the National Philharmonic, the National Symphony and the City of London Sinfonian.” Lucky for you, he'll be in Berryville for your listening pleasure September 15.

Hailed by critics when it arrived on Broadway in 1966, “Cabaret” tells the story of a young American writer who falls in love with Kit Kat Klub performer Sally Bowles in 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power. “The writing is so strong that it allows me as a director and choreographer to explore the rich history of the time period,” said Kevin Covert, director of musical theatre at Shenandoah Conservatory. “In today’s tumultuous social and political times, it is fascinating to be working on a piece of theater that challenges both the actors and the audience to think about their choices, and a reminder that silence can be deadly.”

Don't miss Shenandoah Conservatory's first World of the Piano series of the season, marking their 2017 Dabinett/McKelway Performance. “Vadym Kholodenko is a virtuosic Ukrainian-born pianist who launched his career by winning the coveted gold medal and all special prizes at the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition,” said Courtney Reilly, the Conservatory's artistic managing director and director for Performing Arts Live. Kholodenko's career has led him to collaborate with major symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles in Europe, Asia and North America.

Details: September 15, Barns of Rose Hill, 8 p.m., $20 advance; $25 door. www.barnsofrosehill.org

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Details: September 29 - October 1, Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre, 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. $12 - $23. www.conservatoryperforms.org

Details: October 1 and 8, The Boiler Room Theatre at The Hideaway Cafe, 3 p.m. $8 $12. www.selahtheatreproject.org

THE NORDIC FIDDLERS BLOC BARNS OF ROSE HILL Bringing rich traditional fiddle music from their respective Nordic countries, the Nordic Fiddlers Bloc are regarded as leading exponents of their respective traditions. “This is a rare opportunity to hear master musicians perform their gripping and unique blend of fiddle music from their home countries of Norway, Sweden and the Shetland Islands,” said Morrison. The trio has developed a sound that has been described as “unique,” “meaningful,” ”intense,” and “invigorating.” Their use of harmony, rhythm, riffs and bass lines creates a sound that leaves the listener dumbfounded that the sound only comes from three fiddles — it may sound like four or five.

Details: October 1, Barns of Rose Hill, 8 p.m. $15 advance; $20 at the door. www.barnsofrosehill.org

Details: October 1, Armstrong Concert Hall, 3 p.m. $12 - $25. www.conservatoryperforms.org

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OLD TOWN

WI N C H E ST E R

COREY HARRIS BARNS OF ROSE HILL

HALLOWEEN WHODUNIT BRIGHT BOX

FALL DANCE CONCERT OHRSTROM-BRYANT THEATRE

Mixing a variety of influences, from New Orleans to the Caribbean to Africa, the critically acclaimed Corey Harris channels the raw, direct emotion of acoustic Delta blues. See and hear the man who, along with Keb’ Mo’ and Alvin Youngblood Hart, raised the flag of acoustic guitar blues in the mid-1990s. In 2003, he was featured in the PBS mini-series, “The Blues,” in an episode directed by Martin Scorsese.

Don a costume and get in the Halloween state of mind at this frighteningly funny murder mystery. Part scripted, part improv, part audience participation, you'll find yourself on the “set” of a horror movie titled, “The Friday the 13th After Next,” where things take a horrific turn and the set becomes a crime scene. “These interactive shows are over-the-top outrageous and always hilarious,” said Rogers.

“Shenandoah Conservatory's Dance Division always delivers a diverse and engaging evening of original dance, including contemporary, pointe, jazz, and modern works choreographed by our extraordinary dance faculty and guest artists,” said Reilly. Featuring faculty artists and choreographers: Jacob Brent, Tiffanie Carson, Maurice Fraga, Shylo Martinez, Stephanie Parkinson, Laurie M. Taylor.

Details: October 6, Barns of Rose Hill, 8 p.m. $15 advance, $20 door. www.barnsofrosehill.org

Details: October 8, Bright Box, lunch show: 2 p.m., dinner show: 6 p.m. $20 advance, $25 VIP advance, $20 door.

Details: October 20 - 22, Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre, Friday & Saturday: 8 p.m., Sunday: 2:30 p.m., $5 - $15.

www.brightboxwinchester.com

www.conservatoryperforms.org

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profiles

KEVIN COVERT

profiles

47 • Hometown: Winchester

Director of Musical Theatre and Assistant Professor of Theatre at Shenandoah Conservatory Also: Longtime Redskins Sufferer and Huge Venus Williams Fan

Waxing nostalgic: When I lived in NYC and was on Broadway, there was an amazing deli on the corner of 43rd Street where I lived. I called it my kitchen. They made the best sandwiches and I miss them! Favorite Broadway production: Two stick out in my mind. “Parade” at Lincoln Center and “August: Osage County” — both times I sat in the theater until the audience had cleared out because I was stunned by the beauty and artistry of what I had witnessed. What would you love to stage here? I would love for us to be the first university to do either “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” or “Dear Evan Hansen” (I’m working on it!) Highlight of your year: Definitely my European vacation to Amsterdam, Venice and Florence with Nick Jonas (yes, THAT Nick Jonas). We met doing “How to Succeed” on Broadway and over the last 5 years he has become one of my very best friends. Coffee table book: “The Shuberts Present 100 Years of American Theatre” (how theater dork is that?) Cult-status movie you have yet to see: This is so embarrassing to admit, but I have never seen “Casablanca.” photo by GINGER PERRY

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LATASHA DO'ZIA-EARLEY

32 • Hometown: Norfolk

Founding Artistic Director, Selah Theatre Project Also: From students: The Head Homo in Charge, Mamma Bear, Drama Lady. . . For me, I am a heavy Arts Advocate

Theater memory: During "The Laramie Project" in 2009 at ShenArts, a horrible storm broke in the middle of the show and blew out the lights. We were in the funeral scene of Matthew Shepard, which is set in the rain. We had umbrellas opened and my friend turned on her flashlight. We finished the show surrounded by audience members holding their flashlights. It was the best moment ever! Last book read: "Yes" by Shonda Rhimes. Most famous person you've met: I met Tony Award Winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, when I was a junior in high school. His wife, Angela Smith, was performing at the Wells Theatre in Norfolk which was connected to our theater studio. We had a master workshop with her. We went to her show in the evening and Brian Stokes Mitchell was there. My heart melted into my socks.

Three words to describe you: Motivated, passionate, stubborn. Personal Best Actress Award: Viola Davis understands the human spirit.

As an actor she can connect with the truth of a character and bring that person to life on stage and in film. She never goes too far or photo by JEFF TAYLOR does too little. I look up to her and the crossroads she has conquered as an actor of color.

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OLD TOWN

WI N C H E ST E R MELVIN SEALS + JGB BRIGHT BOX Performer, recording artist, and producer Melvin Seals comes to the Bright Box in October, known for his high-spirited Hammond B-3 organ and keyboards in the Jerry Garcia Band. “We’re ecstatic to have the legendary Melvin Seals and the Jerry Garcia Band at Bright Box,” said Rogers. “No Jerry fan or Deadhead should miss this show. You’re definitely going to want to wear your dancing shoes!” From blues to funk to rock to jazz, Melvin Seals serves up a great night with a little R&B and gospel thrown in to spice things up.

Details: October 26, Bright Box, 8 p.m., $25 advance; $30 door. www.brightboxwinchester.com

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“LITTLE PRINCESS” THE BOILER ROOM THEATRE

“JANE EYRE: THE MUSICAL” WINCHESTER LITTLE THEATRE “Until I re-read the novel, I had forgotten what an amazing love story Jane Eyre is, fraught with conflict and obstacles — everything that makes a good play,” said director Sara Gomez. “And then you add the breathtakingly beautiful music... it will certainly enchant the audience!”

Nominated for five Tony Awards, Jane Eyre will enchant audiences with this timeless classic.

Details: November 10 - 25 (Thursday Sunday shows; no show on Thanksgiving; November 21 show added), Winchester Little Theatre, 8 p.m., weekend matinee at 2 p.m. $18.50 - $22.75. www.wltonline.org

IRMA THOMAS + BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA, AND THE PRESERVATION HALL LEGACY QUINTET ARMSTRONG CONCERT HALL “Irma Tho mas , The Blind Boys of Alabama & The Preservation Hall Legacy

The tale of a young heiress whose life changes dramatically when her father passes away. When a mysterio us gentleman from India takes the house next door, some strange and curious things begin to happen. This heartfelt adaptation of the beloved novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett shows what being a princess truly means. “It’s a childhood favorite, such nostalgia,” said Do’zia-Earley.

Details: November 12 + 19, The Boiler Room Theatre, 3 p.m., $8 - $12. www.selahtheatreproject.org

Quintet bring together the best of blues, gospel and jazz from the Deep South,”

the Selah Theatre Project presents

said Reilly. “Soulful and uplifting, this performance will take audiences from the slow moving waters of the bayou to the vibrant streets of New Orleans.”

D etails: N ove m b e r 10 , A rm st ro n g Concert Hall, 8 p.m., $12 - $28. www.conservatoryperforms.org

adapted by Vera Morris directed by LaTasha Do’zia-Earley

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ON THE COVER: Special thanks to the Barns of Rose Hill, Bright Box, Selah Theatre Project, Shenandoah Conservatory, and the Winchester Little Theatre for promotional photography and artwork.

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JENNY BAKER

Special Projects | access@winchesterstar.com ACCESS MONTHLY is published by The Winchester Star