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Category: News

Live Theatre – The Frogs by Stephen Sondheim – Directed by Grant Freeman

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The First Street Community Center is thrilled to announce that the The Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Theatre is performing “The Frogs” by Stephen Sondheim, Directed by Grant Freeman in the Uptown Theatre.  Performances are July 20-22 @7:30pm and July 23rd @ 2pm.

From the writers behind A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum comes the hilarious send up of Greek comedy and satire, The Frogs. Loosely based on a comedy written in 405 B.C. by Aristophanes, The Frogs playfully explores the great challenges of human existence: confronting our fears, understanding life and death and challenging the distractions that can prevent us from achieving our goals.

This boisterously hilarious, yet poignant, musical follows Dionysos, Greek god of wine and drama, and his slave, Xanthias, on a journey to Hades to collect renowned critic and playwright, George Bernard Shaw, so that he may enlighten the easily misled and coerced masses of Earth. Along this journey, Dionysus and Xanthias meet Chekhov, Congreve, Ibsen, Brecht and, of course, the chorus of frogs. Then, Shakespeare shows up and starts declaiming his greatest hits; before long, he engages in a battle of words with Mr. Shaw. Who will win the honor of becoming reincarnated: The Bard or Bernard?

The Frogs stays true to its heritage, mixing Aristophanic pratfall satire with a Sondheim score that swings from witty to pretty to rambunctious, but it also mirrors the Greek original for the serious issue of the role of the arts in a world beset by war and folly.

COST:  Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors 65+.

Come to the show and support your favorite home town actors and crew!

Cast for The Frogs

Dionysus : Braden Rood
Xanthias : Stacey Jaegar
Charon/Aeakos/Ensemble : Valerie Davine Bills
Herakles/Ensemble : John Gruber-Miller
Pluto/Ensemble : Jacob Glass
Shakespeare/Ensemble : Nicole Margheim
Ariadne/Ensemble : Margaret Gustason
Shaw/Ensemble : Joseph Williams
The Frogs/Ensemble : Eric Teeter, Jordan Juett, Silas Young, Eva Giacomo, Mandy Moellering, Kim Benesh, Rachel Connell, Nicole Klosterman, Nikki Scheel, Sam White

Crew for The Frogs

Director/Dramaturg : Grant Freeman
Assistant Director : Kasey Springsteen
Musical Director : Brandon Douglas
Choreographer(s) : Alanah Malone & Gina Montgomery
Pianist : Emory Gillespie

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Live Music – Mark Stuart – Nashville Folk, Blues, Country and Rock

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Mark Stuart is coming to the Uptown Theatre in the First Street Community Center Saturday, May 27, 2017 at 7:30 PM.  This extraordinary Nashville Folk, Blues, Country and Rock musician will be playing guitar and singing songs with a soulful voice that you won’t want to miss.

Tickets:  $15.00, Students are offered a special price of $5.00.  Questions and optional reservations: 847-256-0000.  Tickets are available at the show and online before the show via this link.

picture of Mark Stuart

What’s your favorite flavor of backstage stories and tour bus adventures? What stories do you like to listen to? How about adventures with Steve Forbert, Freddy Fender, Steve Earle, Ray Wylie Hubbard or Joan Baez?

Flashy guitar “chops” and great story-telling are just the beginning of Mark Stuart’s Americana/Folk tour. His focus in recent years is touring solo, depending on the songs he has penned and recorded, delivered with a soulful singing voice and highly memorable guitar playing. It’s hard to escape a great Nashville family name (Earle) but Mark Stuart’s rock, blues, country, and folk music roots are impeccable in their own right. And they make an exciting show!

One can find Mark Stuart on any given night in a small theater, coffeehouse, house concert, festival stage, club, church auditorium, etc. giving it his all. Aside from that, he could be instructing at a guitar clinic, songwriting workshop, or playing on someone’s recording session. As co-owner of Gearle Records he has produced or co-produced many albums. Stuart’s career has repeatedly taken him to all of the USA, Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom, and, has spanned several decades.

The LilFest Series brings worldwide quality performances to intimate Iowa concert settings. Mark Stuart follows in the footsteps of other international performers like Nathan Bell, Phil Heywood, Malcolm Holcombe, Radoslav Lorković, Guy Mendilow, Claudia Nygaard, Jim Post, Eric Taylor, The Sweet Potatoes, James Lee Stanley, Lucie Thorne & The Yearlings.

LilFest searches the world for deeply rooted songs and stories of passion and power for our modern lives.

For more information about Mark Stuart, please see his website: www.MarkStuart.net

Photo of LilFest - Bear Logo

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Farmer’s Market Today and Live Music by Frances Luke Accord on Saturday

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The Farmer’s Market Summer 2017 season starts today

Every Thursday from 4pm – 6pm on the First Street Community Center front lawn.

From their Facebook page:

Located in downtown Mt. Vernon, our market is a thriving little community of entrepreneurs. All our products are raised, produced, or created right here in the surrounding community by the person selling them on the other side of the table.

You will find some old friends as well as some new folks at market selling seasonal produce, plants, baked goods, honey, fresh eggs, locally raised pork and lamb, plus a whole slew of other things.

Beautiful vegetables, delicious artisan breads, jams and jellies. We have several different varieties of local, grass-fed meats as well as farm fresh eggs available. Gluten-free products and tasty treats are here, along with honey, shag-bark hickory nuts, walnuts and dry herbs. Hand-dipped chocolates, exquisite hats, scarves and baby items. Handcrafted jewelry is a must-see, perfect for gifts. Dried beans, fresh ground cornmeal, popcorn, and meat seasoning mixes!

If you have any questions, please contact Mount Vernon Farmers’ Market Managers: Danielle Martin or Laura Strabala at (319) 310-4145 or [email protected].

Frances Luke Accord in concert with Undlin & Wolfe this Saturday, May 6th @ 7:30pm

Frances Luke Accord are an independent Chicago-based duo hailing originally from South Bend, Indiana. Both dedicated multi-instrumentalists and meticulous songwriters, Nicholas Gunty and Brian Powers distinguish their music with genre fluidity, buttery harmonies and acoustic ensembles.

Although prevailingly a modern folk band, FLA sip copious inspiration from Americana, jazz, soul, and rock.

Undlin & Wolfe are an alternative folk group whose songs whistle straight through your down-jacket to shatter the northern-most corner of your heart before melting it completely.

TICKETS
Are only $15 and can be purchased via Facebook, at Bauman’s and in person at the concert.

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Live Music – The Fez – A Tribute to Steely Dan

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Saturday, May 13th, 2017 at 7:30pm, the First Street Community Center’s Uptown Theatre will host “The Fez” – A Steely Dan All Star Tribute band.

The Fez is a 15-piece band composed of some of the finest musicians in Eastern Iowa dedicated to faithfully reproducing the jazz/rock fusion masterpieces of Steely Dan.  The Fez has risen in 6 yrs to become one of Eastern Iowa state most popular bands. With an all star line up of 15 amazing musicians – you will not be disappointed!

Featuring a 4-piece horn section, 3 backup singers, 2 keyboardists (including a genuine Rhodes 88), 2 guitarists, and one of the best rhythm sections around, The Fez captures the magic of Steely Dan’s glory days.

The band is comprised of veteran players from other notable bands, such as Public Property, OSG, Dr. Z’s Experiment, Jumbies, Insectoid, Saul Lubaroff Jazz Ensemble, Amanda Miller and the Super Secrets, We Funk, Big Funk Guarantee, various big bands, etc.

TICKETS
Are only $10 and can be purchased online via Facebook, at Bauman’s and in person at the concert.  Patrons are welcome to bring a favorite beverage and purchase a Community Center cup or bring a clean Community Center cup from home to use in the Theatre space.

Band Members:
– Loren Lang – lead vocals
– Andy Parrott -guitar
– Craig Hiedgerken -guitar
– Jeremiah Murphy -bass
– Tim Crumley -drums
– Creighton Gaynor – auxiliary percussion
– Luke Vertiel – keys
– Sean Seaton – keys
– Saul Lubaroff – saxophones
– Jim Pickering – tenor saxophone
– Greg Young – trumpet & flugelhorn
– LeAnn Dahn – trombone
– Meghan McDonough – vocals
– Katie Robbins – vocals
– Bethann Gavin – vocals

Check them out with this YouTube video:

People are encouraged to bring their own beverage. Beverages consumed in the theatre must be in Uptown Theatre mugs to prevent spillage. The reusable mugs are $5 and available at the event. People who already have a mug should bring it; they don’t have to purchase another.

Here is the band’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thefeztributeband

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