ARTFARM’s outdoor theater productions, now in their eleventh
season in a beautiful cedar grove overlooking the Connecticut River Valley in
Middletown, are unique in offering audiences the opportunity to picnic before
the play begins while listening to some of Connecticut’s top musical talent.
Shakespeare in the Grove theater performances begin each
evening at 7 pm from July 13 – 17 & 20 – 24 on the campus of Middlesex
Community College. This summer the company is offering classic theater of
Italy, presenting Carlo Goldoni’s comedy The
Servant of Two Masters. This fast-paced, very accessible 1740 Commedia dell’
Arte masterpiece is one of the most performed comedies of the Western canon,
and will be a treat for all ages.
At 6 pm each evening of the run a different Connecticut
musical artist or group plays a 45 minute set in the Grove as the audiences
arrive with their blankets, lawn chairs and picnics. Popcorn and ice cream are
available for sale on site, but otherwise patrons are responsible for bringing
their own food and beverages. A section closest to the stage is reserved for
blankets only, but there is plenty of space on the hillside for lawn chairs,
little tables, and the accoutrements of the serious outdoor arts event
attendee.
This year’s ten performance run offers a particularly
diverse and impressive assortment of musical guests, and though they “warm up”
the audience for the play each is a “headliner” in his or her own right.
Here is the lineup for Shakespeare in the Grove 2016. Music
begins at 6 pm every night; venue opens at 5:30 pm:
Wednesday, July 13: Stacy
Phillips, an internationally acclaimed resonator guitarist and violin
player, returns to the Grove for the third year. He has performed with the top
acoustic musicians over the world, and is featured artist on the Grammy
award-winning album The Great Dobro
Sessions. http://www.stacyphillips.com
Thursday, July 14: Banning
Eyre is a writer, guitarist, photographer and lead producer for the
syndicated, Peabody Award-winning public radio program Afropop Worldwide. He is familiar to NPR listeners through his
world music commentaries on All Things Considered. A Middletown
resident, he also plays with the New York-based band Timbila, and will be
joined by bass player Dirck Westervelt. http://www.banningeyre.com
Friday, July 15: Joe Flood, playing a variety of
stringed instruments, will be playing in the Grove for the first time this
year. He delivers original material in what Karen Schoemer in the New York
Times called "a gravelly voice that perfectly straddles the fence between
country and the blues." His songs inhabit a place where folk and blues
roots meet the craft of Tin Pan Alley and the soul of the street. http://www.joeflood.net/
Saturday, July 16: Waberi
Jordan will also be having her ARTFARM debut this summer; she has been
making music all of her life and has recently moved to the area from Southern
California. Some have said her voice is reminiscent
of Betty Carter, Shirley Bassey, Billie Holiday or Roberta Flack... but it has
a particular sound that belongs to no one else. Waberi is dedicated to
upholding a standard of artistry that serves to uplift, enlighten and most of
all evolve Black music. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/waberi-vocalist
Sunday, July 17: Noah
Baerman is a Middletown-based jazz pianist and composer who is consistently
one of the most popular Shakespeare in the Grove Headliners. A bandleader with
eight CD’s in his catalog and an international reputation, Noah will be
performing with a trio this year and offering some new work to the community. http://www.noahjazz.com/home.html
Wednesday, July 20: Andrew
Biagiarelli developed his musical style on the road as a young vagabond
wandering the American west and the Caribbean Isles, translating his
experiences into songs varying in style from reggae to funk and hip-hop to
acoustic folk. https://soundcloud.com/andrew-biagiarelli
Thursday, July 21: Krizta
Moon is a music therapist, storyteller and singer songwriter whose songs elicit
mystical warmth and devious charm threaded together with a reflection of divine
connection. She tenderly accompanies herself on acoustic guitar with lavishly
warm harmonies laid on the spot with a looping pedal.
Friday, July 22: Nancy Tucker blends outrageous comedy,
spirited guitar instrumentals and moving songs of human experience in her shows
for people of all ages. Her music and comedy center around a passion for life
and laughter. Nancy captures each audience's imagination and heart with gentle
invitation and contagious lunacy. http://www.nancytucker.info
Saturday, July 23: Anitra
Brooks, a Middletown native who now lives in the NY Metropolitan area, has
performed at ARTFARM multiple times as a musician and also as an actor in As You Like It. With a resonant
contralto encompassing all five natural elements, Anitra is unique among women
singers. The alluring timbre and warmth of her voice ranges in expression from
tantalizing and ethereal to soulful and grounded. This year she will be joined by bassist/vocalist Eric Kuhn and drummer
Trevor Davis. http://anitrabrooksmusic.com/story
awarded Best Singer-Songwriter
of 2013 at the CT Music Awards and was a nominee for Best Songwriter in New
England 2014. Her lyrics have been called “Zen-like” by folk legend Noel Paul
Stookey of Peter, Paul, and Mary. http://www.kate-callahan.com/
ARTFARM’s Shakespeare in the Grove 2016 performances of The Servant of Two Masters will be held
in the Cedar Grove on the campus of Middlesex Community College, 100 Training
Hill Road in Middletown. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for kids. The
Wednesday evening performances are “Pay-What-You-Can”. There will be a talkback
with director Dic Wheeler and cast following the July 22 performance.
ARTFARM is known for its bold storytelling and strong physical
acting in bringing professional classic theater with live musical accompaniment
to Middletown since 2006.
Shakespeare in the Grove is co-produced by Middlesex
Community College and is made possible by support from the Middletown
Commission on the Arts, Pratt and Whitney and many generous individual donors
and local businesses. For more information go to www.art-farm.org, email info@art-farm.org, or call (860) 346-4390.
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