More Music Before the Weekend Ends

Boyertown’s Pickfest – A Celebration of Americana; started yesterday and continues today, Sunday, October 18, 2015, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Boyertown Rail Yard, 101 E. Third Street. Tickets are $10, free for ages 15 and under.

This Years Pickfest Key Features Will Include:
-Main Stage featuring some of the areas most talented Blue Grass bands
-Hand made food from some of the areas best food vendors.
-The regions best craft breweries, wineries, cideries, meaderies
-Frecon’s Pick Your Own apples and pumpkins
-Learn the history of the area with the Daniel Boone Crafters & the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles
-Experience the Secret Valley Rail Road.

Bel Canto Children’s Choir is helping Pennsburg U.C.C. celebrate their 175th anniversary by giving a concert this afternoon (Sunday, October 18th), beginning at 4 p.m. FREE and open to the public. Light refreshments will be offered, following the concert. Pennsburg U.C.C., 775 Main Street, Pennsburg, PA

Thursday Night Theater, and Beyond…

Benedict Cumberbatch is Hamlet in the London National Theater stage production that can be seen at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. 6th Street, and Promenade Movie Theater, Saucon Valley at 7 p.m. Thursday night, October 15, 2015. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door.

National Theatre Live is the National Theatre’s groundbreaking project to broadcast the best of British theatre live from the London stage to cinemas across the UK and around the world. Though each live broadcast is filmed in front of a live audience in the theatre, cameras are carefully positioned throughout the auditorium to ensure that cinema audiences get the ‘best seat in the house’ view of each production.

The County Theater in Doylestown, PA will be screening this production on Sunday, October 25 and Sunday, November 8, 2015 at 12:30 p.m.

The more family friendly musical comedy Once Upon a Mattress opens Thursday, October 15th and runs through October 25, 2015 at DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA. Some performances are already sold out, so be sure and check and consider ordering your tickets in advance.

A hilariously nutty retelling of The Princess and the Pea, this Tony award-nominated musical tells the story of the royal courtship between Prince Dauntless the Drab and Winifred the Woebegone as they navigate the mischievous antics of his domineering mother Queen Aggravain. Filled with wonderful songs, dazzling dance numbers, and side-splitting shenanigans, this raucous, romantic, and melodic spin on a familiar classic is sure to surprise. You’ll never look at fairy tales the same way again! Ages 10+

The Addams Family Musical, which opened last week at Civic Theater, 19th Street, Allentown, continues its run through October 25, 2015.

What Is the Story of The Addams Family?
That lovable family of creepy kooks is alive and well and living in their super-spooky mansion in Central Park. The Addams family, led by the elegantly gaunt and seemingly undead Morticia and her ever-devoted husband Gomez, is in turmoil. Their daughter Wednesday, now 18, finds herself falling in love—a sensation that is unsettling for both her and her family of endearing misfits. When the teen invites her new boyfriend, Lucas Beineke, over with his “normal” family to get better acquainted with the Addams household, comic chaos (including everything from an amorous giant squid to mixed-up potions to a scorching tango) ensues.

The comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike opens tomorrow, Friday, October 16, 2015, at the SteelRiver Playhouse, 245 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA, and runs through October 25, 2015.

This comedy, from the pen of Tony winner Christopher Durang, hilariously contrasts traditional values with the world of cutting edge tech. Set in Bucks County, two well-educated but unemployed siblings live in the family homestead supported by their actress sister. But sis comes back ready to sell with her boy-toy in tow. One of the most popular Broadway comedies in years.

Make Music Upper Perk Encore Performances

It may be October, but you don’t have to wait until June to hear Make Music Upper Perk musicians. Many of them can be heard at local open mic’s, at school concerts, at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, and this weekend, at the Upper Perk Community Thrift Shop’s new building, 301 Fourth Street, Pennsburg, PA. The Thrift Shop is closing off the parking lot and loading dock and setting up a festive afternoon and evening of food, games, and music, from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2015.

Entertainment will be provided by Sound Factor Pro DJ and 7 of our local MMUP players;

5 p.m. Jake Stoudt and Kurt Amen
5:30 Alyssa Dodge
6 p.m. Tom Cooney
6:30 Peregrine (Ariel Royer and Kelly Cox) 
7 p.m. Jon Dale

Stop by to hear Encore Performances from Make Music Upper Perk Musicians and support our local community at the  Community Thrift Shop Building Celebration and Community Pig Roast (and enjoy the “all you can eat” buffet provided by Moyers Catering) Tickets are $25.00 per person and available at Java Good Day Café (Main Street, East Greenville) and the Upper Perkiomen Valley Library (Main Street, Red Hill), as well as online 

Rainy Day Weekend Suggestions

Due to the wind and rain, the folks at Oktoberfest in Bethlehem have postponed their opening to noontime tomorrow, Saturday, October 3, 2015. And if you’d rather wait for a milder day, the Festival continues next weekend, October 9-11, 2015.

Meanwhile, several plays just opened locally, some of which are only playing this weekend.

This weekend only, you can attend performances of Nunsense at Cedar Crest College; 8 p..m. tonight and Saturday night, October 2-3, and matinees at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4 (100 College Drive, Allentown, PA), and New Voices, 3 short plays written by students at Muhlenberg College; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, October 2-3, and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4 (2400 Chew Street, Allentown, PA). The family can get in the mood for fall and Halloween with the play Legend of Sleepy Hollow, on stage in Telford, PA (795 Ridge Road) at DCP Theater, opening tonight at 8 p.m., followed by four matinee performances; 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, October 3 and 4, 2015. One weekend only, this adaptation is intended for family audiences:

Here is the spooky classic story by Washington Irving, presented with all the thrills, chills and laughs that keep young audiences on the edge of their seats. The storybook tale revolves around the main characters—the bumbling, awkward schoolteacher, Ichabod, the coquettish Katrina and Ichabod’s brutish rival, Brom Bones. There are also six characters who play storytellers, keeping the action and pace moving throughout.

Also opening this weekend, but running a bit longer, are the plays God of Carnage at Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University (420 Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA), October 2-9, 2015 (ticket prices for Wednesday’s performance is “pay-what-you-wish” – contact Ticket Services for details), Bus Stop at DeSales University (2755 Station Ave, Center Valley, PA), September 30 – October 11, 2015, and the political comedy November at Pennsylvania Playhouse in Bethlehem (390 Illicks Mill Road), October 2 -11, 2015.

Stahl’s Pottery Festival is held rain or shine on Saturday, October 3rd, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Stahl’s Pottery, 6826 Corning Road, Zionsville, PA. The Pottery Festival features over 20 potters showcasing and selling traditional and contemporary potter, demonstrations, hands-on opportunities, tours of the potting sheds and kiln, and and more.