Strawberries, Music, and The Ice Princess!

Strawberries, music, and The Ice Princess take center stage this first weekend in June.

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival once more fills the theaters at DeSales University, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley, PA, with a mix of Shakespeare and other plays for the summer. The Ice Princess  opens the season this Friday, June 2, 2017 at the Schubert Theater on campus, running through August 5, 2017. Adapted from the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, this play is meant for families with children ages “three through tween.”

With a charming cast of forest friends, a young princess brings the warmth of healing to the cold—and discovers her own strength as she seeks to help a loved one. An enchanting new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen designed to delight families with kids from three to tween. Children can get a front row seat for the fun with on-stage carpet seating, and everyone can meet the cast after every performance for autographs and pictures.

(The musical Evita opens on the Main Stage on June 14th, and Shakespeare’s As You Like It takes over that stage on July 20th, 2017. Full list of this summer’s PA Shakespeare Festival productions can be found here.)

The gates open for the New Goshenhoppen Strawberry Festival at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 3, 2017 at the New Goshenhoppen Park, 3rd Street, East Greenville, PA. Highlights of the annual festival include craft tables, and auction at 10 a.m., a performance by the Juli Kells Dancers at 1 p.m. and a concert by the Red Hill Band from 5 – 7 p.m. Admission to the festival is free. Food, including fresh strawberry treats, will be for sale starting at 11 a.m.

The 50th Anniversary Spring Concert promises to be a wonderful event this Saturday night, June 3, 2017, with the music beginning in the auditorium at 7 p.m. at the Upper Perkiomen Valley High School, 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA. Directors will include Dr. Mark Thomas and special guest Mr. Richard Lampe. Choir Alumni will be joining in singing with the A Choir for part of the concert. Doors to the auditorium will open at 6:30 p.m. The event is open to the public, open seating. There is a suggested donation of $5 per person.

Memorial Day Weekend 2017

Wait, is that the sun I see?! In that case, have I got a few arts ideas for you (once you have tired of work and yard sales).

Boyertown is hosting their Fourth Friday Art Walk tonight, May 26, 2017. Local artists, poets, and musicians will take over Main Street from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. in Boyertown, PA. Free and open to the public. (I am sure the shops will be open and selling a few refreshments and artwork, as well.)

If the weather holds, take your picnic and picnic blanket or lawn chairs to Green Lane Park Amphitheater (2248 Green Lane Road, Green Lane, PA) Saturday night, May 27, 2017, for the free Red Hill Band concert, from 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. There is also an awesome playground, and picnic tables, near the amphitheater.

And if the weather fails to cooperate, take advantage of the grey day and go to Allentown Art Museum for the final weekend of the incredible exhibit Above the Fold: New Expressions in Origami (closing on May 28, 2017).

Above the Fold presents the work of nine renowned artists working in six different countries and ranging in age from twenty-nine to seventy-one. These artists—Erik Demaine and Martin Demaine (Canada/USA), Vincent Floderer (France), Miri Golan (Israel), Paul Jackson (UK/Israel), Robert J. Lang (USA), Yuko Nishimura (Japan), Richard Sweeney (UK), and Jiangmei Wu (China/USA)—have been pushing the boundaries of origami to elevate what was once considered a children’s craft into a sophisticated global art form. Some have even employed mathematical theorems to solve folding problems and advance the capabilities of the medium. Now, origami not only expresses the beauty and spirit of natural forms such as birds and animals, but it also touches on religious, social, and political ideas—moving the viewer with both the intricacy of its craft and the power of the artist’s message.

Red Hill Band; indoor and outdoor concerts this month!

Red Hill Band’s 117th Annual Spring Concert is this Sunday, May 21, 2017. The music begins at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at the Upper Perkiomen High School, 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA. Free and open to the public.

The following weekend, on Saturday, May 27, 2017, the Red Hill Band will be opening the summer season at Green Lane Park amphitheater, 2144 Snyder Road, Green Lane, PA. Audience members are encouraged to bring blankets or folding chairs, and picnicking is encouraged. The concert is from 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., making for a great free night out, weather permitting. With the playground on top of the hill, this is a perfect outing for families, as well.

And mark your calendar for Saturday, June 3rd when the Red Hill Band will perform at the New Goshenhoppen Strawberry Festival from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. at New Goshenhoppen Park, 3rd Street, East Greenville, PA, and Wednesday, June 21st when the band will be playing outside by St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 81 Main Street, Pennsburg, PA from 7 p.m. – 8: 30 p.m. as part of Make Music Upper Perk!

Wide ranging theater on stage this week

This week I’m shining the spotlight on three great, and very different, shows (two of which have their final performances this weekend).

Civic Theater in Allentown (527 N 19th Street) has taken on the task of staging Part 1 and 2 of Angels in America. One may buy tickets for just one of the shows (each work well on their own), or watch them on alternate nights, or try for tickets for a “theater marathon” on Saturday, May 20th, final performances, and see Angels in America: Part 1 – Millennium Approaches at 2 p.m. followed by Angels in America: Part 2 – Perestroika at 7:30 p.m.

Tony Kushner’s groundbreaking two-play masterpiece, and one of the most honored American plays in history was first produced at Civic in 1997. This anniversary production of the great American play subtitled “A Gay Fantasia on National Themes,” spans the Reagan-Bush eras and spirals around the AIDS crisis in 1980s New York, weaving the lives of fictional and historical characters into a feverish web of social, political and sexual revelations. Alternately hilarious and heartbreaking, Angels in America was awarded two Tony Awards for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

For something completely different, head over to Quakertown for the musical comedy, Little Shop of Horrors, playing now at McCoole’s Arts and Events Place, 10 S. Main Street (next to Red Lion Inn) through May 20, 2017.

Meek flower shop assistant Seymour pines for co-worker Audrey. During a total eclipse, he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey II. The growing plant attracts a great deal of business for the struggling store. Seymour finds himself in a bind finding nourishment for the increasingly bloodthirsty plant.

Disney’s Lion King, Jr – perfect for the whole family – is on stage in Souderton at Montgomery Theater, 124 Main Street, through May 28, 2017. This musical is a 70 minute adaptation of the Broadway show, and includes many of the favorite songs heard in the animated and staged versions of The Lion King.

52nd Outdoor Bethlehem Fine Art & Craft Show

This weekend, Saturday, May 13th from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sunday, May 14, 2017 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., 80 local and regional artists will show and sell their work outdoors along Main Street in historic Bethlehem as part of the 52nd annual Bethlehem Fine Art and Craft Show. Musicians (including accordionists, violinist, and guitarist) will also be performing in the street,  and there will be children’s art activities across from the Moravian Book Shop, folded in to this juried show.

“Arts in the Park” now “Parked Indoors” this Saturday!

Wings of Hope: Arts in the Park is on Saturday, May 13, 2017 from 2pm-8pm. 

Due to the weather forecast of winds, cold temperatures and rain amounts heavily at times and up to an inch, we excited to announce ARTS IN THE PARK is now PARKED INDOORS this Saturday! Arts Parked at The Church will be held at Good Shepherd UCC 35 W Philadelphia Ave, Boyertown, PA from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. This event still has vendors, food trucks, children’s activities, and live music and is THE PLACE TO BE this rainy Saturday!

The fundraising event features live music and performances, food trucks, local artisans, and children’s activities. The $5 admission fee benefits families impacted by cancer. Wings of Hope is a local non-profit “uniting families impacted by cancer” and fundraising to fight the disease.

Read more about it, and see performer lineup here.

Final 2 Nights, Art Show at UPHS

Don’t miss your chance to check out some wonderful paintings, sculptures, woodwork, and more, at this year’s Art Show, on display for just two more nights at the Upper Perkiomen High School, 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA. Artwork by students in grades K-12 fills the gymnasium which has been turned into a gallery and is open to the public tonight, Thursday, May 11th, and Friday, May 12th, 2017, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

And if you’d like to catch a concert while you are in the neighborhood, the Elementary and Middle School Orchestra Spring Concert is tonight, beginning at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium, with the Upper Perkiomen High School Orchestra and Band Spring Concert closing out May Arts Week with their performances on Friday, May 12, 2017 (7 p.m.).

Saturday MMUP Volunteer Meeting

We will have a meeting for volunteers on Saturday, May 6th at 9:30 a.m. at Java Bake and Company, 231 Main Street, East Greenville, PA. Since we will be at 10 venues, 6 lunch time locations, and several pop-up performances, across 5 towns, this is an all-hands-on-deck sort of event, and we welcome as many people as possible. There are lots of plans underway, many new for 2017, and we welcome everyone to play a part and join in producing this all volunteer, all free, all day, community wide event.

Folks have started dropping off their knitting for our June yarnbombing. Please bring what knitting you’ve completed for June to our volunteer meeting on Saturday, May 6th. If you are still knitting or crocheting, or wish to do more, you still have a month – all the projects have to be dropped off by June 10th.

And we’ll be introducing our new “Cake Boss” and “Cell Phone Music Video Maestro” – two people who will be running some special events to help celebrate Make Music Upper Perk’s 5th year, and invite more people in the Valley to celebrate music with us.

If you’ve been wondering who will be playing (and when and where) on June 21st at Make Music Upper Perk, stop by tomorrow’s Volunteer Meeting, where you can not only get a free cup of coffee or tea, but first look at this year’s MMUP 2017 Schedule!

Marvelous Music in May!

There is so much happening musically this month in our area that I barely know where to begin!

Make Music Upper Perk’s musical friends Mega Fauna are kicking off this weekend’s “Celebrating the Creative Spirit” event taking place at Bally Mennonite Church, 1481 Route 100 in Barto, PA,. a FREE community event that showcases art, music, writing, and dance, on Friday, May 5, 2017 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 6, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  The free concert by Mega Fauna begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 5, 2017.

The Celebration in Bally continues on Saturday, May 6, 2017 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.;

From the moment you enter through the imaginative eyes of Tim Longacre to enjoying refreshments in the Sidewalk Cafe by Martha Kratz, you will see and hear the creative Spirit among us.

Artists and artisans from the Bally area will join Bally Mennonite Church professionals such as potter Roy Yoder, photographer Gordon Groff, weaver Tonya Jones, and artist/author Julie Longacre in displaying a variety of paintings, pastels, pottery, photographs, weaving, wood work, quilts, fly-tying, needlework, fabric art, and children’s art. Some items will be for sale.

In the sanctuary, guests may come and go to view quilts and listen to local professional and amateur musicians, including Duane Hershberger and Gene Galligan, among others who will be performing in a variety of styles: inspirational, show tunes, blues, folk, eclectic, classical, jazz, and country.

Featured authors will include Yvonne Bleam, author of the children’s book, A-Z OF BEING THE BEST LEADER YOU CAN BE, Catherine Richter, artist/author of BUTTERFLIES & BEASTINGS, and artist/illustrator Martha Cawley.

The Valley Choral Society is performing John Rutter’s Requiem, with a sixteen piece  orchestra, on Saturday evening, May 6, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Sumneytown, PA and on Sunday afternoon, May 7, 2017 at 4 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, Perkasie, PA. The Requiem is a musical setting of parts of the Latin Requiem  Mass with added psalms in English. Both concerts are free, though a free will offering will be collected during intermission.

May Arts Week is celebrated every year at Upper Perkiomen School District with a week’s worth of concerts and an art show in the high school auditorium lobby and in the high school gymnasium, featuring artwork by students in grades K-12. The Elementary and Middle School Band Concert starts things off on Tuesday evening, May 9, 2017, at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, May 10, 2017, it’s time for the Elementary and Middle School Chorus Spring Concert at 7 p.m. Next up is the Elementary and Middle School Orchestra Spring Concert on Thursday, May 11, 2017 (7 p.m.) with the Upper Perkiomen High School Orchestra and Band Spring Concert closing out the week with their performances on Friday, May 12, 2017 (7 p.m.) The Art Displays may be seen between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday evening next week (May 9-12).  All concerts are held in the auditorium at the Upper Perkiomen High School, 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA.

Wings of Hope: Arts in the Park is on Saturday, May 13, 2017 from 2pm-8pm in Boyertown Community Park, Spaatz Pavilion, 417 South Madison Street, Boyertown, PA. The fundraising event features live music and performances, food trucks, local artisans, and children’s activities. The $5 admission fee benefits families impacted by cancer. Wings of Hope is a local non-profit “uniting families impacted by cancer” and fundraising to fight the disease.

 

 

The Red Hill Band’s 117th Annual Spring Concert will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2017, beginning at 2 p.m., at the Upper Perkiomen High School, 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA.

I may have missed a concert or two, so be sure and check back later this month!