Creative Cauldron Closing its Season with Thunder

Special to the Falls Church Times

Creative Cauldron’s founder, Laura Connors Hull, says their final production of the season is “fixing to blow the roof off the cauldron!” Directed by Helen Hayes Award winning actor, Stephen Gregory Smith, Thunder Knocking on the Door is “a musical fable that is filled with humor and heart, and just the right touch of supernatural high jinx” according to Hull.

When writer Keith Glover first penned Thunder in 1999, he knew he had a hit on his hands. Steeped in the devil-at-the crossroads blues mythology of the Mississippi Delta and featuring music and lyrics by three-time Grammy Award winner Keb’ Mo’ and his collaborator Anderson Edwards, this show has played to critical raves and sold out houses in theaters around the country.  Stephen Gregory Smith fell in love with the show when it premiered at Arena Stage in 1999.

Smith is guiding a powerhouse cast of singers including Shayla Simmons, featured in last year’s Creative Cauldron hit original production of “Women of the Blues.” Shayla most recently appeared as Deena Jones in Signature Theatre’s Helen Hayes Award winning production of Dreamgirls.  She is joined by Iyona Blake, RaMond Thomas, Malcolm Lee and Michael Mainwaring, each a vocal dynamo in their own right.

Performances are at 8 pm, Thursday through Sunday, through May 26. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for seniors/students.  Ticket specials include the “Juke Joint” — up close seating for 4 people and a bottle of wine for $100 and the “Sunday Night Bargain Blues” – buy one adult ticket and get the second one for half price for any Sunday performance.  Online purchase only and limited to 20 per show.

Purchase tickets in advance at www.creativecauldron.org Creative Cauldron is located at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue in the Pearson Square building.

SATURDAY 5/4: Attic Treasures Sale

9am to 1pm – Falls Church Community Center – 223 Little Falls Street

Find your treasure at the oldest and largest annual fundraising sale in the Little City.  All proceeds will support the VPIS community programs like Concerts in the Park and other programs you love.  It is quite fun to discover unbelievable bargains and unique treasures while tapping your toes to the live music of Andrew Acosta.

Donations Drop – Friday May 3, 10am to 7pm  – Fall Church Community Center- 223 Little Falls Street

The following are accepted:  household items including kitchen items, musical instruments & recordings, plants (5 gallon max size), gardening items, household goods, kitchenware, special treasures (antiques, collectibles), toys, jewelry, hardware, books.  Sorry – no clothing, bicycles, computer equipment, or junk please.  We need volunteers – please contact Michael or Marybeth Connelly at 703‐237‐0604 or email mbdoncon@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, 5/18: Civil War Day

The City of Falls Church will host Civil War Day – a living-history event depicting the Falls Church home front during the Civil War – on Saturday, May 18. This free event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cherry Hill Park and Farmhouse (312 Park Ave.).

This year’s theme is the Home Front. Living history presentations with Civil War soldier and civilian reenactments will show how the area coped with the war at their doorstep. Other events and activities include soldier firing and drilling exercises, live music, a children’s activities tent, house tours, and more. A special Emancipation Proclamation presentation will take place at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and a free bus tour of the new Civil War Trail through town will depart at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Box lunches consisting of chicken, coleslaw, corn bread, ginger cake and lemonade will be available for $8.00 each. Advanced lunch tickets for $7.00 are recommended and can be purchased at the Community Center (223 Little Falls St.) by May 17.

For more information, call 703-248-5171 (TTY 711). This event is sponsored by the Recreation & Parks Department, the Victorian Society at Falls Church, and the Falls Church Historical Commission.

Blues Musical Opens May 2 at Creative Cauldron

FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

Creative Cauldron will present Thunder Knocking on the Door, a blues musical fable written by Keith Glover, with lyrics and music by three-time Grammy award winner Keb’ Mo’ and Anderson Edwards.  Veteran theater artist and Helen Hayes Award winner Stephen Gregory Smith is directing and choreographing a professional cast. Thunder runs from May 2-26 with performances Thursday through Sunday evenings at 8:00 pm at Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 South Maple Avenue.

Thunder Knocking on the Door is an intoxicating musical filled with humor and heart.  Set in Bessmer, Alabama in 1966, the story follows a mysterious, Blues-playing stranger named Marvel Thunder who shows up uninvited at the home of the Dupree family. Thunder is a mythic figure with supernatural powers.   He has come to challenge the son and daughter of Jaguar Dupree, the only man who ever outplayed him on the guitar in a “cutting contest.” Since its 1999 premiere at Arena Stage, Thunder has played to rave reviews and sold out houses in theaters around the country.

The cast features Shayla Simmons in the role of Glory Dupree.  Shayla was last seen at Creative Cauldron in the 2012 hit production Women of the Blues. This past winter she appeared as Deena Jones in Signature Theatre’s critically acclaimed Dreamgirls. Other cast members include Ramond Thomas (Thunder), Iyona Blake (Good Sister), Michael Mainwaring (Jaguar Jr.) and Malcolm Lee (Jaguar Sr & Dregster).

Pianist Amy Conley is the Music Director, who will play keyboard and conduct a blues pit band that includes Bruce Turner (guitar), Rob Weaver (bass), and Jim Hoffman (drums).  Scenic Designer Margie Jervis and Lighting Designer Zach Dalton have created a setting that evokes the dusty crossroads and “juke joint” atmosphere of the Southern delta.

Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. To reserve tickets or get further information log on to www.creativecauldron.org or call 571-239-5288.

SATURDAY 4/13: Bilingual Concert at MEH

In celebration of The Week of the Young Child (April 14-20), bilingual educator, children’s author, and recording artist José-Luis Orozco will bring his folk guitar and wide repertoire of songs from throughout Mexico and Latin America for an interactive concert on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at 11 a.m., at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School in Falls Church.  Concert tickets are available at www.fcmlcc.org, $5 for children and $7 for adults.  Read more

“DECAVENT” All-Members Art Show Open thru April 28

By Barb Cram
April 5, 2013

After days of preparation and painting, moving walls, added lighting,  cleaning and painting floors and platforms, and the help of dozens of volunteers, Falls Church Arts will be ready to greet the public at ArtSpace Falls Church at 7 pm Friday, April 5.  Free admission and food with cash bar will greet the guests at 410 South Maple Avenue.

DECAVENT, a new word  invented by Cathy Kaye, the show’s curator, was created to describe this special 10 year event – ten years of creativity and art in the City of Falls Church.  Falls Church Arts was established in 2003.  More than 50 artists are participating in this All Members Show with a wide variety of media represented, terra cotta sculpture, paintings, etchings, digital media, monotype, wire sculpture, lamp worked beads, linoprint,  foam sculpture, prints, photography, and more cover the inside walls of the newly transformed ArtSpace Falls Church. Read more

SATURDAY, 4/6: Randy Barrett Concert

Falls Church’s own Randy Barrett will perform Saturday, April 6 at 7 pm at Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Ave.  The band Mama Tried showcases the talents of Randy and Dede Wyant, two of the DC area’s best bluegrass singers and multiple WAMMIE Award winners!  Tickets are $20 adults and $18 student/seniors.  Purchase online at www.creativecauldron.org.

FRIDAY/SATURDAY 4/12-13: AAUW Book Sale

The American Association for University Women will hold its book sale at the Falls Church City Community Center, 223 Little Falls Street, on Friday, April 12 from 9 am to 9 pm and Saturday, April 13 from 9 am to 4 pm. The event will feature more than 40,000 books for browsing and buying, with most books priced at $3 or less. There will be a huge selection of books, including hardbacks, paperbacks, fiction, non-fiction, biographies, and children’s books.

Profits benefit scholarships for women and girls, including Falls Church area high school senior women.

Next Page »