Dance in the Lehigh Valley has been brought to a new level through the years with professional dance companies and master classes part of the mix for students on valley college campuses. In celebration of these efforts, made possible for the last 40 years by the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) and the formation of the LVAIC Dance Consortium, 10 professional valley-based choreographers will participate in a showcase of original work this weekend at the Rivers Merge Dance Festival in Easton.
The festival (free, but tickets required) will be held Friday and Saturday at two locales: 6 p.m. at Scott Park (next to Riverside Park at Northampton Street and Larry Holmes Drive) in downtown Easton, and 8 p.m. at the Williams Center for the Arts at Lafayette College. An LVAIC 40th anniversary reception will be held Saturday only at 9:30 p.m. in the Williams Center lobby.
Featured works include a new improvisational piece by Sarah Carlson of DanceLINK and Lehigh University; a new celebratory work by Rebecca Moyer of Lehigh Valley Charter High School of the Performing Arts; classical Indian dance work by Sakshi Productions choreographer and Lafayette professor Nandini Sikand; contemporary ballet from Trinette Singleton of Repertory Dance Theatre/DeSales University; new work by Lafayette professor Carrie Rohman set to poetry by Lee Upton; biographical pieces by DeSales professors of dance Angela Sigley Grossman and Julia Mayo; edgy ballet by Heidi Cruz-Austin of DanceSpora and Muhlenberg College, and Muhlenberg College professor Jeffrey Peterson's "Solitary Vigor," as seen at the Muhlenberg College Master Choreographers Concert.
Jessica Warchal-King of the Embodiment Project and Muhlenberg College will present her work, "(in)visible veins: Rivers Merge," each evening at 6 p.m. at Scott Park. She describes it as "inspired by the simple beauty in complex systems of individuals, nature and society." It will show glimpses of her research on the behavior of horseshoe crabs in collaboration with a Widener University biologist.
For further info: 610-330-5009 williamscenter.lafayette.edu/merge
ARTS ROUNDUP
Miss Maggie Sings! and Dave Fry are among the lineup of entertainers at the first Keim Music Fest on Saturday in the Oley Valley at the Keim Homestead, 101 Boyer Rd., Lobachsville, Pike Township, Berks County. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. It benefits restoration of the homestead, a property of the Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County.
There will be two acoustic stages, for kids and for family, along with an unplugged ukulele/music all-day jam circle with players from Clay on Main. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and instruments.
For further info: historicpreservationtrust.org
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New York Times best-selling authors Beatriz Williams, Matthew Thomas and Robin Black will be featured at the SOTA (Society of the Arts) annual "Luncheon with the Authors," on Oct. 2 at Lehigh Country Club in Allentown. The event begins at 11 a.m. with author signings; lunch is at noon.
Williams will discuss her book, "Tiny Little Thing," Thomas will focus on his debut novel, "We Are Not Ourselves," and Black will feature "Life Drawing."
There will be an opportunity for questions from the audience, as well as a silent auction and raffle. The event benefits the Allentown Art Museum of the Lehigh Valley, its educational programs, the SOTA Education Endowment and the SOTA Print Fund.
For further info: sotapa.org
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Renowned pianist Emanuel Ax will perform Brahms’ “Piano Concerto No. 2” as the season opener for the Allentown Symphony Orchestra at Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. The program also will feature selections by Berlioz and Stravinsky.
Ax, a native of Poland, attended the Juilliard School and won the Arthur Rubinstein International Competition and the Michaels Award of Young Concert Artists. He has performed with the New York Philharmonic and with major orchestras worldwide.
The orchestra's Diane Wittry also is marking her 20th year as music director and conductor of the Allentown Symphony. She is artistic director (USA), International Cultural Exchange Program for Classical Musicians, Sarajevo Philharmonic, Bosnia; and author of "Beyond the Baton" and "Baton Basics" (both Oxford University Press).
For further info: MillerSymphonyHall.org
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Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival kicks off Friday in historic downtown Bethlehem with the Haggis Bowl 2015 at 5 p.m. The fun runs through Sunday with Highland Games and plenty of competitions involving fiddle, pipe band, drum major, and highland dance. A first this year is the Celtic songwriting contest, where the winner will be an opening act at the Sellersville Theatre.
Irish performers at Celtic Classic include the O'Grady Quinlan Dancers, Irish Stars and Parker School of Irish Dance, Blackwater, Burning Bridget Cleary, husband-and-wife duo Matt and Shannon Heaton, Craig Thatcher & Nyke VanWyk, plus many more.
For further info: celticfest.org
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Platinum-selling, 15-year-old singing sensation Jackie Evancho of NBC-TV's "America's Got Talent" fame, will perform at the State Theatre in Easton on Sunday at 6 p.m.
The Pittsburgh native gained attention when she posted her singing videos on YouTube after being inspired by the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera." She was just 10 years old when she performed before judges during the fifth season of "America's Got Talent." The young soprano was runner-up and went on to launch her music career, signing with Columbia Records shortly thereafter.
Her debut EP, "O Holy Night," was released in November 2010 and went platinum, followed by her first studio album, "Dream With Me" in June 2011, certified gold, and "Heavenly Christmas" in November 2011.
For further info: statetheatre.org
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The Pennsylvania Playhouse, Illick's Mill Road, Bethlehem, presents David Mamet's political comedy, "November," opening Friday and running through Oct. 11. Director is Ralph Montesano.
Mamet ("Glengarry Glen Ross," "Speed the Plow," "Oleanna," "American Buffalo," and "Race") pens an Oval Office satire depicting the day in the life of a beleaguered American commander-in-chief. It's November in a presidential election year, and incumbent Charles Smith's chances for reelection are looking grim, but he's not ready to give up just yet.
Pat Kelly portrays President Charles Smith; Eric Hersh is Archer Brown, presidential advisor; Joe Klucsarits is the Turkey lobbyist; Laura Riker is Clarice Bernstein, the lesbian speech writer, and Jerry Brucker is Dwight Grackle, the Native American tribal chief.
The play contains adult situations and language.
For further info: paplayhouse.org
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"Bat Boy: The Musical," presented by the Star of the Day Event Productions, is underway through Sunday at McCoole's Arts & Events Place, 10 S. Main St., Quakertown, Bucks County. This American rock musical contains adult content and is recommended for ages 16 and older.
Book is by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe, based on a June 23, 1992 "Weekly World News" story about a half-boy, half-bat, dubbed "Bat Boy," who grew up living in a cave.
The cast includes Sebastian Paff and Nicole Anderson of Easton; Kirsten Almeida and Charles Weigold III of Hellertown, Northampton County; Lizzy Boehm and Lindsey Hresko of Bethlehem; Marissa Brewer of Nazareth, Northampton County; Amanda Carol Pascale of Belvidere, New Jersey; and Michael Piz and Francesca Rhoads of Allentown.
Director is Will Erwin of Bethlehem; choreographer is Kirsten Almeida; music director is Chris Hamm of Nazareth.
For further info: StaroftheDay.org
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