{"id":32806,"date":"2022-11-24T09:10:39","date_gmt":"2022-11-24T14:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=32806"},"modified":"2022-11-24T09:10:42","modified_gmt":"2022-11-24T14:10:42","slug":"on-stage-tina-tops-wide-rage-of-theater-options-in-the-area","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=32806","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: &#8216;Tina&#8217; tops wide rage of theater options in the area"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, <em>Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17218\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17218\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17218\" src=\"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/tina_hero_naomirodgers_matthewmurphy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"200\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17218\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tina \u2013 the Tina Turner Musical<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The calendar for late November and December each year always features a plethora Christmas and holiday events.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, for those who seek a brief respite from the full onslaught of holiday activities, special sales and the endless ringing of Salvation Army bells, there are several top-flight theater productions scheduled for the next few weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Now through December 4, \u201cTina \u2013 the Tina Turner Musical\u201d is running on Philadelphia\u2019s Kimmel Cultural Campus at the historic Academy of Music. This engagement is hosted by the Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Shubert Organization. <!--more--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cTina &#8212; The Tina Turner Musical\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0jukebox musical\u00a0featuring the music of\u00a0Tina Turner\u00a0and depicting her life from her humble beginnings in\u00a0Nutbush, Tennessee, to her transformation into a\u00a0rock and roll\u00a0star. It is the story of the life journey of Anna Mae Bullock.<\/p>\n<p>Anna Mae Bullock was born on November 26, 1939 in\u00a0Brownsville, Tennessee and was the youngest daughter of Zelma and Floyd Bullock. Who lived in the nearby rural\u00a0unincorporated community\u00a0of\u00a0Nutbush, Tennessee.<\/p>\n<p>Bullock had two older sisters, Evelyn Juanita Currie and\u00a0Ruby Alline Bullock, a songwriter. As young children, the three sisters were separated when their parents relocated to\u00a0Knoxville, Tennessee, to work at a defense facility during\u00a0World War II.\u00a0After the war, the sisters reunited with their parents and moved with them to Knoxville.<\/p>\n<p>As a young girl, Bullock sang in the church choir at Nutbush&#8217;s Spring Hill Baptist Church.\u00a0When she was 11, her mother Zelma ran off without warning, seeking freedom from her abusive relationship with Floyd by relocating to\u00a0St. Louis\u00a0in 1950.\u00a0Two years after her mother left the family, her father married another woman and moved to\u00a0Detroit\u00a0in 1952. Bullock and her sisters were sent to live with their maternal grandmother, Georgeanna Currie in Brownsville, Tennessee.<\/p>\n<p>Bullock and her sister began to frequent nightclubs in St. Louis and\u00a0East St. Louis. She first saw\u00a0Ike Turner\u00a0perform with his band the\u00a0Kings of Rhythm\u00a0at the\u00a0Manhattan Club\u00a0in East St. Louis.\u00a0Bullock was impressed by his talent and asked Turner to let her sing in his band despite the fact that few women had ever sung with him. Turner said he&#8217;d call her but never did.<\/p>\n<p>One night in 1957, she got hold of the microphone from Kings of Rhythm drummer Eugene Washington during an\u00a0intermission\u00a0and she sang the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/B.B._King\">B.B. King<\/a>\u00a0blues ballad, &#8220;You Know I Love You.\u201d\u00a0Upon hearing her sing, Turner asked her if she knew more songs. She sang the rest of the night and became a featured vocalist with his band. During this period, he taught her the finer points of vocal control and performance.<\/p>\n<p>Bullock was introduced to the public as Tina Turner with the single, \u201cA Fool In Love,\u201d in July 1960. It reached No. 2 on the\u00a0Hot R&amp;B Sides\u00a0chart and No. 27 on the\u00a0Billboard\u00a0Hot 100. After the release of \u201cA Fool in Love,\u201d Ike created the Ike &amp; Tina Turner Revue, which included the Kings of Rhythm and a girl group,\u00a0the Ikettes, as backing vocalists and dancers. He remained in the background as the\u00a0bandleader.<\/p>\n<p>Anna Mae Bullock was on her way to a roller coaster ride of a music career as Tina Turner.<\/p>\n<p>Now, Turner\u2019s life and career is being celebrated with \u201cTina &#8212; The Tina Turner Musical.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Directed by\u00a0Phyllida Lloyd\u00a0with a book by\u00a0Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, and Kees Prins, the musical had its world premiere in April 2018 at the\u00a0Aldwych Theatre\u00a0in\u00a0London. The\u00a0Broadway\u00a0production opened on in November 2019 and was nominated for 12 Tony\u00ae Awards, including Best Musical. The production reopened at Broadway\u2019s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in October 2021 following the 18-month industry wide shut down due to the COVID 19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>The cast is led by Naomi Rodgers (Frozen) and Zurin Villanueva (The Lion King, Mean Girls, Shuffle Along, The Book of Mormon), who will evenly share the role of Tina Turner, each playing four (of eight) performances a week. Also starring are Garrett Turner as Ike Turner, Roz White as Zelma Bullock, Ann Nesby as Gran Georgeanna, and Lael Van Keuren as Rhonda.<\/p>\n<p>On September 11, 2022, the highly energetic production embarked on a North American Tour opening at the\u00a0Providence Performing Arts Center\u00a0(PPAC) in\u00a0Providence,\u00a0Rhode Island.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve been out for a couple months,\u201d said Garrett Turner, during a phone interview last week from a tour stop in Baltimore.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve had some good sit-downs \u2013 three weeks in D.C., two weeks in Cincinnati and two in Boston. We\u2019re all up and down the East Coast for the first art of the tour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Garrett didn\u2019t arrive for the show with pre-conceived ideas about who or what Ike Turner was.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGrowing up, I knew Ike and Tina peripherally,\u201d said Turner. \u201cI knew \u2018Proud Mary\u2019 and one of their other hits. We played more Stevie Wonder at home.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI grew up singing in church \u2013 singing a capella at the Church of Christ. I went on from there to sing a capella in college and professionally. There is a rich tradition in my background.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Like Ike and Tina, Turner grew up in the South. After attending school in Florence, Alabama, he earned a degree for Atlanta\u2019s Emory University in music and creative writing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve written a draft of a musical and a couple drafts of plays,\u201d said Turner. \u201cMy vocal performances have mostly been classical \u2013 German lieder and Italian singing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have a wonderful range. I take care of myself and my spirit. I have a ritual before and after every show. I\u2019m a baritone \u2013 and that helps with playing Ike Turner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Turner has a first-hand knowledge about being an African American musician from the South.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel a very firm link to the Black music of the South,\u201d said Turner. \u201cFlorence is just across the Tennessee River from Muscle Shoals and the FAME Studio.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Muscle Shoals is the home of FAME (Florence Alabama Music Enterprises) Studios\u00a0is a\u00a0recording studio\u00a0located at 603 East Avalon Avenue. The legendary studio has been used by international superstars such as Wilson Pickett, the Allman Brothers, the Rolling Stones, and Aretha Franklin.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is a real rich tradition there,\u201d said Turner. \u201cThere is a strong and rich history of music from where I grew up.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ike Turner had a dark side. He was abusive to women and to his band. He was a shady character with a history of doing drugs. His abusive ways eventually led to the split with Tina.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIke suffered abuse growing up,\u201d said Turner. \u201cHis father was lynched. As a child, he was sexually abused.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ike Turner was born in\u00a0Clarksdale, Mississippi\u00a0in November 1931. According to Turner, he witnessed his father beaten and left for dead by a white mob. He was later told it was an act of retaliation over a woman with whom his father was having an affair. His father lived for two or three years as an invalid in a tent in the family&#8217;s yard before succumbing to his injuries when Turner was about five years old.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a challenge to play Ike,\u201d said Turner. \u201cIt\u2019s also an honor to play Ike. He was a real person \u2013 a Black man born into abject poverty. He pulled himself out of it to reach international fame. He learned to play guitar and started his own band. His band took off and he got famous \u2013 and that was a triumph.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTina\u2019s story is really a story of triumph. The show depicts Tina\u2019s wonderful liberation from violence and gaining one\u2019s own power. Act II shows the whole full story her triumph. Tina became herself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The production at the Academy of Music has a great story \u2013 and great music performed by highly talented actors. The sets are colorful and inspiring, and the audience responds energetically to such classic hits as \u201cA Fool in Love,\u201d \u201cProud Mary,\u201d \u201cPrivate Dancer,\u201d \u201cWhat\u2019s Love Got to Do With It,\u201d \u201cWe Don\u2019t Need Another Hero\u201d and, of course, \u201c(Simply) The Best.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Tina Turner, \u201cIt has been years since I toured the U.S., and I am very excited that my own musical can now bring my music and story to my fans in their home cities across America. It\u2019s a homecoming and that is very special to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video link for \u201cTina &#8212; The Tina Turner Musical\u201d &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Q4xlsuaZ6To\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/Q4xlsuaZ6To<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTina &#8212; The Tina Turner Musical\u201d is running now through December 4 at the Academy of Music.<\/p>\n<p>Ticket prices start at $20.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re not up for a drive into Philadelphia, a good option for an evening of live theater can be found here in Chester County.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17219\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17219\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17219\" src=\"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/peop-light-350x254.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"254\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17219\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto<\/p><\/div>\n<p>People\u2019s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpeopleslight.org&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cb965cedcb847488a36d308d768736cd1%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637092717262279910&amp;sdata=KgXlOJNrFh5jdGDvRfcO7ZBAaZ8W8auId6PKkLgtoSU%3D&amp;reserved=0\">peopleslight.org<\/a>) is presenting \u201cAlice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto,\u201d which is running now through January 1, 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Each year, the People\u2019s Light holiday panto transforms a beloved children\u2019s story into a musical extravaganza filled with outrageous characters, toe-tapping original music, slapstick comedy, and topical humor for both kids and adults.<\/p>\n<p>The beloved holiday tradition returns to People\u2019s Light with the world premiere of \u201cAlice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto.\u201d The show, which is directed by Bill Fennelly, features book by Jennifer Childs and music and lyrics by Alex Bechtel.<\/p>\n<p>On her first day of middle school, Alice Liddle stumbles upon a strange book in the library and ends up in a mysterious, magical place. Audiences are urged to cheer the heroes, boo the bad guys, and help Alice find her way home in this panto-tastic take on Lewis Carroll\u2019s madcap classic.<\/p>\n<p>People\u2019s Light has adapted the theatrical form of British pantomime into its own unique brand of holiday hilarity. Audiences of all ages gather to partake in the songs, dances, topical jokes, and jovial camaraderie of this longstanding tradition.<\/p>\n<p>This year, People\u2019s Light is welcoming two Philadelphia icons to the panto family &#8212; comedy legend Jennifer Childs writes the book and award-winning drag performer Eric Jaffe is the audience\u2019s new guide through the magical mayhem \u2013 and two veterans &#8212; Bill Fennelly, who also directed 2019\u2019s\u00a0\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peopleslight.org%2Fwhats-on%2Farchive%2F2019-2020-season%2Flittle-red-robin-hood-a-musical-panto%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7C8a31134ba35244b9cb9908dab135938c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638017140952896530%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=wmDfv%2Fq4IoGM2NapKcToRZ9wNpgLMprFPxlh9qhUG%2BE%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Little Red Robin Hood<\/a>,\u201d and composer\/lyricist Alex Bechtel, who penned the music and lyrics for 2016\u2019s\u00a0\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peopleslight.org%2Fwhats-on%2Farchive%2F2016-2017-season%2Fsleeping-beauty-a-musical-panto%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7C8a31134ba35244b9cb9908dab135938c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638017140953052297%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=dIqp%2FacIJn1kPatFlsSugFFVyRRBOIW1mDwUiU6VJQw%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Sleeping\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peopleslight.org%2Fwhats-on%2Farchive%2F2016-2017-season%2Fsleeping-beauty-a-musical-panto%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7C8a31134ba35244b9cb9908dab135938c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638017140953052297%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=dIqp%2FacIJn1kPatFlsSugFFVyRRBOIW1mDwUiU6VJQw%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Beauty<\/a>\u201d\u00a0and has appeared as an actor in multiple past pantos.<\/p>\n<p>The People\u2019s Light panto is entertainment for the entire family, and the audience is part of the action.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a family event,\u201d said Childs, during a phone interview last week. \u201cIt has something for all ages. There are opportunities in panto for audience interaction. There are contemporary references. It keeps it very live.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI used the Alice story as a jumping off point. It\u2019s set in middle school. Alice is running away from a situation \u2013 similar to the \u2018Wizard Oz.\u2019 Why does she have to go to Wonderland? There is something specific she has to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a very inclusive show. The extra sparkle is born out of this. We want a really joyful explosion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The show at People\u2019s Light will through January 1. Ticket prices start at $47.<\/p>\n<p>There are more stage shows on the immediate horizon.<\/p>\n<p>Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uptownwestchester.org\/\">www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is bringing live theater to its stage with a rarely seen production of \u201cThe Butterfingers Angel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The official opening night for the comedic show is December 3. The show will run through December 23.<\/p>\n<p>Created by William Gibson (The Miracle Worker),\u00a0one of America\u2019s major dramatists, this touching, funny and highly imaginative retelling of the Nativity story is presented from a fresh and richly creative point-of-view.<\/p>\n<p>The action follows a free-spirited Mary who had decided that men and marriage were not for her, a suddenly cautious Joseph who contends that he is too old for his intended, and a flustered boy-angel who directs each scene from a prompt book and can only manage to get the most strangled, bleating sounds from his trumpet.<\/p>\n<p>Enhanced by a talking tree, sheep and a donkey, along with traditional Christmas music, this wholly original theatre piece is both secular and sacred &#8211; often antic, but the spirit of reverence, joy, and the true significance of the occasion is never lost.<\/p>\n<p>Ticket prices start at $40.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0Playhouse\u00a0on Rodney Square (1007 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware,\u00a0<a href=\"about:blank\">www.BroadwayInWilmington.org<\/a>)\u00a0is presenting \u201cHairspray\u201d from December 1-4.<\/p>\n<p>The show\u2019s 20th\u00a0Anniversary is this year, and this is the first time\u00a0\u201cHairspray\u201d has toured since 2009. The show\u2019s messages of inclusivity are as timely and relevant as ever, whether it be about self-acceptance and body positivity or the resonance with the experiences of people of color today.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHairspray\u201d started out many years ago as a John Waters movie \u2013 a typically off-beat Waters piece that eventually became a cult favorite.<\/p>\n<p>Set in 1962\u00a0in Baltimore,\u00a0Maryland (Waters\u2019 hometown), the production follows teenage Tracy Turnblad&#8217;s dream to dance on\u00a0The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life\u00a0Buddy Deane Show.<\/p>\n<p>Ticket prices start at 4$8.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0Candlelight\u00a0Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.candlelighttheatredelaware.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7C30e3131ed70c430aa0e908daace248f4%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638012385266559841%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=iBue%2BHMgU6SZi8a0J%2FJKeR3Dm25XjjsgtUu2MSOK4sk%3D&amp;reserved=0\">www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) is\u00a0just beginning performamnces of its annual tradition of presenting a holiday production.<\/p>\n<p>From November 25-December 23, The Candlelight is presenting \u201cIrving Berlin&#8217;s White Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The successful song-and-dance act of army buddies Bob Wallace and Phil Davis follow a duo of singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil&#8217;s former army commander. Filled with laughter, romance, spectacular dance numbers and the unforgettable songs of Irving Berlin, it\u2019s clear to see why this is a holiday favorite for the whole family.<\/p>\n<p>The American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amtshows.com\/\">www.AMTshows.com<\/a>) is presenting its annual Christmas production \u201cThe 2022 Christmas Show: Home for the Holidays\u201d now through December 30.<\/p>\n<p>This live, original musical experience features a new cast delivering the same high-quality, Broadway-caliber performances as in years past \u2013 and it all begins the moment you arrive!<\/p>\n<p>Inspired by the warm, cherished memories of family Christmases spent together with loved ones,\u00a0\u201cHome for the Holidays\u201d\u00a0opens on the joyous gathering of family and friends who celebrate with a rich tapestry of song, dance, and holiday traditions. Next, we take you to Santa\u2019s Candy Factory where you\u2019ll be transported to a dream world of bright colors and Candy Elves! Finally, you\u2019ll join us at a \u201cmidnight\u201d candlelight service for some songs of worship, traditional carols, and the powerful, harmony-filled rendition of \u201cO Holy Night.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ticket prices start at $23.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for a good time evening of live music, Jamey\u2019s is always a good place to look.<\/p>\n<p>Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jameyshouseofmusic.com%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7C95eae791de5747c838db08da59257ff5%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637920315097015539%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=FvZw3ycD97c37rYAYegnd17lQD09QJduonPYXMAKoJ4%3D&amp;reserved=0\">www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) has an impressive lineup of shows for Thanksgiving \u00a0weekend.<\/p>\n<p>On November 25, Jamey\u2019s will host Gabe Stillman with Ben Brandt and The Soul Miners Union as the opening act<\/p>\n<p>Stillman, an accomplished blues guitarist from Williamsport, seems to have found a home-away-from home in Delaware County.\u00a0This will be his third concert at Jamey\u2019s in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve stayed busy all through the last year-and-a-half,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman, during a recent phone call from his home in the birthplace of Little League Baseball.<\/p>\n<p>Stillman\u00a0was busiest during a two-week period in April 2021.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI went to Austin in April and recorded my first album,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cIt was produced by Anton Funderbergh at Wire Recording.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Funderbergh is top-flight guitarist\u00a0and\u00a0the bandleader\u00a0of\u00a0Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets\u00a0since 1978. Their style incorporates both\u00a0Chicago blues\u00a0and\u00a0Texas blues. He is also one of the most respected producers in Texas\u2019 capitol city.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI met Anton at the International Blues Challenge a couple years ago,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cI\u2019ve been a fan of his since I was a teenager. He\u2019s in my top 10 list of blues players. And I loved his production work with other people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stillman\u2019s album, \u201cJust Say the Word,\u201d was released in August by the Vizztone Label Group.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a 15-song album \u2013 13 originals and two covers,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cThe covers were Bill Withers\u2019 \u2018Friend of Mine\u2019 and Bobby Blue Bland\u2019s \u2018I\u2019ll Take Care of You.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen the album came out in August, it debuted at Number 10 on the Billboard Magazine Blues chart. It was also named one of the top blues albums of 2021 by Roots Music Report.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI brought my rhythm section Bassist Colin Beatty and drummer Ray Hangen \u2013 down to Austin. In the studio, we used Taylor Streiff, a piano player from St. Louis, Austin\u2019s Texas Horns and had Sue Foley and Anton playing guitar on one track.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was a big step forward for\u00a0Stillman, who\u00a0has been studying guitar for almost a decade-and-a-half.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI started taking guitar lessons when I was 11,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cI\u2019m 25 now so I\u2019ve been playing for 14 years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I started out, I wanted to play heavy rock and heavy metal. Listening to guitarists in those genres, I realized that their playing was very fast and technically complicated. A teacher told me to learn rock by getting into the blues.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, I started listening to a lot of blues guitarists like B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert King, Buddy Guy and Elmore James. I was also listening to guitarist such as Duane Allman and Derek Trucks. I realized \u2013 hey, I can do this. I got hooked on blues and R&amp;B \u2013 and jazz. When I was 13 or 14, I started to perform live.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A key stage in\u00a0Stillman\u2019s development came at the Uptown Music Collective in Williamsport.<\/p>\n<p>For 20 years, the Uptown Music Collective has been providing exceptional modern music education grounded in traditional educational principles. Its programs engage students through an emphasis on modern genres including rock, pop, soul, blues, country, R&amp;B, and funk.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI studied at the Uptown Music Collective when I was younger,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cI also taught there after I got out of college.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stillman\u00a0spent his college years in Boston where he got a degree in \u201cProfessional Music\u201d with an emphasis on guitar performance and songwriting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI started my band in 2015 after graduating from Berklee,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman, whose honors include making it to \u201cFinal Eight\u201d of the 35th Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy band has been primarily a trio but at the Blues Challenge, I made it to the finals with the addition of a harmonica player in the group.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy bass player Colin Beatty, who is also from Williamsport, has been with me the whole time. We\u2019ve had different drummers come in-and-out. Right now, our drummer is Ray Hangen from Buffalo, New York.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the trio, we play mostly blues and American rock. There also is a little mix of R&amp;B in there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video link for Gabe\u00a0Stillman\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FQGIJgb51Kw8&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7C2e724197a17e43b2e80d08da65630f8c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637933773463115635%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=vHQjPlDXGY74DFgBhuWnJC%2FiVh%2Fjcj71eSzacEdYJdQ%3D&amp;reserved=0\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/QGIJgb51Kw8<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The show at Jamey\u2019s on November 25 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.<\/p>\n<p>On November 26, the venue in Delaware County will present Slim and the Perkolators with secial guest Rockin\u2019 Johnny Burgi.<\/p>\n<p>Led by Harmonica Slim Derek Matteson on the misery whistle and expat Brit Tim the Perkolator Perks on guitar, with a changing cast of rhythm players and frequent high-profile guests, the veteran musicians are living the life and loving the blues. They always bring the party.<\/p>\n<p>The show at Jamey\u2019s on November 26 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.<\/p>\n<p>Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH &amp; JAM\u201d featuring the Philly Blues Kings from noon-1 p.m. and an open jam session from1-3 p.m. There is no cover charge.<\/p>\n<p>Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org\/\">http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is presenting a Jazz Jam on November 27, Dead Flowers on December 3, and Bryan Tuk Project on December 10.<\/p>\n<p>Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uptownwestchester.org\/\">www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is presenting The Cartoon Christmas on December 6, and The Last Big Band Holiday Show on December 20.<\/p>\n<p>Phantom Power (121 West Frederick Street, Millersville, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.phantompower.net\/\">www.phantompower.net<\/a>) will have Brass Monkeys on November 26, Local H on December 3, Maya de Vitry on December 9, and Aunt Mary Pat on December 29.<\/p>\n<p>Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, <a href=\"http:\/\/thecolonialtheatre.com\/events\">thecolonialtheatre.com\/events<\/a>) is hosting Jessica Lynn on December 9.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times The calendar for late November and December each year always features a plethora Christmas and holiday events. Fortunately, for those who seek a brief respite from the full onslaught of holiday activities, special sales and the endless ringing of Salvation Army bells, there are several top-flight theater productions [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5166],"tags":[11700,3912,11712],"class_list":["post-32806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-alice-in-wonderland-a-musical-panto","tag-featured","tag-tina-the-tina-turner-musical"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32806","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32806"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32806\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32807,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32806\/revisions\/32807"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/32804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}