La Musique

In January, some friends and I recorded a mostly-improvised disc of five tunes. No budget-we used whatever sounds and gear we had on hand, and burned it to cd, packaged it, and put it on the website Geoff has started. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, it actually got reviewed - in France, of all places. Apologies for those who may need to use an internet translator, as it's en francais. Very exciting...

Valley Young Company

The major project I'm involved with right now is the "Les Miserables" production set for June 1-4. It's been a ridiculous amount of work: imagine rehearsals for 30 cast members, 10 musicians for the orchestra, costumes, microphones, a 24-foot rotating stage - all undertaken by volunteers. Pretty unbelievable, especially in a town this size.

The funny thing is, even though it's been a ton of work, it's been the highlight of spring for me. The cast and orchestra are a lot of fun to work with, and I haven't been this excited since I got my own place. So, without further ado, here is the show info. It's the cheapest 'Les Mis' production EVER (I paid $85 in London in 1998!), so quit whining that there's nothing to do in Woodstock and get yourself to the show!

Les Miserables, at WHS. June 1-4, 7:30 pm. Includes a Sunday performance. Tickets are $8/10 in advance or $10/12 at the door.

So now our merry band of orphans is "The Valley Young Company" and people expect us to do more shows. Stay tuned...

Ready, Set, Summer

Lots of plans are being made for summer; it's time for outdoor concerts, festivals, food. First, some listings for the upcoming weekend, and then some events to watch for later this summer.

Saturday, May 13th: North Lake Jamboree (North Lake Community Hall)
7-10 p.m. Admission by donation. Door prizes will be drawn.

Music by: Side Effects (Gary Beatty, Ray & Barb Kierstead), Sam & Delores Collier,
Donnie Cluff, Helen McCaffrey, Harold Jonhston.

North Lake is a beautiful area, and I used to sing in variety shows here when I was a kid. Check it out, and support the North Lake Recreation Department.


Saturday May 13th: Funstage presents "Jack Five Oh" at WHS 2pm.

I'm not sure what the cost is-I guess you'll have to go and find out!

Ongoing Events

• Woodstock Farm Market. These hardworking folks are selling their wares every morning (except Sunday) in downtown Woodstock. Don't let the summer go by without stopping in.
• Saturday Market-Hayward's Potato House, along the TCH, Jacksonville. This was a new addition to the area last year, and I'm glad to see it continue.

well, well ...

I have to admit, this feels a bit strange. I have been considering starting a blog for a while now, but it seems a little self-indulgent. But I guess it's the most efficient way to communicate about the many projects I am involved in. I hope the blog will provide some kind of forum for people interested in the arts to see what's happening in Woodstock. I would love to post listings for concerts of ANY kind (from punk rock to church choirs), so send 'em along. More thoughts about the 'arts community' later, but for now I'm off to see how this whole blog-thing actually works.

A.