MLC Unveils 2005 Summer Season
Boston Pops, Crosby, Stills & Nash, ZZ Top, Montgomery Gentry, Flying Karamazov Brothers, and Poncho Sanchez Are Among Top Headliners at Resurgent Pocono Venue
Season Also Includes New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Ricky Skaggs, Third Day, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, a Celtic Festival, and Much More
For Release, Wednesday, May 18, 2005
BUSHKILL, PA — The Mountain Laurel Center’s first summer-long season will open June 24 and continue through September according to its Board Chairman Andrew Forte and CEO Richard T. Bryant. The 2005 season, featuring 29 performances by 18 acclaimed artists and ensembles, is the work of MLC’s new leadership in collaboration with public and private supporters who have labored since last summer to enable the new performing arts center to take flight. Featured headliners for 2005 include the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra with Keith Lockhart conducting; rock legends Crosby, Stills & Nash and ZZ Top; Latin jazz icon Poncho Sanchez and his band; superstar country duo Montgomery Gentry, and a 12-performance run by the comic juggling troupe The Flying Karamazov Brothers.
The season also features performances by contemporary Christian rockers Third Day; bluegrass star Ricky Skaggs with the Del McCoury Band; the popular Pilobolus dance company; Trio! featuring jazz stars Stanley Clarke, BŽla Fleck and Jean-Luc Ponty; and a fre|e performance by the U.S. Military Academy Band of West Point. The Mountain Laurel Celtic Festival will showcase some of the top Celtic performers in the world, including Ireland’s Makem Brothers and Scotland’s Tannahill Weavers. Some of Latin music’s finest artists and groups are on the schedule: the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Cuban musician Alfredo de la FŽ with Brazilian jazz percussionist Annette A. Aguilar, “El Maestro” Johnny Pacheco with Caribbean jazz singer Jon Lucien, and the renowned salsa band Orquestra Broadway, celebrating its 45th anniversary — presented by Mountain Laurel Center in association with Mario A. Torres Productions of New York. MLC will also present two performances by New Jersey Symphony Orchestra: a pops concert featuring music from Hollywood movies and an all-Tchaikovsky evening with guest pianist Vladmir Feltsman. More events may be added to the season for announcement at a later date, MLC officials said.
Nestled on the grounds of one of the Pocono region’s most cherished and historic properties — the former “Unity House” retreat of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union — Mountain Laurel Center is home of the new Tom Ridge Pavilion with 2,500 covered seats and room under the stars for up to 7,500 more on its comfortable and acoustically advanced lawn. All 2005 season performance events will take place at the Tom Ridge Pavilion with the exception of The Flying Karamazov Brothers, who will perform in the intimate, cabaret-style Lakehouse Theater, which seats 400.
“It is with great pride that we can announce an outstanding schedule of programming to open the Mountain Laurel Center,” said Andrew Forte. “The range of performers and ensembles involved — from rock to symphonic music, from jazz to Latin, bluegrass, country and Celtic — is designed to appeal to all audiences, and is but a taste of the future here at the center.”
Richard T. Bryant, added, “Mountain Laurel Center is about to be born as a true performing arts center. Since its false start in the summer of 2003, MLC’s Board of Directors, the stakeholders, community leaders, and elected officials have worked tirelessly to invigorate this great public-private project, allowing us to plan for this day. Our brief but successful Labor Day Weekend Festival last year helped instill new hope, reminding us all that MLC truly is the arts destination it was originally envisioned to be. This new season will continue to show that MLC is an asset to tourism, to education and to the regional community — not to mention a terrific place for people of all ages to enjoy good music and have some fun at one of the most scenic concert venues in America.”
Bryant added that the one common thread that runs through all the season’s performances is virtuosity. “We believe in presenting genuinely gifted and accomplished artists, across all artistic boundaries and categories. In a season that features the Boston Pops with Keith Lockhart conducting; BŽla Fleck playing the best jazz banjo and Jean-Luc Ponty the best jazz violin on the planet; Poncho Sanchez, among the greatest conga players anywhere; the soul-stirring athletic beauty of the Pilobolus dancers; the iconic rock of Crosby, Stills & Nash; an evening of Celtic superstars; Latin music’s finest across a wide range of styles; the bluegrass brilliance of Ricky Skaggs — all these varied performances are tied together by the fact that these are among the top artists in the world. MLC will be a place where audiences can trust that they’ll experience excellence.”
The Mountain Laurel Center opened in 2003 with the help of a $15 million state grant and $17 million in bonds issued by the Pike County Commercial and Industrial Development Authority. After restructuring its volunteer Board of Directors and electing Andrew Forte of Stroudsburg as its Chairman, Richard Bryant was chosen to provide professional leadership to the fledging arts institution, develop a new Three-year Strategic Operating Plan, execute a workout, select a season, and lead daily operations.
Bryant praised the recent actions undertaken by Governor Edward Rendell, Senator Charles Lemmond, Senator Robert Mellow, and other authorities to aid the center’s workout plan. “The state provided new grants totaling $500,000, which have been invaluable in enabling MLC to plan the upcoming season,” he said. “And the new regional hotel room tax will provide up to $750,000 in revenue for MLC in the next 12 months — a vital boost for us in helping to open our doors and put performances on our stages.”
“Our summer season is augmented by education programs aimed at local schools,” Bryant said. “One could say that our season actually opens on May 26, with a performance here for 1,800 local schoolchildren by the Afro-Latin Jazz Band. The band is part of the famous Jazz at Lincoln Center program, which is partnering with us to provide high-quality arts education to children from Pike and Monroe counties and the surrounding region. MLC’s commitment to enriching the lives of local children by helping them to experience some of the world’s top artists is a crucial part of our engagement with the community.”
Individual tickets go on sale Thursday, May 19 at 10 am via internet and phone through Ticketmaster. Walk—up sales at the Mountain Laurel Center box office will begin June 2nd. Ticket prices range from $15 to $60 and vary from event to event. A $2 facility fee is added to the price of each ticket.
Patrons may also purchase Mountain Laurel Center memberships, starting at $50 per year, which entitles them to ticket discounts, special offers and preferred seating. Memberships may be purchased online at mountainlaurelcenter.org and by calling the new MLC Member Service Desk at 800.223.5040. Ticket prices and more information are available at www.mountainlaurelcenter.org or by calling 570.588.5800.
Mountain Laurel Center is a not for profit 501(c)3 Corporation operated in the public interest and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors including:
Andrew Forte, W. Peter Ahnert, Anna Cervenak, Howard J. Grossman, Virginia P. Kirkwood, Rosemary Driebe Olofsson, Marc A. Troutman, Andy Worthington. Ex-officio members are David Wilson and Rachael Hendricks of the Pike County Industrial and Commerical Development Authority, and Robert Uguccioni of the Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau.
Mountain Laurel Center’s 2005 Summer Season is made possible in part, by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Edward G. Rendell, Governor.
Support has also been received through the Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau from a regional hotel tax supported by government and the hospitality industry; and from the U.S. Department of Education for arts programs produced by MLC with and for area schools.
Additional 2005 supporters at press time include ESSA Foundation, Fernwood Hotel, First Energy Foundation, Paerahnert Enterprises, Pocono Produce, Sanofi Pasteur, Shawnee Inn & Resort, Stroudsmoor Country Inn, and Verizon Foundation.
For their continued help and encouragement, MLC gratefully acknowledges U.S. Senator Rick Santorum and U.S. Senator Arlen Specter; State Senator Charles Lemmond and State Senator Robert Mellow; Pike County Commissioners Harry Forbes, Richard A. Caridi, and Karl A. Wagner, Jr.; Pike County Sheriff Philip Bueki; the Board of Directors of the Pike County Industrial and Commercial Development Authority, chaired by Kathy Hummel; Lehman Township Supervisors John Sivick, Richard C. Vollmer, and Paul Menditto; Resorts USA executives and staff; the faculty and staff of East Stroudsburg North High School; and East Stroudburg North HS Class of 2005.
MOUNTAIN LAUREL CENTER 2005 SUMMER SEASON
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
All events except The Flying Karamazov Brothers will be presented in the Tom Ridge Pavilion.
FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 8 pm
SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA
and comedian Rich Ramirez
This world-acclaimed salsa dance band, co-founded by Latin music giant Oscar Hernandez, is dedicated to preserving the vital history of classic Latin dance orchestras while presenting new music for audiences of today. The ensemble won the Latin Grammy for Best New Artist in 2003 and has made a huge splash not only in the USA but on numerous international tours. From Carnegie Hall to London, Paris and Hong Kong, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra is aimed by listeners, dancers and critics alike. With a rhythm both modern and historic and a swing that could revive the dead, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra is the signature sound of 21st-century Latin music.
SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 8 pm
TRIO!
STANLEY CLARKE
BƒLA FLECK
JEAN-LUC PONTY
With Special Guest Jake Shimabukuro
Three contemporary jazz greats collaborate for this completely acoustic blockbuster tour. To describe Stanley Clarke as the greatest living jazz bassist would not be an understatement. BŽla Fleck has virtually reinvented the banjo as a jazz instrument in a remarkable performing and recording career that has seen him win eight Grammy Awards (and, a tribute to his eclecticism, he has been nominated in more different Grammy categories than any other artist in history). Jean-Luc Ponty has been the equivalent adventurer on violin, changing the world’s perceptions about the instrument as he breaks new ground in both jazz and rock. The show is opened by special guest Jake Shimabukuro from Hawaii, who is similarly revolutionizing the music of the ukulele.
SUNDAY, JULY 3, 7:30 pm
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
“A Salute to Hollywood”
Constantine Kitsopoulos, Conductor
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra makes its MLC debut with a pops concert featuring some of the best-loved theme songs and incidental music from the movies, including “Harry Potter,” “The Magnificent Seven,” “Carousel,” “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” “The Wizard of Oz” and more.
SATURDAY, JULY 9, 7:30 pm
THIRD DAY
with Hyper Static Union
and Sarah Kelly
The Atlanta-based contemporary Christian group Third Day has become a leader in its genre, with a Grammy Award, four gold albums, a platinum album and 21 Dove Awards to its credit. Billboard magazine noted that the group is “not only one of the best Christian bands… but one of the best rock bands, period.” Third Day recently released its seventh album, “Wire,” which continues the band’s exploration of a wide range of styles, ranging from modern rock and techno to Southern rock and traditional praise music. The concert openers are Hyper Static Union, a popular Portland, Oregon-based band that has toured with Switchfoot and Better Than Ezra, and gospel singer-songwriter Sarah Kelly.
JULY 13—17 and 27—31 in The Lakehouse Theater
THE FLYING KARAMAZOV BROTHERS
CATCH!
The masters of juggling, comic mayhem and delightful theatrics present their latest show, “Catch!” — a celebration of their greatest feats, including a selection of favorites and highlights from their six hit Broadway runs. As hilarious and exciting as their previous outings, “Catch!” includes the Flying Ks’ traditional juggling of everyday items such as sickles, hatchets, meat cleavers and torches. For fans of the bizarre and unexpected, there is that perennial favorite, “The Gamble,” where the audience brings whatever objects of whimsy, or of danger, that they think will prove unjugglable, betting a standing ovation against a pie in the face that it can’t be done. The troupe will offer 12 performances in The Lakehouse Theatre, MLC’s intimate, cabaret-style venue. A prix-fixe dinner is available before the shows.
FRIDAY, JULY 15, 8 pm
PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND
with the TITO PUENTE, JR. ORCHESTRA
After more than two decades as one of the most successful Latin jazz bandleaders in the world, the celebrated conguero Poncho Sanchez is still forging new musical pathways. A pioneer in the bugalu (boogaloo) movement — the blending of Latin jazz with a hefty dose of R&B to create an irresistibly soulful musical fiesta — Sanchez is one of the most popular jazz artists in the world. His stirring conga virtuosity, signature vocal riffs and sultry tropical rhythms testify to the fact that Latin jazz is forever vital. Opening the show is Tito Puente, Jr., who continues the legacy of his father, the legendary “King of Latin Dance.” Singing and playing percussion while leading an extraordinary band, Puente Jr. fuses pop, Latin jazz and such styles as mambo and merengue.
SATURDAY, JULY 16, 8 pm
MONTGOMERY GENTRY
Country duo Montgomery Gentry is an integral part of a generation of Southern rockers and icons such as Charlie Daniels, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Marshall Tucker Band. Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry were part of the groundbreaking CMT Outlaws special, and hit #1 on the country charts with “If You Ever Stop Loving Me” and the CD it came from, You Do Your Thing, which quickly went gold. They are singers at the peak of their form, making music as raw and powerful as it is compelling.
SUNDAY, JULY 24, 7:30 pm
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
All-Tchaikovsky Concert
Russia’s Pyotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, one of the best-loved composers of all time and the creator of some of the most ravishingly romantic classical melodies of any era, is spotlighted in this return visit by the New Jersey Symphony. The program features the beautiful Piano Concerto No. 1, with guest pianist Vladimir Feltsman, as well as Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture and the crowd-pleasing 1812 Overture, complete with canon.
SATURDAY, JULY 30, 8 pm
ALFREDO DE LA Fƒ
and ANNETTE A. AGUILAR with StringBeans
Cuban-born Alfredo de la FŽ began studying violin at age 6, made his Carnegie Hall debut at age 11 and studied at Juilliard. But he soon switched from classical music to salsa, first as a member of Jose Farado’s dance orchestra and then as part of the epoch-making Fania All-Stars, which launched the worldwide salsa craze. The three-time Grammy-nominated de la FŽ is now the leading solo violinist in the salsa field. Today a citizen of Colombia, he has played with such greats as Carlos Santana, Dizzy Gillespie and Chick Corea, and served as music director for Latin superstars Tito Puente and Celia Cruz. Joining him on the bill is percussionist Annette A. Aguilar, who has toured with Puente, Stevie Wonder, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead and many more. She founded StringBeans, her Latin-Brazilian band, in 1992, blending exotic rhythms with harp, guitar, violin and bass for a tropical blast of unforgettable music.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 8 pm
CROSBY, STILLS & NASH
One of the most enduring musical partnerships of our time, Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) have captivated the world with their peerless three-part harmony, inspired songwriting and brilliant musicianship for more than three decades. The only American band of the original Woodstock era to have a societal impact rivaling that of The Beatles, they have been called “the voice of an entire generation.” “Teach Your Children,” “Our House,” “Marrakesh Express,” “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Helplessly Hoping,” “Wooden Ships” and “Just a Song Before I Go” are but a sampler of the hits David Crosby, Steven Stills and Graham Nash have in store.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2:30 pm FRE|E ADMISSION!
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY BAND
The United States Military Academy Band, the U.S. Army’s oldest active band, traces its roots to the Revolutionary War, when fifers and drummers were stationed with companies of minutemen across the river from West Point. With the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy in 1802 came an increased demand for military music. In 1817 the ensemble was named the “West Point Band,” and by this time was performing on a full range of instruments. As the premier musical representative of the United States Army, the band appeared at many historical events, including the dedication of the Erie Canal, the Chicago and New York World’s Fairs, and the funerals of Ulysses S. Grant and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today, the band’s events attract thousands of visitors to West Point to attend its concerts and parades. The West Point Band’s standards of excellence continue to be a source of pride for the U.S. Army and for the nation.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 8 pm
BOSTON POPS ESPLANADE ORCHESTRA
Keith Lockhart, Conductor
America’s most-recorded and most-televised orchestra makes its debut at MLC under the baton of its charismatic conductor, Keith Lockhart. The Boston Pops was founded in 1885, when a group of Boston Symphony musicians presented a concert of “light music of the best class” that set the tone for the future. Today’s Boston Pops concerts remain strikingly similar to the format set 120 years ago: best-loved classical and popular music that everyone can enjoy. Arthur Fiedler became a cultural icon as the Pops’ conductor for 50 years, propelling the ensemble to multi-media fame through recordings, radio and television appearances. He also inaugurated the Pops’ wildly popular outdoor concerts on the Esplanade of Boston’s Charles River and launched the Emmy-winning Evening at Pops broadcasts on PBS, both traditions that continue today. John Williams, the acclaimed motion-picture composer (Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T.) succeeded Fiedler and led the orchestra for 13 years (he remains as Laureate Conductor). Keith Lockhart was appointed conductor in 1995 and celebrates his 10th anniversary with the Pops this year. Program to be announced.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 7 pm
MOUNTAIN LAUREL CELTIC FESTIVAL
The Bridies
Leahy
The Makem Brothers with Mickey and Liam Spain
Mick Moloney and Friends
The Tannahill Weavers
In the Celtic tradition, a ceilidh is a rollicking party, a down-home evening where friends celebrate with song and dance far into the night. MLC presents an all-star lineup of some of the finest Celtic musicians in the world, and there’s no doubt that a ceilidh will happen. The Bridies — featuring fiddlers M‡ire Egan and Brenda Curtin of Lord of the Dance — is Ireland’s fastest-rising new all-female band, an irresistible mix of singing, playing and unbridled comic fun. Leahy is Canada’s leading Celtic export - eight brothers and sisters steeped in the Celtic tradition, with a magical show of song and dance led by master fiddler Donnell Leahy. The Makem Brothers — Shane, Conor and Rory — are the third generation in a legendary Irish musical family, the sons of the great entertainer Tommy Makem. In 2003 they joined forces with the Spain brothers, Mickey and Liam, to form a powerhouse quintet that has electrified the Celtic music world. Mick Moloney and Friends is the premier Irish-American touring troupe, with five stellar musicians and four championship step dancers, brought together by the godfather of Irish music in America, Mick Moloney. The Tannahill Weavers, who brought the bagpipes to the Celtic stage, are one of Scotland’s most popular traditional groups, with a repertoire ranging from powerful instrumentals to mystic Highland ballads and a healthy dose of broad Scottish humor.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 8 pm
RICKY SKAGGS
DEL McCOURY BAND
MOUNTAIN HEART
Bluegrass finds a home in the Poconos as Ricky Skaggs brings his Kentucky-bred picking and singing to the Mountain Laurel Center. In the opinion of many fans and critics, Skaggs is without peer as a combination vocalist and instrumentalist (guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle). His broad, deep experience with traditional bluegrass music sets him apart from the crowd, and he is largely responsible for the back-to-basics movement in country music that has also seen such stars as Dolly Parton and Randy Travis searching for their roots. He’s joined by the Del McCoury Band, the reigning International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainer of the Year and the most-awarded group in bluegrass history. Rounding out the evening is Mountain Heart, a fast-rising group that combines smooth country vocals with the excitement of hot bluegrass picking.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 8 pm
JOHNNY PACHECO y su Tumbao
And JON LUCIEN
Johnny Pacheco, fondly known as “El Maestro,” has been at the center of the Latin music universe for decades. His nine Grammy nominations, ten gold records and numerous awards pay tribute to his creative talent as flutist, composer, arranger, bandleader and one of the most successful producers in Latin music history. He is also a pioneer of the musical era that changed the face of tropical music — the Fania All-Stars era. He created the legendary Fania Records and is responsible for launching the careers of many stars who recorded for that label. The all-star band that sprang from Fania began the salsa explosion that has continued for the past 30 years and is still going strong. Pacheco shares the bill with the Caribbean-born jazz singer Jon Lucien, another veteran star who has been a favorite of jazz connoisseurs for more than three decades. Lucien’s seamless melding of jazz, R&B, island rhythms and Brazilian music were an early influence on what would later be marketed as the “smooth jazz” movement.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 7:30 pm
PILOBOLUS
One of the most popular dance companies of our time, Pilobolus (named after a spore-throwing fungus) was formed at Dartmouth College in 1971 and quickly became nationally acclaimed for its quirky yet brilliant blend of humor and inventive movement. Today it is a unique American arts organization that wields international influence, performing for stage and television audiences around the globe. Pilobolus’ dances are audaciously athletic and original, with a choreographic language that owes more to sports than to traditional dance. With more than 100 works in its repertoire, the six-member main touring company spends at least half the year on the road. Pilobolus’ more than three decades of consistent artistic activity stand as a testament to its remarkable fruitfulness and longevity. Its performances remain as surprising as ever.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 8 pm
ZZ TOP
ZZ Top — aka That L’il Ol’ Band from Texas - lays undisputed claim to being the longest-running major rock band with original personnel intact. Billy F. Gibbons (guitar), Dusty Hill (bass) and Frank Beard (drums) are still very much together after 34 years of rock, blues and boogie on the road and in the studio, and in 2004 were inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. The spectacularly bearded ones ignite the stage with such familiar hits as “Sharp-Dressed Man,” “Legs,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Cheap Sunglasses.”
SATURDAY, SEPT 3, 8 pm
ORQUESTRA BROADWAY
After more than 40 years as one of the foremost Cuban—American musical ensembles in the world, Orquestra Broadway is still going strong. The group was founded in 1962 by the three Zervig—n brothers, and Eddy Zervig—n’s flute has always been its signature sound (the five—key French wooden flute, with its soaring high notes, sounds like no other). The group was christened Orquestra Broadway because all of its members lived on or near Broadway in New York City. The blending of the unique flute with violins and Afro—Cuban percussion and vocals creates the successful sound of Orquesta Broadway, which has earned the love of aficionados from all corners of the world.
Contact:
Jim Della Croce
Public Relations Officer
The Mountain Laurel Center
570.588.5957 jimdc@mlcpa.org
For general information, the public should visit www.MountainLaurelCenter.org or call 570.588.5800
