Country and grunge singer-songwriter Coy Wetzel brings his “Damn Close to Normal Tour” to Arena Santander on August 31st. (Photo by Judy Domingo)
Two new shows have been announced at Reading city center Santander venues: Koe Wetzel will bring his 'Fucking Close to Normal Tour' to Santander Arena on August 31, and Beat will perform 80s hit King Crimson on October 23 at Santander Performance. Arts Centre. Tickets are on sale at santander-arena.com.
Combining country and grunge, singer-songwriter Wetzel has over 1.3 billion streams and three RIAA-certified gold singles: “February 12. November 28, 2016,” “Something to Talk About” and “November 28, 2016.” Driving under the influence of alcohol”. The tour is named after the Texans' latest single, which was released last month. He will be joined on the tour by fellow Texas country rock purveyors Treat Oak Revival.
Beat features former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin coming together with guitarist Steve Vai and explosive drummer Danny Carey to reinterpret three iconic King Crimson albums of the 1980s: “Discipline,” “Beat,” and “Three of a Perfect Pair.”
stage
The Reading Theater Project has announced the cast and performance details for “Holy Orders” by Susan E. Sneringer, the first play-reading in the Play-Reading: Wonder series. The reading will take place Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Boscov Arts Theater GoggleWorks Center, 200 Washington Street, Reading. Free parking is available behind the building.
Jody Reppert directs Sneeringer's play about Margaret Delaney, a 65-year-old nun who is suspended from her order after serving Mass for a Louisiana diocese in need. The diocese ignored multiple requests from a priest to perform the ritual, and Margaret rose to the task, willing to suffer the consequences of going against her order and her church. She must ask: Was this act of rebellion a response to a pressing need, or was this pressing need an opportunity to ascend to her true calling, the life of a Catholic priest?
The cast includes Tama McConnell as Margaret Delaney, and also includes Richard Bradbury, Deb Brubaker, John Jancar, Vicki Haller Graf, Emilie Hirschi, Andrea Keck, Karen Reppert, and Kevin Wade.
This spring's play reading series will be tied to the season's theme of “Wonders” and will feature four plays by local and regional playwrights. Each is performed as a staged reading followed by an easy conversation with the playwright, director, and actors.
Other dates for the Play Reading Series are as follows:
● April 25 at 7 p.m.: “Prospect Hill” directed by Bruce Walsh, directed by Kimberly Patterson.
● May 9 at 7 p.m.: “Banshee” by Adam Richter, directed by Sean Sussman.
● May 16 at 7 p.m.: “Arachnology (Study of Spiders)” by Kimberly Patterson, directed by Andrea Kennedy Hart.
Readings are pay-what-you-want, with a recommended price of $10. More information and tickets are available at readtheaterproject.org.
art
The New Arts Program, Kutztown, will hold an opening reception Friday from 6-9 p.m. for “Final Years 2000-2024,” with an introduction by James F. L. Carroll at 7:30 p.m., and guests will receive a free antique catalog, “James F. L. Carroll's Writings.” The exhibition continues until June 23.
The exhibition is part of NAP's celebration of its 50th season.
Featured artists representing 2000-2024 are Margery Amdur, Barry Assaad, Stefan Balogh, Betty Beaumont, Joe Beddall, Sylvia Benitez, John Cage, James F. L. Carroll, Tom Doyle, Tulio DeSantis, Lisa Eshleman Murray, Ray Fowler, Philip Glass, Lauren Gohara. , Patricia Goodrich, Paul Haren, Maxanne Jean-Louis, Akiko Kotani, Robert Murray, Terry Niedzialek, Ted Ormay, Liz Whitney Kisgaard, Norman Saracek, Ron Schirra, Gwen Thomas, Don Voisin, Dan Welden, Michael Winkler, and Douglas Zucco.
The works on display are from the NAP collection. The gallery is funded in part through the Pennsylvania Arts Council and the generosity of local businesses.
The New Arts Program is located at 173 W. Main St., Kutztown. Gallery hours are Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and by appointment seven days a week. Call 610 683-6440 to schedule an appointment.
music
In recognition of April being Jazz Appreciation Month, the Music Performance Trust Fund, as administered through the American Federation of Musicians, Local 135-211 in Reading, Pennsylvania, sponsors several free events throughout the month, as follows:
• Monday, 7-8pm: Paul Colombo Collection (live stream at https://www.facebook.com/the.mptf/live)
• Wednesday, 3-4 p.m.: Kevin MacConnell Collection (live stream at https://www.facebook.com/the.mptf/live)
• Wednesday, 6 to 9 p.m.: AFM Reading Local 135-211's annual jazz concert at the Reading Liederkranz
143 Spock Lane. Reservations: https://tables.toasttab.com/restaurants/ba83e0dd-3dd8-4036-a72d-7c6b46e4e165/findTime
• Thursday, 8 p.m.: Reading Pops Big Band at Muhlenberg Jr. School. high school
• April 15, 7-8 p.m.: Dexter Gordon Tribute from the Skip Moyer Collection (live stream at https://www.facebook.com/the.mptf/live)
• April 20, 4-6 p.m.: Skip the Muir Collection at the Earth Day Celebration at Redding City Park
• April 22, noon: Julie Beth Dre and Robin Lelrose perform a jazz and classical duo on clarinet and flute (live stream at https://www.facebook.com/the.mptf/live)
• April 23, 6-7 p.m.: Chip Breaux & the Jazz Katz (live at https://www.facebook.com/the.mptf/live)
• April 24, 6-8:30 p.m.: Hesse's Hot Jazz Band performs traditional jazz/New Orleans music, at Jimmie Kramer's Peanut Bar, 332 Penn St. Call 610-376-8500 for reservations.
• April 28, 4:30-6 p.m.: Reading Pops Big Band at Reformation Lutheran Church, 3670 Perkiomen Blvd., Exeter Township.
• April 30, 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Bob Kretz Duo at the Highlands in Wyomissing.
•••
Shillington native Eric Kawala will reorganize his All-Star Big Band for a special fundraising show, “A Celebration of the Music of Governor Mifflin,” on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Gov. Hall. The newly renovated Mifflin Senior High Auditorium.
The concert will also feature three Mifflin Government student groups: the High School Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Andrew Cusano, the High School Regents under the direction of Greg Hill and
Middle School Diplomats Jazz Band under the direction of Stephanie Carter, with assistance from Travis Williamson.
Kawala and his all-star big band will be joined by special guest vocalist Amy Banks. Banks has spent more than two decades as a professional singer, actress, and television personality. A native of Minnesota, she has appeared all over the world, but now calls Lancaster home after moving there to perform in the American Musical Theater scene. Since then, she has produced five albums, the third of which reached Jazz Week Chartbound status.
The concert came after the Governor Mifflin Music Association approached Cawalla about organizing a fundraiser to raise money for their organization as the bulk of their annual revenues were down due to them not being able to hold their annual Marching Band “Strike Up the Bands” competition.
Cawalla is a multi-instrumentalist and leader of the Uptown Band since 2006. He has released two full-length albums that received critical acclaim and charted on several national radio charts. His dream became a reality in March 2022 when he celebrated the release of the album “Erich Cawalla – The Great American Songbook” with the All-Star Big Band in front of nearly 700 people at his alma mater, Gov. Mifflin State.
Tickets for Thursday's concert are $20 in advance and $25 at the door and can be purchased at www.gmmusic.org, www.erichcawalla.com or by calling 610-781-8312.
