2002

JANUARY

An Evening of Chamber Music for Violin and Piano Kevin A. Lefohn, violin Terence Dennis, piano Sunday, January 13, 7:30 p.m. Myrna Loy Center
	Violinist Kevin A. Lefohn, formerly from Helena, returns to perform at the Myrna Loy Center with chamber music duo partner pianist Terence Dennis (New Zealand). Assistant Professor Lefohn and Associate Professor Dennis, are both in residence at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Come and enjoy a unique program of musical works illuminated by the vibrant romanticism and classic elegance of these fine artists. Experience a program of works by Achron, Dvorak, Mozart, Ravel, Turina, and New Zealand composer Douglas Lilburn.

It was Kevin Lefohn’s exposed, keening violin part combined with Terence Dennis’s blocks of piano accompaniment to generate at times a pitch of intensity and compressed lyricism…
–New Zealand Listener, New Zealand

Lefohn’s abilities as a barnstorming violin exponent were never in doubt, not with Heifetz’ show-offy figurations which he negotiated with some intensity and spirit.
–Inkpot, Singapore

Terence Dennis, long [recognized as] the country's finest chamber music pianist...
-Evening Post, Wellington, New Zealand

Biographical Information about Kevin A. Lefohn

Biographical Information about Terence Dennis

	Audio Sample - Achron-Heifetz: Hebrew Melody, Op. 33 - 4:17 min
	Audio Sample - Achron-Heifetz: Hebrew Melody, Op. 33 - 4:17 min

Death of a Salesman Montana Repertory Theater Thursday, January 31, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center

As relevant today as when it premiered 50 years ago, Death of a Salesman continues to reflect and reveal the core of human experience. In this classic story of the failed Willy Loman, Miller hits a universal chord, enabling us to share the pain of being left out of the great, elusive, uniquely American promise of success. Willy Loman touches us profoundly, tapping into our longing and fantasies. He captures the heartache that can be found in the thwarted pursuit of the American dream. This work of tremendous emotional impact is artfully imparted by the Montana Repertory Theatre.

http://www.shaganarts.com/html/montana.html

FEBRUARY

Fry Street Quartet Saturday Matinee, February 2, 3:00 p.m. Saturday, February 2, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center

This awarding-winning young string quartet will spend a week in Helena capped by two great performances of classical music. Fry Street is one of six ensembles participating in Chamber Music America's Rural Residencies Program. They have worked with Isaac Stern, and played their debut Carnegie Hall concert in November 2001. The Fry Street Quartet will have a residency in Helena from January 27 until February 3. The residency begins with master classes, public appearances, and school performances, and culminates with two formal concerts.

About Fry Street's Carnegie Hall Debut on November 1, 2001:
"The program's second half was Beethoven's "Razumovsky" Quartet, Op. 59, No. 3 in C Major. Every aspect of this work was highlighted in a blazing performance built on mutual understanding and consummate handling. A noted specialty of some of our more established quartets, this performance astonished with the perfect marriage of ageless wisdom and youthful freshness. The audience unleashed pent up satisfaction in a leaping ovation, spontaneous and well deserved."
Darrell Rosenbluth, New York Concert Review, November 2, 2001.

http://www.frystreetquartet.com

The Cantrells Sunday, February 3, 3:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center
	National public radio favorites, The Cantrells, will bring their "hot picking and smooth harmonizing" to the Myrna Loy Center Sunday, February 3. The duo puts a pop spin on acoustic folk and bluegrass music, with occasional detours into Celtic, western swing, and traditional American tunes.

Al and Emily Cantrell cast a magical spell with their airy, joyful acoustic songs. Emily Cantrell sings in a fluid, jazzy style reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, while husband Al plays off his wife's Martin guitar with spirited fiddling and a dazzling mandolin technique-his music weaves through her words as if the two were locked together in an intuitive dance. The duo's fine album, Dancing With the Miller's Daughter, puts a pop spin on acoustic folk music, with occasional detours into Celtic and traditional American tunes. (-Michael McCall, Nashville Scene)

"Best vocal duo since Roy Rogers and Dale Evans."
--Bela Fleck

www.mabels.com/cantrells/

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse Wednesday, February 20, 7:00 p.m. Helena Civic Center

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse is a dramatic compilation of stories written by children's author Kevin Henkes, most of which are familiar to the under-10 set. Henkes's stories delight in the everyday, celebrate growth and learning, and find humor in the difficulties of living. Just like all successful characters, Lilly teaches by example. For this young mouse, school is a wonderful place to be until the day Lilly takes her new glittery glasses and purple plastic purse (which plays music!) to school. She is so anxious to share her new things that she ignores her teacher, becomes rambunctious, and gets herself into a sticky wicket with a few friends. In the story she learns valuable lessons about friendship, family and forgiveness. Families and other groups can enjoy the 7:00 p.m. performance. A special school presentation of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse is scheduled for the afternoon of Feb. 21, which Helena-area first, second and third-graders will attend.

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/family/lilly/

MARCH

MacHomer Tuesday, March 5, 7:30 p.m. Myrna Loy Center
	"The most intriguing interpretation of Shakespeare's Macbeth ever to hit the stage," writes the Springfield (Ohio) News-Sun. This one-man vocal spectacular features 50 voices from TV's favorite dysfunctional family in a hilarious multimedia performance of Shakespeare's darkest tragedy. Starring Homer Simpson

as Macbeth and Marge as Lady Macbeth (in a script that remains 85% Shakespeare). Hysterically funny and amazing to watch.

"A breakneck one-man tour de forcex Macbeth has never been so funny!" - London Sunday Mail

National Tour of Mahalia Saturday, March 16, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center

MAHALIA is a rousing new musical that tells the true story of one of the greatest women of the 20th Century, Mahalia Jackson. Her unique full-throated voice made her the most famous gospel singer of all time. Hers was an amazing journey. A grandchild of plantation slaves, she became a successful gospel singer, triumphed at Carnegie Hall, and reigned at concert stages worldwide. She also put herself in danger and lent her musical gifts to the Civil Rights Movement, and always went wherever she was "called." Tasha Wilson is simply superb as Mahalia, "with dead-on comic timing and a voice that raises the rafters even without a mike." (Lexington Herald-Leader) "Stupendous, inspiring, empoweringxsimply breathtaking." -- Braden Auditorium, Normal, IL

APRIL

The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufmann and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project Presented by The Helena Theater Company April 10-13, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center

"If you would have asked me before I would have told you, Laramie is a beautiful town... A town with a strong sense of community - everyone knows everyone... A town with a personality that most larger cities are stripped of. Now, after Matthew, I would say that Laramie is a town defined by an accident, a crime."-Jedediah Schultz, The Laramie Project Through a series of interviews, The Laramie Project offers a stunning, profoundly moving picture of a community facing a nearly incomprehensible event and its aftermath. In October 1998, Matthew Shepard was found savagely beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming. His death spurred a painful self-examination for the people in this small town, who found themselves suddenly in the national spotlight as they grappled with their values and identity. The amazing thing about The Laramie Project is that almost every word is true. Faithfully transcribed from some 200 hours of interviews, plus police records, court testimony and the occasional impressions of the actor/interviewers, it is really a judicious job of cut-and-paste for dramatic effect. It might have been titled "Anytown USA." University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was indeed savagely beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in Laramie. But, as The Laramie Project unfolds, there is a gradual awareness that this horrible act could have taken place in a whole lot of places where there are wide-open spaces and narrow, closed minds.

Triple Play Sunday Matinee, April 14, 2002, 3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 14, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center

When Chris Brubeck, Peter "Madcat" Ruth and Joel Brown perform together, it's always an event to remember. This dynamic ensemble programs everything from jazz to folk to blues and classics, presented to enthrall kids, please grandparents, and satisfy serious music fans. The combo features guitar, piano, trombone, vocals, harmonica and sometimes some Tupperware. These are wonderful musicians, and their enthusiasm is infectious. Bring the family. Bill Harley Friday, April 26, 8:00 p.m. Helena Middle School Bill Harley is a household name to children and parents. This master teller of tales and singer of songs is one of the finest family performers in the United States. "I seem to be the victim of a very normal childhood," says this Grammy-nominated composer. He's a Pea Green Boat favorite, with songs like "Zanzibar," "Weezie and the Moonpies," "There's a Pea on my Plate," and "Monsters in the Bathroom." "Bill Harley is the finest, funniest children's songwriter around." - Family Fun Magazine http://www.billharley.com

MAY

Sound Stage A New Music Theater work about Making Music Conceived and composed by Paul Dresher Direction and text by Rinde Eckert Performed by Zeitgeist with Paul Dresher Friday, May 3, 8:00 p.m. Saturday Matinee, May 4, 3:00 p.m. Saturday, May 4, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center

Sound Stage is an extraordinary new work that explores the means and meaning of music-making. Combining a set built entirely of huge invented musical instruments, traditional instrumental virtuosity, deadpan physical humor, vivid lighting design, and a spare text filled with sly wit and real science, the work playfully explores the physics of sound and the mystery of music's emotional power in our lives. Leading this exploration, Dresher's score ranges widely, from passages of haunting lyricism and emotional power through sections of almost indescribable rhythmic intensity and contrasted with the exploration of the sonic potential of every day objects. Eckert's text provides both a framework for understanding the piece visually and aurally and engages us with its poetic intelligence and humor. The score allows the musicians of Zeitgeist to use the full range of their skills as both traditional instrumentalists and improvisers and with Eckert's resourceful and restrained direction, they fluidly inhabit the stage environment with the intention and economy of skilled actors. The elegant visual impact of the work is immediate upon entering the theater, when one views far upstage the centerpiece of the work, a 17 1/2 foot tall rolling A frame with two 17 foot pendulums swinging silently on either side. Over the course of the work, this instrument, whose every surface and material produces sound, becomes many things: a childhood home with an attic full of memories; a set of giant harps plucked by the swinging pendulums; a drum set for all five performers, and ultimately a place of collective musical mystery and discovery. At the end of the 80-minute performance, the audience is welcomed on the stage to explore the instruments on their own or with the assistance of the designers and performers, creating their own music in an impromptu musical playground for both children and adults. Two Special Collages of Helena Meeting Zeitgeist and Paul Dresher May 2 & 3, 2002 Barrymore Presented by the Toadstone Theatre Company May 9-11, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center John Barrymore was a handsome man, a bon vivant, an alcoholic, a fine actor, a not-so-fine actor - the stuff that dreams (and excellent plays) are made of. Toadstone Theatre Company brings William Luce's Barrymore, the play that had New York and London buzzing and won Christopher Plummer a Tony, to the Myrna Loy Center. Christopher Rock, who stars in Barrymore, has been a professional theatre actor, director and designer for more than 25 years. He has performed with theatres across the nation, including the New York City Opera, the Theatre at Monmouth, the Overland Stage Company, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Toadstone Theatre Company George Winston Sunday Matinee - May 12, 3:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center A Benefit for Helena Food Share Sunday - May 12, 7:30 p.m. Myrna Loy Center A Benefit for Helena Food Share Please join us on Mother's Day at the Myrna for a great evening of music with George Winston. When most people think about the natural beauty of Montana, they focus on the west, where the Rocky Mountains and the pines carve a dramatic landscape. But George Winston's childhood in the Eastern region of that state (first in Miles City, then in Billings) exposed him to the more subtle natural beauty of the Great Plains.Much of his music is influenced by his experiences in eastern Montana. A special Mother's Day concert of beautiful music dedicated to Montana. George will donate all proceeds to Food Share. Please bring some food to donate. George Winston's catalogue includes BALLADS & BLUES - 1972, AUTUMN (1980), WINTER INTO SPRING (1982), DECEMBER (1982), SUMMER (1991), FOREST (1994) and LINUS & LUCY - THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI (1996). George first heard Guaraldi's brand of spirited jazz on 1962's Cast Your Fate to the Wind, and included many of the legend's great tunes from the soundtracks to the Peanuts animated TV Specials on the album. Join us at the Myrna Loy on Mother's Day in welcoming back George Winston. The evening will be one of great music and spirit. This show is being offered to our SEASON TICKET holders without additional charge as a "thank you" for your support. Special Collage of George Winston Performing at the Myrna Loy on Mother's Day, May 12, 2002 www.dancingcat.com JUNE Montana Mandolin Society Monday, June 3, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center Spend a music-lover's evening with the internationally recognized Montana Mandolin Society as they take you through a varied program, from turn of the 20th Century mandolin orchestra music to contemporary arrangements and original tunes. The Montana Mandolin Society's concerts feature a remarkable historic repertoire of waltzes, galops, marches, rags, tangos, contemporary classics, and original compositions. They perform on mandolins, mandolas, octave mandolins, classical guitars, violin, banjo, hammer dulcimer, bass, and cello. If you've never heard a mandolin orchestra before, or even if you're a loyal fan, you're in for a treat. www.montanamando.com Drum Brothers Monday, June 10, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center This high-energy world percussion group performs ethnic sounds from around the world: West-African djembe and doun-doun drums, Australian didgeridoo, Native American flute, guitar, vocals and hand percussion. They've opened for the pop group Crash Test Dummies, and have been a featured act at the Seattle World Rhythm Festival. Drum Brothers began performing together on New Year's Eve 1994 as a part of Missoula's inaugural First Night Celebration. The band soon developed a following in western Montana, and has grown in popularity over the years. www.drumbrothers.com Audio Sample - Ode to Hamza - 2:44 min Audio Sample - Ode to Hamza - 2:44 min

Men of Worth: Global Celtic Sensation Monday, June 17, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center Donnie Macdonald is a Gaelic singer from Scotland's Outer Hebrides, and celebrates the heritage and humor of Scotland on octave mandolin, accordion, bodhran and banjo. James Keigher hails from west Ireland and brings the strong, pure sound of the Irish tradition to his lyrics and vocals. These worthy men formed Men of Worth in 1986 and have produced many fine performances on stage and radio, a string of highly successful school and educational programs, and six CDs. If you're a fan of the real sound of Gaelic and Irish music, don't miss this performance. www.menofworth.com

Stuart Weber Monday, June 24, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center Stuart Weber is a fourth generation Montanan whose passion for the land equals his passion for the guitar. He is among a new breed of classical guitarist, one of today's prophetic players shaping the future of the instrument. He performs the classics with uncompromising virtuosity, but is perhaps most beloved for his originals: The Gallatin Jig, The Missouri Breaks, and Red, White and Yellowstone reflect the relationship between artist and nature. Sure, you can listen to any of his five acclaimed CDs (Bridger Records) but he is also wonderful company, so why miss him in person?

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Tannahill Weavers Friday, September 20, 8:00 p.m. Helena Middle School Scotland's finest traditional band, the Tannahill Weavers, embrace both the mystical quality of the Highlanders' Celtic music, and the rollicking, sometimes even brawling qualities of the Lowlanders' Anglo-Scots tunes. The Tannahill Weavers' arrangements blend the beauty of the traditional melodies with the power of modern rhythms. The penetrating sound of the Highland bagpipes is a thread of ancient memory running through it all. With Roy Gullame (guitar and vocals), Les Wilson (bouzouki, keyboards, guitar and vocals), John Martin (fiddle, cello, viola, vocals) and Scotland's best young piper Colin Melville (highland bagpipes, small pipes, whistles), these Scotsmen have been bringing the best in Celtic music to audiences around the world for many years. www.tannahillweavers.com

OCTOBER

The Ying Quartet and The Fry Street Quartet Sponsored by Montana Arts Council, National Performance Network, Target, & Holiday Inn Downtown Friday, October 4, 8:00 p.m. St. Mary's Church Helena is one of the Ying Quartet's favorite towns--they were here in 1999 and again in 2001--where these sibling performers love to play small recitals in unexpected places. Last season the Fry Street Quartet played here, performing recitals and informal appearances about town in addition to their Myrna Loy concert. This year, both of these nationally noted groups join up in performance individually and together. Don't miss this extraordinary performance. Program Haydn: Op. 76, No. 4 (Ying Quartet) Ned Rorem: Quartet No. 4 (Fry Street Quartet) Intermission Mendelssohn: Octet (Ying and Fry Street Quartets) Arts Plus! Master classes, recitals, and special events will add to their growing legacies in our community. www.ying4.com www.frystreetquartet.com

The Fry Street Quartet Sponsored by Montana Arts Council, National Performance Network, Target, & Holiday Inn Downtown Thursday, October 10, 7:30 p.m. Myrna Loy Center Founded in 1997, the Fry Street Quartet took their name from the little street in Chicago, where they were in residence at the time. They were mentored early on by the late Isaac Stern, who invited them to chamber music workshops at the Jerusalem Music Center and Carnegie Hall, and selected them to perform their Carnegie Hall debut in November 2001. In July 2002, Carnegie Hall and the U.S. Department of State sponsored the quartet on a concert tour of the Balkan States, as ambassadors of the Carnegie Fellows Program. In September 2002, the quartet became the Faculty String Quartet in Residence at Utah State University. On Friday, October 4, both the Ying Quartet and the Fry Street Quartet performed magnificently; both the audience and the performers became one for an entire magical evening. Please join us for another magical moment on Thursday, October 10, at the Myrna Loy to enjoy the music of the Fry Street Quartet. Arts Plus! Master classes, recitals, and special events will add to their growing legacies in our community. www.frystreetquartet.com

Bill Miller Friday, October 11, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center "A rogue rocker with a twist" is how critically acclaimed Native American singer/songwriter Bill Miller is known. Miller's fusion of folk, rock, and Native American styles strikes a powerful chord in contemporary music; Bono, Tori Amos, and Eddie Vedder are among his hottest fans. And, reports CMJ New Music, "It doesn't hurt that he's a consummate guitarist with an incredible ear for the texture and tone of his instrument either, but Miller's vibrato-soaked voice and the messages in his lyrics place him far above more run-of-the-mill singer/songwriters." www.billmiller.net/

My Left Breast Thursday, October 17, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center This moving, award-winning play chronicles the story of a woman's struggle with breast cancer and is performed by Shameless Hussy Productions, one of Vancouver, Canada's leading theater troupes. My Left Breast has earned playwright Susan Miller both an Obie Award and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for best play in the English-speaking theater written by a woman. Actress Deb Pickman is recipient of the 1999 Vancouver Sun People's Choice Award for her performance in this play. This special event is sponsored by Partners in Prevention.

NOVEMBER

Norman Foote AWARE Family Showcase Friday, November 8, 7:00 p.m. Helena Middle School Norman Foote is an award-winning singer/songwriter for children who has received critical acclaim for his recordings, outrageous props and off-beat sense of humor. Here, Norman puts his theatrical and comedic talents to use weaving stories and painting musical imagery with character voices that young listeners respond to immediately. Norman Foote most recently received a 2001 SOCAN Award "Best Songwriter for Children" in Canada. Norman performs in theatres, festivals--even with symphony orchestras. You can see his music videos "The Man Who Ran Away With The Moon" and "The Dinosaur & The Progress of Man" on the Disney and Family Channel. www.normanfoote.com/

Eric Bibb Saturday, November 16, 8:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center Here's a treat for blues lovers: Hot blues artist Eric Bibb, who soared to success quickly in Europe, has earned his position as a rising star in the acoustic blues arena here in the U. S. His unique folk-blues talent continues to draw the attention and admiration of blues fans and critics alike. Adding to his earlier award of "Best Newcomer" in the British Blues Awards, Bibb has seen a flurry of attention in the U. S. blues world as well. Two of his previous albums (Sprit & The Blues and Home To Me) were nominated for the prestigious W. C. Handy awards and this year he has been nominated for "Best Acoustic Blues Song of the Year" ("Kokomo" from Painting Signs) and "Best Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year." www.ericbibb.com/

Patchwork Girl of Oz Friday, November 22, 7:00 p.m. Myrna Loy Center Modern dance and the digital age join forces to bring L. Frank Baum's 1913 classic, The Patchwork Girl of Oz alive onstage in the 21st century. This unique performance combines interactive technologies, multimedia work, and dance. This production is performed by Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers and Louise Reichlin & Dancers, one of the West's most accomplished dance troupes. For an added treat, they'll incorporate young Helena dancers in the program. What a great opportunity to expose local young artists to high-caliber working professionals in their art. Arts Plus! The choreographers and dancers will also do three days of residency activities in Helena area schools.

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Myrna Loy Center 15 North Ewing Helena, Montana 59601