Flagpole Radio Café,

Saturday At Edmond Town Hall

Newtown Cultural Arts Commission (NCAC) will welcome dynamic harp sensation Deborah Henson-Conant as the guest artist for The Flagpole Radio Café on Saturday, February 4. The show begins at 7 pm in the theater at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street. Ticket are $25 for adults, $20 for students and senior citizens, and are on sale now through FlagpoleProductions.org. For additional information send an email to info@FlagpoleProductions.org or call 203-364-0898.

Ms Henson-Conant was originally scheduled to perform in Newtown in November 2011, but the appearance of Winter Storm Alfred the weekend before her show led Flagpole Café producers to make the decision to postpone her appearance.

“Having no idea whether there would be widespread power restored to Newtown, or if the roads would be passable, or if anyone within a 30 mile radius would be emotionally ready to attend a show, we asked Ms Henson-Conant if she would consider performing in our February show,” Flagpole Radio Café Producer Martin Blanco said. “She was as gracious as she was flexible, and I am delighted to have her be part of our first show in the new year.

Deborah Henson-Conant’s playing ranges from raucous to delicate and her performances blur the line between musical performance and theatrical event. She’s a cross-genre, blues-flamenco-Celtic-funk-folk-jazz dynamo. She tells tall tales with the ease of a stand-up comic. She solos and wails like a rock guitarist. She turns music into theater and theater into something lyrical.

(Visit NewtownBee.com and click on the Features tab to read a preview of the concert by Newtown Bee Associate Editor Shannon Hicks, who spoke with Ms Henson-Conant on January 23.)

Flagpole Radio Café, is an engaging show created by Jim Allyn, Martin Blanco and Barbara Gaines in conjunction with Newtown Cultural Arts Commission. It features music by Jim Allyn and The Flagpole Radio Café Orchestra, a dynamic ensemble created for the show, and radio style comedy sketches by Flagpole Shakespeare Repertory Theatre.

In addition to the full performance in the town hall’s theater on Saturday, NCAC will host a pre-show wine and cheese reception in The Alexandria Room.

This event, which will run from 5:30 until 6:30 on the third floor of Edmond Town Hall, is open to the public whether or not they have tickets for Flagpole Radio Café that evening.

Trio Scalaria, a young classical musical trio featuring violinist Rachel Guetta, cellist Alex Lampel and pianist Francesca Begos, will be offering music during the reception. Flagpole Photographers Camera Club, a Newtown based photography group, will have a special exhibition and sale of members’ works on view.