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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DEBORAH HENSON-CONANT AND VANCE GILBERT TO HEADLINE
FUNDRAISER AT ARLINGTON’S REGENT THEATRE JUNE 14 AT 8PM
The performers involved jumped at the opportunity to donate their time in support of the Regent. Says Henson-Conant, "I play in theaters all over the US and Europe, so I know what a treasure we have here in Arlington with the Regent. I want to do what I can to keep the theatre thriving because I want to be able to play here and take my family to shows here for the rest of my life! Many people don't realize what a unique venue this is: a 500-seat theatre, small enough to really feel intimate, right here in our neighborhood, near a bunch of great restaurants--and they're programming everything from classical music to folk and rock to New Vaudeville and kids' shows. This is something we never want to lose!" According to Regent owner, Gary Adelson, “Like most of the theaters and nightclubs across the US, the Regent has seen a significant downward trend in attendance since Sept. 11, 2001. While we had some sell-out crowds for performances last fall and raised thousands of dollars for some great causes, the reality is that people are still not heading out to see live entertainment in the numbers they were two years ago. We want to encourage them to come back and we want to make sure that the theater continues to thrive for the long haul. We’re thrilled with the caliber and enthusiasm of performers who are donating their performances 100 percent in support of the theatre on June 14. We hope to fill the house, and that the community rises to the occasion to enjoy a great night of entertainment while supporting the Regent during these difficult times.” “Since Gary bought the theatre,” adds Leland Stein, The Regent’s Director of Marketing, “we have opened the Regent’s doors for over a dozen fundraising events for non-profits such as the United Way, Middlesex Human Services Agency, and WBUR/Public Radio. In addition, we have donated show proceeds to worthy local organizations including the Arlington elementary school PTOs. We have given away tickets for our Family Fun series to Big Brother/Big Sister and The Boys and Girls Club. Now it’s time to focus inward a bit on ways to keep the Regent vibrant so we can continue to present a variety of quality events including more fundraisers for others.” Harpist, singer, songwriter, author, cartoonist, entertainer, comedian – mix those together and you can just begin to describe Deborah Henson-Conant. Whether she’s tearing up the Edinburgh Fringe festival with her one-woman show, touring the country with the Boston Pops, opening for Ray Charles at Tanglewood, or mesmerizing a theater-full of children at the Kennedy Center, Henson-Conant, live, on stage, is indescribable. Henson-Conant rocked onto the jazz charts in the late 80’s with her three albums on the GRP label. Since then she’s established her own record label and released a dozen other albums from straight-ahead jazz to Celtic, blues, folk-pop and spoken word. She’s jammed off-stage and on with the likes of Steven Tyler, Rufus Reid, Keith Lockhart, Marvin Hamlisch and Gary Larsen (yes, that Gary Larsen). Henson-Conant premiered her compositions with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Scottish National Chamber Orchestra and the Prague Radio Orchestra. She has lectured at the Paris Conservatory, and received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Artists Fellowship, and “Meet the Composer.” She has been featured on NBC, CBS, and CNN, and starred in the PBS Special “Celtic Harpestry.” With her solid-state, electric blue body-harp slung around her neck while wailing on the blues, Henson-Conant gives the Troubadour Harpist a whole new image. Vance Gilbert’s spellbinding live show, virtuoso singing, accomplished guitar style, exemplary songwriting, and outrageous, edgy humor has made him a favorite at Coffee Houses and Folk Festivals throughout North America. Gilbert burst onto the singer/songwriter scene in the early ‘90s when the buzz started spreading in the folk clubs of Boston about an ex-jazz singer who was knocking 'em dead at open mikes. Word of this Philadelphia-area born and raised performer spread to New York where Shawn Colvin invited Gilbert to be special guest on her Fat City tour. He proceeded to take audiences across the country by storm. Gilbert's three albums for the Rounder/Philo label - Edgewise (1994), Fugitives (1995), and the celebrated, arrestingly sparse Shaking Off Gravity (1998) - are all essential additions to the American singer-songwriter collection. With guests as varied as Tuck and Patti, Jonatha Brooke, Patty Larkin, Dee Carstensen, Vinx, and Jane Siberry, all three albums found significant niches on NAC (New Adult Contemporary) and Non-Commercial A3 (Adult Album Alternative) radio. The most recent additions to Gilbert’s recording catalogue are the self-released Somerville Live (2000), and One Thru Fourteen (2002), considered by many to be the crowning achievement of his 12-year career. Tony V. started his stand-up comedy career in 1983. A mental health caseworker with a B.S. in psychology, his career was sidetracked when the comedy train smacked him, at full throttle, right between the eyes. His streetwise humor and genuine feel for the human condition quickly propelled him to headline status on the national comedy club circuit. Tony has performed on HBO, Comedy Central, A&E and MTV, and he produced, wrote for, and performed in Bobcat's Bigass Show for on the F/X network. Other television credits include, Seinfeld (NBC), INK (CBS), The Single Guy (NBC), Boston Common (NBC), Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC), Unhappily Ever After (WB), Dr. Katz - Professional Therapist (Comedy Central), and The Greatest Dig (Discovery/Learning Channel.) Currently, Tony stars in the independent film By The Sea, winner of “Best Feature Film” at the 2002 Hope and Dreams Film Festival. New vaudevillian Dan Foley is one of New England’s premiere variety performers. He has appeared on WCVB-TV’s Chronicle, MTV, TNN, Fox, and PBS. For over 13 years, he and Joel Harris—as the Airborne Comedians—have been featured street performers at Faneuil Hall. During the past year, Foley has been the co-producer and host of the Regent Theatre’s Family Fun Saturdays series. Most recently, Foley performed with the band Phish, and appears on their new DVD, Bittersweet Motel. The historic Regent Theatre, Arlington’s Show Place of Entertainment
since 1916, is currently presenting its second full season of performances
under new ownership. Located at 7 Medford St. (just off Mass. Ave.) in
Arlington Center—a few miles from Cambridge and Boston—the
theatre is MBTA and wheelchair accessible with plenty of free parking
across the street. Tickets for “In Concert For The Regent” are
$20, $30, and $50 (VIP ticket includes premium seating plus after show
meet and greet dessert party). For tickets and more information call
(781) 646-4TIX (4849) or click here
for tickets.
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