The Turnage Theater Announces its Fourth Season | Eastern NC Now

For Release: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 Katherine Buchholz

    The Turnage Theater, a recently renovated historic theater in the heart of Washington, North Carolina’s Historic District, is pleased to announce their lineup for their fourth season as a performing arts venue in Eastern North Carolina.

    “We have a really exciting mix of shows this year,” says box office manager, Katherine Buchholz. “Right now we have 17 events including 2 comedy shows and 5 each of children’s shows, music groups and theatricals.”

    A theatrical is defined by the Turnage as a production - with or without music - that is plotted or themed. Included in this group for season 4 is Neil Berg’s 101 Years of Broadway, a show that features 5 popular and current Broadway stars performing 50 of Broadway’s biggest hits. Also in this group is the musical, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, the comic tribute to the 50s called Laughing with the Legends, and the holiday shows The Night Before Christmas Carol and the Three Redneck Tenors Christmas Spec-tac-YULE-ar.

    “We are so pleased to have the 3 Redneck Tenors in our holiday lineup. These classically trained opera singers with a sense of humor are only making one stop in the Carolinas this year, and that stop is here!” boasts Katherine. “We know that our audiences like a good dose of comedy,” she explains, “so we’ve also booked two excellent comedy shows for this season. In the fall we’ll feature the show S.E.L.L.O.U.T., performed by a quartet of comedians calling themselves the Black Pack, and in January we’ll host comedian Kerri Pomarolli.”

    The goal of the Black Pack, individually known as Vince Morris, Louis Johnson, BT and Billy D. Washington, is to create unity through laughter. Their tag line, “celebrating our differences one joke at a time,” is more than just a catchy phrase; it’s an aspiration to improve the world in which we live through humor.

    The other comedy show features Kerri Pomarolli, a clean comedian who will make you laugh without blushing. the kind of comedian you can see with your mother, your daughter, and your friends, which was important to us when we planned our ladies’ night out for the season.” Katherine says.

    A good selection of music is also an important aspect of the coming season. Randy Sparks, the original leader of the New Christy Minstrels has assembled a mix of old and new members to take the Turnage stage in November. Also scheduled are the Woods Tea Company, well known for their appearances on NPR, the Red Clay Ramblers with songs from their new album, the Tar River Swing Band out of Rocky Mount, and to open the season, the Kingston Trio returns to the Turnage with the music many people grew up loving. There are also plans in the works to present the music of a younger generation this season. Already, the Turnage staff is working to put together an event featuring the group Villanova, and hopes to create a whole series to showcase these emerging talents.

    Finally, the Turnage is pleased to be able to bring five great shows to the families in the region this season. As usual, they are pleased to include both of ECU’s Storybook Theatre productions, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Seussical the Musical, as a part of their season. In addition to these productions, they have also scheduled If You Take a Mouse to School and The Princess and the Pea by the Charlotte Children’s Theatre, and a production of Zorro presented by the Birmingham Children’s Theatre.

    “As you can see, we’ve got something for everyone this year, and with package deals that save you up to 25%, we can accommodate most any budget, too.” To find out more and to purchase single tickets or package tickets, visit the Turnage Theater website at turnagetheater.com, call (252) 975-1191, or stop by the box office at 150 West Main St. in Washington, NC, between the hours of 10 and 4, Monday through Friday.

    For additional information and/or photos, please contact: Katherine Buchholz boxoffice@turnagetheater.com