MICHAEL P. SMITH OCTOBER ENEWS
- New MICHAEL SONGS for HALLOWEEN
- OCT/NOV CONCERT SCHEDULE
- SAVE THE DATES FOR THE SELFISH GIANT
A Note from Michael
They say that Hallowe’en is the most popular holiday in the US. I think we’re all so relieved that Hallowe’en is for most of us comparatively unburdened with religious or patriotic significance. But October 31st is the evening before All Saint’s Day, a little pre-antidote to that holy crowd waiting bunched up there ready to roll out all day long November 1st. I felt early on I wasn’t destined to be a saint, was so not interested in martyrdom, figured if I was too well-behaved a child I was courting disaster in the form of unwanted sainthood. Whew! Out of danger now fer shure, and looking forward to doing a Hallowe’en show with Jamie O’Reilly in late October, concerning death and ghosts and haunts, mundane details available elsewhere…or would you rather be a saint?
OCTOBER
Michael, Blair Thomas and “Selfish Giant” in Connecticut!
The Selfish Giant at Ballard Institute and Museum
October 25th, 1:00pm and 3:00pm
Ballard Institute Theater, 1 Royce Circle, Storrs Center
Tickets online at: https://itkt.choicecrm.net/templates/UCRT/index.php?prod=bimp
Blair Thomas & Company is pleased to announce the opening of Stages of Enchantment: The Little Puppet Theaters of Blair Thomas & Company exhibit at the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut. The exhibit will run from October through January and feature sets and puppets designed by BT & Co. over the past decade. The opening of the exhibit kicks off with a lecture by Blair about aesthetic process and two performances of The Selfish Giant. Blair Thomas and singer-songwriter Michael Smith collaborate on this staging of an Oscar Wilde classic. Original puppets and music tell the story of a grumpy old giant and the children of his village who rejuvenate his garden. More at http://www.blairthomas.org/productions/the-selfish-giant/
CHICAGO
Mon Oct 27 at 7 PM
Theatrical Reading with Music
“Epitaphs and Apparitions”
featuring Michael Smith’s music
St. John’s Episcopal Church
3857 N. Kostner
Chicago, IL
PH 773.725.9026
Tickets: stjohnschicago.com
Jamie O’Reilly & Co present “Epitaphs and Apparitions.” A diverse ensemble of readers from Chicago’s acting community embody voices from the beyond in selections of end of life and afterlife stories as rendered by Masters of American 18, 19 and early 20th c literature and drama. Among them: Civil war soldier Sullivan Ballou, novelist Willa Cather, poet Emily Dickinson, essayist William Dean Howells, plus Zora Neale Hurston, James Agee,Louisa May Alcott, Katherine Ann Porter, Washington Irving, Edgar Lee Masters, Herman Melville, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain and more. With original music by Michael Smith who performs selections from a quirky collection of “from the graveyard” songs including: Queequeg’s Coffin soliloquy from Moby Dick, Epitaph of Robert Louis Stevenson, his beloved Crazy Mary and a new song, Patsy Sees a Ghost. More here.
NOVEMBER
Sat Nov 1 at 8 PM
LINDEN TREE COFFEEHOUSE
Unitarian Universalist Church
326 Main Street
Wakefield, MA 01880
http://www.lindentreecoffeehouse.org/
Sun Nov 2 at 4:30 PM
House Concert Hosted by Tom Kennedy
18 Pleasant St
Winooski, VT
PH: 802-735-5359; E: etomkennedy@gmail.com
November 6,7, 8, 9
The 20th annual Lamb’s Retreat for Songwriters
Public Concert on Sat
Birchwood Inn
7077 S. Lakeshore Drive
Harbor Springs, MI, 49740
Directed by John D. Lamb
PH: Springfed: 248.589.3913
E: johndlamb@ameritech.net
Sat November 15 at 7:30 PM
Tomorrow River Concerts
Lettie Jensen Community Center
Amherst, WI
PH: 715-824-5202 Visit: jensencenter.org/concerts.html
November tour with Anne Hills
Tues Nov 18 at 6:30 PM
The Hayner Public Library District
401 State St., Alton, IL 62002
PH: 618-433-2857
Thursday, Nov 20 at 7 PM
Pickin’ Post presents
Anne Hills and Michael Smith
Fayetteville Underground Artist Collective
Main Gallery
Fayetteville Underground
101 W. Mountain, Suite 222
Fayetteville, AR 72701
$20
Call 479-409-1224 (Mike Shirkey hosts)
http://new.fayettevilleunderground.com
Fri Nov 21 at 8 PM
Uncle Calvin’s Coffeehouse
Northpark Presbyterian Church
9555 N. Central Exp
Dallas, TX
PH: 214-363-0044
unclecalvins.org
Sat Nov 22 at 7 PM
Habitat House Concerts
10037 Hazelhurst
Houston, TX 77080
Hosted by Selia Quinn
PH 281- 772-7100; E: selia@selia.com
selia.com
Sun Nov 23 at 3 PM
Ar Haven House Concerts
Austin, TX
http://www.arhaven.org/
In December Michael will perform The Gift of the Magi, Narrated by Rick Kogan in Chicago (Dec 6), will tour in NY State (Dec 12-14) with Anne Hills, and finish up the year in Florida. Watch for his appearances in the Selfish Giant Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, with Blair Thomas & Co. January 23-25. Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N Dearborn Ave, Chicago.
Stay up to date on FACEBOOK and his site michaelpetersmith.com
For bookings contact Jamie O’Reilly: mps_booking@jamieoreilly.com
