Patrick Vaccariello, artistic director
of the Buck Hill Skytop Music Festival, is bringing the excitement of Broadway
to the majestic Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania this summer. Mr.
Vaccariello will present a tribute to the legendary songwriting team of Kander
and Ebb, starring performers and musicians from the Broadway stage, at the
Fifth Annual Buck Hill Skytop Music Festival. Mr. Vaccariello is music director
for the revival of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret
on Broadway and the 68th
Annual Tony Awards.
Mr.
Vaccariello’s festival production, Come
to the Cabaret! A Celebration of Kander & Ebb, will feature songs
selected by John Kander. After the performance, audience members will be
invited to join Mr. Vaccariello for an enlightening discussion about the
creative process behind the production.
As
in past seasons, world-renowned professional musicians will present opera,
jazz, musical theater, cabaret, chamber music, and dance performances during
the festival, which will take place from July 25 to August 10.
Following
are this season’s highlights:
Musical Theater
• Come to the Cabaret! A Celebration of Kander & Ebb – The festival’s esteemed artistic
director Patrick Vaccariello will direct this tribute to Kander & Ebb,
starring performers from the Broadway stage and featuring the festival’s
student chorus. Saturday, July 26, 7:30pm, Pocono Mountain East High School.
• New Works Production: WAS - Based on Geoff Ryman’s celebrated cult novel, WAS uses the tools of the modern musical
theater to tell the story of young Dorothy Gael, the central character in L.
Frank Baum’s legendary tale The Wizard of
Oz and the classic 1939 film version. Saturday, August 9, 7:30pm, Notre
Dame High School.
• Prairie Songs:
The festival’s talented chorus will perform Prairie
Songs from Grammy Award-winning composer Mike Reid, who will provide the
narration. Friday, August 1, 8:30pm, Skytop Lodge.
Dance
• The Paul Taylor Dance
Company - This
sought-after ensemble travels the globe, bringing Mr. Taylor’s ever-burgeoning
repertoire to theaters and venues of every size. Saturday, August 2, 7:30pm,
Pocono Mountain East High School.
Opera
•
Bon
Appétit - The captivating Victoria Livengood will star in this
delectable one-act opera based on a classic episode of master chef Julia
Child’s popular cooking show. Friday, August 1, 7:30pm, Skytop Lodge.
Chamber Music
• Shuffle Concert - In this innovative
musical celebration, the audience chooses the pieces to be performed. Sunday,
July 27, 7:30pm, Tennis Tea, Buck Hill Falls.
• Members of America’s Dream Chamber Artists
– ADCA is spurring a resurgence
of the great chamber music masterworks with renewed and energized freedom and
expression. Sunday, August 3, 11:00am, Skytop Lodge.
Jazz
•
Tony
DeSare - Critically acclaimed
singer, pianist and songwriter Tony DeSare will perform classic standards and
sophisticated original compositions with infectious joy, wry playfulness, and
robust musicality. Sunday, August 3, 7:30pm, Skytop Lodge.
• The Peter and Will Anderson Sextet - Journey
to the streets of Paris and the French countryside with sounds of swing and
gypsy jazz in Peter and Will Anderson’s show Le Jazz Hot - How the French Saved Jazz. Sunday, July 27, 11:00am,
Skytop Lodge.
•
Hilary Gardner – Enjoy dinner,
dancing and a silent auction at our Swing Gala featuring versatile and accomplished
vocalist Hilary Gardner. Proceeds benefit the Pocono Mountain Medical Center’s
Hughes Cancer Center, East Stoudsburg University, and the Buck Hill Skytop
Music Festival. Friday, August 8, 6:00pm, Stroudsmoor Country Inn.
Cabaret
•
Carole J. Bufford - In her
critically acclaimed show, Body and Soul,
Carole J. Bufford sings powerful loves songs fueled by longing, anger, sorrow
and obsession. Thursday, August 7, 7:30pm, Pocono Community Theater.
For
more information and to purchase tickets, visit buckhillskytopfest.org.
