Dear Gettysburg Connection readers, It is our pleasure to introduce you to Gail Jones, who has volunteered to share with us a monthly roundup of some of the many musical, theatrical, and visual arts events that can be found in our community. Gail’s goal is to remind us of the offerings in this culture-rich community and encourage us all to get out and support them. Welcome, Gail and thank you!
The abbreviated month of February brings a remarkable variety of performing arts opportunities to our Gettysburg community including a world premier festival, “Who Are We?: A Festival Celebrating the Films of Ken Burns”, held at the Majestic Theater. This month’s arts events include a poetry reading, a play, a comedy troupe, chamber music as well as concerts and films.
Get out and enjoy some live art and entertainment!
Friday, February 3 at 7:00 p.m. Every First Friday, upstairs at the Ragged Edge, is the place to be for the First Friday Poetry Reading. Join poets Barbara Cesare and Bill Jones for a Gary Blankenburg Tribute. Poet Blankenburg was a fixture on the Baltimore arts scene for more than four decades as a poet, writer, teacher, and editor. The poetry reading begins with an open mic (one or two poems) and then moves to featured readers presenting some of Blankenburg’s poems.
February 3-12, Gettysburg Community Theatre presents the play Loving by Peter Manos. Based on a true story in 1950’s Virginia, it describes an interracial marriage at that time, the tenacity of the married couple to fight unjust racial laws, and the triumph of love and law over prejudice and hate. Check the theatre’s website for specific performance dates and tickets.
Sunday February 5 at 4:00 p.m. World-renowned concert organist Felix Hell will perform a solo recital on the mighty Andover organ at the United Lutheran Seminary Chapel as part of the Music, Gettysburg! series. Born in Germany, Mr. Hell was a child prodigy and first performed for us in the Seminary Chapel at age 13 – nearly 24 years ago. He concertizes all over the world including Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America to great acclaim. This concert will include works by J.S. Bach, Buxtehude, Lemmens, Lubeck, Pachelbel, and Widor. As with all Music, Gettysburg! concerts, it is free, open to the public, and free parking is available. A goodwill offering will be received.
February 10-12, Ken Burns has been making documentary films about America’s history and its people for over 40 years and he has chosen to present the very first retrospective of those films right here in Gettysburg in collaboration with Gettysburg native Jake Borritt. Festival goers will engage with Burns, his collaborators, historians, and students in consequential conversations about the simple question Burns has explored in all his films: Who Are We? All events require reservations. Stop in at the Majestic Theater Box Office or check the website for more details. Many events are sold out.
Saturday February 18 at 7:30 p.m. And now, for something completely different, the nationally-renowned comedy troupe known as The Reduced Shakespeare Company performs at the Majestic Theater. Their show, entitled “The Complete History of Comedy (abridged)”, covers comedy from Aristophanes and Shakespeare, to vaudeville and Charlie Chaplin, to the Daily Show. They leave no joke unexplored as they deconstruct the entire history of comedy in ninety minutes. Imagine Mel Brooks “History of the World” films being performed live, and you will have a great idea of their performance humor.
Free parking and roundtrip shuttle service are available from Gettysburg College’s Constitution Parking Lot. Shuttle starts one hour before the show and is ADA accessible.
Sunday February 26 at 4:00 p.m. Music, Gettysburg! presents a flute and guitar program In the United Lutheran Seminary Chapel featuring Teresa Bowers, flute, and James Hontz, guitar. Their program invites you into the many dances of life, from love songs and passion to dances of nature. Featured composers include Allen Krantz, Libby Larsen, Moreno-Torrobba, and Astor Piazzolla among others. The concert is free, open to the public with free parking available. Free will offerings are received.
Monday February 27 at noon “Notes at Noon” in the Musselman Library on the Gettysburg College campus continues with a performance of the Brahms Horn Trio and the Mozart Horn Trio. Hornist Ken Bell will be joined by Adjunct Professor of Violin Elly Toyoda, and pianist Scott Crowne in performing this magnificent chamber music. This series is sponsored by the library and open to the public.
Gail Jones has enjoyed a twenty-five-year career as a music educator in Pennsylvania and Maryland public schools as well as teaching music education methods at Gettysburg College for over a decade. She has also served as a guest conductor, French horn player, and private music instructor.
Gail has a deep appreciation for live music performances of all genres and encourages Adams County residents to attend the many concerts offered in our community.