Beauty and the BeastThe musical opens

today at the Barrow-Civic Theatre.

Page 2

Hanna, Williamson and Shick

The group performs today in Justus Park

in Oil City. Page 3

June 16-22, 2017

The Derrick./The News-Herald

The Franklin Civic Operetta Association production of Disneys Beauty and the Beast opens this weekend at the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. The production will again take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, June 22-24, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 25.

When the adored classic comes to life on stage, all of the unforgettable songs from the 1991 film will be there. Songs like Bonjour, Be our Guest and Tale as Old as Time will be included plus five new songs written for the stage adaptation.

The production is approximately two and a half hours in length with an inter-mission between acts.

The musical digs even deeper into the lives of Belle, played by Anna Lowrey, immersed in her beloved novels to escape her dissatisfying life in a poor, provincial town; and Beast, played by Jordan Rembold, trapped in a spell placed upon him for his selfishness. If he can learn to love, and if someone can love him in return, the curse will be broken. But, time is running out, as signified by a magical rose, withering under a bell jar.

One evening, Belles father, Maurice (played by Mike Eichholtz), leaves town for an inventors fair. A wrong turn leads him to a mysterious castle, where he encounters its enchanted inhabitants Lumire the candelabra (played by Nicholas Hess), Mrs. Potts the teapot (played by Cynthia Harding), Chip the teacup (played by Jasey Donovan), Cogsworth the clock (played by Jonathan Bartram), Babette the feather duster (played by Emily Schrader), Madame De La Grande Bouche the wardrobe (played by Sallie Richards-Bartram), and the unwelcoming head of the household, who locks him away in the tower dun-geon. Belle discovers her fathers captiv-ity and offers to live there forever in exchange for his freedom. At first, it appears that there is no hope for love. While Beast maintains his unrefined demeanor, Lumire and the other ser-vants try to smooth out tensions. Scene by scene and song by song, Belle begins to see a kinder, gentler side of Beast.

The most handsome and conceited man in town, Gaston (played by Caleb McCarthy), is determined to make Belle his wife, no matter the cost. When she eludes him, he convinces the town that

her father is crazy, with the help of his sidekick, LeFou (played by Kolby Martin) and the keeper of the insane asy-lum, Madame D Arque (played by Caroline Lowrey).

Completing the 42-person cast are silly girls Kat Elan, Brooke Lawrie, and Hannah McCarthy, and ensemble members of various roles Ashley Barletta, Jaren Bittinger, Tyler Carson, Hannah Confer, Courtney Crabtree, Lindsey Crabtree, MarkDaugherty, Jackson Donovan, Andrea Fenske, Emma Fox, Heather Handel, Abby Hanna, Rachele Heasley, Brent Hetrick, John Hetrick, Jenny Jack, Brynna Manuel, Bailey McMahon, Emily Minch, AmberMoore, Ashleigh Morrison, Remington Slater, Ron Slocum, Hanna Stucke, Pamela Sibley, Olivia Welton, and Brandon Williams.

With an Academy award-winning score, breathtaking costumes, and elabo-rate staging, the show has become an international sensation, performed to over 35 million people in 13 differentcountries. Originally premiering on Broadway in 1994, the immense produc-tion requires a team of dedicated indi-viduals working behind-the-scenes planning, rehearsing, constructing sets, creating costumes, and more months prior to opening night.

The production team includes stage director, Julie Powell; music director, Jenny Lowrey; accompanist, Mary Beth Hutchinson, producers, Jeri Bolton and the Hon. Patrick Lowrey; and many, many others, including a full orchestra.

Tickets are $14 to $20. Group dis-counts are available. For tickets, people may visit the box office at 1223 Liberty St., Franklin; call 437-3440 or visit www.barrowtheatre.com.

Beauty and the Beast opens this weekend in Franklin

Be Our Guest at the Barrow

2 The Derrick./The News-Herald: Friday, June 16, 2017

Nicholas Hess portrays Lumire in the Franklin Civic Operetta Association production of Disneys Beauty and the Beast. The show opens this weekend at the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin.

Anna Lowrey portrays Belle in the Franklin Civic Operetta Association production

of Disneys Beauty and the Beast. By Richard Sayer

Additional photos from Beauty and the Beast may

be viewed online at TheDerrick.comCaleb McCarthy as Gaston

Photos by Richard Sayer

The third annual Franklin Blues and Barbecue Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in Bandstand and Fountain parks in Franklin.

Ten barbecue vendors have signed on for the event.

Proceeds from the festival benefit the development and appreciation of music, especially the blues, in Venango County schools.

The Nighthawks will be Saturdays headliner.

Miss Freddye will be Sundays head-liner.

The festival will also feature The Max Schang Band featuring John Burgh and Charlie Barath.

Other musical acts will include The Zydeco Kings, Mitch Littler, Jimmy

Adler Blues Band, Eugene and the Nightcrawlers featuring Eugene Morgan, Rebels Of Rhythm, Rodger Montgomery, Nelson Porter and the Franklin High School Jazz Band.

More information can be found on the Franklin Blues and Barbecue Festivals Facebook page and at www.franklinbluesandbbq.org.

Saturday

Noon to 1:15 p.m. Rodger Montgomery

1:30 to 2 p.m. Franklin High School Jazz Band

2:15 to 3:30 p.m. Eugene Morgan and the Nightcrawlers

3:45 to 5:15 p.m. The Zydeco Kings

5:30 to 6:45 p.m. The Max Schang

Band featuring John Burgh and Charlie Barath

7:15 to 9 p.m. The Nighthawks

Sunday

Noon to 12:30 p.m. Nelson Porter

12:45 to 1 p.m. Rebels Of Rhythm1 to 1:30 p.m. Mitch Littler1:45 to 3 p.m. Jimmy Adler Blues

Band3:15 to 5 p.m. Miss Freddye Blues

Band

3The Derrick./The News-Herald: Friday, June 16, 2017

The Oil City Arts Council begins its first summer concert in the Justus Park with Hanna, Williamson and Shick from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. today.

This Arts in the Park series is spon-sored by the council and arranged by Daniel Feroz. Donation for attendance is accepted. Visitors are encouraged to take lawn chairs for seating. The park is located in downtown Oil City next to the river with parking space and is wheelchair accessible.

This band may be one year old but the members have been performing all their lives in the region and abroad. It features, Raeman Hanna, Steve Williamson and Brandon Shick, all on vocals and guitar.

Their music blends American gen-erations since their repertoire includes country, blues, faith-based music, and traditional rock and roll. Recently, they were the opening act of the popular 1970s rock-pop band, Ambrosia. They also play during region-al festivals, community concerts and wineries.

Raeman Hanna has been performing since 1964 including with well-known singers and legends such as Charlie

Daniels, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Marshall Tucker Band, Travis Tritt, Big Country, Blue Ash, Merle Haggard and many more. Hanna has also headlined a tour through Sweden, Norway and Denmark with Warcry, a contemporary Christian Band.

Steve Williamson has performed since the 70s. In the 80s he played with most notably the Wolf Crick Band from Nevada. He too has performed with Lee Greenwood, Reba McEntire, Charlie Daniels, Travis Tritt and Merle Haggard.

Brandon Shick, influenced by his

grandfather Raeman Hanna, started playing guitar at the age of 11. He studied guitar with Darcy White and later with Max Schang. He played lead guitar in the Franklin High school jazz band, where he met Matt Gahr and Alex Hoover and formed the CourtHouse Faucet group.

He has performed at a number oflocal venues and also plays on the Church of Gods Worship team. Shickhas just finished recording a CD and gives guitar lessons in the Barkeyville area.

The band will be performing in Foxburg and Kennerdell in July.

The next concert hosted by the arts council will be during the Jolly July 3rd celebrations in the Justus Park. Two popular bands will perform. Mostly Brass will play traditional marching music, polka and popular standards. Trixx will present classic rock from the 70s and 80s. This annual community

concert will end with the traditional patri-otic fireworks display.

A full schedule of events is available at the Transit Fine Arts Gallery on Seneca Street and on Arts Oil City websites calendar of events.

Hanna, Williamson and Shick to perform today

WYATTVILLE GARDENSGREENHOUSE

Open DailyMon - Sat 9-7

Sun 9-6

2810 US Route 322, 5 miles West of Franklin 814-346-7227

Nice Selection of Quality Vegetables, Perennials,

Annuals, Trees & Shrubs

Last Day to Redeem Bonus Bucks is

Sunday, June 18th 20% OFFAll Annuals

Franklin Blues and Barbecue Festival kicks off Saturday

Hanna, Williamson and Shick

FOXBURG The Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts will present an evening of cabaret and dancing with jazz singer Judi Figel at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at Lincoln Hall in Foxburg.

Figel will be backed up by the musicians in her Jazz Trio. Her trio will feature David Crisci on piano, Robbie Klein, sax and flute and Tod Treganowan on drum kit.

Lincoln Hall will feature glittering candlelight and cabaret table seating. Chees