Old-time Virginia Roots music at WTA’s Gateway
Mark Campbell and the Campbell Family Band will perform early Southern Highland music at WTA’s Gateway on Friday, March 23 at 8:00 pm. The band specializes in string band music of an earlier era along with solo fiddle playing, singing with banjo and fiddle/banjo duets. The performance is supported by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. WTA’s Gateway is located at 329 West Main in Downtown Waynesboro.
Mark Campbell is a traditional musician who is dedicated to preserving and passing down old Appalachian region fiddle and banjo styles. A Waynesboro native, Mark has traveled around the region, collecting and playing the old style of music. He learned bowing and picking styles from some of the giants of the last generation of great musicians of North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Read more
Richmond’s funniest at WTA’s Gateway
Top comic Odyssey Michaels will head the lineup at the February Comedy Night at WTA’s Gateway on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Michaels was voted Richmond’s funniest comic in 2011 by Style Weekly Magazine. He has performed nationally, including being a featured performer at the Cincinnati Comedy Festival. He has also been seen on G4TV cable network. This will be his first visit to Waynesboro and WTA’s Gateway. Read more
WTA’s Gateway first Bluegrass Night
WTA’s Gateway will present its first evening devoted exclusively to traditional bluegrass music on Friday, Feb. 24. Featured will be Allegheny Blue and Blue Mountain Sunrise. Performance will begin at 8 p.m. at 329 West Main in Downtown Waynesboro.
Blue Mountain Sunrise has been playing to the enjoyment of Bluegrass and Bluegrass Gospel fans in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and beyond for over 30 years. The band’s current line-up includes two brothers who provide harmonious vocals. Roy Kiser (known by some as Danny) keeps time on the upright bass and Jeff Kiser holds his own with great licks and background work on the 5-string banjo. Darrell Weaver, the only original member band member, rips on the resophonic guitar. Brent Burkholder, the newest member works the guitar with good rhythm and leads. Band members have played in various Bluegrass and Gospel groups over the years and are seasoned veterans of the Bluegrass scene. Read more
Open Mic Night at the Gateway
The Open Mic Night has become a fixture on the fourth Thursday of the month at WTA’s Gateway.
With the guidance of Lorie Strother, the Dreaded Blues Lady, the evening provides a showcase for seasoned and novice performers who want the opportunity to preview their works before a local audience. Comics, poets, and musicians of all sorts have brought their talents to Gateway stage.
Shows are at 7 p.m. at WTA’s Gateway, 329 West Main in downtown Waynesboro. Admission is Pay-What-You-Will.
The program is open to all performers and all styles of entertainment. To reserve a spot on the show, performers need to call the WTA office at 540-943-9999. Remaining spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis on the night of the performances.
Wayne Theatre Alliance to receive tourism marketing grant
The Virginia Tourism Corporation has awarded the Wayne Theatre Alliance a $5000 grant through the Virginia Tourism Corporation Fall 2011 Marketing Leverage Program. WTA was one of 35 local tourism entries from throughout Virginia who were awarded grants.
The grants from the Virginia Tourism Corporation are designed to assist local and regional tourism entities to attract more visitors by leveraging local marketing dollars. The successful grant application was a partnership between the Wayne Theatre Alliance, the Waynesboro Office of Tourism and Stone Soup Books and Café to promote tourism in Waynesboro and WTA’s Gateway Theatre. The local partners provided a $5000 match for the grant, making a total of $10,000 available for the project. Read more
Spring Fashion Debut: Anniversary bling
It’s an anniversary celebration 20 years in the making for Cookie Lee Jewelry, and three years for senior consultant Crystal Abbe Graham.
“This year marks 20 years for Cookie Lee Jewelry in the jewelry business which is just astonishing,” said Graham, who celebrates her third anniversary as a consultant with Cookie Lee on Feb. 9. “I still feel like I’m introducing Cookie Lee to the region, but it’s catching on fast.”
Cookie Lee Jewelry will be one of more than 20 vendors participating in the Feb. 11 Love is in the Air: Spring Fashion Debut in downtown Waynesboro from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Gateway. Read more
Bert Carlson and Friends at Mojo Saturday Night
Guitarist Bert Carlson will headline the Feb. 18th Mojo Saturday Night. Appearing with him will be Jennifer Kirkland and Ray Cohen. Also on the program will be Kathleen Kraft, Dough Headstrom, and David Connolly. The 8 p.m. performance will be at WTA’s Gateway, 329 West Main in Downtown Waynesboro.
A professional guitarist since 1976, Bert Carlson has played in a wide variety of styles and venues. After nearly 15 years in the DC area, Carlson moved to the Shenandoah Valley and shifted his attention to blues and jazz. In 2003, he and Jennifer Kirkland began their successful collaboration. Read more
