Bluegrass, Singers and Writers at Richard Adams Variety Show

What:  Richard Adams Variety Show
When:  Friday, March 7 at 7:30pm
Where: 329 W. Main St., Waynesboro, Va.
Tickets: $10 (in advance)  |  $12 (at the door)

As always Richard Adams has gathered an eclectic array of talent for his March Variety Show.  Bluegrass and old-time music from Bourbon Barrel Congress, singer/songwriter Jake Sweet, actress/writer Rosemarie Harper with Lauren Ernst, and Collin Wheeler, the puppet man, join to make this month’s Richard Adams Variety Show a must see.  The Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School Theater Kids will also be featured.  The performance is at WTA’s Gateway, 329 West Main Street in Downtown Waynesboro on Friday, March 8 at 7:30pm.

Bourbon Barrel Congress was born out of a decades old bluegrass jam at a burger and beer joint in a small Virginia town where the quintet met. Chris Davis (Bass/Vocals), Rene Devito (fiddle/mandolin), Michael Emerson (Harmonica), Ethan Hawkins (Guitar/Vocals), and John Spangler (Banjo/Vocals) conjure up a sound that blurs the lines between bluegrass, old-time, folk and country music, that is familiar and fresh, old and at the same time new.

Richard has started a tradition of highlighting local talent.  This month he has chosen Jake Sweet, an 11th-grader at Riverheads High School.  Jake is an aspiring musician and loves to write songs.  Rosemarie Harper, a noted actor from the Charlottesville area and regular with the Earl Hamner Theatre has written two short scenes/stories which she will perform. “She’s a natural”, says Adams.  Collin Wheeler is a junior at the Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School in Fishersville. He played the lead role in their recent staging of “Pippin”. Collin was inspired by Richard’s puppets when he saw the Richard Adams Variety Show so he went home and made his own.

The March 7th performance will also include other students from Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School.  The School’s theatre program serves approximately 30 gifted and talented 11th and 12th grade students from Augusta County, Staunton and Waynesboro. The SVGS theatre program is designed to give highly motivated theatre students the opportunity for intensive theatre study both in the classroom and alongside community partners such as ShenanArts and our professional guest artists.

Once again Richard and his co-host Bill Martin will encourage the audience to take part in Richard’s segments that highlight the audience’s special talents.

The Richard Adams Variety Show is sponsored by the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge.

Advance tickets for Richard Adams Variety Show are $10 and are available online at www.wtagateway.com or by calling the box office (540-943-9999).  Remaining tickets will be available at the door on the evening of the performances for $12. Doors will open at 7:00 pm.  The March 7th performance will start at 7:30 pm at WTA’s Gateway at 329 W. Main St. Downtown Waynesboro.