Vermont News Guide | Page 39

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Weston ’ s Beloved Winter Cabaret
Kick off the winter season in Weston with Weston Theater Company ’ s beloved annual Winter Cabaret ! This fun , festive , and tastefully irreverent tradition is sure to get you in the holiday spirit - and provide enough joy and laughter to carry through to the new year . Proceeds from this event will benefit the theater ’ s ongoing effort to bring its free Young Company tour to towns across Central and Southern Vermont .
Weston icon David Bonanno ( last seen on Weston ’ s stage in Season 88 ’ s productions of The Woman in Black and Pippin ) will MC the show . Joining him are former Young Company members and Weston alumni , and together they ’ re bringing you an annual tradition - this time full of all new skits and songs !
Says Weston Theater Company ’ s Executive Artistic Director , Susanna Gellert , “ As in years past , this holiday favorite will be performed as a benefit to support Weston ’ s Young Company . We are hard at work preparing for the 2025 season — Weston ’ s 89th !— and one of its highlights is sure to be our Young Company tour , which is free to all and enjoyed by children and families throughout Vermont . By joining us at the Winter Cabaret , you are helping to ensure that we can continue to bring this important ( and fun ) summer show to communities across the state .”
The event will be held at 7:30pm on December 6 and 7 at Walker Farm . Tickets go on sale to the general public on November 13 and can be purchased at westontheater . org or by calling at 802-824-5288 .
FCC ’ s Annual Christmas Concert
Ready to embrace the true spirit of Christmas ? First Congregational Church of Manchester will hold its Annual Christmas Concert on December 8 at 4pm . Following the concert is their annual holiday cookie contest – you can either submit an entry or just simply stay and enjoy other people ’ s cookies !
Special music will include many favorite sacred and secular Christmas carols performed by FCC ’ s Chancel Choir and Handbell Ringers . This year they will be joined by the Burr and Burton chorus lead by director Julie Freebern . Drummer Eric Johnson and cellist Jared Shapiro will accompany , and the audience will be invited to join several sing-a-longs . A freewill offering at the concert will benefit the Burr and Burton music program . The entire community is welcome . For more , visit : fccmanchester . org or call 802-362-2709 . FCC is located at 3624 Main St . in Manchester , VT ( across from the Equinox Hotel ).

MUSIC

Billy Wylder Comes to Little City Cider
Vermont Arts Exchange ( VAE ) is happy to partner up with Little City Cider for a night of dancing and having fun with the lively Billy Wylder . Join us on December 7 at Little City Cider at 139 Shields Drive , Bennington , VT . Doors open at 6pm and the show starts at 7pm .
The band features Avi Salloway ( Bombino / Hey Mama / Avi & Celia ) joined by an inspired cast of singular artists who have performed across six continents including concerts at Coachella , Newport Folk Festival , New Orleans Jazz Fest , Montreal Jazz Fest , Carnegie Hall , and Lincoln Center .
This is the last show of the season for the band as they wind up their touring in 2024 . The music weaves together American folk and rock with sensibilities from the Sahara Desert , exploring new musical space akin to Devendra Banhart , Beck , and Tinariwen . The musical evolution of Billy Wylder is built on grooves informed by ancient African rhythms , art-rock textures , expansive guitars , violins , synths , and drum machines . Salloway ’ s lyrics flow with inspiration from mythical songwriting hero Leonard Cohen , while threading together more abstract imagery reminiscent of Thom Yorke .
Their latest album , Trying to Get Free was recorded at Great North Sound Society ( Parsonsfield , ME ), Alta Mira Sound ( Alhambra , CA ) and Zumix ( East Boston , MA ) and produced by Salloway and celebrated producer Sam Kassirer ( Lake Street Dive , Josh Ritter ).
Tickets are $ 10 for students and $ 15 general admission purchased in advance and are available at billywylder . com / shows . Tickets will be available at the door for $ 20 . The show is sponsored in part by Hampton Inn . For more , call VAE at 802-379-3763 .
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November 25 , 2024 Vermont News Guide 39