THT to Present Young Performers in 3 FIDDLES AND MORE and LA VOLTA, 11/20-23

For an entire week in November Middlebury's Town Hall Theater will be overrun with young performers.

The kick-off performance, Chris Prickitt's 3 Fiddles And More, is on Wednesday, November 20 at 4:30. Chris Prickitt, who recently returned to Middlebury after 40 years in Maine, has led middle and high school acoustical groups for many years. He is a past winner of the New England Banjo Championships and a member of Maine's premiere acoustical band Evergreen. This concert culminates Prickitt's new 10-week acoustic music program at THT. According to Prickitt, "the students have been working hard learning tunes and harmonies and a little singing, we have the beginning of an American Roots band here. I can't wait to continue with these fiddlers, and we hope more will join in the fun." Prickitt will be available for questions and will bring a mandolin, banjo, fiddle and accordion for young audience members to try. Admission is free.

Later in the week, the THT Young Company - 40 kids ages 6-13 - will perform La Volta: A Turn at the Ball, an original libretto with popular standards and show tunes, on November 22 & 23 at 7 pm. Songs have been arranged by a trio of local professionals: Clint Bierman, Kendra Gratton and Chuck Miller. La Volta is a tale of intrigue and mistaken identity set at a masked ball. The opening act is THT Kids (ages 6-8) led by Nikki Juvan, who will present a short musical play about disguise set around a farm at Thanksgiving. Admission is $10/Children 12 and under $5.

Cast members of the Young Company include: Josie Abbott, Connor Harris, Suzie Klemmer, Katie Isham, Sophie Lefkoe, Maisie Newbury, Peter Orzech, Megan-Thomas Danyow, Theo Wells-Spackman, Ava Devost, Arianna Graham-Gurland, Julia Bartlett, Naomi Brightmen, Megan Balparda, Ella Landis, Saskia Gori- Montanel, Ivy Doran, Amanda Kearns, Taylor Moulton, Emerson Zelis, Luke Zelis, Lily Isham, Asher Kite, Wren Colwell, Anna McIntosh, Jayden Rushton, Cady Scout Mckibben-Baier, Toby Weills-Spackman, Kira Murray, Anya Hardy- Mittell, Aurora Epperson, Alyxis Epperson, Quinn Early, Alice Early, Enzo Rissetto, Sam Wootten, Rose Murphy, Spencer Grimm, Beatrice Porter, Kaleb Zimmerman, Windsor Hoopes and Erin Jan Sears.

Several scholarships for Young Company members have been provided by the Middlebury Community Players. As MCP President, Dora Greven stated, "MCP has always been dedicated to providing a chance for people to become involved, at all levels and no matter what their past experience is. The introduction of the new MCP scholarship fund is the perfect opportunity to partner with the THT Education Programs and will allow us to continue our mission of supporting and promoting theater in our community".

For more information about the upcoming performances, contact the THT Box Office at 802.382.9222, www.townhalltheater.org, or in person Monday-Saturday, noon-5:00 pm.

Pictured: Young singers and actors take to the Town Hall Theater stage the week of November 20.