Portland Ovations Presents Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers 2/2

Portland Ovations is pleased to announce Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers are coming to Merrill Auditorium on May 18th for an evening of bluegrass and banjo. Tickets for the concert go on sale to Portland Ovations' Members and Subscribers beginning at noon on Wednesday, February 2nd, and are available to the general public for purchase at noon on Monday, February 7th. This newly announced presentation serves as the final performance of Portland Ovations' 80th season.

The legendary Steve Martin is a true renaissance man. Aside from starring in and/or writing and producing some of the most popular movies of recent film history, including The Man With Two Brains; Roxanne; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; L.A. Story; Father of the Bride; Little Shop of Horrors; Planes, Trains and Automobiles; The Pink Panther; Parenthood; Shopgirl, and Cheaper by the Dozen, Martin has written successful children's books, plays, novels and an autobiography. Martin is also known for his collection of fine art and his excellent skills on the five-string banjo.

Now the actor, comedian, novelist, playwright, and musician teams up with the accomplished bluegrass quintet, Steep Canyon Rangers. Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers first played together in 2009, including a memorable performance on NPR's A Prairie Home Companion, garnering praise from fans and critics alike. The popularity of their joint live performances has resulted in a new album, Rare Bird Alert, due out March 15th. Rare Bird Alert is Martin's second bluegrass album. His first, The Crow/New Songs For The Five-String Banjo, won a 2010 Grammy for best bluegrass album.

The Steep Canyon Rangers are a classic five-man string band comprised of a guitar, fiddle, upright bass, banjo and mandolin. Martin adds a second banjo and additional vocals making for a unique and exciting sound.

Martin's recent appearances in the national media have been surrounding his latest novel, An Object of Beauty. The book shares Martin's knowledge of the 1990's New York arts scene, and tells the story of Lacey Yeager, a captivating, and ambitious young woman who takes the NYC art world by storm.

In early 2010, Martin completed production on a new film, The Big Year, directed by David Frankel and costarring Owen Wilson and Jack Black. The comedy is set to be released by 20th Century Fox in October 2011, and sees Martin as a member of a group of avid bird watchers competing to spot the rarest birds in North America at an annual esteemed event.

In March of 2010, Martin, along with Alec Baldwin, co-hosted the 82nd Annual Academy Awards - his third time serving as host of the prestigious award show. He received an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special for his participation.

Tickets to Steve Martin performing with the Steep Canyon Rangers at Merrill Auditorium are priced at $41 to $59 for Portland Ovations' Members and Subscribers. Members and Subscribers can purchase tickets beginning at noon on Wednesday, February 2nd by calling PortTix at 207-842-0800 or visiting the box office window at Merrill Auditorium. Anyone wishing to become a Portland Ovations' Member in order to take advantage of the early purchasing privilege may do so through PortTix at the time of purchase. For more information about what it means to be a Portland Ovations' Member, visit www.portlandovations.org/your_support/membership.

Tickets to the general public are $45 to $65 and are available for purchase beginning at noon on Monday, February 7th, also by calling or visiting PortTix, as well as online at www.portlandovations.org.
About Portland Ovations

Each year since 1931, Portland Ovations brings a dynamic season of exceptional performing artists from around the world to Maine including classical music, jazz, opera, dance, theater, and Broadway national tours. In addition to live performances, Ovations brings the exhilaration of the performing arts out into our community with season-long educational and outreach activities known as Ovations Offstage. A Maine-based non-profit, Portland Ovations contributes to the cultural, social and economic well-being of our community by presenting an array of high quality performing artists from around the world and creating diverse educational experiences that bring the enjoyment, energy and enrichment of the arts to all.

 

Photo Credit: BWW-Staff

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