CELTIC NIGHTS: THE EMIGRANTS BRIDGE Plays Harris Center, 1/29-30

In a glittering production at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom, six of Ireland's most prominent vocalists are complimented by six of its most accomplished step dancers, creating picture of proud Celtic people who dared to dream big, and doggedly carved out a home in the New World.

Celtic Nights: The Emigrants Bridge tells the stirring tale of the Celtic experience by weaving together the lilting melodies and plaintive lyrics of the rich Celtic heritage, and its influence on what became American music: from bluegrass to country and western music. The story is told through the power and majesty of music and the hypnotic fury of dancing feet.

Celtic Nights: The Emigrants Bridge© will be performed Wednesday, January 29, 2014; 7 pm and Thursday, January 30, 2014; 7 pm. Tickets are $25-$39; Premium $49; Children age 12 and under $20. Tickets may be ordered online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 10 am to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

Celtic Nights expertly weaves together the lilting melodies and plaintive lyrics of the rich Celtic heritage to tell the story of a people. In this stirring tale of the Celtic experience, the audience is invited to travel along on a journey of hope and promise. You will be transported in time through traditional ballads, vivid choreography and the story of people struggling to find their place in a changing world.

Celtic people are drawn to music and song. Scattered around the world like seeds on the wind, they are propelled by the powerful rhythms and motifs of a mysterious and exuberant ancient culture. Music is the soul, the very lifeblood of their tradition. It binds them together, even as it sets them apart. This driving passion for music and dance is the keystone of Celtic identity.

Their response to melody, lyric, and the criss-crossing rhythms of Irish dance is reflexive, intuitive, and filled with joy. The Irish embrace their musical culture like no other nation. And their pride in artistry is its own reward. Above all else, it is this natural affinity with music and song that has given Celtic people a truly global voice. A Celtic Voice. Every thundering dance tune and plaintive melody is a separate thread in the broad and colorful tapestry of Celtic music.

The Emigrants Bridge is a brand new show that expertly weaves these strands together. It effortlessly intertwines beautiful ballads, striking choreography, and a compelling storyline to form a vivid link with Celtic heritage. It's a stirring tale of a people's struggle to find their place in the world.