Greetings, Neighbors and Friends,
Tonight we invite you to come to Rockers Pizzeria for the final event of our OFF Stage productions featuring Adirondack Folk musician Josh Clevenstine, 6-8pm. His performance caps off a series of shows that began in October of last year at various venues throughout Vergennes. Learn more about Josh below.
Here's some news - the OFF Stage series was so successful, that word has gotten out and we have a very special POP-UP OFF Stage show scheduled for Thursday, March 12th at 10 Green Street with Kraatz Carramato, a vibrant group coming over the Green Mountains from Montpelier. Read more below.
And FINALLY on Saturday, March 28 we will be opening up the Opera House this month with our first ON STAGE show since we closed for construction last year. Be sure to get your tickets early for a very special evening featuring Gina Coleman and the MIsty Blues Band with their Roadhouse Revival Gospel Blues Review. Opening the show will be the Helen Hummel Trio. It is going to be an amazing celebration! Tickets are available on our Events Page: https://www.vergennesoperahouse.org/events.
Meanwhile, I look forward to presenting a short update on the All Access Project at the information night for Town Meeting which will be held at VUHS on Monday, March 2nd at 7:30pm.
A lot to celebrate over the coming weeks and I hope you can find a way to be a part of all or some of it.
See you soon!
Gerianne Smart, President
Friends of the Vergennes Opera House
info@VergennesOperaHouse.org
802.877.6737
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TONIGHT! Final OFF STAGE Show
Josh Clevenstine at Rockers Pizzeria in Vergennes
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Tonight, Saturday, February 28 is the final scheduled OFF Stage production with guitarist/singer-songrwriter Josh Clevenstine, from 6-8pm at Rockers Pizzeria on Main Street in Vergennes. Admission is free.
Josh is a "truck-driving Adirondack folk musician" who is passionate about applying his own style to old songs and traditions and passing them along to the next generation. His music—propelled by cross-picking guitar reminiscent of the great Johnny Cash—is marked by honest lyrics drawn from his own experiences. Harlan Howard famously described country music as “3 chords and the truth,” and Josh’s powerful songs are a testament to the magic inherent in that particular formula.
If you are a local, you might recognize Josh's last name, as he is the brother to one of the most musically talented families in the Vergennes area. Josh will help to cap off the OFF Stage series with a satisfying evening of music that everyone can enjoy. And, as an added bonus, Josh will be joined by his wife Ashley who will be providing beautiful harmony. Come early, order a pizza, and grab a seat!
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Gina Coleman & Misty Blues
"Roadhouse Revival Gospel Blues Review”
Saturday, March 28, 7:30pm
Hold onto your hat, it's time to celebrate our first performance in the newly renovated opera house with an unforgettable night of soulful gospel blues!
After being closed for construction and renovations for more than a year, we wanted to "wake the old bones" of the Opera House with an upbeat and soulful night of lively music and song - and we knew that Gina and the Misty Blues band would be just the ticket. This tight-knit musical team will be taking the stage with their phenomenal "Roadhouse Revival Gospel Blues Review," a rousing non secular celebration of tent revival classics. Internationally recognized and nominated for several Independent Blues Music Awards, their 17 albums have broad domestic and international airplay. Gina and the band are no strangers to the VOH and they are looking forward to this return visit.
Doors and cash bar open at 6:30pm with the Helen Hummel Trio taking the stage at 7pm to warm up the crowd.
Don't miss this amazing night of music as we celebrate the reopening of the historic Vergennes Opera House!
Tickets are $20 in advance or at the door: Roadhouse Revival Gospel Blues Review and Grand Reopening
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Special POP-UP OFF Stage Show at
10 Green Street, Thursday, March 12, 6-8pm
We are in for a special treat (on a school night!), on Thursday, March 12 at 10 Green Street with a special POP UP OFF Stage show featuring Kraatz Carromato. Their music is inspired by the Gitanos (Gypsies or, preferably, Roma) of Spain, and Camargue, France. Their music echoes the migration of the Roma people through the Middle East and Europe, connecting Spanish flamenco and rumba with Balkan, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern influences. We just LOVE their music!
The quartet, which includes Eliza Kraatz (guitar/vocals), Harry Grabenstein (guitar/vocals), Keith Levenson (percussions), and Kevin Fink (violin), performs primarily original compositions drawn from many musical forms. Kraatz Carromato’s songs are songs of migration, of longing for a homeland, of loss, hope, and resilience. The majority of compositions are instrumental, but listeners will also hear new and traditional songs sung in Spanish, Bosnian, English, and the Romani languages.
Come on out and show these folks some love at this free event. Donations will be gratefully accepted at the door.
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Very Merry Theater Presents Two Summer Camp Opportunities!
We are so very excited to welcome Very Merry Theatre's summer camp back to the Vergennes Opera House this year.
They are offering two week-long camps for kids between the ages of 6-13 to enjoy. The first camp takes place June 22 - 26 with a production of the classic story, Heidi. The second camp is the very next week, June 29 - July 3 with the Adventures of Buster Bear.
To learn more and sign your kiddos up, visit the Verry Merry Theatre website here https://www.verymerrytheatre.org/vergennes, but don't wait, these camps typically fill up fast.
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ALL ACCESS PROJECT UPDATE
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The big news since our last newsletter is that the elevator tower has been released from its winter cocoon. For months the work was happening behind the protection of thick plastic walls. Now when you pass by the building, you can clearly see the new elevator in place. On the weekends and evenings we've been painting the new spaces to help keep the project moving along at a good clip in anticipation of our grand reopening on March 28.
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A Special Visit from Preservation Trust of Vermont
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On what was the City Hall/Opera House building's 129th birthday, (born on February 12, 1897) we welcomed the Board of Directors of Preservation Trust of Vermont for a very quick (20 minute) visit. They got the full tour of all the construction and improvements. Afterwards they enjoyed some delicious Happy Birthday cupcakes made by My Little Cupcake Vermont. The Vergennes Opera House was just one stop on their tour of Addison County historic properties, which also included the Bixby Library. They visited 16 properties in all! It was great to "tell our story" to such an enthusiastic and well-informed group.
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Last Call for Engraved Courtyard Pavers
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This is the last week to purchase an engraved paver to be included in the new courtyard leading up to the new elevator tower. We are going to submit the order to the brick manufacturer the week of March 9. There is no time to waste! If you want to honor your family, or a special event, now is the time to put your order in. You can access the brick order form here: Buy a Brick |
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An OFF Stage Thank You
to Vergennes Grand Senior Living
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Residents and visitors at Vergennes Grand Senior Living enjoyed a very special afternoon on Valentine's Day. VOH Board Member and Broadway Veteran Bill Carmichael Walsh was accompanied by Broadway pianist Dan Levine. They entertained a robust crowd with love songs and American standards as part of the OFF Stage production series. We are grateful to Vergennes Grand Senior Living for making everyone feel so welcome. Here's a clip of Bill singing "Fly Me to the Moon."
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Calendar at a Glance
"OFF STAGE" Productions all around Vergennes
- SATURDAY, FEB 28, 6-8pm – Josh Clevenstine at Rocker’s Pizzeria (free admission)
- THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 6-8PM - POP UP OFF Stage Show - Kraatz Carramoto at 10 Green Street (free - donations at the door)
"ON STAGE" in the Vergennes Opera House
To view updates to our events, please visit our events page: VOH Events
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THANK YOU to our 2025-2026 SEASON SPONSORS!
Patricia Butler, Vergennes Grand Senior Living, Mark & Julie Basol, Realtor® Sue Walsh at Berkshire Hathaway Vermont Realty Group, Vergennes Partnership, Geoff & Susan Nelson, Ed & Beverly Biello, Amanda Bodell & Jeffry Glassberg, Jackman Fuels, H.J. LeBoeuf & Sons Contractors & Builders, Mike & Maggie Catillaz, Ned & Lauren Pike, Philip & Roberta Puschel, Peter & Liz Markowski, Bob & Deb Hartenstein, The Schaefer Family, Connie & Bill Houston Lizbeth & Timothy Ryan, Casella Waste Management, Otter Creek Awnings, and in Memory of Garry Simpson.
Media Sponsor: WMUD 101.5 and WCLX 107.3
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