BlackRock Center for the Arts is offering a diverse and acclaimed lineup of acts for the 2016-2017 season featuring top regional, national and international artists from the worlds of pop, jazz, folks/roots, blues, bluegrass and classical/contemporary chamber music, as well as theater, dance, comedy, and contemporary circus.

   The 2016-17 Performance Season will open with a performance by the award-winning Nathan Williams and Zydeco Cha-Chas from Louisiana on Friday, September 23, at 8:00 pm to kick off its season and celebrate the fast and furious accordion-driven dance music known as of zydeco.

    Tickets for BlackRock’s 2016-17 Performance Season are currently on sale and members enjoy benefits such as discounts on single tickets.  BlackRock Membership starts at $65.

   Inspired by Upper Montgomery County’s ever growing and diverse population, BlackRock’s Executive Director Krista Bradley has sought out acclaimed international music and dance artists that reflect many of the cultures in the region.  A sampling of such offerings include Colombian jazz harpist Edmar Castaneda (who will perform at 8:00 pm on Saturday, November 5), Korean hipster indie music group, Coreyah, on Sunday, November 13, in their North American debut tour, Brazilian and hip-hop dance troupe Companhia Urbana de Dança (who will perform at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm on Saturday, March 18, 2017), and India’s Raghu Dixit who will take BlackRock’s MainStage on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at 8:00 pm.

   Other season highlights include the debut of country music star Kathy Mattea, folks/blues icon Tom Rush, electric R & B /Soul group The Suffers, and pop singer Joan Osborne on BlackRock’s Mainstage. Audience favorites such as bluesman Eric Bibb, The Seldom Scene, and Celtic super-group Lúnasa will return for encore performances.

   For family shows, Vital Theatre Company (the creators of the sell-out shows Fancy Nancy and Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas) will bring their musical Pinkalicious to BlackRock MainStage for two performances on Sunday, September 25, 2016 and BlackRock is pleased to bring back Hatched, an engaging theater production for the very young (children ages 0 -4), for two performances on Sunday, April 23, 2017.

   BlackRock’s commitment to presenting contemporary circus continues in the 2016-17 season, with the return of “Audience Favorite” A Simple Space, created and performed by the electrifying Australian acrobatic ensemble Gravity & Other Myths’. In A Simple Space seven acrobats push their physical limits without reserve in a performance that’s simultaneously raw, frantic and delicate. The performance is supported by live percussion. A Simple Space will be performing at BlackRock on Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29 at 8:00 pm.

   Additional contemporary circus performances in the 2016-17 season include Bromance, the debut show from Britain’s hottest young acrobats, Barely Methodical Troupe, on Saturday, March 4 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, March 5 at 3:00 pm and Water on Mars, a freshly-conceived juggling performance that highlights the form’s natural drama, humor, and airborne geometry. Water on Mars will be performing on Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 3:00 pm. BlackRock will also offer workshops in various circus arts with these visiting ensembles.  For more information visit www.blackrockcenter.org.

   BlackRock Center for the Arts is thrilled to continue its On Screen/In Person documentary film series for the fourth consecutive year. A program of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, On Screen/In Person is designed to bring some of the best new independent American films and their respective filmmakers to communities across the mid-Atlantic region.

   The 2016-17 selected films include: SWEET DREAMS with co-directors Lisa Fruchtman and Rob Fruchtman; YOU BELONG TO ME, Sex, Race and Murder in the South with producer Jude Hagin; Love Thy Nature with director Sylvie Rokab; Hilleman - A Perilous Quest to Save the World's Children with director Donald Rayne Mitchell; Real Boy with director Shaleece Haas; States of Grace with co-directors Helen Cohen and Mark Lipman.

   The filmmakers will be present at screenings and work with BlackRock Center for the Arts to engage local community members to build greater appreciation for their works and the art of film. Tickets to each of these films are $6 and are on sale now to the general public. On Screen/In Person is made possible through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Regional Touring Program.

   Tickets for BlackRock’s 2016-17 Performance Season are currently on sale. BlackRock Membership starts at $65 and the perks of Membership include discounts on single tickets. Tickets can be purchased in person, over the phone by calling 301-528-2260, or online at blackrockcenter.org. Discounts are available for seniors aged 62 and above, patrons under the age of 25, Military/DOD personnel, Montgomery County Government and Montgomery County Public Schools employees.

Captions:

Top: Nathan Williams and Zydeco Cha-Chas from Louisiana on Friday, September 23, at 8:00 pm

Next: Sunday, September 25 Pinkalicious the Music will come to BlackRock.

Next: Gravity & Other Myths, the contemporary Australian circus will perform their new show, A Simple Space for three show on the weekend of October 28.

Next: Grammy Award-winning singer Kathy Mattea comes to Germantown to perform at the BlackRock Center for the Arts on November 12.

Next: Following a sold-out performance in 2015, Lúnasa returns for another St. Patrick’s Day show March 17, 2017at  8:00 pm.

Next: Joan Osborne, a multi-platinum selling recording artist and seven-time Grammy Award nominee, will close out the BlackRock Performance Season on May 20.

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THE 2016-17 PERFORMANCE AND ON SCREEN/IN PERSON SEASON LINE-UP:

Sweet Dreams

Film

Sunday, September 18, 2016 | 4:00 pm

   The members of Rwanda's first and only all women's drum troupe, Ingoma Nshya—made up of women from both sides of the 1994 Rwandan genocide—decide to partner with two young American entrepreneurs to open Rwanda's first ever ice cream shop.

   On Screen/In Person is a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation made possible through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Nathan Williams and Zydeco Cha-Chas

Friday, September 23, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas have been performing uplifting exhilarating Creole music for over 30 years. Founded in 1985, the group has been a tireless ambassador of Zydeco. Bringing their unique take on Zydeco music to all corners of the globe, making them one of the most influential Zydeco bands of all time.

National String Symphonia: Vaughan Williams – Five Variants

Chamber, Classical

Saturday, September 24, 2016 | 7:00pm | Mainstage

   The National String Symphonia presents symphonic string orchestra music in innovative and intimate concerts. Its programs entertain, enlighten, and excite audiences of all ages and stages. Their opening performance will feature three influential composers’ interpretations of Theme and Variations, one of the cornerstones of string orchestra music. Featured on Sting’s 2006 album “Songs from the Labyrinth,” “Flow My Tears” is the inspiration for John Dowland’s “Lachrimae”, one of the earliest string ensemble works in existence. Ralph Vaughan Williams’s “Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus” was based on a song written around the same time period. Works by Janacek, Dvorak, and Suk will complete the program.

Pinkalicious

Family, Theater

Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 | 1:30 pm | Mainstage | Pinkalicious Cupcake Tea Party

Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 | 2:30 pm | Mainstage

Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 | 4:30 pm | Mainstage | Post-show meet-and-greet

   From the creators of Fancy Nancy the Musical!  -- Pinkalicious can't stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents, and eventually develops Pinkititis—an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe! When her hue goes too far, Pinkalicious must find a way out of this predicament.

District Comedy

Standup Comedy

Saturday, October 1, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Studio Theater

   Returning to BlackRock after three years of sell-out performances, District Comedy features some of the best local talent in DC’s burgeoning comedy scene. Expect the unexpected…and the hilarious.

Chelsey Green and the Green Project

Chamber, Jazz, Soul

Saturday, October 15, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   High-energy jazz, funk, and soul performance ensemble that fuses classical technique with modern styles and tears down all stereotypes of the violin and viola in the process.

Tom Rush

Blues, Folk

Saturday, October 22, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   With a distinctive guitar style, wry humor, and warm, expressive voice, Tom Rush is both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are a musical celebration filled with masterfully told stories, sweet ballads, and gritty blues.

YOU BELONG TO ME, Sex, Race and Murder in the South

Film

Sunday, October 23, 2016 | 4:00 pm

   Exploring a case that has haunted jurors and prosecutors for decades, this film unveils hidden practices, exposes the truth of what it meant to be an African-American in the Jim Crow South, and examines the long road to healing.

Gravity and Other Myths  -  A Simple Space

Contemporary Circus - Audience Choice!

Friday, October 28, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

Saturday, October 29, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

Sunday, October 30, 2016 | 3:00 pm | Mainstage | Family Show 

   The wildly popular, multi-award winning Australian acrobatics ensemble Gravity & Other Myths pushes their limits in a performance that is raw, frantic and delicate—and so intimate you can feel the heat, hear every breath and be immersed in every moment.

   This engagement of A Simple Space is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Edmar Castañeda

Classical, Columbian Harp, World Music

Saturday, November 5, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   Columbian Harpist Edmar Castañeda takes the stage with a force that rivals even the most celebrated flamenco guitarist. With his virtuosic command of the electric harp, Casteñada revolutionizes the way audiences and critics alike consider the instrument.

T   he performance of Edmar Castaneda Trio, presented in collaboration with the Weis Center for the Performing Arts at Bucknell University and Lake Placid Center for the Arts, is supported by Presenter Consortium for Jazz, a program of Chamber Music America funded through the generosity of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Kathy Mattea

Country

Saturday, November 12, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   This Grammy Award-winning singer draws inspiration from her Appalachian roots, weaving bluegrass, gospel, and Celtic influences through her music. Her albums have garnered multiple CMA, ACM, and Grammy Awards. Her concerts contain new material alongside Top 20 radio hits.

Coreyah

Korean Folk, World Music

Sunday, November 13, 2016 | 5:00 pm | Mainstage

   This sextet’s unique, indie-rock vision of Korean traditional music charts an adventurous course where Pansori (a traditional Korean style of narrative song) and Sinawi (a Korean Traditional Improvisation Ensemble) meet folk and funk in a mesmerizing combination.

Ivy League of Comedy: Stand Up

Stand-up Comedy

Friday, November 18, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Studio Theater

    Get your laugh on with original, clean, well-written comedy, delivered by stand-up comedy’s funniest and brightest—all of whom happen to be graduates of Ivy League universities. The Ivy League of Comedy is the premier group of stand-up comedians touring America. This comedy show honors audiences with original, well-written comedy that doesn’t resort to playing on stereotypes or picking on the audience. Featuring Wali Collins, Shaun Eli, and Frank Vignola.

Love Thy Nature

Film

Sunday, November 20, 2016 | 4:00 pm

   A cinematic journey that interweaves mesmerizing imagery and interview footage reveals how a connection with nature ignites a sense of meaning and wonder so profound that it touches the very core of what it means to be human.

Cathie Ryan

Celtic, Holiday

Thursday, December 1, 2016 | 7:30 pm | Studio Theater

   The original lead singer for Cherish the Ladies, Cathie Ryan has a voice of luminous clarity and a gift for unearthing gems from Irish and American song traditions, creating heart-stirring originals, and showcasing writers whose work deserves wider recognition.

Bumper Jacksons

Roots, Jazz, Country Swing, Street Blues

Friday, December 2, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   Folding sounds of jazz, early blues, old-time music, and country swing into an exhilarating repertoire of modern American roots music, this award-winning DC-based band has brought a hard-driving party energy to countless dance floors.

   This engagement of Bumper Jacksons is funded in part through the Maryland State Arts Council and through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Jewmongous

Stand-Up Comedy, Musical

Saturday, December 3, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Studio Theater

   This comedy concert is part of a new breed of Jewish hipster comedy. Created and performed by Sean Altman, founder of famed a cappella group Rockapella, Jewmongous has drawn press accolades and sold-out audiences in 25 major US cities since its inception in 2006.

The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s Ultimate Christmas Show

Comedy, Holiday, Theater

Saturday, December 17, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

Sunday, December 18, 2016 | 4:00 pm | Mainstage

   Get ready as these fruitcakes take you on an irreverent yet heartwarming trip through the holidays. It’s festive funny physical family fun as these Three Wise Guys send-up and celebrate your favorite winter holiday traditions.

The HillBenders present The Who's TOMMY: A Bluegrass Opry

Bluegrass

Saturday, February 4, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   Forty-Five years after its original release, Pete Townshend’s The Who’s Tommy has been realized as a full-length bluegrass tribute performed by Springfield, Missouri’s The HillBenders. This Bluegrass Opry brings a new perspective to Tommy while paying total respect to its creators.

Comedy: Battle of the Sexes

Standup Comedy

Friday, February 10, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Studio Theater

   Two male comics, two female comics—one each married and single—talk about relationships and other wonders. Pre-celebrate Valentine’s Day with tales of love, not-love, bad dinners, good dates, broken cars, and unbroken dreams, brought to you by Ivy League Comedy.

Cyrille Amiée

Jazz, Swing

Saturday, February 11, 2017 | 8:00pm | Mainstage

   Billed by The Wall Street Journal as—“one of the most promising jazz singers of her generation” Cyrille Aimée’s unique musical vision and hybrid of influences, including hot jazz and Django Reinhardt, has resulted in a sound that's destined to enthrall audiences for decades to come.

   This engagement of Cyrille Aimee is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, a Dance Company: Walking Out the Dark

African Dance, Contemporary Dance

Sunday, February 19, 2017 | 4:00 pm | Mainstage

   Founded by Ronald K. Brown, Brooklyn-based EVIDENCE, A Dance Company, focuses on the seamless integration of traditional African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word, and acquaints audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms while reinforcing the importance of community. Inspired by Brown’s first trip to Cuba, Walking Out the Dark is a seminal quartet, a danced conversation between mother, daughter, sister, father, lover, friend performed to the music of Sweet Honey in the Rock and Francisco Mora, and Upside Down, set to the music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

   This engagement of Evidence: A Dance Company is made possible through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Hilleman - A Perilous Quest to Save the World's Children

Film

Sunday, February 19, 2017 | 4:00 pm

   Dr. Maurice Hilleman led a revolution in vaccine innovation but was forced to retire at the height of his productivity in 1985. He watched as one company after another began to abandon vaccine research and parents chose not to vaccinate their children.

   On Screen/In Person is a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation made possible through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

April Verch

Folk, Roots, Bluegrass

Thursday, February 23, 2017 | 7:30 pm | Studio Theater

   April Verch steps, sings, and fiddles with a fresh and feisty approach to deep North American traditions. The musical stylings of this world-class trio feature acoustic guitar, mandolin, bass, and clawhammer banjo in unison with Verch’s delicate vocals, fiddle, and foot percussion.

The Suffers

Jazz, R&B, Rock, Soul

Saturday, February 24, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   Mixing classic American soul with rock and roll, this electric 10-piece band from Houston redefines the sound of Gulf Coast soul and packs each position of the rhythm section and horn section with a level of talent and taste that provides the perfect foundation for singer Kam Franklin’s massive voice.

   This engagement of The Suffers is funded through the Jazz Touring Network program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Eric Bibb

Blues

Saturday, February 25, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   A progressive preservationist and a fiery singer with true soul, gospel, and folk roots. Eric Bibb’s career has spanned five decades, 36 albums, countless radio shows and non-stop touring. A BlackRock audience favorite, he’s one of the leading bluesmen of his generation.

Barely Methodical Troupe

Bromance

Contemporary Circus

Saturday, March 4, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

Sunday, March 5, 2017 | 3:00 pm | Mainstage

   From Britain’s hottest young acrobats, this tour-de-force of cutting edge physical heroics wittily explores friendship and its limits through humor, exceptional parkour skills, B-boying, tricking, hand-to-hand acrobatics, Cyr wheel, and more.

   This engagement of Bromance is made possible through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

ETHEL

Classical,Contemporary Chamber

Saturday, March 11, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Studio Theater

   For 20+ years this acclaimed contemporary music quartet has conceived, commissioned, produced, and performed rich multimedia concerts. In this performance celebrating women composers, they’ll pay homage to masterful women who are making their musical mark on the 21st century—Anna Clyne, Missy Mazzoli, and Pulitzer Prize-winner Julia Wolfe.

   This engagement of ETHEL is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Lúnasa

Celtic, World

Friday, March 17, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Studio Theater

   Following a sold-out performance in 2015, Lúnasa returns for another St. Patrick’s Day show. Their inventive arrangements and bass-driven grooves, along with their blend of intelligence, innovation, virtuosity, and passion has brought them to the forefront of Celtic music.

Companhia Urbana de Dança

Dance, Hip Hop

Saturday, March 18, 2017 | 2:00 pm | Studio Theater

Saturday, March 18, 2017 | 7:30 pm | Studio Theater

   An infusion of contemporary Brazilian dance and hip-hop brings fresh rigor to the forms—meditative one moment and explosive the next. This now world reknown ensemble of street performers fosters the human experience by revealing the true heart of hip-hop.

National String Symphonia: Compos(h)ers

Chamber, Classical

Sunday, March 19, 2017 | 5:00 pm | Mainstage

   The National String Symphonia presents symphonic string orchestra music in innovative and intimate concerts. Its programs entertain, enlighten, and excite audiences of all ages and stages.  This concert celebrateswomen composers in honor of Women’s History Month.

The Brad and Ken Kolodner Quartet

Folk, Americana

Saturday, March 25, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   The dynamic, Baltimore-based, father-son duo weave together a captivating soundscape on hammered dulcimer, banjo, and fiddles, pushing the boundaries of the traditional—and original—fiddle tunes into uncharted territory. Their creative bond and danceable groove is unmistakable.

   This performance of the Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet is supported in part by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council.

Real Boy

Film

Sunday, March 26, 2017 | 4:00 pm

   The coming-of-age story of Bennett Wallace, a transgender teenager on a journey to find his voice. As tension mounts at home, Bennett is taken in by his idol, Joe Stevens, lead singer of Coyote Grace.

   On Screen/In Person is a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation made possible through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Thomas Pandolfi: Lattes and Liszt

Chamber, Classical

Wednesday, March 29, 2017 | 11:00 am

   With each passing season, the utterly engaging young American pianist Thomas Pandolfi becomes more and more sought after by audiences worldwide for his passionate artistry and amazing technique.

Water on Mars

Juggling, Family

Saturday, April 1, 2016 | 3:00 pm | Mainstage

Sunday, April 2, 2016 | 3:00 pm | Mainstage

   Juggling at its purest, with a breakdancing, pop-art twist: throwing rings, landing backflips, twisting feet, water flying, 21 balls juggled as 15 clubs spin around the three jugglers’ bodies to the tune of an electronic beat.

Catch Me: A Magical Duel

Comedy, Magic

Saturday, April 1, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   DC isn’t big enough for magicians Brian Curry and Mark Phillips. In this interactive show, the audience will select various styles of magic the two must perform and, in the end, the audience will cast votes for their favorite magician and award the coveted Golden Wand.

States of Grace

Film

Saturday, April 8, 2017 | 4:00 pm

   States of Grace intimately captures the transformation of a revered physician, pioneering AIDS specialist Dr. Grace Dammann, and her family in the wake of a life-changing accident.

Raghu Dixit

World

Saturday, April 8, 2016 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   Strongly rooted in Indian traditions and culture, Raghu Dixit’s unique blend of infectious, happy music transcends age, genre, and even language. He is the unquestionable number one live indie act in India.

Thomas Pandolfi: Coffee and Chopin

Chamber, Classical

Wednesday, April 19, 2017 | 11:00am

   With each passing season, the utterly engaging young American pianist Thomas Pandolfi becomes more and more sought after by audiences worldwide for his passionate artistry and amazing technique.

The Seldom Scene

Bluegrass

Saturday, April 22, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   Over 40 years since they played together at jam sessions in a Bethesda basement, The Seldom Scene have become one of the greatest contributors to the progression of bluegrass. Their performances include bluegrass versions of country music, rock, and even classical pop.

TreeHouse Shakers’ Hatched

Family, Theater, Puppetry

Sunday, April 23, 2017 | 2:30 pm | Sensory Friendly Performance | Studio Theater

Sunday, April 23, 2017 | 4:30 pm | Studio Theater

   An engaging production of theater for very young children (ages 0 -4). Audience members learn interactively what it’s like on the family farm through movement, music, handcrafted puppets, and little dialogue. A beautiful introduction to theater, Hatched will charm and engage babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers.

Thomas Pandolfi

Chamber, Classical

Sunday, April 30, 2017 | 4:00 pm

   With each passing season, the utterly engaging young American pianist Thomas Pandolfi becomes more and more sought after by audiences worldwide for his passionate artistry and amazing technique.

Le Vent du Nord

Québecois, World Music

Friday, May 12, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   Considered a leading force in Québec’s progressive folk movement, Le Vent du Nord captures the energy and mirth of a Saturday night kitchen party—infusing old Québecqois with a breath of fresh, cosmopolitan air.

National String Symphonia: Three Suites

Chamber, Classical

Sunday, March 19, 2017 | 5:00 pm | Mainstage

   The National String Symphonia presents symphonic string orchestra music in innovative and intimate concerts. Its programs entertain, enlighten, and excite audiences of all ages and stages.

Joan Osborne

Pop/Rock

Saturday, May 20, 2017 | 8:00 pm | Mainstage

   Joan Osborne is a multi-platinum selling recording artist and seven-time Grammy Award nominee, widely known for her beloved hit song “(What If God Was) One of Us.” Joan Osborne has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the great voices of her generation.