John Paul News

As the stages are broken down and the gear is packed up, fans from across the country and the world are coming down from their annual MerleFest excitement. The centerpiece of MerleFest 2023—which took place this past weekend, April 27-30, in Wilkesboro, North Carolina—was the all-encompassing celebration of what would have been MerleFest founder Doc Watson's 100th birthday.

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs is presenting the 17th annual All Kids Included (AKI) Family Arts Festival, a free community arts event for children and families of all abilities on Saturday, May 6.

This family outing in NYC is musically sound and historically accurate at any time of day or night.

The US Air Force Band of Mid-America (USAFBoMA) will present a series of Memorial Day concerts.

 For the second year in a row, Switchyard Theatre Company is bringing a Shakespeare-in-the Park themed renaissance experience to the Triangle. Expanding to Raleigh and Durham, STC's production of The Tempest promises to provide a faithful retelling of Shakespeare's classic comedy while keeping the family-friendly format that proved successful last year.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) welcomes journalism icons Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the Washington Post journalists who uncovered the real story behind the Watergate break-in and spurred Nixon's resignation.

With the new album, Diawara continues to reinvent traditional African music, combining her Mandinka roots with afrobeat, jazz, pop, electronic and hip hop influences. That synthesis is reflected even in the album’s title, combining the names of the Western metropolis of London with that of the Malian capital of Bamako.

Chris Stapleton is adding a show at UBS Arena at Belmont Park to his “All-American Road Show.” The 8x Grammy, 15x CMA and 10x ACM Award-winner and one of the country’s most respected and beloved musicians will perform live at UBS Arena, located 30 minutes from Penn Station or Grand Central via LIRR, on Saturday, October 7, 2023.

Labyrinth Arts and Performance announces the World Premier of JOHN AND PAUL: GET RICH QUICKER as part of the line up for its Labyrinth Arts and Performance Collective Showcase this spring. Featuring new and returning performers, this showcase will offer presentation-packed two weekends at the Pride Arts space.

Renowned bass-baritone, educator and humanitarian activist Simon Estes received the San Francisco Opera Medal at the Company’s Medallion Society luncheon in the ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton on Wednesday, March 8.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has commissioned two musicals and one play as part of the launch of its official Commissioning Program.

The awaited second installment arrives via Magnetic Moon Records, preceded by a trio of singles and supplemented with two striking covers along the way. Americana Highways exclusively premieres the fresh track 'Believer.' Both EPs are produced by former Cage the Elephant guitarist Lincoln Parish.

The University of Virginia President’s Speaker Series for the Arts will present award-winning writer, actor, producer, and noted UVA alumna Tina Fey on April 23 at 3 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.

Alberta Cross released a cover of Sharon Van Etten’s “Every Time The Sun Comes Up.” Sinking Ships was written mostly at the The Wool Hall in Frome Somerset with Petter’s long term producer and collaborator, Luke Potashnick - Luke recently renovated The Wool Hall (legendary in part due to Van Morrisson and Tears for Fears recording albums there).

The Acting Company has announced casting for their reading of Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For, produced, by special arrangement with Steven Tabakin/Swee Pea LLC, as part of The Acting Company's annual Louanna O. Carlin & John MacDonald Reading Series. 

Tennessee Shakespeare Company will host its indoor/outdoor Jack Jones Children’s Literacy Gala on Saturday, April 22 at 6:00 pm honoring longtime Hutchison School educator Christina Wellford-Scott with its inaugural Teacher of the Year Award and featuring select performances from her favorite classical works on stage.

David Foster will return to Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas for a two-night engagement of An Intimate Evening with David Foster: HITMAN Tour. The legendary musician, producer, and songwriter will once again be joined by special guest Katharine McPhee plus an arrange of world class vocalists, including Pia Toscano and Daniel Emmet, among others.

The Warner Theatre has announced an exciting new partnership with the St. John Paul the Great Academy Drama Club and The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory. The Drama Club will coordinate a full production of MOANA JR., with audition dates to be announced, and a performance in the Nancy Marine Studio Theatre in June.  

Billy Strings will extend his 2023 headline tour through this summer including newly confirmed shows at Norfolk’s Chartway Arena, Boston’s Leader Bank Pavilion (two nights), Portland, ME’s Thompson’s Point (two nights), Knoxville’s Knoxville Civic Coliseum and Huntsville’s Orion Amphitheater (two nights) among others.

Apple Music Sessions feature some of the world's most prolific artists and emerging artists, all in Spatial Audio. Recorded out of Apple Music's studios around the world, Apple Music Sessions gives artists the opportunity to reimagine and recreate hits from their catalog, and creative covers of beloved classics.