HarryChapin.com

Mike Schuppe wrote in to announce that Cotton Patch Gospel, featuring music by Harry Chapin, will be playing at the Provision Theater Company in Chicago.  Details from Mike follow:

PROVISION THEATER COMPANY ANNOUNCES RETURN OF THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION

COTTON PATCH GOSPEL

Season kicks off with bigger and bolder version of Provision’s Jeff nominated 2004 production

Chicago, IL- Provision Theater Company will open their 2009-10 season with a bigger and bolder version of their 2004 hit production of Harry Chapin’s COTTON PATCH GOSPEL.  The season will be the first produced in their brand new home, located at 1001 W. Roosevelt Road in Chicago.  To celebrate the space, the theater company will host a gala reception, highlighted with a champagne toast, on Saturday, September 12; a date that also marks the official opening of the production which previews September 10 and runs through November 8.  Lou Contey will direct the production.

In March 2004, Provision Theater Company produced a Jeff nominated, critically acclaimed production of Harry Chapin’s off-Broadway smash hit COTTON PATCH GOSPEL.  The production played to packed houses and unanimous critical praise from the Chicagoland media.  The production features the reverential retelling of the Gospels of Matthew and John in a contemporary southern setting, set to bluegrass music.  The award winning musical is based on the book “The Cotton Patch Gospels of Matthew and John” by Clarence Jordan, a Bible scholar and Civil Rights activist.  Tom Key and Russel Trevz adapted Jordan’s writings and worked with the late Harry Chapin to create this musical stage version.

Critics have raved that the show is “Tuneful, zesty and good-hearted!,” (Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune), “…this clever reworking offers a simple interpretation of familiar Bible stories and does so with a heartfelt passion laced with humor and enhanced by some darn good music!” (Mary Houlihan, Chicago Sun-Times), “Provision’s breezy, bright inaugural production offers a welcome alternative to Mel Gibson’s controversial film!” (Jen Goddu, The Chicago Reader).

Provision Theater Company is devoted to producing works of hope, reconciliation and redemption; works that challenge us to explore a life of meaning and purpose.  In addition to the 2004 hit COTTON PATCH GOSPEL, Provision Theater Company has celebrated two more Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for their critically-acclaimed production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL.  Other highly praised and Joseph Jefferson nominated productions include: C.S. LEWIS ON STAGE, SMOKE ON THE MOUNTAIN, A CHRISTMAS MEMORY & THE THANKSGIVING VISITOR, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, THE SPITFIRE GRILL, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN and BEAST ON THE MOON.

The performance schedule is as follows:  Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. ($28) and Sundays at 3 p.m. ($25).  Select Wednesday and Thursday preview performances will be held at 8 p.m. ($22).  Ticket prices include free parking.  Groups of 10 or more are 10% off.  For reservations, phone 866.811.4111. You may also visit www.provisiontheater.org.

Ishi wrote to share the following:

I have an unusual story to share with Harry Chapin fans although there is nothing unusual about how Harry has affected my life - with brilliant lyrics, brilliant music and when you combine this kind of genius with a social conscience that causes one to work harder to fight world hunger than anyone else that I know of in the music business, then you are speaking of a role model in a truly rare sense of the word.

I did not get to see Harry in concert.  I was 10 when he died and probably only knew one song by him at the time.  My parents saw him in concert.  One summer early in this decade I bought the recently released “Harry Chapin Live At the Bottom Line” cd for my father for his birthday.  As I listened to it for the first time, I was already at an emotional lift when I heard Harry explain to this small NYC crowd “…Tonight we’re celebrating 2,000 concerts.  I formed this band with Big John on June 22, 1971 and we played our first concert here in the village on June 29, 1971.”  This is the very day that I was born.

I knew that this revalation should require some sort of action on my part and what I worked out in my mind was that every year on the anniversary of this day/my birthday I would do a full Harry Chapin tribute anywhere that I could.  For the first year it was just myself and my brother on guitars playing an hour set in a local bar.  Three years ago I was able to hire a ‘cellist and write down ‘cello parts to accompany me and got my band, Hall of Mirrors, to play on four songs.  Two years ago we made it a full band event, renaming ourselves “Potent Voices” just for when we do the Chapin triute and played at the Burlington County Ampitheatre in New Jersey.

This year, Potent Voices will  perform at St. Andrew’s Church parish house on Sunday, June 28, 2009.  (Typical to alter the date to accomodate the weekend.)  We will have the whole band, plus a professional ‘cello player and my brother, Tom Espenshade there to play.  It is at 7:00 pm sharp.  The address is 121 High St. Mt. Holly, NJ 08060.  There is no admission charge, but we will be asking for donations and once I pay the ‘cellist and the church, the rest of the money will be donated to World Hunger Year, founded by Harry Chapin.

Barbara Vosburgh wrote in to share details of an upcoming tribute concert:

Liberty Community Services, one of New Haven’s oldest and most successful providers of housing and services to individuals affected by homelessness, is hosting New Haven’s Tribute to Harry Chapin, a May 9 concert for adults and families at the Shubert Theater featuring Harry Chapin’s brother Steve Chapin, members of the original Harry Chapin Band, and the acclaimed L.U.N.C.H. Ensemble.

“We are absolutely thrilled by the support of the Chapin family and L.U.N.C.H. for Liberty’s work to alleviate the suffering caused by homelessness in our own community,” says John Bradley, Liberty’s Executive Director. “Last years concert was a tremendous success with over 600 individuals joining in the fun.”

Founded in 1987 as CARP (Connecticut AIDS Residence Program), Liberty opened the first supportive housing programs in the state for individuals with AIDS and later established an outreach department that manages over 2,500 calls annually for information and referral. Three years ago, Liberty created Liberty Safe Haven, Connecticut’s first large-scale program providing a permanent residence for chronically homeless adults, which has successfully helped individuals transition off the streets and into a home, while conserving valuable community resources.

New Haven’s Tribute to Harry Chapin will continue the music and inspiration of Harry Chapin, co-founder of World Hunger Year and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, by engaging the power of popular music for positive social action.

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