Patti LaBelle at The Grand
The Grand 1894 Opera House presents the longawaited Galveston debut of “An Evening with Patti LaBelle,” one performance only, at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2. The Grand is located at 2020 Postoffice St. in Galveston.
The Grammy Awardwinning vocalist is regarded as the “Godmother of Soul,” the “High Priestess of Good Vibrations” and the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Soul.”
In a career spanning more than 50 years, she’s made her mark with classic girl groups — pop (The Bluebelles) — funk and disco (LaBelle) and the lush ballads, rock and soul of her solo output.
Of special note: The group LaBelle was the first African-American act ever to appear at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House and the first black vocal group pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
LaBelle’s chart-topping songs include “Lady Marmalade,” “When You Talk About Love,” “New Attitude,” “On My Own” (sung with Michael MacDonald), “If Only You Knew,” and “Come What May.”
She has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Apollo Hall of Fame and the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. In 2005, the World Music Awards presented her with the coveted Legend Award. Rolling Stone includes her in its 100 Greatest Singers List.
In addition to her recent turn as a contestant on “Dancing With The Stars,” she co-starred in the Broadway revival of “Your Arms Are Too Short To Box With God.”
She has written her autobiography, “Don’t Block the Blessings: Revelations of a Lifetime,” as well as two cookbooks “Recipes for the Good Life” and “Patti LaBelle’s Lite Cuisine.” She also sells a line of sauces and seasonings named after her bestknown hit “Lady Marmalade.”
Tickets may be purchased at The Grand’s Box Office, 2020 Postoffice St., by calling 409-765-1894, 800-821-1894, or visiting online at www.thegrand. com. Dickinson
Berkley Rose Pearl will lead a big cast of singers on stage July 10 when “Little Mary Sunshine” opens at the Bay Area Harbour Playhouse, 3803 Texas 6 in Dickinson.
The loving lampoon runs through Aug. 2 at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays.
Pearl, a junior at Clear Lake High School, has been in more than 23 plays and musicals.
With its deliberately corny songs and naïve situations, the musical by Rick Besoyan pokes fun at all the clichés of the innocent musicals our grandparents enjoyed but it is done freshly and with flair; and quickly wins audiences with its brilliant fooling.
There are 24 songs, including thundering choruses, schmaltzy waltzes, and lifting duets. Music director David Jarkey and artistic director Bennie Nipper have combined their talents and experience to produce this award-winning musical.
Pearl will play the lovely Mary in the operetta, one of the most successful OffBroadway stage shows that gently spoofs old-time favorites like “Rose Marie” and “Naughty Marietta” Her romantic interest, stalwart Capt. Jim Warrington of the Forest Rangers, will be Michael Waid, a newcomer in his first musical.
The plot has a little of everything: Colorado Rangers (C.T. Gomez, Sam Hill, A.J. Johnson); mischievous Indians (Bill Jones, LaVerne Lenzo, Savannah Pearl); a retired German opera singer (Coleen Reyes); and a chorus of simpering school girls (Nyah Taylor, Nancy O’Gea, Molly Akin, Christiana Lee, Hailey Echols, Abby Alvrado-Cruz and Rachel Moe).
Tickets start at $12 and the parking is free. For more information call 281337-7469 or visit www.harbortheater.com. Galveston
Book your passage now for Galveston Historical Foundation’s newest event, the Galveston Heritage Festival. It will take place from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Aug. 15 at Kempner Park at 27th Street and Avenue O.
Enjoy music, food and entertainment from numerous cultural groups and organizations from throughout Texas while learning more about the early days of immigration through the Port of Galveston.
“GHF will celebrate the island’s rich heritage by recognizing the people and cultures that came to Galveston in the 19th and 20th centuries,” Dwayne Jones, GHF executive director, said in a press release.
“This inaugural event kicks off a concerted effort by GHF to capture individual and family stories for almost 200 years. We see this as the first of many annual events to recognize local cultural entities and welcome back families from across the state and the West with ties to Galveston Island.”
The event will be set in historic Kempner Park and the c.1880 Garten Verein pavilion, and feature a craft beer garden, live entertainment on outdoor stages as well as lectures and hands-on workshops.
Descendants of immigrants who came through the Port of Galveston from the early 1800s to the mid20th century will be at the park, sharing their cultural heritage through vendor tents, exhibits and more.
Also making its debut this year is a pop-up exhibit with contributions from
the public. The Galveston Heritage Festival is seeking 50 objects that represent what Galveston’s immigration history means to you.
Have something that belongs in a museum? Does your family history include a unique artifact that you want to put on display? It could be one of 50 items that will be selected from the public for this temporary exhibit set up at the Garten Verein. Submit images and a description of your artifact online, at www.galvestonhistory.org, for consideration.
Submissions will be accepted through July 31 and, if your artifact is selected, complimentary admission to the festival for two will be included as the festival’s way of saying thanks.
Known as the “Ellis Island of the West,” Galveston’s port was a primary point of entry for thousands of immigrants settling across Texas and the western United States.
Tickets are available at www.galvestonhistory.org and are $10 for adults, $8 for GHF members, $5 for youth 6-12 year’s old and free for children 5 and under. For more information, contact Will Wright, director of marketing and special events, at 409-7653404, or via email at will. wright@galvestonhistory.org. Kemah
Rock on, summer! Relive the glory days at Tribute Band Tuesdays, a free summer concert series at the Kemah Boardwalk, 215 Kipp Ave. The concerts will take place from 7-10 p.m.
Come dance the night away to some oldies but goodies as some of Houston’s best tribute bands take the stage.
Here’s the concert lineup:
July 14: Johnny Cash/ Neil Diamond
July 21: TNT & KISSIT – AC/DC & KISS Tribute
July 28: Black Dog – Led Zeppelin Tribute
Aug. 4: Escape – Journey Tribute
Aug. 11: Subdivided / VHT – Rush & Van Halen Tribute Dickinson
The Fine Arts Academy of the Bay Area Harbour Playhouse is accepting registration for summer drama camp for youth ages 6-21.
Camp is set for July 13Aug. 7 at the theater at 3803 Texas 3 in Dickinson.
Camp sessions are 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Students are to bring a sack lunch and a drink. The cost of $250 is paid at registration.
Two experienced thespians will be teaching the classes: Amber Fabian, a Friendswood resident and locally known actress and director; and Nyah Taylor, a high school student with stage experience and technical knowledge.
They will teach stage presence, voice control, body control and character development, plus costuming, makeup, sound and lighting techniques, staging and set construction.
The first two weeks are intense rehearsals and instruction. The second two weeks focus on stage productions which will be open to the public. Finale shows will be 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Tickets cost $3 for children and $5 for adults. For more information, call 281337-7469 or visit www.harbourtheater.com. Galveston
Moody Gardens offers one of Galveston’s most popular summertime attractions – Palm Beach.
The beach is open daily through Aug. 23, inviting guests to sink their toes in white sand, lounge beneath a palm tree and splash among a variety of beach attractions. Visitors can enjoy concerts and fireworks.
The beach features an interactive 650-foot lazy river, wave pool and two 18foot tower slides. Families can also enjoy a game of beach volleyball on regulation courts or cool off at the Aquarium Adventure play area.
The Splashpad automated aquatic water feature offers interactive dump buckets, spray arches and fountains for a day of fun at the beach. Palm Beach admission is $23.95 for adults, $17.95 for children and seniors, or $55 for a season pass.
Admission to each concert is just $12 for all ages and the shows will be held from 6 until 10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday through Aug. 8. For more information, call 409-6834249. Galveston
The sixth annual Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival will take place over the Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6 at Moody Gardens Convention Center, 1 Hope Blvd. in Galveston.
The event will feature “brewlicious brews” and food pairings. Guests will also get to meet the brewmasters, and hear live music. Party buses will be available to take guest on a Pub Crawl.
To check out the full event lineup, visit www. brewmastersbeerfest.com. To purchase tickets, visit www.brewmastersbeerfest.com/ ticket.shtml. Galveston
The Galveston Arts Center will present “Connections” July 12-Aug. 16, featuring a roster of 12 printmakers from the Houston area and 12 printmakers from the Edmonton, Alberta area in Canada. The goal of the exhibition, curated by Clint Willour, is to create dialogue and provide inspiration through the art of printmaking.
The event will be at Galveston Arts Center, at the corner of Market and 25th streets in Galveston. The gallery is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and from noon5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free.
Approximately 1,900 miles apart, PrintMatters in Houston and the Society of Northern Alberta Printmakers in Edmonton have joined hands during the annual PrintHouston Festival this summer to put on the event.
The international exhibition of 24 printmaker artists showcases a variety of print disciplines. All pieces in the exhibition are 15x20 inches on paper, yet each artwork is made by a different artist and is uniquely its own.
The Opening Reception for “Connections” will be 6-9 p.m. during Galveston Art Walk on Saturday, July 11.
Members from PrintMatters Houston will give a public gallery talk starting at 6:30 p.m. on opening night. A video presentation from SNAP will also be on view, introducing the representative artists from Alberta.