TM/© 2011 Sesame Workshop. All Rights Reserved.
Photograph courtesy of VEE Corporation.

The perennial favorite Sesame Street Live once again returns to Johnstown—this time with “Elmo Makes Music”. As a special thank you to our readers, we’re providing you with a code to receive a $3 discount on your tickets. We’re also giving away four free tickets to one lucky winner (details on both appear later in this post).

Three shows are scheduled for Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, PA. Showtimes are at 10:30am, 3:30pm, and 7pm.

Sesame Street Live is great fun for the whole family. Here’s what the producers have to say about the upcoming shows:

Sesame Street Live is a larger-than-life, musical touring stage production featuring Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie and more. Each performance is 90 minutes of singing, dancing and audience participation, including a 15-minute intermission. The perfect length for very young children! Don’t miss this opportunity to count along with The Count, visit Elmo’s World and do the Crumb-A-Rumba with Rosita and Cookie Monster at Sesame Street Live “Elmo Makes Music”.

Tickets may be purchased at the Cambria County War Memorial box office and at all Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 800-745-3000. There are numerous levels of tickets to fit every budget: $12, $16, $20, $25 (Gold Circle) & $50 (Sunny Seats). Group discounts are available by calling the War Memorial at 814-536-5156. The Sunny Seats Package includes a VIP Seat and a pre-show Meet & Greet photo opportunity with two Sesame Street Live friends. Additional fees/surcharges may apply for all ticket purchases.

As a courtesy to our readers, you can get $3 off each ticket by using the passcode ERNIE at ticketmaster.com. Discount excludes Gold Circle & Sunny Seats. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Discount cannot be combined with any other offer.

Comment on this post to win four complimentary ticket vouchers. Vouchers are exchangeable for tickets while supplies last. One entry per person, please! Entries must be made by 11:59pm EST, Thursday, August 11. One winner will be drawn at random on Friday, August 12 at 9am EST and will be announced in the comments section. Please return to this post to claim your prize.

Photography courtesy of Caterpillar

What began as a bonding exercise for four band mates, quickly turned into an inspirational stay in Johnstown, PA. This visit unpredictably led to the birth of the latest Caterpillar album, “Johnstown”. Now, residents of the city that kindled the concept record will be able to see the composition performed live during the kick-off of the 2011 Concert Series at the Roxbury Bandshell. The band initiates an afternoon of festivities, beginning at 1:00PM, Sunday, May 29^th, 2011.

“The five-song story takes us from when the city was originally founded, through the great flood of 1889 and then moving forward to now,” said Dennis Davis, one of the Indie Rock band’s two guitarists. “We wanted to convey the feeling of history within the city, and the determination of its people to first build—then re-build the town.” He said they would spend the day exploring and enjoying the city, and then let those feelings guide the songs they wrote at night. “It’s a pretty optimistic collection of songs.”

2011 is turning out to be a prolific year for Philadelphia-based band, with “Johnstown” being their second release since January. While they are working on a very tight production deadline, Mr. Davis is hopeful that they will have copies of the CD on hand for the local performance.

The Roxbury Bandshell will have a full slate of activities to launch the popular concert series, including performances by the Johnstown Community Chorus and Ole 97, as well as a Civil War reenactment.

Free concerts will be held every Sunday from Memorial Day weekend through September 11^th, 2011. For complete details, visit the official website of the Roxbury Bandshell.

For more information on Caterpillar, you can find them online at www.caterpillarlovesyou.com.

This year’s line-up features the Jimmy Adler Band, an outstanding guitar-centric blues band that hails from Pittsburgh, PA. The band is led by Jimmy Adler, whose career has included playing in The Billy Price Band and Jill West and the Blues Attack.

Also performing will be Johnstown’s own Flood City Brass, promising to serve up a performance of rock and rock and rhythm and blues that will set the tone for an entertaining night out.

“Everyone’s in town for Thanksgiving,” said Gary Matolyak, owner of Ace’s Lounge. “We host a party and everyone just has a good time.”

And it’s not just a good time, it’s for a good cause, too. “We use this to raise money for the Johnstown Free Medical Clinic,” said Mr. Matolyak, explaining that money raised through corporate sponsorship and from admission is donated to this all-volunteer organization that provides free medical services to the uninsured across the greater Johnstown region.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door and can be purchased at Ace’s Lounge. The cost of admission includes dinner from a menu that includes kielbasa, rigatoni and other fare.

Click here to learn more about the Johnstown Free Medical Clinic.

Featuring Dillweed’s Parlor Players performing selections from the works of Poe throughout the rooms of the bed and breakfast, the event is a perfect way to enjoy the eerie autumn season with class. Desserts and coffee are offered to start off the evening from 7:00 to 8:00PM, with performances running from 8:00 to 10:00PM.

“In addition to some of Poe’s most notable works, this year’s event will feature another classic horror story written by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” said Cindy Gilmore, Co-owner of the Dillweed Bed and Breakfast.

The Dillweed B&B, located in Dilltown, PA, just across from the beginning of the Ghost Town Trail, is a turn-of-the-century home built by the Dill family. The establishment features four guest rooms and also hosts private parties, teas, and meetings. The bed and breakfast also houses Dillweed’s Trailside Shop.

Admission is $16 per adult and seating is very limited, so be sure to make your reservations soon. You can do so by calling the Dillweed Bed and Breakfast at (814) 446-6465.

More information is available on the Dillweed Bed and Breakfast website’s Event Page.

Dillweed Bed & Breakfast is just ten miles from downtown Johnstown, located on Route 403, one mile North of US Route 22, in the village of Dilltown. Click here for a map to the Dillweed Bed & Breakfast.

This year’s series kicks off Saturday, September 25, 2010, with a performance by pianist Jon Gonder with the Tremont String Quartet. Mr. Gonder, a well-known Johnstown, PA-area musician, will lead a program that features a melding of piano and traditional strings, as well as solo piano pieces. This performance will be held at First Lutheran Church in downtown Johnstown, PA (click here for a map to 309 Lincoln Street, Johnstown, PA 15901) with free parking available.

The series continues with two autumn events performed with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra. On Saturday, October 16, 2010, Elena Ulyanova will perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra. This is a concerto written specifically for piano and orchestra and is one of Rachmaninoff’s most well-known compositions. On Saturday, November 13, 2010, violinist Ann Fontanella will be backed by the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra for a performance of Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61. Concerts with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra are held at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center on the UPJ Campus (click here for a map to the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, Johnstown, PA).

The 2010-2011 Concert Series concludes with two springtime performances, both held at First Lutheran Church in downtown Johnstown, PA. On Saturday, March 26, 2011, Pittsburgh Concert Society winners Linda Fischer and Becky Billock will perform pieces composed for violin and piano. On Saturday, April 30, 2011, the series will conclude with a concert by the Copeland String Quartet.

For tickets or additional details, contact the Chamber Music Series of Greater Johnstown by calling (814) 467-7943 or visit them online at www.johnstownmusic.org.

The 5th Annual Roxbury Bandshell Summer Concert Series kicks off this Sunday, May 30th with an afternoon full of events. The 54th PA Volunteer Infantry and Civilian re-enactors will be on-site to perform Civil War re-enactments, which will start at noon and occur throughout the day between music sets. Music schedule for Sunday is as follows:

•    1:00 pm Lou Stein
•    3:00 pm Hard Rok, Koko, and Joe
•    5:00 pm Ole ‘97

Concerts for this season will be held on Sundays, May 30, 2010 through September 12, 2010. Music for every taste has been scheduled—rock, polka, jazz, country and more! For a complete list of this year’s line-up, visit the “Calendar of Events” page of the Roxbury Bandshell Web site.

Admission is free, but donations are accepted. All proceeds benefit the Roxbury Bandshell Preservation Alliance and are used for renovations and upkeep of the bandshell. Concertgoers are asked to bring their own seating and are permitted to bring a picnic lunch. Food is also available for purchase from Holy Cross National Catholic Church.

The Roxbury Bandshell is located in Roxbury Park at 1430 Franklin Street in Johnstown (click here for a map).

From 6:00PM to 10:00PM this New Year’s Eve (December 31, 2009) revelers will be treated to free entertainment, festive surroundings, and food and refreshments from several downtown churches and the Cambria County Library.

Throughout the evening carriage rides will provide the public with a classic tour of our downtown streets. The evening will cap off with a fireworks display scheduled to begin at 9:45PM.

Venues and scheduled entertainment are:

First Presbyterian Church
309 Lincoln Street (click here for a map)

• 6:00PM to 7:30PM—Jazz in Your Face
• 8:00PM to 9:30PM—Whiskey River Panhandlers

Cambria County Library
248 Main Street (click here for a map)

• 6:00PM to 8:00PM—Classic Clowns
• 6:00PM to 7:30PM—Kulani (drumming, African dance)
• 6:30PM to 7:30PM—Storytelling
• 8:00PM to 8:45PM—Sherry Lynn ballroom dancing
• 8:00PM to 9:00PM—Magician John Robertson

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
335 Locust Street (click here for a map)

• 6:00PM to 7:00PM—Vivace Piano Trio
• 6:00PM to 7:30PM—Southside Strays
• 7:00PM to 8:00PM—Rodoljub (Croatian Educational Singing Society)
• 7:30PM to 8:30PM—Bo Moore
• 8:30PM to 9:30PM—Jennifer Drummey
• 8:30PM to 9:30PM—Magician Bob Beatty

Franklin Street United Methodist Church
510 Locust Street (click here for a map)

• 6:00PM to 7:00PM—Puppet show
• 6:00PM to 8:00PM—Bill Venet and the Cash Review
• 7:00PM to 8:00PM—New Mercies
• 8:30PM to 9:30PM—Church praise band

We at Do Johnstown! wish all of you the very best in the coming year and look forward to celebrating with you at this wonderful Johnstown custom. Happy New Year!

When the Christmas season is ushered into Johnstown, PA, it is met with the dance and pageantry that can only come from the Johnstown Concert Ballet. This Friday and Saturday (December 4th and 5th, 2009) the city’s own ballet company will stage the annual production of the holiday favorite, Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center (click here for a map).

The performance includes a troupe of well over 100 performers, as well as a small army of volunteers—most of which are found right in the Johnstown area. As the premier production on the Johnstown Concert Ballet’s calendar, this event features the most dedicated dancers in our region. “The production company is comprised of our most talented students”, says Carla Prucnal, Artistic Director. “The average length of training for these dancers is 10-15 years, and many of these dancers go on to professional performance careers.”

While the Johnstown Ballet Company has a full calendar throughout the year, this annual performance is the anchor for the ballet company. Says Ms. Prucnal, “we feel that “The Nutcracker” is the proper kind of production for the holidays. There are so many beautiful scenes, and you’re giving the right lessons to children—that there is good and evil and that good can triumph over evil.”

Following this weekend’s performances, Johnstowners have ample opportunity to experience the ballet company. They will be performing with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra on December 12, 2009 and also the following weekend for an Advent piece at St. John of Gualbert, Johnstown, PA (click here for a map).

In addition to full productions, the public can expect other appearances the Johnstown Ballet Company that include performances at the Bottleworks, the Flood Museum, the Log Cabin Arts Center and the Dale Arts Center. In fact, Ms. Prucnal reports that work on the spring production has already started, “but the title is a secret until after the nutcracker ballet.”

Performances of “The Nutcracker” are Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 7:30PM and Saturday, December 5th, 2009 at 2:00PM and 7:30PM. Tickets are $9.00 for seniors and children and $12.00 for adults. For additional details, contact the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center box office by calling (814) 269-7200 or (800) 846-2787.

All three performances are typically sold out, so it is recommended that you reserve your seats now and make this holiday tradition a part of your family’s own.

The gallery, located at 155 Village Street in Johnstown’s Moxham neighborhood (click here for a map), is a core part of the city’s cultural scene. The facility houses changing collections of artwork by artists with a common thread—all works displayed are by Johnstown-area artists. “There are other places in town where people can see artwork from across the world,” says Mr. DiStefano. “I wanted to create a place for Johnstown artists to show their work; to give them an audience and to show that we really value what they do.”

An ambition of Satori Gallery is to be more than simply an art gallery—but to be an art awareness venue. To this end the site is regularly the location for performance pieces, readings and theatric productions, including regularly staging acts from “Theater Matters” and “(un)Apologetic Productions”, two Johnstown-based theatre companies.

The coming year will see a full slate of activity at the gallery, with themed art shows, productions and a repeat of this past summer’s street festival. Notable events begin taking place in December. This includes a collective art show where artists create an original work around the theme of “Satori” (“satori” is a Buddhist term meaning “moment of enlightenment”). December will also see four stagings of “Santaland Diaries”, an adaptation of the essay by humorist David Sedaris. For additional details, see our “Calendar of Events”.

Satori Gallery is open to the public each week Tuesday through Thursday from 4:00PM-8:00PM. During these hours the gallery also serves as a music studio, where Mr. DiStefano teaches music lessons.

Official online presences for Satori Gallery include:

• MySpace
• Facebook

Local artists interested in showing their works at Satori Gallery should contact Mr. DiStefano by calling (814) 659-1180 or emailing satorigallery (-at-) gmail.com.

The Johnstown Symphony Orchestra’s annual concert series consists of seven concerts between the months of October and May, with additional performances each year including an annual fundraising Opera Festival, a Mother’s Day concert, a Young Peoples Concert aimed towards the area’s 5th Grade students, and several choral concerts. For this year’s complete schedule, visit the concert schedule page on the JSO Web site.

“If you were to go across the country to communities the size of Johnstown, finding a symphony orchestra this caliber would be rare,” says Patricia Hofscher, Executive Director of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra. “There is a magic that takes ahold in this orchestra on concert night. They are just outstanding.”

Founded in 1929, the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra has been delighting music lovers for generations with performances of the works of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Bach, Mozart and so many more masters from the classical genre. “Unique to our orchestra is the fact that it grew out of a lot of smaller theatre orchestras from the Johnstown area,” Pat says. “In fact, the Johnstown Ironworks brought workers to the area specifically because they were musicians. These families have since played in the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra generation after generation.”

This year’s performances will be under the direction of Maestro Istvan Jaray, who has been the symphony’s conductor since coming to Johnstown as a guest conductor in 1984.

Regular season concerts begin at 7:30PM are held at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (click here for a map). Tickets are available from the JSO Web site and by calling 814.535.6738.

Pat would like everyone in the Johnstown region to understand that the symphony is nothing to be afraid of. “These concerts are not stuffy. Just sit back and listen to the music and it will send a message without words.”

Learn more by visiting the official Web site of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra.