Centre Stage Productions

Friday, August 12, 7:30-10 p.m.  Join us for a night of music with James Hurley, with local singer-songwriter Mariah Leanne opening.  Event location, 800 Chetco Ave., downtown Brookings (the Event Center).  Advance tickets available at Earl E. Books, 511 Fern Ave., or Chetco Music Company, 615 Chetco Ave., Brookings.  Advance ticket price $8, at the door $10.   

Recently named by Folkworks magazine as “One of the Top Ten Live Acoustic Male Singer-Songwriters in L.A.” James Hurley’s eloquent guitar, smooth voice, and masterful writing combine to create a seductive blend of jazzy, blues-pop-folk that has been called “Sting meets the Beatles…Clapton makes the introductions”. His third solo release “Tempest in a teacup” reinforces his well-deserved reputation as a consistently compelling artist whose music is a reflection of the life he lives.

Saturday, June 18 7 p.m. to midnight-Stagelights will hold it’s biggest fundraiser to date.  Re-live your Prom Night and dance the night away with live music, great food, prom photos, beer & wine…and fun!  This event will be held at The Rink, corner of Railroad and Center Street in downtown Brookings.  Tickets are $65 for couples, $35 for singles, and price includes two drink tickets, a prom photo,  and gourmet finger-foods prepared by The Two Chefs.  Photos by Jef Hatch Photography, beer & wine provided by MoVino.  Dance to music performed by the Fabulous Spence Bros.

Tickets are available at Cousins & Co. Music, 615 Chetco Ave., Brookings/Earl E. Books, 511 Fern St., Brookings/New Wave Video, So. Coast Shopping Center/Harvest Natural Foods, Crescent City.

Saturday, October 3, 7-10 p.m.  $15 dinner & show (reservations recommended)  $5 show only… Rick Shaw - Not a stage name, comes by songwriting honestly. He really had no choice - the genes ruled! His Grandmother - on Dad’s side was a country/ blues songwriter/singer during the depression and all through her life. She passed the country songwriting along to her son Jim Shaw, who ended up in and out of Nashville, Tennessee during his musical career, pitching songs and performing with the country artists of the 50’s 60’s and early 70’s. Rick inherited the songwriting and performing ability of his Dad in the country music field, while gaining the blues influence of his Grandmother, and the rock, and jazz influences that showed up along the way. A fourth generation Tennesseean, Rick didn’t take to country music right off while honing his guitar skills on Southern rock and roll, and blues as he became known for years as Rockin’ Rickey in music circles from Tampa, Forida to Nashville, and the Detroit, Michigan area in the seventies and into the eighties. When he got tired (quickly) of “cutting hamburgers into five and six parts to play rock music, where most of the money went to pay for the equipment,” he turned towards country music, where his Dad had been his whole life. After awhile he was opening concerts for acts such as Earl Thomas Conley, Jim Ed Brown, Eddie Raven, Willie Nelson, Marty Stuart, and B.B. King. Rick influenced one of the founding members of the country band - Sawyer Brown - lead guitarist Bobby Randall ( Who later hosted You Can be a Star, Nashville Network) with his rocking style of playing country music. Randall went so far as to copy Rick’s amplifier setup and style of guitar, as he would come to a certain venue they both worked from time to time, to ask how he played particular rock licks in a country song. Sadly, when the two met again after Randall’s band helped create the rocking country sounds you hear today, Randall acted as though they had never met, and Rick decided he liked ” Nashville cat’s”  not a whole lot.  So he moved to Tampa, Florida and turned to the Blues/Rock scene there. One night while playing at a club of Blues fame - The Blues Ship - a man entered while Rick was playing guitar with a three piece band there. The man had an entourage of people with him. At breaktime he was introduced to Robbie Steinhart - the founding member of the band Kansas, Violinist and songwriter of ” Dust in the Wind.” Robbie had picked Rick to open for his new band Steinhart Moon, at their gigs in Tampa Bay. In Robbie’s words ” play guitar like I just saw you do, Man.” That lasted about a year before Rick finally migrated back to Nashville to pursue songwriting in the late nineties and into the early part of this decade. He currently has a catalog of songs being shopped around and a publishing contract offer on the table in Nashville, with the son  of legendary Nashville songwriter - Harlan Howard - Perry, at BMI.  Rick moved to Oregon to be near his Dad as Jim’s health is on the decline. He’s been here two years now and has recently begun to venture out as a single act. Now working on a second album called MedicineMan, his first album can be purchased at his gigs or online at the following e-mail address. 7mmcreations7@sbcglobal.net

Friday, July 24, 7-10 p.m.  Local musicians Neil Fagen and Scott Perry will be performing at Centre Stage. 

Neil, age 56, has performed with and shared stages and life experiences with many big name artists.  In making his local debut he is also making his solo debut.  Neil’s influences in guitar playing are John Lee Hooker, Neil Young, and Eric Clapton.  He has had the pleasure of playing with two of the three.  He plans to share some of his memories with you and will play his original materials as well as his interpretations of songs written by the artists he has met or performed with.  

Scott Perry is an up and coming local talent (Crescent City), with a strong country influence to his music.  Scott performed some of his many originals, including “Livin’ Like a Redneck”, as one of the finalists in the Southern Oregon Idol competition.   Scott will accompany himself on guitar and keyboard.

Neil and Scott share a goal to bring joy to people through music.  Don’t miss this event and your chance to support your local talent! Tickets are available at the Backstage Café’ and are $10.  Those purchasing tickets in advance will be guaranteed a seat, all others take your chances at the door…Seating begins at 6:30, Scott Perry will be on stage from 7 to 8 p.m. and Neil Fagen will start the second half of the show at 8:20 and will play until 10 or until someone pulls the plug!  Centre Stage and The Backstage Café’ are located in the Central Building Mall, 703 Chetco Ave., Brookings.  Contact Kim at 251-3952 for additional information or email centrestage@charter.net.

The Backstage Cafe’ will be open for refreshments before and during this event. 

The Second Saturday Artwalk will begin at 4 and end at 7.  Centre Stage is just about mid-way in the trek from one end of the artwalk to the other.  Ours will be a very special event featuring Christina Olsen the artist…dressed in period garb and George and Anwyn Leverett performing Ancient, Traditional & Contemporary Celtic Music.

 2009 marks the 16th anniversary of the acclaimed Celtic music duo, George & Anwyn Leverett . They have played such diverse venues as Celtic and Blue Grass festivals, Nevada casinos, pubs, fairs, school assemblies and sold-out concerts. They performed the “Green Show” of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival for seven years, before moving to Oregon.

They have a passion for Irish and Scottish music that proclaims itself with each performance. Ancient, traditional and contemporary Celtic music comes to life with their wide variety of folk instruments. Anwyn and George play Irish fiddle, cittern, guitar, mandolin, hurdy-gurdy, zither, hammer dulcimer, bowed psaltery, penny whistle & recorder but George’s main instrument is the beautiful self-made 36 string “Lady Harp” George hand builds all the instruments that they play. They blend a kaleidoscope of sounds and textures that makes no two songs sound the same.

Their CDs, Skye Boat, Songs from Shadow Wood, Altar Wind and Christmas Around the Hearth have sold over 50,000 copies. They are now pleased to announce their latest release, Hearth Light. It combines George’s new wire strung harp with Anwyn’s unique collection of medieval instruments (hand made by George) to produce a more up beat Celtic collection of songs.

This week it was necessary to reschedule the Join In Jam.  Normally held on Saturday night, the time will still be 7-10 on Friday, May 15th.  Bring your guitar, bass, or other instrument.  Drums provided.   This is a free event, although we will gladly accept donations on behalf of the “Stagelights” music lesson program. 

The Backstage Cafe’ will be open for espresso, appetizers, and other tasty treats.

Friday, April 3, 7-9 p.m.  Centre Stage presents Norm Davis, originally guitarist and vocalist for The Country Masters in Southern California.   Norm has a wealth of musical experiences to share with our audience.  His bio will be added to this page shortly. 

No Cover, suggested donation $5         Refreshments will be available at The Backstage Cafe’. 

Friday, March 27   7-10 p.m.  Homemade Jam, featuring Willow Owings and dad Chris Voerster, will appear at Centre Stage…don’t miss out on an evening of superb music with  beautiful harmonies!  Willow on guitar & vocals, Chris on mandolin, guitar & vocals.

Refreshments will be available at the Backstage Cafe’.

Saturday, April 25,   9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  “Anchoring the Light”:  A silk painting and movement meditation workshop.    Only  $85  with early bird discount…advance registration must be completed by April 15th to be guaranteed a space…there will be a limited number of participants for optimum results and enjoyment.  ($95 after April 15th if space available)  Fee includes continental breakfast and lunch prepared by The Backstage Cafe’ .

Billie Ruth has facilitated workshops for the Maui Youth Ambassadors, who painted a peace mural in Perslaval-Zalesky, Russia; Women of Vision and Action in Idaho; The Survivors Healing Center in Santa Cruz, California; the Colorado Department of Human Services in Denver, Colorado; South Western Oregon Community College in Brookings, Oregon, as well as many private groups for over 20 years.  She is available as a speaker and facilitator of the 7-MPractice ™ and the 5-D Process ™. 

“My work is a metaphor for the fabric of life, with overlaying design, color, texture, and text.  For the most part, none of us have lives with all of the edges neatly folded over and stitched into a perfect package.  The fabric of our lives is open, undone, hanging loose, leaving us vulnerable and feeling unfinished.  For that reason, many of my fabrics hang with the edges exposing raw fibers.  With my digital collages on paper, I tear the edges to evoke that same emotional motif. 

As a teacher, dancer, musician, poet, and workshop facilitator, I use interdisciplinary techniques.  Whether I am working on a fabric, a digital collage, or designing a piece of art-to-wear, my work integrates arts education, spiritual growth and societal change.  Things change whether we like it or not.  People who are interested in the arts are already poised to fly on the outside of the envelope and move into the future.  “  (Billie Ruth Furuichi)  

For more information please call Kim 541-251-3952  or go to www.furuichiarts.com

Saturday February 28, 6:30-9  p.m.  Hailing from Port Angeles… Howly Slim offers an unusual brand of entertainment ~tramps, treeplanters, small towns, big cities, roads, boulevards, hobo jungles, skid row streets, loneliness, happiness, madness, longing, waitresses, good love, bad love, love gone wrong, corny, liberal, redneck, heartaches…songs of all this and more!  Singer/songwriter, guitar & vocals.  Dinner show…home style Mexican dinner (hand made tamales & chicken verde enchiladas)…includes beverage and dessert!  $15 per person, advance ticket sales only.