Performing cats, singing actors, and more highlight the Stoughton Opera House's 2010-11 season
Suzanne Vega will probably look happier when she plays on Oct. 10.
With the recent release of the Stoughton Opera House’s 2010-2011 schedule, it seems that this season’s finest moments will find the ornate venue leaning toward folkies, country-rockers, singer-songwriters, and to our delight, The Amazing Acro-Cats.
Wasting little time, the opera house will kick the new season off properly with 79-year-old folk legend Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (Sept. 11). While the crooner hasn’t released a new album since 2009’s A Stranger Here, Elliott’s massive back-catalog—which leaps all the way back to 1957’s Woody Guthrie’s Blues—should leave him with plenty of material to draw from. On the following weekend, bass virtuoso and fusion songwriter Esperanza Spalding (Sept. 19) will hit the stage with a set of tunes as soulful as they are percussively perplexing. A visit from baritone country singer Junior Brown (Sept. 24) could lock September in as the strongest month on the venue’s calendar.
When the ever-popular Samantha Martin and her Amazing Acro-Cats (Oct. 3) come through you can watch the ringleader perform the unenviable task of bribing her feline stars with treats to jump through hoops, walk a tightrope, and even “play” kitty-sized instruments. October will also see visits from pop songstress Suzanne Vega (Oct. 10), Americana trio The Wailin’ Jennys (Oct. 16), and country legend Patty Loveless (Oct. 17). Jeff Daniels (Nov. 13) plays a big role in what looks to be a serious movie, Howl, opening this fall, but shortly after that he’ll stopping through with a batch of goofy folk tunes.
The soaring croons of classic folkie Bonnie Koloc (Feb. 12), a double header from the Glenn Miller Orchestra (April 14), and an evening with folk icons Janis Ian and Tom Paxton (April 30) should offer Stoughton residents a few more reasons to be stoked about next year and everyone else a reason to roadtrip.
