“Running’s my favorite!”

Brew & Buddy participants enjoy a beer at Three Notch’d. (Photo by Taylor Matousek)

Nearly two hundred elves descended upon The Paramount on Sunday, December 8, for the 3rd Annual Brew & Buddy Run. Participants, decked out in their most creative holiday finery—from Rudolph onesies to light-up sweaters—ran a two-mile loop with stops at Three Notch’d and Champion for a free pour at each brewery.

Three Notch’d was one of the brewery stops on the run, along with Champion. (Photo by Taylor Matousek)

The Brew & Buddy Run was originally inspired by the movie Elf (2003), in which Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, who as a baby crawls into Santa’s toy bag and is whisked off to the North Pole, where he is raised as an elf. A misfit who grows to be three times the size of his elf family, Buddy ultimately heads to his birthplace of New York City to seek out his roots.

Upon returning to The Paramount, the runners received a 2019 Brew & Buddy souvenir cup and had the chance to participate in a costume contest on The Paramount’s stage, in which a glow-in-the-dark elf and a mother-son Christmas tree duo took home the grand prizes. The festive evening concluded with a presentation of Elf on the Big Screen.

Festive friends enjoy a brew before getting back to the run. (Photo by Taylor Matousek)

Thank You, Thank You Very Much – Elvis Visits The Paramount!

Image Credit: Rob Garland Photographers

From the very first “Thank you, Thank you very much” after Matt Lewis, aka Elvis, first stepped on stage to the Theater’s applause, this year’s Christmas with Elvis did not disappoint. The event opened up with Big Ray and the Kool Kats’ set list consisting of funky classics such as James Brown’s “I Feel Good” and The Isley Brothers’ “Shout.” Once “Elvis” joined Big Ray and the Kool Kats, all eyes were glued on the King as he performed all of the fan-favorites such as “Burning Love,” “Always On My Mind,” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Audience members spent the night “shake, rattle, and rolling” in their seats as Matt Lewis worked the stage with all of the famous Elvis dance movements and three costume changes. The show concluded with women running to the stage as Matt Lewis handed out his scarves with a touch of sweat to all of the eager ladies. After the performance, Matt Lewis took to the Lobby for a Meet and Greet with hundreds of fans that made their way to the Theater. If you happened to miss this epic evening of Rock and Roll be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the King’s return to the Theater!

Cast & Crew Members Jay Ferguson and Mike Benzian as Elvis Bartenders in The Founders Lounge. Image Credit: Rob Garland Photographers
Image Credit: Rob Garland Photographers

Chris Janson brings holiday cheer and “good vibes”

Chris Janson performs “Run, Run Rudolph” at the CMA’s 10th Annual Country Christmas. (Photo by Donn Jones / CMA)

Country music star Chris Janson is a “live legacy in the making” (Rolling Stone). The platinum-selling recording artist of hits like “Buy Me A Boat” and “Fix a Drink” is bringing his Real Friends Tour to The Paramount on Friday, March 20, and tickets are on sale now!

In the four years since the release of his debut album, the three-time CMA nominee has collected prestigious accolades that place him amongst country music greats, including two No. 1 singles. Janson’s new album Real Friends dropped in October, and his Real Friends Tour kicked off the month before that. His newest single, “Done,” was the most-added single on Country Radio with 48 first-week adds. Not only has Janson been busy touring and climbing the charts, but he’s also been making headlines as of late, and we’ve complied them for you here.

On November 26, Janson was one of Dolly Parton’s musical guests on Dolly Parton: 50 Years at the Opry. The two-hour special chronicles Parton’s 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and Janson helped celebrate her musical legacy with a performance of “Mule Skinner Blues.”

If you watched the 93rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, you may have seen Janson perform his hit song “Good Vibes” on a float with the Jolly Green Giant. On Instagram, the singer wished his fans a day full of turkey and “good vibes.”

Chris Janson performs during the 93rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade rehearsals at Macy’s Herald Square. (Photo by John Lamparski / Getty Images North America)

Country music fans enjoyed a special treat from Janson on December 3. Following Brad Paisley’s hilarious 1-hour television special, Brad Paisley Thinks He’s Special, the Country Music Association’s (CMA) 10th Annual Country Christmas brought some of country’s biggest stars to the stage to perform holiday classics. The star-studded lineup included Janson, who gave an energetic performance of “Run, Run Rudolph” that included impressive harmonica solos throughout the song.

On December 5, Janson performed at the inaugural Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards in Nashville. He once again broke out that epic harmonica, and we hope he’ll do it again when he performs live at The Paramount this spring!

From page to stage: The Diary of Anne Frank

The National Players perform The Diary of Anne Frank live at The Paramount. (Photo by Taylor Matousek)

Hundreds of middle and high school students from as far away as Culpeper County gathered at The Paramount on Tuesday, December 3, for the National Players live performance of The Diary of Anne Frank, presented by the Arts Education Program.

The Diary of Anne Frank, by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett and adapted by Wendy Kesselman, is a stage adaptation of the book The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. National Players brings the true story of this incredibly insightful young girl that is often read in school to the stage in hopes of inspiring the next generation to stand up for justice rather than sit back in apathy.

Established in 1949 and based at Olney Theatre Center in Maryland since 1952, National Players is America’s longest-running touring theatre company. Founded on the principle of prioritizing areas with limited access to theatre, National Players company consists of 10 early-career theatre artists who spend 10 months touring the United States. This is the troupe’s 71st tour.

The National Players answered questions from the audience after the show. (Photo by Taylor Matousek)

A Q&A followed the performance, during which the National Players answered questions from the students, ranging from curiosity about the music selections to the actors’ ages.

After the performance, the National Players conducted an improv workshop with a class of drama students at Charlottesville High School (CHS). On Wednesday, they’ll return to CHS to provide 7 more workshops to English and drama classes. Stay tuned to find out what these high school students learned from these ambitious performers!

Get to Know the Photographers: National Geographic Live!

Hosting the award-winning National Geographic Live series on The Paramount’s stage is a highlight of our year. This annual series welcomes National Geographic photographers to share the stories behind capturing their incredible work, whether in our oceans, forests, or outer space. Our first installment of the season took place on Thursday, October 10, when we welcomed in more than 1,000 students and teachers for the opening of the 2019-20 Arts Education Season. The daytime performance was followed that evening with a presentation to a public audience of 500 patrons. Mark your calendars to join us this February when photographer Shannon Wild joins us to share her work in Pursuit of the Black Panther, and in May when Kevin Hand takes us out of this world with The Search for Life Beyond Earth.

Shannon Wild filming in South Africa. (Photo by Russell MacLaughlin)

Paramount Presents: National Geographic Live – Shannon Wild, Pursuit of the Black Panther, FEBRUARY 7 AT 7PM

Q: What drew you to photograph the black panther?

A: “My husband and I came across of photo of the panther on Instagram and knew immediately we wanted to pitch a documentary about it, since one hasn’t been professionally documented in the wild before.”

Q: How do you handle frightening situations such as being charged by elephants or bitten by snakes?

A: “The positive far outweighs any negatives given that I love animals and being around them.  It’s part of the job, and every job has its risks—mine are just a little more unique than most.”

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the trials you’ve faced during the making of your documentary?

A: “Oh, so many, which I’ll detail in my talk and certainly too many to list here—but without giving too much away, apart from the day to day challenges of filming wildlife in general, I also managed to break my back. You’ll have to come along to hear all about it!”

Kevin Hand explores a mountainous region. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Hand)

Paramount Presents: National Geographic Live – Kevin Hand, The Search for Life Beyond Earth,
MAY 8 AT 7PM

Astrobiologist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Kevin Hand searches for life beyond Earth. He is currently helping plan a NASA mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa to investigate evidence of a vast subsurface ocean—a body of water that could sustain primitive forms of life on this alien world nearly 600 million miles from our planet.

Based at Pasadena’s world-famous Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Hand designs instruments for the probe that will travel to Europa. To gain perspective on the conditions these instruments will have to endure, and to see how microbes eke out a living in our world’s harshest climes, Hand has traveled to the most forbidding environments on Earth. He has conducted studies on the glaciers of Mount Kilimanjaro, the valleys of Antarctica, and the depths of our oceans.

Pictured here, Europa is one of Jupiter’s 79 known moons. (Photo by Guillermo Abramson)

Aside from his compelling scientific work, Hand founded Cosmos Education, a nonprofit organization that empowers some of Africa’s poorest children through science, health, and environmental education. In 2005, Hand appeared alongside director James Cameron in Aliens of the Deep, applying his knowledge about extraterrestrial environments to Earth’s own unexplored territories. And in the summer of 2012, Hand joined Cameron’s team on his historic Challenger Deep dive into the Marianas Trench, the deepest place on the planet. Join Hand at The Paramount on May 8 for a firsthand report on the search for real extraterrestrials.

 

There’s No Place Like The Paramount for the Holidays!

The Paramount’s own “little helpers” spent 3 days preparing the historic Theater for the holidays, and for the inaugural Holiday Evening Candlelight Tours. The first of the holiday tours will take place tonight—Thursday, November 21—at 6:00PM and 6:30PM. This family-friendly group tour includes individual candles to light the way and enhance the festive holiday feeling. The tour will conclude in the Ballroom where groups will be offered a complimentary festive drink, holiday cookies, and a number of other surprises, including live music from The Quarter Notes from Charlottesville High School (Nov. 21, Dec. 11 & Dec. 20) and St. Anne’s-Belfield Quartet (Nov. 24 & Dec. 9). Can’t make it tonight? Don’t get your stockings in a twist—we have a plethora of upcoming holiday tour dates:

Sunday, November 24 | 4:00PM, 4:30PM & 5:00PM
Monday, December 9 | 6:00PM, 6:30PM & 7:00PM
Wednesday, December 11 | 6:00PM, 6:30PM & 7:00PM
Friday, December 20 | 6:30PM, 7:00PM & 7:30PM

Enjoy the photos below for a peek at The Paramount’s festive décor. Special thanks to Lynne Goldman Elements and Leftover Luxuries for decorating two of our beautiful trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Photos by Taylor Matousek)

 

 

 

 

Kool Kats and the Best Elvis in Vegas

Matt Lewis, the “Best Elvis in Vegas,” impersonates the King of Rock and Roll. (Photo courtesy of Matt Lewis)

Charlottesville’s beloved Big Ray and the Kool Kats, and world-renowned Elvis impersonator, Matt Lewis, are returning to The Paramount for Christmas with Elvis on Saturday, December 7.

Named the “Best Elvis in Vegas” by USA Today, Matt Lewis has been performing as the King of Rock and Roll since he was twelve years old. By the time he turned twenty-one, he was headlining Las Vegas’s longest running, world famous show, “Legends in Concert.”

Formed in 1996, Big Ray and the Kool Kats is led by trumpeter and longtime professional musician Ray Caddell. Named one of Modern Bride Magazine’s “Best Wedding Bands in America,” Big Ray and the Kool Kats can perform literally thousands of songs.

Matt and Ray performed together at The Paramount in 2017, but Ray told us he was a fan of Matt long before that.

Ray: My wife and I are big Las Vegas fans, so anytime [the Kool Kats] work there, my wife comes with us. About ten years ago, we started going to the “Legends in Concert” show in Las Vegas, all the way back in Imperial Palace days, so it’s been a while. The show changes every night, it’s sort of a rotating cast of impersonators. You might see Bette Midler, you might see Elton John, you might see The Temptations. But, the one thing that’s remained constant through all the years is that the show always closes with Elvis. As an entertainer, I was just so impressed with Matt all those times that we saw him. My wife said, “Why can’t we get him in Charlottesville?” And I said, “Well, I think we can.” I was on the programming committee for The Paramount for many years, so that’s how it started.

Matt, I read that you started performing as Elvis at age twelve—how exactly did that happen?

Matt: It was for a talent show at my junior high school. I took second place, and my best friend took first place. After that, people started asking me to perform at their parties, and they’d pay me a hundred bucks to come sing three songs; when you’re twelve, that’s a lot of money. I’d never seen a hundred-dollar bill! That’s kind of how it started. I went to college to be a school teacher and, ultimately, after five and a half years, I dropped my classes to be an Elvis impersonator.

What’s the most difficult part of impersonating Elvis?

Matt: I’ve been doing it for so long, I haven’t thought of anything as difficult… You know, the hardest part was learning to talk like him; I always kind of had the voice. I didn’t grow up in Memphis, so that has been the hardest part for me, but now it’s almost like turning on a light switch.

So Elvis is kind of like your alter ego now?

Matt: Exactly. I try not to take it home too much.

Ray, how did you get into music? Is it something you’ve done since you were a kid?

Ray: Yeah, it really is. I’m considerably older than Matt; in fact, I’m celebrating my fiftieth year of playing music for money. It started in the ’60s, and I was lucky enough to be in a band with a bunch of older guys. They had a house gig in the Latin Casino outside of Philadelphia, and I was fifteen years old playing behind everyone you can imagine: Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, The 5th Dimension, and Sammy Davis, Jr. It was a really lucky thing, and I’ve been playing ever since.

What has been your most memorable experience or performance?

Ray: You mean other than playing with Matt where I get to see the audience go absolutely berserk? If you watch me during the show, you’ll see I spend a lot of time conducting and a lot of time looking out into the audience, because it’s just stunning to see the looks on their faces. There are some people out there who I’m not sure understand that Matt isn’t actually Elvis Presley.

Matt: For me, it was when I performed in Switzerland. I sang in English, but I did all my lines in German. I learned it all phonetically because I don’t speak German. That was probably one of my greatest accomplishments; I did that for about three months, and it was a great gig.

Matt Lewis performs as Elvis and Big Ray conducts the Kool Kats during their live performance at The Paramount in 2017. (Photo by Rob Garland Photographers)

What’s your favorite song to perform?

Ray: That’s easy—Matt just destroys something that Elvis closed a lot of shows with: “American Trilogy.” I get chills every time we do it, to hear him sing it, and when I see the people stand up and sing along and salute, it’s just astonishing. So that’s an easy one for me: “American Trilogy.”

Matt: For me, it’s “If I Can Dream.” Elvis closed his ’68 Comeback Special with it. I love the horns; I love the whole feel of it.

Ray: The interesting thing about that song is—you know, it’s not like “Teddy Bear” or something. The interesting thing about “If I Can Dream” is it’s the one song that shows to me what a great singer of all kinds Elvis Presley was, and, by extension, Matt. I mean, that’s a real piece of music. And, by the way, we will play that at The Paramount, along with “American Trilogy.” You can always count on those two showing up.

Is there anything in particular about the Christmas show at The Paramount you’re excited for?

Matt: Elvis has some amazing Christmas music; he did a whole Christmas album. It’s great to play it with a big band. It’s just a magical time of year, and I think Elvis is definitely a big part of a lot of people’s Christmas.

Ray: The other nice thing about it is, Elvis was a deeply religious guy, and a very fine gospel artist as well. That will give us an opportunity to do some songs that we might not ordinarily play in the regular show. There are only so many minutes, and Elvis had dozens and dozens and dozens of gold records. But, when it’s Christmas, we get to do some special things like “Blue Christmas” and “How Great Thou Art.”

Matt: Ray, did you get “How Great Thou Art” on the set list?

Ray: I don’t remember if I put it on there in writing, but we’re definitely playing it. We have to be ready for it—tell the story about the last time we were in North Carolina.

Matt: Oh yeah, when we were in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, the audience kept wanting me to do “How Great Thou Art.” We hadn’t rehearsed it, we weren’t planning on doing it, but they kept yelling out that they wanted it. So, I started singing a little bit of it acapella, and then the piano player came in, and slowly the band started coming in. And then, I swear, four gentlemen from different parts of the audience came up and started singing. Before the song was over, we had a four-part harmony, we had the whole band, nobody had rehearsed it, and the audience went ballistic. It was one of those magical moments.

What it is that made you want to come perform at The Paramount again?

Matt: I just love playing with Ray. Earlier this year, he and I talked about possibly putting together a Christmas show, and it just seemed like a really good fit and we hadn’t done that yet.

Ray: I want people to understand—one nice thing about Matt’s show is, sometimes people come to theaters, and they’ve never been there to see anything before, but they come because they’re Elvis fans. I want people to understand what a great place The Paramount is to see a concert. The sightlines are fabulous, the sound and lights are beautiful; it’s just absolutely a jewel box.

Literal Translation from the French: The Flying Karamazov Brothers

The Karamazov Brothers in action. (Photo courtesy of SRO Artists, Inc.)

The Flying Karamazov Brothers features the four self-proclaimed eccentric lunatics spicing things up with a zany showcase filled with laugh-out-loud comedy, wild theatrics, arcane errata, and astonishing juggling feats. Formed at UC Santa Cruz in 1973, The Flying Karamazov Brothers have been seen around the world, on Broadway, on television, and on the big screen. The troupe, which takes its name from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel The Brothers Karamazov, will fly onto the stage live at The Paramount on Thanksgiving weekend. Almost as excited for their upcoming show as we are, the troupe members were kind enough to sit down with The Paramount to answer a few questions.

Paul Magid, aka Dmitri Karamazov, the troupe’s last original member, has been with the Flying Karamazov Brothers since he co-founded it almost 47 years ago.

Roderick Kimball, aka Pavel Karamazov, is from a town in Maine called Presque Isle—literal translation from the French: “Almost an island.” Pavel was shocked to realize he’s been with the troupe for just over 20 years. Time must fly when you’re—well, flying.

Andy Sapora, aka Nikita Karamazov, is from Westminster, Maryland. Literal translation from the French: “Almost worth growing up there.” Nikita has been with the troupe for almost 20 years; “I think I might be becoming one of those guys who has ear hairs,” he admits.

Steven Horstmann, aka Vanka Karamazov, is from “the inhospitable snowdrifts of the vast and desolate frozen tundra.” Literal translation from the French: “Minnesota.” Vanka has been with the troupe for just over 10 years; “So there’s still hope for me yet!” he proclaims.

Dmitri Karamazov (Paul Magid) juggles a few of the safer objects that appear in the show. (Photo courtesy of SRO Artists, Inc.)

Why did you join the Flying Karamazov Brothers?

Pavel (Roderick): I had been a fan of the group for ten years before I started working with them. For a solo performer in the trenches of variety entertainment, that’s a pretty good break.

Nikita (Andy): I thought it was the bus to Poughkeepsie.

Vanka (Steven): It was the top result in my high school aptitude test. #3: Doctor, #2: Lawyer, #1: Juggler/musician/comedian. I thought it was strange, but you just don’t argue with standardized testing.

What was the most challenging skill or trick for you to learn?

Dmitri (Paul): One of the most challenging tricks is playing a marimba while juggling, tap dancing, singing in harmony, and playing harmonica, all while keeping the beat with belled stupid hats, and, of course, chewing gum! Doing this means doing six different things at once. It fits perfectly into stupid and absurdly hard all at once!

Pavel: I don’t want to give away too much, but there’s a piece toward the end of the show where I juggle a frying pan, a block of dry ice, and a saltshaker while Dmitri is throwing stuff at me and I’m throwing stuff at Vanka. That’s a pretty tough one.

Nikita: You know, Pavel, I’m just now finally understanding why your throws on that trick are so hard to catch. You’re supposed to be throwing them to me. Vanka is usually backstage with the extra eggs and the champagne glass tray at that point. If you’re aiming for him back there, that definitely explains a lot.

Vanka: So that’s where those flying eggs are coming from!

The brothers strike a pose. (Photo courtesy of SRO Artists, Inc.)

What is your favorite trick to perform?

Pavel: That would be the piece we call “Jazz.” It’s improvisational interactive juggling. The piece has a basic structure, but mostly, it’s just us playing. If the audience likes it half as much as I do, they’re having a pretty good time.

Dmitri: I agree with Pavel. Jazz juggling is incredible, fun, always new for us and the audience. It’s also funny while we riff and juggle and play with the very meaning of improvisation!

Nikita: “4 x 4.” We play and sing a beautiful love song for two voices, guitar, euphonium, sopranino recorder, all while juggling three balls. However…no one person plays more than half of any instrument. As we stand shoulder to shoulder, Pavel and Dmitri share the juggle of three balls with their two outside hands. Pavel uses his inside hand to play half the buttons on the recorder and he also blows into the recorder (with his mouth). I use my right hand to play the other three buttons on the recorder, and I hold the euphonium with my left hand and blow into the euphonium (with my mouth). Vanka plays the fingerings on the euphonium (backwards!) while he frets the chords on the guitar. Dmitri (remember Dmitri?) strums the guitar with his inside hand (the one he’s not using to juggle with Pavel from way back at the other end of the line). Meanwhile, Dmitri and Vanka, since they’re not blowing into any instruments (with their mouths) are able to sing the beautiful lyrics in harmony (with their mouths). I like this trick because it looks exactly as hard as it was to learn. And because, if I were in the audience, it is exactly what I would want to see.

Vanka: My favorite is the “Gamble,” where audience members bring random objects for one of us to try to juggle. People have brought the craziest things over the years, from octopuses (octopi?) to a frozen gallon of milk covered in coconut oil. My favorite part about it? It’s Dimitri that has to do the juggling! Yikes!

Paul, why did you co-found the Flying Karamazov Brothers, and why have you stuck with the troupe for so long?

Dmitri (Paul): I invented it to have fun, do theatre I was interested in, and to be with my family of friends. I have loved doing this job from the day I conceived of it. It’s been my passion and life’s work. I hope that it continues past my brief time in this particular juggling pattern.

2018-2019 Annual Report and Fall Newsletter

The Paramount Theater’s most recently completed fiscal year was another one filled with success and community impact. With 299 events, there was rarely a quiet moment in the Theater.

The Paramount hosted more than 111,000 patrons, which included a record-breaking Arts Education season with 18,667 students and teachers. Furthermore, only 62% of generated revenue came from Theater operations, while the remaining 38% came from our generous donors. For more of this year’s exceptional statistics, and for the latest news about what’s happening this fall at The Paramount, check out our 2018-2019 Annual Report and Fall 2019 Newsletter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo helps students find their groove

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo and his ensemble of dancers and singers perform at The Paramount Theater. (Photo by Taylor Matousek)

Nine hundred 2nd through 6th grade students from local schools danced in their seats at The Paramount Theater last Tuesday, October 29, as part of the daytime Arts Education Program. GRAMMY-Winning hip hop artist, Cactus Sullivan, better known as “Secret Agent 23 Skidoo,” brought the house down with his infectious rhymes and funky beats.

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo combines the excitement of hip hop with the magical world of childhood. His music centers on positive themes of empowerment, love, imagination, hope, ambitions, and dreams. His 2016 album Infinity Plus One won the Best Children’s Album of the Year at the 59th GRAMMY Awards. USA Today said of Skidoo, “He empowers kids to be themselves.”

A breakdancer performs amazing moves. (Photo by Taylor Matousek)

On stage with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo was his ensemble of incredible vocalists and acrobatic dancers, who performed amazing breakdance moves. The gravity-defying dancers were a hit with the students. A Woodbrook Elementary 2nd grader said his favorite part of the show was when one of the dancers spun on his head. “I danced, too,” he added, “and I almost did a flip—I didn’t, but I really wanted to.”

A 3rd grade student at Woodbrook Elementary School also enjoyed the performance. “The show was amazing!” she said. “Every part was my favorite part because I had fun with my friends.”

The day before the performance, Skidoo and his crew paid a visit to Walker Upper Elementary School to lead a group of 6th grade music students in a hip hop song writing workshop. Skidoo shared some of his own rhymes and beats, and then challenged the students to write their own hip hop verses. Students slowly plucked up the courage to share their own raps, and those who were brave enough to take up the mic received enthusiastic support from their peers.

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo leads a hip hop song writing workshop at Walker Upper Elementary. (Photo by Aaron Eichorst)

Cathy von Storch, Education & Outreach Manager at The Paramount, attended the writing workshop and was awed at Skidoo’s ability to get students out of their comfort zone. “The whole crew are obviously gifted artists, and they also have special gifts in working with children,” said von Storch. “The level of student engagement, enthusiasm, smiles, amazing writing, courage at the mic, all spoke volumes of those gifts.”

von Storch also shared some of the overwhelmingly positive feedback she’s received from the teachers who attended Skidoo’s live show. One teacher wrote, “This was an incredible performance! It is definitely one of the most exciting, engaging and powerful performances I have ever brought students to, and they absolutely loved it!” Another teacher shared that students said it was their favorite performance at The Paramount ever.

Students get their groove on at Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s live show. (Photo by Taylor Matousek)

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s show was just one of eleven live arts performances scheduled for area students during the 2019-20 school year. The Paramount Arts Education Program is committed to presenting the finest arts education performances for students in Central Virginia. A record-breaking 18,667 students and teachers attended Arts Education performances last year, and over 195,000 have attended since 2004. With the support of Arts Education Partners, The Paramount Theater is able to offer performances at a reduced cost or free of charge, thus ensuring that these programs are accessible to all students.