Paramount theater announces summer 2008 series

Media Contact:

Kristen Gleason
Director of Marketing
The Paramount Theater
215 East Main Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
434.979.1922 ext. 103
kristen@theparamount.net

For Immediate Release

April 24, 2008

Today The Paramount Theater proudly announced its Summer 2008 Series of performances, events crossing folk, bluegrass, jazz, rock, funk, comedy, and family programming genres which runs through August 2008 and brings some world-class artists to Charlottesville’s historic theater for the first time.

Already announced for the Summer Series are the Nels Cline Singers, the free-jazz ensemble fronted by the Wilco lead guitarist of the same name, on Friday, June 6 and the unconventional all-star bluegrass/folk collaboration of Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Béla Fleck on Friday, June 27.

The Paramount’s new lineup includes:

• renowned saxophonist Kenny G on Sunday, June 8;
• a celebration of folk with Guy Clark, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and Jesse Winchester on Friday, June 20;
• an evening of magic and illusion for all ages provided by Mark Nizer and Jason Bishop on Friday, July 25;
• and an outpouring of jazz and funk featuring three of the world’s foremost guitar virtuosos, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, and Victor Wooten, on Sunday, August 17.

With the exception of seats for The Nels Cline Singers and The Sparrow Quartet, currently on sale to Paramount members and opening to the general public on Monday, April 28, tickets for The Paramount’s Summer 2008 Series will go on sale in May.

Newly-announced performances will be offered to Paramount Theater members in a pre-sale period beginning Friday, May 2 for top level contributors and Wednesday, May 7 for all members. Summer 2008 events will be available to the general public beginning Tuesday, May 13.

Anyone who is not currently a member of the theater may take advantage of the pre-sale period by making a tax-deductible membership contribution when placing an order. Tickets will be available through the theater’s website, www.theparamount.net, and The Paramount Box Office (434.979.1333).

Tickets remain on sale for previously-announced events in The Paramount’s Spring Series -- including family performances of A Year with Frog and Toad and Beethoven’s Wig, incredible concerts featuring violin virtuoso and composer Mark O’Connor’s Appalachia Waltz, the swinging sounds of The World Famous Count Basie Orchestra, the return of Whose Line is It Anyway? comedians Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, and the nation’s oldest and most celebrated dance troupe The Martha Graham Dance Company, in a performance including masterworks Diversion of Angels, Lamentations, and Appalachian Spring.

This summer, The Paramount will complement live performances with three weekends of summer films shown in grand style.

A Family Fun weekend invites all ages to enjoy The Wizard of Oz on Saturday, June 21 and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial on Sunday, June 22; a Salute to The Coen Brothers will showcase the unpredictable filmmakers with The Big Lebowski on Friday, July 11, Blood Simple on Saturday, July 12, and Raising Arizona on Sunday, July 13, and Political Intrigue provides a conspiratory twist this election year with All The President’s Men on Saturday, August 9 and the original Manchurian Candidate on Sunday, August 10.

For the first time this summer, movie weekend packages will offer a reduced-price combination ticket to attend all movies in the individual Family Fun, Coen Brothers, and Political Intrigue weekends.

Continuing to serve as a community partner with local organizations, summer at The Paramount marks the return of LOOK3, The Festival of The Photograph. Events at the theater include “Whales,” the kick-off fundraiser for The Whale Trust featuring this year’s “Trees” artist Flip Nicklin on June 11; “Project Talks” and “Masters” Presentations on June 12 and 14; and “Insight Conversations” with 2008 legacy photographers Mary Ellen Mark, Joel-Peter Witkin, and James Nachtwey on June 13, 14, and 15 respectively. Additional information is available at www.look3.org.

Launching a new tradition, the Municipal Band of Charlottesville is bringing their 86th Annual Summer Concert Series to The Paramount. One of the oldest continuously operating volunteer community bands in the United States, the group will present this year’s schedule of free concerts on six Tuesdays at 8 pm: June 3 and 17; July 1, 15, and 29; and August 12. More about the Municipal Band may be found at www.charlottesvillemunicipalband.org.

More information is available online or through The Paramount’s Box Office at 434.979.1333.

Additional Paramount Theater performances for Fall 2008 and beyond will be announced this summer.