by Jenny Holmes
I’m just a small town girl, living in a lonely world, going to take the midnight train to anywhere. Well apparently I am in a singing mood today. And if you started singing as you read that first sentence, then welcome to my world. We are getting ready for one of the most amazing Broadway tours to hit Ashland this week. Rock of Ages. If you love Broadway, you’ll love it (I saw it in New York so I know!). If you grew up in the 80s, you’ll love it for the clothing, the hair, the music. And about the music. You won’t stop believin’ how many amazing songs are in this one Tony Award nominated smash hit musical. Of course Journey. But throw in songs by Night Ranger, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and more and you will be transformed back to the 80s. In this hilarious feel-good love story, set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip, a small town girl meets a big city rocker and they fall in love. With a perfect combination of rock and comedy, this Broadway performance about dreaming big, playing loud and partying on will be the perfect mid-week show. Wednesday, Oct. 12 @ 7:30 PM. Get your tickets online or in our box office 606.324.3175.

You lucky people in the town of Ashland get the opportunity to come to the Paramount two nights this week. And I’m not sure our stage has seen the likes of the amazing Jose Porcel and his flamenco dance troupe and show called Gypsy Fire. Tuesday night @ 7 PM, this amazing former star dancer with the National Ballet of Spain will bring his show to our stage. Porcel has assembled his country’s most acclaimed flamenco artists and there will be explosions of rhythm, colors and emotions to create the most amazing theatre art. Porcel has been called a ‘musical savant and master improviser who commands the stage.’ And if you can’t picture it for yourself, drive by the Paramount and look at the picture of him on the billboard or in the box office window. I promise you can see the fire in his eyes by just looking at the picture. We are so fortunate to be able to bring these amazing international dance performances to our stage. Get your tickets now!

And next week will bring a unique performance presented by the Paramount Players, “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.” This play is history, in a story told by a girl who lived through the holocaust. From 1942 to 1945, more than 15,000 Jewish children passed through Terezin and only about 100 were still alive when Terezin was liberated at the end of the war. These few went back to the scattered pieces of their lives, their homes and families. Raja Englanderova lived through it all at Terezin, teaching the children when there was nothing to teach with, helping to give them hope when there was little reason for hope. This play is an imaginative creation of her story from documentary materials, poems, diaries, letters, journals, drawings and pictures. There is an evening performance, Friday, Oct. 14 @ 7:30 PM

Don’t forget, Loretta Lynn is here on Oct. 22 and celebrating her 50th Anniversary of making hits. There are just a few tickets left, so you will want to get in on these seats asap.

Go ahead and mark your calendar for Tales of Suspense – an evening of one-act scary plays. So scary I can’t even write about them. Two nights, Oct. 24 and 25 @ 7 PM.

And it’s still a month out, but I have grape expectations that you will want to get on this deal early. Once again, we will have our Grape Expectations wine tasting event on stage, Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. We tried a new fun thing last year and are going to do it again this year. Yes, you get to design your own wine glass. Tickets to the event are $25, or add another $5 and request your custom-designed hand-painted and decorated glass. To place your order in advance, stop by the box office and place your order or email and say Reserve Mine to jenny@paramountartscenter.com. This is the area’s most incredible wine tasting event including hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction and more. You can’t get food, wine and this much fun for $30 anywhere else. Come join us.