FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Great Barrington, Mass.—The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center has added holiday-themed virtual performances from pop band Pink Martini to its programming, December 17 and 31.
The “little orchestra” from Oregon has performed on the Mahaiwe stage four times, in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. Lead singer China Forbes also contributed a recorded piece for the non-profit’s 15th anniversary virtual party this year (mahaiwe.org/15).
“Pink Martini is an audience favorite at the Mahaiwe, with their deluxe sound, danceable rhythms, and musical selections from around the globe and across genres,” says Mahaiwe Executive Director Janis Martinson. “This is beautiful, sophisticated music that is easy to listen to — and always infectious.”
The new virtual performances — “Home for the Holidays,” premiering December 17 at 9pm, and “Good Riddance 2020,” premiering December 31 at 9pm — were filmed at the band’s downtown Portland headquarters, in front of a 35-foot Christmas tree.
Long associated with the holidays, Pink Martini has toured every December for well over a decade. With the band on long-term hiatus due to the global pandemic, it was important to bandleader Thomas Lauderdale to find a new way to bring some holiday joy to the band’s global fanbase. “I love the holidays and all of the music that goes with the season,” says Lauderdale. “Our goal has always been to make inclusive holiday music that can be played anywhere in the world. And this year we’re bringing that spirit right into your living rooms.”
Pink Martini is partnering with online concert presenter OurConcerts.Live to bring both concerts directly to fans on their TVs, computers and phones. Though the shows are recorded in advance, members of the band will be on hand live for chat and commentary during each concert’s debut broadcast, and the shows will also be available to ticket-buyers to stream for a limited time after each premiere, for those fans who need a more flexible viewing schedule.
These brand-new concerts feature holiday classics new and old, alongside fan-favorite Pink Martini songs. Bandleader Thomas Lauderdale will anchor the concerts from the piano, with lead singer China Forbes at the microphone. Additional special guests appearing on one or both concerts include co-lead singer Storm Large, NPR’s Ari Shapiro, regular guest vocalists Edna Vazquez and Jimmie Herrod, Sofia von Trapp, and Cantor Ida Rae Cahana.
Tickets for individuals are $15 for each performance, or $20 for the package of both. Tickets for families are $20 for each performance, or $30 for the package of both. For tickets and more information visit mahaiwe.org.
About the Mahaiwe
Located in downtown Great Barrington, Massachusetts, the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center is the year-round presenter of world-class music, dance, theater, classic films, Live in HD broadcasts, and arts education programs for the southern Berkshires and neighboring regions. The intimate jewel box of a theater opened in 1905. Since 2005, the performing arts center has hosted over 1,500 events and welcomed over half a million people through its doors. More than 22,000 students from 73 different schools have benefited from the Mahaiwe’s school-time performances and residencies. For more information, see mahaiwe.org.
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