A Conversation With, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call, Music

Phantom of the Opera’s Sarah Brightman brings ‘A Christmas Symphony’ to Wind Creek
Photo by Oliver Sommers

With sales in excess of 30 million albums and more than a billion streams, Sarah Brightman is the world’s best-selling soprano. She originated the role of Christine Daaé in the world-renowned “The Phantom of the Opera,” which ended its historic run this past year, and her most recent album, “Hymn,” debuted at number one on both the classical and classical crossover charts.

Brightman will ring in the holiday season on Wednesday, Nov. 29, in, appropriately enough, Bethlehem, when she brings her acclaimed A Christmas Symphony tour to the Wind Creek Event Center.

Accompanied by a huge choir and orchestra and using emotional elements of costume and a world class light show, Brightman’s performance will feature renditions of Christmas classics and holiday favorites as well as a selection of her own greatest hits along with a few surprises.

I recently spoke with Brightman about her upcoming performance in Bethlehem and more in this new interview:

Q: In your opinion what makes the season of Christmas so special?

Sarah Brightman: For me, Christmas is a very emotional and important time of year, My family has always taken it very seriously. Even when I’m abroad I always try to get back home in time. It’s traditional for families to be together this time of year and whether you’re religious or not it’s lovely to go and see a Christmas show.

Q: What made you decide to do A Christmas Symphony tour ?

Sarah Brightman: Back when we first went into COVID a few years ago, I started thinking about what I could do that would help make people feel better, make myself feel better and also hire a few people who needed to work. I came up with the concept of doing a Christmas show and we got permission to film it in a beautiful old church in London. It went all over the world and we had such an amazing response that I thought maybe I should do this on tour in various continents, which we’ve started doing.

You can read the rest of my Morning Call interview with Sarah Brightman by Clicking Here!

Cars, Childhood Memories, Life

The Time Machine

I recently saw a post on a Vintage Mustang forum where someone had posted a photo of his 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback and mentioned how driving it helped him with his PTSD. He didn’t go into detail as to why he was suffering from PTSD and it didn’t really matter, but I nevertheless thought about this when I took my own 1965 Mustang coupe out for a quick spin on this dreary late October morning here in the Northeast.

I imagined that this guy, like me, grew up around these cars. Maybe he worked on them with his father and uncles in a garage with no heat in the dead of winter. Maybe his father had also passed away a long time ago and the car conjures up images of him and living in a simpler time.

I always tell people that my Mustang isn’t really a car at all, it’s actually a time machine. Not like some contraption from a post-apocalyptic H.G. Wells novel or something Marty McFly would need to get it up to 88 miles per hour. Those aren’t real. This time machine, however, does everything those fictional ones do but keeps you, physically, at least, grounded in the present.

Mentally is a whole different story.

When you sit down inside of a Mustang the first thing you obviously smell is “old car.” It’s kind of hard to explain exactly what that is. Perhaps the best way to describe it is a combination of 50+ year old metal, wiring and vinyl mixed with the aroma of an old attic. I know to most people that sounds horrible, but studies have shown that combinations of smells we’ve experienced in our past trigger something in our mind. We often look at photographs to remember the events of the past, but odors are actually better at helping us remember things. Brain scans have shown that odors bring on stronger memories because of the brain regions that process them.

Here in the northeast we’re in the midst of autumn; and the reds, oranges and yellows on the trees are at their peak of color. The gray, overcast sky this morning was certainly the perfect contrast to their profound brilliance. As I pulled out of my driveway and started down the road, a strange thing happened. I found myself going backwards in time.

I drove past sidewalks that were riddled with fallen leaves and could picture myself as a young boy on his way to the school bus stop. I could actually see the red jacket I was wearing, hear the whisper of the chilly late October air tickling my cheek, and feel the weight of my green Trapper Keeper filled with half finished homework assignments.

I then found myself thinking about my father working on old Mustangs in my uncle’s garage up the street. The rainy day drives our family took to the camp ground in summer. Spending late afternoons surrounded by family, playing rounds of Uno, smelling the smoke from the burning kindling and roasted marshmallows, and then looking up at a night sky filled with an endless amount of stars. Dozens of other specific images and events began to appear, like picnics at my Aunt’s house and playing tackle football with the neighborhood kids on Sunday evenings before dinner. The world seemed so pure and so simple. I thought how all of this felt like it was yesterday and yet it had been more that forty five years.

During the whole time I was lost in the moment the car idled and shifted quietly beneath my feet. Physically and peripherally I was in 2023, but mentally I was back in 1978. It wasn’t until I had made the final turn for home that I found myself returning to the present day.

As I pulled the car into the garage, engaged the manual parking brake and turned off the engine I could smell the unique gas and oil aroma an old car emits, bringing back one final salute and memory of turning a wrench with my father. As I disconnected the battery and re-connected the battery tender to keep it slow charging until the next drive, I couldn’t help but smile.

Some people look at photographs to remember the good times. I’m fortunate to be one one of the lucky ones who has a Time Machine.

A Conversation With, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call, Music

‘Croce Plays Croce’: A.J. Croce honors memory of his legendary father by playing his songs

It’s hard to believe that it’s been fifty years since the untimely passing of singer-songwriter Jim Croce. The legendary artist was at the peak of his success, with hits that included “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels),” “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim,” “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song,” and “Time in a Bottle,” when the plane in which he was traveling crashed shortly after takeoff in September of 1973. Croce had spent much of that time living with his wife and young son, A.J. in a suburb outside of Philadelphia before moving to the West Coast just prior to that fateful night.

Jim’s son, A.J. Croce, an acclaimed artist in his own right, is honoring the music and memory of his father with a new tour, “Croce Plays Croce 50thAnniversary.” One that will make two stops in the area: first at the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading on Wednesday, November 1, and then at the Keswick Theater in Glenside on Sunday, November 5. 

Croce’s show will feature many of his father’s biggest and most beloved songs performed by a full band while a large screen showcases a montage of video memories. Croce will also connect with his father’s legacy by telling stories behind the songs and sprinkling in selections from his own catalog of original music as well as taking requests from the audience in real time. To coincide with the tour a new box set, “The Definitive Jim Croce,”  was recently released that features all three studio albums Jim Croce made for ABC records: You Don’t Mess Around With Jim, Life and Times, and I Got A Name.

I recently spoke with A.J. Croce about the tour and much more in this exclusive new interview.

It’s been fifty years since the untimely passing of your father, Jim Croce. When you think about this anniversary what thoughts come to mind?

A.J. Croce: It’s kind of amazing because in a way, he never left. It’s hard to go into a grocery store or a mall and not hear one of his songs. Plus, I have worked his catalog from behind the scenes for twenty-eight years so it’s very much a part of my daily life. Making sure people hear his music has been a gig that I really have enjoyed. As a person, I was able to get to know him not only through his music and friends and my family but also from the hundreds of tapes he left where I could hear him talking to friends about new songs and conversations about politics, history, psychology and philosophy. His presence has always been there.

Read the rest of my Morning Call interview with A.J. Croce by clicking here.

A Conversation With, comedy, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call

Tape Face bringing his unique brand of comedy to State Theatre
Photo: Chris Haston / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Following in the footsteps of his successful Las Vegas residency, silent comedian and America’s Got Talent finalist, Tape Face (Sam Wills) is bringing his unique brand of comedy and weirdness to the State Theatre Center for The Arts in Easton on Friday.

Using simple, yet clever, humor and an abundance of props, Wills has created a character that takes the best elements of silent film comedy and combines it with the magic and puppetry into one whimsical, interactive experience. His curious approach to everyday objects like balloons and oven mitts invokes the inner child, while his appearance and style conjures up images of Tim Burton and the nostalgia of ’80s music, arcade video game cabinets and classic cartoons.

As his name suggests, Tape Face performs with a strip of black tape covering his mouth, but that doesn’t diminish the popularity he has with audiences. On the contrary, his America’s Got Talent audition and subsequent performances have, to date, garnered a staggering 47 million views.

I recently spoke with Sam Wills (Tape Face) about what to expect from his performance at the State Theatre, the origin of Tape Face and more in this new interview.

How would you interpret your style of comedy?

Sam Wills: The best way to describe it is standup comedy without talking. I was a standup comedian back in the day so I use the same traits and the same tricks. I just apply it to silent comedy by using music and props. When people ask me what to expect I always like to tell them the weirdest stuff, like you can expect me to fight Darth Vader, bring John Lennon back to life and we’ll have a big balloon fight at the end of the night [laughs]. The show is exactly the same as the [Las] Vegas show, with all of the same bells and whistles. If you like standup comedy, you’ll like my show.

How did the character of Tape Face originate?

Sam Wills: Back in 2005 was when I first picked it up. Before that I used to do a show where I actually talked too much. Back then I’d do circus, sideshow, and carny stunts like hammering nails up my nose, eating light bulbs, breathing fire and other weird routines. During that time, I was lucky enough to have written a show called “Dance Monkey Dance” that won the biggest comedy award in New Zealand. After I had won that award, I decided to challenge myself and do the exact opposite of what I’d been doing, so the challenge became to come up with a silent character who does nothing.

Read the rest of my Morning Call interview with Sam Wills (Tape Face) By Clicking Here.

Childhood Memories, Life

Birthday Reflections at 54

October 5th, 2023 – my 54th birthday.

This is my thirteenth entry in the series of annual birthday posts. Something I started shortly after I began my writing journey in the fall of 2011. As I sit here now, drinking coffee on this beautiful fall morning, it’s hard to believe that I’m nearly half-way through my fifties.

For me, it feels like it was only yesterday that I was the youthful teenager; driving me and my high school pals around in a beat-up 1973 Toyota, going to the Palmer Mall on Friday nights after school, pouring what seemed like millions of quarters from hard-earned, summer lawn mowing into video game cabinets, drinking gallons of Orange Julius and wishing I could somehow muster the courage to go over and talk to the cute girl who was standing with her friends outside of the Listening Booth record store.

Wasn’t I the one who was able to go to rock concerts and stay up til the wee hours of the morning? Sitting in some dingy diner; smoking cigarettes, eating French fries smothered in imitation cheese sauce and drinking gallons of coffee. Talking to friends about what would it would be like when we took on the world and made all of our dreams came true, or singing ̶h̶o̶r̶r̶i̶f̶i̶c̶ perfect three-part acapella versions of Eagles songs in the parking lot when we finally called it a night. These days, I’m lucky if I can stay up til 10 p.m.

There’s an odd sense of immortality you have when you’re young that makes you believe time will always stand still. One that whispers in your ear and tells you that you’ll never be as old as your parents. But then one day, you take a nap and wake up in their role and realize that time waits for no one. To give you some perspective, my father died twenty-six years ago this month. As of today, I’ve outlived him by three years. My mother died in March of 2020, already more than three years ago. Next year one of the friends who made those coffee and cheese fries runs with me, will have been gone for ten years.

I recently stumbled upon my Easton Area Middle School ID Badge under a pile of knick knacks and memories and immediately recalled the day I first received it back in the fall of 1980. Although I didn’t much care for the fresh-faced, goofy grinning picture of myself on the front, something printed on the back of the now worn, laminated card had really caught my attention.

It was the first time I saw the words “YR GRAD-87” and believed the year of my high school graduation (1987) was so very far away. To this shy, cheesy-grinned eleven-year old boy, seven years seemed like an eternity, and the idea of me one day living in the year 2000 was equivalent to being in a Star Wars movie. It was impossible for me to even comprehend it ever happening.

Fast forward and here I am now, sitting on a couch with a big old beard celebrating a birthday thirty-six years post high school graduation and twenty-three years beyond the year 2000. Back in 1980, it seemed like all I had was time and now I often feel the urge to make the most of what’s left.

I promised myself I’d try to keep things upbeat for this birthday post so let’s talk about the future. In addition to continuing to do interviews (hopefully, you’ve read a few) I’m still doing watercolor painting. Not only has it been a great stress reliever but it’s something you can do that doesn’t cost a lot of money and where you can literally see your progress every day. In a few weeks I’ll be showcasing my very first exhibition of framed pieces at a local winery. If you’re in the area, I hope you can make it out. More on that in the days and weeks ahead.

In the meantime, I hope my next trip around the sun brings all of us a sense of hope, peace and most of all, love. 

Jim

A Conversation With, comedy, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call

Q and A with Sam Morril: Comedian brings a class act to Wind Creek

Comedian Sam Morril’s distinct style can be seen on his new special, “Same Time Tomorrow,” currently streaming on Netflix as well as his appearance on “That’s My Time, with David Letterman,” where the iconic late-night host invites some of the hottest up-and-coming stand-up comedians to perform a set and then sit down for a one-one-one chat.

During the COVID pandemic, Morril entertained fans by performing stand-up outside on the tops of buildings, a feat that earned his creative “Up On The Roof” series a coveted spot on The New York Times “Best Comedy of 2020” list. He also showcased his comedy during an appearance in the Academy Award-winning film, “Joker” (alongside Joaquin Phoenix), and currently provides voiceover for several characters on the MAX animated series, “Ten-Year-Old Tom.”

In addition to performing his stand-up, Morril co-hosts the popular “We Might Be Drunk” podcast with fellow comedian Mark Normand. The pair also has collaborated on their own brand of rye whiskey, Bodega Cat, that’s available for purchase in select states.

Morril is out in support of his Class Act Tour, which includes a stop at The Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem on Friday, I spoke with Morril about his comedy and more in this exclusive new interview.

Q: To someone who may not be familiar, how would you describe your comedy?

Sam Morril: It’s fun and punchy, in the New York style. Light jokes on topics that aren’t always so light.

Q: What can fans in the Lehigh Valley expect from your “Class Act Tour” performance?

SM: A little bit of everything. It’s a new hour of jokes with a lot of similar topics I’ve discussed in the past. This is coming toward the end of my latest run of dates so it’s going to be a good show. I’ve played this venue before and I really like it.

Read the rest of my Morning Call Interview with Sam Morril by Clicking Here.

A Conversation With, comedy, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call

Q and A with Paula Poundstone: What you can expect at Saturday’s performance at Sellersville Theater

Known for her spontaneous wit and observational humor, Paula Poundstone is one of standups most coveted comedians. In addition to a robust touring schedule, she’s a regular panelist on NPR’s comedy news quiz, “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” and can be heard weekly on her comedy podcast, “Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone,” now entering its fifth year.

On Saturday, Poundstone will bring her unique comedic style to an intimate performance at the Sellersville Theater.

I recently spoke with Poundstone about her show, the state of comedy and her relationship with Robin Williams in this new interview.

Q: What can you tell me about your new round of shows?

Paula Poundstone: It’s really one unending tour. I go out most weekends for a few nights. I have somewhere in my head 44 years of material rattling and sometimes I pluck from that. So I’ll talk about things like a house full of animals and trying to keep up with current events and the news, which is not so easy to do these days.

My favorite part of the night is always talking to the audience and doing the time honored “Where are you from and what do you do for a living?” This is where little biographies of audience members emerge. It’s how I set my sails and therefore no two shows are the same. I do about two hours and occasionally tell stories about my children but not as much as I used to when they were little. Now that they’re adults, they might sue [laughs]. I figure the inside of my head looks like one of those arcade games where you step into a glass booth and they blow paper money around and whatever you can grab you can keep.

Read the rest of my Morning Call interview with Paula Poundstone by Clicking Here.

A Conversation With, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call

‘Long Island Medium’ Theresa Caputo bringing live show to Wind Creek this weekend. See what she has planned.

Theresa Caputo has been a practicing medium for more than 20 years. During that time she’s helped countless people find closure by delivering healing messages to them from lost loved ones. She’s a four-time New York Times best-selling author, the star of TLC’s hugely successful “Long Island Medium” for 14 seasons and the host of a weekly podcast, “Hey Spirit!,” which allows her to engage with people from around the world.

Caputo is also celebrating the 10th anniversary of her “Theresa Caputo Live — The Experience!” tour, which includes two shows at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem on Saturday and Sunday. During each event, Caputo will share her unique gift as Spirit guides her through the audience in real-time while a video display ensures everyone attending will have an up close and personal experience regardless of their seat location.

Theresa Caputo: They can expect a night filled with peace, comfort, and laughter. People might not realize that what I do is so much more than just communicating with people who have died. Spirit restores our faith in life and ourselves. One of the wishes I have for people who do attend my live show is that when they leave, they know that their loved ones are still with them, just in a different way.

Q: How does the Experience work?

I recently spoke with Theresa Caputo about her upcoming Experience show at Wind Creek Event Center and more.

Q: What can people expect from your Experience live events?

Caputo: It starts with me coming out and giving a quick speech on what people can expect over the next 90 minutes. Then once I start sensing and feeling, I’ll come off the stage with cameras following me around. There will be screens set up so that no matter where someone is seated in the theater they’ll feel and be a part of this amazing experience up close and personal. To watch someone feel grief and then actually see them smile or bring laughter to their face is absolutely incredible.

Read the rest of my Morning Call interview with Theresa Caputo by Clicking Here!

A Conversation With, comedy, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call

Exclusive interview: Comedian Bill Burr on cancel culture, off-limit topics and new material for July 6 show at PPL Center

Photo: Rebecca Sapp/WireImage

With the success of his 2022 Netflix special, “Live at Red Rocks,” and a standup resume that includes sold out performances from coast to coast, not to mention hosting Monday Morning Podcast, a leading download in comedy podcasts, Bill Burr is one of the top comedic voices of his generation.

In addition to stand-up, Burr’s also a celebrated actor, with credits that include everything from Disney’s “The Mandalorian,” and “Breaking Bad,” to feature film and his acclaimed animated Netflix series, “F is For Family.” His forthcoming passion project, “Old Dads,” in which he takes on the leading role, also will mark Burr’s directorial debut.

In the meantime, fans will be able to find Burr returning to his stand-up roots when he brings an all-new comedy set to PPL Center in Allentown on Thursday, July 6.

Burr, who is never at a loss for words, had a lot to say when it comes to comedy, cancel culture and Pennsylvania roads. I asked him about them all and more in this exclusive new interview.

Q. How would you describe your style? Is there a way you can put into words what your comedy is all about?

Bill Burr: I like to describe it as me being like the loud guy you see in the bar. The one who sort of makes sense for like a minute and then you realize I’m just a jerk and am totally harmless (laughs).

You can read the rest of my Morning Call interview with Bill Burr by Clicking Here.

1980's, A Conversation With, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call, Music

Taking Heart: Nancy Wilson bringing solo act to Wind Creek Event Center

Nancy Wilson is celebrated as one of the most inspiring and trailblazing women in rock history. Together with her sister, Ann Wilson, they comprise the multi-platinum, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band, Heart. Nancy’s revered as a guitarist, vocalist and co-writer on songs that have become staples of classic rock playlists, including “Crazy On You,” “Barracuda,” “Even It Up,” and “These Dreams.”

In addition to having sold upwards of 35 million albums in their five-decade career, Nancy and Ann recently received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy for their contributions to the world of music.

In 2021, Nancy Wilson released her debut solo album, You And Me. It’s an indelible collection of songs that includes a tribute to her mother and Edward Van-Halen as well as a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising.”

On Sunday, Wilson will bring her catalog of Heart hits along with a few surprises when her solo band, Nancy Wilson’s Heart, performs at the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.

I recently spoke with Wilson about her upcoming performance in this exclusive new interview.

Q. What can fans expect from your upcoming performance at Wind Creek Event Center?

Wilson: We’ll be doing a lot of memorable Heart songs because they’re fun to do and we’re happy to do them. We’re also adding a few surprises and more cool, hip material that people know and love.

Q. Heart has a such a vast catalog of hits. How do you determine which songs you want to include in the set?

Wilson: There are the obvious ones, like “Crazy On You,” “Barracuda,” “These Dreams” and “Even it Up,” that have to be there. But there’s also a few songs from Van Halen and [Led] Zeppelin I’ve always wanted to play that are exciting and keeps things fun. We have a really good band and our singer, Kimberly Nichole (or Kim Nicky), brings a power and energy in such a graceful way. She touches people with her voice. We’re a tight, fighting unit that’s ready to rock.

You can read the rest of my Morning Call interview with Nancy Wilson by Clicking Here.