June 2024 - Digital Edition
Often, when we think about traditional Appalachian music, two young women from Brooklyn and Chicago, respectively, are not the archetypes that come to mind. But Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman are two players who are very much interested in bringing out the complexities of this genre and tradition for a new generation…
Don’t miss our Q&A with Jake Shimabukuro! Click here!
By Lara Henry
A core tenet of our mission at Payomet has always been accessibility, as we believe that opportunities to participate in art and culture should be made available for all. Not only is access to art and culture an indicator of physical health and wellbeing– it also fosters a sense of community and belonging, and promotes cultural diversity. But out here on the Outer Cape as well as across the state, affordability and cost are the most significant barriers for participation– particularly for young families and the elderly. Many lower income households struggle to meet basic needs, such as food, healthcare, and housing, and when that’s the case– investing in a family outing to a museum, or tickets to a concert, is the first thing to go.
Enter the Card to Culture program. Administered by the Massachusetts Cultural Council since 2017, Card to Culture taps into existing transitional assistance programs, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and Connector Care, which are designed to provide financial assistance and support to residents in need. If one qualifies to receive benefits in any of the above programs, they are automatically eligible to participate in Card to Culture, allowing for free or deeply discounted admission to a variety of arts, humanities, and science organizations across Massachusetts.
As a participating organization, this means that for most of our music and circus performances at Payomet, we offer five-dollar Card to Culture tickets, for up to four people per performance. Tickets may be purchased in advance over the phone or on-site at the venue. You’ll be asked to present the card for whichever program qualifies you, such as SNAP, WIC or ConnectorCare– and we’ll be happy to welcome you into the tent.
“It would be hard to describe the Card to Culture program as anything but an unqualified success,” says MCC Public Relations & Events Manager, Christian Kelly. Initially aiming to recruit one hundred cultural organizations, the program has expanded exponentially, encompassing 402 participating organizations statewide. On the Cape, new organizations include Cape Rep Theatre, College Light Opera Company, Peregrine Theatre Ensemble, Provincetown Dramatic Arts, Sandwich Glass Museum, and The Academy of Performing Arts. The program also includes major organizations throughout the state, including but not limited to the Boston Ballet, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Massachusetts Historical Society.
In their first year alone, Card to Culture celebrated 250,000 discounted admissions to museums, theaters, music halls, and historic sites statewide — and just recently surpassed one million admissions for low-income and working families overall. Additionally, while the program was originally intended only for EBT cardholders, it has recently been expanded to include ConnectorCare and WIC cardholders. This widespread participation highlights the program’s success, as well as the clear need for increased access.
When asked to reflect on the program’s impact, a participant emphasized that dramatically reduced ticket prices are the only way their family would ever be able to see theater, and how grateful they were that Card to Culture made them available. Another described their situation and gratitude: “Disabled 10 years ago, I lost everything. I thought I’d never physically or financially be able to enjoy museums & performing arts again… Recently my first outing not to medical care was the museum using my SNAP benefits. Thank you for Card to Culture.”
As a community driven organization, we’re sensitive to those who don’t participate because they cannot afford it. We want everyone who enjoys live music and the circus to experience it with us! To increase access to our music and cultural programming, in the past we’ve reduced or eliminated the cost to participate with
free offerings such as concerts, pay-what-you-can tickets, sponsored music and circus programs in local schools, or offered scholarships to send kids to circus camp– and we are proud to say that we are participating in Card to Culture.
Payomet joined the program last year to further our commitment to equity and inclusion– and to welcome new folks into the tent. In participating, we are providing the opportunity for more individuals and families to experience the benefits and joys of music and art, ones that might not otherwise be able to afford it. Our goal this year is to spread programmatic awareness, so that more individuals and families can partake in the art and cultural events we present on the Cape. We love what we do, and most particularly– sharing it with all of you.
by Executive Director, Kevin Rice
What’s happening under the tent this summer (And beyond, you might ask, given our continuing Road Show Series that just keeps on rolling)?
The quick answer is… music, circus, theater and humanities all over again, just like the last 25 years. Yes, last year we celebrated a quarter-century on the Outer Cape and twenty years at the abandoned military base at the Highlands Center, North Truro. If you don’t live here and you’re not already staying out here for a week or longer, Payomet is the best reason to make a trip to the outer Cape this summer… Okay, second best reason – there is the ocean.
Our answer, when asked what we plan to do each year, is often “We’re going to do same as last year, only better.” Now, standing on the precipice of the next twenty- five years, our little organization is taking a deep breath and with that, announcing “We’re gonna do the next twenty-five years the same as the last, only better.” But better does not mean bigger. Better means opening up cultural wealth to more people. Yes, to patrons who purchase tickets, but also to folks who’ve never been to one of our music concerts; to students who’ve never seen or heard a band like Las Cafeteras; to locals who work or parent and find it difficult to get to a show. We want to take arts and culture to the streets (and in a sense, we’re starting to do so with the free concerts that make up some of our Road Show Series)!
Music has become our mainstay, no doubt. This season we’re ecstatic to present again, for the third time in seventeen years, Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal.
Add to that rising stars like Aoife O’Donovan, Sierra Hull, Sarah Jarosz and Brandy Clark… favorites like Ruthie Foster and Martin Sexton… jazz phenoms like John Pizzarelli and Jose James… and, well, you get the picture.
But it’s only part of the picture!
We ask, “How can we present performing arts with a view to creating equity and find artists who care about and whose work speaks to social justice? The answer is not “Show me the Money.” The answer is to find ways to spread our cultural wealth in every way possible. One might say, in the most democratic way possible, since the root of the word “democratic” is “demos” for “people” in Greek. But it’s a mistake to let equity or social justice or, more to the point, performing arts get appropriated by or tagged to any one group or party. We’re doing it for our community, for our neighbors, for part-time as well as full-time residents and, heck, even for day trippers!
Yes, you’ll often see “national touring artists” on our stage, but please know we’re keeping a constant lookout for younger artists who may be totally new to our audience. We’re on the watch for indigenous and global artists who share not just a unique musicality, but their culture as well. If we can present them in concert at a ticketed venue and make a lot of people happy, that’s good. If we can get them into a school for a daytime workshop and mini-concert for all the students, teachers and administrators, that’s GREAT. That’s what we aspire to.
On that note, this summer check out ShadowGrass, Nora Brown, Ella Mae Dixon, and Jose James. And for the thrill of a lifetime and a show you’ll still be talking about at Thanksgiving dinner, don’t miss DakhaBrakha on Sunday, June 30. There’s a reason they are back for the third year in a row. There will be an explosion onstage that evening of a wild and impossibly beautiful folk-rock concert that will shake you to your core.
Coming soon…
Tent Talks
– Maybe you’ve heard of TED Talks? Well, they’ve got nothin’ on our “Tent Talks.” I’m kidding, of course. (Not kidding.) Look in the next issue of The Truro Tent for a full listing. Some of these will be “interpretive” themes that relate to the environment and, in our case, the redoubtable Cape Cod National Seashore. One that I’m personally involved with and excited about will take place on Tuesday, July 9. It’s going to feature Allison Pugh, author of “The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World.” Allison will be onstage at 10AM (think Tent Talk Tuesday at Ten, on July 9) and will be interviewed by the globalist, pediatrician and uber-thinker, Barry Zuckerman.This book if almost revolutionary in scope and scaled to action that if followed, can change the world in small but important ways — I know it’s going to change my world.
Family Programming
– Payomet Circus Camp, in the front of the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater – Payomet Cirque by the Sea original circus show, always with a social or environmental theme.
– Emerging music, younger maybe but not always; indigenous or “global” but performing inside a genre like jazz that defies simple definition.
– One-off performances by a genius/global/out-there performer, whether they’re just starting off or well along .
We may hang our hat on “national touring artists” but the ultimate value we hope to deliver includes a broad spectrum of performing artists: – as well as, indigenous. Part of our mission is to present emerging and lesser-known artists. The bigger names above support many of these “smaller” shows. Come and see ShadowGrass, Nora Brown, Ella Mae Dixon, who deliver some of the biggest thrills. That mission happens by virtue of the big artists supporting The Other Payomet.
Often, when we think about traditional Appalachian music, two young women from Brooklyn and Chicago, respectively, are not the archetypes that come to mind — for many, this “old-time music” is something that is strictly produced and enjoyed by old men with beards in the mountains of Tennessee. But Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman are two players who are very much interested in bringing out the complexities of this genre and tradition for a new generation.
Brown grew up in Brooklyn, studying under Shlomo Pestcoe, a renowned local banjo player and musicologist, and rising to fame as a banjo prodigy at a very young age. “My family didn’t really know what old-time music was,” Brown says, “but it was just like folk songs [and] a lot of children’s songs follow that [or] are originally American folk songs. And so to me, I guess it didn’t feel that strange, because they were often very similar to songs I was singing in school.” Now at age eighteen, a student at Yale University, she has played around the world and released several albums, and is currently on tour with Coleman, who she met at an old-time jam session hosted by the storied Sunny’s Bar in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood.
Coleman is the older of the two, but also began playing early at the age of eight, following in the footsteps of her father, another old-time fiddler. A former member of the well-known band Uncle Earl, Coleman has quite the resume. A veteran touring musician, she’s even played on Cape before, alongside the GRAMMY-winning Del McCoury Band.
Brown and Coleman are both deeply passionate about the roots of their music. Speaking over Zoom, the two are quick to indulge me in a history lesson about the music that they play. Old-time music is an American genre, but as with all things American, it draws many of its characteristics from a variety of global traditions, including the influence of both European immigrants from the British Isles and West Africans brought to the United States as slaves.
Brown plays clawhammer banjo, which is different from the way many bluegrass banjoists approach the instrument and is closer to the way that enslaved African people might have played it when the banjo began to emerge from such groups in the Caribbean. Some uncertainty exists over the true origins of the banjo itself, but it has clear similarities with many African gourd instruments like the kora, which many suspect could reveal its true home.
The fiddle has an equally complicated legacy as well. Its roots are likely Byzantine, but Brown points to the influence of Scotch-Irish, West African, and Native American fiddle traditions in the instrument’s playing today as well. Like the banjo and many other instruments that make up America’s musical legacy, the fiddle has been held by a wide variety of players from various cultural backgrounds over the years. This kind of music isn’t even necessarily specific to the South, Brown says, “A lot of the traditions that we draw from are from that region, but fiddle music was played all around America.”
But it isn’t just Appalachian music that Brown and Coleman are excited about. Brown, who also performs in a Slavic vocal choir, says that this traditional Eastern European folk music also informs the way she approaches performing, especially when she’s singing. “I have a tendency to kind of be a little bit like withholding with like, the amount of energy I put out in my voice,” she says, “and in that tradition, you’re supposed to put on a nasal-like voice — it’s all supposed to be in the front of your face, it needs to be piercing. And so singing like that makes me feel more comfortable projecting more and having more energy and more power in my singing.” Coleman says she grew up around a lot of Cajun music as well, which inspires her bowing technique as a fiddler.
As is clear, the two radiate a love for music and musicology, which shines through in their remarkable playing. Brown’s latest album, Long Time to Be Gone, which was recorded live in a large church in Brooklyn, elevates a wide-range of traditional songs to a truly transcendent level, with the young musician’s powerful banjo arpeggios and smooth voice amplified tremendously by the unique acoustics of the space.
However, the process was challenging. “People always think that, the bigger a space, the more beautiful the sound is,” Brown says, “and that can be true but it can also be hard to hear yourself in those types of settings. So, we experimented a lot with how to capture sound the best in the church.” Nonetheless, the result is amazing. There is something incredibly raw about the way she approaches the music, which feels rich with the stories and lived experiences that have produced these songs. Even for the casual trad-folk fan, or the complete newcomer, the album feels deeply profound.
But this sense is nearly doubled by the way Brown and Coleman play together. On their latest EP, Lady of the Lake, the two dive deep into their music once again, their instruments intertwined in perfect rhythm. Coleman’s subtle fiddling bubbles with technical prowess and energy, filling every gap in Brown’s banjo-playing as if in rich conversation. The pair’s voices only add to the magic, executing beautiful harmonies throughout that add layers upon layers to their playing to create a fantastic, textured atmosphere that makes this record so powerful.
Despite being full of American tradition, both say that Appalachian music resonates worldwide. “I love playing like Ireland, Scotland, England,” says Coleman, “It’s like the best because the traditional music [there] is so much more part of the culture. Children are raised learning tunes in school [and] learning the tin whistle… The music just feels so much more part of the culture.”
Apart from their international journeys, the two will bring the sound of Appalachia to the Cape on July 15th at Payomet. They say they’re excited to experience the Cape, and it’s hard not to eagerly anticipate their arrival. It might just be one of the most interesting acts of this season.
by Gabrielle “Teddy” Ment
Get ready for a spectacular summer with Payomet’s Cirque by the Sea in Wellfleet! We’re thrilled to announce the debut of our brand-new original show, Overboard, performed by a full cast of professional circus artists in our own big top tent, located behind the Wellfleet Harbor Actor Theatre.
Overboard: A Contemporary Circus Show
Overboard plunges into an enchanting underwater world while tackling the pressing issues of climate change and ocean pollution. The story follows a ruthless sea captain whose greed leads to overfishing, pollution, and the mistreatment of his crew. His priorities shift dramatically after a colossal storm hits his boat, setting the stage for an unforgettable adventure.
This riveting show, suitable for ages 1 to 101, promises to be an unforgettable experience for the entire family. Overboard runs from July 1st throughout August, with performances every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6 PM. Whether you’re planning a family outing, a date night, or a solo adventure, Overboard is the perfect event for everyone.
Circus Camp for Kids
In addition to our spectacular show, we’re offering another incredible season of Circus Camp for children ages 7 to 14 July 8th – Aug 22nd. Our camp focuses on building social skills such as confidence and teamwork, while also teaching a variety of physical skills including juggling, acrobatics, balancing, aerial and more. Our team of professional instructors from across the country ensures a top-notch learning experience for all participants.
We still have a few spots left in our camp, so don’t miss the chance to enroll your child in this unique opportunity. Encourage your friends and family to join as well – there’s truly something for everyone in the circus at Cirque by the Sea.
Community and Beyond
Cirque by the Sea is more than just entertainment; it’s a program deeply rooted in community values. Our shows deliver powerful ecolog- ical and social messages, and our camp fosters a sense of community and personal growth among participants. We welcome everyone to join us.
And that’s not all – we’re excited to announce that adult aerial classes are in the works, as well as community beach clean ups to help build some of the props of Overboard and potentially even an adult only Burlesque(ish) circus show inside the WHAT theater.
Come and be part of the magic this summer at Cirque by the Sea. We can’t wait to see you there for an unforgettable season of fun, learning, and adventure!
Payomet has a reputation for being one of the best music venues on Cape, but ever since Seth Meyers and David Sedaris hit the stage in North Truro last summer, word has been getting around that the tent is a new hotspot for comedy as well. So, if you’ve noticed that we have a few more jokesters in our lineup this summer, that is why. But in case you haven’t heard, here’s the rundown:
Aparna Nancherla, who Rolling Stone called one of the “50 funniest people right now” joins us on Friday, July 12th. This DC-born comic has written for Late Night with Seth Meyers and has had appearances in a wide range of acclaimed TV comedies from BoJack Horseman to Master of None and Abbott Elementary. Her new book Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself and Impostor Syndrome is a collection of essays exploring Nancherla’s internal anxiety and depression through her unique, self-aware humor. “The interesting thing about standup,” Nancherla says in a Reddit AMA, “is that you do have to practice bits over and over again to find all the nooks and crannies (I guess they’re like Thomas’ English Muffins)… [I] love playing with the whole structure of standup…”
Coming straight from The Daily Show, Dulcé Sloan comes to the tent next on Saturday, July 20th. Named one of the “New Faces of Comedy” in 2015 by Just For Laughs, Sloan’s humor manages to be both hilariously absurd and incredibly intelligent and observant at the same time. Born in Miami, Sloan has performed on Comedy Knockout, The Steve Harvey Show, @ midnight with Chris Hardwick, and appeared as a correspondent for E! News Daily in addition to The Daily Show and Conan. She even has her own brand of lip gloss (called Giggle Gloss) alongside her colleague Lace Larrabee!
Then, just in case you were getting comfortable, the “Pope of Trash”, John Waters, joins us at Provincetown Town Hall for a stunning show on Thursday, July 25th. Known for his transgressive cult films like Multiple Maniacs and Pink Flamingos, Waters has made a name for himself as a provocateur and a celebrator of all things deviant. In an all-new, fast-moving, part- confessional, part-inquisitional comic spoken word show, the filth elder salutes the new gender-guerilla generation of today for doing the impossible — actually making him nervous. Together, he demands, we must form a new rainbow of rancid colors and seize back the sexual revolution from the self-righteousness of the left and the intolerance of the right.
Later on, Garrison Keillor, the former host of Prairie Home Companion comes to Payomet for a magical night of humor, storytelling, and more on August 6th, along with famous segments like “News from Lake Wobegon” that will transport you to the wild and unfamiliar land of the midwestern United States. With a massive career in entertainment behind him, Keillor is a pro performer and manages to fuse the disciplines of comedy, storytelling, poetry, and music into one fantastical night on stage.
A recurring guest on Prairie Home Companion, as well as a regular panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me, comedian Paula Poundstone will also appear at Provincetown Town Hall on August 10th. Having been a correspondent for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and with multiple HBO comedy specials under her belt, in addition to voice appearances in films like Inside Out, Poundstone has been all over the place — including Boston, where she rose to prominence in the city’s famous open mic scene. But ultimately, all roads lead to Payomet.
Finally, to close out August, viral comedian of TikTok and MTV fame, Matteo Lane joins us for two shows in Provincetown Town Hall on Labor Day Weekend. A graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a trained oil painter and opera singer, the multitalented comic’s creativity shines through on stage in his humor. Search him up and you will find YouTube videos with millions of views documenting Lane’s poignant, snarky, and sharp comedy as he pokes fun at McDonald’s, homophobic hecklers, and seemingly every major city in the U.S. We are beyond excited to welcome this comedy sensation to the Cape this summer, so get your tickets now!
Overall, it’s shaping up to be a summer full of laughs. And even though no one will ever be as side-splittingly funny as the team here at the Truro Tent, we can guarantee you that each of these phenomenal stars will 100% crack you up!
A Note from the Editor
Where I’m sitting right now in the Payomet office, I can see our large 60-day planner on the wall, covered with various notes relating to upcoming programming. But what strikes me is that, even right now as we’ve barely entered June — this calendar we have up is already focused entirely on September and October. It’s like the off-season is already here.
This is my third summer working at Payomet, and if I’ve learned anything, it’s that you better hold on because WOWZA does it go fast! By the time you’re read- ing this paper, we’ll probably already have a handful of shows for the Fall up on our website. There’s something incredibly beautiful about the chaos of it all. Maybe it’s just the sheer amount of unique programming we’re able to cram into the year, or maybe it’s the fact that I’m always on my feet here — always taking on a new project or heading somewhere different. It’s easy to get lost in it all, which is partly why we created the Truro Tent.
In this edition, we want to draw your attention to some important events and issues that may have slipped under the radar for you thus far — some of those hidden gems that need to be heard out. Last week, I spoke with Nora Brown, an eighteen year-old banjo prodigy who will join the stage alongside skilled and experienced fiddler virtuoso Stephanie Coleman this July. While not initially knowledgeable about the traditional Appalachian music they play, writing this piece has made their show one of my most highly-anticipated events of the summer season.
In addition, this issue also features a Q&A with the Hawaiian ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro, a preview of some of our comedy programming, an update from our circus team on what they have in store for the summer, and a piece from executive director Kevin Rice discussing some of the incredible humanities programming that you can also stay tuned for.
Additionally, our multi-talented marketing director, Lara Henry spent some time interviewing representatives from the Massachusetts Cultural Council about the Card to Culture program, which seeks to provide access to cultural/educational experiences for low-income individuals and families.
Of course, this barely scratches the surface of what we’re up to this summer. But we hope that the following pages give you a sense of what to be on the lookout for as we march towards the warmer months.
But make sure to take it slow, soak in every moment, and make the most of all that’s to come — because trust me, it will go by like nothing.
— Jaiden van Bork, Editor, the Truro Tent