Flagpole Ensemble Excited By Challenges, Opportunities At Ives Debut

By John Voket

Calling it a “home grown Newtown experience transplanted to Danbury,” the Flagpole Radio Café is uprooting itself from the cozy confines of Main Street and the Edmond Town Hall and bringing its unique showcase of locally flavored comedic sketches and musical diversity to the main stage at the Ives Concert Park Friday, August 19.

And while the group’s founder Martin Blanco has no illusions about selling out the venue with its several thousand seat capacity, he believes the genuine quality of the entertainment package being presented is worthy of a space as sprawling as the Ives facility.

“From the Alexandria Room and the stage at town hall to the Ives, our show could work either way,” Mr Blanco told The Bee this week. “We were originally going to put the band and the audience all on stage with us, but it made more sense to open up more seats. If we could sell more seats in the house than we would have sold on stage, then that would be great.”

Mr Blanco has seen to it that the Flagpole Radio Café doesn’t stray far from its successful formula even though it is moving a few miles westward to the Ives Concert Park. The show is being sponsored by Newtown Savings Bank, it will feature the same type of Prairie Home Companion routines with subject matter drawing from local sights and events around Danbury, and the group is bringing back a proven power hitter — folk icon Peter Yarrow — as the headliner.

Mr Yarrow was a member of the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, a group that rose to national prominence in the early 1960s. He was a member of that group for 49 years. The group recorded hits including “Puff (The Magic Dragon),” “Day Is Done,” “Light One Candle,” “Leaving On A Jet Plane,” and “The Great Mandala.”

During the past decade, Mr Yarrow has also headed an educational nonprofit organization that he founded known as Operation Respect.

“This will be our second show with Peter and his daughter and her partner. The combination of her singing and his cello playing is in and of itself extraordinary,” Mr Blanco recalled. “And I understand they will be working some things out with Peter that will be unique.”

Flagpole Radio Café material, he said, may not be specifically geared for family audiences, labeling some routines and musical subject matter “PG,” but the opportunity to see this one-of-a-kind performance is something Mr Blanco hopes will attract families from across the region as well as Newtown.

“Peter’s songs have touched people of many generations who connect with his music and his delivery,” Mr Blanco said. “Yarrow is quite a showman, a terrific person, with engaging banter and many stories to share.”

Moving to a professional stage environment with its upgraded sound and lighting system might at first be daunting, but Mr Blanco said his entire crew comprises professionals will make the best use of the space they are provided, no matter the size.

“Of course, we’re excited that the venue is bigger than any we’ve played. But there are also some technical things that will be available that could greatly enhance the show, that are not available to us at the Edmond Town Hall,” he said. “At Ives, there’s just a lot more technical capacity, but we’re curious to see how the challenges and opportunities will play out.”

He also is planning for the program to be a bit bigger, with possibly a longer set from Yarrow, a few more sketches and music from the house band.

The Flagpole Radio Café founder said the most intriguing prospect of relocating to the Ives Concert Park is reaching new audiences, who he then hopes will follow the ensemble back to Newtown as the group launches its next season.

“We’re excited,” he added. “This has the makings of a perfect summer show — the outdoor atmosphere — you don’t have to go to Tanglewood any more to get great outdoor entertainment when we have the Ives just down the street.”

Newtown Savings Bank is sponsoring this performance as part of the park’s Fine Arts & Family Series of entertainment. From his seat as CEO, bank President John Trentacosta said he is pleased that the bank can not only serve the region with financial services, but entertainment as well.

“The Ives Concert Park contributes greatly to the quality of life in this region,” Mr Trentacosta said, “and we are excited to come on board as sponsor of the Fine Arts & Family Series.”

Tanya Wulff Truax, vice president of marketing and public relations at Newtown Savings Bank, added that the Ives provides another venue for a regional audience to sample the talent that has been packing the Edmond Town Hall’s Alexandria Room and theater for two seasons for presentations of Flagpole Radio Café, a variety show that also features a number of Newtown-based talent in both music and theater along with guest artists for each presentation.

“One of the goals of our sponsorship was to bring the popular and talented Flagpole Radio Café players to the Ives,” she said. “With Peter Yarrow and his daughter Bethany as guest artists, the August 19 show is not to be missed.”

Top tier admission is $65 which includes a VIP ticket and meet and greet postconcert reception. Seats are $30 (general admission), $20 for seniors, students and children under 12.

Go to wcsu.edu/tickets or call 203-837-TIXX. Tickets also on sale at Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main Street, Newtown.

This show is presented by Flagpole Productions and The Newtown Cultural Arts Commission. For more information, visit ivesconcertpark.com.