Backstage shows at Stuart’s Opera House showcase up-and-coming talent.
Rising artists Sean Rowe and Catherine MacLellan will return to Stuart’s Opera House for special backstage shows, performing songs from their fall albums.
“The backstage shows at Stuart’s here are a little different,” said Brian Koscho, the marketing director for Stuart’s. “The audience actually sits on the stage with the performer … they’re much more intimate, smaller capacity shows; 90 people or so could fit on the stage.”
For years, Stuart’s Opera House has been hosting these backstage shows, in which a riser is set up on stage and audience members gather on the stage. Koscho said that it’s a way to bring up-and-coming performers to the region and introduce them to the venue’s audience.
“Because of the way that the show is set up, it’s more of a small listening room,” Koscho said. “And it’s also a really different way to see a show here.”
Agreeing with Koscho, Dan Prince, the managing director at the Opera House, said that it’s a great opportunity for upcoming artists.
“They’re a great opportunity for us to showcase lesser-known talents,” Prince said. “Awesome way for (artists) who can't fill up a theater yet, but are deserving of attention.”
Rowe and MacLellan are no strangers to this area, having been here before, and Stuart’s Opera House is eager to have them back.
“Both of these performers have a history here,” Koscho said, “Sean Rowe played our Free Summer Concert Series last year and he’s just an amazing songwriter. I’m excited to have him back in the theater.”
Rowe is on tour promoting his new album Madman (Anti-Records)out now, which has been featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered as a first listen and on its weekly playlist.
MacLellan will also perform songs from her new record, The Ravens Sun, which is a collaboration between her and her partner, Chris Gauthier. The songs focus on stories from her life and the tales of people around her.
“My dad was a songwriter and I grew up with music all around (me),” said MacLellan. “Then when my dad passed away I was 14 years old, and that was the beginning of me being a songwriter because that was a way for me to express my grief. … I was a pretty shy and awkward teenager and (music) helped me discover how to talk in the world.”
Though the Opera House is a little out of reach, Koscho feels that it’s a great way to break free and unwind.
“We love having people out here for the first time,” he said. “Stuart’s is a really great place to see a show and get out of town. And it’s nice because you can go see a show without having to go spend the whole weekend somewhere else.”
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