Professionally Relaxed Musicians to perform in PT

Professionally Relaxed Musicians will perform as part of the Candlelight Concert Series at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 609 Taylor St. in Port Townsend. Entry is by donation.

The program will feature selected original music composed by Lis Nagy and Larry Costello as well as a selection of other songs by prominent folk composers, according to a news release.
“PRM celebrates the wonderful folk music tradition as we sing and play on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula,” Nagy said in a news release. “We perform a mix of familiar, original and traditional folk music.”

PRM also will share musical favorites by performers including Kenny Loggins and John Denver.
Costello was a former member of Shady Grove and Dream City Ramblers of Port Townsend. 
Nagy is a singer-songwriter who released her first album, “House of Music,” in 2015.

PRM will feature many of Nagy’s songs during the performance.

“Sharing music with the rest of the world is a dream come true,” Nagy said.

Supporting Nagy and Costello on bass will be Hank Snelgrove, a local remedial double bass
player.

For more information, call 360-774-1644.

KCPT Playfest 23 to begin March 1

PlayFest 23, Port Townsend’s “Festival of New Plays,” will come to Key City Public Theatre March 1-10.

The festival, which offers a unique behind-the-scenes glimpse of how contemporary plays are created, features new one-act plays written by local playwrights, performances of new works being workshopped by regionally and nationally known playwrights, open rehearsals, discussion panels and workshops, according to a news release.

PlayFest invites patrons to sit in on the process that brings working drafts and award-winning, one-act scripts to the stage.
Tira Palmquist, a playwright based in California, will be featured this year. She will workshop her new play, “Hold Steady,” an exploration of the millennial generation. Joining her will be New York playwright Henry Feldman, who is developing a new script, “Global Warming: A Comedy.”
The local winners of the Port Townsend Arts Commission’s playwriting competition will have their work showcased on stage. They are Christopher Clow with “Coffin Nails,” Doug
Given with The Vortex,” Kimberly Hinton with “Red Tide,” David Hundhausen with “Karma
Descending,” Lillie Moses with “Stationary” and Deborah Wiese with “The Cord.”
All-access passes are available. There will be a free playwriting workshop March 9 and a playwriting intensive March 10, both with Palmquist.

Free public events such as open rehearsals, discussions and receptions also will take place.
For more information, call 360-385-5278.

Quimper Storytelling Guild to feature Achi Kochi tales

Tobey Ishi-Anderson of Olympia will be the featured storyteller during the Quimper Storytelling Guild’s First Friday StoryNight. The event will begin at 7 p.m. March 1 at the Port Townsend Friends Meetinghouse, 1841 Sheridan St. in Port Townsend. 
Ishi-Anderson will share stories gathered from diverse cultures on the three continents she has lived: Asia, Europe and North America. Her program, “Achi Kochi: here and there stories,” will draw from her childhood memories of aunts sharing stories of their life in internment camps during World War II and her travels as a Peace Corps volunteer and educator.

The evening program will include a set of shorts stories told by a diverse range of tellers who sign up when they arrive, and there will be a closing story-song connected to the evening’s theme by emcee Perry Spring. 
Now in its 10th season, First Friday StoryNight is a communal exploration of the art and ritual of the oral tradition, including the old myths, folktales, fairy tales, ballads, family, personal and modern stories.  

The guild also holds a monthly Third Sunday StoryCrafting Story Swap for aspiring and experienced tellers to hone their craft from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Port Townsend Library Learning Center, 1220 Lawrence St. in Port Townsend.

Children’s Choir to perform in Uptown

The Port Townsend Public Library Children’s Choir will perform at 2 p.m. March 2 at the First Baptist Church, 1202 Lawrence St. in Port Townsend. Admission is free.
“You will be totally inspired by this awesome group of young singers,” Director Phina Pipia said. “These musicians bring a unique magic to their performance that will enchant audiences of all ages.”
The choir’s eclectic tunes range from doo-wop to funk, rock to pop, and traditional folk, according to a news release. 
Repertoire includes pieces by Paul Simon, The Wailin’ Jennys, The Marcels and Rebirth Brass Band.
“I’ve been floored by the enthusiasm and skill of this group,” Pipia said. “These young singers have the rare ability to pick up the subtle artistry in a Paul Simon piece, sing counterpoint on doo-wop numbers, and then pull out all the stops for a rock song. It’s not every day you get to work with a group of young musicians who can do that.”
The choir consists of 16 singers who range from 5 to 12 years old. They have been rehearsing for the past eight weeks to prepare for the performance. The group will be accompanied by Pipia on piano and joined onstage by the Unexpected Brass Band.
The Library Children’s Choir was founded by Dahti Blanchard in the early 1990s. Pipia revived the group in 2015 as a fun, free musical resource for youth. The program is made possible by the Friends of the Port Townsend Library.
“The Children’s Choir is so relevant to today’s libraries,” said Hilary Verheggen, library youth services manager. “The kids in the group are learning literacy skills beyond reading such as
listening, speaking and socialization. Watching the children engage with song lyrics, musical instruments and their community is such a joy.”
Singers include Lila Anderson, Tia York, Zoe Peterson, Micah Katz, Jessalyn Northey, Hazel
Smith, Kestrel Campbell, Fern French, Cedar French, Nuri Sade-Griffin, Ember Parson, Luella
Seamans, Natalia Duran, Reid Sigmond, Vincent Hebert, Rose Eisenman, Vance Wilkinson, Malachi Wray and Silas Kane.

Dmitri Matheny to perform Bacharach songs

Flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny will perform the music of Burt Bacharach during the “What the World Needs Now” concert at 8 p.m. March 2 at the Cellar Door, 940 Water St. in Port Townsend.

Matheny, who recently was named Northwest Instrumentalist of the Year at the Seattle Earshot Jazz Awards, will celebrate Bacharach’s 90th year by performing songs such as “Close to You,” “What the World Needs Now” and “Alfie.”

Matheny will be joined by guitarist Milo Petersen, bassist Phil Sparks and drummer Mark Ivester.
Matheny is an honors graduate of Berklee College of Music. He has released 11 albums and toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
For more information, call 360-385-6959.

Lisa Sanders Band to perform in Coyle

The Lisa Sanders Band will perform at 3 p.m. March 3 at the Laurel B. Johnson Community Center, 923 Hazel Point Road in Quilcene. The show is part of the ongoing Concerts in the Woods series. Entry to the all-ages show is by donation.

The band performs soulful country blues, said Sanders, who added she is inspired by whatever life has in store for her.

“I'm in constant wonder of the things of life and the people and relationship dynamics that shape it,” she said. “I usually don't know what will come out in a song after an experience. That's half the fun of writing.”

Performing those songs brings joy, Sanders said.

“I love to stare out and see their faces,” she said. “It's pretty cool.”

Sanders said she is looking forward to performing in Coyle. 
“I've never been there, and I love small, intimate shows,” she said. “I really like meeting everyone and having a close-knit atmosphere is wonderful. You really can connect with the folks.”

Tyrell releases solo piano CD

Nan Toby Tyrrell has released a new solo piano CD titled “Just Me,” recorded at Rainshadow Recording Studios by Everett Moran.

Tyrrell’s CD includes 14 songs by her favorite composers, such as George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Judy Collins, Sandy Denny, Samuel Barber and songs from “Fiddler on the Roof.” The CD is available by contacting Tyrrell by email at nantoby11@gmail.com.