Valhalla's Art, Music & Theater Festival starts June 17

Families, art and music lovers, and history buffs can expect a spectacular season of entertainment on the shore of Lake Tahoe at this year’s Valhalla Arts, Music & Theatre Festival, June 17 – August 26, 2015. Free music on the lawn, boot stomping roots music in a 1920’s boathouse, classic theatre productions, outdoor art camps for kids, cultural dance performances and fine art shows are some of the many highlights that await 2015 festival goers. Tickets are on sale now at ValhallaTahoe.com.

Just as the families that frequented the grand, lakeside Heller estate (Valhalla) from the late 1800’s through the roaring 1920’s, visitors and locals alike can revel in the Tallac Historic Site’s serene locale, framed by historic manors, Lake Tahoe and its surrounding forest. The sounds of waves lapping the shore and breeze wafting through the towering pines will strike a chord with a dynamic festival and special event lineup this summer:

June 17, Festival Opening Night, Alasdair Fraser: Alasdair Fraser’s dynamic fiddling, engaging stage presence, and deep understanding of Scotland's music have created a constant and international demand for his solo appearances. The Master Scottish fiddler is expected to ignite the Valhalla Art, Music & Theatre Festival’s Opening Night.

June 24, Beppe Gambetta with Special Guest Richie Lawrence: An innovator of the acoustic guitar, Beppe Gambetta seamlessly bridges the shores of Italy and America, creating roots music with emigration songs, folk ballads, steel string guitars and vintage harp guitars. Richie Lawrence is a composer and songwriter influenced by French folk music, American roots and blues, jazz, country and rock.

June 27, Calidanza Mexican Folk and Contemporary Dance: Calidenza represents a new and innovative way to look at traditional Mexican folk and contemporary dance. The company fuses contemporary technique with traditional folk dance to tell compelling stories of the rich cultural traditions of Mexico. A discounted matinee as well as a full length evening program will available for families and culture buffs.

July 2, 3, 5 9-12 and 16-18, On Golden Pond: On the shore of Lake Tahoe this summer, the Boathouse Theatre will be the ideal venue for "On Golden Pond", a classic American comedy/drama written by Ernest Thompson. This intimate family drama, laced with humor, explores growing up, growing old and growing closer.

Free Music on the Lawn: For five consecutive Sundays at noon, the sprawling lawn outside Valhalla’s Grand Hall will transform into a free concert haven for all. Bring a picnic, lawn chairs and the whole family and enjoy live music from 12 – 2pm.
July 5, The Empty Wallets: roots rock, jam band from Tahoe and the Sierra Foothills
July 12, CW and Mr Spoons: western ragtime, cowboy croons and swing
July 19, New World Jazz Project: a South Tahoe funky favorite of locals
August 2, The Yolos: jazz, French folk, roots influenced combo from Sacramento

Artists in Residence: Summer continues to heat up as artists create live master pieces during the Festival’s events.
July 1-7, John Holland: Commercial muralist and fine artist emphasizing Lake Tahoe scenery
July 13-19, Michael: natural subjects in acrylic
August 7-16, Kit Night: iconic plein aire and still life paintings in oil
August 17-24, Michelle Nelson: city and landscapes and scenes of action in oil

July 6, 13, 20 and 27, Comedy Improv: Comedy seekers can catch all four shows this summer featuring the truly amazing Tahoe Improv Players. The Tahoe Improv Players turn audience suggestions into hilarious scenes made up on the spot. They have performed at Valhalla Tahoe for 18 of their 20 years, and were one of the first theater troupes to perform in the Boathouse Theater after it opened in 2000.

July 8, Sourdough Slim: Step back in time with an authentic vaudeville style cowboy show in the Will Rogers tradition. Sourdough Slim is a veritable "one man Western extravaganza", crooning Western classics, playing accordion, guitar and harmonica, dancing a jig, dishing out hilarious comedic sketches and letting loose with yippie-ti-yi-yodeling. The show is known as a rollicking good time for audiences of all ages.

July 13 – 17, and July 20 – 24; Gina Stowell’s Children’s Art Camps
Gina Stowell’s outdoor painting workshops are designed to help children develop and discover the excitement of painting, and the instinctual urge to play with color and shapes. Stowell’s painting sessions share art in nature, art history and painting techniques throughout July, from 9am – noon.

July 15, Me and Bobby McGee: June Joplin has the voice and the heart for the Great American jazz songbook, a smooth, smoky, passionate style that’s part diva, part rapture, part pure sizzle. Bob Reid backs her masterfully with tasteful, soulful accompaniments on piano.

July 22, Celebration of Song Featuring Singer Songwriters Audrey Auld-Mazera and Grant Peeples: Audrey Auld's heart is in Country, Folk and Roots music with a presence that harkens her rugged Tasmanian homeland. Her songs were played within the walls of San Quentin Prison where she has hosted inmate writing workshops. Grant Peeples is known for his axe-sharp socio-political tunes, as well as his raucous humor and comedy, and heart-gigging ballads. In 2014 he was the recipient of the Focus Foundation Award for Creative Excellence.

July 23-25, A Midsummer’s Night Dream: “The course of true love never did run smooth," wrote William Shakespeare in his most famous comedy, 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream.' The play will be presented by South Lake Tahoe High Young Adult Theatre students, a local twist on the old favorite is set to keep the audience in stitches.

July 25-26, Washoe Festival – Special Event: Washoe Festival will be from July 25 – 26, 2015, 10 AM – 5 PM – free admission.

July 29, Quinn DeVeaux and the Bluebeat Revue: The modern soul, funk and R&B songs of Quinn Deveaux, sung in his sweet tenor over a spare guitar or carried by his band’s bright tones, evoke …His acclaimed Blue Beat Review has been thrilling San Francisco’s lovers of rollicking early R&B, and a good time, for years.

July 5, Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band and Houston Jones: Susie Glaze & The Hilonesome blend classic folk music with rough-edged stories of tragedy and fate, all with orchestral arrangements sounding like chamber music gone folk. The lush newgrass Americana folk fusion quintet will present eclectic blends of mountain folk and Celtic-inspired originals. Houston Jones is a high octane Americana quintet, inviting audiences into a world of musical virtuosity and storytelling ranging from the myths of ancient Greece to the red dirt back roads of Waskom Texas.

August 8, Gatsby Murder Mystery Dinner: Solve the murder at this authentic Tahoe-based radio theater performance! This audience-interactive play with local actors celebrates the Roaring Twenties’ South Shore lifestyle. Presented annually, this event, which includes a catered dinner, is different and new every year. Ticket includes buffet dinner, unlimited soft drinks, a glass of wine or beer and of course, the show.

August 8 – 9, Great Gatsby Living History Festival: The Gatsby Festival is quite the affair at Tallac Historic Site. Vintage car shows, lively music and a Gatsby-era fashion show grace the historic Pope and Baldwin estates that line the shore. Food and Pope House Tours are plentiful and children love face painting and wandering jugglers. Tickets are available at www.tahoeheritage.org or by calling 530-544-7383.

August 12, Jimmy LaFave and the Night Tribe: Singer songwriter Jimmy LaFave is considered one of the leaders of the “Red Dirt Music” movement, a loose association of American Roots, folks and country musicians and songwriters influenced by rural Oklahoma. Lafave is also considered one the foremost interpreters of Bob Dylan’s music in the world.

August 19, Citywater: Citywater is Sacramento’s own modern chamber ensemble. Comprising flutist Cathie Apple, clarinetist Milun Doskovic, percussionist Ben Prima, pianist Jennifer Reason, violinist Dagenais Smiley, and cellist Timothy Stanley; Citywater strives to charm and challenge its audiences with a radical interpretation of contemporary classical music.

August 26, James Garner’s Tribute to Johnny Cash, Festival Closing Night: James Garner's Tribute to Johnny Cash celebrates the life and music of the legendary 'Man in Black' with stunning accuracy. Garner and his band faithfully recreate Cash's biggest hits and present historical accounts about America's most beloved singing storyteller in this not-to-be-missed musical event and raucous closing night of the Valhalla Arts, Music and Theatre Festival.