Press Releases

Performers Team Up to Bring "Galway to Graceland" Algonquin Arts Theatre March 2 at 8 p.m.

EVENT INFORMATION
What:
"Galway to Graceland"
McLean Avenue Band & Emerald Fire

Date & Time:
Saturday, March 2 at 8 p.m.

Location:
Algonquin Arts Theatre
173 Main Street, Manasquan, N.J.

Tickets:
Regular Seating:
Adults: $38
Seniors: $36
Students: $28
Special rates available for groups of 10 or more.
To purchase, visit algonquinarts.org or call 732-528-9211

IMAGE: McLean Avenue Band & Emerald Fire
Link:http://www.algonquinarts.org/cc/mclean_emerald_CMYK.jpg
Caption: Padraig Allen's McLean Avenue Band and Joanna Barry Connelly's Emerald Fire team up to present "Galway to Graceland," their vibrant program of Irish music, song & dance. (Courtesy McLean Avenue Band & Emerald Fire)

MANASQUAN, N.J. (February 19, 2013) - Algonquin Arts Theatre welcomes McLean Avenue Band and Emerald Fire to Manasquan on March 2, at 8 p.m. to present a dazzling array of Irish music, song and dance in their program "Galway to Graceland."

McLean Avenue Band's repertoire includes raucous fiddle, traditional Irish favorite songs, Celtic fairy tales and critically acclaimed rock and bluegrass originals. Their "super band sound" has its very own distinctive mix between old Irish Celtic folklore and the rock pop Celtic music of today. They are accompanied by Emerald Fire, an Irish Dance group that brings incredible energy to the stage.

Premium tickets are sold out, but regular tickets are available by calling 732-528-9211, visiting algonquinarts.org or stopping by the Algonquin Arts Theater Box Office at 173 Main Street in Manasquan from 12-6 p.m. on weekdays and from 12-4 p.m. on Saturdays. The cost is $38 for adults, $36 for seniors and $28 for students. Beer & wine will be available at a cash bar. Tickets are all subject to a $2 per ticket processing fee.

Padraig Allen, the leader of McLean Avenue Band, was destined to become one of the finest singer/songwriters out of Ireland. Singing and play bass guitar for the band The Whole Shabang, Allen has toured with groups like the Prodigals, The Dublin City Ramblers, Foster and Allen, McCabes, The Mickey Finns, Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones. Catch one of his shows and you will witness the incredible energy that McLean Avenue Band turns out.

McLean Avenue Band is Allen (vocals, bass guitar), Buddy Connolly (accordion), Jessica Semins (fiddle), Joseph Biancorosso (vocals, guitar) and Tony Ryan (drums). They have appeared both in the tri-state area and on stages around the world.

Emerald Fire formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 2001 to tour with symphony orchestras in Europe and has recently relocated to the United States. Since the move Emerald Fire has toured across the Northeast. The dancers are trained in all forms of dance and although Celtic is the dominant form they use styles such as Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Hip-Hop.

Emerald Fire is led by Dublin-born Joanna Barry Connelly who began her performing arts training at the age of three. Having studied Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Tap, it was Traditional Irish Dance that became her passion both as a performer and choreographer. Connelly has toured the world with shows in Japan, Austria, Canada and throughout the USA and Ireland, as well as appearing on the "Today Show," "Fox NY" and in Carnegie Hall, in the USA and RTE's "The Late Late Show" and "Kenny Live" and The Point, Gaiety and Olympia Theatres in Ireland.

The opening act will feature Senior Dancers from The Patricia Murphy School of Irish Dance in Brick, N.J. Patricia O'Keefe Murphy, founder of the school, has been teaching Irish dance and Irish culture to students in Monmouth and Ocean Counties for more than 30 years. Performers will include Champion dancer/ Irish Dancing Magazine "Man of the Year" finalist, Connor Sheridan, who in addition to working as an Algonquin Theatre box office associate is preparing to compete in the World Irish Dancing Championships in Boston, Mass., in March 2013.

Visit the Algonquin Arts Theatre calendar page at algonquinarts.org/calendar to watch a video of the band in action. More information including the full biography of the band and dance company is available at mcleanavenueband.com and emeraldfiredance.com

About Algonquin Arts Theatre:
Algonquin Arts Theatre (AAT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 with the mission to provide cultural enhancement and arts education to all audiences at the Jersey Shore through high-quality performances and programs in theatre, music, film and dance. The end goal is to foster appreciation of the arts and promote lifelong learning, particularly among underserved audiences including the economically disadvantaged, senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.

Algonquin Arts Theatre's programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts / Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; by funds from the Paul F. Zito, M.D. Educational Foundation, by Simon Kaufman, Esq. & Maria Zito-Kaufman and remembering Marialana and her love for children and the arts.