New for 2010:
In The Good Old Colony Days SAMPLER
[previously]
There are currently three versions of Chimneyside Tales available:
Songs and Stories of Old New England and New York State focuses on professions, tall tales and tall tale songs, courting songs and children’s songs. Using painted props and masks made by Tom and a puppet made by Grian MacGregor, audience members get to play roles onstage. Singing along and participation in children’s singing games is also encouraged. For some performances Tom adopts his 19th century alter ego “Tall Tom, The Tale Teller” and regales the audience with a story and a song or two. Songs include “Fiddle Dee Dee”, “Jolly Old Roger”, and “Frog, He Would A Wooing Go”, the grand finale which brings a number of audience members onstage to wear colorful masks and play the roles of Mr. Frog, Miss Mouse and the entire wedding party. 45 minutes in length.
Songs of The Sea was originally created for the OP Sail 2000 Tall Ships Festival in New London, CT. Presenting chanteys and ballads of the British Isles and North America, the program includes “Cape Cod Girls”, “The Mermaid”, and “The
Herring’s Head”. With “Pay
Me My Money Down” Tom indicates the African American influence on the music. With “Captain Kidd” he relates a ghostly tale of Long Island Sound and the Connecticut shoreline. Audience members get to wear sailor hats, and man an imaginary capstan while singing a capstan chantey. “Can’t You Dance The Polka” allows an audience member to dance with Jolly Jack Tar, a four foot puppet created by Grian MacGregor. 45 minutes in length.
Christmas in America, Circa 1850 offers an entertaining look at some of the ways Christmas was observed in the United States of the 1800’s. This program has been enthusiastically received at a number of First Night Celebrations, Historic Sites and
at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York.
The show is introduced by Tall Tom, The Tale Teller, who entertains the audience with the songs “Let’s Go To The Woods” and “Billy Barlow” as he tells about the tradition of the Irish wren boys who sing from door to door on St. Stephen’s Day, December 26th. Santa Claus’ grumpy cousin, Belznickle, who was a popular figure in the German communities of New York State, Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia, puts in an appearance. The program also explores the Christmas “John Canoe” rituals of African American slaves and the origins of “Jingle Bells”. This colorful evocation of Christmas past is approximately 50 minutes in length.