Blue Hill benefit recognizes bond between song, stage

Now that the New Surry Theatre has a permanent home at the intimate, 200-seat Blue Hill Town Hall, co-founder Bill Raiten wants to throw a party, to benefit the long-standing community theatre organization. It’s set for this weekend, and he has invited some well-known local friends to provide the entertainment.

“Songs and Stage: A New Surry Theatre Benefit Concert” kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20, in the Blue Hill Town Hall, featuring music from Noel Paul Stookey, one-third of the legendary folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, as well as theatrical performances from Raiten, longtime NST actors Herb Mitchell, Sheldon Bisberg and Shari John and a number of other local actors.

Raiten and Stookey, longtime friends and sometime collaborators, both feel that theater and folk music are a natural pair.

“In particular, it’s the fact that folk music tells stories. It’s a storytelling medium. It’s attempting to describe a circumstance and encourage an emotional response,” said Raiten. “Theater is its companion, in many ways. Both theater and folk music require participation on the part of the audience.”

“Old folk singers never die, they just do benefits,” said Stookey, chuckling. “But what we really want to do is remind people of theater’s importance, and what the New Surry Theatre has done for the community.”

“Songs and Stage,” in addition to a set from Stookey, will feature a monologue from Mitchell, a song or two from Bisberg, and a live performance of a 1940s Superman radio play, complete with sound effects and period advertisements, as well as some other surprises and musical numbers. In short, it promises to be a terrifically entertaining evening of music and theater – all going toward a good cause.

Tickets for “Songs and Stage” are $25, and can be purchased at the Blue Hill Public Library, or by calling 374-5556. For more information, visit www.newsurrytheatre.org.