Around Town Singers Bring International Music to Latest Production

The Around Town Singers will present their spring show “Around The World” at on Saturday. The show will feature international music and song from Italy, Africa, the Caribbean, China, Spain, the British Isles and the Americas.

There will be singing, dancing, comedy and more in this family-friendly event. The group will perform two Polka numbers, “Beer Barrel Polka” and “Clarinet Polka,”  and the singers encourage dancing couples to join the show.

“When we do the Polkas, we want it to be like the old Lawrence Welk Show,” said founder Dan Kehoe, recalling the old ABC variety show where audience members danced along with the program’s stars.

Couples wanting to dance with the troupe are encouraged to contact the box office at 860-386-5154.

The Around Town Singers have produced two major shows each year since the group’s founding in 2008, a spring production and a Christmas event.

Kehoe describes the group as a “community chorus, but we are a lot bigger than that.”

Their ensemble consists not only of singers, but a complement of dancers and a 15-piece orchestra. Kehoe likened the orchestra to one found on Broadway, with stringed instruments, violins, brass and percussion.

The group rehearses at the West Suffield Congregational Church and also performs in various capacities aside from its two big productions. They performed at the sold out “Dinner with Gershwin” event at the Senior Center on Friday, April 29. Kehoe said the smaller shows tend to have an audience between 100 and 150 spectators, while the larger shows draw upwards of 600 people.

Kehoe is not only the founder of the group; he also serves as choir director and plays the keyboard. The troupe is currently comprised of approximately 50 people and is looking for more local performers to join.

“We are always looking for new singers,” Kehoe said.

Anyone interested who is of high school age or older can contact Dan via his e-mail.

The group also holds auditions for kids between age 8 and age 12 for the Around Town Junior Chorus.  Information about auditions, tickets and other information can be obtained at the group’s Web site.

Past performances of the Around Town Singers include Godspell, Old Fashioned Christmas, Let's Dance and Home for Christmas. Tickets for the show can be purchased at the Web site. Group rates are available for blocks of ten or more tickets.

Several local vendors, including the Highland Park Market, First National Bank of Suffield, Rockville Bank and Red Riding Hood's Basket in Southwick also have tickets for sale.