Acton Coffee House Presents Beckett and Jazz

ACTON COFFEE HOUSE, which recently relocated to the new West Acton Villageworks at 525 Massachusetts Ave, is inaugurating its "ACH Evenings" program with three evenings of theater and jazz on Thursday, May 5, Friday, May 6, and Sunday, May 8 in The Gallery at Villageworks.

POCKET PRODUCTIONS will present its first offering, two short plays by Samuel Beckett, "KRAPP'S LAST TAPE" and "ROCKABY." "Krapp's Last Tape" will be acted on alternate nights by CHUCK SCHWAGER and BILL PLOTT. Chuck Schwager is an award-winning local actor who has played everything from Morty in The Last Jews to Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet. Plott was the drama director of the LSB Players at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School; he has long wanted to direct and perform in "Krapp's Last Tape." Local actress, director and playwright KIMBERLY HOLLIDAY – who, among other projects, is currently rehearsing for her role in Christopher Durang's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike – will perform each night in "Rockaby."

"Krapp's Last Tape" and "Rockaby" are short masterpieces; in each Beckett uses taped voices and sparse, lyrical language to explore memory, age and the tricks time plays on the mind.

POCKET PRODUCTIONS plans to offer challenging plays in small venues – look for The Importance of Being Earnest soon, perhaps in your back yard. Meanwhile we hope you'll enjoy Beckett in an appropriate setting above a brewery.

BILL JONES will perform following the Friday and Sunday Beckett performances.  Jones is an accomplished saxophonist and improviser with a penchant towards a progressive and intelligent style of playing, but he also possesses a certain warmth and emotive quality which embodies the spirit of the music he plays.

While at UNH, he pursued studies with saxophonists John Melisi, Fred Haas, and Jerry Bergonzi and had opportunities to perform with notable jazz musicians such as Herb Pomeroy, Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, James Williams, and Jimmy Heath.

While at New England Conservatory Bill continued his studies under Jerry Bergonzi, John McNeil, George Garzone, Bob Brookmeyer, Allan Chase, and George Russell and earned his masters in Jazz Studies in 2001. Always an avid student, upon graduation he studied both piano and saxophone under the tutelage of the legendary pianist, composer, teacher, and author Charlie Banacos from 2003 to 2008.

Today, Bill Jones performs, teaches and resides in the Boston area. He has performed around town with top Boston area musicians such as Bob Gullotti, George Garzone, John Lockwood, trombonist Jeff Galindo, trumpeter Dave Ballou and his brother, bassist Marty Ballou at venues such as the Beehive, Wally’s Cafe, Ryles, Acton Jazz Cafe, the Portsmouth Press Room, Top of the Hub, Michael Timothy’s, Chianti, and many others.

Purchase tickets through FUGITIVE PRODUCTIONS: http://www.fugitiveproductions.com/calendar

$15 in advance, $18 at the door
Thursday, May 5, 8pm (Beckett plays only) • Purchase your tickets online now!
Friday, May 6, 8pm (Beckett & Jazz) • Purchase your tickets online now!
Sunday, May 8, 6:30pm (Beckett & Jazz) • Purchase your tickets online now!