Thank you, Los Alamos and Northern New Mexico!
The 2014 Show, featuring Storm Front – the 2010 International Quartet Champion, was held at the Duane W. Smith Auditorium on the evenings of Friday, October 24, and Saturday, October 25.
The 2014 Show would not have been possible or successful if were not for many factors:
(1) your attendance at the show;
(2) the generous Los Alamos area businesses and special patrons who helped defray our production costs with program advertisements (listed below);
(3) our local media – KRSN, The Los Alamos Daily Post, and the Los Alamos Monitor – who ran our advertisements and, additionally, published articles that informed its readers or listeners and about the show’s content;
(4) CB Fox, who sold advance tickets to the show;
(5) local businesses and churches who displayed our posters or accepted our advertising cards;
(6) friends and family members who sold or collected admission tickets at the show or who served refreshments during intermission;
(7) the staff at the Duane C. Smith Auditorium and Los Alamos High School who provided technical assistance;
(8) the many months of effort by LOE members and choral directors who worked to produce, perform and promote the show; to secure the Guest Quartet, the venue and the advertisers; to produce the promotional materials and the show program; to orchestrate the Afterglow on Friday night.
2014 Annual Show Summary
The 2014 Show had many “firsts”. A recognized International Barbershop Quartet Champion sang in Los Alamos for the first time. New Choral LOE Director, Jason Rutledge, directed his first LOE show.
It was the first time the Annual Show was held at Duane C. Smith Auditorium, Los Alamos’s largest and best equipped venue. Total attendance exceeded 400 patrons for the first time.
Geoff Favorite, noted for his performances with the Los Alamos Little Theater, served for the first time – and “masterfully” – as the show’s Master of Ceremonies. And last, but not least, five year old Mary Lou Sheppard, daughter LOE member Daniel Sheppard and granddaughter of LOE member Maurice Sheppard, made her stage debut as the “Mary Lou” in the story, “ As Time Goes By”.
Although the show was the LOE’s most ambitious undertaking, ever, the many kind comments that the LOE received from the attendees suggest that it also may have been its best show, as well.
During their part of the show, prior to intermission, the LOE chorus and quartets seemed more comfortable than ever, and it was apparent in their performance. Chorus Director Jason Rutledge and Assistant Director Maurice Sheppard were pleased with the chorus, and the chorus thought that the quartets sang outstandingly. The quartets entertained, and they established great rapport with the audience.
As for the Special Guest Quartet, Storm Front, well, they performed like the champion-comic/singing quartet that they are – at the shows and at the Afterglow on Friday night. Their performances become, even, more remarkable when one considers that Storm Front’s members live in three different cities, and they all have full-time professional jobs.
The particulars of the show, including credits, are reproduced below from the show’s program.
Pre-show Advertising
Lads of Enchantment to Host Storm Front, the 2010 International Quartet Champion, at their Annual Show
The Lads of Enchantment (LOE) Chorus is excited to present the Barbershop Harmony Society’s 2010 International Quartet Champion, Storm Front, as their Special Guest at the 2014 Annual Barbershop Show on Friday, October 24th and Saturday, October 25th.
Due to construction at our usual venue, the United Church, and an anticipated demand for seating, this year’s show has been moved to the recently-renovated Duane W. Smith Auditorium at the Los Alamos High School, 1300 Diamond Drive.
This will be the second time that Storm Front will be appearing in Los Alamos. Storm Front electrified Los Alamos audiences in 2003 when they came as the little-known 2002 Rocky Mountain District Champion and the world’s 17th ranked quartet.
Since 2003, they have become one of the world’s most accomplished barbershop quartets, noted for, both, their wonderful singing and their comedy routines. They placed 10th in the world in 2005 and 2006, sixth in 2008, and third in 2007 and 2009, before winning the gold medal in 2010.
Storm Front has appeared throughout the US, in Canada, in Great Britain and is scheduled to perform in Japan in early 2015. The Group has also produced four CD albums and two performance DVDs. These items will be available for purchase at the LOE show.
As customary, the Annual Show will have two parts. The LOE will perform in the first part, and after intermission, Storm Front will perform.
This year’s Annual LOE Show segment is titled “As Time Goes By” and will be directed by Jason Rutledge, who is also the Director of Choirs for the Los Alamos School District and an accomplished singer, in his own right.
“As Time Goes By” will tell a story, sung by the LOE Chorus and quartets. The songs will include traditional barbershop favorites, such as “Muskrat Ramble” and “Hello Mary Lou”, and classic ballads, including “As Time Goes By”, “Something” (by George Harrison), “Dream”, and perennial favorite, “Shenandoah”.
The show begins at 7:30 PM, each night. On Friday night, there will be an “Afterglow” in the chorus room, adjacent to the Auditorium, following the show. The Afterglow entails a snack and additional singing for a modest fee of $5.00. Advance tickets ($15; $5 for students) may be purchased at CB Fox or from chorus members.
Tell your friends and family, because this is a show no one will want to miss!
Links to Storm Front
Website URL: http://www.stormfrontquartet.com/
Performance URL: http://www.stormfrontquartet.com/media.php
Media URL: http://www.stormfrontquartet.com/presskit.php
E-mail us (see the menu) if you would like to be reminded about the show or to reserve tickets for this special event.