The Exponent Telegram Thursday, June 6, 2013 A5 Drama of a cutthroat power struggle Fairmont State University to present ‘Farmers Market the Musical’ June 28-30, July 4-6 by Jim Davis STAFF WRITER FAIRMONT — Behind-the-farmstand power struggles take center stage when Fairmont State University’s Town and Gown Summer Theatre presents the world premiere of “Farmers Market the Musical.” The troupe of Fairmont State theater faculty and students and amateur actors from the community will perform the musical June 28-30 and July 4-6 at the Prickett’s Fort State Park outdoor amphitheater. Shows star t at 8 p.m. “This has gold all over it,” Director Jeffrey Ingman said of the play. “It has a ton of potential.” The musical is about a young vendor’s attempts to sell her baked goods and homemade marshmallows at a farmers market. The vendor, Marsha, finds herself in a power struggle with Mr. Buffalo and his cronies, who rule the market with an iron fist. The vendors join forces to form a new market and bring produce to the people. “Farmers Market” is loosely based on scriptwriter Katie Kring’s experiences tr ying to sell goods at a farmers market in Missouri, Ingman said. “I never thought there could be so much drama in a farmers market, but apparently there is,” Ingman said. Kring and Rob Har tmann, who composed the score, adapted the musical to take place in West Virginia, he said. Har tmann’s score includes bluegrass, countr y, folk and contemporar y gospel numbers, Ingman said. “The music is stunning,” Ingman said. The 37-member cast includes Fairmont State theater graduate Sarah Rowan as Marsha, and Bridgepor t High School theater teacher Jason Young as Mr. Buf falo. Peter Lach, dean of Fairmont State’s School of Fine Ar ts, said he and Ingman have known Har tmann for several years. This was the first production of his that was a good fit for Town and Gown Summer Theatre because of the various ages of the characters, Lach said. Per forming the musical outdoors at Prickett’s For t gives it a more realistic touch, Lach added. “It’s a nice environment,” he said. “It’s a good experience for our students, because an outdoor amphitheater of fers its own set of challenges such as weather and lighting.” Ingman said the theater company is willing to per form the musical at area farmers markets. Area market vendors also are welcome to set up booths and raf fle their goods during the Prickett’s For t per formances, Ingman said. To schedule a showing or set up a booth, call (304) 282-0109. Tickets for “Farmers Market the Musical” are $13. Reser ve seats are available online at www.fairmontstate.edu/tickets or by calling (304) 367-4240. Staf f writer Jim Davis can be reached at (304) 626-1446 or by email at [email protected]. Gary Allan is as ‘good as new’ Country musician to headline WCOL’s Country Jam June 16 by Erin Beck STAFF WRITER THORNVILLE, Ohio — Over the course of his 17-year recording career, countr y music fans have explored some dark places with Gar y Allan. Always a little rough around the edges, the Southern California-born singer/songwriter frequently would tip back a bottle of whiskey during his per formances, in between songs about love gone wrong, his penchant for smoking and other vices and life after the suicide of his wife. From “Songs about Rain” to “Best I Ever Had,” Allan has never shied away from singing about hear tache. But his ninth studio album, “Set You Free,” marks a turning point in the platinum-selling ar tist’s career. In “Set You Free,” Allan is still singing about rain, but the first single “Ever y Storm (Runs Out of Rain)” describes hope and renewal. The album is sequenced as a stor y line, beginning with the emotion of a failed relationship in “Tough Goodbye,” transitioning to painful memories in “It Ain’t the Whiskey” and ending with the renewal and optimism of “Good as New.” “It’s all about healing,” Allan says of the album in press materials. “It’s all about the evolution of getting better.” Allan will make a stop this summer as the headliner at WCOL’s Countr y Jam, presented by the Bluestone. The show will be held at the Legend Valley Concer t Venue in Thornville, Ohio, on June 16. Randy Houser, known for “Boots On” and “How Countr y Feels,” will also per form at the day-long festival. Maggie Rose, Parmalee, Matt Mason and Clif f Cody will round out the countr y music event. Gates open at 2 p.m., according to Abbey Scherer, an employee of the Bluestone. General admission tickets are $15, while pit passes are $40. “A pit pass gets you into the pit area that’s closest to the stage,” Scherer said. Camping is also available. More information is available at www.wcol.com/pages /countr yjam2013.html. Staf f writer Erin Beck can be reached at (304) 6261439 or by email at [email protected] Staying shackled to their W.Va. history Taylor Made to headline Badlands Bluegrass Festival in Greenbrier County June 14-15 by Darlene Taylor-Morgan STAFF WRITER WILLIAMSBURG — Grafton-based band Taylor Made will headline the Badlands Bluegrass Festival on June 14 and 15 at the Poor Farm Festival Grounds in Williamsburg, Greenbrier County. Fifteen bluegrass and country music bands will perform to help restore Fort McCoy, built around 1769. The Badlands Bluegrass Festival is dedicated to raising the money necessar y for these efforts to save the fort and to make it a destination for tourists and local schools to study the heritage of the area. Wendy Williams of Taylor Made said the band will perform both nights. “Anytime we can perform in West Virginia, we try to. It’s for a good cause,” Williams said. “We encourage everyone to come out to support Fort McCoy. We’re proud of this state and where we come from.” The band has just finished its current album, “Taylor County Line.” Williams and brothers Greg and Brian Duckworth are very proud of this work 7 p.m. Dec. 7 WVU ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 2012-13 CREATIVE ARTS CENTER, MORGANTOWN Tickets: (304) 293-SHOW, ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000 Don McLean 7:30 p.m. June 8 CHARLESTON CIVIC CENTER Tickets: (800) 745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com Keith Urban — Light the Fuse Tour 2013 CAPITOL THEATRE WHEELING Tickets: ticketmaster.com Ron White, A Little Unprofessional 7:30 p.m. June 14 CONSOL ENERGY CENTER PITTSBURGH Tickets: (888) 546-8561 One Direction 7:30 p.m. July 8 HEINZ FIELD PITTSBURGH Tickets: ticketmaster.com Kenny Chesney: No Shoes Nation Tour 5 p.m. June 22 Taylor Swift with Ed Sheeran 6:30 p.m. July 6 because they penned several of the songs. “It includes the title track about when you’re a kid and shackled to your history, you can’t wait to get out of your town. It turns out life’s too big. It’s not what you stand to gain — it’s what you leave behind,” Williams said. “Everybody has a county line. You live your young life wanting to get across there and realize what you left there.” The lineup also includes Johnson’s Crossroad, The Wild Rumpus, Richard Hefner and The Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys, The Lilly Mountaineers/The Lilly Boys, Fox N Hounds, Jonathan Buckner and Chosen Road, The Weedrags, Matt Brewster, The Blind Corn Liquor Pickers, Dean Cook, Ridin Hard Bluegrass Band, Sky Smeed, The Half Bad Bluegrass Band and Cody Wickline. The festival will feature fire pits on sleds and firewood and a huge main bonfire. Vendors from around the area are bringing their creations of food and art. Crafters, artists and off-stage performers will spread entertainment throughout the festival grounds. For those not familiar with the history of Fort McCoy, the Indians in the area attacked Fort Donnally. After that, they broke up into smaller forces, and one group attacked McCoy’s home and failed to overcome the settlers hidden inside. The walls FIRST NIAGARA PAVILION BURGETTSTOWN, PA. Tickets: ticketmaster.com Toby Keith with Kip Moore 7 p.m. June 15 Jason Aldean with Jake Owen, Thomas Rhett, Dee Jay Silver 7 p.m. Aug. 16 Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch 7 p.m. Sept. 13 WELLS FARGO CENTER PHILADELPHIA Tickets: (888) 456-8499 One Direction 7:30 p.m. June 25 Justin Bieber 7 p.m. July 17 LOCAL MUSIC AND DANCE Friday: Country Caravan Music Show, 6-9:30 p.m., Winfield Commu- of the log structure still stand, hidden and protected from the weather inside a farmer’s barn, according to the festival website. It is located in Greenbrier County, where the poor were housed at the County Infirmary, the Poor Farm, one mile from Williamsburg on the road to Frankford. There is a cemetery containing unmarked graves, two of the “row houses” are still standing and the property has remained fully intact through private ownership since the 1940s, the website states. The owners of the property have decided to start having family-oriented concerts and events on the property with the intent of restoring the property to its original shape. The Poor Farm is one of the most unique properties in Greenbrier County because it has three natural caves and a natural stream with native trout. Weekend and single day festival passes are available online at badlandsbluegrass.com and at the gate. Staff writer Darlene J. Taylor-Morgan can be reached at (304) 626-1403 or by email at [email protected]. nity Building. Warm-up, open mic. Performers: Granny Blosser and Brandon and the Boys. $5. Food available. (304) 366-4736, (304) 363-4864, (304) 612-9887. Friday: Valley Memories Music Show, 7 p.m., T&L Hot Dog in Grafton. Performers: Ron Hunt, Paul Robinson, Boogie Strut Band with Russ Buchanan and Pete Snider. $6. Door prizes, 50/50, raffles. Friday: Wheels of Country Music Show, 6-10 p.m., Middletown Community Center. Performers: Ray Hileman and the Wheels of Countr y with special guests, John Daugherty, Leo McMillon, Jerry Hileman and Jim King. Food, drink, open mic; $6, children 12 and under free. Cake walk, door prize, 50/50 drawing. (304) 534-4662. Saturday: Sagebrush Round-Up, Bunner Ridge near Fairmont. Open stage 6-6:30 p.m. Performers: Carl Jenkins, Tane’ Lynne and the Total Package, John Terr y and The Round-Up Band. $6; age 12 and under free. Home-cooked meals available. Open stage. Bill, (301) 3348629, billjanoske.tripod.com Saturday: Anna Jarvis Music in the Park, 6-9 p.m. Performers: New Nashville North Band and Common Traditions. Open mic. Food available. Bring lawn chair. $5. (304) 265-5549, (304) 265-5510. Sunday: Centur y Jamboree, 2-5 p.m., Centur y Community Center. Per formers: The Centur y House Band featuring Chad, Chuck, Stix, Jim, Brooks and Traci; special guest, Leo McMillan. Nancy, (304) 457-1796.