If you’re an adult craving a sizzling cabaret night, a kid ready for a high-energy Saturday afternoon, a Beatles or singer-songwriter fan, or someone who loves the sound and spirit of a klezmer band, you can find all of it — on the same weekend — at the Emelin Theatre, starting Dec. 5.
“We’re trying to make our programming as eclectic as possible,” said Emelin’s Marketing Director, Tom DelPizzo. “We want to reach as many different audiences in the community as we can.”
To that end, singer Storm Large, who tours nationally with her own band and internationally with the Portland-based group Pink Martini, headlines Friday evening with her cabaret-style show, “Holiday Ordeal,” blending humor, vocals, and a dash of adult language. Large first gained national attention in 2006 on the CBS reality show “Rock Star: Supernova” and later made it to the final rounds of “America’s Got Talent” in 2021. If she can impress Howie Mandel, why not Rye?
The Emelin will offer wine and beer at the lobby bar, and guests are welcome to bring their drinks to their seats. “It’s a great way to celebrate the season,” DelPizzo said.
The following afternoon takes a completely different turn when kids’ dance-party duo Koo Koo hits the stage. Many kids (and parents) already know this rapping duo from the pandemic, when their wildly popular YouTube videos became go-to dance breaks during online school — helping families burn off all that extra energy at home. “Now they’re bringing that same energy live to our stage,” said DelPizzo.
Often described as Sesame Street meets the Beastie Boys, Koo Koo has rocked stages from Lollapalooza to the Kennedy Center. You can see them Dec. 6 at 11 a.m. or 2 p.m.
That evening, the mood shifts again with the return of Martin Sexton, debuting his new program “The Beatles’ Abbey Road.” He will sing the entire album, which, according to Del Pizzo, “creates a unique experience our audience will love.”
Finally, on Sunday, the stage belongs to Isle of Klezbos, a New York City–based all-female klezmer sextet that blends traditional Yiddish melodies with jazz, Latin, and global rhythms. Known for their uplifting, joyous spirit, the group has been praised by “The New York Times” for its “intoxicating mix of tradition and irreverence.”
“They’re very fun, high-energy, and perfect for anyone celebrating Hanukkah or the holiday season,” said DelPizzo.
By the next week, the theater will have a completely different offering when Ballet des Amériques returns with “Nutcracker Dreams” — 10 performances over two weekends (1:30 and 5 p.m.) of what the theater calls “an exquisite interpretation of the beloved holiday classic.”
