From C-Ville Weekly: “In the beginning,” says the Paramount Theater’s General Manager Mary Beth Aungier, “all the shows were sold out. There was an excitement in town, and everybody involved in the theater was so excited. I think they really wanted to view it as like the mini-Met, like the Lincoln Center or the Radio City Music Hall.”
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Excerpted from The New York Times:

Ms. Carpenter will embark on a tour that kicks off in Charlottesville on June 19. (She performs in New York on June 26.) “To be going on tour this summer feels really celebratory,” she said. “When you don’t do what you normally do, you ask, ‘Who am I?’ When I’m not getting on a bus, going on tour, or connecting to the world through music, I find myself asking, ‘How do I connect?’ ”

“There’s a real peace in the sound of her voice, and she’s such a big influence,” said the country singer Vince Gill, who has toured with Ms. Carpenter and sings backup vocals on the new album’s “I Put My Ring Back On.” “I really missed hearing her for a few years. She’s not clonish and not trying to be something else. She’s a great interpreter like Emmylou, Dolly and Loretta.”

“Chapin is sort of the last of the poets of her gender to be embraced by mainstream country radio,” said the singer and producer Rodney Crowell.

Read the entire story: www.nytimes.com

FROM PITCHFORK: On Tuesday night, Sam Beam’s amber-hued folk project Iron & Wine played a show at the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia. Beam, solo and acoustic, sang a couple of new songs. He’s been playing one of those tracks, “Mary Anne”, for at least a year, but another, “Half Moon”, seems to be entirely new.

At the same show, Beam told the crowd that he was done recording a new Iron & Wine album and that it’d be out “in the near future,” according to Gary Canino. Canino also got footage of Beam playing both songs. Click below to watch it.

http://pitchfork.com/news/38703-watch-iron-wine-play-two-new-songs/

One of the most exciting things happening now at the Paramount is our partnership with the Virginia film festival. We have joined forces to host a series of films throughout the year under the banner of The Virginia Film Society. Each month, we play a handful of movies with a different theme – ensuring we bring great entertainment for all kinds of movie lovers!

April is Sports movie month. Check out our website for details on all the new movies scheduled for the months and to purchase tickets for your favorites. Costing only $6.00 for regular tickets and $4.00 for youth tickets, our Virginia Film Society movies are the perfect way to enjoy movie night in the beautiful Paramount Theater for unbeatable prices.

• More Than A Game (The theater will stay open afterwards for all ticket holders for a live broadcast of the NCAA Men’s College Basketball finals!!)
• Heaven Can Wait (Mr. Peter Biskind, author of a new biography of Warren Beatty, Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America, will speak on Beatty’s career and sign copies of his book following the screening.)
• Raging Bull
• The Natural

Check out our movies page for the full list of movies. Also,  May and June themes to be announced SOON! Check back with “What’s New” for updates!

SPECIAL OFFER! These are unbeatable deals for you and your family!
Buy 1 adult ticket and get up to 3 youth (12 and under) tickets free!! This purchase must be made by phone or in person.
Also, the student (age 13 and up) ticket price  is just $10.00.

The African Children’s Choir has been working with the most vulnerable children in Africa for 23 years raising awareness of the plight of the orphaned and abandoned, but also showing the beauty, dignity and potential of the African child. They perform throughout the world bringing hope and joy to everyone they meet while shining the spotlight on the plight of children in Africa. The African Children’s Choir, with a focus on education, is currently caring for several thousand underprivileged children throughout Africa.  These are children who could have lost all hope, but have overcome their circumstances and now are making a positive impact on society by being a voice for millions of children suffering in Africa.  The Choir’s joyful music is a blend of song and dance throughout the entire continent of Africa, featuring more than ten languages and unique cultural dancing. And of course gospel favorites!

“The music was lively and upbeat, made by sweet voices and accompanied by joyful movement. But equally impressive were the messages of hope and inspiration that were woven throughout the show.” -Deseret News

A Celebration and Fundraiser for the 5th Anniversary of The Paramount’s Reopening

An Evening with 5 time Grammy Award winning singer songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter Saturday, June 19th at 8:00 PM

“In 1992, Charlottesville’s grand old Paramount Theater, shuttered since 1974, was slipping into ruin.  At that time a dedicated group of citizens purchased the theater and dreamed of a better future for both The Paramount and the downtown mall.  Over the next decade, more and more people in our community made this vision their own.  They set out to revive The Paramount – not to resurrect the past but to enrich the present.  They believed that few things are as uplifting or enlightening as inspired live performance – and they vowed to share this wonderful experience with as many people as possible throughout the Charlottesville community.”

$1,000 DINNER THEATER STAR includes • 1 dinner guest reservation for 5 delicious courses with wine at Fleurie Restaurant • 1 reserved ticket to the Celebration Concert performance by Mary Chapin Carpenter • Recognition in the program • 2 scholarship tickets given “in your honor” for any 2010/2011 Educational performance • One autographed CD by Mary Chapin Carpenter

$250 UNDER THE TENT STAR includes • 1 ticket for Cocktails and Buffet Party under a tent on 3rd Street, which includes a reserved ticket for the Celebration Concert performance by Mary Chapin Carpenter • 2 scholarship tickets given “in your honor” for any 2010/2011 Educational performance • One autographed CD by Mary Chapin Carpenter

$55 CONCERT TICKET includes • 1 reserved ticket to Celebration Concert performance by Mary Chapin Carpenter

We hope to see you at The Paramount for this special event!

Click here to buy your tickets!