2008

Trolley Cemetery Tours:
(Seating is limited.)

1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00

The trolley will depart from the front of the Conservatory. Each tour is identical and will take participants past the grave of Jane Foster, Stephen Foster's wife.

From there the trolley will proceed to Stephen Foster's grave where Eliza Foster (Stephen's mother) will tell a little bit about her son. Next the tour's partakers will be greeted by Jane Foster (Stephen's wife). Both women will give different views of the composer. Finally, the group will be invited to participate in a brief sing-along featuring two Foster songs.

The group will progress to the Temple of Memories. If time permits we will disembark and view the beautiful Stephen Foster Stain Glass Window.

After reentering the trolley the group will ride past the grave of Marion Foster Welch, the daughter and only child of Stephen Foster.

Notable interns and interesting facts about the cemetery will be pointed out as they appear along the route.

At Foster's grave site:

Foster Fest: a joyous celebration of The Places, People and Passion in Stephen’s Music!

Performance times are at: 1:00, 2:30, 4:00.

Sing-along starts with a tribute to the places in Stephen’s music with Old Folks at Home and My Old Kentucky Home.

Eliza Foster gives a mother’s insight into her talented child and how her "Stevie" gave her a special edition of fireworks! She tells us the story behind "Gentle Annie."

Jane Foster tells of Stephen’s passionate and romantic nature. She also gives some insight into some of the people in his songs. She tells us the story of why Stephen wrote his most famous song about her.

The Sing-along ends with Oh, Susanna and a song with one of the famous places in all of his music Camptown Races.

Parking:
Parking will be available behind the Teamsters Temple across the street from the Gatehouse entrance. If the parking lot is full, please find the nearest convenient parking space.

	Frets & Feet Frets & Feet was born from a desire to fill a gap in children's school experience. Our son came home one day and announced that his third grade class had been learning about famous Pittsburghers, including songwriter, Stephen Foster. The most prominent fact he remembered was that Stephen Foster was "a nobody who died with 38 cents in his pocket." That was enough incentive to propel us, banjo and songbook in hand, into the classroom to give students a chance to experience and appreciate real live music that they can participate in. fretsandfeet.com
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	Pittsburgh Banjo Club The Pittsburgh Banjo Club has over 100 members, including banjos, trumpets, tubas, and bass. Dressed in bright, colorful uniforms, the Pittsburgh Banjo Club makes a striking appearance while playing the happiest music in the world, putting a smile on your face, a tap in your toe and a song in your heart! The happiest sound in the world is a banjo and the Pittsburgh Banjo Club provides miles of smiles! For more information visit their website at www.home.earthlink.net/~pittsburghbanjoclub/
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	Home Front Home Front is a group of western Pennsylvania musicians who perform authentic Civil War era music in period style. Home Front plays a wide selection of tunes martial, sentimental, and patriotic, from both sides of the conflict between North and South. Dressed in authentic fashions of the 1860s, Home Front represents those who served the war effort from home. Music was an important part of that effort. Music was played in the parlors and the concert hall to encourage patriotic fervor, to soothe the pain of separation from soldier sons and husbands, and to entertain the troops themselves. Home Front strives to recreate that sound. www.homefrontmusic.com
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	Stephen Foster: Old and New by Open Window The five members of Open Window present the incomparable songs of Pittsburgh’s most famous musical son. Many of these works will be familiar, but a few gems -- sentimental, touching and comic --- will be new to many listeners. Open Window has previously demonstrated their affinity for Foster’s work with their well-received “Tribute to Stephen Foster” in 2004. The group includes sopranos Laurie Hurt and Laura Kazimir, baritone Leon Zionts, flutist Rachel Rue and accordionist Keith Cochran. Ms. Hurt, Ms. Rue and Mr. Cochran are familiar to audiences for their previous performances in the popular cabaret “Paris In Lawrenceville”. Ms. Kazimir has performed as an actor and singer in award-winning productions in Pittsburgh and on the West Coast. Mr. Zionts has sung with the Zohar Chambers Singers and performed with the Civic Light Opera, the Jewish Theater of Pittsburgh and in several roles with Pittsburgh Musical Theater, including his role as Bob Cratchit opposite Ms. Kazimir's Mrs. Cratchit, in PMT's production of "A Lyrical Christmas Carol.”
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