We are back with another great month planned for Four Sundays in February. The Really Big Show celebrates its 20th year, and the “Four Sundays in February," which was created a year later, turns 19. KidsBestFest is a teenager at 13 and YouthFilm turns 5! Where does the time go?  And what better way to spend a wintry afternoon than with clear voices, plucky ukuleles, zippy yoyos, Grot, the Guardian of the Heart Machine, and Tom Mahnken as Ed Sullivan?

Here’s the line-up of shows:

Sunday, February 6, 2011, 2pm

Silver Chord Bowl

John M. Greene Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA

Traditionally, the first Sunday in February is a time to celebrate collegiate a cappella in the sold-out 2,000-seat JMG Hall at Smith College. This year we are focusing on local kids who have gone on to great a cappella groups throughout the Northeast. MIT Logarhythms, NYU N’Harmonics, Columbia Clefhangers, and UMass Dynamics each have a member who grew up attending the Silver Chord Bowl. Smith College Vibes, Amherst College Zumbyes, Whim’n Rhythm of Yale University and Northampton High School's Northamptones will perform as well.

Emcees: Northampton Mayor Mary Clare Higgins and Jennifer Walters, Dean of Religious Life at Smith College

General Admission: $10 advance, $12 at the door

Limited assigned premium seats $25,

only available with credit card by phone: 413-587-1069

Sponsored by Whalen Insurance Agency

Sunday, February 13, 2011, 2PM

Ukes and Yoyos

Academy of Music Theatre

We would like to think we are the first to present this combination of extraordinary performers. Ukuleles will be represented by Jim & Liz Beloff, featured in the “Mighty Uke” documentary; Greg Hawkes, keyboardist for The Cars; Tripping Lily, from Cape Cod; Ruth Ungar, formerly of The Mammals; and Joel Eckhaus, who returns to the stage where he was seen in the film “Wizard of the Strings,” about Roy Smeck. For yoyos, we have John and Rebecca Higby, and Eric Koloski. John is the 2009 World yoyo champion and Eric is Mass. State Champ and an America’s Got Talent finalist.  Also, the A2Z Yoyo Team performs with the A-E-I-O-Ukes (Another Elegant Instant Orchestra of Ukuleles), directed by Joe Blumenthal of Downtown Sounds.

General Admission: $12 advance, $15 at the door

Sponsored by A2Z Science and Learning Store and Downtown Sounds

Sunday, February 20, 2011, 2PM

“Metropolis” with Alloy Orchestra

Academy of Music Theatre

Celebrating their 20th year, Alloy Orchestra comes back to town with the film that started it all for them: “Metropolis." This 1927 German expressionist film in the science-fiction genre, directed by Fritz Lang, was produced in Germany during a stable period of the Weimar Republic. “Metropolis” is set in a futuristic urban dystopia, and makes use of this context to explore the social crisis between workers and owners in capitalism. Alloy Orchestra is a three-man musical ensemble, writing and performing live accompaniment to classic silent films. Working with an outrageous assemblage of peculiar objects, they thrash and grind soulful music from unlikely sources.

General Admission: $12 advance, $15 at the door

Sponsored by Smith College

Sunday February 27, 2011, 2PM

The 20th Annual Really Big Show: The Transperformance Version

Academy of Music Theatre

In honor of the RBS 20th birthday, this year’s ode to Ed will actually feature performers who were on the Ed Sullivan Show…sort of. Local performers will impersonate the acts that showed up on the Ed Sullivan Show. Look for The Beatles, The Doors, Jackie Mason, Itzhak Perlman, Topo Gigio and many others. This year Tom Mahnken, of Trailer Park and Unit7 fame, takes his turn impersonating Ed Sullivan and introducing an incredible line-up of artists who live right here.

General Admission: $8 in advance, $10 at the door

Sponsored by Coldwell Banker Upton Massamont Realtors

FOUR SUNDAYS IN FEBRUARY SERIES SPONSORED BY

Northampton Arts Council, City of Northampton, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Mass. Cultural Council, Lathrop Communities, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Academy of Music, Smith College, WGBY, WMUA, and WRSI/WHMP

Proceeds support the Northampton Arts Council's ArtsEZ Spring grant round for artists.

Tickets for live shows at the Academy of Music Theatre include a $1 facility fee.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Four Sundays in February Tickets can be purchased online http://www.northamptonartscouncil.org, click on 'purchase tickets' at the top of every page

Or in person at the following outlets: in Northampton at State Street Fruit Store and Guild Art Supply; in Florence at Cooper’s Corner; and in Amherst at Food for Thought Books.

AND

February 21- 25, 2011, 2PM

KidsBestFest

Academy of Music Theatre

KidsBestFest, the antidote to boredom during school vacation week, begins with a bang this year. We keep Alloy Orchestra in town to play live to one of their all time favorite films, “The General,” starring Buster Keaton. The week is dedicated to films that you are unlikely to find on TV, including some great foreign films.

General Admission: $3 all seats, except: “The General,” $5 per seat

Cash only at the door

Visit northamtponartscouncil.org and academyofmusictheatre.com for full listing.

February 26, 2011, 12PM

YouthFilm

Academy of Music Theatre

YouthFilm: Films directed by, crafted by, written by and starring local children and teens run “festival style” all afternoon. Films shown early in the afternoon are suitable for very young children and films later in the day are more appropriate for older people.

General Admission: 18 and under FREE, and 19 and over is $3 per seat

Cash only at the door

KidsBestFest and YouthFilm are sponsored by Faces, Florence Savings Bank, Valley Advocate, and WGBY

Co-Presented by the Academy of Music Theatre, which is supported by Northampton Cooperative Bank and United Bank

Proceeds support the Northampton Arts Council's ArtsEZ Spring grant round for artists.

Photos Furnished Upon Request.