WEINBERG CENTER'S FAMILY SERIES CONCLUDES WITH HIGH-TECH VARIETY SHOW--LAZER VAUDEVILLE

Complete with superlative juggling, black light illusion, acrobatics, zany comedy, and audience participation, Lazer Vaudeville features a cast of fantastical characters that leads the audience on a journey through imagination. A wizard creates magical illusions with laser beams, a neon cowboy kicks up a luminescent rope-spinning display, and an audience member escapes from a straitjacket. Equally entertaining is the master of ceremonies-a seven-foot-tall, fluorescent, fire-breathing dragon named Alfonzo.

Founded in 1987 by Carter Brown, Lazer Vaudeville fulfills Brown's dream of bringing a contemporary vaudeville show back to the American stage. Between 1875 and 1932, vaudeville reigned as the most popular form of entertainment in this country. Before the invention of radio, televisions, and movies, most theatres around the country featured multi-talented vaudevillians who were skilled in comedy, juggling, magic, acrobatics, singing, mime, music, and dancing.

Internationally acclaimed as a master of his craft, Lazer Vaudeville founder Carter Brown is no stranger to the performing arts. Born into a theatrical family, Brown began performing in New York City at the age of eight. As a student, he directed the University of Vermont's mime troupe, The Silent Company, while majoring in theater and art. A graduate of the Ringling Bros. Clown College in Sarasota, he toured with Ringling Bros. Circus for two years, then went on to perform his solo juggling act with Carden International Circus and the Monte Carlo Festival du Cirque.

On stage with Lazer Vaudeville, Brown is joined by Cindy Marvell, the first woman ever to win the International Juggling Association's Championship, and Jeffrey Daymont, winner of the People's Choice Award at the International Jugglers Festival and hailed as "King of the Jugglers" at the Raduno Europa Dei Giololieri in Verona, Italy. All three performers became interested in vaudeville skills at a young age, and their expertise and love for their craft shine through in every on-stage antic.

Lazer Vaudeville recently performed at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., and was featured in two PBS specials: Juggling Work and Family and Center Stage. The company tours nationally and internationally, performing in well over 150 theatres each year, and also operates an Arts-in-Education Outreach program, which brings live performances to schools. Tickets for Lazer Vaudeville at the Weinberg range from $8 to $14, reserved seating. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. To purchase tickets, please contact the Box Office at 301-228-2828 (228-2838 TTY), Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and one hour before performances. Tickets can also be ordered online at www.weinbergcenter.org.

Presented by Frederick Family Resource Guide, the production is the final event in this season's Family Series, sponsored by Oldies 106.9 and Sandy Spring Bank. The Weinberg's 2002-2003 Season is sponsored by Jeweled Season Presenter BB&T and Maryland Public Television, media presenter.

The Weinberg Center for the Arts, a municipal facility of the City of Frederick, is located at 20 West Patrick Street in downtown Frederick, Maryland. The historic theatre opened in 1926 as the Tivoli, the grandest of three downtown movie palaces, and was donated to the City of Frederick in 1978. Today, as one of the region's premier arts presenting facilities, the 1,160-seat Weinberg Center offers seven professional LIVE! series, including dance, music, theatre, family performances and films, weekday performances for students, and classic movies. In addition, the Weinberg Center makes performance space and professional services available to a variety of community arts groups, civic and business organizations, and other arts promoters. For more information, please contact the Box Office at 301-228-2828 (228-2838 TTY) or visit www.weinbergcenter.org.

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