By Greg Pahl

The Town Hall Theater continues its Grand Re-Opening Celebration at 8 p.m. on Friday with a performance by Nancy Cartwright, an international sensation as the voice of Bart Simpson, in her one-woman show, “My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy.” Tickets are $15.

The celebration continues on Saturday with a dazzling array of local performers including pianist Diana Fanning, the Middlebury Community Players, the MUHS State Champion Dance Team, Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys, and many surprise guests. Tickets are $25.

Due to strong ticket demand there will be two performances, at 3 and 7 p.m. However, the 7 p.m. show is already sold out, so don’t wait too long to get tickets if you want to see the 3 p.m. performance.

Between shows, the Burlington Taiko Group will thunder through a free drumming concert on the steps of the theater, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Come and help the community celebrate this exciting occasion.

Tickets may be purchased online at townhalltheater.org or by calling 382-9222. Tickets may also be purchased in person by visiting the Town Hall Theater box office, Monday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.

FANCY FIDDLEWORK IN ROCHESTER

Violinist Gerald Elias and pianist Cynthia Huard will perform at the Rochester Chamber Music Society concert on Sunday at 4 p.m. in the Rochester Federated Church. The afternoon concert will include works by Leclair, Debussy, and Franck. A pre-concert talk by Larry Hamberlin begins at 3:30 p.m.

Gerald Elias has been the associate concertmaster of the Utah Symphony since 1988. Since 2004 Elias has been music director of the Vivaldi By Candlelight chamber music series and has been an annual guest conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician on five continents.

Cynthia Huard has appeared in recital as a pianist and harpsichordist throughout the United States and Europe. She has performed with the Lark Quartet, cellist Nathaniel Rosen, and with chamber players of several orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, the National Symphony, the Utah Symphony and the Vermont Symphony, among others.

Admission is by donation. For information call 767-9234 or visit rcmsvt.org.

MUSIC FROM CHINA

There will be a performance by “Music from China” at 8 p.m. on Saturday in the concert hall of the Middlebury College Mahaney Center for the Arts on South Main Street. “Music from China” is a chamber ensemble that performs a dual repertoire of traditional and contemporary Chinese music.

What began as a mission to introduce audiences to the best of Chinese musical culture evolved into an affinity for the eclectic that embraces both traditional and new music. The musicians hail from the most prestigious institutions in China, including the Shanghai Traditional Orchestra, Central Traditional Orchestra and China Conservatory in Beijing.

Performing on instruments of silk strings and bamboo winds, such as erhu, pipa, zheng, yangqin, ruan and dizi, they invoke the sonorities of age-old traditions and interpret the music of today. For over 20 years, the ensemble has performed its extensive repertoire to audiences around the world.

The performance, sponsored by the Middlebury College Chinese School, is free and the public is welcome.

BALL & CHAIN CAFÉ

The Ball & Chain Café in the Briggs Carriage House Bookstore in Brandon will feature two performances this week. On Friday, Swing Noire will perform at 7 p.m. “Jazz Manouche,” some call it gypsy jazz, some hot swing, in either case it is acoustic music in the spirit of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli.

Ex-Pine Island violinist David Gusakov, twins Rob and Jim McCuen on solo guitar and double bass, and rhythm guitarist Jared Volpe make up Vermont’s newest acoustic, Hot Club-style quartet. Enjoy an evening of entertainment with wonderful musicians and good friends.

Then, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, the Ball & Chain Café will present Paris Bathtub. Come listen to an evening of jazz-folk fusion performed by Montpelier musicians Noah Hahn on upright bass and vocals; Dan Haley on mandolin, guitar and vocals and Tim Lang on piano, accordion, and vocals, “acoustic jazz Americana with some world music thrown in.”

Space is limited; arrive early to get a seat. The Briggs Carriage House Bookstore is located at 16 Park St. in Brandon. Call 247-0050 for additional information.

HARPIST IN SALISBURY

On Friday, at 7:30 p.m. the Salisbury Congregational Church will sponsor an evening of harp music by Heidi Soons.

Soons, who has been the principal harpist of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra since 1978, has performed widely as a soloist and with regional festivals and ensembles (from the Killington and Mozart Festivals to the Jazz Festival) as well in venues as varied as Carnegie Hall and the Queen Mary II. Her program will range from the classical harp repertoire to Celtic music to the likes of Scott Joplin.

This will be the fourth event in Salisbury’s 29th annual summer performance series, which will continue on Friday evenings through Aug. 1 at the historic, but handicapped accessible, 1838 church in Salisbury Village. Although admission is free, a donation in support of the series will be appreciated.

INT’L FILM FESTIVAL

The exciting Middlebury College Language Schools International Film Festival continues on Saturday with the 2007 Mexican/U.S. film, “La Misma Luna” (Under the Same Moon), directed by Patricia Riggen.

This film tells the parallel stories of nine-year-old Carlitos and his mother, Rosario. In the hopes of providing a better life for her son, Rosario works illegally in the U.S. while her mother cares for Carlitos back in Mexico. Unexpected circumstances drive both Rosario and Carlitos to embark on their own journeys in a desperate attempt to reunite.

The film, in Spanish with English subtitles, will be shown at 7 and 9:30 p.m. in Dana Auditorium on College Street. Filmgoers from the community are invited to participate in a discussion after the 7 p.m. screening. For more information, call 443-5510.

TWO BROTHERS TAVERN

There will be two live musical performances this week at the Two Brothers Tavern located at 86 Main St. in Middlebury. On Thursday, the tavern presents Honeywell with an evening of rock, funk and groove beginning at 9 p.m. It’s free.

Then, on Friday, at 10 p.m., the tavern presents the Pulse Prophets playing an evening of reggae. There is a $3 cover charge. For more information call 388-0002.

CONTRADANCE

Last but not least, The Otter Creek Contras’ Fourth Saturday Contradance will take place this Saturday at 8 p.m. in Holley Hall on Main Street in Bristol. Nancy Turner will be calling, while The Able Brothers will provide the lively tunes that will get your feet moving for a great evening of summer fun.

All dances will be taught and newcomers are welcome. Please wear soft-soled shoes, not street shoes. Admission is $6. Call 453-4613 for additional information.