For Immediate Release: February 1, 2007
Media Contact: Charlene Thellmann, Ritz Theatre Company, 856.488.9093

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with actor/musician Patrick Ball in "O'Carolan's Farewell to Music" at the Ritz Theatre March 18, 2007.

The Ritz Theatre Company and You Gotta Have Harp Productions announces a three concert Celtic harp series at the historic Ritz Theatre, 915 White Horse Pike, Arts District, in Haddon Township, NJ.

The first production is Sunday March 18 with "O'Carolan's Farewell to Music," an extraordinary one-man show from harper and actor Patrick Ball.

Described as "hauntingly beautiful ballads and lilting storytelling" by Variety, Patrick Ball shapes a wonderful musical theater piece: playing the harp, telling the stories and bringing history to life. Patrick Ball is considered one of the premier Celtic harpers and storytellers in the world today, and has recorded nine instrumental and three spoken word albums which have sold well over one-half million copies collectively and earned national awards in both the music and spoken word categories. He plays a Gaelic wire-strung harp (most of today's harps are strung with nylon) like the one Carolan would have played in the 18th century.

During the tumultuous 17th and 18th centuries Ireland's last great harper/bard, Turlough O'Carolan, composed his brilliant music, traveling the countryside wracked by political and social upheaval. Ball portrays Carolan's close friend Charles MacCabe, also a poet and harper, who recounts his life with wit and pathos and renders Carolan's greatest music on the old Gaelic wire-strung harp. The old Gaelic order was being destroyed by the English and the once-esteemed harpers were forced to become itinerant musicians, traveling the roads. The blind Carolan was welcomed into the homes of the gentry, where he composed poetry and music to return the kindness of their hospitality.

Tickets to the Patrick Ball show on March 18 at 7 PM are $20 and can be purchased through the Ritz box office by calling 856-858-5230 or on line at: www.ritztheatreco.org.

Other shows in the series are Scottish band Fynesound on April 15 and the Delaware Valley Celtic Harp Orchestra on May 13. A subscription to the entire series is $35.

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