Rouses Point to begin summer concert series next month

ROUSES POINT — Break out the lawn chairs and clear your Thursday evenings because the summer concert series is coming back to town. Members of The Friends of the Stage have lined up several entertainers to perform on the Samuel de Champlain Center Stage this summer. The headliner: Elvis Presley Impersonator John Monforto. For 30 years, the performer from New Jersey has wiggled his hips and curled his lips just like the king himself. "He's quite the performer," Friends of the Stage member Steve Merchant said. "He sounds just like him." Snow White and Batman will also be making their debut during the kid's night, also featuring Pipsqueak the Clown. Several acts will take the stage again, including the Just Us Band and country western musician Larry Ebere. Strawhatters, who perform regularly for the village, will take to the Samuel de Champlain Center Stage for the first time. Adirondack Regional Theatre, which performed "Music Man" last year, will this year be performing "Shrek the Musical, Jr." "We have a great line of performances this year," Merchant said. "It should be a great summer." The stage was built in 2009 thanks to funds from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Environmental Protection Agency and the community. Earlier this year, the organization purchased, received and placed an electric LED sign of the recreation center parking lot. The investment, Merchant said, has really helped to direct traffic to the area. Last week, the village approved adding a dressing room to the existing stage. "It's a great asset to the village," Mayor Daniel Letourneau said during a June 6 meeting. Merchant said he hopes that with this addition to the stage, it will help bring a wide variety of performers from all over. "We're really trying to make this stage successful," he said. "We're very pleased so far." The exact cost of the dressing room is unknown at this time. Merchant said members of The Friends of the Stage are looking into a contractor and grants to pay for the expansion. If possible, Merchant said he would like to add a bathroom to the back of the stage as well so that visitors won't have to journey all the way to the civic center for facilities. Bathroom or not, the dressing room is the last part of the stage expansion. "The stage is there to stay," Merchant said. Performances will take place every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. from the first week in July to the last week in August. If it rains, most of the performances will take place in the civic center, except for the Elvis concert, which will take place in Northeastern Clinton Central School. All performances are free and open to the public. Donations are welcomed. The Friends of the Stage will be selling 50/50 tickets at the performances. All proceeds will go toward the Samuel de Champlain Center Stage. For more information, contact Merchant at 297-2954. PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE July 7 – Strawhatters July 14 – Adirondack Regional Theatre performing "Shrek The Musical, Jr." July 21 – Duo Band July 28 – Elvis Impersonator John Monforto Aug. 4 – Pipsqueak the Clown Aug. 11 – Fade to Blues Band Aug. 18 – Larry Ebere, country western musician Aug. 25 – Just Us Band

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Rouses Point to begin summer concert series next month

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