Monday, February 28, 2011

"White Lightning" Liars Bench Show at City Lights Sylva, March 12,2011

The Liars Bench
“An Authentic Traditional Southern Appalachian Storytelling, Music, Poetry, Dramatic, and Folk Arts Live Variety Show”
 
Host of The Liars Bench announces eleventh show at City Lights Bookstore, Sylva.

Liars Bench Southern Appalachian variety show to play a “moonshining in the mountains” presentation at local Sylva bookstore.

Celebrating “moonshining in the mountains,” The Liars Bench, Western North Carolina’s own Southern Appalachian live variety show plays City Lights Bookstore Saturday March 12 at 7:00 pm for the show’s eleventh time. Marion Jones, Jack Parris, Gary Carden, Lloyd Arneach, Barbara Duncan, Steve Brady, and Paul Iarussi will be performing at this March 12 “white lightening” show. Gary Carden, a noted local folklorist and storyteller, will give a special introduction to a short segment of “Prince of Dark Corners”, the story of Louis Redmond, a famous Jackson County ‘moonshiner.’ Marion Jones and Jack Parris will demonstrate with an authentic ‘still’ how the old timers made (some still do) “white liquor.” Steve Brady will relate, in story and song, the strong ties between the moonshining industry and the beginnings of NASCAR. Admission is free.

Dave Waldrop, The Liars Bench host, said “this show is definitely going to be a unique cultural event and an opportunity for the audience to learn about our southern mountain history. I wouldn’t be in the least surprised to see a revenuer or two.”

Regular cast members include Gary Carden, Lloyd Arneach, Paul Iarussi, Barbara Duncan, Dave Waldrop, Steve Brady, and the show’s mascot Bodine. The Liars Bench recognizes established artists and performers and encourages new talent also. The Liars Bench has been a crowd pleaser from the very first show in June of 2010 promoting any and all aspects of Appalachian culture.

The Liars Bench creator Gary Carden said “from the very first The Liars Bench has been on the cutting edge blending authentic traditional Southern Appalachian culture with entertainment for children and adults—no matter where they come from. The Liars Bench strives, and succeeds, in giving an accurate view of the people and their culture here in the southern mountains.”


The Liars Bench was started in the early summer of 2010 by Gary Carden to promote Southern Appalachian storytelling, music, poetry, drama, and folk arts.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Gary Carden, Creator & Executive Producer of The Liars Bench

Gary Carden started The Liars Bench in the late Spring of 2010. He is a recipient of the North Carolina Folklore Society’s Brown-Hudson Folklore Award. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Folklore and Theater by Western Carolina University. Gary has eight produced plays. He told his first stories to 150 White Leghorn chickens in a dark chicken house when he was six years old. Gary’s audience wasn’t terribly attentive and tended to get hysterical during the dramatic parts. Gary lives in Sylva with “Jack,” his faithful Jack Russell terrier.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Packed House at City Lights Saturday Night February 5th



Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for making The Liars Bench show, "A Sense of Place in the Southern Appalachians," a rousing success this past Saturday night at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
Gary Carden, Kay Byer, Lloyd Arneach, Brent Martin, Barbara Duncan, Steve Brady, Paul Iarussi, and Dave Waldrop thoroughly appreciate your participation at, and enjoyment of Western North Carolina's only authentic Southern Appalachian storytelling, music, poetry, dramatic, and folk arts live variety show.


Please don't forget our upcoming show on Saturday March 12 at 7:00 pm
at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva when we perform, "Moonshining in the
Mountains" with stories about moonshiners and revenuers, NASCAR and
bootleggers, and a real moon shine still complete with some of Popcorn
Sutton's "last run." Who knows, we might even see a revenuer or two! :)

Cordially,
Carl Iobst
The Liars Bench
Bodine Productions
Public Relations/Publicity
http://theliarsbenchgazette.blogspot.com/
http://hollernotes.blogspot.com/


Coming soon, biographies of our performers and other interesting 'behind the scenes' info about Western North Carolina's only authentic Southern Appalachian storytelling, music, poetry, dramatic, and folk arts live variety show.