Stories of America
Each set of concerts from now until June brings a special kind of vibrancy and energy to the stage, bursting forward with purpose and their own totally unique soundscape. From February until June, four diverse groups will celebrate the joys of chamber music, beginning with our Feb. 14/15 inaugural concerts with musical theater superstars Brenda and Bill McColgan, joined by the brilliant North Country pianist Jennifer Moore. In April, the Resinosa Ensemble from Maine will perform an exquisite program of songs, instrumentals, and poetry exploring the depths and diversity of love, and in May, we have PBN’s fourth annual CODA concert, highlighting the very impressive young talent we are surrounded by in the Northern Adirondacks. Lastly, in June, we have the return of phenomenal accordionist/pianist Jeremiah McClain with a trio of extremely talented friends performing a toe-tapping blend of Acadian-influenced, New England trad music in both a parlor concert and also a special garden concert version-both at the Hand House (more on this soon).
Piano by Nature is thrilled to begin the new year of Season 18 with what will inevitably be two absolutely electrifying concerts that will most assuredly get the ball rolling with combined flourishes of music, humor, and drama. Those of you who have seen Bill and Brenda before know that their performances always promise to put a smile on your face, a spring in your step, and many songs in your heart. And for those of you who are new to them—well, have you got a treat coming! And what better way to celebrate Valentine’s weekend than with this incredible and long-standing partnership of/in love and music.
In these concerts, PBN would like to recognize the 250th birth of the nation with something uplifting, thought-provoking, and at times, a bit irreverent. The February program will offer a splash of musical Americana; music that is humorous, smart, entertaining, and heartfelt. With that in mind, Bill & Brenda will be presenting a program of historic and contemporary musical theatre classics, along with more than a nod to the late Thomas Lehrer. And afterwards, we invite you to join us for a scintillating post-concert conversation with our artists and our traditionally tasty refreshments.
The concerts have an evening and matinee performance: Saturday, February 14th at 7PM and Sunday, February 15h at 3PM. Doors will open 30 minutes before the performances, and we recommend arriving early to avoid check-in lines. Admission for concerts at Elizabethtown’s Historic Hand House is $20, with a special $5 rate for children 15 and under. We accept cash or check.
Please Note: Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, and reservations are strongly encouraged due to limited availability of chairs and parking spaces. We would also encourage you to ride share when possible, as our parking lot is more limited when there is snow and mud on the ground. You can reserve your spot via email at pianobynature@gmail.com or by phone at 518-962-8899. We look forward to seeing you all there!
About our Artists
Bill McColgan is thrilled to be part of this Piano By Nature presentation! Since moving to the North
Country in 2015, he has been fortunate to appear in many local productions, including The Addams
Family (Mal) and A Christmas Carol (Scrooge) with The Depot Theatre, The Play That Goes Wrong
(Chris/Inspector Carter), It’s a Wonderful Life (George), and The Producers (Max) with ART, and Into the
Woods (The Baker), Cabaret (Herr Schultz), and Hello, Dolly! (Horace) with ACT. Favorite shows/roles
over the years also include: Sweeney Todd (Sweeney), Urinetown (Lockstock), Children of Eden (Father),
Les Misérables (Bishop), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Jasper). Professional experience includes
Sugar (Jerry/Daphne), Smudge in Forever Plaid, and I Do! I Do! with the exquisite Brenda Chase
McColgan! Bill & Brenda have been blessed to perform with both Jen and Rose at Plattsburgh’s
Curbside at the Harborside concert series. Extremely proud to be Monica and Finn’s Dad, John and
Betty’s son, Brenda’s lesser half, and to serve this beautiful region as a member of the team at Mountain
Lake PBS.
Brenda Chase McColgan has enjoyed roles at The Depot Theatre, appearing as Bellamy in The Fantasticks and Alice in The Addams Family.
She appeared as Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret, Vivian Bearing in W;t, and The Witch in Into the Woods, all with ACT. Other favorite roles include: Linda Porter in the one-woman show Love, Linda, Mary Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, Miss Hannigan in Annie, The Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd, and her traveling run in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change with Showstoppers, Inc.
Theater has blessed Brenda with true friendships, meaningful memories, and her lifelong leading man, Bill. They have been performing together for over 35 years, a favorite production being the two-person love story, I Do! I Do!
We’d like to thank the gracious and gifted duo of Jennifer Moore and Rose Chancler for letting us join the wonderfully talented artists working with Piano by Nature this season.
And to our audience, thank you for coming to support this worthwhile group and the absolutely necessary arts!
Jennifer Moore is the PreK-12 music teacher for the Willsboro Central School District. She holds a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Purchase College, SUNY, began her graduate studies in collaborative piano at Westminster Choir College before shifting to music education at the Crane School of Music (SUNY Potsdam), and is now in the process of completing her doctoral studies online at Boston University. Additionally, Jennifer spent three summers studying at the Choral Institute at Oxford, immersed in the richness of the choral heritage found in the UK. At home, Jennifer assists in numerous school musical productions, conducts and/or accompanies numerous All-County festival choirs, and most recently, served as the collaborative pianist for the 2024 NYSSMA Conference All State Treble Choir under the direction of Dr. Amy Voorhees. She is a passionate advocate for those who have chosen the rural route and recently presented her doctoral research — Rural on Purpose: Portraits of Place, Profession and Practice within the Music Teaching Ecosystem of the Adirondacks — at the 2025 NYSSMA Winter Conference.
Jennifer has been an integral part of the Piano By Nature organization from the beginning; occasionally partnering with Rose Chancler at the piano, collaborating with a variety of musicians, and happily serving behind the scenes as an active member of the Board of Directors. Because of her involvement in community theatre, Jennifer has had the opportunity to collaborate with Bill and Brenda McColgan on many productions, including HELLO DOLLY, Artistry Community Theatre’s inaugural production; LOVE LINDA, a one-woman show featuring Brenda at the Essex Theatre Company, and most recently, Broadway Through the Decades: A Musical Review at the Essex Theatre Company.
Please consider sending a donation to Piano by Nature to help us continue to support our artists and deliver exceptional live music to the North Country and beyond. You can mail a check to Piano by Nature, 32 Champlain Ave., Westport, NY 12993. Or donate online through the Donate button below (using your Paypal account or credit card). If you have questions or ideas, feel free to call Rose at 518.962.8899. I’d love to hear from you.
