SheilaMark in the Park

The Downtown Stroudsburg, PA Business Association in partnership with the Sherman Theater presented an installment of their Music in the Park Series for 2013. The concert featuring SheilaMark took place on Saturday June 22nd in the vacant lot located between Josephine's Fleur-de-lis and The 14KT Outlet’s Fine Jewelry Design. Grass and gravel mingled upon the ground as the small audience who ventured into the urban corridor found their way to sit among the plentiful chairs placed there for their comfort. A cool breeze tunneled itself between the buildings bordering the right and left sides of the stage which enhanced the enjoyment of the experience as drinks were later offered free of charge by the management of Josephine's Fleur-de-lis.

The blues band consisted of Mark Hamza on The Hammond Organ, Sheila Stratton on vocals, Dean Rickard on Drums, and Teddy Young on guitar. From the very first notes played by this exceptional group of performers to the echoing resonance of their very last song, the music moved the small audience to a quiet appreciation of their talents. The powerful voice of Sheila Stratton touched each ear before burrowing itself into the hearts and souls of all who were fortunate enough to experience it. The music accompanying the songs she sang wrapped itself around each chord with each musician producing a melodic fiber to enhance the piece’s overall tensile strength. In other words, it was a cool afternoon with great sounds to enjoy.

SheilaMark varied musical repertoire ranges from some great, classic blues to uniquely soulful interpretations of recently released songs. It also includes a number of instrumental pieces such as the mind melding composition titled, “Icarus” who, in Greek mythology, attempted to escape a prison in Crete by flying away with wings his father, Daedalus, made for him but failed in the endeavor when he flew too close to the sun which melted his wings of wax and feathers. SheilaMark has performed in a variety of venues including the Community Concert series at Shawnee Inn and resort in Shawnee on Delaware, PA, the Home Grown Concert Series on WVIA (NPR) Radio in Pittston, PA, and at the Celebration for the Arts (COTA) in Delaware Water Gap, PA. You can learn more about SheilaMark by exploring their Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/sheilastrattonmarkhamza.

The next installment of The Downtown Stroudsburg, PA Business Association and the Sherman Theater Music in the Park Series will take place on Saturday June 30th beginning at 6:45pm featuring the band Woodrow. The concert is a free event with seating available. You’ll find more photographs taken during the Saturday June 22nd SheilaMark performance in The Music in the Park 2013 Gallery at www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151718928905421.1073741839.636000420&type=1.

The Downtown Stroudsburg, PA Business Association (aka The Jacob Stroud Corporation) is an organization dedicated to a vibrant Downtown Stroudsburg by improving the municipality’s image by enhancing its physical appearance, building consensus among organizations and the community, promoting downtown's unique characteristics, and restructuring and diversifying our economic base. According to their Facebook Page, Stroudsburg, PA has been a well-established center for Monroe County commerce. You can learn more about The Stroudsburg, PA Downtown Stroudsburg Business Association long with it’s perceptions and vision for the town at their Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Downtown-Stroudsburg-Business-Association/242126962482288?ref=ts&rf=168378193176439.

The Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, PA was built in the 1920s and has been renovated during the 2000s to become a venue presenting a variety of related events such as those associated with the arts of theater, dance, and music. In addition to the performances presented within the theater itself, the Sherman Theater also hosts a number of festivals throughout the town along with events presented at their extended non-profit venues known as The Living Room which featuring art exhibitions and a weekly Open Mic Nite Series which are free of charge and invites the public to participate. You can learn more about The Sherman Theater at www.facebook.com/ShermanTheater?fref=ts.