'The Jim & Val Show' debuts at Mechanics Hall with lots of songs and a ton of fun

"The Jim & Val Show" has been a regular at the Napoleon Room at Club Café in Boston since 2021.

Between Jim Rice, piano/vocals, and Valerie Roy, vocals, "we are an encyclopedia of well over 1,000 songs. It is a ton of fun," Roy said.

But Roy and Rice have distinct Worcester ties, so it is fitting that a Worcester-made version of the "The Jim & Val Show" will be coming to Mechanics Hall for a free summer series of "Matinee Music Mondays" starting at 2 p.m. July 10 and continuing July 17 and 24.

This will be be the first time "The Jim & Val Show" has been seen in Worcester, Roy said. It will also be Roy's first time performing on the Mechanics Hall stage although Rice has accompanied acts there on several occasions.

"It's thrilling," Roy said.

Home the Long Way

Roy and Rice have known each for over 30 years while each also made their own respective way in the field of entertainment.

Roy, who is originally from Grafton, has appeared in musicals, including with the former Foothills Theatre in Worcester, and created and sung at her own cabaret shows in Boston, New York and Florida where she was living for a time before returning to the local area. Rice, a Worcester native who has lived here and in New York City and Boston, is an accomplished and diverse music director, arranger, conductor, singer, and pianist of many styles. He was musical director for a number of Foothills shows and has performed in hundreds of theaters and concert halls throughout Europe and in every state except Hawaii.

Roy considers Rice her mentor.

Rice officiated when the then Valerie Sneade was married to Jason Roy in a Dunkin' (Donuts) in Worcester in 2019. Sneade and Roy had a conversation in the same Dunkin' in 1992 that led to the couple breaking up. After rediscovering each other and their romance, the couple's wedding at Dunkin' went viral and they subsequently appeared  on ABC's "Good Morning America." Jason and Valerie Roy live in Worcester.

The first installment of "The Jim & Val Show" at Mechanics Hall July 10 is "A Tribute to The Silver Screen" with Roy and Rice performing some of the greatest songs from movies. Their special guest is singer, actor, voice over artist and entrepreneur Jennifer Antkowiak.

"Broadway State of Mind" 2 p.m. July 17 will see Roy and Rice visit favorite showtunes with popular local veteran guest tenor Josef Konkol.

A trio led by Rice will play at the first two shows and a quartet will play the final show in the Matinee Music Mondays series 2 p.m. July 24, "SINGING: The Music of the ‘60s and ‘70s.”

Rice is the arranger, music director and bandleader for all the concerts.

"The Jim & Val Show" going to have cabaret format seating (round tables) in the orchestra with refreshments available before/during the show. There will also be seating available in the balcony.

While tickets are free, reservations are recommended by visiting www.mechanicshall.org or calling Mechanics Hall at (508) 752-5608.

The three Matinee Music Mondays performances will be followed by a separate free "Jim & Val Show" at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16, "Celebrate Steve & Edye — The Music of Steve Lawrence & Edye Gorme" directed by Ilyse Robbbins with musical direction and arrangements by Rice and an eight-piece Las Vegas style band. More about this show later.

'Time to Rehearse'

The pandemic was a tough time for many performers, Roy and Rice included. "Jim and I through the pandemic lost all of our work," Roy said.

Teaming up became a possible option.

"We decided to formally to become a duo" Roy said of performing with Rice. "The pandemic gave us time to rehearse."

Roy first met Rice in 1990 when she was performing in the late Worcester legend Jerry Newby's touring show "Broadway Buffet" as part of a quartet. They had been given some new songs and Newby said "There's a hot shot pianist just got back from a New York tour" who would work with them, Roy recalled. Newby was referring to Rice. "Jim accompanied on the songs," Roy said.

After that the two kept on running into each other at shows they were both involved in, including at Foothills. Rice arranged Roy's songs for her cabaret shows. "He was my mentor. He was my teacher for many, many years. To have him be my partner now to sing along is just so humbling. I am working along beside my teacher. I met him when I was 20. Now I'm 52. We have history. There's an unspoken thing," Roy said.

"The Jim & Val Show" is a popular regular at the Napoleon Room at Club Café. The Napoleon Room is a historic piano bar and the two felt fortunate to get in there in 2021 as pandemic restrictions began to ease.

"It's wonderful. Boston used to have so many piano bars. We host the night but we have an open mic after our performance. It's a true piano bar. No cover charge. Audience sing-along. You're sort of flying by the seat of your pants when you do that room," Roy said.

"We play off each other. He's (Rice) definitely a straight man. People say I'm quirky. We play off each other. It's that rapport you can only have with a long time friendship."

Some people even "think we're married," Roy said laughing, notwithstanding that Rice was the officiating minister at the Dunkin' wedding.

Jason Roy takes it all in good spirit.

"Thank goodness my husband refers to him (Rice) as my 'music husband,'" Valerie Roy said.

"The Jim & Val Show" is supported in part by a grant from The Worcester Arts Council which was made possible with American Plan Rescue Act (ARPA) Funding by The City of Worcester.

"We love performing in such a special, glorious and historic venue such as Mechanics Hall,” said Roy, who applied for the grant. “While there is significant seating in the Great Hall, it is also incredibly warm and intimate. This allows me/us to connect with the audience on a personal level, which is what we/I love to do. It also has a history of engaging the entire community.”

'I feel very passionate about the project'

Antkowiak is a member of the Mechanics Hall Board of Trustees. "I wanted my guest artists to have a real passion for the hall. And she's a wonderful singer," Roy said.

Konkol is known for his wonderful tenor voice. "He's close-knit to the community. People just love him. A lot of people are fans of him," Roy said.

Rice is the driving force behind "Celebrate Steve & Edye." "We would love to be performing that show all over the country," Roy said.

But first things first, and Roy was asked about having the first three editions of "The Jim & Val Show" at Mechanics Hall at 2 p.m. on Mondays.

Roy said she wanted to offer a show "when people are looking for something to do.'

With a Monday matinee, "we would love moms to come with their kids, retirement communities, downtown businesses."

The Mechanics Hall Brown Bag concert series held at noon on Wednesdays has been a popular attraction, she noted.

"We wanted to do something similar but not duplicate ... Matinees at Foothills, they were our biggest houses," Roy said.

"It's just an idea." Roy said she talked with Mechanics Hall executive director Kathleen M. Gagne who gave the idea the green light.

"I would love to do an annual series in the hall. I feel very passionate about the project," Roy said.

"With the pandemic crowds have not returned to what they once were and we want people to get out and feel motivated by something. Did we take their minds off everyday life? Did we bring back a memory?"

The Jim & Val Show

When: 2 p.m. July 10, 17 and 24; 2 p.m. Aug. 16

Where: Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester

How much: Free. Reservations are recommended by visiting www.mechanicshall.org or calling Mechanics Hall at (508) 752-5608

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 'The Jim & Val Show' debuts Matinee Mondays at Mechanics Hall