Community of Artists Drives Jalopy Theatre’s Success

The Jalopy Workshop / photo courtesy of B.L.Howard Productions

Established in 2006, The Jalopy Theatre and School of Music is the brainchild of Geoff Wiley. His wife and business partner, Lynette Wiley, tells Brooklyn Roads that the goal was to create a community center focused on folk and traditional music, “a place where artists, educators, students and patrons would experience music together.” Also important in their early vision was to have the venue be “a place where artists could earn a living, as performers, teachers, bookers , even sound engineers and bartenders- a place where people would like to work, ” she says. Jalopy has succeeded on all fronts.

Lynette and Geoff Wiley / photo courtesy of B.L. Howard Productions

In the beginning it was artists who built the community. “They took a risk on a small club way out in Red Hook … and helped bring in early audiences,” Wiley tells us. “Over the years, students who learned an instrument here have become performers, songwriters and teachers.” In these difficult times, she adds, the Jalopy community has been so amazing, supporting artists and the venue “with generous donations and wonderful words of unity.”

Robert Kimbough , Sr. On The Jalopy Theatre Stage / photo courtesy of B.L. Howard Productions

Wiley tells Brooklyn Roads that the response to Jalopy’s weekly Wednesday and Friday night Stay the Folk Home online concert series has been “wonderful.” After the shock of closing due to the pandemic, she adds, “We knew that people needed music in their lives. We also knew that many of the artists we love needed support. It has always been our mission to provide music as affordably as possible.” The series so far has included such diverse performers as teen bluegrass phenom Nora Brown, Black Americana singer Queen Esther, country artist Paisley Fields, singer-songwriter Annie Keating and jazz guitarist Jake Sanders, among other popular Jalopy regulars.

By organizing the shows on Facebook, Wiley adds, “We are able to provide free entertainment to thousands. We publish a donation link for the concerts, and people have been very generous.” These donations are split between the artist and Jalopy, and sometimes given to such causes as Black Visions Collective.

Paul Rishell & Annie Raines at Jalopy /photo courtesy of B.L. Howard Productions

An example of Stay the Folk Home’s success was the hosting of the Swamp in the City Festival. “With the help of festival producers Krissie Nagy and Flannery Denny, [we] showcased six live concerts, nine workshops and a Louisiana cooking demonstration,” Wiley says. “Over 5,000 people watched these events.”

Regarding the annual Brooklyn Folk Festival, which was moved from April to Nov. 6-8, Wiley tells us that, “Many of the same acts will be joining us. [We] hope that we will have the festival live and in person but will not go forward with it unless it is safe to do so. If necessary, we will do [it] online.” Likewise, Jalopy has tentatively rescheduled the in-person edition of Swamp in the City for Nov. 20-22.

Geoff Wiley, meanwhile, is taking advantage of the shutdown to repair, upgrade and “reimagine” the facility, Lynette Wiley tells Brooklyn Roads. “Geoff is currently laying a new floor, so we will be ready for square dances and clog dancing classes in the future.” Also, “Our friends at Ohm Speakers created a custom sound system for Jalopy, and installed it in late February, an upgrade we are eager to present to our audiences.”

They’ve also upgraded the venue’s cameras and partnered with Vimeo. So, once it is safe to bring bands back to the venue’s stage, there will be a livestream channel whereby, Wiley says, “people across the globe [can] enjoy the amazing artists who play at Jalopy.”