Jennifer Cancio

COLUMBIANA — The Columbiana Arts Theater (C.A.T.) at 5 N. Main St. will host “A Night Out with Jennifer Cancio,” produced by The Well Productions, on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. This is the first show of the “Artist Series” to be held at the C.A.T., featuring a lineup of some of the area’s most noteworthy musicians. Tickets are available through the theater’s box office and online through their AtTheCat.com website.

Cancio is a full-time musician renowned throughout northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania for her sound-a-like tribute vocals and her violin showmanship. The concert will feature Cancio’s musical channeling of icons including Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Whitney Houston, Metallica, Charlie Daniels, Heart, Linda Ronstadt, Gretchen Wilson, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, and others, set against a backdrop of her inspiring yet cheeky storytelling of her journey from self-doubt to self-love and ultimate peace.

Shawn Theis, The Well Productions co-founder said, “We saw Jen perform at the Canfield Fair, where she wailed on a Janis Joplin song with her violin, and just captivated an audience of passersby, and we knew she was the right person to launch this concert series.” Theis then formed a six-piece band, including nationally touring musicians from across Ohio, to back Cancio’s stunning violin solos and soulful cantations.

Cancio is best known locally as the founder of Leather & Lace Music Productions, her acoustic customizable band that performs a large catalogue of variety covers for weddings, corporate/private events, outdoor concerts, and restaurant/pub venues. She is legendary for her “All Requests” shows (akin to a dueling pianos show, but with strings), playing both crowd pleasers and songs “that the band doesn’t even know.” Audiences respond to her interactive banter, affable nature, and bohemian fashion-sense.

She received her classical violin education first from the world-renowned, award winning Boardman High School Orchestra from 1994-1998, led by the late Carol Clark, while also being a featured vocalist in the Boardman High School Show Choir. She went on to study music at the University of Mount Union from 1998-2002, in Alliance, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Philosophy, moving on to work in the human services field. She also performed professionally in bands and worked as a singing telegram in Ohio, Colorado, and Oregon. In 2017, she transitioned from playing only classical music on her acoustic violin to playing top 40 covers on her new electric fiddle, making her the area’s most recognized electric violinist/power vocalist.

The C.A.T. theater recently went through a state-of-the-art renovation, installing a tour grade sound system, making it a premier setting for concerts, musicals, and other live performances. Previously known as The Main Street Theater, the venue has been the heart of downtown Columbiana for more than 70 years.