Saturday, November 1, 2014
7:30 pm

Alice Peacock is returning to Festival Theatre this Saturday!

Nashville based recording artist Alice Peacock has released five albums as a major label and independent artist. Her eponymously titled album Alice Peacock featured the hit “Bliss”, a duet with John Mayer and her most recent CD, Myrick/Peacock is a duo project with long time collaborator Danny Myrick. Many of Peacock’s songs have appeared in feature films and TV shows including Because of Winn Dixie, Men In Trees, The Ghost Whisperer, Pepper Dennis, What I Like About You, Dawson’s Creek and Smallville; feature films Because of Winn Dixie and Win A Date With Tad Hamilton and TV commercials such as Hershey’s product launch of Bliss chocolate.

In addition to touring extensively as a solo artist and with other artists including John Mellencamp, Aimee Mann, Toad The Wet Sprocket and Heart among others, Peacock has made many TV and radio stops including a special guest spot on the popular radio show A Prairie Home Companion. Besides her musical pursuits, Alice is a socially conscious artist. She is a trustee of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMYS) as well as a past President of NARAS’ Midwest Chapter. She is also the founder of Rock For Reading, an Illinois non-profit organization, which raises awareness and resources for reading and literacy programs through high profile music concerts.

Tickets are $21 in advance, $26 day of show.


Reserve tickets HERE!

Four shows remain in the run of Festival Theatre’s production of Molière’s comedy “The Miser,” set to close on Sunday, October 26th. Audiences can see this classic French farce on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm.

The smiling faces of patrons following each show are a true testament to the fun experienced by those who have seen “The Miser” this month. “This story explores family relationships, money troubles and obsession with Festival’s characteristic light-hearted wit,” says Liz Reddy, Marketing Assistant for Festival Theatre. “Surprising touches of audience interaction make this production unique. Folks do not have to travel farther than St. Croix Falls to enjoy a refreshing, top-quality theatre show.”

David Chambers’ translation of “The Miser” is set in Paris in the late 1800’s. The elderly Harpagon, played by Ed Moersfelder, runs his household with tight-fisted dominion. His miserly ways make life unbearable for all those around him, including his two children, Elise and Cléante, who are passionately in love with a valet and the girl next door, respectively. While Harpagon had arranged for them to be married to absurdly mismatched types, the two smart children plot against their frugal father until all erupts in a climactic ending, and truths are revealed.

Interesting characters intertwine throughout the story, including Frosine, the convincing matchmaker, Master Jacques, the laughable cook and coachman in Harpagon’s employ, and Valère, the charming love interest of Elise who is not really who he appears to be. Joining Moersfelder in the cast are Andrew Bradford Benson as Cléante and Deanna Davis as Elise, plus Daniel Brewer, Kathryn Cesarz, Seth Kaltwasser, Jerry Kurek, Anna Lewein, Joseph Pyfferoen and Paul Steffens.

The work and talents of the cast and production crew create a professional experience that stands alone in the St. Croix River Valley. Festival’s production team for “The Miser” consists of Jaclyn Johnson as Director, Kim Murphy in Costume Design, Danette Olsen in Scenic Design, Peter Weber in Sound and Lighting Design and Stage Management, Laura Seed in Properties Design and Fizz Kizer in Scenic Carpentry.

Tickets for “The Miser” are $26 for adults and $13.50 for ages 25 and under. Reservations for this and for the upcoming holiday production of “Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates” can be made HERE, by calling the box office at 715.483.3387 or emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com. 

Box office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and one hour prior to show times. Festival Theatre is located in the historic Civic Auditorium in downtown St. Croix Falls, at 210 North Washington Street.

The Sue Orfield Band teams up with national blues artist Ellen Whyte for an exciting concert event on Saturday, October 18th at Festival Theatre in St. Croix Falls, beginning at 7:30 pm.

Sue Orfield and Ellen Whyte have performed locally at the Lamar Music Festival in the past, and are well-known at many regional clubs such as the Dakota in Minneapolis. “We are once again thrilled to host artists of this caliber in our historic venue in downtown St. Croix Falls,” stated Liz Reddy, Marketing Assistant for Festival Theatre. “The Whyte Orfield Band promises to deliver one stellar night for every connoisseur of jazz and blues music.”

Sue Orfield plays the tenor saxophone with the whimsy of Sonny Rollins, the passion of Kurt Cobain, the soul of Bill Withers, and the joy of Ella Fitzgerald. Along with a compelling mastery of her instrument, Sue brings to the stage a powerful presence and joy of all things musical. Sue has played with many musical greats over the years, including Bo Diddley, Bobby McFerrin, The Indigo Girls, Ann Wilson (Heart), Dizzy Gillespie, Ivan Neville, and Jo Dee Messina, among others. She tours internationally with several groups, including The Tiptons Sax Quartet (formerly The Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet) (Seattle/NYC), and Ellen Whyte (Portland). 

Her own group, The Sue Orfield Band (SOB), highlights Orfield's talents as a composer as well as a player. SOB was voted Best Jazz Band in Volume One's "Best of the Chippewa Valley 2009" reader poll. Sue makes her home in the Chippewa Valley of Wisconsin, and plays locally with bands from all over Wisconsin and Minnesota, including The Chippewa Valley Jazz Orchestra, AcoustiHoo, Catya's Trio, The Butanes, Deep Water Reunion and many more.

Three-time Grammy award nominee Ellen Whyte, an accomplished singer songwriter, has fronted bands continuously now for more than thirty years, and she has seven critically acclaimed albums.  She was captivated by music since she was a child growing up in Fort Lauderdale Florida. Leaving the humidity and the taffeta dresses of her accordion marching band behind, Ellen branched out to blue grass, gospel, rock, blues and jazz. Her eclectic tastes in music include heroes such as Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, and Bonnie Raitt.

Ellen is known for her astonishing vocals, as she gracefully moves among genres from blues to jazz to funk and ballads. Her percussive rhythm guitar work is well suited to her voice, and she plays solo, in duos and trios, up to a full nine piece band complete with a horn section. She’s won numerous awards for her work, including consideration for two Grammy Award nominations in 1999 and most recently in 2009 for “Four Way Stop.”

Speaking of such, Grammy award producer Dennis Walker had this to say after working on the third CD, Standing at the Sunrise: “She not only sings like an angel, but brings her own styling and phrasing to every song that is completely individual. Thank God for Ellen Whyte who is one of the last few who can still sing blues and pop and jazz, and still stand up on a stage and sing big band standards with the best of them.”

Tickets for this concert are $21 in advance and $26 at the door. Reservations for this and other upcoming concerts, including Alice Peacock on November 1st, Lynne Rothrock & the Mood Swingers on November 8th, and Colleen Raye with the Girl Singers of the Hit Parade Christmas Show on December 6th, can be made by calling the box office at 715-483-3387, emailing boxoffice@festivaltheatre.org, or online HERE. Box office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and one hour prior to show times.