Happy and the River
September 17th at 7:30pm
September 19th at 4:00 pm

Spanning more than a hundred years in history, Happy and the River is a funny and thought-provoking original new play by novelist David Rhodes about the St. Croix River, and its champion, Gaylord Nelson, told through the eyes of loggers, trappers, settlers, Native Americans, shopkeepers, tourists—and the River itself.

Tickets: $16.50 adults / $9.50 youth

Nickel and Dimed
November 11th to 21st

Keep an eye on updates for Nickel & Dimed, a provocative drama based on the book by Barbara Ehrenreich and produced in partnership with Family Pathways.

The play chronicles the journey Ehrenreich made as an investigative journalist attempting to make a life working jobs with pay below the living wage.

The show will run November 11th to 21st & tickets go on sale 8/1/2010.

Tickets: $15
limited seating in the Elbow Room

John Gorka in Concert
Saturday, February 27th

Coming to the Festival Theatre stage is highly-acclaimed singer-songwriter John Gorka. From his college days playing a Pennsylvania coffee house to touring Europe last year, John Gorka has traveled an inspiring musical journey.

With a love for energetic acoustic folk music, John has become a peer to such names as Claudia Schmidt, Bill Morrissey, Nanci Griffith, Shawn Colvin, and Mary Chapin-Carpenter, sharing music that is not a trend, not a fad, but an expression of everyday life.

Tickets are $35

Dan Chouinard & Friends
Once Upon a River ~ A Celebration of Earth Day 2010
Saturday, April 24th, 7:30 pm

Join Dan Chouinard, Ann Reed & Friends on Saturday, April 24th, to share the love, laughter and life lessons given to us by our most constant neighbor, the St. Croix River.

This unique celebration of Earth Day is made up of music and stories orchestrated by our very own Pied Piper of the St. Croix, one-time riverboat guide, Dan Chouinard!

Watch our website as all the details unfold for this Music Series Event, where we take time to reflect on the lessons learned from nature.

Tickets $21 in advance / $26 at the door

Annual Garden Party

We are setting in motion our 20th Anniversary Theatre Series on Thursday, June 17th with our annual kick-off event, Festival Theatre’s Garden Party!

Come early to the theatre on Opening Night - social hour begins at 6:00 pm. Enjoy the beautiful view of the St. Croix River from our front courtyard, under a canopy of friendship and celebration. You are invited to attend, partake in elegant hors d’oeuvres and conversation, enjoy light jazz music by Brittany & Tyler Bublitz, then settle in for an evening of award-winning entertainment with To Fool The Eye starting at 7:30 p.m. After the show, mingle with the actors, designers, and directors as we officially celebrate the opening of the 2010 season.

Please RSVP to the Box Office at 715-483-3387

Camp We-Kan-Tak-It
Saturday, July 17th, 3:30 pm

In July, Festival will host an historical tribute to the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC is recognizing the 75th Anniversary of the huge contributions made throughout Wisconsin State Parks, including our own Interstate Park where hundreds of men were employed through the Work Projects Administration during the Great Depression.

The performance is named after the CCC motto: “Camp We-Kan-Tak-It” and includes historical slides, music, and narrative depicting the life and work of the Corps. On July 17th, the performance can be seen at 3:30 p.m. prior to the Wannigan Days Parade.


Tickets: $5 adults / $3 youth 17 and younger

Paddle to Seattle
Tuesday, July 20th at 7:30
Wednesday, July 21st at 7:30

J.J. Kelley is a Taylors Falls raised filmmaker now living in Washington DC working for National Geographic. He produced an independent film last year that has been picked up by PBS Wisconsin. It's a fun & gorgeous adventure film where J.J. and a friend build two wooden kayaks and paddle from Seward, Alaska to Seattle, Washington. You can see a trailer at the movie's website: the film is titled Paddle to Seattle http://www.paddletoseattle.com/.

The film has been doing very well on the independent film festival circuit. Most recently it won three awards at the Wisconsin Film Festival: Audience Award Best Documentary, Golden Badger Best Documentary, and a craft award for Excellence in Storytelling. It is J.J.’s dream to come home and show his childhood community the film that has so profoundly impacted his life. So, we at Festival Theatre are going to help this dream come true! J.J.’s film will have an exclusive screening at 7:30 p.m. on July 20th & 21st in St. Croix Falls prior to it being broadcast on PBS July 22nd.


Tickets: $10.00

Improv Nights

• July 30, 10:00pm
• August 6, 10:00pm
• August 13, 10:00pm
• August 20, 10:00pm
• August 27, 10:00pm

Six members of Festival Theatre’s summer acting troupe have been having a great time preparing for six weeks of Improv Theatre performances through August 27th. Their Friday night shows begin at 10:00 p.m. and are original, fun, and daring. Several other acting company members may join the core group from time-to-time.

“Improvisational theatre is great creative exercise,” says Jaclyn Johnson, who has trained at the Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis and is a member of several improve troupes in the Twin Cities. “We get to stretch ourselves as characters, challenge our wit and timing, and have a great time creating shows that are extremely different from night to night. Audience participation is a huge part of what we do and nothing is better than an audience that is ready to come out and have a great time.”

Tickets for the Improv show are $5.00 and can be purchased at the door or in advance. General admission seating is limited with shows taking place in the street level Elbow Room. Tickets are available via the website or at the box office. Show times are 10:00 p.m. on 7/30, 8/6, 8/13, 8/20 and 8/27.

Tickets: $5

The Elbow Room Cabaret
August 11, August 17, August 18
All Shows start at 7:30pm

An original script prepared by Jaclyn Johnson and Kathryn Cesarz, “The Elbow Room Cabaret” features the musical, vocal, and storytelling talents of the six person ensemble cast. The show opens with actor and audience interaction, so come early to hear the latest news from the troupe’s big mouthed gossip, or to see a unicyclist and juggler, or hear the details of how this troupe formed and traveled to the River Valley.

Featuring a large range of music from artists such as Frank Sinatra, Cat Powers, Tom Waits, The Decemberists and many more, the cabaret storyline focuses on the lives of six vagabond performers who travel the country entertaining audiences with folklore and tall tales.

Show times are Wednesday, 8/11; Tuesday, 8/17; and Wednesday 8/18 at 7:30 pm and tickets are just $10.00 each.

Seating is limited – reserve your tickets early!

Tickets: $10

Annual Riverboat Sunset Cruise...
Thursday, August 12th
Boarding at 6:30 pm
Departure at 7:00 pm

Enjoy a lovely, lazy evening on the St. Croix aboard the Taylors Falls Princess as we keep the FUN in fundraising: A special Gypsy Cabaret theme, marvelous hors d’oeuvres, signature desserts, roving musicians, and a silent auction featuring the works of many of the finest artisans on the upper St. Croix . . . all of this along with the delight of supporting your much loved Festival Theatre!

Make reservations now at 715-483-3387 for this Thursday evening, August 12th fundraiser at $100 per person ($75.00 of which is tax-deductible).
Sponsored in part by Wild Mountain.