Celebrating 14 Years! Top Hat Theatre 2018-2019 Performing Arts Season Barry J. Houglum Auditorium 27 2nd Street NW, Ulen, MN 56585 218-596-8853 www.thetophattheatre.com
Welcome to our exciting 14th season, which includes a variety of great entertainment at an exceptional value! Remember, this is only possible because of the important partnerships within our community Friends of the Theatre, business sponsors, and the school district. We invite you to enjoy this season and all that it has to offer! All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays, except for Buckets and Tap Shoes on Friday, May 10, 2019, at the Barry J. Houglum Auditorium, Ulen, Minnesota. In the event a performance is cancelled due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances, Top Hat Theatre will make every effort to reschedule the performance. However, we can make no guarantees due to booking schedules of performers. If the weather is questionable, please check Top Hat Theatre s Facebook page or call 218-596-8262 for a recorded message. You can also sign up on Top Hat Theatre s website www.thetophattheatre.com to receive direct email message updates. Season Tickets in Person Season tickets are available at the Ulen-Hitterdal School office, Northwestern Bank in Ulen, and State Bank of Lake Park in Hitterdal. Cost is $75 for an individual ticket and $160 for a family (2 adults and 2 students; add $5 for each additional student). Season Tickets by Mail Send check to Ulen-Hitterdal School, PO Box 389, Ulen, MN 56585 (see form on pg. 7). You can either pick up opening night, or pay $2 mailing fee. Single Performance Tickets ($18 adult, $10 student) Tickets are available in the school office, or they may be reserved by calling 218-596-8853 or by email to Therese Vogel at tophat@ulenhitterdal.k12.mn.us, and then picked up at the door the night of the show. They may also be ordered by credit card through Top Hat Theatre s website: www.thetophattheatre.com with no extra fees. Tickets will also be sold at the door unless a performance sells out. 2 www.thetophattheatre.com Top Hat Theatre
Vitaly - An Evening of Wonders October 13, 2018 The Hunts November 3, 2018 Master illusionist Vitaly Beckman has mystified fans from all over the world, including Las Vegas superstars Penn & Teller whom he has successfully fooled in their hit TV show, Fool Us. Vitaly s signature illusions leave even the most jaded audience awestruck, with many coming back to re-experience his jaw-dropping feats. Hailed as one of the most captivating and enjoyable illusionists performing in the world today, Vitaly breathes innovation and artistry into the field of magic. He invented every single illusion in his stage show, An Evening of Wonders, treating spectators to theatrical entertainment not seen anywhere else in the world. Faces that disappear from drivers licenses. Paintbrushes that paint on their own. Photographs that literally come to life right before your eyes. Brace yourself for a whole new take on magic, and step into Vitaly s world. www.eveningofwonders.com The Hunts are an indie-alternative-folk band comprised of seven brothers and sisters. Born and raised in the south lands of Chesapeake, Virginia, the siblings grew up in a musical home and fell in love with composing their own music. Josh (guitar, lead vocals), Jenni (violin, lead vocals), Jonathan (keys, vocals), Jordan (drums, vocals), Justin (bass, vocals), Jamison (mandolin, vocals), and Jessi (viola, banjo, vocals) pour their blood, sweat, and tears into every song and strive to write music that moves hearts with beauty, power, and joy. www.thehuntsmusic.com 3
4 The Holy Rocka Rollaz Holiday Show December 8, 2018 If you like your Christmas music fun, festive, and in the spirit of 1950s early American rock n roll... why... you ve found your dream concert! At times you ll really think, Hey, Buddy Holly sent us a Christmas record from rock n roll heaven! Their show features classics from the 50s and all with a holiday twist. www.holyrockarollaz.com January 12, 2019 Country Roads - A Tribute to John Denver Headlined by Dennis Curley, Country Roads is a tribute show to one of America s best-loved performers and draws deeply on Curley s own love of John Denver s music. Backed by a fantastic six-piece band, Curley s renditions of the music of John Denver are sure to bring a smile to audience members of all ages. Some of the featured tunes include Take Me Home, Country Roads, Rocky Mountain High, Leaving on a Jet Plane, and Thank God I m a Country Boy. Frontman Dennis Curley intersperses the songs with personal recollections of growing up with John Denver s music, as well as stories from friends and family that will touch your heart and tickle your funny bone. www.tablesaltproductions.com
Stevie Ray s Improv - The Life and Death Comedy Show February 9, 2019 Let s face it... end-of-life planning isn t typical dinner talk. But nothing is more important than making decisions about how you or a loved one will meet the end. The end of life is a subject we all avoid; Stevie Ray says, No matter how old we are, we all think we have one more year. That s why the folks at Stevie Ray s Improv Company worked with healthcare professionals from major organizations in Minnesota to create The Life and Death Comedy Show: Celebrate One While Preparing for the Other: a hilarious look at how to prepare for the inevitable! Stevie Ray s Comedy Troupe is in the business of making people laugh, and they have created a show that makes talking about the end of life less stressful. Ray says, The show doesn t make fun of death; it pokes fun at how silly it is that we avoid talking about the one inevitable part of life. The show will leave you in stitches and will take the fear out of having the talk with your family. www.stevierays.org/life-death-comedy-show This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Lake Region Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. 5
7th Avenue Band March 9, 2019 From the mind of Chris Rupp, founder of Home Free and The Chris Rupp Project, comes a vocal quartet ready to forge a new identity in the music world. Each member has a unique musical and performance background, allowing for exciting possibilities. Combining elements of pop, swing, rockabilly, country, and much more, 7th Ave aims to reinvent and uproot the standard definitions of all of those genres through its innovative arrangements. On top of all that, the vocal quartet will be joined by their backing band and the spectacle of a light show. www.7thaveband.com Buckets and Tap Shoes Friday, May 10, 2019 Minneapolis-born brothers Rick and Andy Ausland comprise the heart of Buckets and Tap Shoes, and they will bring their high-energy blend of music, dance, and drumming from the streets of Minneapolis to the Top Hat stage. These multi-talented performers take audiences on a rhythmic journey using percussion instruments including tap shoes, found objects, drums, and buckets. They use humor and wit, and engage each other and the audience with their dancing, which is filled with footwork at breakneck speed. Percussion pours through them, and the rhythms of hip-hop, rock, and R&B spin through the air. www.bucketsandtapshoes.com 6
Become a Friend of the Theatre An annual contribution is an important way for you to show your support of the arts in our community and to contribute to the experiences that have been close to your heart. Consider making a donation. Please complete the membership form below and return with your donation. Thank you! Soloist Chorus Director Producer Corporate Benefits of Membership: $25-$49 $50-$99 $100-$199 $200-$499 $500 & Over Tax-Deductible Donation x x x x x Name on Plaque x x x x Name in Program x x x Reception with Performer x x x Two Single Complimentary Tickets x x x Two Season Tickets x Season Tickets Available Through November 3, 2018 Mail Ticket Order Form individual season @ $75 each family season @ $160 $ $ $2 mailing fee (or pick up at the door) $ Name Address Phone Total Enclosed $ Email Friend of the Theatre 2018-2019 Membership Form Yes, I/we wish to support the Top Hat Theatre. Name Address City State Zip Telephone Email Please indicate your level of support below. Please check one. Soloist Chorus Director Producer Corporate $25-$49 $50-$99 $100-$199 $200-$499 $500 & Over How would you like your program listing to read? I/we do not wish to be listed on programs. Please make checks payable to Ulen-Hitterdal School and mail or drop off to Ulen-Hitterdal School P.O. Box 389 Ulen, MN 56585 7
October 13, 2018 Vitaly - An Evening of Wonders November 3, 2018 The Hunts December 8, 2018 The Holy Rocka Rollaz Holiday Show January 12, 2019 Country Roads - A Tribute to John Denver February 9, 2019 Stevie Ray s Improv - The Life and Death Comedy Show March 9, 2019 7th Avenue Band Friday, May 10, 2019 Buckets and Tap Shoes P.O. Box 389 Ulen, MN 56585 Non-Profit Organization US Postage PAID Permit #5 Ulen, MN 56585