Meg Hutchinson, 3:00 pm, Writing By Heart: Methods for Uncovering Your Voice Often our writing knows more about us and the world than we do, if we can just figure out how to make a place for that honest voice in our work. Through exercises and discussion we will explore ways of working that encourage the best in ourselves. How do we make the right and left brain get along? What exercises help us get through writers block? How are poems different from songs and what can they offer each other? How do the lyrics and melody evolve? How do we know when we are being honest in our work? This workshop is open to all levels of experience. Please bring writing materials.
Radoslav Lorkovic, 4:30 pm, Round Robin Song Sharing In this session we will share and critique our“ works in progress” in a supportive and constructive environment. Bring works to share if you have them. Bring lyrics you can’ t find a melody for, or a phrase you can’ t quite rhyme. If you don’ t have works in progress, come and listen in – there’ s something here for you regardless of where you are in your songwriting journey.
Saturday, Aug. 25
Stephanie & Roy Elkins, 10:30 am, Get Yourself Heard Join the host of Wisconsin Public Radio’ s Sunday Night program“ Simply Folk.” Stephanie has been a musical host on WPR since 2007 and was the host of Musica Antiqua for 10 years. Her husband Roy is founder and CEO of Broadjam Inc., a Madisonbased company that serves the music industry and independent musicians around the world. Broadjam places music in film, TV, ads; allows musicians to upload and sell their music, get peer reviews, host websites, etc. They will share their experience on promoting yourself and getting your music
heard over the airwaves. These workshops are supported in part by a grant from Chequamegon Bay Arts Council
Workshops subject to change.
Sunday, August 26, 2 pm
The Blue Buccaneers
Free Family Matinee. See page 13 for full description.
Sunday, August 26, Time tba
African Drum and Dance with Kellie Pederson and Scott Griffiths Free Workshops See Page 13 for complete description.
Friday, August 31, 7:30 pm
Cloud Cult, David Mayfield Parade and That 1 Guy
Special appearance by The Spin Collective All Seats Reserved and General Admission Grounds Passes: $ 38 Cloud Cult, from Minneapolis, is so environmentally conscious that it once asked fans for CD jewel cases to be cleaned and reused. But in its music the band is less“ Al Gore” than“ William Blake,” singing kaleidoscopic invocations of the life force in a bright indie psychedelia. While the band plays, two visual artists create original paintings to the beat. David Mayfield’ s music channels the unique forms of American music with sincerity and celebration from the howl of early rock-n-roll, to the low lonesome twang of folk and country with a voice that is all at once heartbreaking and inherently hopeful. That 1 Guy is a one-man-band on crazy hand-made instruments including the 7 foot magic pipe made of PVC plumbing parts. Sponsored by Deepwater Grille
We expect this to be a standing and dancing audience, choose your seating accordingly
Saturday, September 1, 10:30 am
That One Guy
Free Family Matinee. See page 13 for full description.
Saturday, September 1, 7:30 pm
Big Top by Request
Tickets: $ 22 /$ 11 Children age 3-17 * Join the Blue Canvas Orchestra as they perform the music you’ ve identified as the best of the best. See page 5 for complete description. Sponsored by Corneille Law Firm
Sunday, September 2, 7:30 pm
Blue Canvas Orchestrated with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra Tickets: $ 54 /$ 44 /$ 34; Kids Half Price $ 27 /$ 22 /$ 17 The DSSO joins the Big Top Chautauqua’ s Blue Canvas Orchestra for the second annual evening of classics under canvas by these two celebrated groups. Ed Willett will once again be our Concertmaster as our house band is joined by over 30 members of the DSSO. The collaboration debuted last September on our stage to thunderous applause and several standing ovations. The musical match, with the big screen visuals, was such a hit that we expect to partner on performances for a long time to come. Sponsored by 15 Fabulous Couples
Thursday, September 6, 7:30 pm
The Mountains Call My Name
A Musical Portrait of Environmentalist John Muir Featuring Tom Mitchell and the Blue Canvas Orchestra Tickets: $ 22 Adult /$ 11 Children 3-17 * Join the Blue Canvas Orchestra for their musical portrayal of John Muir, founder of the national park system and the Sierra Club. See page 7 for complete description. Sponsored by Terry & Heidi Anderson
Friday, September 7, 7:30 pm
Riders In The Sky
$ 42 /$ 36 /$ 28; Kids Half Price $ 21 /$ 18 /$ 14 For more than thirty years Riders In The Sky have been keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, reviving and revitalizing the genre. And while remaining true to the integrity of Western music, they have themselves become modern-day icons by branding the genre with their own legendary wacky humor and way-out Western wit, and all along encouraging buckaroos and buckarettes to live life“ The Cowboy Way!” Sponsored by Wisconsin Public Radio
Saturday, September 8, 7:30 pm
Old Last Night with Blue Canvas Orchestra, Michael Perry and the Long Beds and Elephant Revival Tickets: $ 32 /$ 28 /$ 22 Old Last Night is the grand finale of the summer season – it’ s our variety show led by our own house band Blue Canvas Orchestra. On Old Last Night, you should plan on staying out just a little later than usual. After the concert, we light a big bon fire in the parking lot and the music usually continues until the wee hours. Wisconsin Native Michael Perry,( humorist, author and host of Tent Show Radio) has been hosting Old Last Night for the last few seasons. This year, he’ s bringing along his own band The Long Beds with their homespun country folk tunes that feel like“ stories that could be fodder for a sunrise coffee klatch in a small-town diner.” Elephant Revival returns for their 3 rd visit to the Big Top stage. ER has become one of our favorite groups performing a specialized and inviting music they call transcendental folk, incorporating elements of Scottish / Celtic fiddle tunes, traditional ballads, bluegrass, psychedelic country, and indie rock. Come help us ring out the old Big Top year – you’ ll be glad you did! Sponsored by Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua’ s Board of Directors
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