Season Program | Big Top Chautauqua 2013 | Page 7

Join us for our own unique brand of shows that feature songs and stories performed by Big Top ’ s Blue Canvas Orchestra and Singers that bear the hallmark of exquisite musicianship illustrated by big-screen visuals . Big Top founders Warren Nelson and Betty Ferris began the tradition in the northland by creating the first shows about this area – Souvenir Views ( 1983 ) and Riding the Wind ( 1985 .) Over the past 27 years we have continued to present some of our favorites , and have added new shows to our repertoire including our interpretive shows of our favorite songs and songwriters – Moon Songs & Moon Shadows ( 2009 ), Laurel Canyon 1970 ( 2010 ) and Ladies of the Canyon ( 2011 ,) and have commissioned and adapted other shows that fit our original style – Bruce Burnside ’ s Lincoln ’ s Living Legacy ( 2008 ) and Frederick Heide ’ s The Mountains Call My Name ( 2012 .) This year we offer two new original

The Blue Canvas Orchestra ( BCO ) is Chautauqua ’ s house band that , together with co-founder and Visuals Director Betty Ferris , provides the entertainment engine that powers the Big Top . This group converged on the Northland from around the country , brought together by the desire to make great art in a beautiful environment . In today ’ s Chautauqua they continue to be devotees of the “ Big Show ,” remaining resolute in their commitment to bringing expansive sound , imagery and experience to their audiences . shows : Highway 61 Revisited and Stories for the Water . Severin Behnen leads a new show which interprets the songs of Bob Dylan called Highway 61 Revisited : A Bob Dylan Retrospective . The show features Severin and the Blue Canvas Orchestra with special guests Corey Carlson , Barbara Jean Meyers and Danielle Nepstad . Bruce Burnside ’ s latest work , Stories for the Water , will feature his original compositions performed by Blue Canvas Orchestra and members of the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra with special guest vocalists Kevin Soulier and Inga Aleckson . We also feature two of our favorite shows from past seasons : Riding the Wind and Wild Woods & Waters . We will also launch our Tent Show Radio Live regional tour from the Tent in August .

All Shows : Adults $ 22 / Children 3-17 $ 11 . Group rates available .

Jane Aleckson Bass , Vocals Hwy 61 , Stories for the Water , Wild Woods & Waters , TSR Live

Phillip Anich Vocals Riding the Wind , Wild Woods & Waters , TSR Live

Severin Behnen Vocals , Accordion , Piano Hwy 61 , Riding the Wind ,

Wild Woods & Waters Bruce Bowers Violin Hwy 61 , Stories for the Water , TSR Live Bruce Burnside Banjo , Mandolin , Vocals Hwy 61 , Stories for the Water ,

Wild Woods & Waters , TSR Live Andy Dee Guitar and Dobro Hwy 61 , Stories for the Water , TSR Live Jack Gunderson Vocals Hwy . 61 , Riding the Wind , Wild Woods & Waters ,

TSR Live Bass Riding the Wind Tom Mitchell Percussion , Vocals Hwy 61 , Riding the Wind , Wild Woods & Waters , TSR Live

Musical Direction Severin Behnen Riding the Wind , Hwy 61 , Wild Woods & Waters Bruce Bowers New First Night and Old Last Night Bruce Burnside Stories for the Water

Visuals Director Betty Ferris

Guest Artists

Photo by Dan Hardy

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