Celebrate Wood River Performing Arts Series

Welcome to WOOD RIVER’S

 PERFORMING ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SERIES

Made Possible by
The Donna Lee Moyer Performing Arts Gift

2018-2019 Celebrate wood River Events
WOOD RIVER RURAL HIGH SCHOOL THEATER
13800 W Wood River Road, Wood River, NE
All Performances are free and open to public

Free Admission
to all performances thanks to the generous support of our sponsors

Cost: All performances are offered FREE to the public. A freewill offering is accepted at the event to make future programs possible.
Contact: Questions or wondering if an event will occur due to inclement weather? Contact Georgene Smidt at 308-583-2606. Better yet, get added to our email list to receive updates about upcoming events and emergency announcements by emailing celebratewo[email protected] .

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE BROCHURE

Gooch and The Guys

Sunday, 9/9/18 2:30 p.m.
You raved and we listened – Gooch is BACK! Veteran Las Vegas entertainer Michael “Gooch” Gurciullo brings his swinging big band sound to the forefront with a Vintage Vegas Show. Discover what “Original Pop Music” sounded like in this musical extravaganza playing big band jazz and vocal numbers covering classic tunes from the some of the best writers and arrangers of the 20th Century. If you missed Gooch’s masterful trumpeting last time, don’t make that mistake again!

Pippa White: “Far as the Eye Can See”

Sunday, 11/4/18 2:30 p.m.
Celebrate Wood River is excited to bring Pippa back for another moving and insightful look into the past. Pippa White’s productions are “part theatre, part storytelling, part history.” Audiences call them unique, captivating and touching! As a storyteller, she has toured to over 30 states after an extensive career in theater in TV on the West Coast.
“Far As The Eye Can See” celebrates the prairie and its people: the early pioneers who crossed it, the later pioneers who settled it, the brave people of the Dust Bowl who fought to save it, and the Native American people who struggled to keep the prairie that once belonged only to them.

Darrel Draper: “Theodore Roosevelt:
Rough Rider President”

Sunday, 3/3/198 2:30 p.m.
Historical Re-enactor Darrel Draper will portray Theodore Roosevelt in a unique educational and entertaining program. Our 26th President of the United States and better known as “Teddy”, he was famous for his energetic personality and “cowboy” image. Roosevelt’s achievements as a naturalist, explorer, hunter, author, and soldier are as much a part of his fame as the many political offices he held. Draper, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Roosevelt, has been described by audience members as “an awesome and absolutely wonderful performer” who is able to transport listeners back in time to the era of his characters. His humor and knowledge of history have delighted audiences aged 8 to 80, explaining why he is one of the most requested speakers in the Nebraska Humanities Council’s Speakers Bureau Program.

Gordy & Dalyce Comedy & Music Show

Sunday, 4/28/19 7:00 p.m.
Gordy and Dalyce combine their unique brand of Americana, music, comedy and virtuosic guitar performances to leave you laughing and feeling good. Called the “Victor Borge of the Guitar,” Gordy will mesmerize with world-class guitar playing and stand-up musical comedy. His fingers fl y as he plays Bach and Bluegrass in the same breath — think Mozart on “12 cups of good, strong cowboy coffee”. Dalyce has been performing since kindergarten for anyone who would listen, then singing in rock and roll bands. The two combined forces in 2017 giving birth to a brand new family-friendly, character-driven comedy and music show for all ages. Come enjoy yourself!

 

Saturday Friendship Gatherings – 9:30 An informal gathering for friends old & new, young & old to explore and reminisce. We’ll gather at Wood River Rural High School in the theater lobby.
FRIENDSHIP GATHERINGS – 9:30 a.m. Voices from the Cemetery October 13, 2018 Members of the Hall County Historical Society will personify early Hall County residents. Creating Greeting Cards November 3, 2018 This presentation by Jeni Gibson of Dannebrog will be sure to get your creative juices fl owing. As a “Stampin’ Up” demonstrator for nearly 20 years, Jeni enjoys sharing the art of paper crafting including simple steps to make beautiful greeting cards and gift ideas. Hall County Ordnance Plant February 23, 2019 Come hear Howard Uhrich and his daughter tell about the May 26, 1945 explosion on Line 4 at the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant that took the lives of nine employees. Howard is well known for his expertise on the history of the CAAP. Presentation will include videos they made. “Troop Train is Coming” April 6, 2019 Michelle Setlik is an educator, graduate student of history, and a family/ community historian. She has deep roots in Hall County, going back 5 generations and was a 3rd generation graduate of WRRHS. She focuses her research on Nebraska history with special attention to women and immigrants. Come learn how Grand Island responded when the Troop Train was coming!	LOCAL ARTS Christmas Cantata Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, 2:30 pm Appreciate the sounds of Christmas as this central Nebraska choir presents their annual cantata event. The Christmas Cantata will be held in the Wood River High School Performing Arts Center.. Easter Cantata Sunday, April 14, 2019, 2:30 pm Get swept away in the majesty of Easter during this central Nebraska choir’s cantata presentation. The Easter Cantata will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Wood River (1108 Dodd Street). All School Play Saturday, March 23 & 24, 2019 Can Wood River High School’s Music & Drama Department top last year’s performance of Beauty & The Beast? The coming year’s performance is TBA at the time of this printing so watch for updates at https://www.woodrivereagles.org !
The Celebrate Wood River Committee was formed in January 2006 and is made up of roughly twenty individuals from the community. We represent all ages and all walks of life. Our mission has been to make the dream of providing entertainment and enrichment activities to the Wood River area come to life. This season will bring all new performers to Wood River for your enjoyment! The “Weekend Friendship Gathering” series will also provide an opportunity to explore and reminisce with friends. We thank you for your support of both series in our current season…here’s to many more! All events are open to the public and are provided at no charge (other than all school play admission) thanks to the generous support of our three benefactors. A free will offering will be accepted to continue the entertainment series through the years ahead. We sincerely hope you’ll enjoy yourself and bring a friend or two.  No tickets are needed for these performances; seating is first-come, first-served. With a 450 seat theater, there is generally plenty of room. Please help spread the word to friends and family — these entertainers love full theaters! Suggestions for future events and volunteers are warmly welcomed by contacting any committee member or Georgene Smidt 583-2606, Vince Boudreau 583-2961. Dare to dream a little with us, and let’s see what happens in the years to come!

“And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
  – Abraham Lincoln

Celebrate Wood River logo courtesy of SCORR Marketing, Kearney NE. 

The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, supports this program through a matching grant funded by the Nebraska Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Visit www.nebraskaartscouncil.org  for information on how the Nebraska Arts Council can assist your organization, or how you can support the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.