With state treasures around every corner and easy access to Interstate 39/90 and State Highway 51, Stoughton is a great place to settle in and explore the surroundings.
Stoughton’s story starts with Norwegian heritage, but we’ve grown to include so much more. Explore boutique shopping, locally owned restaurants, and the Stoughton Opera House, known for its sublime acoustics. Come visit our new Norwegian Heritage Center, shop, have a bite to eat, and stay for an evening performance.
In 2022–23, the Ghost Light Lounge hosted its first full season of pre-show live acts on the small stage, introducing us to a bevy of local and regional talent. There were sold-out country, bluegrass, jazz, folk, and rock shows by legendary artists–some of whom annually declare the Stoughton Opera House their favorite venue by a mile and some of whom, after stepping from the stage the first time, enthusiastically vow, “We will come back anytime you want us!”
And before we forget, let’s enjoy the success of the long anticipated chair upholstering project that no longer keeps us on the edge of our seats.
The pandemic did quite a number on all of us, individuals and organizations alike, but our resilience and the joy we create together has proven once again that we can face the challenges and rise beyond them like a song.
Let’s carry with us the music that moved us into the new season and see where, together, we can go from here.
William Brehm, Victoria Flynn, Julie McDougall, Director Box Office Manager House Manager
We are always looking for great new shows to add to our schedule. Be sure to follow our Facebook Page and sign up to receive e-mail on the latest news and shows.
The Stoughton Opera House Friends Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the Opera House. Through targeted philanthropy, awareness building, and volunteer support, the Stoughton Opera House Friends Association will play an integral role in sustaining the Stoughton Opera House as a first-class performing arts facility.
For more information visit www.stoughtonoperahousefriends.org
HOURS: Check our Facebook page or website for the most up-to-date box office hours before coming by to visit. 90 minutes prior to showtime
30 minutes after performances
Guided tours available by appointment during business hours. email: boxoffice@stoughtonoperahouse.com
Quality Inn & Suites provides full-service amenities including:
• Free Breakfast
• Free WiFI
• Free Parking
• In-Room Coffee-maker, microwave and refrigerator.
• Indoor heated pool and hot tub.
More
Fri. Aug. 11 • 7:30 pm
Sat. Aug. 12 • 4:00 pm
Sitting in a half-moon, the Stoughton Chamber Music Festival presents MOON, a one-hour length concert experience following the trajectory of the moon and featuring Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht reimagined to include the Clarinet amidst short works that evoke the night. The program begins and ends with a complimentary set of two original works by Micah Behr, beginning with the setting of the sun and ending with a sunrise.
The Stoughton Chamber Music Festival creates vital opportunities for brilliant early-career classical musicians, sharing expressive and engaging performances of diverse repertoire with Stoughton, Wisconsin and the surrounding communities. www.stoughtonchambermusicfestival.com
Skaalen is located in a quiet residential neighborhood in Stoughton. Our beautiful campus offers walking paths and comfortable outdoor spaces. Skaalen’s Continuum of Care retirement campus offers options to fit your needs or those of a loved one.
Low-maintenance residence designed for carefree living offering a wide variety of comforts and conveniences.
Comfortable apartments in a serene and friendly environment with three meals and activities offered daily. Select services on an ala cart basis so you only pay for amenities you want, and add more services as they are needed.
ASSISTED LIVING
Providing assistance with the activities of daily living to those who do not require skilled nursing care.
The Stoughton Opera House owes a lot to the vision and tenacity of its volunteers. From the moment the idea of restoration first began forming to the ushers we work with every season, volunteers have been key in making the Opera House vital and strong.
Because we’re always adding new performances to our listings, we’re also always welcoming new volunteers to our ranks. Ushering with the Stoughton Opera House provides the opportunity to see your favorite first-class acts free of charge, as well as the chance to discover new artists that will blow you away.
To join our team and get started, contact victoria@stoughtonoperahouse.com or call the box office Tuesday–Friday from 9am–4:30pm at 608.877.4400.
ASSISTED LIVING MEMORY CARE
Specializing in the care of those with Alzheimer’s Disease and other memory conditions in a homelike environment.
THERAPY AND WELLNESS CENTER
In-patient and out-patient therapy services for people of all ages, following an accident, illness, or surgery. Wellness programs tailored to meet each individual’s personal fitness goals.
SKILLED NURSING
Rehabilitative and restorative care to meet each individual’s need for long-term or short-term residency.
Fri. Sept. 15 • 7:30 pm
Lone Piñon is a New Mexican string band, or “orquesta típica”, whose music celebrates the integrity of their region’s cultural roots. With fiddles, upright bass, accordions, mandolin, guitars, and bilingual vocals, they play a wide spectrum of the traditional music that is at home in New Mexico.
www.lonepinon.com
L ooking for the perfect gift for family or friends?
Tickets to Opera House Events are always the right size and a night out at a great show is remembered forever. Our certificates never expire and can be used for any regular season event.
Give the gift they’ll never forget!
(608) 877-4400
www.stoughtonoperahouse.com
Thur. Sept. 21 • 7:30 pm
Raw, soulful, and with plenty of swagger, Town Mountain has earned raves for their hard-driving sound, their in-house songwriting and the honky-tonk edge that permeates their exhilarating live performances, whether in a packed club or at a sold-out festival. The hearty base of Town Mountain’s music is the first and second generation of bluegrass spiced with country, old school rock ‘n’ roll, and boogie-woogie. It’s what else goes into the mix that brings it all to life both on stage and on record and reflects the group’s wide-ranging influences – from the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia and the ethereal lyrics of Robert Hunter, to the honest, vintage country of Willie, Waylon, and Merle.
www.townmountain.net
Blending virtuosic instrumental acrobatics with riveting lyrical craftsmanship, The Lil Smokies have earned a reputation as one of the most electrifying acts in modern American roots music thanks to their exhilarating live show and critically acclaimed studio output. Since forming on the streets of Missoula, Montana, where the group got its start busking back in 2009, the band has performed everywhere from Red Rocks to The Rialto and captivated festival audiences at Telluride, High Sierra, LOCKN’, Freshgrass, FloydFest, and countless more. Their latest album, 2020’s Tornillo, showcases the hard touring four-piece at its most adventurous, teaming up with producer Bill Reynolds (The Avett Brothers, Band Of Horses) for a genre-bending joyride from the hills of Laurel Canyon to the wide-open deserts of West Texas.
www.thelilsmokies.com
Fri. Sept. 22 • 7:30 pm
THE JIMMYS are an award winning, high energy 7-piece blues band featuring Jimmy Voegeli on keyboard and organ, Perry Weber on guitar, Chris Sandoval on drums, John Wartenweiler on bass and an amazing 3-piece horn section. They are sure to get you dancing!!
www.thejimmys.net
“The Jimmys are excellent musicians, wildly fun entertainers and perform a slew of strong, original songs. They’re a treat for any fans of roots rock, old school R&B and straight-up blues. And every performance is like a party!”
–Bruce Iglauer, Alligator Records
Sat. Sept. 23 • 7:30 pm
Alfredo Rodriguez is an internationally acclaimed Cuban jazz pianist who, due to his formal training, is as proficient at playing classical music as he is his chosen genre.
Featured in the Netflix Original Documentary Quincy, winner of the 2019 GRAMMY for Best Music Film, Rodriguez will star in the team’s next documentary focused on Rodríguez’s career & life stemming from the incredible story of his defection from Cuba and risking arrest at the border to accept a personal invitation from Quincy Jones to perform for him in Los Angeles.
www.alfredomusic.com
Thur. Sept. 28 • 7:30 pm
There’s a reason why Ricky Skaggs pulled Eric and Leigh Gibson off the stage at the Ryman two decades ago and offered to produce their debut record. The same thing that led David Ferguson and Grammy Award winning producer and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach to co-write and produce their 14th album Mockingbird (2018) and release it on his own label Easy Eye Sound alongside cultural icons such as Hank Williams Jr and Dr John: the Gibson Brothers are the real deal. They can pick. They can sing. And they can write a damn good country song.
They’ve won about every bluegrass award you can name and released albums on almost every premier Americana label you can think of including Sugar Hill and Rounder, and, if that’s not enough, their songs have been recorded by bluegrass legends no less than Del McCoury. It’s a resume almost anybody in country music would be proud to have. But despite all of this, the Gibson Brothers are not yet household names. Their latest album, Darkest Hour, produced by dobro master Jerry Douglas might just change that.
www.gibsonbrothers.com
Fri. Sept. 29 • 7:30 pm
The Best Westerns meld instrumental virtuosity and the powerful charm of classic songs old and new, from way out West to Tin Pan Alley. Some call it swing, some call it jazz, some might think it’s rockabilly, and some even call it western music. And that’s how you know it’s Western Swing.
The six-piece ensemble features fiddle, piano, guitar, steel guitar, acoustic bass, and drums. The repertoire ranges from Bob Wills to Benny Goodman, with stops along the way for Slim Gaillard, Speedy West, Count Basie, and Carl Smith . . . or Carl Perkins . . . or Ray Price. Incorporating influences too numerous to name, the band’s creative synergy leads to a growing core of original compositions.
Most of all, it’s dance music. The band runs on rhythm. Once people are dancing, the Best Westerns are in business.
www,facebook.com/TheBestWesterns
Sat. Sept. 30 • 10 am–4 pm
Art Walk Stoughton 2023 returns for its sixth annual art event in Stoughton’s Downtown Arts & Entertainment District.
Rain or shine, Art Walk Stoughton takes place the last Saturday of September with fine artists, craftsmen, musicians, and more. Regional artisans are hosted by locally owned shops, showcasing their work and presenting an expansive gallery tour experience. With a diversity of mediums and range of prices, art collectors as well as new art buyers are delighted with their finds. Enjoy a celebration of the senses with Art Walk Stoughton!
www.artwalkstoughton.com
Sat. Sept. 30 • 7:30 pm
Tired Hearts, the new album from rising indie-pop power trio, BAILEN, delivers a dazzling set of songs that navigates the space between the heart’s expectation and the head’s sober reality. New York based siblings, Daniel, David, and Julia’s second full-length album for Fantasy beats with empathy, vulnerability, and resolve.
At times intricate and playful, measured and elaborate, the 12 original songs on Tired Hearts wrestle with an uncertain future where ethics and morality—both communal and personal—seem to be constantly shifting. Locating one’s compass amidst the chaos—a world-wide pandemic, toxic social media culture, economic insecurity and political turbulence—is at the LP’s core.
Raised and rooted in New York City by classically trained musician parents and their wide-ranging, eclectic record collection, BAILEN has emerged as a favorite in indie circles by cultivating a passionate following via word of mouth, robust playlisting and a stream of steady touring and collaborating with artists such as Amos Lee, The Lone Bellow, Joseph, and Hozier to name a few.
www.bailentheband.com
Thur. Oct. 5 • 7:30 pm
Born and raised in Texas, two-time GRAMMY-winner Rodney Crowell arrived in Nashville in the early 1970s, coming to prominence first as a writer before establishing himself as a critically acclaimed solo artist in his own right. With 15 number one hits under his belt and tracks recorded by everyone from Emmylou Harris and Johnny Cash to Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, it would be difficult to overstate Crowell’s impact on roots music over the past five decades. In 2003, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame; in 2006 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting from the Americana Music Association; in 2017, he was honored with ASCAP’s prestigious Founder’s Award; and in 2019, he was presented with the Academy of Country Music’s Poet’s Award. In addition to his prolific output as an artist and producer, Crowell also found time to become a celebrated author, publishing a memoir and a lyrical retrospective to widespread praise. Along the way, NPR declared him the “literarily inclined elder statesman of the Americana scene,” while Rolling Stone hailed him as a “country music trailblazer,” and the New York Times proclaimed that his songwriting “gets better and sharper with age.”
Produced by Jeff Tweedy, Crowell’s brilliant new album, The Chicago Sessions, is as incisive, engaging, and vital as ever, touching on everything from love and mortality to race and religion as it balances careful craftsmanship with joyful liberation at every turn.
www.rodneycrowell.com
Laurel Lewis is an independent Americana singer/songwriter from Southeastern Kentucky who writes and composes music with moving lyrics and distinctive chord progressions sure to keep the audience’s interest. Her music reaches the darkest depths of the oceans and brings a light to any melody she embraces.
Currently, Laurel is working on a studio album with the legendary Rodney Crowell producing. Her blend of genres is delicately placed throughout her new project and will once again showcase the range of ability in both her voice and her songwriting. In a world of cookiecutter similarities and those jumping on musical bandwagons, she chooses to bring music to the table that is uniquely her own. The best musical creations are the ones that are unique, and Laurel Lewis is exactly that.
www.laurellewis.com
Fri. Oct. 6 • 7:30 pm
Larry & Joe were destined to make music together. Larry Bellorín hails from Monagas, Venezuela and is a legend of Llanera music. Joe Troop is from North Carolina and is a GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass and oldtime musician. Larry was forced into exile and is an asylum seeker in North Carolina. Joe, after a decade in South America, got stranded back in his stomping grounds in the pandemic. Larry worked construction to make ends meet. Joe’s acclaimed “latingrass” band Che Apalache was forced into hiatus, and he shifted into action working with asylum seeking migrants. Then Larry met Joe.
Currently based in the Triangle of North Carolina, both men are versatile multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters on a mission to show that music has no borders. As a duo they perform a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, maracas, guitar, upright bass, and whatever else they decide to throw in the van. The program they offer features a distinct blend of their musical inheritances and traditions as well as storytelling about the ways that music and social movements coalesce.
www.larryandjoe.com
Sept. 18
“A View Over the Water”
UW-Madison lecturer Eric Tran will perform a piano concert on the theme of “Water” with engaging commentary. The music will include Chopin, Ravel, and Tran. The concert will conclude with a brief Q&A session. www.erictranmusic.com
Sept. 25
Award-winning soloist, instructor, and Doctor of Musical Arts candidate, Jess Salek, is currently a keyboardist with Madison Symphony Orchestra. He founded Mosaic Chamber Players Ltd., a non-profit 501(c) (3) performing chamber music. Mosaic was recently described as “…among the finest purveyors of chamber music in Madison.”
www.salekpianostudio.com
Oct. 2
The Avanti Piano Trio (Eric Tran, piano; Hillary Hempel, violin; Hannah Wolkstein, cello) will be performing some of the great piano trio repertoire including Ravel and Mendelssohn.
www.facebook.com/avantipianotrio
Oct. 9
Christopher Allen earned his Doctorate of Music in classical guitar form UW-Madison. He is President of the Madison Classical Guitar Society, and teaches for Madison College and Monroe Street Arts Center.
His program will consist of Spanish, South American, and traditional classical guitar works.
https://www.facebook.com/christopher. allen.10297
Oct. 16
The Blue Moon Klezmer Band returns to Music Appreciation with Richard MacDonald, Madlen Brekbill, Linda Kunz, and company for a new program of Bulgars, Freylechs, and other Yiddish dance music.
Klezmer is the traditional music of celebration from the Jewish people of Eastern Europe, heavily influenced by folk music from eastern Europe. The word “Klezmer” is Hebrew for “vessels of song” —meaning the musicians through whom the music flows.
Oct. 23
Regarded as one of the “superb brass ensembles in the USA” (Musicweb International) and praised for “remarkable musicianship and versatility” (International Trumpet Guild Journal), the widely acclaimed Wisconsin Brass Quintet (WBQ) has maintained a position at the forefront of brass chamber music since the group’s founding in 1972. In addition to its regular concert series on the campus of the UW-Madison, the Quintet performs extensively throughout the Midwest and nationally, including appearances in New York at Weill Recital Hall and Merkin Concert Hall. Its players have been members of the Seraph Brass, Empire Brass Quintet, and Meridian Arts Ensemble.
www.music.wisc.edu/wisconsin-brassquintet
Oct. 30
Stoughton Violist and Violinist Madlen Breckbill presents a program for viola and piano in collaboration with pianist and composer Micah Behr. Featuring loving and
emotional works for the viola as well as a new composition by Micah Behr for the duo.
Nov. 6
Middleton Jazz is a 10-member ensemble with six horns and a rhythm section. They play traditional jazz tunes, many in the ‘Dixieland’ style, with an emphasis on instrumental solos. While traditional jazz provides the primary foundation, the band plays a variety of styles. Audiences are likely to hear songs from the Big Band era, Blues, Dixieland and ’50s Rock and Roll, performed by good ensemble work and fine soloists. For more information, schedules, and video samples, please check out their website.
www.middletonjazz.com
Nov. 13
The Rabin Quartet is the Graduate String Quartet at UW-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music. Its members are working towards master’s and doctoral degrees and serve as teaching assistants, leading orchestral sectionals, teaching string fundamentals to music education students, and performing as representatives of UW-Madison. The group is funded by generous donors and named in honor of Dr. Marvin Rabin. Dr. Rabin was an internationally acclaimed music educator and Professor Emeritus at UW-Madison who inspired thousands of string educators nationwide. As the father of the youth orchestra movement in the US, his work continues to positively impact countless young musicians to this day.
www.music.wisc.edu/events/rabinstring-quartet
What our guests are saying: “This is a gem of a place... Love staying here! Laura is a wonderful host and always ready to help.”
“It was fabulous, clean and comfortable...one of our favorite stays!”
“... Bees on Main is one of the cutest bnb’s.”
x A Honey of a Place
x On the Local and National Registers of Historic Places
xGreat WI-FI
xSleeps up to four guests
xGenerous dining area and kitchen
xFree washer & dryer in unit
xPrivate patio
xOne of the last all-wooden buildings remaining in Stoughton — completely renovated and up-to-date.
Just steps away from the Opera House in the heart of Stoughton’s Downtown Historic District, “Bees on Main” is a lovingly renovated upstairs apartment airbnb. Book your stay NOW! www.airbnb.com/h/beesonmain
Welcome to Livsreise where you can learn about Norwegian immigrants through many state of the art interactive elements. The Vesterheim gallery has been updated with a new display titled “Innovators and Inventors” featuring the significant contributions made by Norwegian immigrants such as Ole Evinrude, inventor of the outboard motor, and John Tokheim, inventor of the gasoline pump.
Please see our website or Facebook page for upcoming events
Sat. Oct. 7 • 7:30 pm
Young harpists Camille and Kennerly Kitt, known as the Harp Twins, have achieved extraordinary success by taking Electric Harps and Concert Grand Harps to unprecedented levels and smashing boundaries between different genres of music. The duo has amassed over 1.5 million fans across their social media sites and over 100 million views on their YouTube music videos, making Camille and Kennerly the most followed and recognizable harp duo in the world. Mixing their virtuoso harp skills with their stunningly complex arrangements of rock, metal, and soundtrack hits - as well as Celtic Nordic inspired original songs - the Harp Twins deliver exciting, comedic, and interactive performances audiences cannot forget!
www.harptwins.com
Wed. Oct. 11 • 7:30 pm
As the Brontë sister wrote, “The ties that bind us to life are tougher than you imagine.” Shovels & Rope, the musical duo of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, embody that bond. Married for a decade, their covenant extends to blood and beyond: as parents, bandmates, and creative collaborators who can now add the pursuits of festival curators, film subjects, and children’s book authors to that mighty list. Having released four studio albums and two collaborative projects (Busted Jukebox, Vol. 1 & 2) since 2008, Trent and Hearst have built their reputation on skill, sweat, and, yes, blood. Now, with the tough and elegant new record BY BLOOD, as well as their High Water Festival in their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, “Shovels & Rope: The Movie”, and the picture book “C’mon Utah!”, Shovels & Rope are primed for their biggest year yet.
www.shovelsandrope.com
Thur. Oct. 12 • 7:30 pm
Since their formation in 2014, Chicken Wire Empire has captivated audiences around the world with their distinct brand of bluegrass and intricate bridging of traditional and modern acoustic sounds. Their high energy shows are ever-evolving, with new music constantly woven into the setlist and improvisational jams leading listeners in new directions with every performance. The band’s ability to cohesively improvise through complex arrangements is a testament to their virtuosic musicianship and years of experience playing together. Fans of bluegrass, jamgrass, and Americana music alike will appreciate Chicken Wire Empire’s innovative approach to the genre and can expect a dynamic and relentlessly engaging listening experience.
www.chickenwireempire.com
For Amy Alvey and Mark Kilianski, the emergence of a brand new self-titled album also marks a rebirth of sorts for their band, Golden Shoals. Eight years ago, the duo was formed for a very unique performance project, called “The Massachusetts Walking Tour”, on which they hiked 6-12 miles per day with packs and instruments, and played shows each night for two weeks. The two semi-nomadic musicians, who have called Asheville, Boston, and various moving vehicles home for the past eight years, have grown individually and as a unit, yet continue to find musical fulfillment in their collaboration. They now call Nashville, Tennessee their home base.
Initially brought together by a mutual love of American folk music, their sound has expanded to include country, Americana, Indie and Experimental influences, allowing them to move more freely beyond genre boundaries with their songwriting while still emanating a deep understanding of Old-Time and Bluegrass music. Ever inspired by the enduring spirit of traditional Appalachian mountain music, their songwriting comes across as simple, honest, and fresh to the ears. The listener can expect the polished technique of conservatory training, in tandem with the grit, drive, and soul of musicians like Roscoe Holcomb or Ola Belle Reed.
www.goldenshoals.com
“Some things in the world are so beautiful and pure attempting to describe them in words would be futile. Such is the case with Camille and Kennerly.”
~HuffPost
Fri. Oct. 13 • 7:30 pm
“Hey baby, do you wanna take a trip with me? / I’ve got a feeling there might be a silver lining all around.” So begins One Day, the captivating new album from critically acclaimed Minneapolis duo The Cactus Blossoms. Written and recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, the record explores the tension between optimism and despair that’s defined much of the past few years of American life, examining the power (or naïveté, depending on your perspective) of positive thinking in the face of chaos and uncertainty. The songs here are tender and timeless, with straightforward arrangements centered around brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum’s air tight harmonies, and the performances are warm and intimate to match, delivered with a soulful, ’70s-inspired palette of playful Wurlitzer, breezy guitars, and muscular percussion. www.thecactusblossoms.com
Sat. Oct. 14 • 7:30 pm
Born in the last year of the 1980s, Taylor Ashton grew up surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the old growth rainforests of Canada’s west coast. His songs are inspired by the primeval crookedness of traditional old-time music, the humor and heartbreak of Randy Newman, the cosmic emotionality of mid-career Joni Mitchell, and the sage vulnerability of Bill Withers. Somehow, he finds a way to make this all work on the clawhammer banjo. www.taylorashton.com
Wed. Oct. 18 • 7:30 pm
Hawktail is the instrumental acoustic quartet of fiddler Brittany Haas, bassist Paul Kowert, guitarist Jordan Tice, and mandolinist Dominick Leslie. Though at first glance it looks like an acoustic superpicker side-project, their all-original music is cohesive and unique, distinguishing them as an ensemble with a sound built from the ground up. Flush with orchestral sweeps and sparse vigils, with strains of the American South and the North Atlantic, this cosmopolitan sound is not what you’d expect from a string band. www.padiddlerecords.com/hawktail
Väsen-Duo, Mikael Marin and Olov Johansson have, after almost 40 years of interaction and touring, refined their sound and their stage presence to the extent that today they are unique in their kind. With their playful and perfect interplay, they seem to defy the laws of physics in what appears to be a telepathic communication.
The music is intense and full of humour. They create their very own musical language which in its appeal is as modern as it is ancient. With the foundation firmly rooted in the traditional music of Uppland, they have always looked curiously at new musical goals.
Olov & Micke have played together since 1983 when they met at Oktoberstämman in Uppsala and discovered that they had a large common repertoire and a similar way of playing. It turned out that Micke had learned from Ivar Tallroth in Uppsala and Olov had learned from Curt Tallroth in Harbo. They had been introduced to the rich Bohlin / Tallroth tradition by the two brothers. Olov & Micke started playing intensively together and released their first recording, “Det rister i Örat,” in 1985. They have played an incredible amount together over the years in Väsen. Now they go on adventures among old fine musicians, stories and trad tunes and at the same time they continue to break new ground. They perform on a variety of stringed instruments, including kontrabasharpa, oktavharpa, three-rowed nyckelharpa, violoncello da spalla and a blue electric bass-viola. Their new album Melliken was released in March 2023. www.vasen.se
“…packs a punch in today’s mainstream.”
— Rolling Stone
Thur. Oct. 19 • 7:30 pm
A bustling boulevard in the heart of Milwaukee provides a colorful backdrop for the latest album by folk duo Dead Horses. Brady Street, which is due out on August 12, 2022, is Dead Horses’ first full-length release since their arresting 2018 record, My Mother the Moon. The last album charted on the Americana Top 50 radio charts for three consecutive months. The single “Turntable” accrued more than 35 million spins on Spotify and was also featured on the Amazon and Apple Americana playlists. The pair’s select media highlights include a Rolling Stone “Artist You Should Know” mention as well as profiles in Billboard, Noisey, and even independent global news publication Democracy Now!
Since the band’s early days, Dead Horses has been something of a fluid project centered around Sarah and Dan but has also welcomed other like minded musicians for recording and touring. The band’s seemingly dark name is a loving tribute to a former friend of the band who passed away due to struggles with opioid abuse. To this end, Vos says, “Our music is about hope and joy, all while sharing an important message that you’re never alone in your battles.”
www.deadhorses.net
Fri. Oct. 20
• 7:30 pm
The Rangers are made up of Graham Sharp on banjo and vocals, Mike Guggino on mandolin/mandola and vocals, Nicky Sanders on fiddle and vocals, Mike Ashworth on drums and vocals, Barrett Smith on bass, guitar, and vocals, and Aaron Burdett on guitar and vocals. Steep Canyon Rangers have been on a journey that is uniquely their own. The band started in college at UNC-Chapel Hill, then dove head first into bluegrass in its most traditional form, and over the years have risen to the top of the bluegrass genre headlining top festivals such as Merlefest and Grey Fox Bluegrass. Only to then be discovered by Steve Martin, famous actor and banjo player. Martin has taken the Rangers on over a decade-long tour introducing them to hundreds of thousands of new fans and giving them prime time TV exposure. This has helped SCR become the most recognizable modern name in bluegrass music. The band has continued to tour extensively on their own, without Martin, and have expanded their genre into country, jam and Americana. The Rangers are big players in the bluegrass/country and Americana scene today. They are often compared to predecessors The Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and the modern Zac Brown Band.
www.steepcanyon.com
Sat. Oct. 21 • 7:30 pm
Clark is one of her generation’s most respected songwriters and musicians. In addition to writing songs like “A Beautiful Noise,” the GRAMMY-nominated duet performed by Brandi Carlile and Alicia Keys, and Kacey Musgraves’
“Follow Your Arrow,’’ Clark has released three acclaimed albums of her own including 2020’s Your Life Is A Record. The album landed on best-ofthe-year lists at Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Variety and more and led NPR Music to call her, “a storyteller of the highest caliber,” The New Yorker to declare, “No one is writing better country songs than Brandy Clark is’’ and Slate to proclaim, “one of the greatest living shortstory-songwriters in country (which really means in any genre).”
www.brandyclarkmusic.com
Fri. Oct. 27 • 7:30 pm
Legendary musician Bob Mould announces the continuation of his “Distortion and Blue Hearts” tour starting August 26, 2023 in Milwaukee. At select festivals, including a special Grandstand performance at the Minnesota State Fair on September 2, 2023, Bob will be joined by Jason Narducy on bass and drummer Jon Wurster. The balance of Fall 2023 dates will feature Bob in Solo Electric setting.
Mould’s live shows will span his entire 40+ year career, including songs from the Distortion collection and from his landmark band Hüsker Dü, as well as songs from last year’s explosive and critically acclaimed album Blue Hearts — about which Rolling Stone’s 4 out of 5 star review raved, “feels like a lost Hüsker Dü album with Mould howling invective over his buzzsawing guitar.”
In late 2021, Demon Music Group concluded their year-long Bob Mould retrospective campaign with the fourth vinyl box, Distortion: Live. The 8 LP set includes live recordings from Mould’s solo career and his band Sugar. www.bobmould.com
Jason Narducy is a Chicago musician. When he isn’t touring with Bob Mould or Superchunk, he writes and sings in Split Single. Greg Kot (Chicago Tribune, Sound Opinions) calls Jason “a first rate songwriter and band leader”. Jason has performed with Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices), Sunny Day Real Estate, The Pretenders, Liz Phair, Eddie Vedder, and more.
Jason and his first band, Verböten, were featured in the Foo Fighter’s HBO series Sonic Highways and in Dave Grohl’s NYT best seller, Storyteller. Playwright Brett Neveu wrote a musical about Verböten (featuring music by Jason) that opened in Chicago in January 2020. Verböten the musical garnered rave reviews and sold out performances and is currently being re-worked for a film adaptation.
Jason Narducy has written and performed in comedy shorts such as “The Sexiest Elbows” in Rock (3 episodes found on YouTube). The episodes feature Fred Armisen, Michael Shannon, Frank Black, Sharon Van Etten, Todd Barry, Dave Hill, Rick Nielsen, and Michael Cerveris among others. www.splitsinglemusic.com
Sat. Oct. 28 • 7:30 pm
If you haven’t heard of the cheerfully named supergroup Mr. Sun, you’ve certainly heard its proponents, four of the finest musicians on the American roots scene: Renowned fiddler Darol Anger, Professor Emeritus at Berklee College of Music, who has released many solo albums in addition to his work with David Grisman and Mike Marshall, and founded the Turtle Island Quartet, Psychograss, and Republic of Strings; Joe K. Walsh, mandolin virtuoso and vocalist who spent four years with the award-winning bluegrass act the Gibson Brothers before becoming solo artist and songwriter and Strings Department Professor at Berklee; all-around guitar genius Grant Gordy, a former member of Dawg Music guru David Grisman’s band; and the phenomenal Scots bassist Aidan O’Donnell, who has backed harpist Maeve Gilchrist and countless modern Jazz.
www.mrsunband.com
Thurs. Nov. 2 • 7:30 pm
Some people start life with a plan. Not Steve. He opens himself up to the universe in a way most of us will never be loose enough to achieve, and the universe responds with a wink, a seemingly bottomless well of inspiration, and the
talent to truly connect with an audience. While 2021 could have found him adrift, faced with a tour moratorium the likes of which he hadn’t experienced in decades, it opened a door — literally, his friend Oliver Wood of The Wood Brother’s door — to creating an exuberant, thoughtful batch of songs that celebrate life in all of its stages. The resulting album is called Stardust & Satellites [Red House / Compass Records].
“I just make stuff up,” he exclaims, quipping, “it sounded good to say that.” Steve is the sort of prolific writer and collaborator who downplays what seems like a non-stop geyser of creativity. “I have no rhyme or reason for what I do. It’s all magic. I go by instinct. It just felt right, so I went with it.”
www.poltz.com
If you are looking for restaurants before or after the shows, we encourage you to visit these fine establishments who support the Stoughton Opera House by advertising in this guide!
Restaurants & Bars
Culvers 608-873-6635, 916 Nygaard Street, Stoughton
Chorus—608-575-5199, 154 W, Main Street, Stoughton
Dairyland 608-886-6226, 176 E., Main Street, Stoughton
Farenheit 364—608-205-2763, 364 E. Main Street, Stoughton
Viking Brew Pub—719-5041, 211 E. Main Street, Stoughton
Wendigo—877-1544, 121 E. Main Street, Stoughton
Sat. Nov 4 • 7:30 pm
One of the most multi-faceted minds in roots music, Alison Brown is a GRAMMYwinning musician, GRAMMY-nominated producer, former investment banker (with an AB from Harvard and an MBA from UCLA), and co-founder of The Compass Records Group which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2023.
Although Alison began her musical career as a teenager in the Southern California bluegrass scene, she has built a reputation as one of today’s most forward thinking and innovative banjo players. She is known for taking the instrument far beyond its Appalachian roots by blending bluegrass and jazz influences into a sonic tapestry that has earned praise and recognition from a variety of national tastemakers including The Wall Street Journal, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, and USA Today.
On her new release, aptly titled On Banjo, Alison continues her musical explorations on a set of original compositions that explore the range of the banjo. The album features an eclectic cast of collaborators including Steve Martin, Kronos Quartet, Sharon Isbin, Anat Cohen, Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan and members of the Alison Brown Quintet.
Alison is the recipient of the USA Artists Fellowship in Music and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association. In 2019, she was inducted into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame. Alison serves on the Board of Governors of the Recording Academy and as co-chair of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. www.alisonbrown.com
Wed. Nov. 8 • 1:00 pm
Michael Hecht presents a personal dialogue of remembrance utilizing the writings of President Lincoln, Walt Whitman, Tim O’Brien, and others.
Thur. Nov. 9 • 7:30 pm
Blending the characteristic interplay of bluegrass instrumentation and harmonies with strong original material and exuberant energy, Fireside Collective has drawn on folk, blues, funk and a wide variety of bluegrass sounds to create a distinctive body of work that’s all their own. Each member—Joe Cicero (guitar); Alex Genova (banjo); Jesse Iaquinto (mandolin); Tommy Maher (resonator guitar) and Carson White (upright bass)— brings a strong, original voice to his instrument, and the unique contributions of different lead and harmony vocalists complement the variety in the group’s many original songs. “Depending on where you come from and your experience with folk music, you may think we’re very traditional, or on the other hand, consider us a progressive act,” says Iaquinto. “We appreciate both ends of the spectrum and may lie on a different end on any given night.” But whether they’re bringing the classic sound of bluegrass or exploring new musical territory, Fireside Collective delivers a fresh, energetic approach and a blast of enthusiastic creativity that’s electrifying audiences across the country.
www.firesidecollectiveband.com
“Like James Taylor’s voice or B.B. King’s guitar, Alison Brown’s banjo is an instrument possessed of a unique sonic signature and an inescapable beauty….an artist who never ceases to delight.”
—Billboard Magazine
Fri. Nov. 10 • 7:30 pm
Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone. From the nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed hardscrabble hillbilly honky tonks, rural schoolhouse stages, and the crowning glory of the Grand Ole Opry to the present-day culture-buzz of viral videos and digital streams, Del is the living link. On primetime and late-night television talk shows, there is Del. From headlining soldout concerts to music festivals of all genres, including one carrying his namesake, there is Del. Where audiences number in the tens of thousands, and admirers as diverse as country-rock icon Steve Earle and jamband royalty Phish count as two among hundreds, there is Del.
www.delmccouryband.com
Sat. Nov. 11 • 7:30 pm
Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn’s duo is a musical resolution to their specific and differing issues about home. For Fei, it means an opportunity to assimilate elements of her musical argot—Chinese classical, folk and opera—into song forms while leaving room for the free associative tendencies she developed in the practice of free improvisation. In short, it marks a return to a thrown-out rulebook with a changed perspective. For Abigail, it means musical collaboration with a sister from another Mister who speaks all the same languages. Someone with whom she can create brave, intimate music.
For the listener, it means a gift of unhurried music drawn freely from streams of raised consciousness, waves which met from halfway across the world to find they shared the same shake.
www.wufeimusic.com
www.abigailwashburn.com
“A wine snob might describe [her voice] as bearing notes of honey and vinegar, bourbon and bluegrass.”
— NPR Music
Thur. Nov. 16 • 7:30 pm
Dustbowl Revival’s story started humbly. Nearly thirteen years ago Z. Lupetin, a Chicago native who attended college in Michigan came to L.A. to be a screenwriter, grew disillusioned with his job in advertising, and placed a hopeful ad on Craigslist. He sought to find fellow musicians who shared his roving love of Louis Armstrong, Bob Wills, Old Crow Medicine Show, Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin and the brass bands of New Orleans, but also wanted to write songs like Americana pioneers Wilco, Lucinda Williams and even Bruce Springsteen. There are still players in the group who responded to that initial odd quest. New talent on electric guitar, piano and more joined in 2021.
“Maybe we don’t know where this journey will take us or how long it will last,” acknowledges Lupetin, “That’s my take on the importance of what we try to do. Music elevates us, lifts us up, makes us change our minds, takes us out of our comfort zones. If just one person can be moved by just one song, that’s enough.”
www.dustbowlrevival.com
Friday FishFry Dinner
Fri. Nov. 17 • 7:30 pm
Davina Sowers and the Vagabonds have created a stir on the national music scene with their high-energy live shows, level A musicianship, sharp-dressed professionalism, and Sowers’ commanding stage presence. With influences ranging from Fats Domino and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Aretha Franklin and Tom Waits, the band is converting audiences one show at a time, from Vancouver to Miami and across Europe. In 2011 Davina released her first full length, all original album Black Cloud. It was named one of the 10 best releases of the year by the Minneapolis Star & Tribune and awarded 4 ½ stars from Downbeat Magazine. Their next release in 2014, Sunshine, hit number 13 in the Billboard Blues Chart and led them to landing a performance on the hit BBC2 show, Later with Jools Holland.
DATV’s shows are filled with New Orleans charm, Memphis soul swagger, dark theatrical moments that evoke Kurt Weill, and tender gospel passages. Davina’s voice and stage presence defy category in a different way. Davina has been compared to Etta James, Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday and Betty Boop, but comparisons don’t suffice: Sowers is a true original.
Bringing you 100 years of American music and Davina’s originals, which lend themselves to the American Songbook, the band brings edgy nostalgia to older generations and fresh new music to younger ears. This rollicking quintet is held together by Sowers’ keyboard playing, with acoustic bass, drums, and a spicy trumpet and trombone horn section. The group’s focused, clean sound and emphasis on acoustic instruments is novel to both blues and jazz worlds, and sets the show closer to New Orleans than to Chicago. This has set the Vagabonds apart at festivals in Thunder Bay, Ontario; Sighișoara, Romania; Sierre, Switzerland; Kemi, Finland; the 2012 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and 2013 Monterey Jazz Festival (was asked back to play their main stage in 2014), Vache de Blues in France, and North Sea Jazz Festival. Catch this one-of-a-kind live show while they are in town!
www.davinaandthevagabonds.com
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Saturday Norwegian Meatball Dinner
Enjoy craft beers, artisan cocktails, and modern Wisconsin comfort food with ingredients sourced from local farmers. Join us after your show at the Historic Stoughton Opera House to complete the perfect evening. Whether you are coming for drinks or dinner, your visit to Wendigo will be legendary.
For updates and special events, follow us on Facebook @wendigotavern
121 E. Main Street, Stoughton
Sat. Nov. 18 • 7:30 pm
Singer, guitarist, and folk music interpreter Jake Xerxes Fussell has distinguished himself as one of his generation’s preeminent interpreters of traditional (and not so traditional) “folk” songs, a practice which he approaches with a refreshingly unfussy lack of nostalgia. By recontextualizing ancient vernacular songs and sources of the American South, he allows them to breathe and speak for themselves and for himself; he alternately inhabits them and allows them to inhabit him. In all his work, Fussell humanizes his material with his own curatorial and interpretive gifts, unmooring stories and melodies from their specific eras and origins and setting them adrift in our own waterways
www.jakexerxesfussell.com
Thur. Nov. 30 • 7:30 pm
Acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke was born in Athens, Georgia, but left town after a year and a half. Raised in 12 different states, he absorbed a variety of musical influences as a child, flirting with both violin and trombone, before abandoning Stravinsky for the guitar at age 11. Kottke has been awarded two Grammy nominations, a Doctorate in Music Performance by the Peck School of Music at the U of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and a Certificate of Significant Achievement in Not Playing the Trombone from the U of Texas at Brownsville with Texas Southmost College.
www.leokottke.com
Fri. Dec. 1 • 7:30 pm
Nationally Award Winning Performers and Recording Artists, Harmonious Wail, draws from the soulful beats and sepia lyrics of Ryhmin’ Paul Simon, and the inspirational and timeless torch songs of Carly Simon. “Simon & Simon” promises an evening of refreshed reminiscence and a sweet reminder that we are all “still crazy after all these years”. ww.harmoniouswail.com/simon-and-simon 8:00 am –
Sat. Dec. 2 • 7:30 pm
After writing twelve albums of songs in styles ranging from folk/rock to Tin Pan Alley to gospel, country and chamber music, what might a woman deemed by National Public Radio as “The Empress of the Unexpected” try next? And as audiences will testify, Werner’s been knocking it out of the park – or concert hall – all around the US for twenty years.
Renowned as a charismatic performer, she’s known above all for challenging herself to conquer new styles, almost like mountaintops, every few years. From her 1995 major label debut, the folk/rock gem Last Of The Good Straight Girls, to her 2007 “agnostic gospel” hymnal The Gospel Truth, to 2013’s tribute to agriculture and her Iowa farm roots Hayseed to 2018’s Cuban flavored collection An American In Havana, Werner’s creative restlessness has become her defining characteristic.
In 1996 Werner, was featured as part of the “next generation” in Peter Paul and Mary’s PBS special LifeLines. She has performed on NPR’s World Café, NPR’s Mountain Stage, and in 2016 Nebraska Educational Television broadcast “The Land Will Outlive Us All”, a one hour special on Werner, agriculture, and her 2015 concert tour across the state.
www.susanwerner.com
“Always an impressive songwriter, werner continues to compose sharp, funny, compassionate lyrics, a gift rare enough to set her apart…”
— THE WASHINGTON POST
Fri. Dec. 8 • 7:30 pm
Celebrating its 16th anniversary season in 2023, The New Standards Holiday Show rings in the yule with a unique twist on traditional holiday concerts—one part variety show, one part homage to the season, one part irreverent, free-wheeling spectacle. The trio is joined by a supporting cast replete with vocalists, instrumentalists, dancers, and as always, a dazzling lineup of special surprise guests. You won’t soon forget this show that has become a beloved annual tradition in the Twin Cities and beyond. www.thenewstandards.com
Wed. Dec. 6 • 7:30 pm
Ukulele master and jolly ambassador of aloha, Jake Shimabukuro, will bring joy to the world this upcoming holiday season by delivering a special gift for all with the debut of his highly anticipated Jake Shimabukuro: Christmas In Hawai’I.
With only four strings, Jake is a humble master whose mission is to inspire. Whether one-on-one or in front of an audience of thousands, Jake shares a deep emotional connection with the listener. Jake’s genuine love for people, the spirit of holidays, and his beloved home of Hawai’i are at the forefront of this memorable event. It will be a warm welcome of merriment and wonder for the season.
In addition to his signature favorites, this special show will draw on a vibrant catalog of holiday classics such as “We Three Kings”, “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”, “O Holy Night”, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”, and selections from Jake & Friends, released in November 2021 in collaboration with Willie Nelson, Bette Midler, Jack Johnson, Amy Grant, and more.
Along with bassist Jackson Waldhoff and special guest, singer-songwriter Justin Kawika Young, Jake Shimabukuro will spread good cheer with a lighthearted take on the holidays sure to keep spirits bright. Exceptional and lively, Jake Shimabukuro Christmas In Hawai’I is sure to become an eagerly anticipated annual family event.
www.jakeshimabukuro.com
Sat. Dec. 9 • 7:30 pm
Karla Bonoff has been described as one of the finest singer/songwriters of her generation. That description is not hyperbole.
Bonoff has enjoyed critical acclaim, commercial success, enduring popularity, and the unwavering respect of her peers. Karla has seen her songs become hits for Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd, and Linda Ronstadt. Many of Bonoff’s ballads are classics.
Karla has continued to record and tour extensively, playing sold-out shows around the world. Hearing Karla’s moving vocals on her rich, expressive songs is like standing beneath a sparkling waterfall–refreshing, exhilarating, and restorative. Experiencing them live can be transformative. Fans and critics agree that Bonoff’s songs are timeless as are her recordings. Many prefer her versions, live with instrumentation that is clean and spare, giving Bonoff’s voice room to work its emotional magic.
In late 2020, Karla released, Silent Night, her first collection of Holiday music, to wide acclaim, including a prominent listing on the New York Times Best New Holiday Albums of the Year. In 2021 Karla added two new songs to her Holiday collection including a duet with the legendary Michael McDonald.
www.karlabonoff.com
Sun. Dec. 10 • 4:00 pm
Come celebrate the community in the spirit of the Christmas season. Both the Festival Choir and the Stoughton City Band will dazzle with a variety of sacred music, plus a carol sing-along. A wonderful tradition for the whole family!
www.stoughtonfestivalchoir.wordpress.com
Thur. Dec.14 • 7:30 pm
Hailing from Broken Arrow, OK, JD McPherson has recorded four studio albums and toured extensively at venues worldwide, including festival sets at Glastonbury, Bonnaroo and Newport Folk Festival, among many others. Rolling Stone has described his music as “Timeless, forward-thinking rock & roll.” His 2017 LP, Undivided Heart & Soul, was released to widespread critical acclaim with NPR praising, “McPherson’s mastery of rock and soul fundamentals is beyond question, but his voice moves in wild ways on these songs, and the band exudes a new kind of risky energy.”
www.jdmcpherson.com
Fri. Dec. 15 • 7:30 pm
Performing songs from their Christmas Caravan and Mardi Gras for Christmas albums as well as other tried and true holiday favorites, the Squirrel Nut Zippers awaken the true essence of the season. From heartwarming ballads to raucous dance tunes, the band conjures an atmosphere nestled somewhere between the wondrous lights of Christmas and the backroom din of a speakeasy. This show is a must-see for any true music lover.
Inspired by 1920’s jazz, klezmer and vaudeville, the Zippers endlessly curious and innovative leader Jimbo Mathus has concocted a sound truly unique and original. No other artist of his generation has embraced and synthesized eclectic influences in such a seamless, authentic manner. This unique blend is on full display with the Holiday Caravan show which has increasingly grown in popularity, selling out concerts throughout the United States.
Squirrel Nut Zippers are a platinum selling Southern roots & swing revival band and sold over three million albums. Their watershed album, Hot (1996) was recorded in the heat of New Orleans, fueled by a smoldering mix of booze and a youthful hunger to unlock the secrets of old-world jazz. The group continues to explore its own musical universe, evolving all the while. www.snzippers.com
A dazzling array of musical talents will be showcased throughout the season during these hour-long programs, organized by John Beutel and sponsored by the Stoughton Area Senior Center.
Spring 2024
All Music Appreciation events are free and open to the public.
Spring 2024 Music Appreciation events will take place on the following Mondays at 3:00 pm:
Mar. 18, 25
Apr. 1, 8 15, 22, 29
May 6, 13
Thur. Feb. 15 • 7:30 pm
Guitarist, singer and songwriter Willy Porter has been touring solo and with ensembles of different sizes and shapes for over 30 years now. His current band combines Porter’s acoustic and electric fret work with the dynamic drumming of longtime collaborator Dave Schoepke, ever-present keyboardist/collaborator Dave Adler, songstress Carmen Nickerson on vocals and recent band addition Eric Madunic on Bass & vocals. Their live sound is a blend of grit, soul & space that moves seamlessly from folk & bluesy Americana to alt and progressive rock in service of Porter’s original tunes.
www.willyporter.com
Fri. Feb. 16 • 7:30 pm
Presenting the Reunion Tour of “On A Winter’s Night” from veteran singersongwriters that remain among the brightest stars of the singer/songwriter movement for the past three decades. In 1994 Christine Lavin gathered them together, along with folk and Americana artists to showcase music of the Winter Season on the now-classic On A Winter’s Night CD, followed by several years of touring collaborations. These artists have released dozens of recordings and toured steadily through the decades, with fond memories of their touring days together. The winter season is again celebrated by these unique and popular performers, back together by popular demand.
PATTY LARKIN redefines the boundaries of folk-urban pop music with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising lyrics and vocals.
CLIFF EBERHARDT is one of the most original songsmiths currently on tour. Eberhardt is a highly intelligent, articulate artist whose penetrating and profound lyrics are sometimes overshadowed by his extraordinary guitar playing.
JOHN GORKA was hailed by Rolling Stone as “the leading singer/songwriter of the New Folk movement.” John Gorka is perhaps the quintessential singer-songwriter of the 90’s folk scene.
LUCY KAPLANSKY blends country, folk, and pop styles with the unique ability to make every song sound fresh, whether singing her own sweet originals; covering country classics by June Carter Cash and Gram Parsons; or singing pop favorites by Lennon/McCartney and Nick Lowe.
www.sroartists.com/artists/on-a-winters-night
“Wild Perfection. Patty Larkin Transmits with eccentric magic.”
—BOSTON GLOBE
“Eberhardt is better than ever, Steve McQueening his way into your heart … kicking ass with fresh insight.”
— PHILLY ROCK GUIDE
Fri. Feb. 23 • 7:30 pm
Tori Elliott’s deep love of harmony is the driving force that shapes her soul-pop musical endeavor, Victoria Victoria. Her craft in songwriting is the seedbed for intricate vocal arrangements, creating a layered, ethereal experience; one that translates dynamically from her albums to her live shows.
2022 saw the release of Victoria Victoria’s album, To The Wayside, which is a collaborative effort with guitarist and producer, Charlie Hunter. “Writing these songs with Charlie was an otherworldly experience,” says Elliott, who engineered and produced her lead and background vocals in her home studio. “Arranging these songs for our live show was even more incredible.” Hunter and Elliott teamed up to write glossy anthems of self-acceptance such as “Over my Shoulder” and “Move Right On”, and enticing tunes of invitation like “Really Really” and “Keep Up”.
January of 2023 marked Victoria Victoria’s debut tour with Charlie Hunter on hybrid guitar, her brother, Noah Elliott on keys and vocals, her dear friend and collaborator, Maia Kamil on vocals, and renowned Memphis drummer, George Sluppik. the rhythm section makes for a sturdy foundation for transcendent vocal performances and inviting banter. The charisma and kinship between the band members left listeners with the sense that each Victoria Victoria show is truly a family affair.
www.victoriavictoria.org
With a career spanning 25 years and almost 20 albums, Charlie Hunter consistently ups his game as an innovative writer and bandleader. He has worked with the likes of Norah Jones, Mos Def, John Mayer, DAngelo and countless others. He is widely considered the authority on the seven and eight string guitar, and continues to stun audiences with his ability to simultaneously bust out tasty bass parts, melodic leads and swinging rhythms.
Hunter has previously recorded for the venerable Blue Note label, Concord, Ropeadope, and others. His current venture on GroundUP is steered by his motivation to release music that most inspires him. Critics have touted his genius technique, but it’s his profound artistic sensibility that propels his original music. Hunter’s signature style of writing and performing has secured his place as one of today’s great guitarists.
www.charliehunter.com
Thurs. Feb. 22 • 7:30 pm
Michael Perry returns to the Stoughton Opera House with fresh stories, a few favorites, and the same relaxed roughneck vibe that has steadily grown his fanbase for two decades. If you’ve ever seen Perry live, you know to expect an evening of laughter punctuated with soulful moments, surprise tangents, and steel-toed boots.
www.sneezingcow.com
Thurs. Feb 29 • 7:30 PM
“It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do,” says The Boston Globe of Cherish The Ladies, Grammy Award nominated Irish-American supergroup that formed in 1985 to celebrate the rise of extraordinary women in what had been a male-dominated Celtic music scene. Celebrating their 35th anniversary, Cherish The Ladies has shared timeless Irish traditions and good cheer with audiences worldwide. They’ve brought their signature blend of virtuosic instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, and stunning step dancing to the White House, the Olympics, and to PBS with their television special, An Irish Homecoming, which recently received an Emmy Award. The Washington Post praises the “astonishing array of virtuosity” that Cherish The Ladies bring to the stage on a regular basis. Their new album, Heart of the Home, embraces the gift of music passed down from generations. “It was the greatest gift they could give us,” says bandleader Joanie Madden. “We’re carrying on the music of our fathers.” As their reputation and admiration from both fans and critics alike continues to grow, Cherish The Ladies blazes forward into another decade of music making.
www.cherishtheladies.com
Sat. Mar. 2 • 7:30 pm
Winner of the MAMA award for best cover band and Madison Magazine’s Best Cover Band, Steely Dane is dedicated to not only faithfully reproducing the Steely Dan and Donald Fagen songbook, but to bringing an energetic live-show experience to the crowd. Fifteen of Dane County’s best jazz and rock musicians have banded together around their passion for Steely Dan music, playing in the same configuration as the Steely Dan touring band including a four piece horn section and three background singers. Shows consist of hits and deep cuts and sometimes even complete albums and are sure to have you out of your seats singing along.
www.steelydane.com
Fri. Mar. 8 • 7:30 pm
Charlie Parr is an incorruptible outsider who writes novelistic, multilayered stories that shine a kaleidoscopic light on defiant, unseen characters thriving in the shadows all around us. Parr has a new record with only his name on it, and it isn’t shiny and perfect and commercial and catchy. It’s him. It’s pure Charlie Parr and that’s enough. He hasn’t moved to LA or Nashville; he’s stayed in the cold gray north of Minnesota, because that’s his home.
www.charlieparr.com
Sat. Mar. 16 • 7:30 pm
Hailing from Madison, Wisconsin, Armchair Boogie is a nationally touring new grassact whose unbounded original sound ranges from lightning fast bluegrass to fiery funk to soulful folk and more. Their unique lineup features drums and electric bass backing acoustic guitar and banjo. Pair that with powerful harmonies, timeless originals, and choice covers, and you have yourself unforgettable live performances and diverse studio albums. The good word of boogie continues to spread like wildfire, keep an eye out for their third full-length studio album in 2023!
www.armchairboogiemusic.com
Serving you in a Classically Comfortable Atmosphere!!
• Large Selection Of Craft Beers & Fine Wines
• Great Quality Whiskey Selection
• Delicious Specialty Cocktails
Join Us Right Across the Street Before or After The Show!!!
$1 off First Drink with Ticket Stub on Day of Show.
364 E. Main St., Stoughton (608) 205-2763
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Enjoy a vibrant and fun hotel experience when you stay at the TRU Stoughton! We believe in creating a fun yet comfortable experience for our guests.
• Lobby game area with media wall
• Premium snacks, drinks, single-serve wine/beer
• Workspaces in guestrooms & lobby
• Modern fitness center & much more
• Only 5 minutes from Stoughton Opera House
2500 Jackson Street
• Stoughton, WI 53589 Call 608-205-2566 or visit TruStoughton.com
Thur. Apr. 4 • 7:30 pm
Born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1954, Grammy winning singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tim O’Brien grew up singing in church and in school. After seeing Doc Watson on TV, he became a lifelong devotee of old time and bluegrass music. Tim started touring nationally in 1978 with Colorado bluegrass band Hot Rize. His songs “Walk the Way the Wind Blows” and “Untold Stories” were bluegrass hits for Hot Rize, and country hits for Kathy Mattea. Soon more artists like Nickel Creek, Garth Brooks, and The Dixie Chicks covered his songs. Over the years, Tim has collaborated with his sister Mollie O’Brien, songwriter Darrell Scott, and noted old-time musician Dirk Powell, as well as with Steve Earle, Mark Knopfler, Dan Auerbach and Sturgill Simpson.
O’Brien’s newest, Cup Of Sugar, drops June 16. A feel-good summertime release with humor on top and deeper meaning just below the surface, it includes 13 new originals about a bear, a fish, lambs, horses, and some people too - a grave digger, a neighbor, and even Walter Cronkite. Backed by his loyal bandmates Mike Bub (bass), Shad Cobb (fiddle), his wife Jan Fabricius (mandolin and vocals) and Cory Walker (banjo) and other ace sidemen, Cup Of Sugar, features a special guest spot from old friend Del McCoury. Cup Of Sugar, co-writers include Ronnie Bowman, Jonathon Byrd, Shawn Camp, Jan Fabricius, and Thomm Jutz. .
www.timobrien.net
Jon Neufeld and Martha Scanlan’s unique alchemy on stage started when they first played together at Portland’s Indie roots festival Pickathon ten years ago. It was an immediate musical connection and friendship that has only deepened with time and miles spent touring venues and festivals across the country.
While their collective accolades are impressive they have shared the stage and collaborated with artists as diverse as Levon Helm, Jim James, Emmy Lou Harris and Peter Buck, and played festivals from Merlefest to Bonnaroo it is that unique alchemy, that sense of adventure and improvisation on stage and in the studio, that most characterizes their work together and what has earned them a loyal following world wide.
www.marthascanlan.com
www.jonneufeldmusic.com
Fri. Apr. 5 • 7:30 pm
It’s a matter of time. 50 years to be exact. And in that time Los Lobos have created an unprecedented body of work, a legacy of greatness. The numbers are staggering: 100+ gigs a year for five decades running, crossing millions of miles to rock millions of fans. And that’s just at the live shows. In between they’ve recorded 17 studio albums, 7 live LPs, 3 compilations, 2 EPs, 2 DVDs, and contributed 40+ guest appearances on their friends’ recordings — all garnering 5 Grammys, an Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction, the ALMA Richie Valens Pioneer Award, NEA and Hispanic Heritage Foundation Honors, Congressional recognitions, plus countless “Keys to the City” and “Los Lobos Day” celebrations. And those are just a few of the highlights. But beyond all the hoopla and applause (and the source of it all, really) is the tremendous heart. Rather, hearts. Cinco corazones. Five blood brothers who have dedicated their off-stage time to helping others, working for peace and justice, penning some of the most literate and important music of their time, transforming the hard cries from the East L.A. barrio into songs of hope, tales of common folk finding ways to endure. The young wolves were weaned on late-night radio’s soul, R&B, and doo-wop. Were cured through the African-American currents of the blues, jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll. An amalgam. As proud Chicanos, their songs have always glistened with the distillation from their Mexican and Latin American roots — nourished by Norteña and rancheras, buoyed by bolero and cumbias, soaring on the rhythms of son huasteco and son jarocho. Los Lobos have helped spread the rich diversity of cultures across every continent, throughout the global community. Kids in Antwerp now know about Aztlán. Residents of Luxor and Ghana are crooning Lalo Guerrero. People from Laos and Bulgaria are belting “La Bamba ‘’ — all thanks to The Wolves as cultural ambassadors. Talk about a living legacy. Talk about a productive half century. And in the true rebel spirit, they did it all on their own terms, against formula. For the ages. To our delight. Quite simply, they are one of the tightest, one of the best, one of the most prolific bands ever. And, amazingly, with the original founding members as the pack the entire time. Unprecedented. As their liner notes put it, quite simply: “Los Lobos still are David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Jr., Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano, Steve Berlin.”
www.loslobos.org
Sat. Apr. 6 • 7:30 pm
After two GRAMMY nominations, multiple appearances at Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival and wide-ranging acclaim from fellow players and fans worldwide, Sonny Landreth is looking forward to playing new material live. He’ll continue mixing electric and acoustic settings onstage, with co-producer Tony Daigle bringing the sounds and concepts of the recording studio to venue mixing consoles.
“It’s all about telling the story,” Landreth says, “and as long as I can find my way up that path, I’m all in.” As the songwriter’s narrator sings in the title number of Blacktop Run, “A new day is dawning and I have never felt so alive.”
www.sonnylandreth.com
What if Americana actually encompassed
ALL of North America? You’d have the Franco Acadian inflections of Canada, as best exemplified by the accordion, blues and jazz, the only truly indigenous music the US has ever produced, and the lilting grace and fiery passion of the music of Mexico. You’d also have New Orleans’ premiere distillers of this continental musical melange, The Iguanas.
Taking their cues from all of the above influences and then some, Juarez, the band’s first studio album since 2012’s Sin to Sin, redefines the notion of Americana, crossing cultures, styles, eras...and even languages. It’s as if Rue Bourbon, Muscle Shoals and Plaza Mexico were all within earshot of each other and The Iguanas were the musical conduit between them. Based out of New Orleans for the past couple of decades save for a short, Katrina imposed exile in Austin the members of the Iguanas have (collectively or individually) played or recorded with everyone from Charlie Rich, Alex Chilton, and Willie DeVille to Emmylou Harris, Allen Toussaint, and Pretty Lights.
www.iguanas.com
Sun. Apr. 7 • 1:30 pm
Thur. Apr. 11 • 7:30 pm
Award-winning Austin, Texas-based Hot Club of Cowtown may be the world’s most globe-trotting, effervescent string trio, who’s joyful sound blends the traditional Western swing of the 1940s American southwest with European hot jazz influences of the same era. The Hot Club of Cowtown, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2022, writes its own original songs and reinterprets everything from hoedowns to American songbook standards in its own, original style. The band is guitarist Whit Smith, fiddler Elana James, and upright bassist Zack Sapunor. HCCT has toured with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Roxy Music and others and proudly represents traditional American music throughout the world for the US State Department from Azerbaijan to the Sultanate of Oman. It has been named Ameripolitan Western Swing Group of the Year and is a member of the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame. Fifteen albums, a global following, and the relentless passion of its live shows are the band’s enduring trademark.
Recently signed to UK roots label the Last Music Company, the Hot Club of Cowtown continues to amass a devoted following worldwide through its one-of-a-kind versatility and virtuosity. Career highlights include the Fuji Rock Festival (Japan), Lincoln Center, the Grand Ol’ Opry, the Glastonbury Festival (UK) and all points in between.
www.hotclubofcowtown.com
“Handsome is as handsome does....
A princely (yet frightening!) beast finds redemption and transformation through the friendship of a brave young woman. Bubbling with memorable Mozart-like melodies, this re-telling of the beloved fairy tale is set in a fantastical South Asian context influenced by Bollywood style. Local elementary students join professional opera singers onstage as the opera chorus of exotic birds and enchanted (kid-sized) fruit. In true Opera for the Young fashion, this show will be animated…but definitely not animation!”!
www.operafortheyoung.org
Fri. Apr. 12 • 7:30 pm
For 60 years, South Africa’s five-time GRAMMY Award winners, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has warmed the hearts of audiences worldwide with uplifting vocal harmonies, signature dance moves and charming onstage banter. It was Paul Simon’s 1987 Graceland album that introduced Ladysmith Black Mambazo to the world. The late former South African President Nelson Mandela designated the group “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors to the world,” a title the members carry with them with the highest honor. In 2018 the group received not one but two GRAMMY Award nominations for two separate albums, a first in the history of World Music. These two nominations brought their career total to 19 GRAMMY Award nominations. One of these albums, Shaka Zulu Revisited, won Best World Music Album. This was the group’s fifth GRAMMY Award win, the most for any World Music group. In 2019, Ladysmith Black Mambazo collaborated for the third time with the famed Steppenwolf Theatre Company on a production entitled Lindiwe and released an album with songs from the show.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo has performed for millions of people, singing a message of peace, love and harmony.
www.mambazo.com
Sat. Apr. 13 • 7:30 pm
Born and raised in Europe, brothers Jens and Uwe Kruger started singing and playing instruments at a very young age. Growing up in a family where music was an important part of life, they were exposed to a wide diversity of musical influences. The brothers were performing regularly by the time they were eleven and twelve years old, and they began their professional career in 1979. Since their formal introduction to American audiences in 1997, the Kruger Brothers’ remarkable discipline, creativity and their ability to infuse classical music into folk music has resulted in a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music. In their ever-expanding body of work – Jens Kruger (banjo and vocals), Uwe Kruger (guitar and lead vocals), and Joel Landsberg (bass and vocals) – the Kruger Brothers personify the spirit of exploration and innovation that forms the core of the American musical tradition.
www.krugerbrothers.com
Thur. Apr. 18 • 7:30 pm
Wisconsin’s favorite bestselling humorist and author Michael Perry returns with his band the Long Beds for a night of music, storytelling, and laughter. Perry began writing songs in the early 1990s during long nights when he was struggling to survive on prose. Often described as “country folk,” “roughneck folk,” “folk-twang,” and Americana, they prefer the description given by an audience member after a benefit concert in Perry’s old high school gym: “You sound just like Gordon Lightfoot... only zippier!”
Perry has co-written or collaborated with musicians including Phil Cook, Justin Vernon, Sean Carey, Mary Cutrufello, and Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Geoffrey Keezer, but not until he met producer (and Long Beds’ musical director) Evan Middlesworth did he learn to play a “cheater” B minor.
In the fall of 2019, Michael Perry & The Long Beds released Long Road to You, an EP featuring five freshly-recorded songs and a spoken word piece from the Long Beds headlining stint on 2019’s Wisconsin Vinyl Collective tour. The set list will also include solid favorites, a couple fresh ones being woodshedded for a project due out in 2021, and—between songs—easygoing humor and tangential tales arising directly from Michael Perry’s other gig as a humorist and New York Times bestselling author.
www.sneezingcow.com/music
Fri. Apr. 19 • 7:30 pm
Eau Claire, WI - The story is true. Soren Staff and Beau Janke—co-founders of folk/rock/Americana outfit Them Coulee Boys—met as counselors at a bible camp in northern Wisconsin in 2011. Having both grown up amidst a stretch of glacial meltcarved river valleys in the upper Midwest, otherwise known by French fur trappers as coulees, they became fast friends. Camp counselors actually coined the name “them coulee boys” as a way to refer to the constant companions, more often than not with instruments in hand. Soren’s little brother Jens joined the crew on mandolin at camp in 2012, and since, both Neil Krause on bass and Staš Hable on drums have helped to grow the band into the rollicking outfit it is today.
With three full-length albums and an EP behind them, including 2019’s Die Happy (produced by Trampled By Turtles’ Dave Simonett on Lo-Hi Records), the band has garnered international attention and earned press in American Songwriter and The Bluegrass Situation, as well as tours with Trampled By Turtles and a spot on the songwriter’s Cayamo Cruise. In 2020, they were named Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Band to Watch. In 2021, they won Bluegrass/Americana Band of the Year by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry. www.themcouleeboys.com
Sun. Apr. 28 • 4:00 pm
With fiddles in hand, Madison’s premiere youth violin ensemble, MadFiddle, gears up for its annual Stoughton Opera House performance. Drawing on music extracted from Scandinavian folk, bluegrass, Celtic songs, Eastern and blues folk tunes, Appalachian, Brazilian, ragtime, as well as modern acoustic artists, MadFiddle brings students between the ages of six and seventeen together for a romping, stomping, good time. MadFiddle is directed by the Madison Area Music Association’s 2016 “Teacher of the Year,” Shauncey Ali, and accompanied by the energetic adult backing band, Highway 151 which consists of Chris Powers on mandolin and bouzouki, Pat Spaay on upright bass, and Bruce Anderson on guitar. Thriving on its mad enthusiasm for the instrument, MadFiddle shows up with that blast of inherent joy that comes along with playing music with friends.
www.Madfiddle.shutterfly.com
Thurs. May 2 • 7:30 pm
Roy Rogers is considered one of the world’s preeminent slide guitarists. With over 20 recordings to his credit, Rogers has garnered 8 Grammy nominations for producing, recording, and as a songwriter. Known both as producer & performer for delivering critically acclaimed recordings for John Lee Hooker, The Healer, Mr. Lucky, BoomBoom & Chill Out and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Friends of Mine and The Long Ride among other collaborations. His career of more than four decades includes movies, TV and commercials as well as recording and performing. Artist collaborations include Allen Toussaint, Bela Fleck, Ray Manzarek, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Linda Ronstadt, and Sammy Hagar among others. He is known worldwide for his searing live performances and continues to tour with his band The Delta Rhythm Kings.
www.roy-rogers.com
Fri. May 3 • 7:30 pm
Hailed by The Washington Post as “one of Nashville’s finest song interpreters,” Kathy Mattea has enjoyed much success and acclaim during her 35-year career in Country, Bluegrass and Folk music, including 2 Grammy wins, 4 CMA Awards, 4 #1 country singles, and five gold albums (plus a platinum Greatest Hits collection). Her latest album is Pretty Bird, produced by her old friend, roots music wizard Tim O’Brien. The wide-ranging collection of songs chronicles a period of rededication to singing, digging back in with a vocal coach and emerging with a poignant and eclectic CD. In addition to creating and recording music and performing live on tour, Kathy is increasingly involved with public broadcasting, consulting and contributing on screen in Ken Burns’ 2019 documentary for PBS “Country Music”, and recently replacing founder Larry Groce as the host of the long-running NPR show “Mountain Stage”.
www.mattea.com
Thurs. May 9 • 7:30 pm
Early in 2020, an article was released declaring that the music industry needed more happy songs. As Martin Earley and Calin Peters recall, they laughed while reading it, knowing that their work as The Ballroom Thieves explores the spirit of that paradigm. Well, sort of…they’re not interested in easily defined worldviews.
“We read that article and thought, ‘how are we supposed to write happy songs right now?’” says Earley. “We don’t write happy songs, but this time we decided to try something new by pairing optimistic sounding music with dark lyrics. If the listener is not a lyrics person, they might not notice.”
The Ballroom Thieves’ fourth album, Clouds, is a song cycle born of mixed experiences and fueled by the power of imagination. The album is a lush meditation on longing to return to touring - to see different sunsets and cities. But, it’s also a reflection of its difficulties, e.g., insomnia brought on by sleeping in different hotel rooms every night. After a major car accident and the departure of a band member, the duo has taken the duality of all these experiences and translated them into song.
www.ballroomthieves.com
Sat. May 11 • 7:30 pm
Corky Siegel is known internationally as one of the worlds great blues harmonica players, blues pianist, singer and writer of unusual songs, a Chamber Blues progenitor and sole pioneer/composer of award-winning revolutionary works that weave blues and classical forms together. He celebrates 58 years of performance, a cofounder of the popular Siegel-Schwall Band, and a Chicago Blues Hall of Fame inductee. Corky Siegel has a catalog of recordings on RCA, Vanguard, Alligator, and a million selling blues/classical recordings on the iconic classical label Deutsche Grammophon. At a young age, he learned his craft - personally - at the feet of such legendary first generation bluesmen as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, Little Walter, and Otis Spann and all the great blues masters he performed with beginning in 1965. In the earlier days of Chicago blues, he was an essential part in the blues rock revolution, and his surprising and continuing success in bringing together blues and classical audiences (with his symphonic and Chamber Blues recordings and performances) make him a pivotally unique figure in popular music history.
www.corkymusic.com
Sat. May 18 • 9:00 pm
Open House Tours, Norwegian Music. Syttende Mai is an annual folk festival in Stoughton with many activities to celebrate Norwegian Heritage. The Opera House is open for tours along with some very special music throughout the day on Saturday.
www.stoughtonfestivals.com
TBD
Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society is now in its twenty-third season of bringing chamber music with a bang to enthusiastic audiences in Madison and south-central Wisconsin. Since 1992 flutist Stephanie Jutt and pianist Jeffrey Sykes have been inviting other worldclass musicians to join them in a three-week summer festival that puts the element of “play” back into chamber music, showing that chamber music concerts, often serious to the point of stuffiness, can be both serious and fun at the same time.
www.bachdancing.org
RiveR M usiC
STOUGHTON, WI • JULY 2024
Watch for information on the 9th Annual Catfish River Festival
July 2024
www.catfishrivermusicfest.com
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When you become a Friend of the Stoughton Opera House, your donation helps to ensure success for our beautiful facility —through programming and continued maintenance. Your support also helps to keep ticket prices affordable for all our patrons. If you are already a Friend, please consider increasing your tax-deductible donation.
Friend–$25–49
Patron–$50–$99
Members at all levels are invited to participate in the Member Presale, starting on the first Monday in August, two weeks ahead of the general public. Members receive advance notice and early ticket-buying privileges for all added shows throughout the season.
Partner–$100–$249
In addition to enjoying all the benefits of Patrons, Partners’ names are listed in the annual Arts & Culture Guide in recognition of their contribution.
Ambassador–$250–$499
Director–$500–$999
In addition to enjoying all the benefits of Partners, Ambassadors receive two complimentary tickets to any show in the regular Opera House series, and Directors receive four.
Producer–$1,000–$1,999
Executive Producer– $2,000+
As well as all other member benefits, Producers receive two complimentary tickets for any ten regular series performances.
Executive Producers receive 20 pairs of tickets for a $2000 contribution, 30 pairs for $3000, 40 pairs for $4000, and a pair of tickets to EVERY show with a $5000 contribution.
Stoughton Health accepts over 160 area insurance plans: Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Dean Health Plan, Humana, Quartz, United Healthcare and more.
McFarland Urgent Care Clinic 5614 US HWY 51 (608) 838-8242
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Contact: 608-877-4400 • boxoffice@ stoughtonoperahouse.com
Hours: Check our Facebook page or website for the most up-to-date box office hours before coming by to visit. Hours before and after shows: 90 minutes prior to showtime and 30 minutes after performances
Guided tours available by appointment during business hours
The house opens at least one-half hour before the curtain. Parents should exercise discretion in deciding which events are appropriate for children (aisle seats are recommended). Regardless of age, a seat must be purchased for everyone attending an event, unless otherwise noted. Programs and events are subject to change without notice. Patrons arriving late will be seated at a suitable pause in the performance. Concessions are sold on the first floor; food and drink are not permitted in the theatre. Please refrain from cell phone and camera use … Enjoy the moment!
The opera house has an elevator, handicap parking, wheelchair seating, and a two coil hearing loop system. Contact us for special requests.
The sight line from certain seats at the back of the main floor is slightly obstructed by one of two 7-inch wide poles holding up the balcony. The seats in this section are only available when availability for regular seats becomes limited. Obstructed seats are sold at a rate of 25% off regular ticket price.
Tickets on sale August 7 at 9 am for Stoughton Opera House Members. General Public Ticket Sales Begin August 21!
Suggested group-friendly events. A group is 8 or more—call for group rate.
Suggested kid-friendly events.
(shows from reverse side)
Step Three—Become a Friend of the Opera House: Donors buy tickets beginning August 7, 2023 at 9am
Total (C) $ Grand Total $
Although mail orders are processed as soon as possible after tickets go on sale, we cannot ensure all requests will be fulfilled, as shows can sell out immediately online.
EMAIL: boxoffice@stoughtonoperahouse.com
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