Playbill - Fall 2020 by The Grand Oshkosh

2020-2021 SEASON THE CURTAIN RISES AGAIN

unstoppable ENTERTAINMENT Friends,

has a new meaning.

What a time this is. Broadway is closed until 2021, titans of entertainment are filing for bankruptcy, artist tours and festivals are not happening, and performing arts organizations of all kinds are all trying to figure out on a daily basis how to keep going and employ anyone they can in the field. The arts sector was the first to collapse (and it was brutal) and will be among the last to be able to come back. It is time.

If I’ve learned anything in my sixteen years as Director of The Grand Oshkosh, it is that we are resilient—as an organization, as a staff, as volunteers, and as supporters like you. Together, we survived the Great Recession of 2008-09 and the closing of The Grand for repair in 2009-10—at the same time. Together, we have triumphed, laughed, cried, struggled, and survived, together. And so it will be with this pandemic. The Grand closed on March 14—and was online with “The Grand at Home” programming by March 20. Our staff have been warriors—creatively navigating through this, and working on ways to move forward. All Grand-presented shows have been or will be rescheduled. With your help, we are finding our way through. And, if the circumstances allow—we will begin again, slowly, on September 12. Yes, there will be reduced and distanced audiences. Yes, there will be face masks. Yes, there are dozens of policies and changes, designed to keep everyone safe and comfortable. Yes, the schedule for fall is light. Yes, it will feel different, and for who knows how long. But the plan is to begin again, as we did in August 2010. I know, and you know, that this is an ever-changing crisis, and of course, circumstances may change. But, for every Plan A, we have a Plan B. In some cases, a Plan C. If there is a way to safely provide entertainment and educational programming to the Fox Valley, we will find it. That’s my pledge. Now, we come to your part. It is an absolutely terrifying time to sit in my chair, and we depend now, as we did in 2009, in fact more than ever, on your support, to make it through. If you can purchase tickets, please do. If you can donate, please be generous. If you can help as a sponsor, please contact me. Even as we come out of the dark summer, the metrics of creating programming in a (currently) 223-seat theatre are very, very different. I’ve committed to not adding a “COVID charge” to raise ticket prices. The gap can only be filled by donations and sponsorship. So, onward we go on this roller-coaster with no seatbelts. Our team is moving forward, creatively discovering our way, learning new phrases like “electrostatic cleaning” and “streaming pay-per-view”, and standing ready to face any unknown challenge that may lie ahead.

Please join us. United We Grand! Thank you for all your support. I hope to see you soon—online and at the theater!

Joseph Ferlo

President and CEO Director, The Grand Oshkosh

THANK YOU TO OUR PROGRAM SPONSORS

ANONYMOUS

Ruth A. Nordhaus Fund of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation

ANONYMOUS

FRIENDS OF FRIENDS OF THE OSHKOSH AREA FOOD PANTRY

Additional Support Provided By: Jewelers Mutual Insurance Foundation; Oshkosh Smiles, LLC; Jane Schettle Illustration & Design; Valley Pest Control, Inc.; Bright Orthodontics, LLC; Provident Financial Consultants; Dr. Jill’s Optical Shoppe; Menasha Corporation; Bank First National In-Kind Support: Alexander & Bishop; WHG Companies; LaSure’s; Heid Music; 4Imprint; Castle Pierce; CLA; Thompson Photo Imagery; The Howard; Cheryl Pagel; Oshkosh Convention and Visitor’s Bureau; Oshkosh Area School District; Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation; Riverbend Engraving, Inc.; Lighthouse Productions; T R Karrels and Associates Media Sponsors: WHBY; 91.1 The Avenue; Cumulus Media; Wisconsin Public Radio; Woodward Communications, Inc. Additional Support:

Sponsorship opportunities are still available! To become a sponsor in the coming season, call (920) 424-2355.

The Grand Opera House is owned by and receives financial support from the City of Oshkosh.

2019-20 Sponsors. Will be updated in August 2020

GUEST SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE 222 Pearl Avenue • Oshkosh, WI 54901 (920) 424-2355 THE BOX OFFICE Tickets may be purchased online, in person, by phone or mail. 100 High Avenue • Oshkosh, WI 54901 • (920) 424-2350 thegrandoshkosh.org • tickets@thegrandoshkosh.org HOURS Monday, Wednesday, Friday 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. The Box Office is open one hour before each performance for will call only. TICKET POLICIES Individual ticket prices are inclusive of tax, facility, and ticketing fees– some orders may incur additional processing fees. All programs, dates, times, and prices are subject to change. Lost tickets can be reprinted 1 hour prior to show time. A per ticket fee may apply for reprints. All sales are final unless a performance is cancelled, with the following exceptions: Exchanges are allowed within a single performance, or within a performance run of the same event, providing that tickets be returned to the Box Office at least 24 hours prior to the initial event. These exchanges will incur a per-ticket fee. Please contact the Box Office for all requirements, exceptions, and conditions for exchanges. 2020-2021 donors and package purchasers may exchange tickets from one Season event to another without incurring a fee - provided that the tickets are returned to the Box Office at least 24 hours prior to the initial event. This benefit does not apply to Special Events or Non-Subscription Events. ACCESSIBILITY Please notify the Box Office about special needs when purchasing tickets. The Grand is handicapped accessible and equipped with a Hearing Loop. To use this technology, please switch your hearing aid to the “T” (Telecoil) setting. For more information on the Hearing Loop or to check out a compatible hearing assistance device, please see a House Manager. American Sign Language Interpreters may be provided for Grand-presented events upon request. Please inquire about this service at least 2 weeks prior to the event you wish to attend by contacting Gina Kundert, Front of House Manager, by phone: 920-424-2355 or email: ginak@thegrandoshkosh.org. DISCOUNTS Please mention any applicable discounts to the Box Office when purchasing tickets. Discounts may be available for certain levels of Annual Fund donors, Senior Citizens (aged 62+), Students, Youth (12 & under), and Groups (10 or more). Applicable discounts vary per performance, are not valid for previously purchased tickets and cannot be combined. For more information, please contact The Grand Oshkosh Box Office or visit thegrandoshkosh.org. Discounts may not apply to Partner or Non-Subscription Events. DIRECTIONS From Highway 41, take Algoma Boulevard exit east. As Algoma Boulevard splits into 2 oneway streets, follow left-hand lanes to High Avenue. Continue on High Avenue through the UW Oshkosh campus to Downtown Oshkosh. The Grand is on your left at 100 High Avenue. PARKING Parking is available with a green or blue lettered sign. Areas with a green 90-minute or 2-hour sign are free short-term parking. Areas with a blue lettered sign are permit parking. Public parking is free after 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and all day on weekends. The Grand is not responsible for parking tickets. PHOTOGRAPHY, RECORDING, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES Usage of distracting, noise-making devicesis not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to, cameras, cellular phones, pagers, laser pointers, and recording devices. TOBACCO USAGE The Grand, including The Grand Lounge, is a tobacco-free facility. This includes, but is not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and electronic cigarettes, including tobaccofree electronic cigarettes. WEAPONS POLICY Per Oshkosh City Ordinance 17-3 and Wisconsin Statutes §943.13, No person shall enter upon or remain on these premises while carrying firearms or weapons. EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER If you may require paging during a performance, the House Manager can be reached at 920-203-0643; please leave that number with those who may need to contact you, along with your exact seat location (section, row, and seat number). Messages will be delivered as soon as possible.

The Grand Oshkosh, Inc. does not discriminate based on gender, age, disability, religion, economic situation, marital status, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, nationality, or ethnicity.

LIVESTREAM from the grand stage STREAMING TECHNOLOGY

supported by a grant from

Introducing our livestream ticket option! Enjoy a full-length, high-quality performance streamed from The Grand Oshkosh. Only one ticket is needed per household. The show is live and cannot be replayed. Lisa Rock in "A Carpenters' Christmas" December 18, 2020 | 7:30 p.m.

➡ Livestream FAQ ➡ Video Tutorial Tech Helpline: (920) 267-7554

With the people away... the Spirits came out to play. Let's Welcome them.

Sponsor a Ghost Seat! As we make room to safely distance, we want to still have a full house at The Grand. Now seems like a perfect time to finally include the spirits of The Grand in our performances! We're filling the empty seats with ghosts for each performance! Simply add a number of ghost seats to your ticket order at the box office or thegrandoshkosh.org.

Each ghost seat is a donation of $5. Donate seats to a spirit, a couple of spirits, a ghostly family of four... or as many as you'd like! Help us fill the house all season with 7,000 seats! Current Count: 2030 *This is a donation campaign to sustain The Grand Oshkosh. No part of this is related to an actual ticket or seat to a show.

lisa rock in

a carpenters' Christmas

* livestream

December 18, 2020 | 7:30 p.m. After a sellout performance in 2019, singer and playwright Lisa Rock and her 6-piece band return to The Grand Oshkosh. This time, they are keeping The Carpenters’ holiday traditions alive with spot-on renditions of their unforgettable Christmas tunes. Based on the music of The Carpenters’ two holiday albums and Christmas variety shows, A Carpenters Christmas and featuring “Merry Christmas Darling” and the jazzy “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” it’s a holiday concert that spreads joy and cheer to all.

Free thanks to an event sponsorship by

James garner's

tribute to

johnny cash

Saturday, March 6, 2021 | 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.Â Sunday, March 7, 2021 | 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. James Garner's Tribute to Johnny Cash celebrates the life and music of the legendary 'Man in Black' with strong conviction and stunning accuracy. For more than a decade, Garner and his band have faithfully recreated Cash's biggest hits, including present historical accounts and personal anecdotes about America's most beloved singing storyteller.

SUITE SEATSÂ $52 | 48 Tickets $40| 36 | 32 | 30 Prices are inclusive of tax, facility, and ticketing fees.