on location: midwest O
john kloster
Midwest Dinner Theaters Cater to Groups Musicals are part of the fare at Derby Dinner Playhouse in Clarksville, Indiana. A GOOD PLAY IS A sure hit on al-
MINNESOTA
Gateway Arch. King Henry VIII and his
most any group itinerary. If the show
Chanhassen Dinner Theatre is a 90,000-
bevy of wenches have been at this for
starts at 7:30, you really want to get
square-foot entertainment complex that
four decades now, making it the longest-
tour members to the theater by 7:00,
was built over 40 years ago on a corn-
running medieval show in the country.
so you need to find a restaurant for
field outside of Minneapolis-St. Paul.
[314-621-5800, royaldumpe.com]
dinner not too far away. And you need
Not only was the location a risk, but so
to find one that’s open before 6:00,
was the decision to add a restaurant in
MICHIGAN
which not all are. Once you’ve been
combination with the theater. Today
Cornwell’s Turkeyville USA is located in
able to figure all that out, you wind up
Chanhassen is the nation’s largest pro-
the countryside just outside of Marshall,
spending the entire dinner time check-
fessional dinner theater as well as the
which is near Battle Creek. In its 20th
ing your watch. It’s great when you
largest privately owned restaurant in
year, Cornwell’s offers a year-round
lean back and the curtain rises, but by
Minnesota. [800-362-3515,
schedule of entertaining Broadway hits
that time you’ve already spent at least
chanhassentheatres.com]
and eight or nine lunch or dinner per-
a few frazzled hours. At a dinner theater, you don’t have to
formances weekly in an intimate setting. MISSOURI
The menus are designed to complement
Royal Dumpe Dinner Theatre promises
the show’s theme. Needless to say, visi-
know you won’t be late for the play, and
an evening of medieval madness in its
tors to Turkeyville don’t need to ask
both the food and the performances are
show of bawdy comedy and music. Lo-
what the entrée is going to be! [800228-4315, turkeyville.com]
worry about your meal reservation, you
generally very good. Here’s a sampling
cated in historic Laclede’s Landing along
of Midwest dinner theaters popular with
St. Louis’ Mississippi River waterfront,
group travelers:
it is the No. 1 attraction north of the
30 April 2009
Genitti’s Hole-in-the-Wall began in 1971 as a family-owned grocery store, LeisureGroupTravel.com
which expanded into a restaurant, bar
on the side
serves a seven-course, family-style dinner
Columbus Engages Travelers
with soup, pasta, antipasto, sausage,
Tour groups that want more than
Dublin, Ohio, immerse visitors in Irish
steak, chicken and cannoli. The show
sightseeing will find what they are
culture. On “Fiddlin' Fun,” guests lis-
and gift shop and ultimately a Little Theater in 1992. Located in Northville, near
T
Detroit and Ann Arbor, the restaurant
after dinner changes every four months,
looking for in Columbus, Ohio. Expe-
ten to an Irish fiddler and play a few
but is always an interactive comedy.
rience Columbus’ Experiential Tours
notes themselves at Brazenhead, an au-
[248-349-0522, genittis.com]
have different themes and allow visi-
thentic Irish pub. The “Irish Dance
tors to customize their trip and focus
101” tour gives visitors a chance to
on aspects of greater Columbus that in-
learn traditional dance steps at
Thunder Valley Inn in Wisconsin Dells is
terest them. The themed categories of-
Richens-Timm Dance Academy.
WISCONSIN
a 130-year-old farmstead that has been
fered are Arts & Culture, Culinary,
converted to an inn and restaurant. Visi-
Gardens, Great Neighborhoods, His-
Kitchen” at Woodhaven Farm in John-
tors travel back in time to the days of
tory, Play Here and Sports.
stown lets tour members pick fresh
Culinary – “Mix it Up in the
farm threshing and house parties. Anita
herbs in the organic garden and pre-
Nelson and her two daughters bring the
pare meals with Tami J. Cecil, a Culi-
old farm days alive with their threshing
nary Institute of America-trained chef.
dinner and show. Shows are also avail-
Play Here – “Untamed Morning
able seasonally at breakfast and lunch.
with the Animals” at the Columbus
Another option for groups is to visit the
Zoo and Aquarium lets guests eat
Nelsons’ working dairy farm. [877-254-
breakfast and interact with the ani-
4145, thundervalleyinn.com]
mals. A walking tour offers behind-the-
The Janesville Armory dates to 1930 and served as an Army training facility during World War II. The renovated
Express your inner artist at Archiver’s, a store at Easton Town Center.
scenes glimpses before gates open to the public. Sports – At Huntington Park, the country’s newest Triple-A stadium and
building’s Drill Hall Theater combines “Our Experiential Tourism Initia-
home to the Columbus Clippers, visi-
Theater is offered Friday through Sun-
tive has been so well received that we
tors experience life as a minor league
day, while Thursday evenings are dedi-
have expanded it to include a host of
baseball player. They play on the field,
cated to comedy. [866-995-7400,
new and unforgettable experiences,”
explore the players’ clubhouse, live
janesvillearmory.com]
said Experience Columbus tourism
through a press conference and are in-
dining with professional productions.
sales manager Brian Cheek. “Experi-
troduced to the “media” as a new
and -operated Fireside Theatre, which
ence Columbus is reaching out to mo-
player. Guests receive a personalized jersey or bat at the end of the tour.
In Fort Atkinson, the family-owned began in 1964 as a small restaurant, has
torcoach groups as well as
grown into a 1,000-seat restaurant and
conventions, groups of friends, church
Other options offer visitors the
700-seat theater-in-the-round with state-
groups, Red Hat organizations, and
chance to take backstage theater tours,
of-the-art sound and lighting systems for
other clubs and associations, inviting
see trainers and jockeys in action at
Broadway-style productions. The theater
them to take advantage of these one-
Beulah Park racetrack in Grove City,
offers 9-10 performances weekly, includ-
of-a-kind tours.”
and mix, bottle and cork their own
ing lunch matinees Wednesday through
More than 20 Experiential Tours
wine at Camelot Cellars. For more in-
Saturday, Thursday through Saturday
provide special access and learn-by-
formation on Experiential Tours in
evening dinner theater, Sunday morning
doing activities. The following is just a
Columbus, call 800-354-2657 or visit
brunch buffet and Sunday afternoon
taste of what’s available:
experiencecolumbus.com.
dinner theater. There are five gift shops, LeisureGroupTravel.com
Arts & Culture - Two tours in
— Roseanne Segovia April 2009 31
midwest O
some seasonal, with over 50,000 differ-
with audience members chosen to play
productions and seven concerts annually.
ent items. The Fireside also produces
minor characters in the show. The actors
The theater’s vocal ensemble performs
Christian concerts. [800-477-9505,
answer questions about the plot to help
during the buffet meal. [812-288-8281,
firesidetheatre.com]
provide clues. The shows change every
derbydinner.com]
two months. They are staged in restau-
Amish Acres in Nappanee offers the-
OHIO
rants, appearing each Tuesday in Colum-
ater in its Round Barn. This 1911 facility,
La Comedia Dinner Theatre in Spring-
bus, each Monday and some Fridays in
dismantled by Amish carpenters and re-
boro, outside of Dayton, features six
Dayton, and monthly in Lima and Mid-
assembled on a steel supporting structure,
Broadway-style shows a year, plus con-
dletown. [937-287-5453,
holds 375 guests. A nine-month season of
certs. Each show is cast from auditions in
mayhemmystery.com]
Broadway musicals plays in repertory
New York as well as locally. The buffet
with Plain and Fancy, a 1950s Broadway
features papaya chutney salad dressing,
INDIANA
production about the Amish near Lan-
chef-carved meats, dishes evoked by the
Derby Dinner Playhouse is in Clarksville,
caster, Pa. (now in its 19th year at Amish
production and the famous sweet potato
which is directly across the river from
Acres). Dining is a Threshers Dinner at
soufflé. [800-677-9505, lacomedia.com]
Louisville, Ky. One of the oldest and
the Restaurant Barn. This is the kind of
Mayhem and Mystery Dinner Theatre
largest continuously-operating dinner
family-style meal that was served to the
involves dinner followed by an interactive
theaters in the country, it opened in 1974
men who spent long summer days thresh-
evening of detective work as the audience
and serves over 200,000 guests yearly.
ing in the fields. Fried chicken, mashed
tries to solve the mystery. The cast per-
There are eight weekly performances of
potatoes, biscuits, relishes and pies are
forms around and with the audience,
Broadway musicals, plus four children’s
typical fare. The meal has been repeatedly selected as Indiana’s best meal by food writers. [800-800-4942, amishacres.com] ILLINOIS Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse in downtown Rock Island is housed in the historic Fort Armstrong Theatre. Opened in 1921, the theater originally was a popular vaudeville and silent movie house. When founder Dennis Hitchcock bought the historic building in 1976, he saved it from demolition. Now the building has been refurbished to look as it did when it opened in 1921, complete with a replica of the original marquee. This professional dinner theater is one of only two left in the country with performing wait staff. Shows are Wednesday afternoon and evening, Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday at 4 p.m. [309-786-7733, circa21.com] Tommy Gun’s Garage bills itself as “Chicago’s only original Speakeasy Dinner Theater.” Located on the city’s Near South Side, it recreates the Prohibition
32 April 2009
LeisureGroupTravel.com
on our radar: midwest O era of the 1920s, when the ban on liquor gave rise to illegal taverns. The performance is interactive, with the audience participating in the singing and dancing and, of course, when the joint gets raided by the cops. The musical comedy revue features selections from composers of the era. [312-225-0273, tommygunsgarage.com] Medieval Times Dinner and Show in northwest suburban Schaumburg is one of nine castle-like locations of this chain in North America. Guests enjoy a fourcourse feast, seated in sections that sur-
The Art Institute of Chicago’s new Modern Wing
round a central arena. Six knights in authentic costumes represent each of these regions. After dinner the knights on horseback compete in a recreated
ILLINOIS
The Modern Wing, the largest addition
medieval jousting tournament. [866-
Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium on May 22
in the history of the Art Institute of
543-9637, medievaltimes.com/
will open its renovated Oceanarium and
Chicago, opens May 16. Designed by
findcastles/schaumburg/] Drury Lane Oak Brook is a large fa-
welcome home marine animals that
Renzo Piano, the wing will be con-
have been “on vacation” since last Sep-
nected to Millennium Park by a pedes-
cility, seating nearly 1,000 guests. Lo-
tember. Guests will get reacquainted
trian bridge designed by the
cated 20 miles west of downtown
with the Oceanarium's beluga whales,
world-famous architect. On the first
Chicago, it presents a series of musicals
Pacific white-sided dolphins, Alaskan
floor will the Ryan Education Center,
with matinee and evening performances
sea otters, sea lions and penguins. They
with classroom and studio space for
Wednesdays through Sundays. Drury
will experience the new Polar Play Zone
school children and families, and a ded-
Lane is somewhat unique among dinner
for children and Grainger Beluga En-
icated entrance for school groups.
theaters in that groups have the option
counter Habitat.
of either purchasing the package with
Shedd’s new marine mammal show
The Modern Wing will house the Art Institute’s permanent collections of
the meal or without. [630-570-7272,
debuts in late summer. The marine
modern European art, including works
drurylaneoakbrook.com]
mammal amphitheater has been up-
by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Piet
dated with the latest visual and acoustic
Mondrian and Salvador Dali, and con-
technology. Extra seating has been
temporary art by such masters as Jack-
1850s farm outside of Bloomington/
added and sightlines have been im-
son Pollock, Willem de Kooning and
Normal. Audience seating is on the
proved. In the Beluga Encounter Habi-
Andy Warhol. Galleries also will show-
Conklin’s Barn II Dinner Theatre is located in a 70-year-old barn on an
main floor in what was the cattle show
tat, guests don wader boots and see
case collections in photography, archi-
ring and in the hayloft. Performances
firsthand the care Shedd gives its beluga
tecture and design. Inaugurating the
are offered year-round Thursday
whales. In this premium encounter ex-
special exhibitions galleries (through
through Saturday with a Sunday
perience, they will see a whale up close,
Sept. 13) will be Cy Twombly: The Nat-
brunch. This year’s plays are all come-
feel its skin and use training techniques
ural World, Selected Works 2001-2007,
dies. The theater is named after
learned from professional animal train-
with works by the artist never seen in a
Chaunce Conklin, who brought the first
ers. In addition, Shedd is upgrading and
U.S. museum. [312-857-7104,
professional, resident theater company
expanding food service areas. Also new
artic.edu]
to central Illinois in 1975 with his pur-
are lockers, restrooms and elevators.
chase of the farm. [309-965-2545,
[312-692-3333, sheddaquarium.org]
mtco.com/~barn2/index.html] LGT 34 April 2009
Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry on Oct. 9 opens YOU! The Experience, a permanent exhibit celeLeisureGroupTravel.com
brating the mind, body and spirit. Guests can test their physical capabilities through interactive features like boxing with a virtual coach and Mind Ball, a game in which players win by controlling their brainwaves. The Human Patient Simulator, a computer model-driven, full-sized mannequin that simulates real-life medical scenarios, will allow guests to diagnose and treat medical conditions. [800-4686674, msichicago.org]
Funerary Mask of Psusennes I INDIANA The exhibition Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs opens June 27 at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Through September, it will present more than 130 treasures from the tomb of the celebrated pharaoh King Tut and other ancient sites. On display will be Tutankhamun’s golden sandals, jewelry, furniture, weaponry and statuary, including the largest image of King Tut ever found – a 10-foot statue that originally may have stood at Tutankhamun’s mortuary temple and retains much of its original paint. One of the four gold and precious-stone-inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained LeisureGroupTravel.com
April 2009 35
on our radar: midwest O
his mummified internal organs also will
the city skyline. With a facade of glass
years ago. The final descent will include
be exhibited.
and Minnesota limestone, Target Field
a trip down a zipline measuring over
will feature one of the closest seating
2,500 feet long. Tour guides will share
bowls to the playing field in Major
information with riders about South-
In conjunction with the exhibit, the museum in June will unveil its permanent $8-million Global Perspectives ex-
League Baseball and approximate the
west Ohio history, ecology of the re-
hibit, which will focus on one culture
size of PNC Park in Pittsburgh and San
gion, basic physics of “zipping” and the
every few years—the first being mod-
Francisco’s AT&T Park. A 360-degree
state park. [800-433-1072,
ern-day Egypt. [317-334-3322,
open main concourse, twice as wide as
ohioslargestplayground.com/zipline]
childrensmuseum.org]
the current Metrodome, will provide uninterrupted views of the playing field.
WISCONSIN
The Lincoln Amphitheatre at Lincoln
Artwork will celebrate the heritage of
The Great Circus Parade is back in Mil-
State Park will celebrate the bicenten-
baseball and the Twins.
waukee for the first time since 2003.
nial of our 16th president’s birth with a
[minnesota.twins.mlb.com]
The July 12 parade will feature more
new play entitled Lincoln. The play premiering June 12 will illustrate Abraham Lincoln’s life, from his boyhood when he lived in what is now known as Lincoln City, Ind., to the legacy he created as president. A play ticket includes a meal, viewing the Lincoln archives, scenic walking tours where Lincoln himself once walked as a boy, and free popcorn and soft drinks during the 15-minute intermission. Artisans will demonstrate pioneer tasks such as weaving and spinning as well as play period music. The covered amphitheater seats 1,500 and is located in woods inside the Southern
A new zipline attraction awaits adventuresome travelers in Warren County, Ohio.
Indiana state park, near Lincoln City. The play will run until Aug. 15 and is
OHIO
than 100 units, including 52 historic cir-
open six days a week, Tuesday through
Ozone Zipline Adventures, the largest
cus wagons from Circus World in Bara-
Sunday. [800-264-4223,
zipline attraction in the Midwest, will
boo. There will be 300 horses pulling
lincolnamphitheatre.com]
open on May 23 at YMCA Camp Kern
colorful wagons and carriages, plus 14
in Oregonia, Warren County. It will in-
bandwagon bands and 10 marching
MINNESOTA
clude some of the longest single zipline
bands. The two-hour parade begins at
Target Field, the Minnesota Twins’ new
runs in the U.S. The canopy (tree-top)
1:30 p.m. at the lakefront and continues
40,000-seat ballpark, is set to open in
tour will feature nine ziplines totaling
through the downtown area. Wagons
2010, marking the team’s 50th season
over 10,000 feet in length and reach
will be on display June 28-July 5 during
of playing baseball in the Upper Mid-
heights of 170 feet. Riders will zip
Circus Parade Roll Out Days, followed
west. Located adjacent to the Target
through the Little Miami River Valley
by the July 8-11 Great Circus Parade
Center in Minneapolis’ North Loop
and connect to Fort Ancient State Park,
Festival, which has circus performances,
neighborhood and historic warehouse
home of North America’s largest prehis-
animal rides and parade practice runs.
district, the open-air, natural-grass park
toric Native American hilltop enclosure
[866-693-1500,
is expected to offer spectacular views of
and earthen walls built more than 2,000
circusworldmuseum.com]
36 April 2009
LeisureGroupTravel.com