Del McCoury Band
Fri. March 4, 2011 7:30pm
Tickets: $35
About Del McCoury Band
It’s hard to imagine that the Del McCoury Band can continue to get better and better. Could it be that Del’s 50+ years of experience make him one of the most skilled in the business? Could it be that his singing epitomizes the heart and soul of bluegrass music? Could it be that the band includes some of the best and engaging instrumentalists today? Could it be that the group navigated head-on into the new millennium with snappy material that is eclectic and tastefully rendered? The answers to all of the above are an undeniable “YES!”

You couldn’t ask for much better playing and singing, which is why we asked them to return to the Opera House for the third year in a row. It’s amazing to hear a familiar old Gospel number as much as it is to hear them deliver, with impeccable musicianship, tunes from contemporary country, bluegrass and folk songsmiths. Hands down, one of the best bluegrass outfits in the world.

Visit Del McCoury Band’s Website

The Actors Factory presents “Novel Ideas”
Fri. & Sat. March 11 & 12 – 7:30pm
Sun. March 13 2:30pm – $5 at the Door
About The Actors Factory presents “Novel Ideas”
Actor’s Factory presents “Novel Ideas,” new works by 7 talented writers, including both established local playwrights and young alumni of Actor’s Factory. The show features new takes on classic literature by Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Miguel de Cervantes. The Actor’s Factory is a youth performance group seeking to produce vibrant and sophisticated theater for audiences of all ages.

“It is not just good youth theater, it’s good theater, period!” ~ Jerry Shenk, Channel 3 Movie Critic

Visit the Actors Factory Website

Chris Smither in concert
Fri. March 18, 2011 7:30pm
Tickets: $25
About Chris Smither in concert
Chris Smither has been around the block a few times. You can hear it in his voice. And you can hear it in his songs, where over four decades of experience and hope mingle. Chris’s music draws as deeply from the blues as it does from American folk music, modern poets and humanist philosophers. Over the years he has made timeless art with just voice, guitar and a stomping foot. Smither considers himself a performer first and foremost, though the strength of his songwriting skills is clear from the multitude of artists who have covered his songs – from Bonnie Raitt to the Dixie Chicks and Diana Krall

Smither’s charm is that he never needs to hide behind metaphors and images – he’s so direct that he goes straight through and connects quickly. He’s a poet of the big and broken heart, a sublime ragtime-flavoured country blues guitarist with a metronomic tapping foot that just nails his comic timing right into your soul.

“If you’ve ever caught one of Chris Smither’s live performances, you know it’s hard not to come away knocked out by the amount of music that comes out of one man. His guitar playing is remarkably fluid. His songs are gleaming bits of gold performed in a variety of styles.”–No Depression ”

” Smither taps his foot to keep the rhythm, much like the late blues legend John Lee Hooker. His finger-picked guitar lines are sleek, unhurried and insistent. And then there’s the voice – equal parts gravel and molasses. Smither’s singing sounds like a distillation of the folk and blues heroes he grew up listening to in New Orleans.”–National Public Radio

“Smither delivers one of the most riveting live shows you are ever likely to see. His growling vocals, badass finger picking and uniformly brilliant songs are here in spades”– Rollingstone.com

Visit Chris Smither’s Website

Tim O’Brien and Bryan Sutton
Fri. March 25, 2011 7:30pm
Tickets: $30
About Tim O’Brien and Bryan Sutton
When multi-instrumentalist and vocalist extraordinaire Tim O’Brien performs, it becomes a musical journey, exploring many different musical forms. He sings and plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki and mandocello. His songs tell stories like a good folk singer should, but his sound is pure “Americana”. As co- founder and lead vocalist of Hot Rize and Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers, O’Brien served as a bridge between the traditional sounds of the hill country and the modern styles of bluegrass in the 1980s. Since the band’s breakup, O’Brien has continued to expand the music’s borders as a soloist, a duo partner with his sister Mollie, and with his band, the O’Boys. O’Brien’s songs have additionally been recorded by Kathy Mattea, the Seldom Scene, New Grass Revival, and the Johnson Mountain Boys.

With a Grammy and several International Bluegrass Music Association singer of the year awards, O’Brien has been touted by PBS as ‘The best songwriter we have.’ He has been known to perform songs ranging from Irish jigs played on the bouzouki, to his politically humorous banjo tune ‘World of Trouble,’ to his classic fiddle cover of Bill Monroe’s gospel favorite ‘Working on a Building,’ O’Brien makes perfectly clear his mastery of musical genres and his admiration of the artists that have preceded him. Tim O’Brien is a very rare breed of combined talents and there aren’t many musicians that can touch him.

Flatpicker extraordinaire, Bryan Sutton started turning heads in his early 20s as a member of Ricky Skaggs’ band, Kentucky Thunder. Now, with acclaimed solo albums, a clutch of awards, and 15 years as a first-call Nashville session player under his belt, Sutton is ranked by bluegrass aficionados alongside such masters as Doc Watson (with whom he shares a Grammy), Clarence White, Tony Rice, and Norman Blake. To hear Sutton spin lightning-fast phrases on his guitar, it’s hard to imagine anyone picking a flattop with more power and finesse.

These two musicians solo are outstanding, and together they are unbelievable, come check them out for yourself!

Visit Tim O’Brien’s Website

Visit Bryan Sutton’s Website

Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People”
Sat. March 26, 2011 7:30pm
Tickets: $25
About Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People”
COMMONWEAL THEATRE presents “An Enemy of the People”

Henrik Ibsen was the most famous of Norwegian playwrights and is known for his non-conformist views and themes and was largely responsible for the rise of the modern realistic drama. Even though Ibsen wrote his plays over 100 years ago, they are filled with metaphors that paint a picture, in an incredibly accurate way, of contemporary society. It is said that Ibsen is the most frequently performed dramatist in the world after Shakespeare.

In this particular play, An Enemy of the People, disagreement becomes the primary focus, and the adversary is the entire community. Basically, it is a criticism of democracy. Ibsen’s critique of democracy is dual as he brings the spotlight to the spitefulness of the majority and how leaders can be the tyrants in this sort of community.

The Commonweal Theatre, based in Lanesboro, Minnesota, is a professional theatre company dedicated to delighting and challenging the audiences of our region. It is the only theatre company in North America with an annual commitment to producing the works of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, the Father of Modern Drama. Since 1998, the company celebrates this tradition with the Ibsen Festival and every other year, the company tours an Ibsen production throughout the region.

The strongest man in the world is he who stands alone. Henrik Ibsen, An Enemy of the People, 1882

Visit the Commonweal Theatre’s Website

Branson on the Road – with guest Maggie Mae
Thurs. March 31, 2011 TWO SHOWS! 3pm & 7pm
Tickets: $20
About Branson on the Road – with guest Maggie Mae
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! What do you get when you bring together a fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, rhinestone costumes, hilarious comedy and great classic country, bluegrass, rockabilly and gospel music to a Stoughton Opera House? You get “Branson On The Road.”

Branson On The Road has more than 20 years of experience performing at the top theaters in Branson on the famous 76 Country Music Boulevard. The show delivers the Branson traditions of good, clean, family fun wherever they go.

The show spotlights three of Branson’s top performers. Guitarist, Debbie Horton holds the distinction of being the only woman to have played lead guitar for the great Johnny Cash. Donnie Wright is an expert musician versatile on many instruments including the fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo and bass. Brian Capps plays upright bass and sings songs reminiscent of Marty Robbins and Hank Williams.

Also welcome back Wisconsin’s country music sweetheart, Maggie Mae, who will be guest starring for the shows! These popular shows sell out quickly, so please get your tickets early.

Visit Branson on the Road’s Website

Visit Maggie Mae’s Website

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Branson on the Road from Stoughton Opera House

Mark your calendar for this show, “…that most people thought was long gone in this day of overproduced music.”  Branson on the Road with Special Guest Maggie Mae is coming to the Stoughton Opera House, Thursday, April 15, 7:00 pm.  Make a night of it with this special package from Naeset Roe Inn.  Two first floor seats in the historic Stoughton Opera House, a $50 certificate for dinner at Laz Bistro this evening, and a room at the Inn, with a fabulous 4 course breakfast in the morning.   If you need to get to work the next day I’ll even have breakfast early, or you may want to sleep in, take Friday as a furlough day, and explore Historic Stoughton. 

Imagine walking the three blocks to dinner in Historic Stoughton at Laz Bistro, known for their unique menu and Kansas City style BBQ, saunter next door to the Historic Stoughton Opera House and listen to Wisconsin native Maggie Mae with her “down home country spirit and a voice that’ll knock your socks off.”  Then it’s back to the Inn for a restful night.  Wake to the smell of fresh brewed coffee and fresh baked scones, the rest of breakfast will be a fabulous surprise.  You won’t need to eat lunch, weather you go to work or wonder around town.

Your taxes are filed, now it’s time to REWARD YOURSELF.

All this for one low price.  $245-$312  Availableonly Thursday, April 15, 2010 only.  Mention “Branson Comes to Stoughton” in the comment section of the online form.  Only two packages so book early.