401 Fourth Street, Wausau 54403 715-842-0988/888-239-0421 www.grandtheater.org

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THE GRAND THEATER’S ENCORE

Celebrate 400 years of the beloved poet, playwright, and histor-ic icon, William Shakepeare this April with events and specials all through downtown Wausau.

April 2016

SHAKESPEARE 400

Celebrate Shakespeare at the Grand Theater 7

Artist Residency 10

The month of April is all about community connections here at The Grand. I’m extremely excited about two great programs and hope you’ll be a part of them. We are dedicated towards serving the community beyond the performances themselves and I think these two great events demonstrate that.

The week of April 11th, classical pianist Alpin Hong will be Wausau for a multi-day residency. He will be part of a city-wide choral concert featuring elementary schools, and will also be conducting workshops with local students from elementary school to college. We’ll also be doing some unique things during his residency: a “gamers lounge” that will include feature Alpin’s other love, video games; and “yoga on the stage”, a rare chance to be on the stage of The Grand on a performance day. More details are inside this issue, and we hope you’ll join us for these FREE events. Make plans to cap off Alpin’s week here as well and get your tickets for a night of spectacular music on Thursday, April 14th.

The other event is Shakespeare 400 Wausau, featured on the cover of this month’s magazine and kicking off on April 1st. This month-long, city-wide event celebrates the 400th birthday of beloved author, playwright, and poet William Shakespeare. Local businesses and organizations across the area have stepped up to be a part of this celebration, many with interesting ways of tying their business back to the Bard! The capstone of this celebration will be an evening with The Improvised Shakespeare Company on Thursday, April 21st. It’s an evening of improv comedy like you’ve never seen—all off the cuff and all in iambic pentameter. You don’t want to miss it!

Send Your Questions to:askthegrand@grandtheater.org

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S CORNER | SEAN WRIGHT

CONTENTS

Shakespeare 400ComedyFamilyMusicVolunteer Spotlight

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HAPPY BIRTHDAYSHAKESPEARE!Local businesses join the Grand Theater to celebrate 400 years of the great William Shakespeare.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAYSHAKESPEARE!Local businesses join the Grand Theater to celebrate 400 years of the great William Shakespeare.

The Improvised Shakespeare Company

April 21st | 7:30 PMThe Grand Theater

Shakespeare 400

oet, playwright, author. Some say the greatest writer in the English language.

With 2016 marking four centuries of iconic literature, the world commemorates these four hundred years of the great legend, William Shakespeare. And this April, Wausau joins the celebration with a month of Shakespearean events!

Shakespeare 400 Wausau is a month-long merriment of the man that has influenced theater, books, art, and culture of today. All April long, visit participating local businesses for Shakespearean specials and a chance to win a Chamber of Commerce gift card! Click here to learn how!With family friendly events at the Woodson Art Museum to drink specials at Malarkey’s Pub. Live performances at The Grand to open-mic nights at La Prima Prima Deli. So celebrate Shakespeare while supporting local businesses!

Festivities kick off April 1st.

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APRIL 1-30 | Nicole’s Boutique SHAKESPEARE WORE AN EARRING - Get that Elizabethan look this April at Nicole’s Boutique! Come in and receive a free pair of hoop earrings with a $4.00+ purchase!APRIL 1-30 | Navieve FromagerieTHE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR GRILLED CHEESE - Pippins and cheese were featured in the Merry Wives of Windsor, Act I Scene II. Inspired by this 1602 Comedy, this grilled cheese will pair pippin apples with cheddar cheese, bacon, and spicy ground mustard to make the perfect Shakespearean sandwich.

APRIL 1-30 | Isaac’s Fine ApparelSHAKESPEARE’S CELEBRATION - Get 25% off Crabtree & Evelyn bath products!

APRIL 1-30 | Malarkey’s PubSTAR-CROSSED LOVERTINI - Stop in and enjoy this citrus and cranberry martini!

APRIL 1-30 | Sweet Lola’s SHAKESPEARE SUGAR COOKIES - Sweet Lola’s is whipping up homemade sugar cookies; hand frosted in their famous butter cream, and decorated to fit the Shakespeare theme!

APRIL 1-30 | Peking Restaurant DESSERT SPECIAL - Shakespeare in Chinese also means ‘sweet donut,’ so Peking is offering a free dessert with your dinner! Come in for dinner and mention how you are celebrating Shakespeare’s birthday for a Sweet Chinese Donut.

APRIL 1-30 | The Mint CafeSHAKESPEARE AT THE MINT CAFE - A Shakespearean game of wits! Identify the iconic Shakespearean Character who’s image was uncovered during the remodeling in 2014 and receive a discount on your next visit!

APRIL 1-30 | Shepherd and SchallerMUCH ADO ABOUT HIKING SALE - Get 10% off in-stock hiking necessities including shoes, socks, clothing, adjustable trekking poles, day packs, frame packs, sun screen, and insect repellent!

APRIL 1-30 | La Prima | WILL’S LATTE - Enjoy a themed drink all month long! Featuring salted caramel and chocolate milano.

Community Specials and Events Schedule

APRIL 1-30 | Downtown GrocerySHAKESPEARE AT THE FOOD BAR - Each week, Downtown Grocery will feature at least one Shakespearean inspired dish at the Food Bar!

EVERY FRIDAY (STARTING APRIL 8TH)| River Valley Bank | FIND YOUR DESTINY - “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” This April, join River Valley Bank for star themed activities such as cookie decorating and chalk fun.

APRIL 9-30 | Woodson Art MuseumTHE BARD’S BIRDS - Stop by the Woodson Art Museum for a Shakespearean scavenger hunt! Visitors will use Bard-inspired clues to locate three avian-themed artworks in the Woodson Art Museum galleries, complete a crossword puzzle, and retrieveth a poster as thy reward.

APRIL 14TH : 6PM - 8PM | La Prima DeliSHAKESPEARE OPEN MIC NIGHT- Stop in at La Prima on Thursday, April 14th for a Shakespeare Open Mic Night! Bring your favorite poetry, sonnet, or monologues to read or perform! All Performers receive a La Prima Coupon for “Anthony’s Noble Antipasto.”

APRIL 18TH | Marathon County Public Library |MACBETH - Celebrate the life of William Shakespeare by viewing a film of one of his most famous works! MCPL will celebrate the life of Shakespeare with a screening of “Macbeth,” (2015, RATED R).

APRIL 20TH | Marathon County Public Library | MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: LEARN TO SWEAR WITH SHAKESPEARE - Teen friendly event! MCPL Wausau will screen director Joss Whedon’s adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing.” Attendees will also get a short lesson in Elizabethan language and learn how to “swear like Shakespeare”! Free and open to all teens.

APRIL 21ST 7:30PM | The GrandIMPROVISED SHAKESPEARE CO. - Comedy Sports with a Shakespearean twist! Laugh your tights off with a night of Elizabethean tomfoolery as Improvised Shakespeare Co. brings the tales of the 1600’s into modern times.

APRIL 21ST 6:30PM | Urban PulseURBAN PULSE YP OUTING - Young professionals can see The Grand’s Improvised Shakespeare with a private pre-show reception with Urban Pulse. Come for a good laugh and meet/ mingle with other young professionals.

CALL (715) 842-0988 FOR TICKETS

For full event details check out our Facebook event: Shakespeare 400 Wausau.

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April 217:30pm

Every Thee and Thou will have you laughing harder than the last at what The New York Times is calling, “One of the country’s elite improv companies.”

ou all have heard of comedy sports...but you have never seen it like this... Based on an

audience suggestion The Improvised Shakespeare Co. creates a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before your very eyes!

Nothing has been planned out, rehearsed, or written. All of the dialogue is said for the first time, the characters are created as you watch, and if ever you’re wondering where the story is going...so are they!

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Comedy

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MAY 15 | 7:30 PM - LIMITED TICKETS LEWIS BLACKLewis Black is one of the most prolific and popular performers working today. He executes a brilliant trifecta as stand-up comedian, actor and author. His live performances provide a cathartic release of anger and disillusionment for his audience. He is a passionate performer who is a more pissed-off optimist than mean-spirited curmudgeon. Lewis is the rare comic who can make an audience laugh while making compelling points about the absurdity of our world.

TIME CHANGEJUNE 1 | 8:00 PM - SOLD OUT BLUE MAN GROUPBLUE MAN GROUP is comedy, theater, rock concert, and dance party all rolled into one. This wildly popular phenomenon delivers an unforgettable multi-sensory experience. It’s an outrageous evening of entertainment you’ll never forget. It’s the show that has captivated 35 million people worldwide. BLUE MAN GROUP - enemy of monotony, remedy for boredom, promoter of overjoy and elation. DARE TO LIVE IN FULL COLOR.

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Cirque ZivaApril 87:30pm

“...this family-friendly show will dazzle the younger set but might also have them stacking up the dining room chairs and climbing the curtains when they get home.”

he newest show from the amazing Golden Dragon Acrobats, Cirque Ziva is a fast-

paced, technically innovative and beautifully presented show from the creative mind of artistic director Danny Chang. The large cast and

spectacular set designs illustrate the best of Chang’s brand of artistic merit, high production value, and solid commitment to cultural exchange.

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Family

- The New York Times

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Alpin HongApril 147:30pm

alled “a pianistic firebrand” by The New York Times, Alpin Hong embodies a rare blend

among contemporary classical musicians: an empathic soul, skilled raconteur and explosively dynamic piano technique. And with a background in skateboarding, video games, and extreme sports, Mr. Hong has earned the title of “Classical Music for the iPod Generation.”

Mr. Hong’s uniquely humorous and visionary approach to arts education has resulted in artistic residencies worldwide, including right here in North Central Wisconsin. His tireless pursuit to find, inspire, and collaborate with talents in every community results in unforgettable presentations that both expand worlds and hit close to home.View full residency schedule on next page.

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Music

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Yoga on Stage

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Rosanne Cash May 8

7:30pm

Celebrating her newest album, Grammy-winning The River & The Thread has critics raving as “the best music of her career.” (The Oxford American)

osanne Cash comes to The Grand with a show that celebrates her newest album,

The River & The Thread, winner of three Grammys in 2014. One of the preeminent performing songwriters of today. A Grammy-winning singer and composer, Cash has recorded

15 albums and is the recipient of numerous awards.

You won’t want to miss Rosanne’s unique sound; drawing from country, blues, gospel, and rock, The River & The Thread is the soulful mix of the American South.

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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Meet Lynne Sydlow. A volunteer for The Grand for five years.

Joining the Grand Theater family after retirement, Lynne has become one of our most eager and dedicated volunteers.

Volunteer Coordinator, Cindy Kainz explains how she is always willing to volunteer, “Almost every show, she has her sheet marked ready to help. I bet she would volunteer for the whole season if she could!”

Not too far from the truth. Lynne explains that she genuinely enjoys volunteering and the tasks that come with it.

But volunteering has gotten so much deeper for Lynne, “I have always liked ushering and more recently have really liked bartending. The main reason to continue, other than to keep the Grand humming, is the other volunteers.”

Explaining that she has made so many new friends since volunteering, the friendships lead Lynne back to volunteer time and time again. “It’s just a great group of people,” she explains.

“Thank you to all the staff and other volunteers who have taken the time to teach me the skills needed to be a productive volunteer. I look forward to each and every volunteer opportunity I am given.”

The Grand would like to take this opportunity during Volunteer Appreciation Month to thank all volunteers who help out at the Grand. Our volunteers are some of the most wonderful, helpful and humble people. We wouldn’t be The Grand without them!

The Grand relies on the support and dedication of it’s volunteers.

VolunteerSpotlight

The Grand Theater Ticket Office401 Fourth Street - Wausau WI 54403715-842-0988 or 888-239-0421www.grandtheater.org

Get Your Tickets!

Calendar is subject to change. Updates will be found on our website, our social media,

and in upcoming newsletters.

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AprilTanya Tucker St. Francis Xavier: Disney’s Aristocats KidsCirque Ziva - LIMITED TICKETSAlpin HongRon White - 10 PM LIMITED TICKETSRiver Valley HarmonizersAspirus Arts in Education: Amber Brown is not a CrayonImprovised Shakespeare CompanyDance Magic

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MayCentral Wisconsin School of Ballet:Student ShowcaseRosanne CashTommy Emmanuel Heidi’s Dance RecitalLewis Black - LIMITIED TICKETS DDH Dance Recital

JuneBlue Man Group -SOLD OUTJudy Peterson Dance RecitalWCT: Rent

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