2011 Season Pass

The Red Cloud Opera House Announces its 2011 Season of Events!

“Popular Culture” is the theme of the 2011 season of events at the Red Cloud Opera House. Many iconic personas from the 20th century will be highlighted in programs of various genres such as music, photography, theatre, movies, and humanities programs.

The season begins on April 2nd with a concert by Ezinma Piano Trio featuring music by Beethoven, Brahms, and Dvorak. Rin-Tin-Tin XI, a descendent of the original, one of the most famous canines in the world, will make an appearance on April 29th. Mont Alto Orchestra will accompany cinematic comedy classics Buster Keaton and area native “Fatty” Arbuckle in “The Cook” and a feature presentation of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid” on April 30th. Both events are part of the 56th Annual Willa Cather Spring Conference themed “Willa Cather and Her Popular Culture.”

This spring and summer, the exhibit “America Through the CBS Eye” will represent a sampling of over 30 million images taken by CBS photographers dating back as far as 1928. Personalities include Lucille Ball, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, and many more. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets for “Music on the Cather Prairie” featuring Pilgrim Classic Country performing hits from Patsy Cline, Garth Brooks, and many others on May 28th. Guests are also welcome to hike the 608-acre ecological gem that is the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie. “Who Murdered Elvis?” will be a fun mystery theatre production on June 16th.

The original play by New York playwright A.P. Andrews, “Burning Barn” which is set amidst the volatile, mood-altering, ever-changing backdrop of the rural Nebraska countryside will be performed July 22-24. Also, NET legend Ron Hull will share 50 years of Nebraska history, told through his experiences with Sandy Dennis, Bob Kerrey, Johnny Rodgers, and many more on July 24th. Missoula Children’s Theatre will bring the title “The Pied Piper” on August 5th and 6th. Over 50 area children participate each year in this traditional production. Auditions will be held on August 1st.

“Remembering Our Fallen,” showing in the gallery September 19-25, is a traveling memorial exhibit from the Strategic Air and Space Museum and will feature photographs of 98 soldiers from Nebraska and western Iowa. It is a profoundly meaningful reminder of the preciousness of life and liberty, and the honor and sacrifice of those, our own friends and neighbors, who have given their lives to protect ours.

Save the date for Joseph Hall as Elvis who will take a break from his successful Branson show and return to the Opera House stage on February 11, 2012 for a special Valentine’s Day concert.

To buy tickets or view a full schedule of events log on to www.WillaCather.org or call 402.746.2641.