The Howard Levy 4 - A Benefit for School of American Music

Saturday, Jan. 27 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Tickets for this event will be available beginning Friday, November 24 at 7am ET.

Grammy award-winning multi-instrumentalist Howard Levy leads The Howard Levy 4, featuring Chris Siebold, Josh Ramos and Luiz Ewerling. This event is a benefit for School of American Music.

About the Artist:

Multi Grammy-Award winner Howard Levy is a world-renowned harmonica player, pianist, and composer. He has played with many of the world’s top musicians, vocalists and bands, including Steely Dan, Kenny Loggins, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Trio Globo, Paquito D’Rivera, etc, and he has led many bands as well.

The Howard Levy 4, his newest group, features three of Chicago’s finest musicians who are also Howard’s long-time musical friends.

Chris Siebold, house guitarist for five years on A Prairie Home Companion, is a member of internationally renowned fusion band Kick the Cat, and has played with many notable musicians around the world. He brings intensity, soul and his incredible technique to any style of music.

Josh Ramos, virtuosic and versatile bassist, is equally at home on upright and electric. He was Ramsey Lewis’s bass player for five years and the bassist for CALJE, Chicago’s premier modern Latin/jazz ensemble.

Luiz Ewerling, renowned drummer/composer, is one of the top Brazilian drummers living in the US. He contributes rhythmic depth and passion to whatever music he plays.

The band performs original compositions by Howard, Chris and Luiz. The repertoire features music from Howard and Chris’ new CD Art + Adrenaline, and music from Luiz’s album Our Earth. The styles range from Jazz, Brazilian, Latin, and World Music, to Blues and more. Howard plays equal amounts of harmonica and piano (sometimes together), and the band creates a volatile mix of styles with hot, soulful playing and deep grooves.

The School of American Music

The School of American Music provides music education, free concerts, community service, and special events year round throughout Harbor Country.
schoolofamericanmusic.com

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Matthew Logan Vasquez w/ Justin & The Cosmics

Saturday, May. 18 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Indie rock music artist Matthew Logan Vasquez comes to The Acorn. Best known as the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist of Delta Spirit, MLV has toured internationally, performing on festival stages like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza and late night TV like Jimmy Kimmel and Letterman.

This concert serves as our next recording partnership activity with 88.1 WVPE Public Radio which will air in a future "The Sauce Live from The Acorn" broadcast on WVPE! We'll be capturing LIVE footage at the show - come get in on the action! 

About the Artist

Matthew Logan Vasquez’s writing goes where he goes. Synonymous with the sound of Southern California in the early 2000s, MLV’s first and most prominent band, Delta Spirit formed in his home state in 2005 and went on to tour internationally, appearing on coveted festival stages like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza and late night TV like Jimmy Kimmel and Letterman.

Now nearing 10 years of releasing music as a solo artist and a handful of side quest projects like Glorietta and Middle Brother, Vasquez’s upcoming record, Frank’s Full Moon Saloon has the self-dubbed Calitexican’s sound firmly planted in the Lone Star state, his current and teenage home. “I’m a product of both the 90’s Austin music scene (Old 97’s, Ian Moore, Reverend Horton Heat) and Southern California in the early 00’s (Elliott Smith, Richard Swift).”

With the primary goal to capture “the alchemy of a live honest moment” and make a more raw, song forward record, Vasquez recorded most of Frank’s Full Moon Saloon himself in the garage honky tonk of a beloved neighbor and mentor. The album features more exposed versions of songs from throughout his career as well as guest appearances from members of Dr. Dog, Dawes, Deep Sea Diver, and Shovels & Rope. Recommended listening for those drawn to the musical stylings of modern writers like David Bazan and Hamilton Leithouser and underground giants Doug Sahm and Ry Cooder.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The Music of Dolly Parton

Saturday, Apr. 27 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

The Acorn celebrates American Country Music Legend (and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer) Dolly Parton with local musicians Meagan Francis, Nikki Gauthier, Meredith George and Abbie Thomas singing hits from Parton’s five decade career. Vocalists will be joined by the Chesterton, Indiana bluegrass band, Watershed Ramblers – Alex Gottschlich (guitar/vocals), Ian Soto (mandolin/vocals) and Daniel Cole Dailey (double bass/vocals).

The Acorn is hosting a Community Book Drive in celebration of the life and legacy of Dolly Parton! Bring a book to The Acorn throughout the month of April and receive a Dolly Parton themed gift. Bring a book to The Acorn the night of The Music of Dolly Parton on April 27 for $3 off our specialty drink for the night - the Wine to 5! Books should be new and chosen for children of any age - infants through teens! Books will be distributed to River Valley Schools.

Dolly Parton is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, perhaps most well known for her decades-long career in country music. With a career spanning over fifty years, Parton has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female artists of all time.

Dolly Parton has had 25 singles reach no. 1 on the Billboard country music charts, a record for a female artist (tied with Reba McEntire). She has 44 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and she has 110 career-charted singles over the past 40 years. She has composed over 3,000 songs, including "I Will Always Love You" (a two-time U.S. country chart-topper, and an international pop hit for Whitney Houston), "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and "9 to 5."

The country music legend has received 11 Grammy Awards out of 50 nominations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award; ten Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year and is one of only seven female artists to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award. Among her many other awards, Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2005, she received the National Medal of Arts and in 2022, she was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a nomination she had initially declined but ultimately accepted.

Outside of her work in the music industry, Parton has founded a number of charitable and philanthropic organizations, chief among them is the Dollywood Foundation, which manages a number of projects to bring education and poverty relief to East Tennessee where she grew up.

About the Artists:

Meagan Francis
Meagan Francis became part of the SWMI music community nearly ten years ago, performing in a musical on the Twin City Players stage. Since then, Meagan has played both supporting and leading roles in a variety of productions for TCP and Lake Michigan College, as well as concerts at the Livery and in the Southwest Michigan Symphony Opera's RESPECT show. While Covid put Meagan's love of performing temporarily on the shelf, she's excited to be back on stage at one of her favorite venues, celebrating an artist who was a staple while she was growing up, and who still continues to inspire her life today. During the day, Meagan is a writer, podcaster, and mom of five kids ages 15-26. You can find her online at meaganfrancis.com.

Nikki Gauthier
Nikki Gauthier came to music early in life taking piano lessons at her grandma’s side. While she loved to perform in her family’s living room, Nikki didn’t seek the spotlight, opting to play the piano instead for her high school’s choir. She didn’t embrace the stage until 2017, when, early in her forties, she performed at a local open mic. Nikki’s performance credits now include Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra’s RESPECT concert, Krasl Art Fair Block Party, The Livery, Box Factory for the Arts, Benton Harbor Art Hop and BHAA’s Arts in the Park series, along with our own Acorn stage. You will often find Nikki performing under the name Dirty Sally.

Meredith George
Meredith George has been performing in and around the SWMI area for the past 10 years. Originally hailing from Annapolis Maryland she moved here in 2013 with her husband Jason and cat Bones after graduating from Belmont University in Nashville. After a brief hiatus she found her way back on stage through The Livery’s Open Stage in the Benton Harbor Arts District. Through this community of supportive artists and friends she found an outlet for her musical passions. You can see her in musical theatre, rock & jazz tribute shows but mainly performing in the local female powerhouse trio The Backups. Portraying artists such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Alanis Morsett, Pat Benatar and Anne Wilson her range is ever growing. When she’s not onstage you can find her slinging bottles at her boutique wine shoppe, St Joe Wine Shoppe in The Market at 301 Main Street.

Abbie Thomas
Fresh off of her 2023 JMA Artist of the Year award at The Grand Ole Opry, Abbie Thomas is a rising singer songwriter who is gaining international attention and nominations for live performances, lyricism and visual content. Mixing genre-bending arrangements with soulful vocals and hints of Blues, Jazz, and a vibe from the songwriters of the ‘70s, she is currently touring regionally; most recently opening for Clint Black, Laine Hardy, and Girl Named Tom.

Influenced by artists such as Carole King, Lauryn Hill, John Mayer and Ella Fitzgerald, versatility has her playing throughout Midwest USA in acoustic listening rooms to clubs with her full backing band, recently dubbed ‘The Crazy Hearts;’ who were just nominated for a 2023 Hollywood Independent Music Award for Best Live Performance for Thomas’s original, “Try.” You can listen to Thomas's original music on all major streaming platforms.

Watershed Ramblers
Hailing from Chesterton, IN, the Watershed Ramblers consist of core members Alex Gottschlich (guitar/vocals), Ian Soto (mandolin/vocals) and Daniel Cole Dailey (double bass/vocals). The Ramblers, drawn from a diverse group of influences such as Bill Monroe, Tony Rice, The Grateful Dead and Jonathan Davis, are an acoustic outfit that plays a mix of traditional/modern bluegrass, folk/contemporary rock and a slew of original music. Known for fast paced tempos and train-like grooves, the Ramblers bring the energy with their "Dunegrass" style of music, a combination of not-so-traditional music being played in a semi-traditional fashion.

The Watershed Ramblers formed in the fall of 2022 as some friends gathered in the basement of guitarist Alex "Gooch" Gottschlich to explore the world of bluegrass. Over the last year, the Ramblers have honed their craft through countless performances at local venues, music festivals as well as hosting their own events in and out of Northwest Indiana. Their live shows are a celebration of music camaraderie, with each member contributing their expertise to create an immersive experience for the audience. Whether it's a foot-stomping hoedown or a soulful ballad, the Rambler's performances are a journey through the heart and soul of american roots music.

Constantly continuing to evolve and explore new musical territories, the Watershed Ramblers remain true to their roots, drawing inspiration from the rich heritage that has shaped American music for generations. With a passion for storytelling and commitment to preserving traditions of the past, the Ramblers are a musical force to be reckoned with, promising a journey through the heartland with every note they play. Be on the lookout for the first official musical release from the Watershed Ramblers in Spring of 2024!

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

An Evening with Patricia Barber - A Benefit for School of American Music

Friday, Apr. 26 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Jazz impresario Patricia Barber will once again hold the Acorn audience enthralled with her inimitable jazz performance. Fresh off her European tour, Patricia will perform with her band to benefit one of Three Oaks stalwart not-for-profit organizations. The School of American Music provides private lessons as well as all the music education for the River Valley elementary school.

The School of American Music

The School of American Music provides music education, free concerts, community service, and special events year round throughout Harbor Country.
schoolofamericanmusic.com

The Acorn's RESERVED SEATING ticket option includes an additional $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The Acorn is hosting a Community Book Drive in celebration of the life and legacy of Dolly Parton! Bring a book to The Acorn throughout the month of April and receive a Dolly Parton themed gift. Bring a book to The Acorn the night of The Music of Dolly Parton on April 27 for $3 off our specialty drink for the night - the Wine to 5! Books should be new and chosen for children of any age - infants through teens! Books will be distributed to River Valley Schools.

Louisiana Calling with The Sonny Landreth Band and The Iguanas

Saturday, Mar. 30 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

The deep roots tag team of Cajun slide guitar phenom Sonny Landreth and legendary New Orleans Latin-Americana rockers the Iguanas presents a mind-blowing musical trip through the scenic soundscape of the bayou. Still wet from crawling out of the swamps, this cross-pollinated confection will be both savory and sweet.

Louisiana’s calling—here’s your chance to answer.

About the Artists:

Sonny Landreth
Sonny Landreth takes off on a turbocharged Blacktop Run. Acclaimed guitarist’s new album mixes genres and styles across a landscape of lyricism and rootsy grooves.

A percussive burst of acoustic resonator guitar pushes the narrator on a journey “between the life I left and the edge of next” in the title cut of guitarist, songwriter and bandleader Sonny Landreth’s 14th album. As the singer feels the wind at his back, a rising bass line intersects Landreth’s vocalizing to stretch the fingerpicked tune into Far Eastern melodicism.

The south Louisiana artist’s groundbreaking work has long mixed familiarity with experimentation, and his latest 10-song collection stretches from hard-edged electric instrumentals to wistful acoustic ballads. The project’s range is the fruit of a renewed collaboration. Producer RS Field – who helmed Landreth’s trio of breakout albums – joined the six-stringer and co-producer Tony Daigle to finish the record.

“His brilliance and creative energy recharged us,” Landreth said of reuniting with Field. Most of the tracks were recorded live at famed Dockside Studios on the Vermilion River south of Lafayette, La. “We came up with new and better ideas, and that’s what you want,” he added. “It couldn’t have gone better.”

A quartet of instrumentals highlights the expressive power of bassist David Ranson, drummer Brian Brignac and multi-talented keyboardist/songwriter Steve Conn. The sultry, slow zydeco pulse of “Lover Dance With Me” features Landreth trading in his signature glass slide for his guitar’s tremolo arm and a rotating Leslie speaker cabinet. “Mule” follows, with its tailgate rhythm bouncing through a his-and-her tale of unrequited love.

“Groovy Goddess” takes the listener into harder-edged jazz-rock territory, showcasing the slide guitar prowess that has twice landed Landreth on the cover of Guitar Player magazine. “Honestly, I think the purest form of music is improvised,” the bandleader says. “When it flows, it’s exhilarating. It just seems to come out of nowhere and connect your heart and soul to your fingertips.” Blacktop Run comes on the heels of Landreth’s Grammy-nominated double album Recorded Live In Lafayette, which features an acoustic disc and an electric disc. The new record brings both sides together without concern for how the layered tracks might be arranged for the bandstand. “Different approaches can influence one another – and for me, that just makes it more musical, more interesting,” Landreth explains.

The first of two Conn compositions follows with a new arrangement built around a guitar tuning Landreth developed but had not yet used in the studio. “Somebody Gotta Make A Move” also features its composer on Wurlitzer electric piano and Hammond B-3 organ. “I could see this one becoming a blues standard,” Landreth says. “That’s the mark of a great song.”

“Beyond Borders” picks up the pace and features Conn in a role originally envisioned for Carlos Santana. Landreth composed the instrumental for From The Reach, his 2008 release featuring guest artists Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, Vince Gill and others. “It’s complex,” Landreth says, “and now seems tailor-made for Steve.” “Don’t Ask Me,” the second Conn cut, delves into existential mysteries with humor via an acoustic, back porch Delta feel. Brignac played cajón, Ranson played ukulele bass, and Conn stretches out on accordion.

“The Wilds of Wonder” is a cinematic tribute to the brave folks working on the front lines of our planet’s environmental crises. And the shape-shifting instrumental “Many Worlds” builds on the previous number’s rich textures to bring the record to its final cut, “Something Grand,” the first Landreth recording in years without a guitar solo. That last tune, he says, “is a song of redemption. And though it’s between two people in a relationship, it also speaks to life’s larger challenges.”

After two Grammy nominations, multiple appearances at Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival and wide-ranging acclaim from fellow players and fans worldwide, Landreth is looking forward to playing the new material live. He’ll continue mixing electric and acoustic settings onstage, with Daigle bringing the sounds and concepts of the recording studio to venue mixing consoles.

“It’s all about telling the story,” Landreth says, “and as long as I can find my way up that path, I’m all in.” As the songwriter’s narrator sings in the title number of Blacktop Run, “A new day is dawning and I have never felt so alive.”

The Iguanas
A fixture of the New Orleans music scene for over two decades, THE IGUANAS' music is an infectious mix of America's musical heritage - Tejano and Conjunto sounds from the Texas/Mexico border region, as best exemplified by the accordion and bajo sexto, the American South's Blues, Jazz and New Orleans R&B, and the fiery passion of the music of the Caribbean and Mexico. Taking their cues from all of these influences and then some, The Iguanas redefine the notion of Americana, crossing cultures, styles, eras... and even languages. It's as if Rue Bourbon, Muscle Shoals and Plaza de Mexico were all within earshot of each other and The Iguanas were the musical conduit between them. It is not surpising then that the members of The Iguanas have (collectively or individually) played or recorded with everyone from Charlie Rich, Alex Chilton, and Willy DeVille to Emylou Harris, Allen Tousaint, and Pretty Lights.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Great Lake Swimmers

Thursday, Aug. 08 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Featuring a blend of acoustic instruments, rural soundscapes, and wistful vocals, Great Lake Swimmers are a critically acclaimed indie-folk group led by songwriter / vocalist Tony Dekker.

The current touring line-up is Tony Dekker on lead vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica, Erik Arnesen on banjo, electric guitar and harmonium, Ryan Granville-Martin on drums and backing vocals, Bret Higgins on upright bass and Kelsey McNulty on keyboards and backing vocals.

About the Artist

Doubt, followed by discovery. Demos that ended up as finished tracks. New beginnings, rear-view reflections, and ruminations on the fluidity of time: Uncertain Country captures these feelings and so much more.

This celebration, 11-songs long, follows a prolonged period of collective anxiety. Though recorded in different locales—and with a variety of musicians—a theme of questioning runs throughout. Even before the world turned upside down, singer-songwriter Tony Dekker felt mired in uncertainty: from the climate crisis and the ever-changing political landscape to deep shifts within the music industry. The “uncertain country” Dekker chose as the album’s theme is not a specific place. Rather, it’s a territory we, as humans, inhabit in the 21st century — a world that, more often than not, is confusing, unfamiliar and unsettling.

The long journey from there to here started more than three years ago, when Dekker took a 10-day trip to one of his favorite places: the north shore of Lake Superior. A pair of friends and collaborators: Adam CK Vollick (who filmed the experience) and Joe Lapinski (who co-produced Uncertain Country) joined him. On this immersive trip, the songwriter soaked in the beauty of the landscapes and learned the stories of the people who have inhabited them since time immemorial.

The two songs that open Uncertain Country, the title track and “When The Storm Has Passed,” were recorded at the Oddfellows Temple Hall in St. Catharines, Ontario in September 2020. These jubilant sessions, following five months of unease, were a much-needed release for Dekker and his band. Both songs capture the album’s themes of the elasticity of time and processing change.

Making this joyful noise together again set a tone—and direction—for the record. The music morphed from hushed and folky to a more comforting, curated listening experience, acting as a kind of salve. One hears echoes of some of Dekker’s early 1990s influences: propeller-pop and indie lo-fi bands like Teenage Fanclub, Galaxie 500, and Buffalo Tom.

The rest of the songs on Uncertain Country were recorded in other acoustically distinctive locations close to Dekker’s home in the Niagara Region. Locales included the Silver Spire United Church in downtown St. Catharines, Ontario and a pair of buildings in Ball’s Falls Conservation Area in the village of Jordan Station: an old chapel that featured a pump organ and a historic barn on the same property.

Long-time Great Lake Swimmers member, multi-instrumentalist Bret Higgins is featured on many of the songs, as is keyboardist Kelsey McNulty. Guests include newcomers and old friends: the group Minuscule, an all-woman identifying choir based in the Niagara Region, led by choral arranger Laurel Minnes, and JUNO Award-winner Serena Ryder, who sings on a pair of songs: “I Tried to Reach You” and “Swimming Like Flying.”

“Moonlight, Stay Above” epitomizes what Great Lake Swimmers represents. The 10-voice strong choir lifts the lonely-sounding and wistful song up. As with that addition, the band on each album is fluid and always evolving. It always starts and ends with Dekker, but the songs themselves suggest what players and instrumentation might fit best with each new recording and live touring band.

Twenty years since the first self-titled release, Uncertain Country shows a songwriter at the top of his craft with so much more to say. In a time of uncertainty, one thing is certain: the Great Lake Swimmers’ first collection of new songs in five years is worth the wait.

“Dekker’s preoccupation with the Canadian state of mind flourishes in his lyrics. Few songwriters are able to convey the country’s harsh beauty as well. …Canadian folk tradition personified in the 21st century” – Exclaim!

“Dekker has done a masterful job of finding that balance on The Waves, the Wake, which has enough connections to the past to satisfy long-time fans of Great Lake Swimmers even while the singer looks to the future and moves forward as an artist.” – The Georgia Straight “A minimalist, atmospheric compendium of songs with a sonic environment the listener can easily get lost in.” – The Vue “Ambient Zen Americana” – Mojo

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Mississippi Heat with special guest Anne Harris

Friday, Jan. 26 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Tickets for this event will be available beginning Friday, November 24 at 7am ET.

Led by harmonica master and songwriter Pierre Lacocque, Mississippi Heat is a world-class Chicago Blues Band. Their motto is “Traditional Blues With A Unique Sound” as they present fresh yet vintage-based musical ideas.

MISSISSIPPI HEAT’s name is a reflection of Pierre’s reverence for Mississippi’s blues culture and music. The band’s conviction is that there is no deeper music than Delta-inspired blues to express what lies in everyone’s soul. They have received world-wide critical acclaim, including from Living Blues Magazine: “MISSISSIPPI HEAT delivers its traditional urban blues with a freshness, energy and competence that makes them a treasure on today’s Chicago scene.”

About the Artists

Mississippi Heat is known internationally for their passionate blues delivery. Overseas and national touring have been an integral part of their work for decades. The band has appeared at many world-famous festivals including many in the US (like the Pocono’s and the Chicago Blues Festivals), Scandinavia, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Canada, Tunisia, Finland, Venezuela and in Mexico, among many others. Besides a scheduled European tour for 2018, they will also soon perform in Dubai.

Buddy Guy has gone on record saying that it’s “been a long time since I heard a good blues band like this.” And recently the band received this critical acclaim from Bonnie Tallman at the Billtown Blues Festival (Hughesville, PA): “Can’t find enough words to express how blown away everyone was with the Mississippi Heat performance! It was spectacular in every way.” The band has made waves on the blues charts by regularly reaching the #1 spot on Living Blues Magazine’s radio charts.

Special Guest Anne Harris
Anne Harris is an internationally recognized fiddle player and singer-songwriter who has played countless performances in the US and abroad. She has produced six highly lauded records. Her collaborations, live and in-studio, span a large and diverse group of artists including Otis Taylor, Guy Davis, JP Soars, Jason Ricci, Cathy Richardson, Anders Osborne, and hippie legends Jefferson Starship.

Harris scored and stars in ’The Musician,’ a critically acclaimed short indie film by director Mark Schimmel. The film has received over 20 honors on the film festival circuit, including Best Actress from the 2021 Chicago Indie Film Awards.

She has recently embarked on a historic violin commission, becoming the first Black female violinist in the United States, to have a Black female luthier, Amanda Ewing, make her a violin.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Circle Mirror Transformation – A Play by Annie Baker

Friday, Jan. 19 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

The Acorn and Theatre Thirty3 Present Circle Mirror Transformation a play by Annie Baker, centered on drama classes at a community center in Vermont. The play opened Off-Broadway in 2009 and received the Obie Award for Best New American Play.

• Thursday, January 18 – 7pm ET
• Friday, January 19 – 7pm ET
• Saturday, January 20 – 2pm ET

In the small town of Shirley, Vermont, five strangers gather in a dance studio to embark on a unique journey together in a creative drama class for adults. Taught by Marty, their free-spirited and supportive leader, the group -- Schultz, a recently divorced, emotionally vulnerable carpenter, Teresa, an earnest and vibrant former actress, James, Marty’s quiet and genial husband, and Lauren, a reserved and self-conscious high schooler -- move through a series of acting exercises, ranging from the heartbreaking to the ridiculous. In this one small room, through these few seemingly trivial games, quiet wars are waged, emotional wounds are nursed, and healing is finally, slowly, able to begin. In Annie Baker’s quiet masterpiece, Circle Mirror Transformation, the audience takes a transcendent journey through the mundane into the profound.

The Cast: Circle Mirror Transformation is presented by Peter Carey, Alyssia Rogers, Jeannine Thompson, Justin Gnagi and Ashley Croft.

From Director Dennis North:

Theatre is a journey of self-discovery and an affirmation of self-worth. An understanding of theatre helps us understand what it means to be human. Helps us see the light in others. Theatre asks for and offers intimacy and a brave sense of participation. It helps us find our tribe.

Annie’s play puts us in the middle of that world. Over a 6 week acting class, 5 souls move through a series of acting exercises ranging from heartbreaking to ridiculous. They search, connect, explore, examine, and push themselves to step out of the comfort zone and enter the dangerous world of “truth.” Circle Mirror Transformation takes these characters - and the audience - on a transcendent journey through the simple, into the profound.

A Note About Seating for Circle Mirror Transformation:

• All seats for Circle Mirror Transformation are assigned in Preferred Seating, either Stadium section or Floor section. Seating is limited at each performance.
• Please select the section and our staff will seat your party together for the show.
• To be sure you're seated before the show begins, please arrive at the theater at least fifteen minutes prior to showtime.

Circle Mirror Transformation – A Play by Annie Baker

Thursday, Jan. 18 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

The Acorn and Theatre Thirty3 Present Circle Mirror Transformation a play by Annie Baker, centered on drama classes at a community center in Vermont. The play opened Off-Broadway in 2009 and received the Obie Award for Best New American Play.

• Thursday, January 18 – 7pm ET
• Friday, January 19 – 7pm ET
• Saturday, January 20 – 2pm ET

In the small town of Shirley, Vermont, five strangers gather in a dance studio to embark on a unique journey together in a creative drama class for adults. Taught by Marty, their free-spirited and supportive leader, the group -- Schultz, a recently divorced, emotionally vulnerable carpenter, Teresa, an earnest and vibrant former actress, James, Marty’s quiet and genial husband, and Lauren, a reserved and self-conscious high schooler -- move through a series of acting exercises, ranging from the heartbreaking to the ridiculous. In this one small room, through these few seemingly trivial games, quiet wars are waged, emotional wounds are nursed, and healing is finally, slowly, able to begin. In Annie Baker’s quiet masterpiece, Circle Mirror Transformation, the audience takes a transcendent journey through the mundane into the profound.

The Cast: Circle Mirror Transformation is presented by Peter Carey, Alyssia Rogers, Jeannine Thompson, Justin Gnagi and Ashley Croft.

From Director Dennis North:

Theatre is a journey of self-discovery and an affirmation of self-worth. An understanding of theatre helps us understand what it means to be human. Helps us see the light in others. Theatre asks for and offers intimacy and a brave sense of participation. It helps us find our tribe.

Annie’s play puts us in the middle of that world. Over a 6 week acting class, 5 souls move through a series of acting exercises ranging from heartbreaking to ridiculous. They search, connect, explore, examine, and push themselves to step out of the comfort zone and enter the dangerous world of “truth.” Circle Mirror Transformation takes these characters - and the audience - on a transcendent journey through the simple, into the profound.

A Note About Seating for Circle Mirror Transformation:

• All seats for Circle Mirror Transformation are assigned in Preferred Seating, either Stadium section or Floor section. Seating is limited at each performance.
• Please select the section and our staff will seat your party together for the show.
• To be sure you're seated before the show begins, please arrive at the theater at least fifteen minutes prior to showtime.

The Fortunate Sons: A Tribute To Creedence Clearwater Revival

Saturday, Apr. 13 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

The Fortunate Sons are the world's greatest tribute to America's greatest band: Creedence Clearwater Revival.

About the Artist:

Based in Chicago, The Fortunate Sons tours nationally and internationally to keep the tradition of CCR's timeless music alive. Using original vintage gear and instruments, accurate costumes, and spot-on musical ability, The Fortunate Sons instantly conjure up the full experience of seeing Creedence in their prime.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The Acorn is hosting a Community Book Drive in celebration of the life and legacy of Dolly Parton! Bring a book to The Acorn throughout the month of April and receive a Dolly Parton themed gift. Bring a book to The Acorn the night of The Music of Dolly Parton on April 27 for $3 off our specialty drink for the night - the Wine to 5! Books should be new and chosen for children of any age - infants through teens! Books will be distributed to River Valley Schools.