Artists Lounge, Pink Floyd, a Munster Mustangs benefit, Creole, Switchback, comedy, and more come to Munster in 2019
information provided by Big Splash PR
MUNSTER, Ind. (November 2018) – Theatre at the Center has confirmed the Special Events lineup for its 2019 Season. Among the announced concerts are tribute performances from the acclaimed Michael Ingersoll’s Artists Lounge Live series. The 2019 Special Events line-up includes:
- In April: Lean on Me: The Brotherhood of Rock and Roll, starring former “Jersey Boys” Michael Ingersoll and Christopher Kale Jones
- In June: Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul stars Chicago’s “Dreamgirl” Donica Lynn, who won audience and critical acclaim in TATC’s fall run of Ghost The Musical.
- In August: Karen Carpenter: We’ve Only Just Begun features leading lady Heidi Kettenring from Broadway’s Wicked.
- In October: Brandon Bennett, from the multi-year run of Million Dollar Quartet at Chicago’s Apollo Theater, will star in Elvis: My Way
An Artists Lounge Live four-show package is available for $135.*
The Artists Lounge shows are mingled in with a variety of other stage offerings in 2019, as described below. Richard Friedman, general manager at Theatre at the Center, says the line-up has been expanded in response to the positive feedback received from Theatre at the Center audiences to the 2018 line-up.
2019 Special Events (clip and save)
Ralph’s World (January 5, 11:00am)
The mega-fun musical planet where kids rock and dance to their own and their parents’ delight. Ralph’s Word is the creation of Ralph Covert, Indie rocker, songwriter, playwright, and children’s book author. His “McCartneyesque” style has won him hundreds of thousands of “3-ft-and-under” fans and their parents.
- Tickets: Adults $20; Students $10
Echoes of Pompeii (January 12, 7:30pm)
This sensory spectacle leaves audiences speechless as music and lighting become one. According to fans, Echoes of Pompeii is “the best non-touring Floyd Tribute you will ever hear.” Based in Gary, Indiana, this 10-piece band covers nearly 50 years of Pink Floyd music.
- Tickets: Adults $30; Subscribers $28
- “Two-show package” available: When you purchase a ticket to this event and also Kashmir, the price for both shows is $50.
Munster’s Got Talent (January 16, 7:30pm)
This Munster community event benefits the Munster High School Marching Mustangs and their quest for new uniforms and instruments. Munster students take center stage in the spotlight, showcasing a variety of talents competing to be crowned this year’s champion.
- Tickets: VIP $30 (Row A Seating); Adults $20; Students aged 3–18 $15
Kashmir (January 19, 7:30pm)
The group recreates the experience of a Led Zeppelin show, utilizing authentic vintage stage gear, costumes, and special effects with great attention to detail. Kashmir concerts are a true sensory experience with a sophisticated laser light show, similar to those of the Led Zeppelin era.
- Tickets: Adults $30; Subscribers $28
- “Two-show package” available: When you purchase a ticket to this event and also Echoes of Pompeii, the price for both shows is $50.
Love Letters, starring Phil Potempa and Crista Zivanovic (February 3, 2:30pm)
Join Post-Tribune Columnist Phil Potempa, paired with NWI Times Features Editor Crista Zivanovic, for this one-afternoon-only charity performance to raise money for Theatre at the Center. Love Letters by A.R. Gurney is touching, funny, and tragic—all in the same stage story. The story is composed of letters exchanged over a lifetime between two intertwined lives with a shared history and trusted confidences as they look to their futures.
- Tickets: Adults $25; Subscribers $20, with Champagne Sunday Brunch available for $24 plus tax
Creole Stomp: MARDI GRAS! (March 5, 7:00pm)
Creole Stomp has captured the ears and the feet of Louisiana music fans across North America, including a roof-raising debut performance at Theatre at the Center in 2018. Led by French-speaking Creole fiddler and accordionist Dennis Stroughmatt, Creole Stomp returns in 2019 for one exclusive performance on Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday.
- Tickets: Adults $30; Subscribers $25; Students $15; VIP $85 (includes show, dinner, drink ticket, and t-shirt)
Switchback (March 10, 7:00pm)
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early with internationally renowned Switchback and the musical partnership of Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack. Their amazing blend of American roots and Celtic soul leaves everyone feeling the luck of the Irish with the added excitement of talented Irish step dancers for the stage celebration.
- Dinner Tickets: Traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner $21 plus tax; Cash Bar Available
- Switchback Tickets: Adults $30; Subscribers $25; Students $15 (Group rates: call 219-836-3258)
The Berenstain Bears Live! (March 30 at 10:00am, 12:00pm, and 2:00pm)
Stan and Jan Berenstain originally published The Berenstain Bears in 1974 and have gone on to produce more than 300 books, three animated television series, an upcoming feature-length movie, and a brand new musical. The Berenstain Bears Live, the Musical is an adaptation of three of the Berenstain Bears books.
- Tickets: Adults $20; Students $10
Lean on Me: The Brotherhood of Rock and Roll (April 6, 3:00pm and 7:30pm)*
Part of the Artists Lounge Live Series, former “Jersey Boys” Michael Ingersoll and Christopher Kale Jones from the popular group Under the Streetlamp team up for a nostalgic musical stage journey highlighting all of the song favorites from the 1950s and 1960s.
- Tickets: Adults $45; Subscribers $40; only $33.75 when purchased as part of the four-show package*
Purdue Varsity Glee Club (May 7, 2:00pm and 7:30pm)
An annual favorite of TATC audiences, this dynamic musical troupe performs a versatile repertoire that includes gospel, vocal jazz, swing, contemporary hits, romantic ballads, classical choral selections, barbershop, folk melodies, patriotic standards, familiar opera choruses, and novelty tunes. It’s a delightful event is filled with pitch perfect harmonies and warm renditions of your favorite songs.
- Tickets: $40; Lunch $21 plus tax; Dinner $30 plus tax; For group rates, call 219-836-3258
Switchback Americana (June 9, 6:00pm)
Duo Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack perform an amalgam of roots music formed by varied traditions. Songs about dryland farming, twisters, and the flooding along the Mississippi are interspersed with tunes about lonely truckers, working families, soldiers, and even a late night romance in the hay barn. FitzGerald and McCormack play mandolin, acoustic guitar, and bass along with their incredibly smooth blending of voices.
- Tickets: Adults $20; Subscribers $15; Students $10; Dinner (4:30pm) $20 plus tax, or $12 plus tax for 12 and under
Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul (June 15, 3:00pm and 7:30pm)*
Chicago’s “Dreamgirl” Donica Lynn stars in an awe-inspiring homage to the legendary Aretha Franklin. Lynn earned critical acclaim, as well as a Chicago Jeff Award, for her heart-wrenching performance in Dreamgirls. The Chicago Tribune named her among Chicagoans of the Year, saying, “Lynn has stepped up to Chicago stardom.”
- Tickets: Adults $45; Subscribers $40; Students $20; or only $33.75 when purchased as part of the four-show package*
Master Magician Dennis Watkins (June 23, 2:30pm)
Watkins, an award-winning and third-generation magician, works around the globe to bring magic to the masses. Time Out magazine reveres him as “Astonishing.”
- Tickets: Adults $30; Subscribers $25; Students $15; Group rates available by calling 219-836-3258
We’ve Only Just Begun: Heidi Kettenring sings Karen Carpenter (August 24, 3:00pm and 7:30pm)*
Chicago’s favorite leading lady from Broadway’s Wicked honors the legendary Karen Carpenter, lending her signature warmth to beloved Carpenter classics. Songs include “Close to You,” “Superstar,” and many more.
- Tickets: Adults $45; Subscribers $40; Students $20; or only $33.75 when purchased as part of the four-show package*
Elvis: My Way (October 26, 3:00pm and 7:30pm)*
The electrifying Brandon Bennett (who played Elvis in Chicago in Million Dollar Quartet) delivers a spine-tingling Elvis tribute that is fresh, powerful, and right on time. With his pure-bred southern charm, powerful voice, and scandalous moves, Bennett was named the “Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist” by Elvis Presley Enterprises at Graceland.
- Tickets: Adults $45; Subscribers $40; Students $20; or only $33.75 when purchased as part of the four-show package*
From the Farm with Phil Potempa HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR (October 27, 2:30pm)
Join columnist and published cookbook author Phil Potempa for a frighteningly fantastic feast of fun and surprises as he recreates on stage the charm and traditions of the family farm kitchen he writes about each week in his popular “From the Farm” newspaper column. Phil, joined by family members and the special guests readers have come to know from his writing, will prepare seven courses of favorite recipes, with time to spare for prizes and giveaways, all in a two-hour whirlwind of entertaining and appetizing down-home hospitality.
- Tickets: Adults $30; Subscribers $25; add the Sunday Champagne Brunch for $24
Season’s Greetings featuring The Four C Notes (December 28, 3:00pm)
For the first time, The Four C Notes step on the TATC stage to perform Holiday Favorites. The Frankie Valli-inspired group celebrated New Year’s Eve at TATC in 2017 and is ready to dazzle holiday audiences again.
- Tickets: Adults $40; Subscribers $35; Students $20
Motown & More (December 31, 6:00pm and 10:00pm)
Ring in 2020 with the sounds of Motown & More by Sheryl Youngblood. Youngblood has been seen at TATC in The Signal and will be bringing even more Motown to Munster with her band for this special one-night event. Take a trip down memory lane as the band performs favorite Motown hits and other favorites throughout the evening to start 2020 with a bang.
- Tickets: Adults $45; Subscribers $40; Students $20 (6:00pm performance only); Dinner Buffet Options Available for $30.00 plus tax in addition to ticket price. Cash Bar Available. Group rates available by calling 219-836-3258.
*The Artists Lounge Live four-show package is available for $135, and it includes:
2019 Comedy Nights
“Over the past five years we’ve been striving to increase our programming based on the wants and needs of our audience,” said TATC Special Events Coordinator Vita Ayala. “We’ve been listening to suggestions ranging from the new and edgy to the traditional, tried-and- true, and we believe we’ve been able to provide a great mix of shows for audiences of various ages, backgrounds, and interests in 2019.”
The 2019 dates for the CVPA Comedy Nights are the following Fridays:
- January 18
- February 8
- April 5
- June 14
- September 6
- October 25
Doors open at 6:30pm. Dinner Buffet is from 7:00–8:00pm. Comedy Show starts at 8:00pm.
Tickets are $45 per person Dinner & Show; $27 per person Show Only. Purchase the entire Comedy Night Show Series only for $135, or $125 for Subscribers.
Ticket information
To purchase individual tickets, call the Theatre at the Center Box Office at 219-836-3255 or Tickets.com at 800-511-1552. Group discounts are available for groups of 11 or more by calling 219-836-3258.
About Theatre at the Center
Founded in 1991, the 410-seat Theatre at the Center is a year-round professional theater at its home in The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. Theatre at the Center is the only professional theater company in Northwest Indiana, offering downtown-caliber performances in an accessible venue with plenty of free parking.
