April 2022
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Inspired by her mother’s love of music, she started singing, performing at local joints. “After my mother passed away, the thing that really stood out to me was to do something that you like before you leave this life." Although never intending it to be a career, it quickly became one.
Working her way through the Midwest bar scene, Mack built a reputation as a powerhouse blues singer getting national recognition at some of North America’s top festivals, including The John Coltrane Jazz Festival, Thunder Bay Music Festival, Twin Cities Jazz Festival and the Bayfront Blues Festival for 6 years running. In addition to playing some of the top blues and jazz clubs like Buddy Guy’s Legends (Chicago) and The Dakota (Minneapolis), Mack has recently garnered the attention of indie rock tastemakers like The Current, landing her gigs at prestigious performing arts centers and rock venues like First Avenue--the iconic club where Prince filmed Purple Rain. She has shared the bill with such wide-ranging artists as Dessa (hip hop), Ondara (folk), Cloud Cult (indie rock) and blues legend Robert Cray. She is featured in the book 50 Women in the Blues, alongside Bessie Smith, Bonnie Raitt, Mavis Staples, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Ruthie Foster and Janis Joplin.
In 2013, Mack released her debut album Baptized in the Blues, which put her on the blues map and established her as a powerhouse performer and singer. After keeping up a rigorous touring schedule, she took time off to record her 2017 EP Tell It Like It Is--a more personal collection of songs about recovery and healing that showcased her serious songwriting chops. Now, with the release of her new recording Testify (2021) she solidifies her position as a top-tier singer, songwriter and producer who has found her musical home, performing her own unique blend of blues, country, rock and soul. The release finds her confident and comfortable, owning her place as a rising star in the roots music scene.
The popular CenterStage Minnesota Concert Series is back! This collaboration between The Reif and Northern Community Radio Kaxe/Kbxe has brought incredible acts to Grand Rapids. Every show offers stunning talents from around Minnesota in the intimate Ives Studio Theater.
Enjoy!
All tickets are final sale and cannot be exchanged or refunded. In the case of an event cancellation without a rescheduled date, a refund will be issued. By purchasing a ticket to this event, you agree to this purchase policy. Before purchasing your tickets, we urge you to confirm the title, time and location of the event.
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Monroe Crossing dazzles audiences with an electrifying blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, original bluegrass and even selections outside the bluegrass genre. Their superb musicianship and on-stage rapport have entertained audiences across the United States, Canada and Europe. For nearly 20 years this Minnesota based band has averaged over 100 shows a year performing in intimate rooms, community theaters, major venues and outdoor festivals. They are favorites among bluegrass connoisseurs and non-bluegrass audiences alike. Concert also features opener “Figuring It Out” of Bemidji, MN.
All tickets are final sale and cannot be exchanged or refunded. In the case of an event cancellation without a rescheduled date, a refund will be issued. By purchasing a ticket to this event, you agree to this purchase policy. Before purchasing your tickets, we urge you to confirm the title, time and location of the event.
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Concert with Sam Miltich & The Clearwater Hot Club
Ukraine Fundraiser
Children are the least responsible for the war in Ukraine, but they suffer the most from its consequences. Your ticket purchase and/or donation will help ensure that Ukraine's children have access to safe water, nutrition, health care, education and protection. 100% of the net proceeds of this event will be channeled through UNICEF to help the children of Ukraine, and less than 3% of funds will go toward administrative costs.
Sam Miltich and his band, The Clearwater Hot Club, have generously offered their time and musical talents at no charge which will allow the Reif to provide even more support to UNICEF for their “Protect the Children of Ukraine” initiative. Sam stated that he "will put some Ukrainian songs in our repertoire as well as some originals, some other Eastern European songs, and good old happy hot club swing music." The night will feature select food/beverage options available for purchase, a silent auction starting at 5:00pm, pre-show lobby music, and starting at 7pm we will feature some amazing music in our Wilcox Theater that is both inspiring and reflective as we honor those most afflicted by this senseless war on Ukraine.
How can I help?
- Buy a ticket. Advanced tickets available from this page. Alternatively, you can pay at the door, but please arrive early to avoid long lines. All seats and ages, just $10.00.
- Silent auction. Bid on a variety of items in our lobby before the 7pm show and at intermission (winning bidders can bring items home directly after the show). 100% of proceeds will go directly to the fundraiser. Have an item to donate for the auction? Contact the Reif or drop off items between 8:30am and 5:00pm, M-F, now through April 15.
- Donate. Whether you can or cannot attend the event, you can still give directly to this cause. Donations (checks to Reif Center, memo ‘Ukraine’) can be dropped off at the McMahon Box Office at The Reif (M-F between 8:30am-5:00pm), mailed to The Reif (720 NW Conifer Drive, Grand Rapids), or given online at reifcenter.org/donate (select UKRAINE FUND).
Contact the GRHS Activites Department for ticket information. 218.327.5765
May 2022
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Blockbuster hit musical tackles Glensheen murder mystery with wicked dialogue and evocative music
An heiress, kind and generous, is found dead in her bed. Her night nurse, lying lifeless on the staircase. A robbery? A clumsy break-in? A conspiracy? A scandal! Witness this dark musical that tackles the tale with wicked dialogue and evocative music. Writer Jeffrey Hatcher and composer Chan Poling “pulled off a spectacular feat with a shamelessly witty script and score (Star Tribune).”
On June 27, 1977, heiress Elisabeth Congdon was found dead in her bedroom in the Glensheen mansion, smothered with a silk pillow. Outside her room, the night nurse, Velma Pietila had been violently beaten to death with a candlestick by an intruder. Marjorie Caldwell, one of Elisabeth’s adopted daughter’s husband, Roger Caldwell, was arrested for the murder and sentenced to prison. What would follow, would become the most talked about murder case in the history of Minnesota. Many books have been written about this event, and the play deals accurately with the history – but more than a book or a newspaper account, Glensheen: The Musical explores human behavior, comments on law enforcement and the justice system, while recognizing that two human lives were taken on the summer night in 1977.
“What a story!” exclaimed History Theatre Artistic Director Ron Peluso. “Minnesotans are truly intrigued by these bizarre and tragic murders, the long and public trial and a justice system filled with shortcomings. Jeffrey Hatcher and Chan Poling created a compassionate, satirical and entertaining work that took the Twin Cities by storm.”
Jeffrey Hatcher, who penned the critically-acclaimed History Theatre play, A Piece of the Rope (1999-2000), was attracted to the murder mystery aspects of the gruesome tale. It was Hatcher’s wife who shared the story of the brooding mansion, the staircase, the candlestick, the pillowcase, a matriarch, a will, a twisty murder plot and an unending number of unexpected turn of events. A huge fan of the inverted mystery and a writer of Columbo, something Peter Falk told Hatcher resonated with the Glensheen case, “The audience likes to watch the rich, sophisticated, well-dressed murdered with his expensive handcrafted shoes trip up.”
“Glensheen is like an episode of Columbo that has been cast by the Coen brothers. Marjorie and Roger are desperate characters, not so far removed from the world of Fargo,” describes Hatcher. “The play is based on fact, but we play in the realm of fiction. Unlike most plays and films and television series that purport to be fact-based or “inspired by” real life events, we don’t try to confuse the audience and make them think that what we’re telling them is exactly what happened. In Glensheen, by the time the show is over, you’ll know what was true, what was false and what questions remain.”
Writing the music for Glensheen challenged and inspired Poling in surprising ways, starting with the very concept of telling this “crazy” story through music. He credits Hatcher for the idea. “Maybe he sensed a melancholic and humorous vein in my music. I immediately got the dark humor and beauty of it. And we both grasped the real human tragedy of it which adds real baseline emotion and immediacy to the work.”
Artist biographies
Jeffrey Hatcher (playwright)
Hatcher’s plays have been produced on Broadway, off-Broadway and at hundreds of theaters throughout the United States and abroad. History Theater audiences have seen ALL THE WAY WITH LBJ, A PIECE OF THE ROPE, TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE (with Mitch Albom), and the Ivey Award-winning TYRONE AND RALPH. He has written the films “Stage Beauty,” “Casanova,” “The Duchess,” and “Mr. Holmes.” For television he has written for “Columbo” and “The Mentalist.” He is a core member of The Playwrights Center.
Chan Poling (Composer/lyrics)
Poling is a Minnesota based pop songwriter and performer, and composer of theatrical and film scores. His alternative rock band, The Suburbs, voted among the "100 Most Influential Minnesota Musical Entities of the Twentieth Century" by The Mpls Star Tribune, became a touchstone of the “Minneapolis Sound” in the 1980s. His other group, The New Standards, produces the highly popular The New Standards Holiday Show in theaters and for TV. Among many honors for his work, including an Emmy and a Cine Golden Eagle for his film scores, the Minnesota Music Awards recognized Chan with their lifetime “POP” (Perpetually Outstanding Performer) Award. His work for theater includes “1789”, “Cyrano”, “The Nightingale”, and “Children of Paradise” (Yale Rep, La Jolla Playhouse) for Theatre de la Jeune Lune, & “Heaven” (Winner: Sage Cowles Award) directed by Joe Chvala at the Guthrie Theater. Mr. Poling has another musical-comedy in development, “A Night In Olympus”, also written with Jeffrey Hatcher.
All tickets are final sale and cannot be exchanged or refunded. In the case of an event cancellation without a rescheduled date, a refund will be issued. By purchasing a ticket to this event, you agree to this purchase policy. Before purchasing your tickets, we urge you to confirm the title, time and location of the event.
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Tickets Available at the Door
Saturday, May 21 starting at 6pm.
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Itasca Symphony Orchestra
Celebrates 30 years with conductor Keith Swanson
The concert will be a celebration and a showcase of Keith Swanson’s career. Swanson will be retiring after 30 years conducting the Itasca Symphony Orchestra. For his final concert he chosen pieces are particularly beloved to him and reflective of the best performances of our community orchestra. The concert will present soloists Bill Bastian and Alexander Sandor who have a long history of performing with Keith, in addition to cellist Magdalena Sas who is new to the Itasca Symphony Orchestra.
This concert program includes audience favorites and highlights of the past 30 years, both as reminiscence and nostalgia as well as hope for the future. The concert will feature:
Concert Program:
Les preludes by Franz Liszt
O Sole Mio by Eduardo di Capua with soloist tenor Bill Bastian
Piano Concerto 9 (movement III) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with piano soloist Alexander Sandor
Light Cavalry Overture by Franz Von Suppe
Cowboys Overture by John Williams
Soundtrack Highlights by John Williams
June 2022
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All-vocal Country entertainers Home Free have made their mark on the music scene, racking up nearly 600,000 album equivalents globally; embarking on major international tours; amassing 500+ MILLION views and over 1.3-MILLION Subscribers on YouTube; and being declared “Country music fans’ favorite a cappella group” (Taste of Country).
The band will be bringing new music from an unnamed recording project, that should be released in late summer. The acclaimed group lit up the 2021 holiday season by hitting the road on their Warmest Winter Holiday Tour – showcasing songs off their most recent studio album, WARMEST WINTER (2020, Home Free Records), which features 12 festive staples, memorable collaborations and Home Free originals – all guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit. This new project follows the acclaimed group’s DIVE BAR SAINTS album, which arrived at #2 on the Billboard Country Album Sales chart. Home Free's extensive catalog spotlights six Top 10 albums, including TIMELESS, FULL OF (EVEN MORE) CHEER, FULL OF CHEER, COUNTRY EVOLUTION, and their breakout debut CRAZY LIFE (2014).
With praise rolling in from the likes of Billboard, Rolling Stone, FOX & Friends and American Songwriter the extraordinary showmen have continued to build a loyal fanbase with their harmony-laden versions of hits by John Mayer, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Maren Morris, the Oak Ridge Boys, and more.
Join us for a perfect evening of mixed of upbeat Nashville-dipped pop hits, country and western standards, incredible harmony and quick witted humor.
Outdoors (covered) under the Jerry and Shirley Miner Family Pavilion at the IRA Civic Center
- Chairs are provided
- Rain or shine
- No outside food/drink
- Beer/Seltzer options available
- Designated smoking areas
- FREE PARKING!
This event is not eligible for any discounts.
All tickets are final sale and cannot be exchanged or refunded. In the case of an event cancellation without a rescheduled date, a refund will be issued. By purchasing a ticket to this event, you agree to this purchase policy. Before purchasing your tickets, we urge you to confirm the title, time and location of the event.
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The Reif Dance spring production is a favorite tradition for families in our community. This year, as we celebrate over 30 years of Reif Dance, we are reviving an old favorite from the Reif Dance repertoire. The Twelve Dancing Princesses tells the story of twelve sisters who love to dance. Each night they dance through their shoes after the castle has gone to sleep. Their loving father is determined to discover where they disappear to each night. This enchanting tale is told through ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance, with exciting music and beautiful costumes.
All tickets are final sale and cannot be exchanged or refunded. In the case of an event cancellation without a rescheduled date, a refund will be issued. By purchasing a ticket to this event, you agree to this purchase policy. Before purchasing your tickets, we urge you to confirm the title, time and location of the event.
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The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition
All tickets are final sale and cannot be exchanged or refunded. In the case of an event cancellation without a rescheduled date, a refund will be issued. By purchasing a ticket to this event, you agree to this purchase policy. Before purchasing your tickets, we urge you to confirm the title, time and location of the event.
July 2022
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Resurrection - A Journey Tribute, considered to be ‘The Gold Standard’ by which all Journey tributes are measured, faithfully recreates the experience of a 1980’s Journey concert. This dynamic and compelling band has featured some of Nashville’s hottest musicians who have performed, written, and recorded with the biggest names in the music industry - including Journey and Steve Perry. Every show is a brilliant reproduction of sights and sounds that captivate and transport audiences to the glorious age of arena rock. Fans across the country, including Steve Perry and Journey purists, rave that Resurrection - A Journey Tribute is THE Journey experience!
Concert also features opener "The Northwoods Band" of Duluth, MN at 6pm.
Outdoors under the Jerry and Shirley Miner Family Pavilion at the IRA Civic Center.
- BRING A CHAIR
- Gates @5pm, Opener @ 6pm
- Resurrection @ 7pm
- Rain or shine (covered venue)
- Brats/Hot dogs available
- Beer/Seltzer available
- Popcorn, Soda, Snacks
- FREE PARKING!
All tickets are final sale and cannot be exchanged or refunded. In the case of an event cancellation without a rescheduled date, a refund will be issued. By purchasing a ticket to this event, you agree to this purchase policy. Before purchasing your tickets, we urge you to confirm the title, time and location of the event.