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2008 Dates
Schedule subject to change.
Dates are continually added.
Watch this page for the latest information on tour dates.
Please contact the individual venues to purchase tickets.
Aug. 21-Sept. 1
Minnesota State Fair
Old Minnesota
State Fair Site
Sept. 12
Oconto Falls, WI
Wild Woods & Waters
920-848-7469
Sept. 13
Merrill, WI
Best of the Big Top
715-536-5594
Sept. 26
Mankato, MN
Old Minnesota
507-387-1008
September 27-28
Red Wing, MN
Sheldon Theatre
Old Minnesota
Sept. 30
Glenwood, MN
Old Minnesota
320-634-0400
Oct. 3-5
Bayfield, WI
Apple
fest
Oct. 12
Webster-Siren, WI
Wild Woods & Waters
Oct. 16
Hudson, WI
Wild Woods & Waters
715-386-8411
Oct. 17
West Salem, WI
30th Star
Oct. 24
Madelia/St. James
Old Minnesota
507-642-3247
Oct 25-27
Blue Earth, MN
Old Minnesota
November 1
N. Mankato
Warren Nelson
Nov. 13-14
Madison, WI
Wild Woods & Waters
November 20
Sauk Centre
Old Minnesota
Feb. 28, 2009
Madeline Island
Bring
Big Top
to Your Community
For information about bringing a Big Top Chautauqua show to your community,
call Terry Meyer
at 715-373-5552 or email her at
terry@bigtop.org.
Often we will perform student shows during the day and public concerts in the evening.
Our shows work best in venues with capacities of 500-1,000 seats.
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"This [Old Minnesota] is one of the best shows we've ever had at the Paramount!"
Scott Anderson, Paramount Theatre Executive Director
Austin, MN
- March 10, 2006
"We are huge fans of the Big Top and attended
the Winter Follies in Ironwood. We consider the joy and entertainment we've
experienced through the years from this incredibly talented group one of the
finest blessings in our lives."
Dixie Zastrow, President Tomahawk Area Historical
Society
January 3, 2008
 When it’s time to pull up the tent stakes and roll up the canvas in the fall, the Big Top Chautauqua performers and crew hit the road to bring our original shows to performing arts centers and schools throughout the Midwest. Our Chautauqua Original Musicals capture the essence of living in the Midwest through original music, stories and large-screen historic images, with songs about the Great Lakes, the people and the land. We always enjoy going on the road to share the stories, songs and images of the places we call home. We hope to see you in your community!
 Below
is information about the various shows we are currently traveling with. Dates are continually added to our touring schedule so check back for the most up-to-date listing. Please contact individual theaters directly for tickets and information unless otherwise noted.
We are especially pleased to note that Big Top Chautauqua
is THE touring
show for the Minnesota Sesquicentennial in 2008. Look for
a performance in a town near you
or call to book us.
SHOWS AVAILABLE FOR
TOURING
Old Minnesota: Song of the North Star
Best of the Big Top
Blue Canvas Orchestra in Concert
Wild Woods & Waters
Riverpants
30th Star
Old Minnesota: Song of the North Star
Hear what Minnesota was all about in its early history in the newest musical theatre production by famed Midwest composer/historian/poet and founder of Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, Warren Nelson. Old Minnesota: Song of the North Star is an original, musical, and historical hike through the old ways of the Gopher State. Travel back down the river of time with Warren and the Big Top Chautauqua Orchestra to see and hear what Minnesota was all about in its early history. The show portrays in story, song and large-screen vintage visuals the lives, ambitions and accomplishments of Minnesota’s Native inhabitants, European settlers and their descendants, reminding us of how far we’ve come and how much we’ve left behind.
Download
Old Minnesota Press Kit PDF
Best of the Big Top
Best of the Big Top showcases a selection of Warren Nelson’s songs from Chautauqua’s Original Musicals created by the Nelson/Ferris Concert Company and the Sioux River Song Farm. These shows feature original songs and large-screen images of the Great Lakes, the Native peoples, the pioneers, the lighthouses and their keepers, shipping and shipwrecks, logging and farming, and the natural beauty of the land. These musicals keep the stories alive, remind us of who we are, how far we've come, and what we've left behind. The second half of the show features individual members of the Blue Canvas Orchestra performing original favorites.
Blue Canvas Orchestra in Concert
The Blue Canvas Orchestra is the heart and soul of Big Top Chautauqua. These professional musicians present a well-seasoned blend of bluegrass, folk and blues--more than ready for prime time after appearing on the Big Top stage for 19 years. Warren Nelson and the gang combine professional musicianship with humor and a spirited rapport with live audiences. Beautifully blended vocal harmonies are smoothly blended with exceptionally precise and exciting instrumentals. Voted “Best Folk Musician” by Wisconsin Trails Magazine, Warren Nelson is among the most talented and prolific singer, songwriter, poet and historians around today. His diverse melodies range in force from spirited Cajun-style tunes to touching and richly emotional ballads. Together with his Blue Canvas Orchestra partners, Nelson has entertained hundreds of live audiences over the past two decades.
Wild Woods & Waters
Warren Nelson leads the Blue Canvas Orchestra in an illuminated concert celebrating the wild side of
our waters and landscapes. From the rivers to the Great Lakes, and from the wetlands to the forests, this show features the stories and songs of our greatest natural resources. It is a celebration of these resources and a call to good stewardship to keep them safe for our children’s children. A simply beautiful show!
Download
Wild Woods & Waters Press Kit PDF
Riverpants
If you’re “fishing” for a good time and want to “reel” with “lunker” laughs,
come see this popular musical comedy revue created and guided by Anglin’ Wayne
(a.k.a. Warren Nelson) and featuring a “cast” of Big Top players known as The
Trollers, who work for “scale”. Anglin’ Wayne, well loved by his “piers”, says,
“Yes, there’s Irish dancing in Riverpants and I guarantee you’ll bag your limit
of laughs or your tackle back!”
Download
Riverpants Press Kit PDF
30th Star
30th Star is a songwitness account celebrating 150 years of Wisconsin statehood. The show recalls the era when immigrant families searched for opportunity in the Wisconsin wilds. Audience members will also hear voyageurs who witnessed the transformation of this land and much more. These tales are told through songs, storytelling, and hundreds of historic photographs drawn from archives and collections across the state. |
