Season Events

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Nicolet Live!
2012-2013 Season

Click on the links below to see events by month or
scroll down to view entire season.

2012  September | October | November | December
2013  January | February | March | May | June

Bill Miller

Saturday, September 8 at 7:30 pm
Admission: $15
Buy Tickets Online

Singer-songwriter and flutist Bill “Bird Song” Miller's illustrious recording career includes landmark albums such as Loon, Mountain and Moon, The Red Road and Reservation Road Live. Recently he's produced albums that blend Native American and western/folk and blues traditions, rendering a new sound that has earned him wide acclaim and a Grammy. He's written songs with the likes of Nancy Griffith, Peter Rowan and Kim Carnes and shared the stage with numerous national recording artists, including Eddie Vedder, Arlo Guthrie, and Richie Havens. His newest album, Chronicles of Hope, reflects his personal journey as a Native American in contemporary America.
More about Bill Miller

The Wingra Woodwind Quintet

Saturday, September 15 at 7:30 pm
Admission: $15
Buy Tickets Online

The accomplished Wingra Woodwind Quintet, ensemble-in-residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music since 1965, has earned the reputation of a musically accessible, dynamic and artistically excellent ensemble. Its lively repertoire balances traditional classical works with contemporary and cross-cultural compositions. The quintet tours around the nation as well as statewide, earning kudos from the New York Times for its "consistently sophisticated, sensitive, and thoroughly vital"performances. Featured are clarinet soloist Linda Bartley; oboe master teacher Marc Fink; award-winning flutist Stephanie Jutt; artist-in-residence French hornist Linda Kimball; and bassoonist Marc Vallon of France who studied at the Paris Conservatory.
More about The Wingra Woodwind Quintet

Incognito

Tuesday, September 25 at 7:30 pm
Admission: $10
Buy Tickets Online

This provocative one-hour solo theatrical performance by Michael Sidney Fosberg dramatizes how a person deals with the revelation that he is not the person he thought he was. Fosberg depicts with humor and heartfelt emotion the story of how he grew up in Chicago believing he was white, and then, in his early 30s, learned that his biological father was black, with an extended family in Virginia. Delving into issues of race, diversity, family history, divorce, adoption, and the search for a father, Fosberg's performance has been praised by educators, critics, and appreciative audiences for illuminating the road to self-discovery.
More about Incognito

America's Parklands with Gray Warriner

Monday, October 8 at 7:30 pm
Admission: FREE

Gray Warriner's travelogue on America's national parks begins with the beauty of Alaska, including the soaring Denali. From there we go to the untrammeled beaches and moss-festooned rainforests of Olympic National Park, to the sea otters of California's coast and to the lovely Lake Powell. We experience the dramatic seasons of Bryce Canyon and the breathtaking expanse of the Grand Canyon, marvel at the ancient Petrified Forest and the massive arches of Natural Bridges, and explore the stone cities at Chaco, and prehistoric mounds of Ocmulgee, Georgia. Warriner, who introduces and narrates his film, helps us appreciate why these parks are national treasures.
More about America's Parklands with Gray Warriner

Jeff Rennicke

Friday, October 12 at 7:30 pm
Admission: FREE

For two decades award-winning writer and photographer Jeff Rennicke has travelled the globe reporting on the wildest places. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Reader's Digest, Sierra, and other magazines. Recently, Rennicke has embarked on a decade-long project exploring places closer to home. "I realized some of the most beautiful landscapes are not thousands of miles away but right here - wherever you happen to live." Rennicke's stunning photography and stories teach us how to find a sense of place and beauty in our own backyards. His lecture coincides with the exhibit of his work in the Nicolet Art Gallery.
More about Jeff Rennicke

Almost, Maine by John Cariani

Friday-Sunday, November 2-4;
Thursday-Sunday, November 8-11 
7:30 pm (Thursday-Saturday)
and 2 pm Sundays
Admission: $9 General Public,
$7 Students and Seniors
Buy Tickets Online

There's a moonlit whiff of magic in the air of John Cariani's refreshing comedy set in Almost, Maine, a small town recognizable to anyone north of the snow line. Through a montage of nine two-character vignettes we share the joys, perils and unpredictable twists of romantic love taking place among eccentric characters who manage to combine the offbeat whimsy of Northern Exposure with the serendipitously surreal of the Twilight Zone. Playwright John Cariani, a New York actor who grew up in rural Maine, writes with a bucolic sweetness that's guaranteed to warm your heart on a cold winter's night.
More about Almost, Maine by John Cariani

Count This Penny

Saturday, November 17 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: Order Tickets Online Through WXPR

This Madison-based duo plays "Appalachian pop" inspired by the mountain music of eastern Tennessee. They've appeared on A Prairie Home Companion and other national venues. Steeped in old American traditions, they write original tunes in the language of modern, streamlined pop, giving their sound a timeless, upbeat relevance.
More about Count This Penny

Mark Kroos

Friday, November 30 at 7:30 pm
Admission: $13
Buy Tickets Online

Electric guitarist Mark Kroos is remarkable for his style of playing a two-necked guitar with the fluid articulation of a piano player. Kroos was influenced by folk, Celtic, indie, and punk rock, and inspired by guitar greats such as Michael Hedges, Phil Keaggy, Tommy Emmanuel, and Leo Kottke. He developed his original sound using open harmonies, polyphonic textures and tapping. Kroos' debut 2010 solo album, And Grace Will Lead Me Home, features his double neck virtuosity and received rave reviews that led to a year-long concert tour at performance centers and churches. With charismatic energy, Kroos delivers an entertaining performance.
More about Mark Kroos

Community Holiday Concert

Sunday, December 9 at 2:00 pm
Admission: FREE

The Nicolet Male Chorus, Nicolet Choraliers, Hymns and Hyrs, Learning In Retirement Chorus, and the Lakeland Barbershop Quartet combine their talents for this popular annual concert. Expect a delightful potpourri of holiday and seasonal tunes, delivered in spirited four-part harmony – guaranteed to perk up your spirits! Non-perishable food and monetary donations for local pantries are welcome.

A Hometown Holiday with David Dall

Thursday, December 13 at 7:30 pm
Admission: $10
Buy Tickets Online

Rhinelander native songwriter David Dall will put you in the holiday mood as he performs original tunes and holiday favorites from his newest CD, Hometown Holiday, at this family special. Dall's humorous and poignant songs are all about growing up in the Northwoods. His five CDs encompass the teaching and performing sides of his career, with the early Music as a Friend of Mine a continuing favorite among teachers and parents, the more recent Box Under My Bed showcasing his acoustic guitar work and accrued life wisdom, and now his Hometown Holiday, which captures perfectly the spirit of the season.

Chris Smither

Saturday, January 12 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: Order Tickets Online Through WXPR

To create his profound songs, Chris Smither draws from the blues, American folk music, modern poets, and philosophers. His dazzling acoustic guitar work and distinct gravelly voice earn him kudos as "one of the absolute best singer-songwriters in the world" according to The Associated Press. His 12th recording, Hundred Dollar Valentine, was released last summer.
More about Chris Smither

The Stoughton Norwegian Dancers

Saturday, January 19 at 7:30 pm
Admission: $13
Buy Tickets Online

Come learn a bit of Norwegian culture and tradition while being dazzled by the Stoughton Norwegian Dancers' authentic folk dances and legendary acrobatic dancing. For 60 years, the boy and girl dancers of Stoughton High School have performed around the United States, in Norway, and at national folk festivals, delighting audiences with their elaborate, colorful costumes and spirited, skillful footwork. Considered a treasure by the Stoughton, Wisconsin, community, the troupe selects only a few from the many who try out, and requires a commitment of long hours of training to meet the troupe's high standards.
More about The Stoughton Norwegian Dancers

The City Dark

Monday, January 28 at 7:30 pm
Admission: FREE

"Do we need the dark?" asks filmmaker Ian Cheney, who grew up in rural Maine under star-filled skies and then moved to light-polluted Brooklyn. Cheney's film documents the disappearing night sky across the globe and explores its effects on people and wildlife. He looks at the astronomers' search in Hawaii for killer asteroids, disoriented hatching turtles along the Florida coast, injured birds on Chicago streets, increased breast cancer rates from night light exposure, and kids growing up without a glimpse of the universe above. Stunning astrophotography and a cast of scientists, philosophers, historians and lighting designers comprise this award-winning documentary.
More about The City Dark

Discovering the Dutch with Sandy Mortimer

Monday, February 11 at 7:30 pm
Admission: FREE

Explore out-of-the-way corners of the Netherlands in the lowlands of northwestern Europe with video journalist and travel documentary filmmaker Sandy Mortimer. On our journey to nine of the 12 provinces in the Netherlands we learn about a remarkable people whose rich history and culture has been shaped by a unique below-sea-level topography. We visit some of the more familiar coastal cities such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam and take meandering trips to the interior to discover how each province celebrates its own stories, myths, and customs in this small but surprisingly complex country. Mortimer introduces and narrates her film.
More about Discovering the Dutch with Sandy Mortimer

ArtsPower presents Laura Ingalls Wilder

Saturday, February 16 at 11:00 am
Admission: $5 Children | $7 Adults
Buy Tickets Online

Bringing adventure and fun, ArtsPower returns to present an uplifting and enchanting musical. Laura Ingalls Wilder is a tale of young and tomboyish Laura who overcomes hardship and adversities with the help of her family's love and devotion. Children grades 2-6 will marvel in Laura and her family's perilous frontier journey. With inspiring courage they deal with danger, hunger, and disease, as they search for a place to call home. Experience the wild frontier with songs that you can't help but laugh and tap your toes to, and learn with Laura that love really does overcome all obstacles.
More about Laura Ingalls Wilder

Community Music Festival

Sunday, February 17 at 2:00 pm
Admission: FREE

The Northwoods is rich in musical talent and you'll get a sampling of its range and energy in one dynamic evening of performance by five local music groups: the Rhinelander Area Community Band, Nicolet Male Chorus, Nicolet Choraliers, Hymns and Hyrs, and Lakeland Barbershoppers. Each group will take the stage to perform the highlights of its season's repertoire. The music will be sweet and you'll be smiling as your friends and neighbors entertain you with all their heart and soul.

The UW MadHatters

Saturday, March 2 at 7:30 pm
Admission: $15
Buy Tickets Online

They're back! It's that bunch of guys who act like goofs and charm audiences everywhere with their musicianship, returning to Nicolet with another tour de force performance. Founded in 1997, the MadHatters are the first and premier men's a cappella group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Soon to release their fourth CD, the MadHatters have been touring around the country and Mexico, evolving harmonies and new repertoires while refining their sophisticated, high-spirited humor. Nowhere will you see so many good-looking guys in one spot, singing beautifully the familiar and the new, making you smile and tap your feet.
More about The UW MadHatters

Ray Bonneville

Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: Order Tickets Online Through WXPR

A deep-grooving blues style guitarist, harmonica player and songwriter, Ray Bonneville receives rave reviews from blues and jazz critics for his "loose, darkly funky vibe". A gritty storyteller, Bonneville sings about his experiences as a French Canadian, Vietnam War vet, bush pilot, and all the places he's lived, from New Orleans to Paris.
More about Ray Bonneville

Cuba: A Road Trip from Havana to Santiago de Cuba
with Marlin Darrah

Wednesday, March 13 at 7:30 pm
Admission: FREE

On this road trip taken in a vintage 1950s black Buick, we explore "the most tragically beautiful country" in the Caribbean. Beginning in Havana with its Spanish colonial architecture and myriad pre-1960 cars, we travel through dramatic scenery to the Pinar del Rio Province. We sample Cuba's famous cigars and view her lush tobacco fields, savor the beauty of the beaches of Matanzas and the Bay of Pigs, the sugarcane fields and the colorful towns, and tour Cuba's second-largest city, Santiago. Award-winning filmmaker Marlin Darrah introduces and narrates his film, which was shot in 2009 when Cuba was off-limits to most Americans. More about Cuba: A Road Trip from Havana to Santiago de Cuba with Marlin Darrah

Ballet Folklorico

Monday, March 18 at 7:30 pm
Admission: $12
Buy Tickets Online

Through lavishly beautiful costumes, original music, and choreographic precision, this Madison-based company interprets the rich traditions of the Veracruz and Tamaulipas regions of Mexico, including Azteca, Michoacan, Guerrero, Sonora, and Jalisco. The troupe, ranging in age from 15 to 35, has been recognized throughout the United States and Mexico as one of the most authentic and exciting presentations of the regional dances of Mexico. By artfully weaving history, folklore and ceremonial ritual into the thrilling sounds and sights of rhythmic dance - including its famous trademark "Mexican Hat Dance" – Ballet Folklorico entertains while it enriches our appreciation of diverse cultures.
More about Ballet Folklorico

Noises Off by Michael Frayn

Friday-Sunday, May 3-5;
Thursday-Sunday, May 9-12
7:30 pm (Thursday – Saturday)
2 pm Sundays
Admission: $9 General Public
$7 Students and Seniors
Buy Tickets Online

In what has been called "the greatest farce ever written," this unstoppably funny comedy is structured as a play within a play about an ambitious director and his troupe of inept actors. As the cast and crew attempt to put together a comedy called Nothing On, nothing goes right. Actually, it’s an unmitigated disaster, rife with misplaced props, missed cue lines, mad love affairs, and backstage shenanigans fueled by rivalries. In the final act, onstage and backstage coalesce into a hilarious collective nervous breakdown. "A spectacularly funny, peerless backstage farce…a festival of delirium," writes the The New York Times "Bumper car brilliance" adds the New York Daily News. Adult Humor.
Auditions March 4 and 5.

An Evening with the Warren Nelson Outfit

Friday, June 21 at 7:30 pm
Admission: $13
Buy Tickets Online

Songwriter, poet, historian and consummate entertainer Warren Nelson brings his trio to perform old favorites and new material from Nelson’s song bag of more than 500 tunes. Rowan Nelson-Ferris on banjo, Andy Dee on guitar, and Severin Behnen on piano and accordion, and Nelson combine to produce spirited folk, swing, and bluegrass.

Nelson founded the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua in 1986 and in 2008 he received the Wisconsin Governor’s Award In Support of the Arts. With pizzazz, poignancy and humor, Nelson’s songs capture our unique Wisconsin history and culture.