The Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization that strives to enrich the lives
of Chippewa Valley residents through the cultural arts. As a non-profit, over half of our operating
budget comes from the generous donations from local businesses, individuals, and foundations.
Through these donations, we are able to offer a full performing arts season, year-round rotating
art exhibits, outreach programs to children, and an all-around fascinating cultural experience.

Mabel Tainter Upcoming Performances
Thrift Sale Fundraiser Thurs. July 9 - Sat. July 11 The Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts is seeking new or lightly used donations for its first ever Thrift Sale Fundraiser.   Join us that night for a performance from Greg Boerner! More details below. Our current economic situation seems to be building on two very popular ideals-saving money and saving the environment. Even though times are tough, there are still innovative ways to save people money while raising funds for your favorite historic theater. We're looking for new or lightly used furniture, toys, lothing, books, tools, electronics, hardware, small appliances, lawn and garden supplies, antiques and anything else that will bring a good price. Best of all, it's all a tax deductable donation. Get rid of the stuff that's cluttering up the garage, attic, or basement and help us raise money to continue to bring quality programming to the Chippewa Valley.
Menomonie Market Food Co-Op presents Thursday Night at the Movies! July 2, 16, 23, & 30 August 6, 13, 27 7:00 p.m. FREE! General Seating Menomonie Market Food Co-Op Movie Refreshments On Sale in the Theater Join us on Thursday nights for a classic movie in the Landmark Theater. Take a weeknight break, get out and socialize with your friends, family and neighbors while enjoying a classic film. Movies always look and feel better on the BIG screen when you are with a room full of people. July 2 - The Stranger (1946) It is 1946 and Mr. Wilson (Edward G. Robinson) of the United Nations War Crimes Commission is hunting for Nazi fugitive Franz Kindler (Orson Welles). Kindler has effectively concealed his Nazi activities prior to his escape to the United States. He assumes a new identity, Charles Rankin, lands a job as a university professor and marries Mary Longstreet (Loretta Young), who is the daughter of Supreme Courtjustice Judge Adam Longstreet. July 16 - Charade (1948) July 23 - Angel On My Shoulder (1946 July 30 - Lost World (1925) *Silent Film August 6 - Randy Ride Alone August 13 - Carnival of Souls August 27 - A Farewell to Arms
Summer Theater Camp "Honk Jr." Monday-Friday, July 6-24 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. $125 per child for all 3 weeks Performances: July 24 7:00 p.m. July 25 11:00 a.m. July 25 2:00 p.m. * Performance time changed $10 Adults; $8 Senior/Student; $6 Children 12 years & younger   The Mabel Tainter Summer Theater Camp for children ages 6 through 17 will be producing the Broadway version of “Honk Jr.” during the three week summer theater camp sponsored by the Menomonie Theater Guild (MTG) and Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts. Under the direction of Menomonie Theater Guild veteran director and performer Blaine Halverson, the theater camp exposes children to all aspects of musical theater from choreography to set construction. Three weeks in theater time is not a long time; you have script and song memorization as well as staging and costumes but the kids put all their heart into it for six hours a day Monday through Friday and in the end they have a great show!
Greg Boerner Lady's Night Thursday, July 9 8:00 p.m. $8 All Ages To read what others have to say about the music of Greg Boerner click on this link: GregBoerner.com Make no mistake....Greg Boerner is a straight-shootin', clean livin' guitarist/singer/songwriter who performs like some kind of a road-hardened guitar maniac on one song, a 1950's pop idol on another, a Southern troubadour on the next - and at last blows you out of the galaxy with an antique blues tune that might well give John Lee Hooker pause. Boerner hasn't always been an acoustic solo performer. He was a much sought after sideman with an electric guitar steeped in traditional blues and roots rock n' roll. At 18, he was touring the Southeast playing the cool rockabilly of Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent and Elvis as if he had been born to it. Through the years he found his singing and songwriting were being appreciated as much as his potent Stratocaster. Countless bands, gigs and hot licks later, he arrived on the solo scene, discovering the simple and straightforward pleasures of just a voice and guitar. But the rock n' roll attitude of those younger days has never left him. It is the very thing that separates him from the majority of singer/songwriters who offer an audience a pleasant "folk" experience - but little more. Boerner's audiences, on the other hand, are quite used to him being soaked at the end of a performance expending more energy and passion playing one song than most of us are born with. Like most great musicians with something to say, Greg Boerner plays and sings as if his life depends on it.....it does. Born and raised in Augusta, Georgia...Greg Boerner now lives in a far west suburb of Chicago near his son Jake. In addition to his three cd's, his music can be heard in several independent films and he can be seen performing at clubs, coffee houses, listening rooms, house concerts and festivals. He has opened shows for Leon Russell, Patty Larkin, Willy Porter, Bill Morrissey, Chris Smither, Maria Muldaur, Pierce Pettis, Robbie Fulks, Gove Scrivenor, Wayne Toups and Tinsley Ellis.
Shoeless Revolution Saturday, July 11 7:30 p.m. $6 Advance; $8 Day of Show Refreshments will be provided throughout the show by the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts To hear the music of Shoeless Revolution click on this link: shoelessrevolution.com Although it may be slightly confusing trying to keep your favorite local bands straight, The Shoeless Revolution is fairly easy to identify. Created three years ago at an impromptu gig the Shoeless Revolution has already begun to make a significant impact throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota. Shoeless always tries to focus on bringing new music to their fans with both originally composed pieces and unique covers. “Whether it be an up-tempo funk or a laid-back groove, we want to feel good playing it, and at the same time bring something new to the listener’s ear,” says drummer and vocalist Reed Grimm. With the added kick of a three piece horn section and a cross-pollination of musical styles, the Shoeless Revolution delivers an amazingly upbeat and entertaining performance that draws a crowd at every show, whether it includes returning fans, or newcomers who are drawn in by the energy on stage. Be sure to keep your eye out for the group without any footwear and their brand of Funk/Reggae/Rock fusion that can start and keep a body groovin’ the whole night long.
Anna Lily Fair Featuring: Quinn Elizabeth, Brianna Lane, Sarah Pray, and Anna Johnson Saturday, July 18 7:00 p.m. $10 Advance; $12 Day of Show This event is helping support local breast cancer programs. To hear the music of the bands, use these links: Sarah Pray Quinn Elizabeth Anna Johnson Brianna Lane AnnaLily Fair is a female singer/songwriter showcase, which debuted summer of 2006 bringing in over 200 audience members of all ages to pack Eau Claire’s downtown coffeehouse, Acoustic Café for just 4 hours of live original music. This festival of original music has two main points of focus: to raise money for deserving causes and support the original lady singer/songwriters of the community. AnnaLily Fair was named after Elizabeth from QuinnElizabeth’s daughter, Anna Lily, who has inspired her to make a difference. Celebrating a little rendition of Lilith Fair, but made for independent female acts trying to make way onto the local scene who just need a chance for their voice and word to be heard. Brianna Lane This chick puts the word “singer” in singer/songwriter. Long time music -writer/author/rock-journalist Jim Walsh recently wrote that Brianna Lane is “…a star in the making. She’s poised, ambitious, a great writer, a soul singer of the first order, and a lithe, accomplished guitarist.” Lane is a sweet-voiced alterna-folkie who grew up in Minnesota, once found a home in the mountains of North Carolina, but who is truly a restless old soul. You can blame her sweetness on her roots but this girl has been on the road non-stop for several years so you can hear her experiences in every note she sings. Sarah Pray “Sarah’s shows retain the same sense of spontaneity and originality in which her songs were conceived. Unexpected plot twists, dramatic tempo changes, hand drumming, and Sarah’s rich soulful voice are what best characterize Sarah Pray and her band.” --Sheboyan Press Quinn Elizabeth Think blues meets stomping acoustic folk rock. A band made of three sisters united to bring their self-taught musicianship to the live stage. Together they deliver bright explosive vocals and harmonies, colorful lyrics, bursting djembe beats, and rhythm acoustic guitar with a rock flare. QuinnElizabeth brings you original music and they bring it to you right. Anna Johnson A singer/ songwriter/ performer from Chippewa Falls, WI. She currently lives in the Twin Cities metro area and is studying songwriting and composition at McNally Smith College of Music in Saint Paul. Her band has been playing weekly gigs at Applebee’s in Inver Grove Heights and other shows around town on the weekends. She often heads back home to play at The Living Room Coffee House. Her band recently recorded a television program in Inver Grove Heights called “Amp It Up”. It began being played on six metro public access stations beginning in May 2009. Anna was quoted saying, “It was a weird experience, but lots of fun nevertheless.” July 2009 AnnaLily Fair: Women Singer/Songwriter Showcase Featuring Quinn Elizabeth, Brianna Lane, Sarah Pray, and Anna Johnson Saturday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m. $10.00 advance; $12.00 at the door Think blues meets stomping acoustic folk rock. A band made of three sisters united to bring their self-taught musicianship to the live stage. Together they deliver bright explosive vocals and harmonies, colorful lyrics, bursting djembe beats, and rhythm acoustic guitar with a rock flare. QuinnElizabeth invites you to join them with special guests Brianna Lane, Sarah Pray, and Anna Johnson as they celebrate women songwriters at the AnnaLily Fair. To hear the music of Quinn Elizabeth click on this link: www.myspace.com/quinnelizabeth Tech Support: The Musical Saturday, July 27 at 8:00 p.m. $10.00 Adult; $8.00 Senior/Student It's universal: your cable is out, you need help with your computer, or your refrigerator is on the fritz, so you pick up the phone to call "tech support," and the nightmare begins. Adam Boll and Josh Hertel, two University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire graduates and creators of the 2006 math-related musical LOGGER-RHYTHMS, decided to take the axiom "it's not funny now, but you'll laugh about it later" to heart and turned their customer service nightmares into the snarky, politically-incorrect musical comedy TECH SUPPORT. After his high-tech refrigerator malfunctions, its hapless owner, Carl, calls for help and is plunged into a world of frustration as he is transferred from one phone operator to another, enduring endless hold music and butchered variations of the English language (not to mention the pointed sarcasm of his unsympathetic wife) -- until the inevitable explosion occurs. Through it all, a “customer service chorus" and a six-piece band under the direction of the composer provide a musical underscore, all based on extensive research of corporate hold music and countless real-life hours dealing with corporate red tape. Directed by regional stage and screen veteran Michael Cook, TECH SUPPORT pokes fun at corporate greed, apathy and outsourcing. Audiences have greeted TECH SUPPORT with knowing laughter, and always seem to seek out the cast and crew to relate their own tech support nightmares. TECH SUPPORT: It's fast, it's funny, and it's much shorter than your average tech support call. For more information on TECH SUPPORT, visit www.bollandhertel.com. August 2009 Ellen Whyte & Sue Orfield Band Saturday, August 22 at 7:30 p.m. $14 Adults; $12 Senior/Student Ellen Whyte has just released her fourth album, appropriately titled: Four Way Stop, a soaring achievement from an accomplished singer songwriter. Long time Portland, Oregon KINK FM 102 Blues Show radio personality, Bob Ancheta raved that it gave him “goose bumps!” Ellen has fronted bands continuously now for 30 years, as she has three critically acclaimed albums in addition to the latest effort. She was captivated by music since she was a child growing up in Fort Lauderdale Florida. Leaving the humidity and the taffeta dresses of her accordion marching band behind, Ellen branched out to blue grass, gospel, rock, blues and jazz. Her eclectic tastes in music include heroes such as Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, and Bonnie Raitt. Ellen is known for her astonishing vocals, as she gracefully moves among genres from blues to jazz to funk and ballads. Her percussive rhythm guitar work is well suited to her voice, and she plays solo, in duos and trios, up to a full nine piece band complete with a horn section. She’s won numerous awards for her work, including consideration for two Grammy Award nominations in 1999. Speaking of such, Grammy award producer Dennis Walker had this to say after working on the third CD, Standing at the Sunrise: “She not only sings like an angel, but brings her own styling and phrasing to every song that is completely individual. Thank God for Ellen Whyte who is one of the last few who can still sing blues and pop and jazz, and still stand up on a stage and sing big band standards with the best of them.” Ellen, guitarist Garry Meziere, and her husband John Mullin, have collaborated with veteran musicians - “The ‘A’ List Commandos,” as Ellen likes to refer to them - to produce a sophisticated, yet accessible sound that synchs up well with thoughtful and emotionally infused lyrics. To hear the music of Ellen Whyte click on this link: www.ellenwhyte.com Sue Orfield has been playing the tenor saxophone for close to 30 years. She currently lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and freelances there in the blues, jazz, rock, and original music scene. She moved to Eau Claire in 2004 from Seattle, Washington, where she was voted "best horn" by the Washington Blues Society in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. Sue is currently playing (either regularly or not!) with Rada Dada, The Lucy Creek Blues Band, Catya's Trio, Code Blue, The Catfish Walker Band, R4, The Flarecatz, Willie Walker and the Butanes, The Icons, Thick Shoe, and many more. She also fronts her own group called The Sue Orfield Band (SOB)which features much of her original material. Sue has shared the stage with some musical greats over the years, a few of them being Jo Dee Messina, the Indigo Girls, Bo Diddley, Ann Wilson of Heart, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry,and Bobby McFerrin. Sue's artistry, individuality, and powerful presence on stage make her one of the midwest's favorite saxophone players. To hear the music of Sue Orfield Band click on this link: www.sueorfield.com

HOURS:

Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts
Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Box Office is open two hours prior to all theater performances.

Self-Guided Tours
Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
$1.00 suggested donation

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