Category Archives: All ZAAC Events

Shawn Phillips — August 2

Crossings brings Shawn Phillips to Zumbrota's State Theatre on Friday, August 2, at 8 pm. Tickets are $21 in advance, $24 the day of the show and can be purchased by calling Crossings at 507-732-7616. Doors open at 7 pm.

Critically acclaimed and with a star-studded “played with” list, Shawn Phillips has the goods. Audiences will thrill to his voice and guitar.

Phillips has sung with the Beatles, recorded with Traffic members Steve Winwood, Chris Wood, and Jim Capaldi, taught Joni Mitchell 12-string guitar techniques, and was the first to use an Indian sitar in popular music. He’s recorded four albums that made it on Billboard’s Top 100, and four of his singles have reached Billboard’s Top 40.

In September, he released “Reflections,” a CD recorded, engineered, mastered and duplicated by Phillips in his home studio, featuring just voice and guitar. His current project is “Perspectives,” a 17-song double CD. He is raising money through his website to complete the album.

“A lot of work goes into a project like this,” Phillips said of “Reflections.”

“I am concerned with excellence in what I do. I also want to maintain a strong relationship with my fans and I feel that by doing something like ‘Reflections,’ I am making more of myself available to my fans in some way. They are the people who have put me where I am today and I will always be grateful for their support.”

Phillips is the kind of artist who seeks critical acclaim and appreciates his loyal fans – who quietly push his albums into multigold and platinum status in North America and overseas.

Phillips, the son of best-selling spy novelist Philip Atlee, traveled the world with his family, and as an adult settled in a small Italian village after spending time in the ’60s culture of England and San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury. Reviewers have expressed awe at Phillips’ ability to play electric and acoustic six- and 12-string guitars (single- and double-necked), the sitar, and at his three-octave vocal range. His lyrics and melodies – running the gamut from folk to pop, classical to jazz – astound.

Music fans won’t want to miss this opportunity to spend an intimate evening with this ought-to-be-a-legend!

Shawn Phillips

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota. For more information call 507-732-5210.

American Graffiti Classic Car Cruise-In and Movie — July 27

Summer is HERE and it's time to show off those Classic Cars and enjoy one of the most iconic films of our time!

Join us for the State Theatre's first Classic Car Cruise-In on Saturday, July 27, beginning at 5 pm. Bring your own classic wheels or just come to admire the line-up and visit with the owners. We'll have food, fun, and the film:

AMERICAN GRAFFITI

Where Were You In '62? Join two recent high school grads spending one last night cruising the strip before leaving for college. Enjoy this nostalgic trip back in time on the big screen at the vintage State Theatre, just like it was meant to be seen. This 1973 film by George Lucas launched the careers of many well-known actors including Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Charles Martin Smith, Mackenzie Phillips and Suzanne Sommers.

$1 off the price of movie tickets if you bring your Classic Car!

5 pm Cruise-In

7 pm Film American Graffiti (rated PG). Movie tickets $5.

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota. For more information, call 507-732-5210.

Mason Jennings — July 26

Crossings brings Mason Jennings to Zumbrota's State Theatre on Friday, July 26, at 8 pm. Tickets are $25 in advance, $28 the day of the show and can be purchased by calling Crossings at 507-732-7616. Doors open at 7 pm.

Mason Jennings tackles the exponentially growing responsibilities of adulthood in his latest release, “Minnesota.” As one grows into adulthood, remaining steadfastly single-minded about one’s pursuits gets increasingly difficult. In this album, Jennings crafts a collage of love trying to survive the transition into being a grown-up in a complex world.

“The album is called ‘Minnesota’ because it’s a metaphor for an ever-changing landscape. More than any place I’ve ever been, things change so much here, even month to month. But even as things change, Minnesota is where my home is, where my center is,” Jennings said.

“Minnesota” represents a step toward the light after the darkness of “Blood of Man,” Jennings’ last album. A case in point is the first song on the album, “Bitter Heart,” which manages to be simultaneously plaintive and hopeful. Musically, Mason paints from a more varied palette than ever. For instance, piano is featured more prominently than on any of his previous albums.

Mason Jennings

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota. For more information call 507-732-5210.

Songs of Hope — July 14

Children from around the world celebrate music with Songs of Hope, Sunday, July 14 at 2 pm at Zumbrota's State Theatre. The concert is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. A freewill offering box will be at the theatre entrance. The Zumbrota Area Arts Council and Crossings are sponsoring the performance.

The children, ages 9 to young adult, are participants in a six-week performing arts summer camp in St. Paul. This is their third appearance in Zumbrota.

The performers entertain with songs and dances from their native countries, plus some special numbers providing fun summer entertainment. The concert program often includes a few modern hits as well as traditional songs from around the world.

More than just a performing arts camp, the nonprofit Songs of Hope™ offers participants a unique opportunity to live in community with kids from other cultures while learning and performing music from many countries. Campers learn to look past prejudices, misconceptions and newspaper headlines as they live, sing and dance together. They practice six hours a day, six days a week for six weeks. Then, they take these songs of peace, love, and respect into neighboring communities in a joyous celebration of cultural unity, delighting their audiences along the way.

The whole company performs on every song, which means the performers from more than a dozen countries will be singing in several languages that may be entirely new to them. An additional pleasure is the chance to see rich and beautiful traditional costumes of many cultures.

“We are really excited to be returning to the State Theatre. It is such a small, cozy venue. The audience is near, and filling the stage with 55 performers will guarantee a high energy show with great acoustics. Many thanks to Crossings and the Zumbrota Area Arts Council for working with us,” said camp founder Tom Suprenant.

All ages will enjoy this inspirational concert, making it the perfect family event for a summer afternoon!

Zumbrota's State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota. For additional information, call Crossings at 507-732-7616.

Into The Woods — July 13

Where would you find all your favorite fairy tale characters together? Only in the Woods! Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Cinderella are among the colorful inhabitants of this Stephen Sondheim, Tony-Award-winning musical! If you have ever heard people talk of the musical Into the Woods you understand the passionate words used to describe what they think about it. Amazing. A wonderful musical. One of Sondheim’s strongest scores.

Come and watch this culminating event presented by the participants of Crossings Theatre Camp, Saturday, July 13, at 2:30 pm at the State Theatre, 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota.

Admission is FREE!

This camp experience was led by Daved Driscoll, founder of Words Players Theater in Rochester.

For more information, call Crossings at 507-732-7616.

“Don’t Tell My Wife” Auditions — June 29

AUDITIONS!

Saturday, June 29, 9 – 11 am

State Theatre Zumbrota

This year's annual Z-Theatre production is DON'T TELL MY WIFE, an original farce in two acts by Rochester playwright Joan Sween, directed by Eric Decker.

ABOUT THE SHOW

DON'T TELL MY WIFE is a hotel-room farce suitable for community theatres. The action includes mistaken identities, disguises, people in closets, frantic exits, and dives off balconies. Also two inept ladies of the evening and a 25-foot snake. The cast includes roles for 5 women and 3 men.

The action occurs in one room in a convention hotel. "Domina" and "Kitten," actually Ann Olsen and Shirley Peterson, are hoping to meet an unknown investor so they can retire from their temporary stint in the "personal entertainment industry" and open a bakery in Mason City, IA. Jerry Stockbridge hopes his speech at the tool convention will boost the sliding finances of StoneTuff Tools. Jerry's wife, Emily, encounters the bakery investor and mistakes him for a pervert when he boasts about his pumpernickel. Jerry's secretary, dowdy Miss Finster, visits the Ultimate Glamour Salon and Spa in the hotel concourse and ends up looking as though she is also in the personal entertainment business. Jerry's boss, Mr. Stone, is delighted to meet Domina, Kitten, and the now-transformed Miss Finster. Mrs. Stone takes time from searching for her philandering husband to visit the Ultimate Glamour Salon, and she, too, ends up looking like she's in the personal entertainment industry. As in all farces, fast action and mistaken identities drive this plot. The play ends happily with Domina and Kitten finally meeting their investor, Jerry's speech generating tool clients, Miss Finster back to normal and Mr. Stone wildly happy with Mrs. Stone's new look. The script stays in the realm of sassy and does not contain any raw situations or offensive language.

Auditions are Saturday, June 29, 9-11 am at the State Theatre in Zumbrota.

Performances Dates: August 23,24,25,30,31 and September 1.

Rehearsals begin the week of July 22.

Want to help with the show? Just email statetheatre@zaac.org and we'll keep you in the production loop.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — June 14

Another FREE evening of FUN at the State Theatre!

In celebration of Covered Bridge Music and Arts Festival we are proud to present the classic film version of Roald Dahl's beloved story: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder.

Please thank our sponsors who are making this event possible: Ameriprise Financial Lex and Associates and ZM Partners In Education.

7 pm Show Time

Rated G

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota.

Ready, Set, BID! Art On Main is UP!

Take an old-fashioned Memorial Day Weekend drive down Main Street Zumbrota to view Art on Main.

We'd like to give a shout out to the city crew for installing the banners on our downtown lightpoles. If you can't manage a drive down Main Street at the moment, you can view all the artwork under our Art On Main tab.

After you've had a peek at the artwork, visit our auction page for your chance to bid on your favorite pieces. You can choose between the original artwork or the banner. Banners will remain in place through mid-September. Funds raised will benefit the State Theatre Encore Renovation project.

Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day!

Art On Main Opening Reception– May 19

The Zumbrota Area Arts Council requests your presence at the opening reception of

ART ON MAIN

Sunday, May 19, 2-3:30 pm

Zumbrota City Hall, Town Hall Meeting Room

Public viewing of 27 original art work and banners

Come meet the artists and local business members who have made this project possible

Light refreshments and food

Peter Mayer in Concert — May 18

Crossings brings Minnesota musician Peter Mayer to Zumbrota's State Theatre at 8 pm on Saturday, May 18. Tickets are $20 in advance and $22 the day of the show. To purchase tickets, call Crossings at 507-732-7616. Doors open at 7 pm.

“He is unafraid of complicated topics and always strives to look beyond the easy sentiment…Peter does nothing less than address the very nature of our existence…Trust me, most songwriters can’t pull this off. Peter Mayer does.”
–Dale Connelly, Morning Show Host, Minnesota Public Radio

Peter Mayer’s songs have been compared to Shaker furniture – clean and light, yet hardly simple. His superb guitar skills make playing his music seem deceptively easy. Mayer’s songs are about interconnectedness and the human journey–about the beauty and the mystery of the world. But there’s plenty of humor, too, in songs like “Snuffleupagus” and “Fake Plant.”

Mayer, who once studied at seminary before pursuing a career in music, has toured full-time since 1995. Since then, he has gathered a dedicated following, selling out shows from Minnesota to Texas, New England to Colorado. He has nine CDs to his credit, and has sold over 50,000 of them independently.

Mayer is an artist of relevance and insight whose music is not to be missed. Peter Mayer

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota.