Country band ‘Lonestar’ among September entertainment lined up at The Dixon

Hello, Sauk Valley and beyond!

Fall sports and creative arts have started for all of the schools. Football, volleyball, golf and marching band are off and running! High school theater departments have started their auditions and rehearsals! I’ve missed being in the Midwest for all these activities.

Discover Dixon has been producing amazing events this year. Hopefully, you made it out to the Dement Town Music Festival last Saturday night! The three bands were outstanding. I also heard that Sublette had Diamond Rio play at their event. This area has really embraced the arts and I’ve been super impressed.

There was a new band at the Dement Town Music Festival called Empty Pockets. I was so happy that Burn N’ Bush opened the festival and brought their fans so that there were a ton of people there to hear Empty Pockets. Supporting local bands and attending name bands like Diamond Rio is expected, but supporting new bands can be a challenge. Discovering new music is a passion of mine and, hopefully, we can attract people with the same passion!

Turn Turn Turn is the band playing at The Dixon this Saturday. We would love to fill the house and make them feel the support from our incredible community. They are new to us but to the independent music world, they are currently the hot ticket. In Minneapolis, they are constantly booked and are taking a break to record their third album. But they have agreed to travel to Dixon to perform for us first! I encourage you to give this “unknown” band a shot on Saturday night. They play some familiar songs as well as their own music. And we have added an opening act! Local musician Jay Vonn, from Rosbrook Studios, will start the evening off with his Americana sound. We have a signature drink on Saturday night – the “Dopamine Blues” – named after a song by Turn Turn Turn. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Cost is $20.

Lonestar is coming! I hope our alley by the theater is big enough for their two tour buses! They are so big that we have to hire a crew to move all the lights and sound equipment they have. This is going to be a huge show! The tickets are dwindling down so if you want to sit next to your date, I’d suggest buying now before there are only single seats left and you have to wave to each other from across the theater. Thank you to our first sponsor, 102.3 The Coyote, for helping us get the word out!

We have created a new bar area in the balcony! Our multi-talented technical director, Scott, has built a new bar location in the balcony for easy access and a place for Lonestar balcony patrons to grab a quick drink! Our continued improvements will make your trip to The Dixon better each time you come. Lonestar performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19. Ticket prices start at $49.

Speaking of improvements, after three long years, the state-of-the-art sound system is complete! We have raised 20 new array speakers, and they sound like any great professional concert venue you’ve been to. The clarity is astounding. When we do our theater shows here, you’ll be able to hear all the voices crystal clear and when we bring in Turn Turn Turn and Lonestar, the sound will be epic. During the sound test, I walked to all 913 seats in the theater, and it doesn’t matter where you sit, it sounds incredible. Come to the next two shows and hear for yourself!

The Dixon Kids and the Dixon Young Adults have started their rehearsals with director Jan Fattizzi and choreographer Tori DuBois Highly. “Frozen Jr.” is based on the Disney film and our littles have already started learning the music and dancing. “Beauty and the Beast Jr.: is also based on the Disney film of the same name. We have seen a few of the costumes and they look fantastic! This show is filled with young acting veterans who are uber talented! These are going to be wonderful shows that the whole family will enjoy.

We have a Mario Bros. weekend coming up Friday, Sept. 27, and Saturday, Sept. 28. On Friday night, we are showing “Super Mario Bros.”, from 1993, on the big screen! The first live-action video game movie, it stars Bob Hoskins, Dennis Hopper and John Leguizamo and has become a huge cult classic! The movie begins at 7:30 pm. Tickets cost $5. On Saturday, The Dixon will host its movie screen video game tournament: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate! Play in this single-elimination tournament on the biggest screen in Dixon! The tournament is for all ages and all skill levels. Weird prizes will be given to the top three. Winner gets to take on the Dixon Destroyer for the title of Dixon Champion.

A special matinee at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, will feature local talent Matt Atherton: The Heartland Crooner singing Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin with accompanist Gloria Miner. Just like being in a Las Vegas lounge in the 1950s, Matt brings the songs to life while adding humor along the way. Opening for The Heartland Crooner is The Worst Comedian in Vegas, Billy Chips. He will be doing 10 minutes of his “best” jokes before introducing Matt and Gloria. Tickets are $10.

If you are on the fence about coming to Turn Turn Turn or any of our events, please remember that it’s more like a donation to the theater that comes with the free gift of entertainment. Take that, Netflix!

Thanks for reading all the way through and we’ll see you at The Dixon!

- Darren Mangler is The Dixon: Historic Theatre’s artistic producer.