MPR Celebrates the Season with Myriad Holiday Events Throughout December at The Fitzgerald Theater

Nov 8, 2010

The New Standards, Peter Ostroushko, Maria Jette, It's a Wonderful Life Movie Party, classical music and more

WHAT: Minnesota Public Radio presents a variety of holiday programming, from classical to folk, from theater to movies, at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul to celebrate the season.

WHERE: All MPR holiday events will be held at MPR's The Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul

MPR Holiday Season schedule:

Scarecrow on Fire with Kevin Kling
Friday, Nov. 26 and Saturday, Nov. 27 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 29 at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $25. MPR members receive a discount. Tickets may be purchased through the Fitzgerald Theater box office, 651-290-1200, fitzgeraldtheater.org.

Join renowned playwright Kevin Kling as he picks up the Oz story and puts it through a whole new tornado. Suitable for families with children ages 8 and up, Kling's original tales will be alternately hilarious, heartfelt and even haunting, rekindling the trilogy of Brains, Heart and Courage--all staged through the whirlwind use of words, music, theatrics and silent-era Oz movie clips. Directed by the acclaimed Peter Rothstein (Guthrie's M. Butterfly). Cast includes Stephen Yoakam and Simone Perrin. Music by House of Mercy Band.

Tune in: Scarecrow on Fire will be recorded for broadcast on MPR News at noon, Friday, Dec. 3 and at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011.

The New Standards Holiday Show
Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m.
Tickets: Friday and Saturday, $32/$28. Sunday matinee, $20. MPR members receive a discount. Tickets may be purchased through the Fitzgerald Theater box office, 651-290-1200, fitzgeraldtheater.org.

89.3 The Current welcomes The New Standards for what has quickly grown into a tradition for many--with tickets available for Friday and Saturday evening shows and a family-friendly Sunday matinee.

A nog-filled night of wonders, The New Standards' Holiday Show will feature songs from the band's sprawling and witty songbook. The New Standards--the trio of John Munson, Chan Poling and Steve Roehm--will reinterpret many familiar (and not-so-familiar) holiday classics in style. They will be joined by an orchestra of stunning guest accompanists, soloists and friends, from new and upcoming singer-songwriters to some of the most esteemed local and international rock stars to poets, dancers and storytellers.

More about The New Standards: The New Standards are John Munson (Trip Shakespeare, Semisonic, and the Twilight Hours) on bass, Chan Poling (The Suburbs) on piano, and Steve Roehm (Billygoat, Electropolis) on vibes. Comprised of three friends and accomplished performers, The New Standards was formed in 2005 with the vision of performing unplugged versions of their favorite tunes with the freedom to use creative interpretation where they saw fit. With their natty suits and their unique jazz, rock, soul and pop chops, The New Standards tell each song's story in singular style.

Classical MPR Presents Taste of the Holidays concert with Steve Staruch
Friday, Dec. 10
8 p.m.
Tickets: $29/25. MPR members receive a discount. Tickets may be purchased through the Fitzgerald Theater box office, 651-290-1200, fitzgeraldtheater.org.

Join Classical MPR's Steve Staruch and some of the region's finest musical groups at the historic Fitzgerald Theater to celebrate an evening of classical holiday cheer. The line-up includes the Cooper Street Brass Quintet, Magnum Chorum, The Singers, Hiram Titus, Vecchione/Erdahl Duo and Dolce Winds featuring traditional and seasonal standards, including "The Nutcracker" and "Hallelujah Chorus."

More about Steve Staruch: Classical MPR host Steve Staruch can be heard Monday through Friday from 3-6 p.m. on all Classical MPR stations. An accomplished musician, Staruch is a violist with the Lyra Baroque Orchestra and his own group, the WolfGang. He was a tenor in the Dale Warland Singers for seven seasons and also sang in the Oregon Bach Festival.

Peter Ostroushko's Heartland Holiday Concert
Saturday, December 11
8 p.m.
Tickets: $32/$28. MPR members receive a discount. Tickets may be purchased through the Fitzgerald Theater box office, 651-290-1200, fitzgeraldtheater.org.

One of the region's most beloved holiday performers, composer and instrumentalist Peter Ostroushko and friends return to The Fitzgerald Theater for the traditional A Heartland Holiday Concert. The concert will celebrate the season with beautiful ancient a cappella carols of Ostroushko's Ukranian heritage to Brazilian choros as interpreted by his mandolin.

More about Peter Ostroushko: A long-time regular on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion, Peter Ostroushko is one of today's most highly regarded fiddle and mandolin players, with a musical style ranging from folk and bluegrass to classical and rock. Ostroushko has recorded with the likes of Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Greg Brown, and Taj Mahal, and his first recording session was contributing the mandolin parts for Bob Dylan's epochal Blood on the Tracks.

Holiday Cocktails with Maria Jette
Saturday, December 18
8 p.m.
Tickets: $32/$28. MPR Members receive a discount. Tickets may be purchased through the Fitzgerald Theater box office, 651-290-1200, fitzgeraldtheater.org.

For some holiday parties, it's best to hire the baby sitter. Join renowned soprano Maria Jette for an evening of traditional carols and spirits. Holiday Cocktails with Maria Jette will feature the singer and friends evoking the Mad-Men era of cocktail parties: with holiday tunes like "Santa Baby" and hits by Mel Torme, revved up with style and panache. Jette will be joined by Funky Town's Cynthia Johnson, jazz singer Bruce Henry and party trickster Phillip Brunelle, to name a few.

The audience is invited to dress up for the cocktail occasion. Wine and beer, plus a special holiday cocktail concocted by Jette herself, will be available for purchase in The Fitzgerald Theater lobby.

More about Maria Jette: Soprano Maria Jette has appeared with numerous orchestras and ensembles, including The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra and more. She has also performed many merry seasons with Ex Machina Antique Music Theatre in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis- St. Paul), where she's often heard locally with VocalEssence, Chamber Music Society of Minnesota and Lyra Baroque Orchestra. With conductor Helmuth Rilling, she's sung Bach, Mozart and Haydn around the US, Germany, Spain, Venezuela, Japan and Canada. She's performed her own production of Seuss/Kapilow's Green Eggs & Ham for more than 40,000 kids around the USA. She has been a regular guest at the San Luis Obispo Mozart and Oregon Bach Festivals and the Oregon Festival of American Music, and is often heard nationally on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion.

It's a Wonderful Life Movie Party
Sunday, December 19
2 p.m.
The Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St, St. Paul
Tickets: $15. MPR members receive a discount. Contact the Fitzgerald Theater box office, 651-290-1200, fitzgeraldtheater.org.

Join MPR News' Movie Maven Stephanie Curtis for the It's a Wonderful Life Movie Party matinee. See the classic movie on the big screen with live dancing and holiday singing. There will complimentary popcorn and free bells for all the kids.

More about Stephanie Curtis: Stephanie Curtis joined MPR in 1994, and has worked on daily news shows, produced documentaries, co-hosted Sound Money, produced State of the Arts and appears frequently on MPR's Midday as the beloved film guru known as The Movie Maven.