Gesa Power House Theatre

Kathy Kosins - Jazz Vocalist
2018-04-29 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Gesa Power House Theatre presents jazz vocalist Kathy Kosins in concert on Sunday, April 29 at 7:00 p.m.
﻿
“One of the most alluring voices in Jazz” – Chicago Tribune
ASCAP award-winning vocalist Kathy Kosins combines the rich vocal traditions of jazz and soul in a one-of-a-kind presentation of music and visual art. Performing a mix of classic and original songs, Kosins brings the audience on a tour of some of the best and most loved hallmarks of the jazz and soul genres. An avid visual artist, Kosins also paints on stage during her performances, creating unique pieces that are improvised and inspired by the music. Whether a jazz aficionado or a beginning artist, everyone will find Kathy Kosins’ unique performance delightful and inspiring.
Born during the Motown era of Detroit, she began singing and arranging background vocals in the early eighties, which led to her becoming one of the most sought after session singers. As a lead vocalist she recorded for both Carrere (Sony) and Quality Records and later toured with Was/Not Was.
In the early ’90s, Kosins, a ferocious writer and arranger, fell in love with the freedom of the jazz art form and her writing naturally evolved into a more traditional approach. Stints with the JC Heard and Nelson Riddle Orchestras followed and led to a 1996 release of “All In A Dreams Work” (SchoolKids Records), an impressive debut featuring a first rate collection of nine originals and a cover of the Miles Davis composition “Four.” Reported by over 250 Jazz stations, she reached the top 20 in the Gavin Report.
Her 2002 release of “Mood Swings” (Chiaroscuro Records) continued to bring her recognition and success at the national level. On her 2006 release of “Vintage,” (Mahogany Jazz), she rediscovered little known songbook gems which she placed alongside a few widely known, yet unexpected tunes from outside the jazz tradition, which brought her glowing reviews from journalists.
In 2012, she released “To The Ladies Of Cool”, a dedication to the West Coast Cool school of artists like June Christy, Chris Connor, Julie London, and Anita O’Day. Kathy’s arrangements of those classic pieces stay true to the tradition of lyricism and understatement, yet sound so fresh and innovative that it is sometimes hard to believe those songs have been recorded some 50 plus years ago.
“The Space Between” from 2013 found her in the studio with some of LA’s best musicians like Tamir Hendelman (piano), Robert Hurst (bass), Eric Harland (drums), and Larry Koonse on guitar on several obscure tracks that had been recorded by Shirley Horn or Nat King Cole. Her Jazz repertoire is always enhanced by her soulful vocal performance and it is no wonder, that she decided to include a Chill Mix of one of the tunes from the album (“Night Bird”).
With the working title “Uncovered Soul”, Kosins has recorded this ultra soulful set with Grammy Award-winning producer Kamau Kenyatta (Gregory Porter) and a stellar cast of musicians: Greg Moore (guitar), Mitch Foreman (piano,keys), Kevin Axt (bass), Eric Harland (drums), and Munyungo (percussion). On the album, she explores rarely heard Soul and R&B tunes by famous songwriters like Curtis Mayfield, Eugene McDaniels, or Aaron Neville and also more contemporary tune-smiths like Amos Lee. It’s a well- balanced set catering to both jazz fans and soul aficionados alike and destined to become a future classic as it creates a sultry mood and features her most intense and intimate singing yet.
A past recipient of the Michigan Council for the Arts (Jazz Composer of the Year), Kosins has received grants from Michigan’s ArtServe advocacy group. Her clinics and workshops teach performance skills alongside business strategies for the independent artist and have been a success at colleges and universities across the USA.
When not touring the USA or Europe, Kosins excels as a painter. Her abstract improvised acrylics on canvas are influenced by the cubist paintings of the ’50s. Commissioned paintings are held in private collections and Kosins continues to sell her work at both gallery shows and concert performances. Kosins will paint on stage during a portion of her Walla Walla concert.
Kosins has shared the stage and performed with numerous names in the jazz and R&B world. A few notables are: Cyrus Chestnut, Terell Stafford, Randy Brecker, Javon Jackson, Larry Goldings, James Moody, Kevin Mahogany, Bernard Purdie, Greg Hutchinson, Eric Harland, Red Holloway, Grant Green Jr., Reuben Rogers, Reuben Wilson, Aaron Goldberg, Tamir Hendelman, Jesse Davis, Eric Marienthal, Matt Wilson, Mitch Ryder, Was/Not Was and Michael Henderson.
﻿
﻿

Reserved seating tickets ($30-$25 Adults; $20 Students) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. For group ticket sales, please call 509-876-1662.
Outside food and beverages are not allowed. Beer and wine will be available for purchase, and may be taken into the theater.
Invite your friends and let them know you are going on Facebook!
Kathy Kosins’ band for this concert will include Matt Cooper (piano), Michael Simon (bass), and Steven Aslin (drums).

On Monday, April 30 from 5:00-7:00 p.m., ArtWalla will host a painting workshop with Kathy Kosins at Foundry Vineyards. click here for more information
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Gesa Power House Theatre Season receives support from:

KAPP-KVEW TV, Inland Cellular, McCurley Integrity Toyota of Walla Walla, Pacific Power

Are you visiting from out of town? Stay at our partner hotel!

save 15% when you show your ticket stub/receipt to a Gesa Power House Theatre show during check-in at Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center

Private Event
2018-04-27 - 2018-04-28, 2018-04-17 - 2018-04-18, 2018-04-13
A private event is scheduled at the theater on this date.

Live Cinema: "Macbeth" - Royal Opera
2018-04-25 18:00 - 21:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
The Live Cinema Series continues with a screening of the current production of Macbeth by The Royal Opera on Wednesday, April 25 at 6:00 p.m. and again on Sunday, May 13 at 2:00 p.m. A portion of the proceeds ($1/ticket) will be donated to the Walla Walla Symphony.
﻿
Verdi’s life-long love affair with Shakespeare’s works began with Macbeth, a play he considered to be ‘one of the greatest creations of man’. With his librettist, Francesco Maria Piave, Verdi set out to create ‘something out of the ordinary’. Their success is borne out in every bar of a score that sees Verdi at his most theatrical: it bristles with demonic energy.
The warrior Macbeth fights on the side of the King of Scotland – but when a coven of witches prophesy that he shall become king himself, a ruthless ambition drives Macbeth and his wife to horrific acts. Murder makes Macbeth king, and intrigue and butchery are the hallmarks of his brief, doomed reign. The witches make another prediction, which also comes true: Macbeth and his lady lose their lives, and justice is restored.
Phyllida Lloyd’s 2002 production for The Royal Opera is richly hued, shot through with black, red and gold. The witches – imagined by designer Anthony Ward as strange, scarlet-turbaned creatures – are ever-present agents of fate. Lloyd depicts the Macbeths’ childlessness as the dark sadness lurking behind their terrible deeds. The Royal Opera’s production uses Verdi’s 1865 Paris revision of the opera, which includes Lady Macbeth’s riveting aria “La luce langue.”
Antonio Pappano conducts a cast led by Serbian baritone Željko Lučić as Macbeth, Russian soprano Anna Netrebko as Lady Macbeth (one of her signature roles) and Italian bass-baritone Ildebrando D’Arcangelo as Banquo.
NOTE: This production is sung in Italian, with English surtitles. This screening has a runtime of approximately 3 hours, 20 minutes, including one intermission and an on-screen introduction.
This production is performed by the Royal Opera, filmed live in London, and rebroadcast to select theaters.
Reserved seating tickets ($15 Adults, $10 Students/Youth) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. For group ticket sales, please call 509-876-1662. Outside food and beverages are not allowed. Beer, wine, popcorn, and snacks will be available for purchase, and may be taken into the theater.
Invite your friends and let them know you are going on Facebook!

About the Walla Walla Symphony:
The Walla Walla Symphony delights and challenges our community by providing live orchestral performances and opportunities for learning about music. Learn more at www.wwsymphony.org.
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Live Cinema Series is sponsored by Shakespeare Walla Walla, a local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that aims to make Shakespeare and theater approachable and entertaining to students in eastern Washington and Oregon.

Private Event
2018-04-22, 2018-04-20 - 2018-04-21, 2018-04-07 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States

Pitch It! - 2018 Finals
2018-04-19 17:30 - 20:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Returning for its fourth year, Pitch It! was created to inspire and celebrate young entrepreneurs in the Walla Walla Valley by providing a platform for area students to test out their ideas, develop entrepreneurial skills and compete for investment funding.
​Inspired by the TV show Shark Tank, students develop an idea, create a business and marketing plan and pitch their idea to a panel of judges. Local Walla Walla business leaders contribute as mentors, coaches and judges for contestants grades K-13+. The series of events culminates in a final event at Gesa Power House Theatre.
Join us for this year’s final event:
Thursday, April 19th, 2018
​Gesa Power House Theatre
​5:30-8:00pm
The preliminary competition for all contestants will be held:
Thursday, March 29th, 2018
Walla Walla Community College, Water & Environment Center
​5:30-8:00pm
Pitch It! is made possible through the generous support of:

Live Cinema: "Carmen" - Royal Opera
2018-04-15 14:00 - 18:00, 2018-04-11 18:00 - 21:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
The Live Cinema Series continues with a screening of the current production of Carmen by The Royal Opera on Wednesday, April 11 at 6:00 p.m, and again on Sunday, April 15 at 2:00 p.m. This production is filmed live in London and rebroadcast internationally to select screens.
﻿
Carmen is the best-known work by French composer Georges Bizet, and one of the most famous operas in the entire art form – numbers such as the “Habanera” and the “Toreador Song” have permeated the popular consciousness as little else has. The opera’s heady combination of passion, sensuality and violence initially proved too much for the stage, and it was a critical failure on its 1875 premiere. Bizet died shortly after, and never learned of the spectacular success his Carmen would achieve: the opera has been performed more than five hundred times at Covent Garden alone.
Carmen is set in southern Spain and tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who is seduced by the wiles of the fiery gypsy Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen’s love to the glamorous matador Escamillo, after which José kills her in a jealous rage.
This ever-popular opera is given a fresh point of view in Barrie Kosky’s highly physical production, originally created for Frankfurt Opera. The Australian director is one of the world’s most sought-after opera directors, whose Royal Opera debut with Shostakovich’s The Nose in 2016 was greeted with delight. For Carmen he has devised a far-from-traditional version, incorporating music written by Bizet for the score but not usually heard, and giving a new voice to the opera’s endlessly fascinating central character.
For this production, Jakub Hrůša conducts the following cast:
MORALÈS – Gyula Nagy
MICAËLA – Kristina Mkhitaryan
DON JOSÉ – Francesco Meli
ZUNIGA – David Soar
CARMEN – Anna Goryachova
FRASQUITA – Jacquelyn Stucker
MERCÉDÈS – Aigul Akhmetshina
ESCAMILLO – Kostas Smoriginas
DANCAÏRO – Pierre Doyen
REMENDADO – Jean-Paul Fouchécourt
VOICE OF CARMEN – Claude de Demo
﻿
This screening runs approximately 3 hours 50 minutes including one intermission and an onscreen introduction.
NOTE: Carmen is sung in French with English surtitles.
Reserved seating tickets ($15 Adults, $10 Students/Youth) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. For group ticket sales, please call 509-876-1662. Outside food and beverages are not allowed. Beer, wine, popcorn, and snacks will be available for purchase, and may be taken into the theater.
Invite your friends and let them know you are going on Facebook!
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Live Cinema Series is sponsored by Shakespeare Walla Walla, a local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that aims to make Shakespeare and theater approachable and entertaining to students in eastern Washington and Oregon.

5th Annual Tutus and Tapas
2018-04-14 19:00 - 22:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Celebrating 5 years of supporting youth ballet in Walla Walla
Gala benefit for Danza Classica Ballet Foundation
Tutus & Tapas, a gala evening of ballet, will return to Gesa Power House Theatre for a 5th year on Saturday, April 14, 2018. This event features local food and wine; dining, wine, and activity items for auction; and a chance to see the Valley’s only classically trained youth ballet company present the repertoire for their summer 2018 trip to Italy. All proceeds benefit the Danza Classica Ballet Foundation whose mission is to foster and advance the art of ballet in the WW Valley.
Festivities begin when the doors open at 7:00pm. Your ticket provides you with tasty small bites and a complimentary glass of local, award-winning wine (or non-alcoholic beverage if you prefer). Mingle with friends and browse the themed, silent auction baskets or check out our marvelous wine wall. Then “take a chance” at the Tutu Board where your donation gets you the pick of what’s behind the mini tutus on display: it could be a gift certificate at a local business or a special prize item. Enjoy the eclectic sounds of the musical duet, My Sister Linoleum, performing on stage as you sample the local culinary creations.
Then at 8:00pm come have a seat and watch the beauty and variety of five specially choreographed dances performed by the youth dancers of the Danza Classica Ballet Company. These young ballet dancers, directed by Idalee Hutson-Fish, will be presenting five new works with choreography by Idalee Hutson-Fish, Phyllis Rothwell Affrunti of Ballet Idaho, and Natascha Greenwalt, director of Coriolis Dance Collective in Seattle.
Our entertaining Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Thomas Beebe, is returning for the evening to introduce the program and assist with the live auction bidding for items like:

four tickets to Pacific Northwest Ballet’s June production Love & Ballet in Seattle;
a cheese & wine pairing for 6-8 people with tour of the farm at Monteillet Fromagerie in Dayton;
a 6-month family pass for unlimited visits to Walla Walla Fight Factory gym and fitness center;
a season pass for two to the Live Cinema screenings from the Royal London Opera/Ballet/Shakespeare Companies at the Gesa Power House Theatre.

Tickets are $25/person and are available online, from Danza Classica Ballet Company dancers, and at the door. Outside food and beverages are not allowed.
Contact Information: info@dcbfww.org

Farewell Angelina
2018-04-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Gesa Power House Theatre presents all-female country group Farewell Angelina in concert on Thursday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m.

Named after a haunting Bob Dylan song, Farewell Angelina is comprised of four powerhouse vocalists, dynamic songwriters and badass multi-instrumentalists. Their stellar blend of heart-stopping harmonies over blazing double violins and guitars has earned soaring praise across the board. Roughstock calls them a “Superstar Act… with Killer Songs.” Rolling Stone says, “Wickedly smart songwriting delivered with a healthy dash of sass… deft playing… into one sonic knockout punch.”
A band of longtime friends, Nicole Witt, Andrea Young, Lisa Torres, and Lauren Lucas all met pursuing their dreams in Nashville, TN. All had deeply respected and admired each other while they were building successful solo careers, touring and recording with top artists, and writing songs for some of Country Music’s biggest hit-makers. When they heard the undeniable magic of their voices together for the first time, they couldn’t wait to take their show on the road. Major opportunities soon followed including singing the National Anthem for Thursday Night Football, performing at The Unbridled Eve Gala for the Kentucky Derby, and singing at The Trails West Festival.
Farewell Angelina’s chemistry lives in watching each other shine, and most of all, creating moments every night with the country music fans they love so much. They’ve been named among Rolling Stone’s “New Artists You Need To Know,” and Roughstock’s “Ones to Watch” with a tour schedule to prove it. They have opened for the likes of Kenny Chesney, Old Dominion, Frankie Ballard, Jake Owen, Billy Currington, and Trace Adkins, to name a few.
Reserved seating tickets ($45-$35) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. For group ticket sales, please call 509-876-1662. Outside food and beverages are not allowed. Beer and wine will be available for purchase, and may be taken into the theater.
Invite your friends and let them know you are going on Facebook!
﻿
﻿
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Gesa Power House Theatre Season receives support from:

KAPP-KVEW TV, Inland Cellular, McCurley Integrity Toyota of Walla Walla, Pacific Power

Are you visiting from out of town? Stay at our partner hotel!

save 15% when you show your ticket stub to a Gesa Power House Theatre show during check-in at Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center

Baby Bash - Spring Break Tour
2018-04-04 19:30 - 22:30 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
This Spring Break Party with Baby Bash as his tour makes his way through the Northwest. He’ll be performing new and well-known hits. Special guests include Rasheed with The Purp Gang and Hood Made Empire.
Tickets ($35-$75) are available at the door. Outside food and beverages are not allowed.

Vintage Crush - Short Film Showcase
2018-03-31 19:00 - 21:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
You never forget your first crush and we certainly haven’t forgotten ours. Last July, we launched the Walla Walla Movie Crush and on Saturday, March 31 at 7:00 p.m., curator Warren Etheredge will host a showcase of some of our favorite short films from 2017.
Over the course of two hours, you’ll see some of the finest shorts and the audience’s favorite along with a few approved by our Oscar®-winning and Oscar®-worthy jurors.
Fine wines improve with age. The best shorts just get better. (Titles will be revealed later this month.)
For tickets and more information, visit wallawallamoviecrush.com.

Live Cinema: "The Winter's Tale" - Royal Ballet
2018-03-28 18:00 - 21:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
The Live Cinema Series continues with a screening of the current production of The Winter’s Tale by The Royal Ballet on Wednesday, March 28 at 6:00 p.m. A portion of the proceeds ($1/ticket) will be donated to Danza Classica Ballet Foundation.
﻿
Christopher Wheeldon, Artistic Associate of The Royal Ballet, created his adaptation of Shakespeare’s late romance The Winter’s Tale for The Royal Ballet in 2014. Building on the success of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Winter’s Tale received ecstatic praise at its premiere, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike for its intelligent, distinctive and emotionally powerful story, told through exquisite dance. It is now widely judged to be a modern ballet classic.
The story follows the destruction of a marriage through consuming jealousy, the abandonment of a child and a seemingly hopeless love. Yet, through remorse and regret – and after a seemingly miraculous return to life – the ending is one of forgiveness and reconciliation. With powerful designs by Bob Crowley and atmospheric music by Joby Talbot, The Winter’s Tale is a masterful modern narrative ballet.
This production is filmed live in London and rebroadcast internationally to select screens. This screening runs approximately 3 hours including two intervals and an onscreen introduction. Beer, wine, and snacks will be available for purchase.
﻿
Reserved seating tickets ($15 Adults, $10 Students/Youth) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. For group ticket sales, please call 509-876-1662.
Invite your friends and let them know you are going on Facebook!

About Danza Classica Ballet Foundation
Created as a sister organization to The Dance Center, Danza Classica Ballet Foundation fosters and advances the art of ballet in the Walla Walla Valley by providing resources for ballet education, enhancing learning opportunities through in-studio and master classes, local and visiting performances, travel, and ballet study scholarship assistance, as well as promoting appreciation for classical ballet in our community.
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Live Cinema Series is sponsored by Shakespeare Walla Walla, a local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that aims to make Shakespeare and theater approachable and entertaining to students in eastern Washington and Oregon.

Little Watts Series: Mud Bay Jugglers
2018-03-25 14:00 - 15:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Gesa Power House Theatre and Walla Walla Valley Honda present the Mud Bay Jugglers on Sunday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m. This Little Watts production is suitable for all ages, and runs about an hour.
“They do things with 12 juggling clubs that shouldn’t be possible.”
– Seattle Times
﻿
This startlingly inventive troupe juggles genres as easily as objects, weaving theater, dance, physical comedy, and juggling into a creative and infectious entertainment experience. The Mud Bay Jugglers work their choreographic and juggling magic to lively music for a mesmerizing and emotional performance. Since 1980, these master of levity – Doug Martin, Alan Fitzthum, and Harry Levine – have captivated audiences of all ages at theaters, universities, festivals and events through out the United States and Canada. About the only thing predictable about their constantly evolving material is that there will always be plenty of music and mirth – and lots of surprises. No wonder Jugglers World Magazine called them, “One of the most original and creative juggling troupes performing today.”
Reserved seating tickets ($12 Adults, $8 Youth) will be available to Members on Friday, January 26, to Email Subscribers on Friday, February 2, and to the public on Friday, February 9 – online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. Let other families know about this show by joining the Facebook Event.
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Little Watts Children’s Series of Family Entertainment is presented by:

Planes on Paper with Jacob Navarro
2018-03-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Walla Walla Cannabis Company presents Planes on Paper with Jacob Navarro on Saturday, March 24 at 7:00 p.m. at Gesa Power House Theatre.
﻿
Since their last visit to Walla Walla almost a year ago, Planes on Paper has continued to make waves in the folk music world, finding themselves in uncharted territory for an Eastern Washington-based band. Their last release, “Television,” a politically-motivated single, garnered Planes on Paper an invite to perform at The John F. Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts, as well as radio play across the U.S. and Europe, and a spot in Relix Magazine’s “Five Artists You Should Know.” Past local appearances range from drawing a massive crowds at the Gentlemen of The Road Festival and a sold-out Power House Theatre concert last March, down to intimate house show venues and private events at Leonetti & Kontos Cellars. They have made Walla Walla a regular tour stop, and always to rave reviews.
For this show, Planes on Paper will be joined by their full band: Mikey Gervais (The Head and The Heart, Shallow Lenses) on bass, Faustine Hudson (The Maldives, The Grizzled Mighty) on drums, and on guitar they will be joined by Jacob Navarro, a first-call session guitarist in the Northwest, who has recorded or performed for Eddie Vedder, The Dixie Chicks, Danny Barnes, and many more. Jacob Navarro will also open the show.
Bar sponsorship provided by Henry Earl and Russell Creek wineries.
Reserved Seating Tickets: $18 in advance (plus $2 ticket fee); $23 at the door (plus $3 ticket fee)
This event is restricted to 21 and older (ID required).
The role of Walla Walla Cannabis Company as a supporter of Planes on Paper was recently detailed in the national publication, Dope Magazine – their relationship being called as the “center of the [music patronage] movement.”

About Planes on Paper:
As a one year-old project, Planes on Paper was already receiving high praise from a nearly endless list of media outlets across the country: The Seattle Times, American Songwriter Magazine, KEXP Seattle, WNYU New York, The Revue, Ear To The Ground, and The Stranger, to name just a few. Now several years into relentless touring, the praise continues, and the songwriting duo finds itself at home on both coasts of the US, and playing some of the area’s most noteworthy festivals… all without yet releasing an album. That unconventional path speaks volumes about the strength of Planes on Paper’s live show.
“It’s easy to see why Planes on Paper is starting to attract serious attention on the neo-folkie scene.”
— Paul de Barros, The Seattle Times
“There has been no shortage of bands that sound like Planes on Paper in the last 10 years of Seattle music, which makes it simultaneously delightful and frustrating when one of them is clearly a full head taller than the others.
— Sean Nelson, The Stranger
“This is folk music at the highest level.”
— Greg Jones, Ear to the Ground Music
“Planes on Paper expertly maneuvers dual vocals to produce this eerie, serene, beautiful aesthetic […] simultaneously mellow and powerful.”
— Fallon Schlossman, WNYC New York

This concert receives sponsor support from Walla Walla Cannabis Company, however the smoking or consumption of cannabis is prohibited at Gesa Power House Theatre per the guidelines of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (full text of Initiative 502 available here).

Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

Free Film: "Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety"
2018-03-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Join us at Gesa Power House Theatre for a special screening of the film “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety” on Thursday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m.
﻿
About the movie:
Angst is a 56-minute film and virtual reality experience that explores anxiety its causes, effects and what we can do about it.
The filmmakers’ goal is to have a global conversation and raise awareness around anxiety. Angst features candid interviews with kids and young adults who suffer, or have suffered, from anxiety and what they’ve learned about it. The film includes discussions with mental health experts about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects, as well as help, resources and tools.
Q&A and resource fair:
We know anxiety can cause you, your loved ones, and your friends a lot of stress We will provide tools, resources, and hope for those who suffer from anxiety. There will be a HUGE variety of community resources in the lobby before and after the movie to help people identify and understand the symptoms of anxiety and encourage them to reach out for help.
Need help?
If you or someone you know is feeling anxiety it’s important to tell a family member, friend, teacher or counselor. Reach out to someone who can help, and in an emergency call 911, or call (509) 524.2999.
Anxiety isn’t cool, but talking about it is.

Lead Sponsor:
Willow Public School
Supporting Sponsors:

Blue Devil Strong (WaHi)
Catholic Charities
Gesa Power House Theatre
Sources of Strength
W2 for Drug-Free Youth
WW County Suicide Prevention Workgroup
Walla Walla University
Walla Walla Valley Academy

Let’s raise awareness around anxiety.
FREE tickets are required. Get’em: willowps.org/movie
The movie is appropriate for audiences in fifth grade (10 years old) and above.
More Info: willowps.org/movie

Together Equal Tour
2018-03-18 13:30 - 15:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Together Equal: A Gender Equity Tour of Washington to Walla Walla
Sunday, March 18, 2018
1:30 – 3:00 PM
Gesa Power House Theatre
Join us as we celebrate women leaders in our region, and learn how we can drive gender equity statewide.
From getting more women engaged in civic leadership, to raising confident girls who lead, to creating greater economic security for all women – the Together Equal Tour will explore how communities like ours are lifting up women and girls throughout Washington with a non-partisan lens.
Ticket ($10) are available at www.wfalliance.org. For more details call Beth Swanson at The Moms’ Network (509-301-7471).

Auditions: Walla Walla Summer Stage Musicals
2018-03-17 14:00 - 17:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Gesa Power House Theatre will hold auditions in March for the new Walla Walla Summer Stage Series, with two musicals scheduled for Summer 2018 (Annie and 9 to 5). Both plays will be directed by former New York director and Walla Walla native Tyson Kaup (Rocky Horror, The Last Five Years, Cabaret). All principal and ensemble roles are open.
Walla Walla auditions will be held at Gesa Power House Theatre on Friday, March 9 between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. with callbacks on Saturday and Sunday, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Additional auditions will be held in Seattle on March 17 (by appointment). Video submissions will be accepted; however, preference will be given to those that audition in person.

**Due to a high level of interest, there will be additional Walla Walla auditions (by sign-up only) on Thursday, March 8 between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Friday’s auditions will still be open-call style.**

Performers are asked to prepare an audition of no more than 3 minutes in length – either one song, one song and one monologue, or two contrasting songs. Headshots and resumes are welcome but not required. If performers are called back they will be asked to sing from the score and read from the script. Some actors will be asked to attend a dance call at callbacks. All actors will be considered for both productions unless noted otherwise on their audition form. Performers of all types (ethnicity, race, gender, or disability) are encouraged to audition.

Annie will be in rehearsals July 7-26 (nights and weekends) with eight performances between July 27 and August 5. The following roles are available for Annie:

ANNIE: Female (10-12) Orphan. Tough, smart, and vulnerable with a boldly generous spirit. Vocal range: Mezzo. [Paid – $600]

MISS HANNIGAN: Female (35-55) A disillusioned former beauty who drowns her self-pity in hooch and hot baths. Resentful and abusive towards the Orphans. Vocal range: Mezzo. [Paid – $600]

OLIVER WARBUCKS: Male (40-60) A self-made businessman. Intentional and precise with undeniable passion. As big-hearted as he is severe. Vocal range: Baritone. [Paid – $600]

GRACE FARRELL: Female (20-40) Mr. Warbucks’ secretary. Open and warm with a strong maternal impulse. Develops romantic feelings for Warbucks. Vocal range: Soprano. [Paid – $400]

ROOSTER HANNIGAN: Male (20-40) A charming professional criminal. Miss Hannigan’s brother. Vocal range: Baritone. [Paid – $400]

LILY: Female (20-40) Rooster’s girlfriend and partner in crime. Vocal range: Soprano. [Paid – $400]

THE ORPHANS: Female (6-13) MOLLY, PEPPER, KATE, DUFFY, TESSIE, JULY. Street-smart kids with unique backgrounds and personalities. [Paid – $300 each]

ENSEMBLE: (20-60) All must move well. [Paid – $300 each] The ensemble will cover the following roles:

BUNDLES: A loveable laundryman
FDR: The President
DRAKE: Warbucks’ butler
APPLE SELLER
LT. WARD: A policeman
DOG CATCHER/ASSISTANT DOG CATCHER
BERT HEALY: A radio personality
LOUISE HOWE: Aide to FDR
STAR TO BE: Aspiring actress with a big voice
USHERETTE
BOYLAN SISTERS: Trio of singing sisters
CECILLE & ANNETTE: Maids
NEW YORKERS
HOOVERVILLES
WARBUCKS’ SERVANTS

9 to 5 will be in rehearsals July 27-August 16 (nights and weekends) with eight performances between August 17-26. The following roles are available for 9 to 5:

VIOLET: Female (30-50) Company secretary and Mr. Hart’s assistant. Single mother struggling to keep it all together. Ambitious. No BS. Must move well. Vocal range: Mezzo. [Paid – $1500]

DORALEE: Female (20-40) A natural beauty with a spitfire personality. Authentic and wildly charming. Southern accent. Must move well. Vocal range: Mezzo. [Paid – $1500]

JUDY: Female (30-50) The new girl at the office. Recently separated from her husband. Naive at times yet determined to win at life. Must move well. Vocal range: Mezzo. [Paid – $1500]

FRANKLIN HART: Male (35-55) The boss. Devilishly charming. A notorious and unapologetic chauvinist. Vocal range: Baritone. [Paid – $1000]

ROZ: Female (35-55) Office know-it-all and brown-noser. Mr. Hart’s eyes and ears – though she longs to be so much more. Great comedic timing. Vocal range: Mezzo. [Paid – $500]

JOE: Male (30-45) A young office accountant and a good guy. Has romantic feelings for Violet. Vocal range: Baritone [Paid – $500]

ENSEMBLE: (20-60) All must move very well. [Paid – $300 each] The ensemble will cover the following roles:

DWAYNE: Doralee’s husband
JOSH: Violet’s son
DICK: Judy’s ex-husband
TINSWORTHY: The chairman of the board
MISSY: Franklin Hart’s wife
MARIA: A sweet secretary
KATHY: A secretary and office gossip
MARGARET: A secretary and office lush

Questions and video auditions may be e-mailed to artisticdirector@phtww.org. RSVP on Facebook

# # #
Want to support our efforts to bring more live theater to Walla Walla? Click here or contact the box office to become a Summer Stage Supporter! $150 supports one musical; $250 supports both (includes two best-available seats, mention in the program, and a souvenir poster). Corporate sponsorship packages are also available.
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Gesa Power House Theatre Season receives support from:

Courtyard Marriott, Inland Cellular,
McCurley Integrity Toyota of Walla Walla, Pacific Power

The Phat Pack - Stars of Broadway
2018-03-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Gesa Power House Theatre presents The Phat Pack on Friday, March 16, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.

Four Broadway stars join together to perform some of the best music of Broadway and create an intimate, funny, and entertaining evening. These actors have performed in some of Broadway’s most popular shows; Jean Valjean in Les Misèrables (Randal Keith), The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera (Kevan Patriquin), and Jinx in Forever Plaid (Bruce Ewing). Together with Philip Fortenberry (Award winning Broadway & National Tour pianist), they are “The Phat Pack.” This extraordinary group met while performing in PHANTOM: The Las Vegas Spectacular and together formed their own highly-acclaimed spectacle that continues to thrill audiences wherever it tours.
The Phat Pack opened in the fall of 2012 in Las Vegas to rave reviews, and standing ovations. The show headlined for almost a year at The Plaza Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas, followed by a highly successful run in the Windows Showroom at Bally’s Hotel And Casino, overlooking the world famous Las Vegas Strip.
“Fabulous beyond words! Together, they create skin-tingling harmonies. Separately, they lead us on journeys through their offstage lives and onstage loves, punctuated by music and photos. As much as you can initiate friendships with performers over the course of a show, you can here.”
– Steve Bornfeld, Vegas Seven Magazine
“The Phat Pack is a wonderful show. Be sure to see it.”
-BroadwayWorld
Voted “Best of Vegas – Best All-Around Performers” (Las Vegas Review Journal)
The Phat Pack is appropriate for all ages.
﻿
Reserved seating tickets ($55-$50) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. RSVP on Facebook
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Gesa Power House Theatre Season receives support from:

KAPP-KVEW TV, Inland Cellular, McCurley Integrity Toyota of Walla Walla, Pacific Power

Are you visiting from out of town? Stay at our partner hotel!

save 15% when you show your ticket stub to a Gesa Power House Theatre show during check-in at Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center

Live Cinema: "Twelfth Night" - Royal Shakespeare Co.
2018-03-14 18:00 - 21:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
The Live Cinema Series continues with a screening of the current production of Twelfth Night by The Royal Shakespeare Company on Wednesday, March 14 at 6:00 p.m. This production is filmed live in Stratford-Upon-Avon and rebroadcast internationally to select screens. A portion of each ticket sale will benefit Shakespeare Walla Walla.

“Sumptuous romp is a festive season treat.”
-Evening Standard
“This is Shakespeare for people who think they don’t like Shakespeare…It is utterly enchanting.”
-Express and Star
﻿
Twelfth Night is a tale of unrequited love – hilarious and heartbreaking. Two twins are separated in a shipwreck, and forced to fend for themselves in a strange land. The first twin, Viola, falls in love with Orsino, who dotes on OIivia (Kara Tointon), who falls for Viola but is idolised by Malvolio (Adrian Edmondson). Enter Sebastian, who is the spitting image of his twin sister…
Christopher Luscombe, Director of the ‘glorious’ (Daily Telegraph) Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing (2014 and 2016), returns to the Royal Shakespeare Company to tackle Shakespeare’s greatest comedy, a brilliantly bittersweet account of “the whirligig of time”.
Reserved seating tickets ($15 Adults, $10 Students) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. Beer, wine, and snacks will be available for purchase. RSVP on Facebook
Runtime: 2 hours 50 minutes, including an on-screen introduction and one intermission.
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Live Cinema Series is sponsored by Shakespeare Walla Walla, a local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that aims to make Shakespeare and theater approachable and entertaining to students in eastern Washington and Oregon.

Mandy Harvey Concert (J.U.G.S.)
2018-03-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Just Us Girls Sharing (J.U.G.S.) presents Mandy Harvey in concert on Monday, March 5, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.
﻿
Mandy Harvey is a deaf American singer-songwriter. She was Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer Winner in the most recent season of “America’s Got Talent”. Mandy lost her residual hearing due to a connective tissue disorder at age eighteen. She left the Vocal Music Education program at Colorado State University, and pursued several career options, including education, but returned to music in 2008. She quickly became a regular performer at Jay’s Bistro in Fort Collins and then branched out to having regular concerts at Dazzle Jazz Lounge in Denver (Top 100 Jazz venues in the world).
Mandy Harvey’s Golden Buzzer moment on “America’s Got Talent” has over 25 million views, CNN’s Great Big Story captured over 10 million hits on social media, Burt’s Bees signed her up for their “Remarkable Women” campaign, NBC Nightly News profiled her, and she has started performing at the world’s most prestigious clubs, concert stages and festivals.
“From the first note, Mandy Harvey tames her audience into stunned appreciation as she glides pitch-perfect from breathy jazz standard to growling blues…. At show’s end the audience is on its feet. Some know the secret. Harvey has not heard any of it – not the applause, not the talent of the musicians who shared the stage, not her own incredible voice.” – Los Angeles Times
A limited number of VIP tables ($100/seat) are available and include side-stage and side-balcony table seating, a souvenir CD, and a private meet-and-greet with the performer. Reserved seating tickets ($65-$50) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. RSVP on Facebook
Since 2009, Just Us Girls Sharing (J.U.G.S.) has been making a difference in the lives of cancer survivors and their families in the Walla Walla Valley and beyond. The locally-formed and operated cancer survivor support network raises funds to directly benefit cancer survivors through cash assistance, the purchase of household items and appliances—basically, those things not covered by insurance.

Live Cinema: "Tosca" - Royal Opera
2018-02-28 18:00 - 21:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
The Live Cinema Series continues with a screening of the current production of Tosca by The Royal Opera on Wednesday, February 28 at 6:00 p.m. This production is filmed live in London and rebroadcast internationally to select screens.
﻿
Tosca is one of the great evenings of opera, and from its strident opening chords conjures up a world of political instability and menace.
Jonathan Kent’s production of Tosca for The Royal Opera captures the dangerous political turbulence of Rome in 1800. The Chief of Police, Scarpia – one of the most malevolent villains in opera – ruthlessly pursues and tortures enemies of the state. His dark, demonic music contrasts with the expansive melodies of the idealistic lovers, Tosca and Cavaradossi, who express their passion in sublime arias, including ‘Vissi d’arte’ and ‘E lucevan le stelle’. Giacomo Puccini’s dramatic work was a hit with audiences on its 1900 premiere and it remains one of the most performed of all operas – with its gripping plot and glorious music, it’s easy to see why.
A candle-lit church, Scarpia’s gloomy study with its hidden torture chamber and the false optimism of a Roman dawn: this handsome production throws into relief the ruthlessly taut drama, as the tension is wound up towards a fateful conclusion. Puccini’s meticulously researched score is infused with the same authentic detail, from distant cannon fire during the Act I Te Deum to tolling church bells and the sounds of a firing squad.
Cast:
Simon Shibambu – Cesare Angelotti
Jeremy White – Sacristan
Joseph Calleja – Mario Cavaradossi
Adianne Pieczonka – Floria Tosca
Gerald Finley – Baron Scarpia
Aled Hall – Spoletta
Jihoon Kim – Sciarrone
Edward Hyde – Shepard Boy
John Morrissey – Gaoler
This screening runs approximately 3 hours 15 minutes including two intervals and an onscreen introduction. Beer, wine, and snacks will be available for purchase.
NOTE: “Tosca” is sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Reserved seating tickets ($15 Adults, $10 Students/Youth) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. RSVP on Facebook
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Live Cinema Series is sponsored by Shakespeare Walla Walla, a local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that aims to make Shakespeare and theater approachable and entertaining to students in eastern Washington and Oregon.

Choral Society Concert: "Songs of Cole Porter"
2018-02-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
The Walla Walla Choral Society, conducted by new Artistic Director Gary Hemenway, presents a “Songs of Cole Porter” concert at Gesa Power House Theatre on Monday, February 26 at 7:00 p.m.
When speaking about great American composers, Cole Porter stands among the greatest. His music has influenced generations and has made its way into the performance libraries of some of the world’s greatest vocalists. We look forward to honoring Cole’s art and sharing it with you.
Guest instrumentalists for this concert include: Michael Agidius (sax), Dick Counsell (trombone), Gary Gemberling (trumpet), Nate Miller (trumpet), Doug Morasch (upright bass), and Wil Spears (drums).
Reserved seating tickets ($17 adults; $12 youth 17 and under) are available online or by calling the Gesa Power House Theatre box office at 509-529-6500. The Choral Society’s 2017 Holiday Concert sold out in advance, so don’t wait to purchase your tickets! RSVP on Facebook
The Walla Walla Choral Society, a non-profit volunteer organization, promotes and performs accessible quality choral music for the Walla Walla Valley and collaborates with other artistic groups, enriching the community’s cultural life.

Michael Kaeshammer
2018-02-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Gesa Power House Theatre presents Michael Kaeshammer in concert on Friday, February 23, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.
﻿
Michael Kaeshammer is a Canadian jazz & boogie-woogie pianist, vocalist, composer, arranger and producer who has earned a loyal international following. He’s a piano virtuoso with a technical mastery of many different styles, an eloquent singer/songwriter, and a charming and engaging performer.
Kaeshammer’s performances are an invitation to join the party. He doesn’t play at you. He plays with you. At one of his shows, you’re all in it together – not only part of the story, but virtually part of the band.
“For me the performance is as much about the energy coming off the stage as the energy coming from the audience. It’s about being myself, writing from the heart and showing my love for life. That’s what I want to convey. After the show, people ask me, ‘do you really have that much fun?’ And I say ‘you don’t know the half of it. It’s even more exhilarating than it looks’.”
A night with Michael and his band isn’t the kind of show where you just sit, watch and applaud politely every now and then. Their goal isn’t to intimidate you with the scholarly depth of their music, it’s to entertain, inform and include you – A wild ride with no fixed destination except where he feels he and the crowd want to go.
As the Montreal Gazette’s Bernard Perusse says: “He’s a showman. And showmanship is what makes people talk… If you haven’t seen him live, you haven’t really experienced him in his true element.”
Kaeshammer first made his own mark as a young piano prodigy. Growing up in Offenburg, Germany, he studied classical piano for seven years prior to falling in love at 13 with the boogie-woogie and stride piano stylings of such greats as Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, and Meade Lux Lewis. A quick study, Michael soon became skilled enough in this style to perform it in clubs, concerts and festivals through Germany and beyond. When his parents moved the family to British Columbia, Canada, Kaeshammer quickly attracted a following there, becoming popular on the jazz and blues festivals circuit.
With his recording career now spanning two full decades, Michael Kaeshammer has emerged as a truly original artist at the very top of his game, and one in love with the creative process. He last performed at Gesa Power House Theatre in 2013.
Reserved seating tickets ($45-$40) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. RSVP on Facebook
﻿
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Gesa Power House Theatre Season receives support from:

KAPP-KVEW TV, Inland Cellular, McCurley Integrity Toyota of Walla Walla, Pacific Power

Are you visiting from out of town? Stay at our partner hotel!

save 15% when you show your ticket stub to a Gesa Power House Theatre show during check-in at Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center

Workshop: Auditioning (from A to Z)
2018-02-17 10:00 - 17:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Gesa Power House Theatre will host “Auditioning (from A to Z)” a workshop by Tyson Kaup and ReNae Davis on Saturday, February 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
This workshop is intended to demystify the audition process and will cover the basics of auditioning for traditional and musical theater – everything from how to format a headshot and resume; to the business of acting and agents; to managing nerves and what to expect if you are called back. Participants (ages 8 and up) are asked to bring one prepared audition piece – a song or monologue that is less than one minute in length.
This workshop will be great preparation for any actors planning to audition on March 9 for the upcoming Walla Walla Summer Stage productions (Annie and 9 to 5).
Tickets ($25) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. Questions? Email artisticdirector@phtww.org.
RSVP on Facebook
Participating actors will also have the opportunity to sign up for headshots taken by a professional photographer during the lunch break for an additional fee of $25 (cash only).
Schedule:
10:00-11:00 a.m.: Headshots and the business of acting
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Round 1 – auditions, notes, and coaching
1:00-2:00 p.m.: Lunch break / headshots
2:00-2:30 p.m.: Personal rehearsal time / headshots
1:303:30 p.m.: Bring backs – Round 2 – auditions and coaching
3:30-4:30 p.m.: Callbacks and cold reading
4:30-5:00 p.m.: Wrap and questions
Teachers:

–
Tyson Kaup is a Seattle-based actor, director, and producer as well as Artistic Director of the Gesa Power House Theatre Summer Stage. His recent directing credits include The Rocky Horror Show, The Last Five Years, and Cabaret. Tyson’s producing credits include the NYC world premiere of Turtleback High by Kevin Dedes, the feature films March!, Solitary Child, and My Last Day with You, as well as many music videos and commercial productions. As an actor, Tyson has performed on film, television, Off-Broadway, and many regional theaters around the country. He holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where he studied with the Atlantic Theater Company.

–
ReNae Davis is a singer, pianist, lyricist and composer with more than 30 years of teaching and performing experience. Favorite Los Angeles stage credits include: Lola in Damn Yankees, Cassie in A Chorus Line, Sonia in They’re Playing our Song and Margarita in Evita. She has also performed with many famed musical actors and musicians, including The Pointer Sisters, Bonnie Raitt, Julie Andrews, Dixie Carter, Kevin Bacon, and Sean Penn. ReNae holds a BFA in Music and Drama from BYU.

Photographer:
Aaron Grubb is a Walla Walla area photographer, writer, and musician. He has experience photographing weddings, portraits (corporate and high school seniors), real estate, landscape, and events as well as videography.

Live Cinema: "Rigoletto" - Royal Opera
2018-02-07 18:00 - 21:00 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
The Live Cinema Series continues with a screening of the current production of Rigoletto by The Royal Opera on Wednesday, February 7 at 6:00 p.m. This production is filmed live in London and rebroadcast internationally to select screens.
﻿
The corruption of innocence is at the heart of Giuseppe Verdi’s potent tragedy in David McVicar’s production for The Royal Opera.
The opera’s story follows Rigoletto, the hunchbacked court jester to the libertine Duke of Mantua, who is cursed by the father of one of the Duke’s latest conquests for his mocking laughter. When the Duke turns his attention to Rigoletto’s own daughter Gilda, it seems the curse is taking effect, and the jester must plot to protect her from the Duke’s immoral intent.
David McVicar’s production highlights the cruelty at the heart of the court of Mantua. Richly dressed courtiers engage in orgies and revelries to Verdi’s heady, spirited dances. The opera’s many musical highlights include the ebullient “La donna è mobile”, in which the Duke boasts of his disregard for women; Gilda’s exquisite, plangent duets with Rigoletto and the Duke; and the gorgeous Act III quartet that beautifully weaves the voices together as the story quickens to its shattering conclusion.
Alexander Joel conducts a cast led by Greek baritone Dimitri Platanias in the title role and featuring American tenor Michael Fabiano as the Duke of Mantua, alongside English soprano Lucy Crowe as Gilda.
Giuseppe Verdi wrote in 1855 that Rigoletto was his “best opera”. He had to overcome state censorship to stage it – the censors objected to its depiction of an immoral ruler – but he was vindicated by the premiere’s huge success in 1851. Rigoletto was performed 250 times in the next 10 years and has remained one of the most popular of all operas.
This screening runs approximately 2 hours 45 minutes including one interval and an onscreen introduction. Beer, wine, and snacks will be available for purchase.
NOTE: Rigoletto is sung in Italian with English surtitles. Contains some nudity and scenes of a sexual nature. Recommended for ages 18 and up.
Reserved seating tickets ($15 Adults, $10 Students/Youth) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. RSVP on Facebook
Special limited time offer: Purchase tickets to all twelve 2018 Live Cinema Series screenings together and save 33%!
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Live Cinema Series is sponsored by Shakespeare Walla Walla, a local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that aims to make Shakespeare and theater approachable and entertaining to students in eastern Washington and Oregon.

Documentary Film: "Big Sonia"
2018-01-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 North 6th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Gesa Power House Theatre will screen the documentary film “Big Sonia” on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. Representatives from Congregation Beth Israel of Walla Walla (Pat Henry, Richard Middleton-Kaplan, James Winchell) will introduce the film and host a short Q&A discussion following the screening.

Big Sonia Festival Teaser from Inflatable Film on Vimeo.
Standing tall at 4’8″, Sonia is one of the last remaining Holocaust survivors in Kansas City and one of the only survivors there who speaks publicly about her wartime experience. Sonia’s enormous personality and fragile frame mask the horrors she endured. At 15 she watched her mother disappear behind gas chamber doors. Sonia’s teenage years were a blur of concentration camps and death marches. On liberation day, she was accidentally shot through the chest, yet again miraculously survived. Sonia is the ultimate survivor, a bridge between cultures and generations. Her story must never be forgotten.
For years, Sonia Warshawski (91) has been an inspirational public speaker at schools and prisons, where her stories of surviving the Holocaust as a teenager have inspired countless people who once felt their own traumas would leave them broken forever. But when Sonia is served an eviction notice for her iconic tailor shop (in a dead mall), she’s confronted with an agonizing decision: either open up a new shop, or retire. Ironically, Sonia’s shop is the last open business in an otherwise desolate Kansas City mall, but it contains enough color and liveliness to make up for the entire empty complex. For a woman who admits she stays busy “to keep the dark parts away”, facing retirement dredges up fears she’d long forgot she had, and her horrific past resurfaces.
“Big Sonia” explores what it means to be a survivor and how inter-generational trauma affects families and generations. Will you let your trauma define you? Or will your past make you stronger?
“Such a beautiful documentary…an unexpected and vital exploration in a time we need it most. I love Sonia!”
‐ Rosie O’Donnell
Awards:
Grand Jury Prize: Best Documentary, Barcelona International Film Festival, 2017
Best Film / Audience Award, Cleveland International Film Festival, 2017
Best Documentary, Wilbur Award for Religious Communicators, 2017
Best Documentary, Napa Film Festival, 2016
Audience Award, Napa Film Festival, 2016
Best Heartland Documentary, Kansas City Film Festival, 2017
AARP Movies For GrownUps Nominee, 2017
Best Documentary / Audience Award, Monadnock International Film Festival, 2017
Audience Award, Seattle Jewish Film Festival, 2017
Audience Award, Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, 2017
Audience Award, Mendocino Film Festival, 2017
Shanghai International Film Festival (only US-‐made doc in competition), 2017
Audience Award, Berkshire Jewish Film Festival, 2017
Best Local Film, Movie Trip Cinema (Kansas City), 2017
Reserved seating tickets ($15 Adults, $10 Students) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500.
RSVP on Facebook
# # #
Want to receive early notice and access to ticket sales? Become a Gesa Power House Theatre Member (highest priority) or sign up for our e-mail list!

The 2018 Gesa Power House Theatre Season receives support from:

KAPP-KVEW TV, Inland Cellular, McCurley Integrity Toyota of Walla Walla, Pacific Power

Are you visiting from out of town? Stay at our partner hotel!

save 15% when you show your ticket stub to a Gesa Power House Theatre show during check-in at Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center
