Events

The Choral Society, conducted by new Artistic Director Gary Hemenway, kicks off the Walla Walla Christmas season with a concert at Gesa Power House Theatre on Monday, November 27 at 7:00 p.m.

The "Sweet Sounds of Christmas" concert will celebrate the magic of holiday music and feature performances of "I Wish You Christmas" by John Rutter, "Feliz Navidad", "African Noel", "A Holiday Suite" by local composer Perry Jones, and many other favorites. Joining the Choral Society on stage will be the Sharpstein Elementary School Choir directed by Lori Parnicky.

This event is SOLD OUT.

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.

Gesa Power House Theatre will screen the current Royal Ballet production of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland on Wednesday, November 29 at 6:00 p.m. A portion of the proceeds ($1/ticket) will be donated to Danza Classica Ballet Foundation.

At a garden party on a sunny afternoon, Alice is surprised to see her parents’ friend Lewis Carroll transform into a white rabbit. When she follows him down a rabbit hole events become curiouser and curiouser…As Alice journeys through Wonderland, she encounters countless strange creatures. She’s swept off her feet by the charming Knave of Hearts, who’s on the run for stealing the tarts. Confusion piles upon confusion. Then Alice wakes with a start. Was it all a daydream?

Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland burst onto the stage in 2011 in an explosion of colour, stage magic and inventive, sophisticated choreography. Joby Talbot’s score combines contemporary soundworlds with sweeping melodies that gesture to ballet scores of the 19th century. Bob Crowley’s wildly imaginative, eye-popping designs draw on everything from puppetry to projections to make Wonderland wonderfully real.

Alice encounters a cast of extraordinary and instantly recognizable characters, from the highly strung Queen of Hearts – who performs a hilarious send-up of The Sleeping Beauty's famous Rose Adage – to a playing-card corps de ballet, a sinuous caterpillar and a tap-dancing Mad Hatter. But the ballet does not avoid the darker undercurrents of Lewis Carroll’s story: a nightmarish kitchen, an eerily disembodied Cheshire Cat and the unhinged tea party are all here in vivid detail. The delicious result shows The Royal Ballet at its best, bringing together world-class dance with enchanting family entertainment.

This production is filmed live in London and rebroadcast internationally to select screens. The screening runs approximately 2 hours 50 minutes including two intervals and an onscreen introduction. Beer, wine, and snacks will be available for purchase.

Reserved seating tickets ($15 Adults, $10 Students) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. Additional donations for Danza Classica Ballet Foundation will be accepted.

Our community here in Walla Walla Washington is a tight-knit group and through our conversations with many people, winery staff and owners, business owners and more, we recognize that the disasters that have struck so many people in the northern California communities hit home hard, as if those terrible fires had happened here. To that end we all want to do something to help and that means raising money to directly help those in need.

Musty, Marc & Brix have put together a benefit concert at Gesa Power House Theatre on Thursday, December 7 at 6:00 p.m.

Our executive sponsor - the Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce - along with many other organizations are doing what they can to make this come off with real tangible benefit to the peoples directly affected.

Mayor Alan Pomraning will kick off the event with a welcome speech and then on to the music!

The bands for the night are:
Abney Park - Worldwide kings of the steampunk music revolution and style;

Strangers In A Strange Land - featuring members of The Seeds. This up and coming band from San Francisco & Sonoma are making waves in the music industry with their retro-psychedelia rock sound.

Brad Yeager - classic Americana crooner from Seattle - to be backed up by local Walla Walla band Big Font;

and of course …

Musty, Marc & Brix - Walla Walla indie band comprised of two keyboardist/vocalists (Tammy & Michael), guitars (Larry), Bass (Thomas), and drummer/percussionist (Fred).

There will be a single-prize raffle as well - round-trip flights for 2 to Sonoma, lodging for 2 nights in Healdsburg and a personalized and very intimate tour of the Sonoma wine country with a visit to 3 wineries led by Master Sommelier Peter Granoff.

Reserved seating tickets ($40) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. A limited number of VIP tickets ($75) are available with stage-side seating and admission to a meet-and-greet, post-show reception.

All proceeds from the event will be donated directly to the Sonoma County Resilience Fund.

Ireland's foremost Celtic classical trio Affinití returns to Gesa Power House Theatre for their annual Christmas show that is well loved by the community and sells out every year. This year's concert will take place on Thursday, December 14, at 7 p.m. Howard Crosby, nephew of the legendary Bing Crosby, joins them on their annual Christmas Tour.

Affinití are a trio of classically trained musicians: soprano Emer Barry, harpist Aisling Ennis, and violinist Mary McCague, each with a graduate degree in Music Performance. Their "crossover" style is a blend of classical, rock, and Celtic music style. They have performed together and solo for Josh Ritter, Michael Buble, Disney, and more.

"Informed as much by the Chieftains as Chopin...full of soul and sass and sophistication as well as exquisite technique." 
-Kevin Cullen, The Boston Globe

Join Affinití and Howard Crosby for an unforgettable evening that will lift your spirits!

Reserved seating tickets ($28-$23) are available online or by contacting the box office at 509-529.6500. 

The Downtown Walla Walla Foundation presents "'Tis the Season" on Saturday, December 16 at 7:00 p.m.

Gary Hemenway & Mark Brown continue to make their holiday appearance at Gesa Power House Theatre a dynamic and much-loved tradition! Highlighting the Walla Walla Valley’s local professional talent, punctuated by Clark Bondy on saxophones, and Daniel Cox on drums, this show will have you dancing in your seats and singing along to many well-known songs of the season. It’s a perfect way to ring in the season!

Wine, available for purchase prior to the performance and at the intermission. The theater lobby opens at 6:00 p.m. The concert begins at 7:00 p.m.

Reserved seating tickets ($30) are available online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. Don’t wait, tickets sell quickly!

All proceeds go to the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation

Gesa Power House Theatre will host two screenings of the current Royal Ballet production of "The Nutcracker" on Sunday, December 17 at 2:00 p.m. and Tuesday, December 19 at 6:00 p.m. This production is filmed live in London and rebroadcast internationally to select screens.

The young Clara creeps downstairs on Christmas Eve to play with her favourite present – a Nutcracker doll. But the mysterious magician Drosselmeyer is waiting to sweep her off on a magical adventure. After defeating the Mouse King, the Nutcracker and Clara travel through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy treats them to a wonderful display of dances. Back home, Clara thinks she must have been dreaming – but doesn’t she recognize Drosselmeyer’s nephew?

Peter Wright’s nigh-on definitive production for The Royal Ballet ranks as one of the most enduring and enchanting versions of The Nutcracker. With its festive period setting, dancing snowflakes and enchanting stage magic, Lev Ivanov’s 1892 ballet has become the perfect Christmas entertainment, with Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous, sugar-spun music the most recognizable of all ballet scores.

Loosely based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, the ballet opens with a lively Christmas party, its Victorian setting captured in opulent detail by Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs. Wright’s choreography ingeniously incorporates surviving fragments of the ballet’s original material, including the sublime pas de deux for the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince. But in emphasizing the relationship between Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, the production also gains a touching subtext of first love.

This screening runs approximately 2 hours 15 minutes 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.

Gesa Power House Theatre will host two screenings of the current Royal Ballet production of The Nutcracker on Sunday, December 17 at 2:00 p.m. and Tuesday, December 19 at 6:00 p.m. This production is filmed live in London and rebroadcast internationally to select screens.

The young Clara (danced by Royal Ballet Principal Francesca Hayward) creeps downstairs on Christmas Eve to play with her favorite present – a Nutcracker doll. But the mysterious magician Drosselmeyer is waiting to sweep her off on a magical adventure. After defeating the Mouse King, the Nutcracker and Clara travel through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy treats them to a wonderful display of dances. Back home, Clara thinks she must have been dreaming – but doesn’t she recognize Drosselmeyer’s nephew?

The famous role of the Sugar Plum Fairy is danced by Royal Ballet Principal Sarah Lamb with her Prince, Principal dancer Steven McRae.

Peter Wright’s nigh-on definitive production for The Royal Ballet ranks as one of the most enduring and enchanting versions of The Nutcracker. With its festive period setting, dancing snowflakes and enchanting stage magic, Lev Ivanov’s 1892 ballet has become the perfect Christmas entertainment, with Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous, sugar-spun music the most recognizable of all ballet scores.

This production of The Nutcracker has enthralled audiences for over 30 years since its opening in 1984. It showcases the full energy of the Company, alongside the emerging talent of young dancers from The Royal Ballet School. The stunning costumes, numbering around 600 and dating back to the world-premiere, are revitalized for the show.

Loosely based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, the ballet opens with a lively Christmas party, its Victorian setting captured in opulent detail by Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs. Wright’s choreography ingeniously incorporates surviving fragments of the ballet’s original material, including the sublime pas de deux for the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince. But in emphasizing the relationship between Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, the production also gains a touching subtext of first love.

This screening runs approximately 2 hours 15 minutes 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.

Gesa Power House Theatre presents an evening of stand up comedy with headliner Kermet Apio at 7:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve - Sunday, December 31. Ring in the new year with the East Coast with a complimentary champagne toast at 9:00 p.m.

Kermet Apio was born and raised in Hawaii and has lived in Seattle since attending the University of Washington in 1985. He has performed in 47 states, 7 Canadian provinces, as well as Hong Kong, Israel, and New Zealand. He has appeared on television shows such as "Star Search", "Evening at the Improv" and "Comedy Showcase with Louie Anderson." He has also been heard on national radio shows like the "Bob and Tom Show" and "Rewind" on NPR, and can be heard regularly on Sirius/XM satellite radio.

Great American Comedy Festival (Winner)
Vancouver Comedy Festival
Las Vegas Comedy Festival
Aspen Comedy Festival
Seattle Comedy Competition (Winner)
San Francisco Comedy Competition (Semi-finals)

Kermet Apio has shared the stage with The Smothers Brothers, Weird Al Yankovich, Brian Regan, and Rita Rudner. He has performed in clubs from Seattle, WA to Philadelphia, PA, on countless college campuses, and for numerous corporate events.

Greg Kettner of Walla Walla will warm up the crowd for Kermet Apio with a short comedy set. Greg's comedy career began when he was asked to replace Greg Proops at SAP's Annual Sales Kickoff in Las Vegas in front of 3,500 co-workers. He realized he had "made it" when he was asked to open for Norm MacDonald who responded with “You made me laugh. Keep doing what you’re doing—you’re funny.” Greg lives in Walla Walla, WA with his wife and daughter and and enjoys cooking, traveling and playing hockey.

Reserved seating tickets ($25) will be available to Members on Thursday, November 9, available to Email Subscribers on Friday, November 17, and to the public on Friday, November 24, online or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500.