Entertainment Briefs - Nov. 14

■ CLC Community Band to perform Tuesday

The Central Lakes College (CLC) Community Band will perform music from England and Scotland in it’s fall concert, “Pubs and Pipers” scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Chalberg Theater in Brainerd.

Admission is $5 for adults. CLC students with identification and children 12 and under are admitted free of charge. No reserved seating.

The music will feature familiar melodies from both countries as well as well-known English band classics such as the Gustav Holst “First Suite in Eb for Military Band” and Colonel Bogey March by Kenneth Alford. This is in anticipation of the scheduled CLC Band Tour to England and Scotland which will take place in the summer of 2014.

The concert also features the CLC Jazz Ensemble playing a variety of musical styles from the “Average White Band” to “Guy Noir’s Brother”, a trombone feature with Jerry Swanson on trombone, to the “Modern Jazz Quartet” which will feature guest artist Jim Henkenmeyer on Vibraphone.

Jazz Band members are:

Playing the saxophone are Isaac Armstrong and Frank Milo, both of Pine River; Mike Bender, Crosby; Shawn Kobs-Pillager; and Kimberly Jessen, Pequot Lakes.

Trumpets: Sue Kavanaugh, East Gull Lake; Claudette Kitzman, Lake Shore; Deb Engen, Baxter; and Cade Platta.

Trombones: Jerry Swanson, Brainerd; Doug Durant, Baxter.

Guitar: Dominic Dunn, Brainerd.

Piano: Steve Anderson, Merrifield.

Bass: Laurence Chamberlain

Drums: Michelle Miller, Sartell; Ellis Mahala, Brainerd.

Personnel in the Community Band are Robin Myers, Adam Marcotte, Julie Mudgette, Chelsea Kraemer, Cathy Dens, Kristine Myers, Kennie Planer, JoAnn Norman, Erica Embertson, Katie Holtz, Alyssa Maurer, Joe McGown, Marissa Spenser, Ashley Deem, Katie Campbell, Jim Anderson, Jerry Swanson, Jennifer Paterson, Justin Jordan and Pat Anderson, all of Brainerd; Becky Bontjes, Amber Tappe, Erica Koehler, Jodie Dahl, Dave Borash, Deb Eggen, John Raboin, Bonnie Groneberg, Tim O’Neill and Carol Ellerbusch, all of Baxter;

Shawn Kobs and Jennifer Fundine, both of Pillager; Mike Bender, Crosby; Dick Gunderson, Deerwood; Shantel Koering, Fort Ripley; Sarah Armstrong, Isaac Armstrong and Frank Milo, all of Pine River; Brian Dyer and Katie Torbert, both of Little Falls, Kimberly Jessen, Pequot Lakes; Pat Ryle and Ray Meek, both of Staples; Jessica Dieter, Nisswa;

Claudette Kitzman, Lake Shore; Jessica Mochling, Ironton; Richard Salswedel and Meredith Sternaman, both of Backus; Michelle Miller, Sartell; and Jenna Hollingsworth, Merrifield.

■ Pierz students
to perform musical

PIERZ - The Pierz Healy High School drama students under the direction of Diane Hauan will perform “The Music Man” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Performance Arts Center at the high school.

Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” centers around a small Iowa town named River City. Here Marian the Librarian (played by Stephanita ZumBerge) finds out that the Music Man, Professor Harold Hill (played by Kyle Becker) is a salesman that doesn’t know anything about the band lessons that he’s selling to the community. He is there to swindle the money out of everyone before he leaves town on the train. During his stay in River City, he meets Mayor Shinn (played by Andrew Sopkowiak) and his wife Eulalie Mackeckney Shinn (played by Kyra Engen), Winthrop (played by Landon Schomer), Mrs. Paroo (played by Cassie Virnig) and convinces them that he has the credentials to be the leader of the newly formed boy’s band in their fair city.

When one of Professor Hill’s salesman friend named Charlie Cowell (played by Jordan Funk) comes into town and tells everyone that Professor Hill is just a thief, everything falls apart for the Music Man. Everything except that he has fallen in love with Marian and decides to stay in River City to lead the boy’s band after all.

The Healy High School has produced musicals such as “Oklahoma!” “The Sound of Music,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

There are 37 cast and crew members for the musical.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and free for children under 5.

■ Comedian Louie Anderson returns to Little Falls

LITTLE FALLS - Back by popular demand for one night only Louie Anderson returns to Little Falls in “The Sweet Potato Tour” with special guests Jason Schommer and Rox Tarrant for a hilarious night of stand up comedy presented by Comedy on the Rox.

The comedy event will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 25 at the Falls Ballroom.

Anderson has performed to a sold out audiences in Little Falls and is excited about his return to central Minnesota. Now Anderson is back and is funnier than ever with hilarious new material in this special Thanksgiving Holiday comedy tour.

Tickets are $35 general admission and $50 for Gold Circle VIP with a pre-show “Meet and Greet” at 6 p.m. with Louie Anderson. Tickets can currently be purchased online at www.brownpapertickets.com or in person at the St. Francis Music Center.

When asked why he was kicking off “The Sweet Potato Tour” in Little Falls, Anderson replied “Well, I lost a bet with Jason Schommer. Turns out he can run faster than me! No, seriously I love Little Falls! Every time I’ve performed there, I’ve felt at home. The people are great and the audiences are just so much fun. I can’t think of a better time to be in Little Falls than the week of Thanksgiving!”

Schommer, a Little Falls native, has been Anderson’s opening act in Las Vegas for two years and continues to travel and open for the comedy legend at clubs and theaters across the country.

Anderson is one of the most versatile and successful comedians working in Hollywood today and is adored by standing-room-only crowds in Las Vegas and beyond. Most recently Anderson made a splash on ABC primetime on the high reality show SPLASH! Sharing the ups and downs of his childhood experiences as one of 11 children in Minnesota, Anderson crafted comedy routines that range true for audiences while reducing them to helpless fits of laughter. Johnny Carson, the comedy icon for generations of rising stars, invited Anderson to make his national television debut on the “The Tonight Show” in 1984, and the rest is history.

Anderson won two Emmy Awards for the animated series “Life with Louie” based on his childhood and was seen nightly as the host of the hit revival of “Family Feud.” His three bestselling books include “Dear Dad - Letters From An Adult Child,” a collection of alternately touching and outrageous letters from Anderson to his late father, and “Good-bye Jumbo...Hello Cruel World” and “The F Word: How to Survive Your Family.”

Schommer is a standup comedian who has spent the past two years as the opening act for Anderson in Las Vegas. Anderson says “Jason is funny, clever, smart and on his way to the big time!” Laugh-until-you-cry stories combine with playful one liners covering a wide array of topics ranging from the daily struggles of life to his loveable, yet kooky, Minnesotan family. Schommer’s comedy style ranges from observational humor based on his life, the world around us, and hilarious commentary of pop culture recounting hysterical true encounters with celebrities. Schommer began his adventures in standup comedy while working for The Rosie O’Donnell Show in New York City. The show’s writers thought he was funny, so they signed him up to perform at the New York Comedy Club.

Ever since Tarrant was a young girl, she has wanted to be a comedian. Now that she is a comedian, she just wants to be a young girl. Celebrating almost 20 years as a comedian and producer, Tarrant has garnered respect for her comedy style, being true to herself and always hilarious. A native of Alexandria, Tarrant got her start in stand up by entering the Twin Cities Funniest Person Contest at Acme Comedy Club. She was a finalist and went on to work with some of the country’s best national headliners Diane Ford, Jeff Cesario and Louie Anderson.