The 2015-2016 Season at Thrasher-Horne Center

Bill Engvall
Courtesy of Thrasher-Horne Center

Thanks to all of the friends and supporters of the Thrasher-Horne Center, the 2015-2016 season was one of our best ever. Sixty-four percent of tickets sold were to first time visitors of our venue. We look forward to seeing all of them again and to seeing many more new visitors in the upcoming season.

Last season, the Thrasher-Horne Center hosted concerts by some of the finest recording artists around, including Lyle Lovett, America, and Boz Scaggs. Our diverse schedule also featured the magic of Mike Super and Hal Holbrook’s iconic one-man show, Mark Twain Tonight. We played host to a weeklong residency by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra with new conductor Courtney Lewis, and welcomed the National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China with their world renowned production of Peking Dreams.

Here are a few of the other highlights of the season:

R5 Rocked!

Courtesy of Thrasher-Horne Center

R5 kicked off their summer U.S tour at the Thrasher-Horne Center nearly a year ago on July 7th. These young rockers have what it takes to make it to the top and stay there. They had a blast performing on our stage and it showed, in an unforgettable night that was both charismatic and electrifying. Our audience that evening can claim bragging rights to a powerhouse performance from a band skyrocketing to superstardom.

Bill Engvall had the audience in stitches!

Bill Engvall’s ability to connect with an audience by sharing the humor in everyday situations has made him one of the top comedians today. He attributes his 35-year career to his evolution from joke-teller to storyteller. His work spans small comedy clubs, nationally touring comedy shows, radio, television, films, albums, and books. He marked his debut performance at the Thrasher-Horne Center on October 2^nd, 2015, bringing a side-splitting show to a nearly sold out crowd and setting Thrasher-Horne Center’s box office records in the process.

Michael McDonald crooned his heart out!

Courtesy of Thrasher-Horne Center

For decades, singer/songwriter Michael McDonald has had one of the most recognized voices in popular music. His sound is distinctively soulful, winning him five Grammys throughout his career. In 2009, McDonald released This Christmas, his third holiday album. On December 19^th, he took to the Thrasher-Horne Center stage with hits and holiday favorites for a very memorable performance. 

Melissa Etheridge got personal!

Courtesy of Thrasher-Horne Center

Melissa Etheridge has won an Academy Award and two Grammy Awards. On February 17^th, she performed an intimate one-woman set that included music from her new album, This is M.E., as well as many of her greatest hits. Known for her iconic voice, profound lyrics, and riveting stage presence, Melissa shared personal stories about her remarkable journey through life and the inspiration behind some of her most beloved songs.

A full-fledged Broadway Season was delivered to Orange Park!

The Thrasher-Horne Center presented five fabulous Broadway shows as part of its inaugural Broadway Season. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical kicked off the series in December. It was fun for the whole family, but particularly for the little ones. Ragtime was presented in January, with a gorgeous new staging and powerhouse performance from an incredible cast. Annie was up next at the Thrasher-Horne Center in February, charming children and adults alike with its classic tale of perseverance and optimism. In March, Saturday Night Fever came to town, and transported us back in time to the 70s with two nights filled with dancing in the aisles and singing along to the greatest hits of the era.

Courtesy of Thrasher-Horne Center

Capping off the season, the Thrasher-Horne Center hosted the Northeast Florida premiere of ONCE on May 1^st, a musical which won eight Tony Awards® including Best Musical. Based on the popular 2007 movie, ONCE is the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who’s about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his music. The touring production of ONCE featured an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who played their own instruments on stage. ONCE drew in audience members from the very first note and never let them go.

The 2016-2017 Broadway season is being planned now. It’s going to be another fantastic season! Stay tuned to this blog and to the Thrasher-Horne Center’s website for all the details which will be coming out in the very near future. Remember that subscribers get the best seats at the best prices. If you’re a theatre lover, please consider subscribing. If you know a theatre lover, you might also consider giving a subscription as a gift.

…And Coming Soon!

We already have several excellent performers lined up for the Thrasher-Horne Center in the coming year, from Wayne Brady to Billy Gardell to Jay Leno, and with other world class musicians and performers being added daily… it’s gonna be another revolutionary year!

Are you a teacher planning field trips for 2016-2017?

The Thrasher-Horne Center’s popular School Time Series offers entertaining, educational and engaging performances for students. Through these educational programs, the Thrasher-Horne Center continues its commitment to enrich the lives of the students it serves. There are five exciting performances scheduled for the coming school year. If you, or a teacher you know, is planning field trips for the coming school year, check out the flyer.

Have you explored the benefits of Membership?

The Thrasher-Horne Center plays a unique and significant role in the cultural life of the surrounding community. It’s a venue which hosts artistic performances that are not available elsewhere in Clay County. Thrasher-Horne Center Memberships are available starting at $75.00. Member benefits include priority ticket ordering, discounts, VIP parking, and more depending on your donation level. For more information on member benefits, go to the membership page.  

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Please share this article with your friends and colleagues. The Google Plus button and other social media sharing buttons are below.

Tickets for concerts and other events and others are on sale now on the Thrasher-Horne Center’s website.

The Thrasher-Horne Center is one of the nicest venues of its type in Northeast Florida. From concerts by renowned artists, to live theater, to dance, to magic and other fantastic shows, you can see it all at the Thrasher Horne-Center! Spread the word about one of Northeast Florida’s best kept secrets!

We appreciate you taking the time to visit us. If you have a comment about this article, please leave it in the comments section below.

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ONCE - THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA PREMIERE!

Sunday, May 1^st, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

In 2007, the charming, off-beat Irish film Once opened to glowing reviews and quickly developed a fervent following. The touching, lyrical musical tells the story of two down-on-their-luck musicians, an angst-ridden Dublin street singer/songwriter who works as a vacuum repairman, and a Czech immigrant who sells flowers in order to support herself and her family. Girl (as she is known) initiates a friendship with Guy (as he is known), and in the course of a week they make music together, fall in love and part, but not before changing each other’s lives. The movie’s stars, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, also wrote much of the score, and received an Oscar for their beautiful ballad, “Falling Slowly.”

Once is simultaneously graceful and gritty, and has a naturalism and intimacy that are generally best achieved in film. The 12 adult members of the cast play at least one instrument, and are onstage virtually throughout the show. “I didn’t want anyone onstage who we didn’t get to know intimately,” says director John Tiffany. By individualizing each character, adds writer Enda Walsh, “we built a community, and that became the heart of the piece. They’re an ensemble of misshapen people who sing and tell the story. Watching them play the music and sing and find their voice is very beautiful and very strong. But in addition to making it about community, we also wanted the show to be hugely communal. So how do we do that? We allow the audience onstage.”

Prior to the start of the show, the audience is welcome to come onstage and mingle with the cast, who are having a jam session. This bonding ritual doesn’t merely break the fourth wall; it obliterates it. “We wanted the audience to own the experience,” says Walsh. As the show unfolds, the focus is, of course, on the relationship between Guy and Girl, but the audience also catches glimpses of the lives of the other characters. “We needed to be sure that there are all these other love stories in the air. Each person is riffing off a love that’s been lost, that got away. That was the key: for the audience to feel part of the experience, and also to look at the people on the stage and go, ‘They’re us.’”

               

The material has proved to be as powerful onstage as it is on film. “I think what’s very moving about the piece is how sometimes we meet people who we don’t necessarily stay with forever, but they give us the resources to move on to the next part of our life,” says Tiffany. “There’s something very truthful in that. People have said to me, ‘When I was sitting in the theatre watching Once, I felt like I was watching it with everyone I’ve ever loved, whether or not they’re still in my life.’”

Winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards® including BEST MUSICAL, ONCE is a truly original Broadway experience. Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, ONCE draws you in from the very first note and never lets go. It’s an unforgettable story about going for your dreams, not living in fear, and the power of music to connect all of us.

Reviews of Once, The Musical

“Once uses song and dance in a way I’ve never experienced in an American musical.” New York Times

“Once is unusually fun and heartfelt musical theatre. The cast is on fire.” The New Yorker

“A love story played with fierce sincerity and unexpected honesty.” Wall Street Journal

“There are plenty of romantic Broadway musicals, but Once is part of a much smaller and rarefied group: musicals that are actually wise about the joys and anguish of love and life.” Chicago Tribune

“Unbridled Joy!” Vogue

“Pure, moving, inventive, and irresistible. Once makes a lasting connection.” Associated Press

“A rhapsodic unique musical that’s tender, funny, and soaring.” Variety

“Once charms us with a rare combination of intelligence, warmth, and  musicality.” Bloomburg News

“A new musical to celebrate. Wonderful and enchanting.” Newsday

“Once in a blue moon, perhaps once in a decade or so, a new Broadway musical breaks the rules, challenges expectations, and delights audiences with something they didn’t realize they were longing for. Once is that musical.” Columbus Dispatch

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Once has been produced in Dublin, London, Melbourne, and Seoul. The second North American touring production began in January of this year. See Once at the Thrasher-Horne Center on Sunday, May 1^st.

Get tickets for the NortheastFlorida Premiere of Once.  

Coming Soon to the Thrasher-Horne Center

Catch the Fever – Saturday Night Fever – at Thrasher-Horne Center

7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 7^th, and Tuesday, March 8^th
Lights! Action! Disco! You should be dancing, yeah!

John Travolta danced his way onto the big screen in Saturday Night Fever in 1977. Saturday Night Fever, The Musical, is a spectacular touring production based on the groundbreaking movie.

Feel the energy Monday, March 7^th, and Tuesday, March 8^th, at the Thrasher-Horne Center. Saturday Night Fever is packed with hits from the Bee Gees, including "Stayin' Alive," "Night Fever," "Jive Talking," "You Should Be Dancing," and "How Deep is Your Love."  

Get tickets.

HAL HOLBROOK IN MARK TWAIN TONIGHT!

Friday, April 22nd at 7:30 p.m.

Hal Holbrook’s first performance of Mark Twain Tonight! was in 1954 at Lock Haven State Teachers College in Pennsylvania. Holbrook has been performing as Mark Twain ever since.  Just as Mark Twain brought his wit and humor to far-flung places, Holbrook-as-Twain has also performed around the world.

“Uncanny. A dazzling display of virtuosity.” The New Yorker

“The combination of Holbrook’s physical and vocal talents and the potency of Twain’s words is a mesmerizing thing to behold.” Washington Post

”One of the treasures of the American Theatre.” Life Magazine

“Uproariously funny!” Time Magazine

“From the moment Hal Holbrook steps on stage, you simply take for granted that Mark Twain himself is up there talking to you.” Wall Street Journal

“A genuine piece of theatrical history! Mark Twain Tonight! remains the standard bearer in terms of biographical solo drama.”  New York Post

Hal Halbrook has won five Emmy Awards. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and twice for awards from the Screen Actors’ Guild.  He has appeared in dozens of movies on both the big screen and on TV. In 1999, Holbrook was inducted into the New York Theatre Hall of Fame. In 2003 he was presented with the National Medal of the Humanities by President Bush at the White House.

Don’t Miss Hal Holbrook as he performs Mark Twain Tonight! at the Thrasher-Horne Center on Friday, April 22^nd.

Get tickets.

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Please share this article with your friends and colleagues. The Google Plus button and other social media sharing buttons are below.

In this article, I’ve written about the upcoming Northeast Florida Premiere of the acclaimed musical Once. The performance will be at the Thrasher-Horne Center on Sunday, May 1^st.  I’ve also noted other upcoming performances, including Saturday Night Fever, The Musical, and Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight!

Tickets for these events and others are on sale now on the Thrasher-Horne Center’s website.

The Thrasher-Horne Center is one of the nicest venues of its type in Northeast Florida. From concerts by renowned artists, to live theater, to dance, to magic and other fantastic shows, you can see it all at the Thrasher Horne-Center! 

Spread the word about one of Northeast Florida’s best kept secrets! Tell your family and friends about the Thrasher-Horne Center. People will appreciate learning about what they have been missing.

We appreciate you taking the time to visit us. If you have a comment about this article, please leave it in the comments section below.

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HAL HOLBROOK IN MARK TWAIN TONIGHT!

Friday, April 22nd at 7:30 p.m.

Hal Holbrook served in the U.S. Army in Newfoundland during World War II. When the war was over, he attended Denison University and graduated in 1948. Over the next several years, he developed a one-man show in which he impersonated Mark Twain, one of the greatest writers in American Literature. According to Playbill Magazine, the first performance of the show was in 1954 at Lock Haven State Teachers College in Pennsylvania. Holbrook has been performing as Mark Twain ever since.

Holbrook appeared as Twain on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. In 1959, he performed as Twain in an off Broadway venue. After that, the U.S. Department of State sponsored an international tour. In 1966, the show premiered on Broadway. Holbrook won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play. That was followed by an Emmy Award nomination for the 1967 television broadcast of the production.

Just as Mark Twain brought his wit and humor to far-flung places, Holbrook-as-Twain has also performed around the world, from Saudi Arabia to Warsaw, from Edinburgh to New Delhi. Holbrook is not simply an impersonator of Mark Twain. He is a highly respected authority on the writer about whom Hemingway once said, "American literature began."

Reviews of Mark Twain Tonight!

“Uncanny. A dazzling display of virtuosity.” The New Yorker

“Holbrook’s characterization of the great novelist and raconteur is, to this day, a work in progress. The transformation is so complete as to be almost unsettling at times. The combination of Holbrook’s physical and vocal talents and the potency of Twain’s words is a mesmerizing thing to behold.” Washington Post

”One of the treasures of the American Theatre.” Life Magazine

“As politically of the moment as Al Franken and Bill Maher, Mr. Holbrook has tailored his Mark Twain handbook of quotes and set pieces to focus on the corruption and fabrications of politicians and journalists, subjects that alas seem excruciatingly relevant just now. His delivery is rambling, skirting the edges of senility and then zeroing into sharp focus with punch lines that grab you from behind.” New York Times

“Uproariously funny!” Time Magazine

“Written in 1954, Mark Twain Tonight! remains to this day the most admired of all one man shows. This is no museum piece – it is acting of the first order.  From the moment Hal Holbrook steps on stage, you simply take for granted that Mark Twain himself is up there talking to you.” Wall Street Journal

“A genuine piece of theatrical history! Mark Twain Tonight! remains the standard bearer in terms of biographical solo drama.”  New York Post

Hal Holbrook, Master of Stage and Screen

Hal Halbrook began his career in show business over half a century ago. To say that he has been successful would be an understatement. He built his reputation primarily on TV, where he played such memorable roles as Abraham Lincoln, as Senator Hays Stowe on The Bold Ones, and as Captain Lloyd Bucher on Pueblo. He has been nominated for a dozen Emmy Awards and has won five times. He has also been nominated twice for prestigious awards from the Screen Actors’ Guild and for an Academy Award for his supporting role in Into the Wild. 

He has appeared in dozens of movies on both the big screen and on TV. They include Magnum Force, All the President’s Men, The Star Chamber, Men of Honor, and The Firm. In the past decade alone, he has appeared in guest roles on TV in The Sopranos, The West Wing, NCIS, E.R., and The Sons of Anarchy. Holbrook’s stage experience includes roles in The Glass Menagerie, Man Of LaMancha, King Lear, Merchant Of Venice, and Death Of A Salesman.

In 1999, Holbrook was inducted into the New York Theatre Hall of Fame. In 2003 he was presented with the National Medal of the Humanities by President Bush at the White House. 

Get tickets to see Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight!

Coming Soon to the Thrasher-Horne Center

Catch the Fever – Saturday Night Fever – at Thrasher-Horne Center

7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 7^th, and Tuesday, March 8^th
Lights! Action! Disco! You should be dancing, yeah!

John Travolta danced his way onto the big screen in Saturday Night Fever in 1977. The film came out at the peak of the Age of Disco. It was a sensation! The way people dressed, socialized, and danced would never be the same. Saturday Night Fever, The Musical, is a spectacular touring production based on the groundbreaking movie.

Feel the energy Monday, March 7^th, and Tuesday, March 8^th, at the Thrasher-Horne Center. Saturday Night Fever is packed with hits from the Bee Gees, including "Stayin' Alive," "Night Fever," "Jive Talking," "You Should Be Dancing," and "How Deep is Your Love."  There are also several new songs that were written especially for this thrilling production. 

Get tickets!

ONCE - THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA PREMIERE!

Sunday, May 1^st, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards® including BEST MUSICAL, ONCE is a truly original Broadway experience. Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, ONCE tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who’s about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs.

As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights. However, their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance. Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, ONCE draws you in from the very first note and never lets go. It’s an unforgettable story about going for your dreams, not living in fear, and the power of music to connect all of us.

Get tickets!

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Please share this article with your friends and colleagues. The Google Plus button and other social media sharing buttons are below.

In this article, I’ve written about Hal Holbrook’s upcoming performance of Mark Twain Tonight! at the Thrasher-Horne Center. I’ve also noted other upcoming theater performances, including Saturday Night Fever The Musical, and the Northeast Florida Premiere of ONCE.  

Tickets for these events and others are on sale now on the Thrasher-Horne Center’s website.

The Thrasher-Horne Center is one of the nicest venues of its type in Northeast Florida. From concerts by renowned artists, to live theater, to dance, to magic and other fantastic shows, you can see it all at the Thrasher Horne-Center! 

Spread the word about one of Northeast Florida’s best kept secrets! Tell your family and friends about the Thrasher-Horne Center. People will appreciate learning about what they have been missing.

We appreciate you taking the time to visit us. If you have a comment about this article, please leave it in the comments section below.

Related articles

• The Mark Twain Special (The Bat Segundo Show #552)
• In the Archives: Mark Twain's "A Presidential Candidate" (1879)