By Sarah Nigbor

PRESCOTT – After a two-year hiatus, the Great River Road Theatre returns with a musical benefit titled "A Night of Song." The hope is to raise enough money to put on a winter production. The Great River Road Theatre, founded in the 1992, is a non-profit organization dedicat – ed to bringing classic musicals and comedies to the Prescott area for the enjoyment of the community. After two years of no shows due to COVID, the couers are running dry and the group needs to raise some money in order to put on their February dinner theatre show. While no money has been coming in, money has been going out to pay taxes and storage fees. "I don't like to ask people for money," said GRRT board member Judy Johnson. "I believe you should give something in return." The community is invited to "A Night of Song," with showtimes at 5:30 p.m. Satur – day, Aug. 20 and 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 21 at Joy Lutheran Church (1435 St. Croix St., Prescott.) Tickets are $25 and include not only the performance, but a catered pork and chicken dinner from Ptacek's, complete with mashed potatoes and gravy, salad, buttered carrots, rolls and chocolate eclairs. Theatre members will sing Broadway show tunes and songs from shows the group has performed in the past, songs to inspire people to get excited about live theatre again. Performers come from all over the local area, including Prescott, Ellsworth, River Falls,

and Hastings. "We do this as a group," Johnson empha – sized. "I cannot do this by myself." Johnson said when COVID struck in March 2020, GRRT had just put on the best show they've ever done: Clue. "We just put on the show and had our cast party and COVID hit," she said. "We were so blessed to miss it." Performers so far include Jane Gilles, River Falls; Liz Gehrke, Prescott; Shelby Schultz and Jolene Schultz, Ellsworth; Emily Magee and Sydney Magee, Prescott; Blaine Hackett, River Falls; Mark Swan, Hastings; Ken McNiu, Prescott; Tori Dowley and Aar on Windsor, Ellsworth; Kelly Holm, Hudson; Scott Halverson, Prescott; and possibly more. Most of the performers have taken part in past productions. If enough money is raised, GRRT will put on a February dinner theatre show. Johnson teased a couple of options, but is not at liberty to give them away just yet. Auditions will be held this fall. "It would mean everything," Johnson said of raising enough money to stage a show. "If we don't raise enough money, I'll be in big trouble because this was my idea. We need enough gas to keep the car going and right now, we're real low." Tickets can be purchased at Ptacek's IGA or by calling Johnson at 715-307-9489.

To learn more about the Great River Road Theatre and its mission, visit www.greatriv –

erroadtheatre.org

Great River Road Theatre board members meet at Ptacek’s to plan the upcoming show. (Front, from left): Judy Johnson, Marie Ann Deiss, LuAnn Sabelko; (back, from left): Becky Denn, Neal Jensen, Ken Roen, Krista Christensen, Janet Cleary, Scott Halverson; not pictured; Terese Helberg.

Photo courtesy of Janet Cleary