Big Sky Concert Series Coming to Sidney

The Sidney Performing Arts Council and the Northeastern Arts Network are pleased to present the 2014-15 Big Sky Concert Series to our community .This year's series features exciting live theatre and a kaleidoscope of musical entertainment as part of this art organization's ongoing commitment to provide quality entertainment to the community with a variety of shows that will appeal to every age and interest.

The first performance of the season kicks off with Montana Repertory Theatre's presentation of Once Upon A Time in Ancient Greece: Stheno's Descent into the Underworld. In this comedy by Laramie Dean, Stheno, one of three sisters turned into hideous Gorgons by Athena for catching the eye of Poseidon, is not going to take her sister Medusa's murder lying down! Told in under 50 minutes, this epic story is played out by three actors donning a variety of Greek masks and employing puppetry, shadow play and illusion to create this highly inventive theatrical experience. Don't miss this comic quest of mythological proportions on Wednesday, September 17th.

You won't want to miss the excitement on Thursday, October 2nd when Andy Hackbarth & Wayward Tambourine hit the stage. Contemporary folk ensemble with award-winning singer/songwriter Andy Hackbarth, this group creates music bearing the stamp of the contemporary West. These highly acclaimed road warriors have set themselves apart with a mix of intricately-arranged original songs, one-of-a-kind renditions of popular cover tunes and virtuosic guitar selections with an upbeat show that continues to "wow" audiences of all ages.

In November, the Big Sky Series presents Presidio Brass on Thursday, November 13th. Since forming in 2006, Presidio Brass has rocketed to success as the face of a bold new generation in brass entertainment. By combining a brass quintet, piano and percussion instruments with fresh, original arrangements, their unique sound has become a trademark for the ensemble from San Diego, CA, captivating audiences the world over.

A unique and talented group, Tumbledown House, joins the series on February 5th , 2015. Consisting of the sultry vocals of Gillian Howe and the indie-jazz guitar work of Tyler Ryan Miller, Tumbledown House provides "modern speakeasy" music as the fun soundtrack to raucous prohibition era themed tunes of the late 1800s. These songwriting deviants have appeared on "11th and Grant with Eric Funk," and have performed over 250 shows across 20 states.

The finale to the season ends in a bang on Thursday, March 26th with Alex Zerbe -- The Zaniac. Alex is a two-time Guinness World Record holder who was voted Seattle's Funniest Prop Comic. He has appeared on prime-time television in three countries including the hit NBC TV shows, "America's Got Talent!" and "Last Comic Standing." Alex is a Hacky Sack World Champion, half of the award-winning comedy act, Brothers from Different Mothers, and, as if that wasn't amazing enough, he was ranked Seattle's 3rd Best Air Guitarist! Alex Zerbe's comedy show is a dynamic array of amazing stunts, physical comedy and audience participation.

All concerts are held at the MonDak Heritage Center at 7:00 p.m. Season tickets can be purchased at the door: adults $45, senior $40, and students $35. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. For additional concert information contact Candy Markwald 406-488-4155, Jill Hill 406-489-4304, or Karen Boehler 406-433-4375.

The Big Sky Series is made possible in part by through grant support from Montana's Cultural Trust, Montana Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, the Montana Performing Arts Consortium and the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF).