By Devon Welsh
Buckets and Boards
Thursday, 4/4 | LuCille Tack Center for the Arts, Spencer
Matthew Levingston and Gareth Sever’s touring show lands somewhere at the crossroads of rhythm, comedy and music. The pair delight audiences with original songs, tap dance, jokes and audience interaction. A variety of instruments, both familiar and unconventional, will be on display. If you’re familiar with stage shows like Stomp and Blue Man Group, you should have a good sense of this fun and family-friendly performance. 7-9 pm. $30 adult, $15 youth. lucilletackcenter.com
Trailblazing Women of Country
Thursday, 4/4 | Grand Theater, Wausau
Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton are three of the biggest country stars of the previous century, each finding great success while laying the foundation for female country artists yet to come. This celebration of women in country features performances of Cline, Lynn and Parton’s music by contemporary female country artists Miko Marks and Kristina Train, each supported by a 5-member all female band. Country music fans of all ages will appreciate this tribute to three of the most memorable artists of the genre, whose music is still celebrated today. 7:30 pm. $30-63. grandtheater.org
Vintage Game Night
Friday, 4/5 | Marathon County Historical Society, Wausau
Games I grew up playing have now become “vintage” games! I wonder if that makes me “vintage” too? It’s an unsettling thought. In any case, this event offers a wide range of games both contemporary and old-fashioned, and you can even bring your own. Try your hand at board games like Hungry Hungry Hippos, Monopoly and Clue, or play card games, children’s games, and even “the Chicken Nugget game”, which I may be too “vintage” to have played. This one is the latest in a series put on by the Marathon County Historical Society at the Woodson History Center on the first Friday of each month. The series is a wonderful opportunity to hang out and have fun. Here’s a Clue prediction: Highlights author in the History Center with the Monopoly board. 5:30-8:30 pm. Free. marathoncountyhistory.org
An Evening with The High Hawks
Friday, 4/5 | Whitewater Music Hall, Wausau
The High Hawks are a group of musicians who met on the road over the years while touring America, forming friendships and mutual respect through their shared creative interests. All of them have backgrounds in and around the ‘bluegrass’ scene, some of whom are quietly legends. Vince Herman’s band Leftover Salmon has something of a cult following after many years spent developing a distinctive bluegrass sound in Boulder, Colorado. Tim Carbone has played in New Jersey bluegrass outfit Railroad Earth since the beginning of the century. Local audiences will most recognize Adam Greuel of Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, a beloved Americana group from Stevens Point. These experienced players come together with Chad Staehly, Brian Adams and Will Trask to showcase their newly released second album, Mother Nature’s Show. 8-11 pm. $20. whitewatermusichall.com/events
iLuminate
Sunday, 4/7 | Grand Theater, Wausau
A show that has been featured on Dancing With the Stars, MTV’s Video Music Awards and many other television programs, iLuminate is a dance-and-lights show featuring performers adorned with synchronized colorful lighting. The event covers the spectrum of dance styles, from ballet to hip-hop to break dancing and much else. The show has toured worldwide and is now coming through Wausau. It should be a great time for fans of dance as well as fans of original lighting displays. (Note there is low ticket availability for this show.) 6:30 pm. $45-70. grandtheater.org
Puzzle Panic
Sunday, 4/7 | Timekeeper Distillery, Wausau
So you think you’re a puzzle expert? Well, you can put your skills to the test next Sunday at the Puzzle Party. It’s a full day of puzzles, brain-teasers and fun at Timekeeper Distillery. While there will be plenty of casual puzzling, the main event is “Puzzle Panic”, a competition to finish a 500-piece puzzle as fast as possible with a team of up to 3 people. The top three finishers will receive prizes, so remember not to ‘panic’ as you work to finish your puzzle. Regardless of who wins and loses, the event is a celebration of puzzling as much as a social activity. Puzzle experts and novices alike should have a good time. 12 pm. Free. Timekeeper Distillery on Facebook.
