David Anthony: An Evening of Magic and Hypnosis
Thursday, 3/7 | LuCille Tack Center for the Arts, Spencer
If you hear the word “hypnotist,” you probably fall into one of two camps: Either it freaks you out and you’re terrified of getting called on; if you attend you’d spend a lot of time slinking into your chair. Or, you can’t wait to volunteer or nudge your friends on stage to watch them act ridiculously. But whatever camp you’re in, David Anthony will prove to be entertaining. Anthony performed his first show at the age of 12, and since then he’s traveled the world putting on his show of magic, hypnosis and comedy! Whether you participate or purposely buy tickets in the back of the theater so you don’t get called on (I know I would) you won’t want to miss this entertaining show. 7 pm. $30, $15 students. Lucilletackcenter.com (BCK)
Night Hike
Friday, 3/8 | Monk Botanical Gardens, Wausau
This unusually warm winter is a good opportunity to get outdoors for an evening hike. Monk Botanical Gardens is opening its doors for a night hike where guests will walk through the gardens, check out the new permanent light fixtures, and enjoy hot chocolate by the fire. This is the second Night Hike event of this winter season; the first of these took place in December. 5 pm-8 pm. Free for Gardens patrons. $6 at the door otherwise, cash only. Monkgardens.org
2024 Blues Café
Friday – Saturday, 3/8-3/9 | Rothschild Pavilion, Rothschild
The Blues Café is a longstanding Wausau area musical tradition. Organized by the Great Northern Blues Society, the annual event seeks to promote blues music and provide an opportunity for blues artists in the area to perform, while also raising money to give scholarships to area high school students. This year is the 24th Blues Café and the lineup features the electric blues-rock of Kyle Renfro, the big band swing of Big Mouth and the Power Tool Horns, the Chicago blues of The Cash Box Kings, and a number of other talented blues musicians from Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest. This is a two-day event. Friday the music starts at 6:30 pm; Saturday begins at 1 pm and goes all day. $40 advance, $45 at the door. Midwestblues.org
Solar Eclipse Education
Saturday, 3/9 | Marathon County Public Library, Wausau
In April, a solar eclipse will be visible across North America. While Wausau is not in the path of the total eclipse (southern Indiana will be the closest location to us), a partial eclipse will be visible for a number of minutes. In anticipation of this astronomical event, the Wausau branch of the MCPL is inviting the public to look at the sun through a solar telescope on their outdoor patio. The library will also have a couple of pairs of sunoculars, which can be used to look at the sun as well. Visitors can also pick up some information about solar eclipses as well as a pair of sunglasses to safely watch the eclipse in April.
Cirque Mechanics: Zephyr
Sunday, 3/10 | Grand Theater, Wausau
You’ve probably heard of Cirque du Soleil, with all those amazing acrobatics and spectacular stunts. Well, Cirque Mechanics is similar, but with a… well, as the name would suggest, an emphasis on mechanics. The performers still pull off all those awesome stunts, but they’re often performed using mechanical apparatus as part of the show. Windmills, giant metal wheels, propellers, all are incorporated into the stunts to make for a pretty fascinating and unique performance. The show is meant to celebrate American ingenuity, tell an impressive tale while keeping you hooked with their various stunts. 6:30 pm. Starts at $35. Grandtheater.org (BCK)
Always Olivia (Oliva Newton-John Tribute)
Sunday, 3/10 | Arts Council, Wisconsin Rapids
The song “Physical” has always struck a funny chord with me. Maybe it’s because I was a child when it was on the radio and it was often used in movie or TV exercise scenes, but I never learned the more adult meaning behind the song until much later in life. Olivia Newton-John had a career that spanned five decades, and her work in the 1980s was probably her best known (especially for her work on the movie Grease). Newton-John died in 2022 but she inspired musician Annie Aiello when she started her own music career. Now Aiello will present a concert of Newton-John hits, including “Physical,” “You’re the One I Want,” “Summer Nights,” and more. As a bonus, Aiello donates a portion of her fees to the ONJ Cancer Fund, and $3 of each ticket will be donated to the Aspirus Women’s Cancer Fund. 2 pm. $44, $10 students. Savorthearts.com (BCK)
Written by Devon Welsh for City Pages.
