By Kayla Zastrow
Million Dollar Quartet Christmas
FRIDAY 11/18 | GRAND THEATER, WAUSAU
From the creators of the award-winning Broadway hit Million Dollar Quartet comes a brand new holiday musical. Join Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley as they come together again to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Sun Records, now donned with a Christmas tree, garland, and mistletoe, rings with the sounds of the season and the chart-toppers that made these four famous. Follow along with the gang’s usual antics as we journey through a story of Christmas past, present, and future. It’s a jam-packed evening of holiday hits and classic characters you won’t want to miss. 7:30 pm. Tickets start at $55. Details at grandtheater.org.
All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914
TUESDAY 11/22 | GRAND THEATER, WAUSAU
This heart-warming musical is based on actual — albeit amazingly unreal — events in World War I. It’s Christmastime 1914 in war-torn France. Perhaps feeling the holiday spirit mixed with battle weariness, thousands of German, British, and French soldiers along the Western Front initiated an unofficial truce. The soldiers left their trenches to mingle and observe the holiday in peace, exchanging gifts, singing carols and burying their dead. The phenomenon would later be told through films, documentaries, and books. In this production, the events are played out in a moving rendition that weaves together holiday and patriotic songs with snippets of accounts by the soldiers themselves, gleaned from letters, war documents and diaries. 7:30 pm. Tickets start at $35. Details at grandtheater.org.
Bradley Sperger
SATURDAY 11/19 | MOSINEE BREWING COMPANY, MOSINEE
This guy is a one-man-band powerhouse, but don’t let the one-man part fool you. He combines his voice and guitar with electronic live looping that allow him to project a full sound that you would expect to hear from a larger group of musicians. It’s fascinating to watch him start on one instrument, and as the song progresses, go from one instrument to the other, adding each one in succession to create the full sound. 7 pm. 715-693-2739
Live Stand-up Comedy with Tommy Thompson
FRIDAY 11/18 | BANTER, ROTHSCHILD. COMEDY.
Funny man Tommy Thompson has a brand of comedy that is as unique as he is. His emphatic delivery and high energy makes him fun to see time and again. Tommy has been dishing out laughs for over 18 and his distinct style has earned him spots at the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta, The Best of the Midwest at Laugh Fest in Grand Rapids. The World Series of Comedy in Las Vegas, and more! With material that is adult without being dirty, he is the champion of the every-man, and a comic that can relate on all levels. Starts at 8 pm. $15 advance, $20 day of show. Details at wausaucomedy.com.
Turkey Trot
THURSDAY 11/24 | 400 BLOCK, WAUSAU
This annual walk/run for the whole family is more than a quick jog, it’s a festive event to kickstart your Thanksgiving festivities. Many participants dress in crazy fun costumes, from tutus and turkey hats to pilgrim costumes and Santa beards. This year the event has a new location on the 400 block in downtown Wausau. Be prepared for any weather as this event is held rain or shine. 100% of your registration fee will be donated to the Marathon County Hunger Coalition, an initiative of United Way. Money raised will help feed those in need during the holiday season and throughout the year. Race starts at 8:30 am. $30, price increase to $30 on 11/20.. Registration details at Unitedwaymc.org.
Joseph Huber and The Last Revel
SATURDAY 11/19 | WHITEWATER MUSIC HALL, WAUSAU
Two Midwest bluegrass roots rock juggernauts take the Whitewater Stage for one high-energy jam-filled get down! Joseph Huber is a Milwaukee-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He brings variety to the stage, with songs ranging from fiddle-driven dance tunes to honest heart-wrenching songs. His sincere, well-crafted folk and roots songs with terrific hooks have captivated audiences throughout the United States and Europe. While his ability to play an array of instruments is impressive—fiddle, banjo, harmonica—you’ll also be in awe of his introspective lyrics and reflective writing style.
The Last Revel performs front porch Americana soundscapes that are equally original as they are timeless. Drawing influence from their salt of the earth Midwest ethos, the band’s songs naturally blend the genres of folk, old time string-band and indie rock to create a sound that echoes the current heartbeat of America. For ages 21+. Starts at 8 pm. $15. Details at whitewatermusichall.com.
