Calendar
"Shout, Sister, Shout" - The voices of women ...
Saturday and Sunday - June 8th at 7:30 PM and June 9th at 2:00 PM Tickets On Sale Now!
To celebrate the conclusion of a six month transformation to “The HERstory Theatre” – History Theatre presents - in partnership with Lori Dokken - two concerts celebrating great women composers and writers. The musical journey begins with Sister Rosetta Tharpe and travels through time to today featuring such female phenoms as Laura Nyro, Carole King, Phoebe Snow, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Lady Gaga and India.Arie as well as others. The evening will also be interspersed with words from some wise women writers such as Maya Angelou, Terry Tempest Williams, and Mary Oliver.
On stage to deliver an eclectic and dynamic array of arrangements of songs written by these iconic artists are a cadre of local Twin Cities’ vocalists including Judi Donaghy Vinar, Yolande Bruce, Joyann Parker, Rachel Holder Hennig, Katie Gearty, Anna Christy and Joy Ohana backed by pianist Lori Dokken (Producer & Music Director of “Shout, Sister, Shout”), bassist Liz Draper, and percussionist Pete Hennig. Voiceover specialist and theatre and film actress, Eden Bodnar, will also be joining us.
These concerts will take us on a journey through the joys, struggles, loves, losses, concerns, and causes of women using powerful and tender melodies along with spoken word. Along the way we will be reminded of the resilience of the human spirit and our community of shared dreams and then brought to a place where we celebrate all that binds our voices together … especially through the arts.
To Learn More and Purchase Tickets click on the button below ...
“Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world is meant to be celebrated.” (Terry Tempest Williams)
other Upcoming Events and Performances
The Black Hart of St. Paul - Piano Lounge - Saturday Nights
Saturday, March 30th - 8:00 to 11:00 PM
IT'S TIME FOR A BIG OPEN MIC !!!! Grab some music and stop in and take the stage ... first come first served ... I'll also be singing some of my greatest hits ... taking requests ... and hoping that you will stop in! I promise it will be great fun. Kory will be serving up some fantastic cocktails!
Friday, April 5th - 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Students of Judi and my Vocal Performance Workshop take the stage for their final performance! This is always a fantastically fun evening that you don't want to miss. Kate, Michelle, Janny, David, Kini, Holden, Aurea, Gary, Karen and Maryam are excited to show you their renditions of the tunes that they have been working on for the past eight weeks. Hope to see you there!
Saturday, April 20th - 8:00 to 11:00 PM
Judi and I in The Piano Lounge!
Judi Vinar is home for a bit from her WORLD TOUR with Bobby McFerrin and "Gimme5" ... so she and I will be hanging out in the Lounge ... woo hoo! A rare evening to catch us together again!
Saturday, April 27th - 8:00 to 11:00 PM
Black Hart Piano Lounge: Local Artist
Series ...
... with Kory Wolter, Stephanie Palanuk, Micah Berman, and me! Expect some Lady Gaga, Dear Evan Hansen, Jazz Standards, Billy Joel, Carole King, Sara Bareilles, 50s to present ... It's gonna be a GREAT time!!
Sunday morning services at Unity Minneapolis
Join me for a tremendously uplifting experience at Unity Minneapolis where I have been the Music Director for the past nine years. Weekly Sunday morning services are at 9:30 and 11:30. If you can't attend in person - watch the live stream of the 9:30 service. (Tune in at 9:25 so you don't miss the Prelude!)
Frequent musical guests are The Unity Choir, Judi Vinar, Rachel Holder Hennig, Patty Peterson, Debbie Duncan, Dane Stauffer, and many many other Twin Cities' artists.
April 28th
Musical guests are
Dave Berget with the Unity Band
May 5th
Musical guests are
Rachel Holder Hennig with the Unity Band
May 5th at 5:00 PM
ANNUAL UNITY CHOIR CONCERT!!!
Join us for an evening full of the music you loved at Sunday Services, all in one delicious bite. Anna Christy and Kory Wolter are special guests.
Tickets are $15 and on sale between Sunday services, at the door or online. All proceeds benefit the Unity Minneapolis Music Program.
Annual September Music Series at Unity Minneapolis features "Women & The Divine in Music & History"
As I approached selecting a theme and music for this September’s Music Series, I kept thinking about our current environment and how this year’s focus could possibly provide some inspiration and new avenues of hope for these challenging times.
When I am feeling small and sometimes at a loss for how I could ever contribute positive energy and a morsel of change into a chaotic environment, I am often brought back to a quiet, reflective place where I recall people in history whose first steps started out small. The authentic and truthful execution of their beliefs and work propelled them into a position where they caused not only ripples, but seismic shifts in society, science, music, civil rights, environmental concerns, and global attitudes.
The September Music Series this year will focus on “Women and The Divine – in Music
and History (Women, Music, and Spiritual Social Action).” From Dorothy Fields to Joni Mitchell to Carole King to India.Arie, the past century has been filled with female songwriters who quietly kept following their passion and over time broke down barriers and emerged as some of the biggest musical voices in the industry. These artists walked alongside their societal companions – women such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Katherine Johnson, Rachel Carson and Maya Angelou – who raised our consciousness to bring about great achievements in humanity from The United Nations and The Civil Rights Act to helping put a man on the moon.
I hope that you are not only inspired by the music, but also find hope and inspiration in the stories of these phenomenal women who found themselves in a place and time where they were called to do that which Spirit kept breathing into their souls, filling them with the confidence, bravery, and commitment that caused them to be unable to do anything but take that first step.
Let’s take it together.
–Lori Dokken
The 3 D's together again - Lori, Debbie and Judi
Wednesday, May 15th
Debbie Duncan, Judi Donaghy Vinar and Lori Dokken will share the stage again for the second time in about 19 years! Their reunion show in October '18 was a sellout and such a great time that Crooner's is having them back. This trio was the predecessor to "the girls" and came together on a whim after joining forces on stage one night at The Times Bar and Cafe ... oh so long ago. We'll be dusting off some great old classics and more than likely be creating some new ones. THIS IS GOING TO BE INSANELY FUN !!!! GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!!! croonersloungemn.com
Elf the musical - The Ordway Center for the performing arts
Playing December 5th through December 30th
I am ecstatic to be back at The Ordway Center of the Performing Arts for the tenth year. This year's production is "Elf The Musical" and you will find me once again in The Target Atrium, seated at a very lovely Yamaha Concert Grand piano, playing pre show and intermission music. It is really my favorite job of the year ... I love Christmas and Holiday music ... I can't wait to see lots of 'short people' - some old friends and some new ... and of course I enjoy spending time with the fantastic staff at this treasured St. Paul theater.
Marzitelli Foyer in The Target Atrium
"Elf The Musical" - runs from Wednesday, December 5th through Sunday, December 30th. Evening shows usually have a curtain time of 7:30 and matinees are at 2:00. You will find me seated on the bench an hour prior to the start of the show and then I will be playing again during intermission. I am fairly certain that some of my young friends will sit in and play a little "Jingle Bells" with me ... and we'll see how many renditions end up being posted on YouTube.
Please check out The Ordway site to find the exact dates and times.
The last time "Elf ..." was here ... the ushers let me steal one of their costumes for a day ...
