It's Showtime--A Year At the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center

Flashback to Oct. 2017-May 2018

When I received the 2017-18 Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center Series brochure in the mail, I decided to take a closer look at the shows coming to Cedar Falls.  One of Bailey and my all-time favorite shows was going to be making a stop in March: RENT.  As I looked closer at some of the other shows, I got excited about the opportunity to catch more theatrical and musical performances so close to home.  Being an employee of UNI, I could get a discount on shows so I decided to treat Bailey and me to a year of 7 shows.  We were not disappointed.  Seeing live shows is something that we have enjoyed doing together so this was a great way to spend some quality time together.  This is a rundown of our 2017-18 GBPAC shows for the year.

Dirty Dancing--This 80's movie classic was always a favorite of mine.  Although it's hard to top the OG with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, it was an enjoyable show.  We even got to carry watermelons at the pre-show entertainment.

Straight No Chaser--This acapella men's group from Indiana was one of my favorite shows of the year.  Their show is mostly cover songs with amazing harmony.  The first act was pop cover songs, followed by a second act of holiday favorites.  This group is definitely a must-see if they make it back to GBPAC.  Their Disney parody was one of the best sets of the show (see below).

The Lion King Parody

The Little Mermaid Parody

Shoulda Put A Ring On It

The Price Is Right--The organization it took to pull off this show was amazing!  Contestants Row, The Big Wheel and Showcase Showdown were all featured, along with Plinko, Cliffhanger and Punch-A-Bunch.  A UNI student even won a trip to Hawaii.  This would be another must-see if it comes back to Cedar Falls.  Bailey and I had a blast (and were glad we were not called up to the stage).

Gobsmacked--Reading through this show description, it sounded like the kind of performance that Bailey and I would like.  The show gave us Pentatonix-vibes and was a great evening of entertainment.  The beatboxer has won world-wide competitions.  He gave a solo performance which was jaw-dropping.

Rent--Still a family favorite that never disappoints, and always gets me in the end.  The music, the set, the plot, the actors....need I say more.

Riverdance--The acoustics of the clogging and the musicality of this show cannot be described in words.  It was an awesome show with extremely talented performers.  I cannot imagine the endurance it must take for the cloggers to put on this show.  Truly breath-taking!

Black Violin--This simple show was also amazing.   It incorporated cover songs, along with original pieces.  The music of a violin is so satisfying.

This year of GBPAC entertainment was something I will always treasure with Bailey.