Submitted by Orcas Center.
Rock on the Rock Choir and Orcas Center are presenting a Beatles Music Extravaganza on the main stage for three weekends in November.
Magical Mystery Tour is a one-act show featuring an all-island cast of singers, actors, dancers and musicians who will take you on a nostalgic, heartfelt odyssey.
Directed and created by Grace McCune, the production is a reimagined approach to the songs we all know and love from not only the Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour” album but also selected songs from the vast anthology of the Beatles’ repertoire.
Shows are Friday-Sunday, Nov. 7 to 22, at 7 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on the first two Sundays.
Rock on the Rock Choir, created by McCune in 2008, has brought to the stage “Moulin Rouge,” “Across the Universe,” “Rock of Orcas,” “Cirque Us,” “What Dreams May Come” and more.
Featuring original choral and band arrangements written by McCune, Stormy Hildreth and Jim Bredouw, and dance numbers by Tiffany Loney, “Magical Mystery Tour” has an original storyline, written by McCune and Deborah Sparks, that follows the life of a young musician named Martha (Martha My Dear) who decides to risk her comfortable life to follow her dream of being a professional musician. Set to the backdrop of the 1960s-1970s music scene, Martha is joined by a troupe of “Merry Pranksters” traveling on a Magical Mystery Tour bus that unveils what life is like playing music from town to town across America.
Bredouw is leading a live band that includes Gene Nery, Martin Lund, Joel Gamble, Melody Funk, Bruce Harvie, Jeffrey Horton and the Turtleback Brass. For the first time, Rock on the Rock choir will be joined by Bruce Langford and the Orcas Choral Society for an epic finale.
Tickets range in price from $10-$70, with a special $10 price for students. Purchase tickets online at www.OrcasCenter.org, over the phone at 360-376-2281 ext. 1 or in person Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and an hour prior to showtime.
Beatles, burgers and brew
Before the last two Saturday performances of Magical Mystery Tour — Nov. 15 and 22 — join Orcas Center for a “Beatles, Burgers, and Brew” dinner fundraiser. For $49, you will enjoy a meal by the Lower Tavern, a beverage and a chance to win one of 10 raffled prizes. Additional raffle tickets are available online or at the event to increase your chances of winning!
Raffled prizes include hosting your very own movie night in Center Stage; hosting your very own dance party or karaoke night in our Black Box theater; gift cards from local businesses; tickets to upcoming Orcas Center shows, lots of Beatles paraphernalia and collector items and more.
Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner is served at 5:30 p.m. You must be present to win. Raffle winners will be chosen only from those present at the event. Those who volunteer to help out during the fundraiser will receive tickets to both the dinner and show for that evening. Visit www.orcascenter.org/volunteer to sign up. Tickets to the “Magical Mystery Tour” show that starts at 7 p.m. are sold separately.
