By Martin J. Kidston
Havres very own Northern Showcase Series will begin the 1999-2000 season in September with a bang on Thursday.
Showcase board member Karla Lamb said the opening act, a five-member fraternity of brothers, promises to bring both culture and family entertainment to the season.
Theyre called the Standards, Lamb said. They put on a great show it would be a good one to bring the family to.
The Standards, considered a musical sensation, sings rhythm and blues, doo-wops, 50s and 60s originals and jazz, and their music is geared toward all audiences. The group will also bring its drug awareness workshop into Havre schools prior to its performance.
Their drug program has been performed for over 350,000 students in the Northwest alone, Lamb said.
The group will present its drug program to the Havre Middle School at 8:45 a.m., and at Havre High School at 2:45 p.m. on Sep. 30. The Standards musical performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Havre High School auditorium. The workshops are sponsored with the assistance of HELP (Havre Encourages Long-Range Prevention), the Optimists Club, and the Havre Police Protective Association.
As the Standards open the Northern Showcase Season, three other promising acts will follow in coming months.
The Vigilante Theater Company will present its thespian version of WUF, coming in October. In November, the John Herrmann Trio will play its worldly blend of acoustic folk and rock music. The group can be sampled on its CD titled Elephant Country. In March, the Swinging Bovines, a touring saxophone quartet from Canada, will come to town. The Bovines have released three CDs.
They are all really good, Lamb said, and we are really excited about the season. We had a tremendous amount of talent to choose from, and I think it will fit in with the theme of family entertainment very well.
Lamb said the Northern Showcase Series has been in existence for nearly 20 years. It focuses on bringing cultural events to the Havre Community.
We do this as a service to the Havre community, the Hi-Line, and for the campus community, she said. Our main goal is to bring good, quality acts into Havre, focusing on family entertainment.
To continue bringing this sort of thing into town, however, we need the support of the community, Lamb said. Otherwise, it wont be financially possible to continue the series.
While the Northern Showcase receives funds from various sources, Lamb said, the ultimate success of the program depends upon the support of the community. Lamb said ticket prices for events have not changed for years.
For those who have not secured tickets, Lamb said they can be purchased at the door for the concerts. Season ticket packages are $20 for adults, $15 for students and $50 for the family package. Prices are good for all shows.
The Northern Showcase Series is organized and directed by volunteers from the community.
