This season’s concert line-up is sure to entertain

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
From ventriloquism to ’50’s rock and roll and from string bands to soloists, the Weston County Concert Association is bringing an array of talent to the Crouch Auditorium stage, according to its president, Jan Ellis. 
The first of four acts will take place on Sunday, Sept. 30, at 2 p.m. and feature Larry Roetzel and his Cambria String Band. The other three concerts scheduled for the association’s show season feature Todd Oliver – Funniest Night, Elisabeth Von Trapp and Holy Rocka Rollaz. 
Ellis said that Roetzel and the string band have performed in the Crouch Auditorium before, playing a benefit for choir students. Since then the act has been practicing and playing more shows. 
“Larry is really excited about coming back to Newcastle,” Ellis said. 
She said that the string band concert will be open to the public, with tickets available at the door. 
“We are going to open that concert up to the public,” Ellis said. “We have the ability to open one concert a year to nonmembers, and this year Larry and the string band are our pick.” 
Tom Voss, with the Weston County Arts Council, told the News Letter Journal that it is “pretty neat” that the concert association is bringing in more local acts, specifically Roetzel and the Cambria String Band, and making them part of the concert association’s series. 
The two organizations recently decided to work together, after the arts council canceled its Warm Summer Nights event in order to support the concert association’s show that was scheduled for the same weekend. 
Ellis said that she is excited to work with the arts council to bring quality entertainment to Weston County and that the arts council had recently purchased tickets for this season’s shows to be given to deserving families. 
The other semi-professional groups that are part of this year’s 2018-19 concert association season include Todd Oliver with the funniest night ever. According to Ellis, Oliver is a ventriloquist who works with “dead dummies” and his talking dog. 
Oliver’s show is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. Ellis added that Oliver will also perform a matinee show for students, at no cost, the day before his scheduled show. 
The third show will feature Elisabeth Von Trapp, the granddaughter of Maria and Baron Von Trapp of “Sound of Music” fame. The performance will be on Tuesday, March 5, at 7 p.m.. Ellis told the News Letter Journal that Von Trapp not only will perform songs for the crowd, but also tell her family’s story from the time after what is related in the film “Sound of Music.” 
The fourth and final show of the Weston County concert season will feature the Holy Rocka Rollaz on Sunday, May 12, at 7 p.m. The group features two husband and wife teams, who play music from the 1950s. 
“They play a lot of Buddy Holly and Patsy Kline. They are a tribute band to them and to all ’50s rock and roll,” Ellis said. 
Tickets at the door are $20 for adults and $5 for students. Membership costs, according to Ellis, are $40 for adults, $10 for students and $85 for families. 
“It is a pretty good deal, even if you don’t go to all four local shows,” Ellis said. 
She added that people who have a concert association membership can attend shows in Hot Springs and Belle Fourche at no additional cost. Memberships will also provide access to Rapid City Concert Association shows, but with a nominal fee paid at the door. 
Tickets are available at A1 Agency, Weston County Title, First State Bank, Pinnacle Bank and from Jan Ellis at 746-9754 and Ryan Whipple at 406-781-6260. Tickets purchased from the sellers  can be picked up at the door at the time of the first concert, or they can be purchased at the concert.