Wichita Children's Theatre in Area Schools

Western Plains Arts Association is sponsoring The Wichita Children's Theatre in area schools with the support of Dane G. Hansen, and the community foundations in Logan, Sheridan, and Thomas counties.

Get ready for a musical experience, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems' beloved, award-winning, best-selling children's books, Elephant & Piggie! An elephant named Gerald and a pig named Piggie are the "bestus" (a word Gerald and Piggie made up that means "very best") friends, but Gerald worries that something could go wrong that would end their friendship. Piggie is not worried at all. She's even happier and more excited than usual. That's because she and Gerald are invited to a party hosted by the Squirrelles, singing squirrels who love to have a good time. And so, begins a day when anything is possible.

The Wichita Children's Theatre Professional Touring Company will present ELEPHANT& PIGGIE: WE'RE IN A PLAY at the following schools.

Suzy Bogguss in Oakley!

Suzy Bogguss had a revelation on stage with Garrison Keillor in 2008. Everyone loves to sing along on “Red River Valley” – except the children who somehow don't know the song. Folk songs are the scrapbook of the American experience, but as music education fades from our public schools, she worried; these beautiful melodies are in danger of being overlooked. She resolved to record these timeless songs in an updated but reverent way – so that everyone can sing along on “Red River Valley.”

And who better than the golden throated Suzy? The platinum selling songstress already had a full bookshelf of Grammy and CMA awards and now with the release of American Folk Songbook she can put her own book up there too. The CD and companion Songbook was released in the summer of 2011. 

Northwest Kansans can hear Suzy at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday October 6th in Oakley, Kansas at the Oakley High School Auditorium. Admission is by season ticket or individual ticket at the door.

In additional to the many WPAA businesses, individual sponsors,  and the Logan County Community Foundation. The Dane. Hansen Foundation is a major contributor. 

“Music has always been my purest joy even as a child,” Suzy writes. “One of my favorite memories is my grade-school music teacher pounding on the piano and leading the class in rousing renditions of folk songs from all around the world.”

"The President's Own" in Colby!

For the first time in 10 years, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band returns to Colby, Kansas as part of the band’s Coast to Coast tour, performing a free 7:30 p.m. concert on Wednesday, October 16th at the Colby Event Center.

For full details, please visit www.marineband.marines.mil/Tour. 

Free tickets are available starting September 16th. Seating is general admission and ticket holders must be seated by 6:45 p.m.; remaining seats will be released to the standby line at that time.

The web site for free tickets is https://marineband.ticketleap.com/Colby2024

“We are incredibly excited to continue the tradition of our national concert tour.” Marine Band Director Lt. Col. Ryan Nowlin said. “Musicians of the band are more eager than ever to share their musical talents with audiences live, and in-person on this Coast to Coast tour.”

Nowlin has programmed musical selections in the style of the band’s 17th Director John Philip Sousa, who initiated the concert tour tradition in 1891. Concertgoers can expect a mix of works including traditional band repertoire, Sousa marches, contemporary compositions, vocal and instrumental solos and a patriotic salute to the Armed Forces. 

Fall Schedule Released for 2024

Fall 2024 
Doors will open approximately 30 minutes before each show starts.

Click Here for the full 2024-2025 Season        

Sunday, Sept. 13. 3:00 p.m. | Oakley H.S. Auditorium, Oakley Blackwater Draw, a new cutting edge group of young musicians/singers from Texas, will open the season with a bang! Sunday, Sept. 29. 3:00 p.m. | Cultural Arts Center, Colby Nashville-based male a cappella quintet, Street Corner Symphony will do a hip show of music from gospel to rock & pop. Sunday, October 6. 3:00 p.m. | Oakley H.S. Auditorium, Oakley Legendary Grammy award winning country artists Suzy Bogguss will do a concert

Final Show of the Season on May 5th in Colby

 Pride of the Prairie Orchestra will be the final program of the Western Plains Arts Association’s 54th season. The regional orchestra will feature “The Music of May” for their spring concert. The concert begins at 3 p.m. CDT, Sunday, May 5 at the Colby Community College’s Cultural Arts Center - Frahm Theater.

Admission at the door is $10 adults or $5 students, or by either WPAA or Pride of the Prairie Orchestra (POP) season tickets. Funding for this program is made possible by business, private and foundation support throughout the area including generous grants from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation and the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation – Dane Hansen Community Grant for Thomas County.

Derik & Riana Nelson in Oakley

 Join siblings Derik and Riana Nelson for an intimate acoustic performance full of velvety family harmonies that takes audiences behind the music like never before. Hear the personal stories that have inspired Derik’s wide stylistic range of award-winning original songs, and learn about the sibling’s musical heroes with beautiful reimagined renditions of songs by artists like the Eagles, Sting, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac and more.

Oakley High School Auditorium, 118 W. 7th Street, Oakley, is venue for the Sunday, April 21 Western Plains Arts Association program starting at 3 p.m. CDT. Admission is by WPAA season ticket of $20 adults, and $10 students at the door. This program is made possible with numerous area sponsors including generous grants from the Logan County Community Foundation through the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation and the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.

Derik is a singer, songwriter, producer and educator from Olympia, Wash. He writes, records and produces his own music as a self-taught multi-instrumentalists and audio engineer. He has garnered over 4 million views on YouTube, performed throughout the country and regularly contucts educational music workshops. Derik appeared regularly as lead guitarist on televison’s “Glee. His original songs can be heard on several programs, and his singing voice has been featured on ABC’s “Modern Family,” FOX’s “Raising Hope” and “New Girl,” CBS’s “How I Met Your Mother,” and NBC’s “Go On” and “The Voice,” and more.

Bobby Darin Allynn Coming to Colby!

Bobby Darin Allynn rocks his Branson and travelling shows with passion, stories, and the music of Elvis Presley. Known as the ‘World’s Youngest Elvis Tribute Artist’ Bobby started performing as Elvis back when he was only two years old.

The young artist will perform for Western Plains Arts Association, Sunday, April 7 at 3 p.m. CDT, at the Colby Community College Cultural Arts Center. Admission by WPAA season ticket or $20 adults, $10 students at the door.

Throughout his childhood he regularly performed songs with his father, Keith Allynn, a familiar Neil Diamond Tribute artist to WPAA audiences, and his mother, Diana Lynn Allynn, a Karen Carpenter tribute artist.