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CenterStage Band and Show Choir will present its annual free and family-friendly show at Wausau’s historic Grand Theater next month, featuring favorite group songs from past years.

Performances are set from Sept. 22 through Sept. 24. “Only the Best” will feature a wide range of solos and small groups representing a range of musical styles, all highlighting the live concert band, outstanding vocals, energetic choreography, colorful costumes and professional sound and lighting. Joel Freiberg directs, while Jeff and Missy Kolbeck are choreographers for the program.

As one of very few all-adult show choirs in the U.S., CenterStage presents a unique opportunity  for a diverse group of members – ranging in age from those in their 20s to the 80s – to share their talents  and passion for music and performance, applying that passion toward community service. Members spend as much as nine months a year preparing the program’s three days of performances. Vocal rehearsals begin in January and choreography is  typically introduced in April.

This amount of preparation ensures the superb quality of the show, said CenterStage Marketing Committee Chair Robyn Tanger. Though performances are free thanks to the generous support of sponsors, the entertainment is exceptionally high caliber.

CenterStage also performs for and partners with other organizations throughout the year including the Never Forgotten Honor Flight. The group has performed at each Honor Flight banquet since the program began. In addition, they sing the National Anthem at events such as Wausau Woodchucks baseball games and the Wausau Curling Club U.S. Wheelchair Curling  Championship, while traveling to area nursing homes and assisted living centers to sing Christmas carols during the holiday season. CenterStage has also partnered with Wausau Events and participated in local  parades. 

CenterStage Band and Show Choir, spearheaded by Director and President Joel Freiberg, was created out of the Wausau Insurance Music Society. WIMS was funded through Wausau Insurance as an employee benefit program. The group opened up to the community and turned into a nonprofit in 2006. The mission is based on the firm belief that fostering a band and show choir dedicated to well-performed entertainment enhances the quality of life for the entire community — before the stage, CenterStage, backstage, or at any stage of life.

As affirmed in its mission statement, CenterStage Band and Show Choir is devoted to the idea  of cultivating accessible and affordable community arts opportunities, both for members and for audiences.

Tanger said CenterStage is grateful to all of the businesses and  individuals that support its mission through grants, sponsorships, advertising, and donations. The CenterStage VIP Program allows for early entry into the theater, offering audience  members an even better viewing experience. Donations of $25 to CenterStage generate two VIP  tickets and two prize drawing entries. Donations of $100 receive up to eight VIP tickets, eight prize drawing entries, two drink tickets, and a CenterStage gift bag. 

Free tickets for “Only the Best” can be picked up at several area businesses and the Grand  Theater starting September 1 or at the door the nights of the performances. The public can also  catch a preview of the show on The 400 Block stage during the Wausau Festival of Arts at noon on Sunday, Sept. 11.

The group welcomes new members to the choir and band on a yearly basis. Auditions for the choir – singing and dancing – take place in January and dates are shared on Facebook. Interest can also be expressed by emailing info@centerstagelive.org.

For information about the group, along with show information, visit this site. Find the group on Facebook and follow for show updates here.

Support for this project was provided through the Community Arts Grant Program of the  Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, with funds provided by the Wisconsin Arts  Board, a state agency, the Community Foundation, and the B.A. & Esther Greenheck  Foundation.

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