Wainwright’s long and illustrious career is highlighted by more than two dozen album releases, Movie and TV credits, and now his new autobiography, Liner Notes (2017 Penguin/Random House). In 2010 Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album for High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project. His 2012 recording, Older Than My Old Man Now, was named one of NPR’s Top 10 Albums of the Year. September 2018, Loudon releases his 27th career album to-date, Years In The Making, a retrospective double CD with more than 45 tracks – live performances, demos, outtakes, unreleased songs spanning 50 years.
He is perhaps best known for the novelty song “Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road)”, and for playing Captain Calvin Spalding, the “singing surgeon” on the American television show, M*A*S*H.
His songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash, Earl Scruggs, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Rufus Wainwright, and Mose Allison. He has collaborated with songwriter/producer Joe Henry, on the music for Judd Apatow’s hit movie Knocked Up. Loudon penned music for the British theatrical adaptation of the Carl Hiaasen novel Lucky You. He composed topical songs for NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered and ABC’s Nightline, and recorded several songs for the soundtrack of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.
As an actor, Wainwright has appeared in films directed by Martin Scorsese, Hal Ashby, Christopher Guest, Tim Burton, Cameron Crowe, and Judd Apatow.
The New York Times says "Mr. Wainwright has proved to be far and away the most candid diarist among the singer-songwriters who... brought confessional poetry into popular song... Mr. Wainwright wrings more human truth out of his contradictions than any other songwriter of his generation."
Raised in a small Western Illinois town, Suzy Bogguss broke into the country music business after nailing an audition for Dolly Parton and becoming the first featured female performer at Silver Dollar City, later to become Dollywood. Bogguss signed to Capitol Records and released her debut album Somewhere Between, which contained the Top Twenty hit single "Cross My Broken Heart" and the Top New Female Vocalist award by the Academy of Country Music.
A duet with Lee Greenwood, "Hopelessly Yours" garnered Bogguss her first of three GRAMMY nominations. Her third studio album, the platinum-selling Aces yielded four hit singles - "Someday Soon," "Outbound Plane," "Aces," and "Letting Go," the latter three reaching the country Top Ten. At the 1992 Country Music Association Awards, Bogguss won the Horizon Award. Her 1994 album, Simpatico consisted of duets with long-time friend and legendary guitar virtuoso Chet Atkins. That same year, Bogguss's Greatest Hits album was released and went gold. Later, she collaborated with Alison Krauss, Kathy Mattea and Crosby, Stills & Nash to contribute "Teach Your Children" to the AIDS benefit compilation album Red Hot + Country, produced by the Red Hot Organization.
The live performance of her album, American Folk Songbook, has been lauded by fans, critics and buyers as “a show not to miss!” Suzy’s appeal has never wavered and her fan base continues to grow with constant touring around the globe including regular appearances on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion and the Grand Ole Opry.
Advance tickets are $35; Admission is $40 day of the show. We also have 30 VIP Meet & Greet tickets available for $85. VIP ticket holders are invited to a catered reception honoring Suzy Bogguss before the show, and will receive preferred seating in front of the stage.
First Thursday Music Series
Featuring: Big Fish Hosted by Chad Kostner
Admission: Free Will Offering
Sunday, November 10, 2019 - 4:30 pm MATINEE
Warren Nelson with Otis McLennon and Ed Willett
Admission is $20 in advance, $30 at the door. Students 18 and under are admitted for $5.
Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 5:00-6:30 pm
Her Story Theater Presents
TRAFFICKING
Featuring Mary Bonnett Wine & Appetizers at Out Of The Woods Winery - 6:30-9:00 pm
Her Story Theater, a Chicago based theater company dedicated to raising awareness of the epidemic of domestic sex trafficking. Presented by Her Story Theater Co-founder and Producing Artistic Director, Mary Bonnett, TRAFFICKING includes a brief reading taken from one of Mary’s plays followed by a presentation with a post audience question and answer session. Bonnett’s work uncovers the nationwide toxic world of domestic trafficking, the manipulations of the traffickers, the access to American youth, the ways and means in which they solicit their prey, the grim impact on victims and the participants who perpetuate this 9.6 billion dollar business that exists across every town in our nation. As one trafficker stated, “We are master manipulators and a click away from your child.” Seventy percent of trafficking recruitment is done online. Based on hundreds of interviews with experts, victims, buyers and traffickers since 2012 plus hours of research, Bonnett has become an expert herself in the field of domestic sex trafficking, speaking to audiences nationwide.
The event will raise awareness, understanding and prevention of this grim nightmare for thousands of American youth. As an audience member, learn how you can become part of the solution in ending this modern day slavery.
BIO
MARY BONNETT (Her Story Theater Producing Artistic Director, Playwright) created and cofounded Her Story Theater. Mary is the playwright of GLOSS OVER on homeless women in Chicago and her Chicago Sex Trafficking Cycle which includes SHADOW TOWN, THE JOHNS, MONEY MAKE'M SMILE, and her current production, MONGER. Her plays are based on over 250 interviews with those involved with domestic sex trafficking. All work is fictionalized for the stage. She has won numerous awards for excellence and outstanding contributions in professional theater, writing, directing and theater education. Her plays and directing have been seen in theaters and universities around the United States. She speaks regularly to organizations across Illinois on domestic sex trafficking and the impact the current culture has on our youth which include such organizations as The Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force Conference, Girls Forward and multiple trafficking conferences for judges, lawyers, social worker, educators and psychologists around the nation. Mary has appeared on television and radio shows, championing the need for change in laws and awareness to protect children and women. Under Mary's leadership, Her Story Theater has raised thousands of dollars for its partner service organizations. Her work also includes partnership with educators in developing an extensive 7TH-12TH grade curriculum on domestic sex trafficking related to her play MONEY MAKE’M SMILE. Mary created the Front Line Series on domestic sex trafficking which includes the SIDE SHOWS: COURT SIDE in partnership with Federal, state, and county judicial leaders; MIND SIDE with performance and panel for therapists and psychologists; ED SIDE with performance, curriculum and study guide for teachers, students and administrators.
Two additional segments in the making are MED SIDE for the medical community and LAW SIDE for law enforcement. These staged readings focus on the trauma-based journey of a domestic sex trafficked victim and its impact. The Front Line Series SIDE SHOWS helps raise awareness, empathy, and deeper understanding for professionals working with sex trafficked victims. It generates in-depth post show discussions as another tool of problem-solving. These works have been seen nationwide.
Mary is a member of SAG-AFTRA, the Dramatists Guild of America, The Writers Guild and a Board member of Perennial Theater of Chicago. She is winner of the BIBO Award and Community Engagement Award for Chicago Community Action, Civic Engagement Award and the Illinois Senate Hero Award for her work in sex trafficking in Illinois. Mary holds a BFA in Theater Arts, BFA in English Literature, MA in Creative Writing. She acts as advisory and support for Traffick Free and The Dreamcatcher Foundation. She has been involved with supporting families in search of victims and justice; as well as investing in survivors who are now free from “the life.”
ABOUT HER STORY THEATER
Her Story Theater is a Chicago theater company for social change. Its mission, through theater and the written word, is to shine bright lights in dark places on women and children in need of social justice and community support. The company started in 2011 and has continued to grow with partners and audience awareness on issues such as homelessness and extensively on domestic sex trafficking. Backstage Magazine listed Her Story Theater as one of the Top Ten Best Theaters for “Changing Lives”.
Admission is $20 in advance, $30 at the door. Students 18 and under are admitted for $5.
Tickets will be available soon.
Saturday, December 21, 2019 - 7:30 pm
Randy Sabien X-Mas
Admission is $20 in advance, $30 at the door. Students 18 and under are admitted for $5.
Tickets will be available soon.
Saturday, January 11, 2020 - 7:30 pm
After Memphis
Admission is $20 in advance, $30 at the door. Students 18 and under are admitted for $5.
Tickets will be available soon.
Dining Out before the Show at participating restaurants on the evening of a Park Center Event? Show your server your purchased-in-advance ticket for that event, and you’ll receive a discount on your meal. Discounts vary at various restaurants: Anglers / Lumberjack Steakhouse / Flat Creek / Fireside / The Ranch / Black Iron Bar and Grill.
