From Golden Girls as puppets to actors as bartenders, must-do entertainment awaits at Washington Pavilion

This paid piece is sponsored by Washington Pavilion Management Co.

Pull out your calendar, and get ready for some great excuses to get out of the house soon and escape with some incredible entertainment coming to town.

“It’s so easy to fall into a funk in the months of January and February because it’s so cold and there’s nothing to do other than consume 27 burgers, which I’m actively making my way through,” said Bob Wendland, assistant director of performances and events at the Washington Pavilion.

“But whether it’s before, after or instead of your burger, it’s really exciting how the Pavilion and Orpheum are offering such a diverse list of entertainment in the next couple months. It’s such a broad spectrum.”

Pro tip: The Pavilion also is participating in the Downtown Burger Battle, so try the Slap Crispy Cajun Burger next time you visit Leonardo’s Cafe.

‘That Golden Girls Show’

Here’s one that couldn’t be a more timely way to pay homage to the late, great Betty White: The Golden Girls like you’ve never seen them before.

“Think of it as Golden Girls meets the Muppets,” Wendland said.

“It’s such a charming show, very funny and really stayed true to what everybody loves about the sitcom and why it’s aired every single day. So it has great storytelling, and while it’s done with puppets, it’s really high-quality, impressive actors who have the iconic Golden Girls characters on their hands.”

“That Golden Girls Show” is part of a series of comedies at the Orpheum Theater and runs Jan. 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 22 and 23 at 2 p.m.

“Our job is to bring things we think people will get really excited about and present it in a way they can get excited about,” Wendland said. “So the Orpheum is a perfect venue for a show of this. It’s intimate enough that you’ll get to see a lot of detail and feel very connected to the show.”

For information, click here. 

‘Schoolhouse Rock Live’

The pop culture phenomenon “Schoolhouse Rock” returns to the stage at the Mary W. Sommervold Hall, bringing favorites “Conjunction Junction,” “Just a Bill” and “Interplanet Janet.”

More than 2,500 area students will be coming to the Pavilion for daytime performances.

“But we’re also going to do a show for the public,” Wendland said. “It’s an hourlong show that’s high-energy, super upbeat and uplifting. They do a lot of multimedia and take that classic rock vibe, modernize it and make it feel relevant for today.”

The show will run Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. The Pavilion also is offering the performance as a thank-you to donors, members and subscribers, who can reserve tickets for just $5 each, and to the public, who can buy them for just $10.

To learn more, click here.

‘Fiddler on the Roof’

Introduce a new generation to the show that brought us “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset” and “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” as “Fiddler on the Roof” comes to the Pavilion for four performances.

“This is the recent revival version, so the special effects are incredible, and the costumes are out of this world,” Wendland said. “It takes that classic piece of theater everybody knows and completely reinvents it and makes it so much more artistic and relevant.”

The show runs Feb. 4 at 8 p.m., Feb. 5 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 6 at 2 p.m.

“I saw this in New York, and it blew me away,” Wendland said. “Honestly, Fiddler is not one of my favorite shows, and I love this version. I would see it again and again. It was very entertaining and highlighted the humor of the show, which I think a lot of people forget.”

To learn more, click here. 

‘I Am, He Said,’ A Celebration of Neil Diamond

Find someone you love – or who loves Neil Diamond – and snag your tickets to this special performance honoring the iconic artist.

Held Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary W. Sommervold Hall, the show features a Twin Cities-based cast that throws a great concert.

“This is different from what we usually present, which is strictly theater, but every once in awhile, we’ll run into a band or music act we just are so excited about we have to bring to Sioux Falls, and this is one of those,” Wendland said.

“We had them here two years ago before the pandemic on Valentine’s Day, and people loved it, so we wanted to bring them back. They put their own pizazz on Neil Diamond and really make it lively and fun. They’re great performers, but it feels like you’re in their living room having a jam session.”

The cast also is inviting 14 young performers from Sioux Falls to sing backup.

For information, click here.

DAPA youth performances

And speaking of talented young performers, the spring lineup of shows from the Dakota Academy of Performing Arts kicks off in February with “The Journey of the Noble Gnarble” Feb. 11 and 12 at the Washington Pavilion.

Older students will perform Roald Dahl’s “Matilda the Musical” and “The Wizard of Oz” in March and April at the Orpheum.

“It’s been fun to see this program grow,” Wendland said. “It’s a really cool opportunity for students training to be professionals and pursue a career in theater. And for “Matilda,” they’ll be working alongside five adult actors, so I’m super pumped about that.”

To learn more, click here. 

‘The Choir of Man’

The runaway international hit “The Choir of Man” returns to Sioux Falls after a hit run in January 2020.

“We had to have them back,” Wendland said. “Essentially, it’s 12 European men in a pub who are singing current Top 40 standards, songs everyone knows and loves, and putting their own spin on it.”

And here’s something we bet you’ve never seen at the theater before: Before the show starts, the actors serve the audience a beer from the stage.

“So the audience comes up and gets a beer served by the cast, and they spend an hour and a half singing incredible songs,” Wendland said. “It’s theater, but it’s really just a party on the stage.”

The show, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m., is recommend for ages 9 and up.

To learn more, click here.

What’s next

The outstanding live entertainment is just beginning for the year. Next up: Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Hairspray” and more. Plus, stay tuned in the coming weeks for an announcement of next year’s Broadway shows.

Become a member

There always are new reasons to keep coming back to the Pavilion, and a membership likely offers even more value than you realize, starting at just $5.98 per month for a couple and $9.98 for a family of five.

Click here to learn more.