The nonprofit Bay Community Theatre has several special events on deck for Valentine’s Day weekend and beyond – including a free community screening of “Balto” as part of Yeti Fest in Suttons Bay, a Mardi Gras celebration with acclaimed jazz/blues band Paxton Spangler, the return of the Met Opera with “Cinderella,” and the theater’s annual meeting open to the public, followed by a free screening of “Wuthering Heights.”
In celebration of Yeti Fest Saturday, February 14, The Bay will host a free screening at 10 a.m. of “Balto,” the beloved animated film about a brave canine who helps save the
lives of children in Alaska. Don’t miss other great family-friendly activities happening all day for Yeti Fest in the village, including a scavenger hunt, face painting, chili cook-off,
and more!
Top off the day with a special Live at the Bay performance Saturday at 7pm (doors at 6pm) with the Paxton Spangler Mardi Gras Band. Throw on some beads and get ready to boogey as vibrant Detroit jazzmen RJ Spangler and Tbone Paxton join their incredible band to take you straight to the heart of New Orleans! These storied jazz and blues performers are cornerstone members of the Detroit award-winning swing band Planet D Nonet, having toured 11 states, released as many CDs, and garnered 9 Detroit Music Awards.
The performers have firsthand experience backing New Orleans greats like Johnny Adams and Earl King have performed both together and separately in the Big Easy – including at the fabled New Orleans Jazz Heritage Festival. From classic New Orleans trad jazz like “Bourbon Street Parade” to rhythm & blues like “Goin’ Down to New Orleans” to NOLA funk like “Iko Iko” and “Hey Pocky Way,” enjoy a hot night of music that will shake off those winter blues! Tickets are $30 in advance ($25 for select Bay members) or $35 at the door.
The Met Opera returns to The Bay on Monday, February 16 with an HD Live Encore presentation of “Cinderella” at 1pm. The Met’s abridged, English-language version of Massenet’s enchanting fairy-tale opera – previously recorded live – stars mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as the rags-to-riches title character alongside mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as the lovestruck Prince Charming, with Emmanuel Villaume on the podium. Don’t miss this lush production with a timeless appeal for an audience of all ages on the big screen! Tickets are $25 ($20 for select Bay members).
Also Monday, The Bay will host its annual meeting at 5pm at the theater. This event is free and open to the public and will include the election of The Bay’s board (by members in attendance) as well as a presentation on theater updates and plans for the coming year. The community is invited to ask questions and share feedback at the meeting, which will be followed by a free public screening of “Wuthering Heights” at
7pm. More details and ticketing for all events are available at TheBayTheatre.org.
