Poway OnStage Announces 2019/20 Professional Performance Series

Poway OnStage is proud to announce its 2019-2020 Professional Performance Season marking the 29th year of presenting one-night-only performances in the intimate 800-seat theatre known for its high fidelity sound, excellent sightlines and beautiful lobby.

Among the season's headliners are the "Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele," Jake Shimabukuro; rock legend Melissa Etheridge; award-winning Canadian musicians, Leahy; a swinging tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper entitled The Winter Dance Party; Catapult Shadow Dance Company; Emmy-winning composer John Tesh performing An Acoustic Christmas; and the always-entertaining Steve Poltz with mega-hit songwriting guest and opener, Jack Tempchin of Eagles' fame. Return favorites include Rosanne Cash; the Back to the Garden Band presenting Monterey '67 Revisited; Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite; and Drum Tao 2020. The season of 12 performances opens on Saturday, September 28, 2019 with Jake Shimabukuro and concludes on Sunday, May 17, 2020 with Leahy.

"We are passionate about bringing powerful live performances to our patrons and our community," said Poway OnStage's President and CEO Michael Rennie. "The Poway Center is an intimate and accommodating venue in which to showcase an eclectic selection of outstanding talent, both known and emerging. It is a joy doing what we do," he said.
Poway OnStage's 2019/20 Professional Performance Series
All shows at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts
15498 Espola Road, Poway CA 92064
www.powayonstage.org

Jake Shimabukuro
Friday, October 4, 2019 at 8PM

The undisputed master of the ukulele returns to Poway for a night of "Peace, Love and Uke!" Often compared to musicians like Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis, Jake Shimabukuro amazes audiences with unprecedented virtuosity and a warm and engaging style that embodies the spirit of Aloha!

Back to the Garden in Monterey '67 Revisited
Saturday, October 12, 2019 at 8PM

Back to the Garden have become legends of the Poway stage with shows like Woodstock: the Concert, Sounds of the Laurel Canyon and Beatles: Alone/Together. This time the band and friends celebrate the music festival that launched the era of Peace and Love - the legendary 1967 Monterey Pop Festival including the works of Simon and Garfunkel, Jimi Hendrix, the Mamas and the Papas, the Byrds, Otis Redding, Jefferson Airplane, the Who and more.

Steve Poltz with guest Jack Tempchin
Saturday, November 2, 2019 at 8PM

San Diego favorite Steve Poltz is the embodiment of the traveling troubadour - witty and charming with an arsenal of songs brimming with humor and a positive light. Poltz first came to fame as a member of San Diego's legendary band, the Rugburns, and co-wrote a number of Jewel's biggest hits. Now Poltz returns to Poway with a show full of stories, songs, laughter, tears... and more laughter. 2019 Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee Jack Tempchin ("Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Already Gone") opens the show.

Melissa Etheridge
Friday, November 15, 2019 at 8PM

Melissa Etheridge is one of rock music's great female icons. Her critically acclaimed debut album was certified double platinum and her popularity grew around such memorable songs as "Bring Me Some Water," "No Souvenirs" and "Ain't It Heavy" for which she won her first Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal.

Etheridge's fourth album, Yes I Am, featured the massive hits "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window," a searing song of longing that brought her a second Grammy Award. Etheridge is also an Oscar winner for Best Original Song in 2007. Join Melissa Etheridge for an evening of unforgettable songs and new music from her new album The Medicine Show.

VIP Photo Op package available for an additional $149. Includes:

• Exclusive preshow photo op with Melissa Etheridge
• Specially designed Melissa Etheridge tour shirt (exclusive to VIP package only!)
• Limited edition tour poster; autographed by Melissa Etheridge
• Melissa Etheridge tote bag
• Commemorative Melissa Etheridge pin set
• Exclusive Melissa Etheridge VIP merchandise item
• Official Melissa Etheridge photo op laminate
• Commemorative ticket
• On-site VIP host
• Limited availability

John Tesh: An Acoustic Christmas
Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 8PM

A six-time Emmy-winning composer and nationally syndicated radio host, John Tesh returns to the stage this holiday season for "John Tesh: an Acoustic Christmas." The tour will feature Tesh performing new takes on holiday classics. Tesh has received two Grammy nominations and three gold records. He has recorded seven Public Television specials and sold over eight million albums. Tesh's abilities as a musician and storyteller have taken him from the Red Rocks Amphitheater to the Colosseum in Rome, to Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Don't miss his Poway debut!

Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite
Saturday, February 15, 2020 at 8PM

Two of music's legendary bandleaders, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite, join forces for a journey through rock, blues, and folk. Elvin Bishop has been performing his rollicking brand of front porch blues for a half-century and is as vital and creative today as he was when he first hit the national scene in 1965 with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. American electric harmonica player, bandleader and Blues Hall Of Fame inductee Charlie Musselwhite (reportedly the inspiration for Dan Aykroyd's character in the Blues Brothers) is celebrating the 50th anniversary and re-release of his legendary debut album Stand Back! Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime pairing of Blues greats!

Winter Dance Party: A Tribute to Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper
Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 8PM

From John Mueller, the talent that brought you One Night in Memphis, comes The Winter Dance Party: A Tribute to Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. Based on the legendary 1959 tour that would be their last, Buddy and friends take you through hits like "That'll Be the Day," "Peggy Sue," "La Bamba," "Chantilly Lace" and more.

Rosanne Cash
Saturday, March 7, 2020 at 8PM

Although Rosanne Cash is often classified as a country artist, her music touches on many genres including folk, pop, rock, blues and Americana. In the 1980s, she had a string of chart-topping singles, including the number one hit "Seven Year Ache," which crossed musical genres and landed on both the country and pop charts. Cash has gone on to win four Grammy Awards and has been nominated for Grammys more than a dozen times. She was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015. Don't miss this encore performance by country music royalty.

Catapult Shadow Dance Company
Friday, March 27, 2020 at 8PM

An America's Got Talent finalist from Season 8, Catapult is a magical production that features incredibly lithe dancers who work behind a screen to create shadow silhouettes of shapes from the world around us - and beyond! Audiences are enthralled as they watch back-lit bodies transform into a mountain, an elephant, a dragon, even a helicopter. It's a mystery how they do it, and no one knows what they will create next. At every turn, Catapult surprises and delights again and again. Packed with hundreds of shape transformations, this family-friendly show is full of humor, emotion and engaging stories.

Drum Tao 2020
Friday, April 10, 2020 at 8PM

DRUM TAO 2020 is where athletic bodies and contemporary costumes meet explosive Taiko drumming. It is also the latest production from TAO, internationally-acclaimed percussion artists who wowed Poway Audiences in 2018. Those who have seen Taiko drums are instantly mesmerized by its thunderous power. This art form requires respect, discipline, positive energy and an open mind and heart. TAO's modern, high-energy performances, showcasing the ancient art of Japanese drumming, have transfixed audiences worldwide. Combining highly physical, large-scale drumming with contemporary costumes, precise choreography and innovative visuals, the performers of DRUM TAO 2020 create an energetic and unforgettable production.

Leahy
Sunday, May 17, 2020 at 2PM

Award-winning Canadian group Leahy has secured a place as one of Canada's most highly regarded progressive folk-roots bands. The talented Leahy siblings emerged on the Canadian music scene in the late 1990s with their chart-topping instrumental single "Call to Dance," which introduced audiences to a uniquely Canadian music genre. The "Leahy sound" - which combines traditional Celtic elements with stride piano, fluid bass lines, contemporary drumming and driving rhythm guitar - was the foundation from which wildly talented fiddle-led instrumentals and vocals were launched to mainstream music listeners. Leahy has gone on to win three Juno awards and received countless accolades for their dynamic and powerful performances.

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Sara Watkins
Sunday, August 25th
at Bernardo Winery

Bernardo Winery and Poway OnStage have joined forces to present a new concert experience in the Poway/Rancho Bernardo area -- Summer Concerts at the Winery!

Acclaimed American singer-songwriter, fiddler, and multi-instrumentalist artist, Sara Watkins, of Nickel Creek fame, will perform soulful songs and more from her latest solo collection on Sunday evening, August 25th at 6:30 p.m. at the Bernardo Winery. Watkins' new album, Young In All the Wrong Ways, out July 1, sees her boldly stepping in to the role of front-woman following her prior performances with the collaborative groups of I'm With Her, Watkins Family Hour and the platinum-selling, Grammy Award-winning Nickel Creek.

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