The Gayville Hall Gazette

A PUBLICATION OF GAYVILLE HALL SPRING 2014 • VOL 7, ISSUE 1 The Home of Old Time Music Tickets & Info: (605) 267-2859

The14th Season OffersGayville the Fabulous Hall Gordy Pratt,Gazette Monthly Jamborees, Country Music, Big-Time Jam, Poker Alice ayville Hall kicks off our 14th Sea- tempt them. York-based theatrical productions, Gson on Saturday, April 5, at 8 p.m. Gordy Pratt, a.k.a. “The Original, and produced and starred in musical with “The Hay Country Jamboree,” Fabulous ONE GUY,” is that rare, shows (one-man and larger) for tour- our monthly musical variety show. fearless performer who has been mak- ists in Deadwood.and for conventions Gayville Hall favorites, including ing a living by doing just that. A gifted and corporate events across the Mid- country music hosts John and Susan and clever songwriter, guitarist, sing- west. McNeill, banjo virtuoso and funnyman er, and comic. Pratt’s shows are both We thank the S. D. Friends of Tra- Dan Kilbride, fiddler extraordinaire “sidesplitting” and “moving.” ditional Music for helping to bring this Owen DeJong, and guitarist and The western Colorado native, who great entertainer to Gayville Hall with singer Nick Schwebach, will lead a now lives in Spearfish, first came to the support of the S.D. Arts Council. fast-paced, two-hour show of old-time South Dakota in the summer of 1965 On May 3, East of Westreville’s great American popular songs, as a 12-year-old member singer and guitarist Boyd Bristow, country, bluegrass, and of the Black Hills Play- who has humor. Come and cel- house (along with his fa- become a ebrate the opening of our ther and stepmother). He familiar fig- 14th season. soon took up the guitar, ure on our The second show of eventually started writing stage dur- 2014, on April 19 at 8 songs, and studied clas- ing the last p.m., is the first one-man sical guitar in New York, year and a show we have brought to San Francisco, and Lon- half, returns our stage, and it shouldn’t don. to “The Hay be missed. One-man Pratt has opened con- C o u n t r y shows require such ex- certs for well-known pop Jamboree” traordinary talent that few acts, traveled the U.S. to co-star in Boyd Bristow performers ever even at- Gordy Pratt and abroad with New continued on page 5 Gordy Pratt: The Original, Hilarious “One Guy” at GH April 19 NOTE FROM DOUG SHARPLES: Judi and n April 19, fans at Gayville Hall are in for a I first became aware of Gordy Pratt in 1965 Ospecial treat when the talented, one-of-a- when we returned west from Iowa for our sec- kind Gordy Pratt takes the stage. ond summer in the Black Hills Playhouse the- Pratt’s one-man show will include: “about atre troupe in Custer State Park. I can see him one-third of classical guitar music, about one- clearly in my mind’s eye, a gangly kid walking third of songs that I love and people love, and through the complex of aging 1930’s C.C.C. about one-third of musical comedy,” he said. buildings that housed the scene shop, prop “I like to make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry, and and costume shops, rehearsal hall, snack bar, then make ‘em laugh again,” said Pratt. “I am and dormitories that surrounded the playhouse. really looking forward to playing at Gayville Hall.” Gordy didn’t say much, at least to me. He was Pratt, who lives in the Black Hills, has too busy turning this way and that breathing it all been a performer and entertainer for more in -- the pine breezes, the clear blue sky, the sets than four decades. In the 1980s, he started being pounded out, the rehearsals in progress, his own business, which became The Dead- the sewing machines humming in the costume wood Production Company and One Guy LLC. shop, the dancers running through routines. You could see that Since 1990, Gordy has been performing his unique stand-up something wonderful was taking root. Gordy was just 12-years musical comedy show. He now performs about 100 comedy old, but already six-feet tall. His sixteen-year-old mentor, Milt shows per year on the corporate circuit. Lee, the son of playhouse founder Warren M. Lee, was giv- “I am fortunate I’ve been able to do what I love,” said ing him tips on the guitar. It is heartwarming to see how great Pratt. “I work hard, but a lot of times, it doesn’t feel like work Gordy turned out. Read on about this dynamic entertainer. because I”m having so much fun.” continued on page 2 SPRING 2014 • PAGE 2 THE GAYVILLE HALL GAZETTE continued from page 1 It’s Sad to Say Goodbye to Great Fans Pratt got his start in entertainment ne of our are our musicians as a youngster when his parents went Omost friendly, for the most part, to the Black Hills Playhouse for the loyal and enthu- From which is one of summer. There, for about ten sum- siastic patrons at the reasons why mers, Pratt learned about the entertain- Gayville Hall was the they are so good. ment industry from behind the scenes. the late Lawrence Practice makes “I wasn’t really on stage,” said "Pete" Petersen of perfect. What Pratt. “But I stood on the side and rural Elk Point, who HOUSE comes with "sea- watched every show. I would watch died of cancer last by Gayville Hall Proprietor Doug Sharples soning" of course the audience and watch the actors and year. Pete was an is not always just I was fascinated by how different it was evangelist for Gayville Hall, persistant- knowledge, common sense, and every night and by the bond between ly bringing friends and neighbors to our mastery of one's art or work. It can the audience and the actors.” shows along with his wife Jan, so that also bring aches and pains, "senior During his summers at the play- they too could enjoy the music and fun moments," sickness, and the ulti- house, Pratt learned to play the guitar as much as he did. Many did and be- mate for us all, death. he’d been given at the age of ten. He came frequent patrons themselves, for We have been fortunate at Gay- found himself in the orchestra pit when which we owe him a debt of gratitude. ville Hall that we, the owners and he wasn’t working on sets, selling con- There is a whole Elk Point crowd operators and musicians who create cessions, or doing other odd jobs that that comes to Gayville Hall quite fre- our shows, have been spared that ul- needed to be done. quently now, and we know that Pete timate fate thus far, although we have As a teenager, Pratt played with had a great deal to do with that. had our share of serious illnesses. various bands, mostly in the rock-n-roll His friendly countenance and smile The same cannot be said for a small genre, but he was also exposed to clas- would have been enough by them- percentage of that much larger num- sic country and other types of music. selves to make Lawrence stand out ber of people who have constituted When he heard classical guitarist Julian from the crowd, which they did, and our audiences. Thousands have at- Bream, he “fell in love.” we were quite aware and conscious tended our shows, and a thousand or Pratt studied classical guitar at of the Petersens from the begining of more are on our mailing list. Every Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, and at the their patronage here. Pete remained year, though, I have to cull names of Royal College of Music in London, a patron of Gayville Hall nearly right the deceased, and, when I instantly England. He took a year off to make up to the end and as we saw the recognize their name and remember some money so he could continue his physical effects of his fight with can- their face and personality and conver- studies. He received the first of many cer -- the weight loss, the ravages sations we may have had, it is sad, as touring grants from the South Dakota of chemotherapy -- he maintained a it was when we learned from Jan Pe- Arts council and toured the state play- brave and courageous public face. tersen that Lawrence had died. ing classical guitar. We will remember him always. Another good patron of Gayville Pratt spent five years in San Fran- Jan Petersen attended a show or Hall, Ila Hornstra of Yankton, passed cisco, touring with La Corte Musical, a two after Pete's death last season ac- away just recently. John McNeill called Medieval Spanish music group, playing companied by family and friends and us with the news. Ila and her husband the oud. Eventually, tired of trying to told us about a gift in memory of Pete. Fred always sat over on the west side of make it as a musician, Pratt and his wife Jan and her family wanted to honor the stage near the dance floor, so they moved to New York City, where Pratt got Pete with a generous gift to Gayville could get up and dance, which they did involved in theatre again. He and wife Hall, which they did. We have used often. We will miss their dancing, but Janet did a tour of “Pirates of Penzance” part of that gift to buy and install several we hope to see Fred in the future, per- with Jim Belushi and Peter Noone. Gordy lighted exit signs and emergency lights haps with their friends the Krohns. served as a merchandise manager (Be- in the hall, which our insurance compa- The Gayville Hall family includes lushi, who played the Pirate King, called ny had "suggested" to us recently and those behind, on, and in front of the Gordy “the Pirate King of the Lobby”) which Gayville Hall therefore needed stage. We worry about you, our pa- and sound operator. Eventually, Gordy in order to stay open. We will apply trons, after we get to know you and bought a guitar and started playing again. the rest of the memorial to something miss you when you can no longer at- “I decided I couldn’t not do it.,” he said. more fun, hopefully, and thank Jan and tend. We are thinking about Frank Pratt and Janet eventually moved family for their generosity. and Colleen Lefler of Yankton and back to the Black Hills, where they Our crowd at Gayville Hall is Colleen’s sister, Corrine, and there raised two children. Pratt worked in mostly a mature lot, made up of "sea- have been so many others I don’t gaming and marketing before starting soned" citizens as some like to say. have space to name. I pray for you his ONE GUY business. The rest, as Judi and I are also seasoned and so all. they say, is history. THE GAYVILLE HALL GAZETTE SPRING 2014 • PAGE 5 Gayville Hall’s 14th Season Kicks Off with Eight Great Shows continued from page 1 another fast-paced musical variety show with Nick and Owen (his old bandmates from Poker Alice) and the McNeills. It will be an evening of old-time country and popular classics, with plenty of hot soloing and fun. On May 17, Gayville Hall’s “Fab Four” -- the McNeills, Schwebach and DeJong -- present “A Cele- Cindy and Rebecca Gehm, two members Gayville Hall’s Fab Four plays bration of Country Music.” It’s an of the trio “Good People,” will play at country on May 17 opportunity for the foursome to play a Gayville Hall on July 5th wide range of enduring country tunes, ing Farmer” Ervin Pickhinke, S.D. The Tune Band’s repertoire of old-time whether from traditional country’s big- cowboy poet Ed Nesselhuf, and the tunes from first half of the 20th century, gest stars and songwriters, Tin Pan crowd-pleasing trio Good People classics from the likes of Alley, or more obscure folk origins. Duke Elling- from Vermillion (featuring Cindy and At “The Hay Country Jamboree” ton, Fats Waller, the Ger- Rebecca Gehm and Bruce and others, on May 31, Jamboree regulars (the shwin brothers, Gray), all taking the stage. McNeills, Dan Kilbride, Nick Schwe- make this show a swinging It’s a show that will “make” bach and Owen DeJong) will wel- delight. These songs inspired your holiday weekend. the pioneering jazz players, come the fabulous Sioux City piano On Saturday, July 19, and Nick, Owen, Larry, and player Terry Brooks into their fast- South Dakota’s eclectic Pok- C.J. play them with the same paced, musical mix. Brooks played er Alice Band and the amaz- inspired abandon, especially for many years behind big-name ing country singer Brenda when performing with the stars in Las Vegas. He has appeared George reunite at Gayville regularly two or three times a year at renowned Roger Neumann, Hall for two-hours of western Gayville Hall since first playing on our whose credentials are world- swing, country, jump blues, stage with the C.J. Kocher Quintet in class (See Neumann profile fiddle tunes, and popular fa- 2008. on page 4). vorites. On June 14, we roll out “Gayville Singer Becca Gehm All shows at Gayville Hall Hall’s Big-Time, Two Hour Jazz and pianist Terry Brooks are on Saturdays and are Jam IV,” starring our special guest, are among the other prob- two-hours long, with a short Los Angeles saxophonist Roger Neu- able guests at this annual intermission midway. Tick- mann, who’s returning to Gayville for “jam session.” ets are $12.50 at the door, the third year in a row to sit in with On July 5, “The Hay Ed Nesselhuf or $15 reserved. Call 605- The Public Domain Tune Band Country Jamboree” re- 267-2859 to make a reservation. You (Nick Schwebach, vocals and guitar, turns with guitarist and singer Boyd pay (by cash or check only) when you Owen DeJong, fiddle, Larry Rohrer, Bristow at the helm and some pop- come to the door, which opens at 7 bass, and C.J Kocher, saxophones). ular guests, including Iowa’s “Sing- p.m. Shows start at 8 p.m.

Our first “Jazz Jam” with Roger Neumann, C.J. Kocher, The popular Poker Alice Band with Brenda George appears and the Public Domain Tune Band was in 2012. at Gayville Hall on July 19. Gayville Hall PO Box 249 Gayville, SD 57031 (605) 267-2859

Gayville Hall’s 14th season starts April 5!!

Don’t Miss the Advertise- ments From Gayville Eat- eries Inside WHAT’S

INSIDE: GH’s 14th Season Begins...... 1 VISIT: Profile: Gordy Pratt...... 1 www.gayvillehall.com From the House by Doug Sharples...... 2 for updated show information. Make It Dinner & a Show...... 3 From the Stage by John McNeill...... 4 Spring Show Schedule...... 6 J M M M A J J A Tickets: $12.50 at door; $15 reserved. Call 605-267-2859. Shows start at 8 p.m. GAYVILLE HALL’S SPRING SEASON 2014 SEASON GAYVILLEHALL’S SPRING une uly uly

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Larry Rohrer), a y a y a y

starring Iowa’s “Singing Farmer”

Cindy & Rebecca Gehm),

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The Public Domain Tune Band (Schwebech, DeJong, C.J. Kocher, &

John & Susan McNeill, Owen DeJong,

night

GAYVILLE HALL, 502 Washington Street, Gayville

dakota

south

starring

“A Celebration of Country Music”

classic

“Poker Alice

starring Sioux Falls guitarist & singer

Fabulous One Guy in Concert”

“The Hay Country Jamboree”

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LA saxophonist

gayville

starring

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dakota

great

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Gordy Pratt: The Original,

John & Susan McNiell

“Gayville Hall’s Big Time

Nick Schwebach, Owen DeJong, Dan Kilbride

world

country

Two-Hour Jazz Jam IV”

Owen DeJong

starring

tunes

Dan Kilbride, John

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Boyd Bristow,

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Roger Neumann, Becca Gehm, Terry Brooks

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monthly

John & Susan McNeill,

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Ervin Pickhinke, Good People

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Brenda George”

musicians

Nick Schwebach

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Susan McNeil,

Terry Brooks

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variety

Boyd Bristow

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songwriter

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Nick Schwebach

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improvisation

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Ed Nesselhuf

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(Bruce Gray,

comic THE GAYVILLE HALL GAZETTE SPRING 2014 • PAGE 3

Make it Dinner and a Show in Gayville f you’re looking for dinner and a open until midnight (or later) on Friday by Maggie’s Farms. Ishow when you come to Gayville and Saturday,” said Tanner Maddox, the Call 267-9453 for more information. Hall, you needn’t drive far. The town new manager. of Gayville boasts two unique eateries Maddox is not new to Wild Bill’s. He within yards of the music hall to satisfy previously cooked at Wild Bill’s for three your appetite. years. He will be joined by a seasoned wait staff with many faces familiar to Wild Bill’s. “Our menu will include some of the old-time favorites, whiskey steaks, log steaks, tilapia, and we will still have all you can eat ribs on Thursdays, all you can peel and eat shrimp on Fridays, and prime rib every Friday and Saturday,” W. Dee’s Restaurant said Maddox. “Our weekend specials Located next door to Gayville Hall, will include some of the all-time favorites On April 3, 2014, Wild Bills will be re-opening its doors with new management, newW. Dee’shours Restaurantand a new offers a full menu, like tipsy chicken and Wild Bill Skewers. including homemade pizza (their spe- Thelook New. “We Wild will Bill’s open ThursdayRestaurant through MondayWe will feature at 2 pm, a new closing sandwich, at 10 pm the on Ca Thursday,- Sunday and cialty), salads, wings, and sandwiches. MondayAs of April and 10, be Wildopen Bill’s until (across midnight the (or lamity later) Janeon Friday that willand partner Saturday,” up with said the Tanner Maddox, the new Pizza sizes include personal pan, street from Gayville Hall) will be open Wild Bills Burger.” manager. “Beginning on April 27, we plan to have the Sunday Brunch up and runningsmall, with medium, serving large, and extra, extra under new management and with new A new menu option will be a “his or starting at 10 am to 2 pm.” Tanner is not a new face to Wild Bills, he has cookedlarge. in the Thekitchen restaurant of Wild has “every top- hours and a new look. hers” choice on many items, catering ping” available for building your favor- Bills“We for willover open three Thursdayyears and throughwill be joined to smaller by a seasoned appetites. staff A newof waitresses look in the with familiar faces to those ite type of pizza. A customer favorite Monday at 2 pm, closing at 10 pm on restaurant will feature a western decor of you who have been to Wild Bills before. “Our menu will include some of the oldis -theirtime “Mega-meat favorites, pizza” that comes Thursday, Sunday and Monday and be with beautiful western/cowboy designs whiskey steaks, log steaks, tilapia, and we will still have all you can eat ribs on Thursdays,fully loaded all withyou canevery meat they offer. peel and eat shrimp on Fridays, and prime rib every Friday and Saturday.” said Maddox.In addition “Our weekend to pizza and great food, specials will include some of the all-time favorites like tipsy chicken and Wild Bill theSkewers restaurant. We featureswill a full bar, video W. Dee’s lottery, and a welcoming atmosphere. feature a new sandwich,Next the Calamitydoor to Jane Gayville that will Hall partner up with the Wild Bills Burger.“Everyone” A new is menu really friendly here,” will highlight a ‘his or hers’ choice on many items, catering to smaller appetites. saidThe newowner look Michelle. will “Come on in and feature a western HOMEMADE atmosphere, featuring decorating PIZZA by Maggie’s Farms and manyenjoy of her a good beautiful meal.” western/cowboy designs. So, along with a new show season, we look forward to a newIf you beginning are worried at about getting to Salads * Wings & Things the show on time, Michelle suggests Wild Bill’s. that you call ahead to order your pizza. Open Daily 4 p.m. Full bar & Video Lottery Generally, pizza takes about 20 to 30

call ahead to have your pizza waiting minutes to make and cook, she said. Call 267-2310 for more information (605-267-2310) or to order your pizza ahead of time.

Looking for a unique gift? Opening Howdy! April 10 Welcome back to WILD BILL’S Give a Gayville Hall Bring in this coupon on any show night and receive $1.00 Gift Certificate!

off any sandwich or $2.00 off any meal See Randy in the box office Expires December 2014 or call 267-2859

SPRING 2014 • PAGE 4 THE GAYVILLE HALL GAZETTE You’ll Have a Connection to the Music at Gayville Hall ext to Christmas, and maybe Eas- with them. You’ll never be offended Nter, the Super Bowl is the biggest by them. They will be songs for you, event in America. It may be the biggest From because they’ll largely be songs about single attraction in all the world. Tens you. Nothing staid or stale; nothing of thousands of the privileged attend the abnormal or bizarre. Just good mu- the actual game, and hundreds of mil- sic, and professionally played. Usu- lions watch it on television. The com- ally country-oriented, but sometimes a mercials, which cost millions of dollars STAGE little to the jazz side, sometimes a little a minute, make big news, and peo- to the Americana side. by Gayville Hall MC John McNeill ple watch them as though they were Gayville Halls are few and far be- something equal to the game itself. you will certainly have interest in it, tween, anymore. In fact, I don’t know They’re a show unto themselves. The and that you’ll in some way be con- if there’s another one with the GvH commercials! nected to it. You might not know the level of performance within many a And of course, the half-time en- name of every performer who ap- mile. There will be a lot of fine shows tertainment is hallowed ground. Not pears on the GvH stage, but you’ll on this stage throughout the 2014 less than the greatest of the great take recognize what they sing and play as season. You can come here with con- the stage at Super Bowl half-time. It’s being tested, tried-and-true American fidence. The atmosphere’s a delight, the venue of all venues. Super Bowl music. They’ll be singing and play- and the price is right. And every seat bigwigs, entertainment moguls, and ing the songs you grew up with, and is on the GvH fifty yard line. You’ll leading talent coordinators go into other songs like those. Perhaps the always have a super time at Gayville executive session to select the princi- performances will have a new twist Hall. This year is lining up to be our pal performer who will take the stage to them, or a a bit of an edge, but best. The kick-off show is April fifth. on the fifty yard line. They want only you’ll always be on common ground Come be a part of it. the established top talent mega-star for the fifteen golden minutes of half- time hullabaloo. Only the best, biggest Neumann Brings "Big Time" to Gayville name, and most popular singer in all oger Neumann, our special the land will get the job, and price isn’t Rguest on June 14, plays the an object. So was the selection made tenor, soprano and baritone saxo- for the 2014 Super Bowl, and the sing- phones, flute and clarinet and has er’s name spread across all the me- performed with Woody Herman, dia, and there was a universal uproar the Lee Castle/Jimmy Dorsey of approval. They had their man. band, Ray Anthony, Les Brown, I never heard of the guy. Not once Bob Crosby, as well as the Beach had his being ever entered or come Boys. His music was featured in even close to my sphere of existence. the Showtime movies “Atlantis,” Of this person I hadn’t a clue. This “Three Men and a Little Lady,” and most popular and adored entertainer “Mumford.” He appeared in the in all the land was entirely unknown to movies “LaBamba,” “My Favorite me. Year,” and “For the Boys.” So, I went to You Tube to see him, Neumann has written music and to find out who he is, and what he for Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Ray does. I learned from Hawaii he hails, Charles, Ray Brown, The Beach and he’s a powerful, dynamic talent Boys, Jerry Garcia, and others. who belts out a musical mixture of He has written arrangements and what I guess is a style of pop-rap. He compositions for the T.V. series really knows how to carry-on in a genre “The Young and the Restless,” that’s mostly incomprehensible to me. “Moonlighting,” “Hollywood Housewives,” and “My Favorite Martian.” In 2002, But at what he does he’s clearly good, he received "the jazz composer and arranger of the year" award in L.A. Not and in command. And I watched for bad for a guy born in North Dakota, raised in northwest Iowa, and educated at several selections, and that was that. Morningside College. Back to my world, in which this indi- This will be Neumann’s third appearance at Gayville Hall during “Jazz vidual surely has neither connection Jam IV.” Don’t miss it, but get your reservations in early. Last year and in nor interest, did I return. 2012, our jazz jam shows brought standing-room only crowds. Call 605-267- I am pleased to tell you that when 2859 to make your reservation now. a show at Gayville Hall is announced,