Singers, dancers, musicians, beatboxer and unicyclist – some of the best amateur performers in Lake Country – will take the Oconomowoc Arts Center stage June 26 and 27 in a fundraiser for the Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation’s (OPEF) Performing Arts Center Enhancement (PACE) Fund!
It will be a great show featuring the top 26 acts selected from more than 200 people who auditioned (see who you know on the attached cast list!). Two performances – Saturday evening and Sunday matinee – as well as a raffle, concessions and a commemorative playbill – are contributing to the PACE fund to pay for the enhancements that make the Oconomowoc Arts Center a state-of-the-art performance venue.
Tickets: $12 adults, $8 students and seniors (with ID) on sale at the door and in advance at Books & Company at 1039 Summit Avenue, Oconomowoc Realty at 156 E. Wisconsin Ave., Piggly Wiggly at1300 Brown Street, and the Oconomowoc Arts Center box office at 641 E. Forest Street. (Cash and checks only)
Raffle: A drawing on Sunday, June 27, will give away items including a 42” plasma screen television,$250 cash,sports and theater tickets. Purchase raffle tickets for $5 each or 5/$20, available in advance at Oconomowoc Realty, from OPEF board members, or at the performances.
“Oconomowoc’s Got Talent,” and the Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation (OPEF) is set to celebrate it on June 26 and 27 with an all-ages talent show to benefit the Performing Arts Center Enhancement (PACE) fund. People with all types of talent from throughout the Lake Country area are invited to audition May 2 and 3 for the chance to perform on the big stage at the Oconomowoc Arts Center.
Singers, dancers, jugglers, baton twirlers, magicians, musicians or people with other unusual talents all are welcome. Auditions will be on a first-come, first-served basis on Sunday, May 2, from 1 – 6 p.m., and Monday, May 3, from 5-9 p.m., at the Oconomowoc Arts Center. Performers will be provided with microphones, stage and a standard drum set, and are asked to bring all other items such as props, music and instruments required to properly present their acts. Acts are limited to five minutes and will be reviewed by a selection panel including former Oconomowoc High School (OHS) theatre director Vic Passante, community creative Betsy Freeman, and current OHS theatre director Tom Klubertanz.
“For decades, our area has been a great center for the arts, and the community’s talent spans all stages of life,” said Dave Reul, PACE committee co-chair and former band director at Oconomowoc High School. “This is the chance for everyone who has dreamed of performing – from ages two to 102 – to show their family, friends and Lake Country neighbors what they can do. Come and audition, and mark your calendars to see the surprises we have in store in June. Alumni can audition via video if they live out of town!”
Details on the auditions, online video submissions and the June performances can be found at www.opef.info or on the OPEF fan page on Facebook. Video auditions also can be submitted by mail to “O’s Got Talent,” P.O. Box 444, Oconomowoc, WI 53066.
To support the PACE fund, a $5 donation is requested from each person who auditions, and an additional $20 registration fee will be asked of each performer (or group) selected to be part of the show. The goal is to include as many acts as possible, anticipating two full shows of different talent – one on Saturday evening, June 26, and a matinee on Sunday, June 27.
As an additional benefit to PACE, the “Oconomowoc’s Got Talent” event will also feature a silent auction and raffle, a commemorative playbill featuring local business and congratulatory advertising for the performers, and the opportunity to purchase photographs and videos of the event. PACE donations and seat dedications will also be accepted at the event. Sponsors and volunteers are needed – please visit www.opef.info for details and contacts.
The Performing Arts Center Enhancement (PACE) fund exists to collect on OPEF’s $500,000 commitment to the school district, which made it possible to build the OAC with enhancements that take it beyond a standard high school auditorium to a first-class performance venue. Nearly $200,000 has been raised to date, but the balance of the financial commitment still must be met. The enhancements that add to the audience experience include the polished wood acoustical concert shell, the orchestra pit and cover that expand the stage, seating upgrades and wireless microphones.
OPEF is a charitable foundation created in 2007 to allow for private, tax-deductible contributions in support of the Oconomowoc Area School District and to encourage innovative educational opportunities in the public schools. OPEF oversees several funds, including the OPEF General Fund, which awards grants annually based on criteria determined by the OPEF Grants Committee; the Performing Arts Center Enhancement (PACE) Fund to support enhancements built into the Oconomowoc Arts Center; and the Jennifer Bukosky Fund, a memorial fund that supports alcohol and drug abuse prevention in honor of past Oconomowoc High School associate principal Jennifer Bukosky.
For more information on making a donation or volunteering with OPEF, visit www.opef.info.
Lake Country is home to several school districts, the largest of which includes, Arrowhead, Kettle Moraine, and Oconomowoc Schools. I’d like to take a moment to highlight Oconomowoc Schools and some exciting news from this district.
Recently, I posted an article on the arts, highlighting Nature Hill Intermediate’s production of “Disney’s, Beauty and the Beast.” I was fortunate enough to enjoy the Friday evening production of the show, held in the Oconomowoc Arts Center, located at the High School. All I can say, is “WOW!” If you haven’t had a chance to see a recent production by the students in this district, you need to put it on your calendar for the future. The poise and polish of these young performers belied their ages. They received a standing ovation on Friday, and to my knowledge on the Saturday and Sunday performances, as well. Here’s a clip of the “Be our Guest” number. What a wonderful experience for the students and their families. It was superb!
Future performances at the OAC include, Milwaukee’s First Stage Children’s Theater performing “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on Sunday, March 28th at 3pm. They are accepting a $5 donation at the door, which benefits the OAC Artist-In-Residence program. This is followed by the Wisconsin Singers , performing on Saturday, April 17th in the evening. For more information on these and other performances in this beautiful new performance hall, visit their website.
Watch for my next post regarding the Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation. Formed for the enhancement of the Oconomowoc Public School System, it’s “PACE” fund allows for the financial support of the Arts Center. Visit OPEF’s website for a sneak preview of future news regarding the exciting things that the Foundation is working on. Better yet, become a FAN on Facebook to get the greatest and latest news.
July 16, 2009 at 08:57 PM · Posted under Glenn Hanon
It is nice to see how the business community rallies around the new Oconomowoc Arts Center. Pabst Farms Development was recently recognized as the largest contributor to the new OAC here in Oconomowoc. See the link Here. Peter Bell is obviously interested in the quality of life here in Oconomowoc with this fantastic donation to the center. I know Pat Neudecker and I can only imagine that she was thrilled to see this level of support. Pabst is definitely leading the way in Oconomowoc, not only with the development but also with a generous contribution—Thanks Peter from all of the families in Oconomowoc who love and use the outstanding Arts Center, your generosity is greatly appreciated!
April 29, 2009 at 03:00 PM · Posted under Glenn Hanon
The Waukesha Symphony has announced their new schedule and one of the venues will be our very own Oconomowoc Arts Center. If you have not been to the OAC you must see this fabulous setting.
The handsome wood paneled stage, full orchestra pit, rigging and so much more make this an outstanding addition to Oconomowoc. The OAC is adjacent to the High School and is just minutes from I-94 off of Summit Avenue. Pro Health’s new hospital addition is the immediate neighbor to the OAC. The new season at the OAC will be a hit, I am sure. I can’t wait for the new schedule.
April 15, 2009 at 04:57 PM · Posted under Glenn Hanon
In the fall of 2008 Oconomowoc unveiled their two new middle schools, Silver Lake Intermediate and Nature Hill Intermediate Schools. The School District quite frankly hit a home run with the two intermediate schools–first, for their great locations and second, for the stunning style that each school displays. As you can see from the picture each school is loaded with great residential architecture. Poised for growth, each setting is ideally situated within minutes of much of the future growth for Oconomowoc. With the addition of an Arts Center and an expanded indoor field house at the high school, the district has positioned itself to take advantage of the upcoming expansion in housing in Oconomowoc. I have written in past blogs about the Oconomowoc Arts Center and seeing IS believing! If you are relocating to western Waukesha County and Lake Country, you will want to visit the school district to get a firsthand experience of everything Oconomowoc has to offer. One of the services I offer are school tours to relocating families. As a Certified Shorewest Relocation Specialist, I know how important finding the right school for your children is. Feel free to email me at ghanon@shorewest.com for more information about our Relocation Services.
April 03, 2009 at 04:50 PM · Posted under Glenn Hanon
Lake Country has a new and exciting Arts Center and if you have not been here for a show you are really missing something special. My wife and I attended the performance of “Guys and Dolls” this past month and the entertainment was outstanding. Tomorrow night, the OAC (Oconomowoc Arts Center) will be showcasing “Leahy’s Luck,” an Irish troupe with great Celtic music and Irish dancing. I know that there are tickets still available so you won’t be disappointed by the show or the venue. It is really unbelievable that we have talked for so many years about having a real theater in Oconomowoc- but now it is here. I was awestruck with the beauty inside. The handsome wood paneling, the stage with a full orchestra pit and 750 very comfortable chairs, this is important for some shows that are longer. But what makes the OAC so special is that it is here right in the heart of Lake Country and available for all of us to use. Don’t wait- go and see the jewel in Oconomowoc! Here is a link to their website: http://tinyurl.com/c95xep
Singers, dancers, musicians, beatboxer and unicyclist – some of the best amateur performers in Lake Country – will take the Oconomowoc Arts Center stage June 26 and 27 in a fundraiser for the Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation’s (OPEF) Performing Arts Center Enhancement (PACE) Fund!
Karen Trepton
It is nice to see how the business community rallies around the new Oconomowoc Arts Center. Pabst Farms Development was recently recognized as the largest contributor to the new OAC here in Oconomowoc. See the link 
Glenn Hanon
The 
In the fall of 2008 Oconomowoc unveiled their two new middle schools, Silver Lake Intermediate and Nature Hill Intermediate Schools. The 
I have written in past blogs about the Oconomowoc Arts Center and seeing IS believing! If you are relocating to western Waukesha County and Lake Country, you will want to visit the school district to get a firsthand experience of everything Oconomowoc has to offer. One of the services I offer are school tours to relocating families. As a Certified Shorewest Relocation Specialist, I know how important finding the right school for your children is. Feel free to email me at 
I know that there are tickets still available so you won’t be disappointed by the show or the venue. It is really unbelievable that we have talked for so many years about having a real theater in Oconomowoc- but now it is here. I was awestruck with the beauty inside. The handsome wood paneling, the stage with a full orchestra pit and 750 very comfortable chairs, this is important for some shows that are longer. But what makes the OAC so special is that it is here right in the heart of Lake Country and available for all of us to use. Don’t wait- go and see the jewel in Oconomowoc! Here is a link to their website: 
