And welcome back.
It is the WXCO morning report part of mornings with packed right low on 98.9 WXCO online at WXCO FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and also on the WXCO YouTube channel It's Thursday morning the 14th day of August and every other week It's always fun to find out what's happening just a couple of blocks down the road here in downtown Rossa at the Grand Theater for the second time in a row very happy to bring back Anya Huntington
who is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator with the Grand in Anya.
Great to see you again.
It's good to be back.
We were talking just a few moments ago.
It's a very exciting time because as we get now towards the middle, in the middle part of August, it never stops at the Grand, but then you do have what's called the start of the new season.
And we're coming up on that, aren't we?
That is correct.
We do have the official first show of the 2025-2026 season, the Performing Arts Foundation season coming up next week, literally a week from today.
on Thursday, the 21st of August.
Pretty amazing.
And the thing is, and we've talked about this with you and with Sean as well, put together this schedule.
And it's been just an amazing schedule for a number of years now.
And it just seems as though perhaps it's the reputation here, the folks that we hear often from Sean that the folks like coming here to Wausau because it's a wonderful venue.
It's right here downtown.
As you go into the new season, the lineup is truly amazing.
Oh, yeah.
No, it's Sean always does an amazing job lining all these artists up and bringing in a diverse range of performers.
That's something for everybody from ages, you know, zero to 99
or whatever.
You know, there's just there's just a great mix of shows.
Anything that your heart desires is probably going to come to the grand.
It feels like a really big promise, but we can do it, I believe in us.
And you said it starts in a week on the 21st, and it's a great way.
to start it's a special show because if you don't see them now you're not gonna see them it's the righteous brothers real quickly I was on vacation last month about a month and a half ago actually and I went to Vegas and I flew in and I'm at the airport I got a shuttle going to the hotel and there's this massive billboard
for the Righteous Brothers.
And I'd already known that the Righteous Brothers were coming.
They were talking about a three-day event in Las Vegas.
That's the kind of show.
Broadway or Vegas or big venues all around the country, and they come right here to Wausau to start off your new season, the Farewell Tour.
Yes, we are so excited to welcome the Righteous Brothers back to Wausau.
They were here in 2022, and it was a great show.
I was actually very shortly after I started working at The Grand, and I didn't know who the Righteous Brothers were.
That makes me feel old, I tell ya.
You know,
I'm pretty young.
You might not know that over the radio, but I am pretty young.
I had not heard of them.
I'd heard of their music after I, you
know.
Oh, that's who they are.
Yeah, that's who they are.
But
I watched the show and I was just blown away.
They're so...
They're such great performers.
They're so charismatic.
And I mean, the music is just incredible.
So I really am so excited to welcome them back.
That is next week, Thursday, August 21st.
And there are limited tickets remaining.
We have about just under 70 tickets left
for
this show.
This is their farewell tour.
So if you don't come out and see them now, I don't think you're gonna get a chance to see them again.
But this is Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers and Bucky Hurd.
Bucky Hurd has been his partner since 2016, following the death of Bobby Hatfield.
Bucky has an incredible
voice you are not gonna be sitting there missing out he delivers unchained melody so well righteous brothers yes of course have delivered us all those hits like unchained melody you've lost that love and feeling I've had the time of my life soul and inspiration rock and roll heaven and many many more and you will hear all of those at their farewell tour next week
so if you want to see it
get those tickets now, as you said, to 70 seats available.
And those will go fast.
So again, get on it and be ready to rock next Thursday night at the Grand Theater.
But that's only the start.
That is like the kickoff.
Everybody's excited for the kickoff of the new season.
What else are you looking at here early on that people should be thinking about if they want to make sure they get those tickets?
Well, you got a little bit of time between the Righteous Brothers and some of our next shows.
of the seasons really kicks into high gear in October.
And with two shows in the beginning of October that I'm very excited for, one is Folsom Prison Experience.
That is on Friday, October 3rd.
And this show is like a Johnny Cash tribute show, but it's really an immersive tribute drama because it is part stage show, part concert.
This show is basically putting you
into the experience of the recording of the Folsom Prison album.
You, as the audience, are the inmates
at
Folsom Prison.
You are encouraged to dress up as an inmate
from Folsom
Prison and truly be a part of...
that recording process.
So that's going to be an extremely fun show.
It stars Jay Ernest, who is one of the heads of the Church of Cash, which is one of the greatest tributes to Johnny Cash in the country.
So
he's also doing Folsom Prison Experience.
So if you were a Johnny Cash fan, if you just like having a good time.
come out for fulsome prison experience on Friday, October 3rd.
It will be so fun.
Let me ask you about some because those from time to time you have those kind of shows where the audience is actually more involved than a normal.
show because normally you go you're in the audience you're you're letting the performance kind of roll over you and then there's some shows that the the performers and everybody there's an expectation a little bit more of a give and take is it sometimes for some folks a little difficult for them to kind of get out of the seats and and be involved in that because sometimes I would think there's some folks who's like I'm a little nervous about dressing up as a prisoner or anything like that have you seen that
that it shows in the past or is this something that's kind of a little unique here to Wausau?
I would say that almost every, I can't think of an example of a show that has come to the grand that has not had folks come out in costume with excitement.
I think about Mania the Abba tribute.
I think about when we had boy band review here a while ago.
I think about when we did a hocus pocus screening a couple years ago.
I think about
nitty gritty dirt band back just a few weeks ago and people come out and they are dressed in incredible outfits or costumes depending on the vibe and have so much energy.
I really feel like the audience in Wausau always understands the assignment.
They're
always
ready to party and I love that.
And we will have more with Anya Huntington of the Grand Theater coming up at 7.52 in our next WXCO morning report.
Back to Pat Crightlow coming up next.
It's mornings with Pat Crightlow on 98.9 WXCO.
on this Thursday morning, August the 14th, 2025.
I am Chad Holmes.
It is the WXCO morning report joined, of course, by our in studio producer Ian Welsh.
Again, we're talking to Anya Hannington, who is the marketing and communications coordinator at the Grand Theater and performing arts foundation here in Wasop 98.9 WXCO.
online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching wxco and on the civic media app and also you can always go back to our youtube channel you can see a video of our discussion as well go to youtube.com and the wxco channel on youtube also coming up in october you got another show that you're very excited about as well
Yes, we have Celtic Thunder.
That is on Tuesday, October 7th.
And this is going to be a really fun show.
These guys are huge stars.
They have just one audiences across the globe for like two decades now.
If you're not familiar, they are an Irish singing group.
And they are very fun, very charming, very amazing arrangements of the songs that they sing.
The harmonies are wonderful.
They are most known for, I mean, beyond just
beautiful voices.
They have a really incredible stage show.
And the set, the visual effects, the choreography, it is, again, very immersive.
It's like you're walking down an old stone road in Ireland and it's just sort of being transported into a different world.
So that is just going to be, I'm really looking forward to seeing this because it's so famous.
It's so
Loved and then also they're just very fun and they sing a variety of music mostly Irish tunes that also includes, you know some U2 covers
and
whatnot It's just really
It's gonna be a great show.
I really hope people come out for it because these guys are just spectacular
And you know it's true Irish when you get the name right because it's Celtic not the Celtics like in Boston.
It's Celtic.
It's true Irish It always throws me the Boston Boston Celtics do throw me
every time but
Go
to Boston and tell those Celtics they got it wrong.
You're not the Celtics, you're the Celtics.
How are tickets going for Celtic Thunder?
You know, there are still some tickets to sell.
So if you have not got a ticket yet for this show, you do have time, but I will say that's not going to last.
These guys are very popular.
And as we approach the show again, it's on Tuesday, October 7th.
come as starting the next month or so, those tickets are going to start really moving out.
So I would not wait.
Grab your tickets for that.
Grab your tickets for full, some prison experience.
Grab your tickets for the righteous brothers.
Go to grand theater.org or give us a call.
And also something we touched on last time.
Again, this is just the start of the season.
And there's so many shows as upwards of 40 shows, I think on your schedule somewhere in that general area.
And you've got more that will be coming, obviously, I think as well during the course of the year.
And if you want to get the best tickets, the best.
opportunities, maybe get some early opportunities as well, become a subscriber, correct?
That is completely correct.
You should become a subscriber.
It's incredibly easy.
All you need are four shows that are on our Performing Arts Foundation season, which you can find on our website.
10%?
Yeah,
so
5% discount.
If you get four to seven shows, 10%, if it's eight to 11 shows, and then 15%, if you do 12 or more.
And when we have 39 shows on the season,
That's really easy to do to pick four shows or more.
So definitely, if you go to our website, if you give us a call, you're like, I want to see the Adams family.
I want to see the Righteous Brothers.
I want to see Celtic Thunder.
I want to see Colin Ray.
that you got your discount.
You're gonna be looking, you know, you're gonna have too many shows you have to deal with.
Oh, absolutely.
I mean, the idea of, you know, four shows to get the minimum, you know, benefits, and then of course, as you said, is you get more shows, you get even more benefits, really, the wisest way to do it, to make sure you're not left out for that one show that may be the one that you really wanna see, that the tickets are going so quickly, to get those opportunities, to be a subscriber.
And I imagine as, you know, when you have the second century,
campaign that's done and when the Grand Theater is, you know, updated for the second century, man, I would think that you want to be at the front of the line, you know, when things get going in about a year or two.
So it's never too early to try to be best friends with the Grand Theater.
Absolutely.
That is completely correct.
You get.
the first, if you're a subscriber, you get those first updates on all of our new shows.
You get some invites to some special things.
And yeah, you know, you definitely might be securing your spot for when we do make all these changes with our second century campaign, which if you want to know more about that, go to our website.
We'll be happy to share more information with you.
It's a very exciting project coming up for our 100th
anniversary.
or get the information on Righteous Brothers and Celtic Thunder becoming a subscriber and a whole bunch more.
Really exciting times at the Grand and it's always good to see ya.
Thanks for having
me.
Anya Harrington, again, the marketing and promotions coordinator for the Grand Theater and the Performing Arts Foundation of Warsaw.
Very fortunate to have either herself or the big man.
Of course, Sean Wright joined us every other week to talk about the great activities going on at the Grand and boy, it's not going to slow down anytime soon.
Of course, we have the start of the 2025, 2026 season.
And then of course, when we get to the end of the current new season,
that begins next Thursday with the Righteous Brothers, the next century campaign, the renovations that will make the Grand Theater continue to be such a vital aspect of our community, and not just Wausau, not just Central Wisconsin, but I think the entire North Central part of the country, it is one of the great venues to see productions in the Northern part of the country.
Coming up, it is the top of the hour, and we will have our top of the hour news update.
Find out what's going on in news, weather, and sports, and then we'll be back.
In fact, I will be back with Pat Crichtlow coming up at 8.06 on Tuesdays and Thursdays in addition to our local segments.
I joined Pat to talk about what's going on as well.
So I'll be with Pat Crichtlow coming up just after the news.
And then another hour to go here on 98.9 WXCO.
the WXO morning report part of mornings with hack right low on 98.9 WXO online at WXO FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXO and on the civic media app.
It's overcast here on this Thursday morning August the 14th of 2025 refreshing morning.
As we came into work this morning, a little bit cooler than it's been.
Right now, the temperature stands at 64 degrees at our downtown studios at the corner of Washington Street and North Third Street in downtown Wausau.
I am Chad Holmes, joined by Ian Welsh.
And Ian, big night, obviously.
Yeah, it looks like it's the opening
night for Shakespeare in the park.
You got a midsummer night's a dream at 2pm and the comedy of it.
errors, which I will be a part of at 6 p.m.
It's at a Stewart Park in Wausau, and we still have tickets available, so There's plenty of seats available, but Word of advice is you should probably bring your own chairs that just in case you don't want to
Sit on the grass.
Well, the thing about it is, right now it's overcast, but it looks like the clouds are gonna break up.
It looks as though it's gonna be a sunny day, not too hot.
Temperatures around 80, which is probably pretty close to normal for this time of year.
Last time's rehearsal was pretty comfortable.
Being outside at the park, sun was out.
There was a few clouds up there.
The trees in the park gave us a lot of shade, and it was a nice...
breeze as well.
So a good night for a final or just rehearsal.
Absolutely.
So again, take advantage.
One of the great things about living here in North Central Wisconsin is the opportunity to see the arts at its best.
And of course, this is an opportunity to see again, the
Shakespeare in the park at 2 o'clock and 6 o'clock today and if you can't make it today or tonight you got tomorrow whether looking pretty good tomorrow as well
Then Saturday and Saturday not looking quite as good at least at
this
point Pretty significant chance of some rain showers on Saturday, but who knows it can change obviously within 48 hours it's been there you go, but still some great opportunities to see some very talented folks including Mr. Ian Welsh as part of the six o'clock show a comedy of heirs with the River and Woods theater company and of course
You always have a chance to see things at the Grand Theater.
Thanks again to Anya Huntington.
And I should have mentioned when she was here with us that because I was looking at the River and Woods Facebook page, she's part of your production as well, isn't she?
Yes, she is.
So again, if you missed our discussion with Anya Huntington about what's going on at the Grand, including the Righteous Brothers coming next Thursday night.
And she said only about 70 tickets remaining.
So if you want to see the Righteous Brothers as part of their farewell tour, make sure you get over to the Grand Theater and get those tickets.
Also, the countdown continues as I'm getting excited because our countdown is down to seven days for our kickoff for the 2025
high school football season.
Coming up
next Thursday night, we have a pair of games.
Have to say I'm a bit annoyed by it because they moved the Newman game from Friday to Thursday So I was gonna be able to do both games and now we have just And I'm scrambling to find somebody to help me out on Thursday because our good friend Tom Weaver who is our number two guy with us And I don't mean him number two because he's probably better than I am but he is our very good He's our cohort who does a lot of the broadcast but he's unavailable because next week because he's got some activities going on with the University was
Johnson Stevens point so I'm getting gray hair this week trying to get a I have a
So I'm going to be hearing from somebody in the next day or so who I think is going to be able to help us out.
But it's still nerve wracking and I'm just disappointed because I was looking forward to being able to do both the Warriors and the Cardinals next week.
But on Thursday, we will have Wausel West taking on Superior in the season opener at Tom Field Thursday night, 7 o'clock, 6.35 airtime right here on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO.
and on the Civic Media app and the New Mac Cardinals will travel to Florence.
Of the last four eight-player state champions,
Three will be represented in that game.
Newman Catholics won a couple of state championships and Florence has won one state championship in the last four years as well.
So that's a battle between some perennial powers, long trek for the cards on their opener.
And we'll have that game live next Thursday on the sports two stream of wxco.fm and the Civic Media app.
If you have not downloaded the Civic Media app yet, get it now because in order to hear the game live, you'll either have to go to wxco.com on your.
WXCO.FM.
Again, it's WXCO.FM.
Or it's even easier by just pulling up the phone.
bringing up the civic media app, bringing up WXCO, clicking on the sports to stream and be able to listen live and then go back and forth between our streams next Thursday night.
So
that's right.
And the app is absolutely free.
It will be absolutely free forever.
We promise you that.
So again, you can take us with you wherever you are by downloading the civic media app, just go to your app store, search out civic media, download the app and then you will be ready to go.
And again, if you are a business owner who appreciates what we do when
comes to high school sports, we would love for you to be part of our team as well because we do have some terrific opportunities for your advertising dollars to go a long way and also help support bringing the stories of these student athletes to you on 98.9 WXC all.
Yeah, we couldn't make these games possible.
We didn't have the support for the financial support of the ads, the businesses in our
Community who give us these ads and really help to you know make these games a special
and we might even be adding something else as well and I'm gonna have to stay tuned for that stay tuned for that We'll be back at 8.52.
We'll see if Ian can make it three out of four with the number number of the day quiz Successful week, hopefully but coming up after an information update more with pack right law warnings with pack right law on 98.9 WXDO
The WXCO morning report part of mornings with pack right low here on 98.9 WXCO online at WXCO dot FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app You can also catch our local segments on YouTube go to our YouTube channel youtube.com go to the
98.9 WXCO channel click on the live aspect and you can see what we're doing with our interviews with our segments and everything else and also quick note that Starting next week.
We have the return of the big high school sports show here on 98.9 WXCO and this year We're gonna have the show also streaming live on YouTube and in fact this
coming week.
It's the one week of the year.
It's always weird because it's the first week of the season.
But the first week, we always have to pre-record because the first week of the football season on Wednesday night, Wausau West at Tom Field hosts their Meet the Warriors night.
And I am the emcee of that event.
So what we do is on Tuesday, we pre-record for air then on Wednesday, then the rest of the year, it's always a live show.
But this year with the show being also live on YouTube, you don't have to wait till Wednesday.
We will actually have the show live on YouTube on Tuesday from six till eight PM.
And then it will air here on 98.9 WXCO coming up on Wednesday from six till eight.
And then every week after that, it will be live both on YouTube and on the radio at the same time on Wednesdays at six o'clock.
But coming up next week on Tuesday, you can get the early.
look at week one of the high school football season.
I'll be joined again by former Wausau West High School head football coach Jason Foster.
We will focus on the Wisconsin Valley Conference, the Great Northern Conference, the Central Wisconsin Conferences, Merrowitt Conference, and actually there's no Merrowitt in football anymore.
That's for basketball.
There's always change involved and also the eight player football with the New Macathic Cardinals.
So again, we will have a coach guest.
We will have a
student athlete guest as well.
And I've reached out to our first guests for the year and we're waiting to hear back.
Hopefully that'll be all set up and a couple of exciting guests to start things off.
But join us every Wednesday night from six until eight p.m.
The Big High School Sports Show is part of our extensive coverage of high school sports here on 98.9 WXCO.
Quick note to tomorrow make sure you tune in tomorrow throughout the course of the day because It's getting hard to get tickets to see the Milwaukee Brewers, but on Fridays
It is a free ticket Friday as Civic Media is giving you a chance to win tickets to see the Milwaukee Brewers during this pennant race late in the regular season.
And during shows throughout the day, starting with Pat Crightlow in the seven o'clock hour, Jane Matanair, Tom Hartman, Todd Alba, also Maggie Dawn.
Every one of those shows gives you a keyword.
And then you have to use your civic media app and then text in the keyword to enter for your chance to win a four pack of Brewer's tickets.
And they are fantastic seats.
I've used these seats.
I was down in Milwaukee about a month ago, watching the Brewer's and it was wonderful sight lines, great place to see the game.
But make sure you tune in starting with Pat Crite Law and then.
Stay tuned the entire day for all these chances to win.
four packs of borough tickets tomorrow.
So again, lots of fun.
Those tickets are getting harder and harder to come by as the boroughs continue their winning ways.
Winners have 12 games in a row after their win over the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday.
So lots of excitement.
It ain't no boroughs.
Yep, you can be part of it at American Family Field courtesy of Civic Media and Free Ticket Fridays again going on tomorrow.
And it's almost Friday, almost to the end of the work week.
No pressure on Ian Walsh this week because you already have clinched a passing grade for the week.
You're two out of three so far in our number for the day quiz.
And we take that next step.
Yep.
Try to get a winning week.
You have to get one of the last two right for a winning week.
If you get both of them right, then you have an A grade for the week.
So you're two for three.
Yes.
And our number for the day.
It's going to involve Milwaukee baseball today because the Bears
have got
everybody so excited right now.
Oh, certainly.
But it's not going to be a question involved.
I should say a number involving the
but in fact, the Milwaukee Braves.
And the Milwaukee Braves were the first, well, actually not the first major league.
There was a Milwaukee Brewers back in 1901 for one year in the American League.
Then they moved to St.
Louis to become the Browns.
And then
St.
Louis Browns moved in 1953 to Baltimore, where they are now the Baltimore Orioles.
But then in 1953, the Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee, became the Milwaukee Braves.
And they were in Milwaukee from 1950.
1953 to 1965 but your number for the day is right the city of Milwaukee is one one World Series championship, okay?
What year was the World Series one by the Milwaukee Braves
what year
and your choices are okay 1954 1957 1960
So what year did the Milwaukee Braves win the World Series the only World Series championship in Milwaukee baseball history?
1954 1957 or 1960
so those are your three choices
This was the only championship they ever won
the only World Series championship that Milwaukee has ever won whether it's the Braves or the Brewers
They've been in the World Series three different times combined.
The brewers once, the braves twice, and they only won one of those series.
Okay, I'm gonna say... Just gonna go my gut here.
I'm gonna say... 1957.
Final answer.
I'm gonna say 1957.
All right.
Just taking a shot.
The Milwaukee Braves defeated the New York Yankees in seven games to win the World Series in 1957.
Oh, I got it right.
Three out of four.
Successful week.
You are a winner this week and we're trying to get an A grade tomorrow.
Oh boy.
Well, break a leg tonight.
Thank you, Judd.
I look forward to seeing you this weekend, hopefully.
Yep, hopefully
Thursday, everybody.
We'll see you tomorrow, folks.
Stay tuned.
Matt and Aaron air coming up next on WXCR.
