According to the absolutely beautifully designed and simply gorgeous Burnsville Performing Arts Center Announcements page (PDF), the recently approved $50,000 taxpayer “loan” is bringing in five shows to the center, three of which are new and two which are repeats of shows which were previously shown at the BPAC without the need of those additional taxpayer dollars.
Here’s what $60,000 from the taxpayers ($50,000 approved by the EDA + the $10,000 VenuWorks is paying which was indirectly funded by the taxpayer) and $20,000 in donations from Rixmann Company and Pepsi gets the residents of Burnsville:
- 1. Duluth Festival Opera’s Pocahontas.
October 1st, 2011 at 7:30pm
2. Troupe America’s – Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas
November 5th, 2011 at 2:00pm
3. Rhythmic Circus – Feet Don’t Fail Me Now!
November 12th, 2011 at 7:30pm
4. Spencers: Theatre of Illusion
March 8th, 2012 at 7:30pm
5. Celtic Crossroads
March 29th, 2012 at 7:30pm
While it is definitely nice to see some acts on the schedule, two of them are repeats from years prior (the Church Basement Ladies is heading for a three-peat) and the two acts which are most renowned are not playing on a weekend (Thursday for each). With great shows offering headliners people actually know at the other local venues, including Elko Speedway showing off .38 Special, Styx and Bret Michaels, some may consider the BPAC’s $80,000 lineup to be disappointing at best.
Do you think that the taxpayers of Burnsville got a good deal out of the $60,000 they fronted for the BPAC’s Angel Fund? Are you concerned that you may not see much money come back from the “loan” provided with the options available? Would you have preferred a shorter list with more power? Will five shows, two of which have been shown at the BPAC before save the facility from its on-going financial issues? Whatever you have to say about the shows touted as being sponsored directly by your tax dollars go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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August 24th, 2011 at 7:51 am
I don’t mind Burnsville spending a few dollars to try and fix this train wreck, but I wouldn’t spend any amount of money to see any of the added shows. Finding talent that will put butts in the seats seems to be a major problem. Other venues seem to be able to do that, but not the folks at BPAC.
August 24th, 2011 at 8:10 am
If two of those acts are so renowned, how come I need to look at the calendar to see which ones are on Thursdays?
August 24th, 2011 at 8:13 am
lefty’s comment was the 30,000th comment posted to the site! Here are the other milestone comments:
5,000th on 2/22/2009
10,000th on 8/26/2009
15,000th on 2/12/2010
20,000th on 8/23/2010
25,000th on 2/16/2011
August 24th, 2011 at 8:20 am
What did I win?
And wow, how consistent are those dates? I bet you hit 35,000 in February.
August 24th, 2011 at 8:24 am
*pat on the back*
-
Actually they’re only consistent because I am posting less to the site. We’re getting about the same number of comments as we always did but with many less posts. (We’re at about 2x as many comments per post as 2009/2010)
If I had kept up the pace we’d be getting ~10k comments every 6 months.
August 24th, 2011 at 8:35 am
I’ll agree. Nothing there wets my whistle.. Bring in some groups with some name recognition.. Granted, everyone needs to be heard to and seen to move along in their career, however, doing so at the expense of the taxpayers to have a lackluster group of shows really doesn’t seem to be in the best interest of the majority.
August 24th, 2011 at 8:47 am
The magic show sounds like something I’d find interesting, being a big Penn & Teller fan. The other things, probably not shows I’d pay to see.
It doesn’t seem like they know who they want to market to with this place. Say what you will about the problems associated with VIP Olmeca or the 1200 Club, but they at least seemed like they could bring in acts and audiences.
August 24th, 2011 at 8:49 am
at least they could have thrown in George Jones for free before he tips over.
bb
August 24th, 2011 at 8:57 am
Congrats, Bill!!
August 24th, 2011 at 8:59 am
For what?
August 24th, 2011 at 9:27 am
Significant traffic to an interesting site. Not easily done! …and LL is FUN!!
August 24th, 2011 at 9:38 am
I’m not the least bit interested in any of them but glad to see some bookings. A person at my work is trying to get a group rate for The Lion King which is coming to the Orpheum. That is a show I might be interested in.
August 24th, 2011 at 10:20 am
C&V, thanks. The readers are what make the comments and the site interesting. It wouldn’t be the same w/o you all.
August 24th, 2011 at 10:33 am
Bill,
You need to take what Chapter&Verse says with a grain of salt. He is clueless by many accounts.
lefty
August 24th, 2011 at 10:38 am
Not just clueless, but HAPPILY clueless… ignorance is bliss!
August 24th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
dsw, try and get a group rate at the lions tap:)
bb
August 25th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Can someone please remind me why I don’t live in Burnsville?
August 25th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
dsw, we saw The Lion King several years ago when it was in town, and while its not really my thing, it was pretty great. My wife loved it and wants to go again with our son.
September 7th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
I see the Rochester Civic Center just announced a performance of Spamalot.
I wonder if the BPAC even knew there was a show touring. I would easily have paid to see it there.
October 26th, 2011 at 7:51 pm
The BoDeans are coming to the BPAC: http://www.thisweeklive.com/2011/10/26/bodeans-in-burnsville/ — finally a band someone may have actually heard about! However the ticket prices are still too high for me.
Tickets are $39 and $42 however they’re playing an Eau Claire venue for $27 to $29.
Coincidentally the venue in EC has a lineup listing several of the same shows as the BPAC: http://sa1.seatadvisor.com/sabo/servlets/EventSearch?presenter=EAUCLAIRE
November 1st, 2011 at 8:43 am
i’m hearing louie anderson on new years eve.
bb
November 1st, 2011 at 9:12 am
If memory serves me, Louie was there last year on NYE.
I had not noticed the BoDeans price until now. I am pretty sure they were letting people into the Fine Line for 20 bucks in the past few years. Heck, the BoDeans performed over at that Rock for the Flock Eagan Church benefit 3 or 4 years ago for half of what the BPAC charged.
They are not that good. I will happily enjoy my Dawes show at First Avenue this Friday for 21 bucks, which will likely blow away anything I have ever heard from the BoDeans and the set list that has not changed in 10 years.
November 1st, 2011 at 10:44 am
Regardless of if you like the BoDeans or not, its an improvement over not having anything booked.
November 1st, 2011 at 11:40 am
Chad, I don’t disagree.
The Rock for the Flock event was filled with hordes of drunk soccer moms who have not been to the city in 20 years. Maybe the BPAC will get the same crowd.