Shows and Temporary Closure at Arlee
[September 04, 2025]
Mason City, IL - On Thursday, September 11 River City
Country Opry, now under the leadership of singer Rhonda Brown, returns
to the Arlee stage. Bring your dancing boots and be ready to hit the
dance floor as this ensemble plays an assortment of classic rock and
country hits. This live concert begins at 6:30pm, with doors opening at
5:45. Concessions will be available, and tickets are $10 at the door
(ages 12 and under are free).
Early arrivals in town are encouraged to patronize any of the town's
locally-owned eateries, including Subway, Do Drop In Cafe, and Mason
City IGA,.
It is also worth noting stores Sweet Creek & Co (128 S. Tonica),
Junior's General Store (153 E Chestnut), Vintage Restorations (109 W.
Elm), The Hot Spot/ Elm Street Consignments (200 S. Main), and Reign &
Bros Baby & Toddler Clothing (128 S. Tonica) are all within a block or
two of the theater and offer unique shopping opportunities at reasonable
prices, and are typically open Thursday afternoons/evenings (see their
individual Facebook pages for details).
Following this show, the Arlee will close for three weeks for its annual
maintenance/autumn break, reopening the first weekend of October for a
live concert on October 3, the Red Carpet Gala on October 4, and another
concert ("The Sweet Nothings") on October 5.
The final day to purchase Red Carpet Gala tickets in person will be
Thursday, 9/11 (during the River City Country Opry show); after that,
they will only be available through
arleetheater.com. This fundraiser event is to help the theater
rebound from its closure earlier this spring after the projector
unexpectedly died, requiring ultimately a full replacement. Like last
year's gala, this event will feature a red carpet and backdrop for
photos as guests enter.
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Once inside the theater, they're welcome to complimentary mocktails,
light hors d'oeuvres, and to participate in the available raffles,
which include an assortment of exciting prizes ranging from a
replica prop that was signed and donated by actor/director Kevin
Smith, to a framed vintage Arlee poster (accompanied by Gaye
Maxson's famous cinnamon rolls), local honey, and gift baskets sure
to please any book lover or poultry enthusiast. The entertainment
for the evening will be 1947's "The Egg and I," a clever romantic
comedy that tips its hat to small town life.
Playing at 2pm on Sunday October 5, The Sweet Nothings is a
traditional jazz group from Bloomington, Il. The group is led by
Trenton Perry on guitar, and backed up by Allison Thabit on trumpet,
Joe Sandy on accordion, Eric Knutilla on percussion, Rachel Goodman
on euphonium, and Matt Hawkins on upright bass. They are influenced
by the traditional music of New Orleans and artists such as Django
Reinhardt, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, and many others of that
era. Aside from early jazz they also dabble in other genres such as
Western Swing, Musette, Bolero, and more. Some tunes you may
recognize from their vast repertoire may include “On The Sunny Side
of the Street,” “All of Me,” and “La Vie en Rose.” They bring fresh,
new energy to the genre, and have become a recent favorite of the
swing dance groups in central Illinois. Whether it's on a stage or
street corner; retirement home or burlesque show, The Sweet Nothings
have been sharing their spin on early jazz classics in every nook
and cranny they can find in central Illinois.
The Arlee is located at 139 S. Main Street in Mason City; details
can be found online at
www.arleetheater.com |
