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Stephen
Foster Musical Opens 58th Season at Bardstown’s My Old Kentucky Home
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‘The Wizard
of Oz,’ Live at the Park concert series and Festival/Doo Dah Days add to
fun
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Bardstown,
KY – May 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / Kentucky’s official outdoor drama,
the Broadway musical- style “The Stephen Foster Story,” has been twirling
across the outdoor stage inside Bardstown’s My Old Kentucky Home State
Park for nearly 60 years. Opening night for the show that includes such
well-known Foster tunes as “Oh Susanna!,” “Camptown Races” and “My Old
Kentucky Home” is Sat., June 11. Visit www.StephenFoster.com
for details and tickets.
Doo
dah, doo dah
The
Stephen Foster Festival and Downtown Bardstown Presents Doo Dah Days will
kick things off beginning at 11:30 a.m. on June 11: You’ll find “The Stephen
Foster Story” singers, inspired windows, themed food and more downtown,
plus HarmonicaMania at the Farmers Market and Dancing Through Time at Wickland.
Dance the polka with the cast and learn the history of America’s first
composer and pop music star.
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(L) “The Stephen Foster
Story” – Kentucky’s Official Outdoor Drama – is now in its 57th year.
(R) Perennial crowd-pleaser
“The Wizard of Oz” will be staged this summer by the Stephen Foster Drama
Association.
Photo Credits: Stephen Foster
Drama Association
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At
6:30 p.m., a pre-show celebration, featuring bluegrass music and performances
by the Stephen Foster cast, will take place under the stars at the J. Dan
Talbott Amphitheater with the opening night performance following at 8
p.m. The first 75 people will receive a free harmonica and picnic food
(BBQ sandwich, green beans, pasta salad plate or hot dog and chips) will
be available for purchase. There will be free beverages and a cash bar.
The
musical will run on select dates, June 11 through Aug. 13. An indoor matinee
is offered at 2 p.m. on Saturdays (except June 11 and Aug. 13). The drama
association’s second show is fan favorite “The Wizard of Oz.” Presented
by Salt River Electric, it will take to the stage on Thursday and Saturday
evenings, July 7 through Aug. 6. Follow Dorothy and Toto over the rainbow
and down the Yellow Brick Road to the mysterious land of Oz where they
will be joined by Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion.
Special
ticket pricing is available: Purchase tickets to see “The Stephen Foster
Story” and “The Wizard of Oz” in the same transaction and get half-price
tickets for the second show. (NOTE: You must call the box office at 800-626-1563
for discounts.)
Also
taking place at the amphitheatre is the 2016 Budweiser Live at the Park
concert series: Captain Fantastic – The Magic of Elton John – Mon., June
20; The Brothers Osborne – Mon., July 8; The Monarchs – old time rock ‘n
roll – Mon., Aug. 1; Jumping Jack Flash – a tribute to the Rolling Stones
– Fri., Aug. 26; and Rumours – a tribute to Fleetwood Mac – Fri., Sept.
9. Ticket prices vary per concert; call 800-626-1563.
Fourth
of July bash
The
drama association’s Fourth of July Birthday Celebration will take place
on Saturday, July 2. Celebrate the birth of the United States and the “Father
of American Music” with an evening of fun and fireworks at My Old Kentucky
Home State Park. Enjoy old-fashioned games, face painting, a bounce house
and more beginning at 6:30 p.m. Then take your seats and enjoy a performance
of “The Stephen Foster Story,” with a free cupcake at intermission for
everyone. After the show, sit back and relax as a spectacular fireworks
show lights up the sky above the amphitheater.
Make
it a theatre weekend with a stay at one of Bardstown’s 18 distinguished
bed and breakfast inns, many of them located in the historic downtown area
just a short drive away from the amphitheatre. For more information about
visiting Bardstown – the Bourbon Capital of the World and the Most Beautiful
Small Town in American|–|click
www.VisitBardstown.com.
Media
Contacts:
Billy
Bass, Media & Development Coordinator, 502-348-5971; 800-626-1563
Stephen
Foster Drama Association
Dawn
Przystal, Vice President, 800-638-4877 x 114
Bardstown-Nelson
County Tourist & Convention Commission
Hi-
and Low-Res photos available.
About
Bardstown, KY
Located
in the heart of Kentucky Bourbon Country and situated at the trailhead
of the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, Bardstown
is more familiarly known as the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” It is home
to six distilleries, including Barton 1792 and Willett Distillery, and
these four Kentucky Bourbon Trail® distilleries: Heaven Hill, Maker’s
Mark, Jim Beam and Four Roses’ second campus. Major attractions include
the outdoor musical, “The Stephen Foster Story,” My Old Kentucky Home State
Park, the highly regarded Civil War Museum of the Western Theatre, My Old
Kentucky Dinner Train, The Kentucky Railway Museum and Whisky Magazine’s
Visitor Attraction of the Year – the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History.
Additionally, Bardstown has four 18-hole golf courses, three wineries,
two haunted tours and numerous religious attractions. Expedia selected
Bardstown as one of the “18 Most Interesting U.S. Destinations”; Fodor
picked it as one of “America’s Best Small Towns”; and AARP named it one
of its “10 best small towns.” It led TheCultureTrip.com’s list of the “10
Most Beautiful Towns in Kentucky” and was named the “Most Beautiful Small
Town in America” in the Rand McNally / USA Today 2012 “Best of the
Road” contest. Bardstown landed in the top 20 of “America’s Favorite Towns”
by Travel + Leisure – which also recognized it as having one of
“America’s Most Beautiful Town Squares.” In 2013, Bardstown was designated
a certified Kentucky Cultural District, one of only six Kentucky cities
to achieve this honor. www.facebook.com/BardstownKY |