MPI Home Video Prepares to Re-Release “The Donna Reed Show: Season 1” on DVD

To be released Sept. 30th

New set, with new box art, will be available at the end of September

Five years ago, Virgil Entertainment released The Donna Reed Show: Season 1 on DVD...but now that item is out of print and the home video license has changed hands.

MPI Home Video, the current owner, plans to re-release The Donna Reed Show - Season 1 on DVD this fall for fans who may have missed it the first time around! They have scheduled September 30th as the release date.

If you don't already own these episodes, you can pre-order it via the Amazon button link that immediately follows this text. Cost is $39.98 SRP.

Donna Reed Festival Alumnus to perform with Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Pioneer Day Concert

Santino Fontana

2000 Donna Reed Festival acting scholarship finalist headlines annual summer event

The artist who brought magic to life as Prince Hans in Disney’s blockbuster film Frozen will headline this summer’s MormonTabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square’s Pioneer Day concerts.

Santino Fontana joins the choir in two gala performances titled A Summer Celebration of Song, which will be held on Friday, 18 July, and Saturday, 19 July 2014, in the Conference Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The event is sold-out. The 42,000 tickets released to the public were gone in less than 24 hours. The concert will be livestreamed on July 19 at 8 p.m. at motab.org/pioneerday. At the same time, the concert will also be broadcast on BYUtv, which is on DirectTV channel 374, and Dish Network channels 9403 and 9397.

This isn’t the first time Fontana has turned in a princely performance. He was nominated for the Tony Award as best leading actor for his role as Prince Topher in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. He also received the 2010 Drama Desk Award for his role in Brighton Beach Memoirs and received accolades for originating the role of Tony in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot.

The summer concerts are held in conjunction with community Pioneer Day celebrations to celebrate the arrival of Mormon pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley in the summer of 1847.

Read more.

Finalist on NBC's "America's Got Talent" will perform at Donna Reed Theater, July 19

Joseph Hall's “Elvis Rock 'N' Remember” Tour coming to Denison, Iowa

 

Joseph Hall, an Elvis tribute performer from Branson, Missouri, will bring three decades of Elvis hits to the Donna Reed Theatre on Saturday, July 19 at 7 P.M.

Hall has been paying tribute to the legacy of Elvis Presley since 2006. He starred on NBC's America's Got Talent in 2008, making six television appearances, viewed by more than 90 million people and placing as one of the top 10 finalists!

He has performed all over the world, from Las Vegas, Nevada to Porthcawl, Wales. He has worked with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Legends in Concert, and has officially been recognized as one of the top Elvis tribute artists in the world today.

“My goal is to capture the essence of Elvis Presley,” says Hall, “and to pay tribute to him with the utmost respect to his legacy, his music, his image and, above all else, his fans.”

Tickets are $20 and can be obtained by calling the Donna Reed Theater Box Office at 712-263-3334, or by sending an e-mail to info@donnareed.org. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended for this event.

Donna Reed Festival Alumnus Will Perform at Nebraska State Fair

Nick Noonan and Amy Heidemann

2004 vocal scholarship finalist, Amy Heidemann, part of Karmin duo

From pop and hip-hop, Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan, better known as Karmin, complete the 2014 entertainment series at the Nebraska State Fair.

Karmin will appear on Saturday, Aug. 30 at the Heartland Events Center. Tickets will be available on Etix.com and at the Heartland Events Center beginning on July 28.

“Nebraska’s own Amy Heidemann grew up in Seward and always had a deep passion for music,” said Chelsey Jungck, events and entertainment director for the Nebraska State Fair.

“Her Partner, Nick Noonan, grew up in small-town Maine, and together they have created a firestorm, first doing song covers and now writing and singing their own original music.”

They are best known for their song "Brokenhearted," which reached the top 20 in the United States, and the top 10 in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, and the song "Hello", which reached number one on the Dance Billboard Chart in the US.

They were known previously for their rise to fame through YouTube covers, including Chris Brown's "Look at Me Now" and Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass."

Reserved-seat tickets for Karmin can be obtained by going to Etix.com or the Heartland Events Center box office for $6. Tickets will be available beginning on July 28 and do not include gate.

Donna Reed Center for the Performing Arts to Celebrate Building's Centennial, June 21

Donna Reed Center for the Performing Arts

Festivities include open house, rededication ceremony and 1930's movie

The Donna Reed Center for the Performing Arts is celebrating the building's 100 years in existence on June 21, 2014. The building has had many names beginning with The Germania Opera House to The Denison Opera House to The Ritz Theater and now The Donna Reed Center. 

The building will be open during the day for tours and the viewing of building artifacts from the Donna Reed Heritage Museum Archives. A rededication ceremony will be held at 4:30 p.m. with comments from The Donna Reed Foundation's Board of Directors President, John Fujii and Mayor Brad Bonner. Refreshment will be available throughout the day.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. the 1930 zany comedy, "Animal Crackers", starring The Marx Brothers, will be screened. This movie was one of the early full length "talkies" and was screened at The Denison Opera House in September of 1930.

For more information on the Centennial Open House, please contact The Donna Reed Foundation at 263-3334, or email info@donnareed.org.

 

Children's Summer Movie Series Kicks Off June 25 at Donna Reed Theatre

Summer Movie Series for Kids

Geared for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade

The Donna Reed Foundation is sponsoring a “Children’s Summer Movie Series” at the Donna Reed Theatre. The six-week series begins on Wednesday, June 25 with a 2 p.m. screening.

The price of the six-movie series pass is $10.00 if purchased before June 25.  Passes purchased on the 25th or after will be $15 per student. Children will receive a wristband that will be used as the series pass.  Children ages 7 and under will require supervision to attend the movies, but the supervisor will be admitted to the movie at no charge. 

The series will continue each following Wednesday with 2 p.m. screenings. Movies will include a variety of children’s adventures, animated, classic and nature movies.  Concessions will be available for purchase.

Movie passes are available by stopping at The Donna Reed Foundation office at 1305 Broadway, calling the Foundation at 263-3334 or contacting info@donnareed.org.  You may also sign up for the series at Reiney’s Kandy Kitchen at 1301 Broadway.

"Summer Camp" is coming to Denison, IA

A Musical Theatre Workshop for grades K-8

Ah, summer camp. Games, crafts, sleeping bags, toasted marshmallows, pranks and scary campfire stories. They make terrific subjects for a musical production.

It's why our workshop directors picked Summer Camp for our summer production. It's a fun-filled week designed to teach the basics of musical theatre to kids in grades K-8 who love singing, dancing and challenges. The workshop runs from June 16-20, 2014 and concludes with a performance for the public on Saturday, June 21.

We're continuing an opportunity started last year. Former students beyond grade 8 are invited to come back as volunteers to help stage the production. You don't even have to be a former student. ANYONE of ANY AGE can offer their assistance. Just contact the Foundation office.

Additional workshop information and tuition rates can be found by downloading our registration form or by calling 712.263.3334 or by stopping at the Donna Reed Foundation office, 1305 Broadway, Denison, IA.