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Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua (sha-ta-qwa) is a year round non profit performing arts organization with a rich history. We operate an intimate 900-seat, all-canvas, state-of-the-art tent theater, producing and presenting a seventy-plus night summer season of concerts, plays, lectures, and a highly acclaimed professional local troupe which performs original multi-media musicals in the tent and on tour. Tent Show Radio, a weekly one hour program which showcases live performances from the Big Top Stage, is aired on public radio stations throughout the country.

We are nestled at the base of Mt. Ashwabay Ski Hill, 3 miles south of Bayfield, Wisconsin, overlooking Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Our summer schedule includes performances by renowned national, regional and touring musicians and runs from mid June to early September. On balmy summer nights the tent sidewalls can be lifted and people may sit outside and even up on the hillside. The sound is superb and on clear nights you can see the Milky Way and sometimes even the Northern Lights! Big Top

2009 Season Schedule
6/19 7:30pm New First Night 24th Season Opener Join us for Grand Opening Night of our 24th year of music and magic under canvas! On this night we showcase our Blue Canvas Orchestra Players and Singers.
6/20 Shooter Jennings $28
6/24 Pie & Politics Free
6/25 Best of the Big Top
6/26 Richie Havens w/Harry Manx $38/$30/$20
6/27 Riding the Wind
6/28 Indigo Girls w/Brandi Carlile $65/$55/$45

7/2 Special Event: Bill Miller with Blue Canvas Orchestra FREE
7/3 The Robert Cray Band w/John Nemeth & Ben Gillman $60/$50/$40
7/5 Simply Folk Live Broadcast with Tom Martin Erickson w/BCO
& John McCutcheon $26/$20/$16
7/8 Song of the Seasons
7/9 Gov’t Mule All Seats $44
7/10 American Stories
7/11 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy $38/$32/$24
7/12 Lura $28/$24/$20
7/16 Keb’ Mo’ $65/$55/$45
7/17 Song of the Seasons
7/18 Wild Woods & Waters
7/22 Steve Earle $48/$40/$30
7/23 Best of the Big Top
7/24 Riding the Wind
7/25 Marshall Tucker Band $48/$40/$30
7/26 Riverpants
7/30 Moon Songs & Moon Shadows: Tribute to the Songs Paul Simon And Cat Stevens
7/31 Call FOr Peace Dance & Drum w/6 Around One $26/$20/$16

8/1 Larry Long family Matinee show $4
8/1 Larry Long w/BCO Evening Show
8/2 African Children’s Choir $38/$30/$20
8/6 Wild Woods & Waters
8/7 Joan Baez Grounds Passes at the Tent
8/8 American Stories
8/9 Dailey & Vincent w/Rising Gael and BCO $28/$22/$18
8/13 Corey CaRlson
8/14 Yonder Mtn String Band All Seats $38
8/15 Song of the Seasons
8/16 Chic Gamine w/La Banda Nueva $26/$20/$16
8/19 Riding the Wind
8/20 Lincoln's Living Legacy featuring Bruce Burnside & BCO
8/21 Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek $28/$24/$18
8/22 Lincoln's Living Legacy featuring Burnside & BCO Shows: 3 & 8:15
8/23 Gaelic Storm $32/$26/$20
8/26 Moon Songs & Moon Shadows:Tribute to the Songs Paul Simon And Cat Stevens
8/27 Songwriter competition Hosted by BCO & Bill Isles
8/28 Singer/ Songwriter Showcase Darrell Scott, Adrienne Young, Johnsmith and Karen Savoca with Pete Heitzman, Rad Lorkovic, and Dan Sebranek $28/$22/$18
8/29 Suzanne Vega $48/$40/$30
8/30 Greg Brown $38/$28/$22

9/2 Garrison Keillor 2 Shows $65/$55/$45
9/3 Wild Woods & Waters
9/4 Riding the Wind 7:30
9/5 Riverpants 7:30
9/6 Different Drums of Ireland w/Mcinnis’ Kitchen $28/$24/$18
9/11 Best of the Big Top 7:30
9/12 Old Last Night Comedy - BCO, Micheal Perry, Circo Comedia & Mike Murcury $28/$22/$18

2009 SONG WRITING CONTEST

Songwriting Competition

Big Top Chautauqua announces our second annual songwriting competition. Submit two original songs to BTC by June 19. Up to 12 Finalists will be selected to perform in the competition finals on the Big Top stage August 27. Finalists will be notified by July 17.

Prizes include:

All BTC Songwriter of the Year Finalists will receive a 5-day grounds pass to our Celebration of the Song event.
All BTC Songwriter of the Year Finalists will be invited to perform on Aug. 27, and will be recorded for possible use on our nationally broadcast Tent Show Radio program. Two winners sill be chosen from the finalists.
Both BTC Songwriter of the Year Winners will be invited to perform 2 songs as the opener for Suzanne Vega on Aug. 29. These performances will be recorded for use on Tent Show Radio.
Both BTC Songwriter of the Year Winners will receive a cash prize of $100.
Criteria
Each song will be rated on a scale of 1-10 in the following categories: Lyrics, Melody, and Appeal. A perfect score is 30 for each song and 60 total for each songwriter submitting two songs.

Instrumentals will be judged in two categories: Melody & Appeal with 15 possible points in each area for a total potential score of 30 per song and 60 per songwriter.

Submissions of all musical styles are welcome, although the focus of the event is folk, pop, bluegrass, country and Americana.

Original Song Competition Finals:
Open to the public with tickets for evening performance or grounds pass

August 27, 7:30-9:30 Hosted by Bill Isles and BCO - Judging Panel to be Announced
Reserved Seats $18/General Admission $15; Students $8/$4


How to Enter by Mail

Send a compact disc with your two original songs. Put your name and song titles on the CD in order that they appear.
Enclose a sheet of lyrics for each song (unless it's an instrumental.)
Fill out and enclose one entry form, signed & dated.
Enclose entry fee of $25 payable to Big Top Chautauqua.
Mail package to: Celebration of the Song, Big Top Chautauqua, PO Box 455, Washburn, WI 54891
Hand deliver to: Celebration of the Song, Big Top Chautauqua, 101 W. Bayfield St., Washburn, WI 54891

Packages must be postmarked on or before June 19, 2009. An email confirmation will be sent within 2 weeks of receipt in our office. CDs will not be returned to applicant unless a self-addressed stamped package is included for such purpose.