Gonzo Headlines - Kenny G is the Best the Weidner Can Get

Who the hell is running the production line-up for the Weidner Center? Seriously?
Kenny G is the damned pinnacle of your season? What, did he have a free night in the middle of his 2009 Rocking the Nursing Homes Tour?

Come on you guys! Look at this list! Is anyone below the age of 86 going to want to attend any of things you've lined-up? You better advertise the hell out of that senior citizen discount of yours, because these are the only people that will be attending your shows this year. To make matters even worse, you are located on a college campus...here's an idea, how about you try to cater a little to the market you have sitting right in your shadows? Or at least try to cater to a few of us who aren't on a ventilator and sporting a fucking walker.

I remember the days when Phantom , Les Miz, Emperor's New Clothes, and Carousel came into town, with some pretty solid talent. I remember when there were some decent concert events held here too. It seems like you have made a conscious decision to exclude a more youthful audience. And please, this diatribe does not knock our aged community. From your offering though, you have neglected all those that are not in the Baby Boomer generation. Hey, us X'ers and Y'ers like culture too. And, most of us have jobs whereby we can actually afford to attend these shows. So we will pay to see the shows and we will also help the bottom line by purchasing a beverage or two at intermission, not just standing in line at the bathroom waiting to empty the colostomy bag.

Here's what you need to do. You keep the vast majority of what you have going on. You want to maintain the up standing classy theatre thing...I get that. But you should also throw in some events that might be appealing to some of the great consumer mass that is under the AARP qualifying mark. You should use the population you have around you, and not just the UWGB theatre people either. I like your attempt to bring in other local acts...props on that.

Suggestions would include:
A neat, out of the box guest lecturer series...We had James Earl Jones come in, and the place was packed. Great conversationalist that Jones. People listened and enjoyed. We had a representative from NORML come in and provide his views, although most don't remember what they were...and yes, that was packed as well.

How about bringing in an author of a bestselling book? Just read Out of Captivity: Surviving 1967 Days in the Colombian Jungle. The authors were hostages in Colombia for almost 6 years. How cool would it be to bring them in to talk about their experience, and the process of putting that into a book?

And last but not least, maybe you could add a little more widely known, and diverse (meaning genres), concerts out there?

Adding a fresh mix of options that are unique, and appeal to more than one audience might make some good business sense. Why limit yourself to one target audience? Spread it out a little and rebuild your image to the non-season ticket holding audience, 'cause the line-ups are stale, and you're starting to stink.

And shame on you Press Gazette for trying to sell Kenny G as some great exciting once in a lifetime production. Poor effort.

Come on people! Is this what the excitement in Green Bay has been reduced to? Kenny fucking G? I for one, will not stand for it. Who's with me?

Plug In - Participate - Go Gonzo

Gomez Gonzo
Gonzo Editor-at-Large
gomez@gonzoguidegreenbay.com