Philip Gulley - American Writer and Storyteller

Friday, Jun. 02 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

“The tales Philip Gulley unveils are tender and humorous...filled with sudden, unexpected, lump-in-the-throat poignancy." – PAUL HARVEY

“Gulley’s work is comparable to Gail Godwin’s fiction, Garrison Keillor’s storytelling, and Christopher Guest’s filmmaking...in a league with Jan Karon.” – PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY

This event is a benefit for Paws for Humanity, an animal sanctuary offering unique opportunities for animals and people to connect and learn from each other through support, therapeutic, and community education programs. People Helping Animals helping People is their vision and their mission.

The event will start at 7pm with a silent auction of items and experiences representing our communities in Harbor Country and beyond! Philip Gulley will take the stage at 7:30, followed by a community hour after his speaking to continue the conversation.

“Philip Gulley is a beautiful writer.” – CHARLES OSGOOD, CBS SUNDAY MORNING

“Gulley’s stories get at the heart of the simple joys, strangerthan-fiction humor, and day-to-day drama of small-town life.” – AMERICAN PROFILE MAGAZINE

If you would like to donate directly to Paws for Humanity or sponsor this event, please contact the organization at: https://pawsforhumanity.org/how-tohelp/.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Devon Allman & Donavon Frankenreiter

Saturday, Aug. 26 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Rock n Roll recording artists and globe-trotting journeymen Devon Allman & Donavon Frankenreiter have their sights set on a World Record with their new SEE IT ALL TOUR 2023. The concept is simple. The execution will be brutal… 50 shows in all 50 American states in less than 50 days. Like modern day Evil Knievels, the tour is going to test the wills of these road tested veterans at every turn.

For nearly four decades, Donavon Frankenreiter has been traveling the globe, first as a professional surfer and now as a musician. With over a dozen albums under his belt, Frankenreiter has worked it on the touring trail worldwide for three decades. Donavon is a brand ambassador for Flying Embers as well as Sanuk Footwear and also co-owner of Humble Brands, Caddis Eyewear and several other companies.

Blues Music Award-winning singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer Devon Allman (son of Rock legend Gregg Allman) has appeared at the world’s biggest festivals and has co-founded the supergroups Royal Southern Brotherhood and The Allman Betts Band, amassing a recording catalog of 11 albums. He writes a column for Guitar Player Magazine, is endorsed by Gibson guitars, and serves on the board of directors for the National Blues Museum.

The See It All Tour will take Devon and Donavon to places they’ve never been, at a pace that’s never been done. Doing one set entirely together with a backing band, the duo will be playing songs off of their soon to be released collaborative EP titled “Rollers.” Be a part of music history and cheer on Team D&D. Let’s kick the tires and start the fires.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Club Rainbow

Saturday, Jun. 03 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Club Rainbow returns to The Acorn! Music, drinks, drag, & a whole lotta love!

A Saturday night celebration through dance & divas with drag performances by The Kunty Kittens and DJ Double E on the turntable!

This is a CLUB | DANCING event with standing room only and limited seating.

18 and up.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Cosmic Country Showcase – Harbor Country Pride Kickoff at The Acorn

Thursday, Jun. 01 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Harbor Country Pride 2023 kicks off at The Acorn with a cult-hit homage to country variety shows like Grand Ole Opry with an extraterrestrial-psychedelic twist. Some of the best names in alt-comedy, drag performers, and other variety acts are showcased followed by a set from an original cosmic-country headliner.

About Cosmic Country Showcase:

The cult-hit Cosmic Country Showcase is an homage to country variety shows like Grand Ole Opry with an extraterrestrial-psychedelic twist. A diverse group of guest vocalists, who you may not otherwise find singing country classics, sing some covers with an all-star band. Some of the best names in alt-comedy, drag performers, and other variety acts are showcased followed by a set from an original cosmic-country headliner.
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Originally started as a way for creators Dorian Gehring (Foxhall Studios) and Sullivan Davis to start a covers night, the show quickly evolved into an intergalactic revue. A cast was formed, and the night soon had duets with a two-person horse costume, giant raccoons teaching an audience how to dance, fully dressed set of multi-colored cacti, and even more alien events. Shows saw original sets from folks like Dougie Poole, Cassandra Jenkins, Sam Evian & Hannah Cohen, and cover sets from Lillie West (Lala Lala), Tasha, Jeff Tweedy, Tenci, and Hawk Colman the memorable Hideout door person working the event. The comedic talent was insane, original sets from Megan Stalter, Alex Grelle, and Brenden Scannell, also a memorable drag performance from Irregular Girl. The house band had several iterations, but there formed a core line-up of Sima Cunningham (Ohmme), Sullivan Davis, Dorian Gehring, Liam Kazar (Tweedy), and Spencer Tweedy.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Toronzo Cannon + Joanna Connor Band

Friday, May. 19 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

A Blues Double Header not to be missed! Toronzo Cannon is described by MOJO as “the front rank of Chicago bluesmen” and Music News calls Joanna Connor “A Masterpiece of Blues Rock.”

About the Artists:

Toronzo Cannon:
Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon defies all expectations. The blistering guitarist, soulful vocalist, singular songwriter and city bus driver fuses his muscular, rock-inspired blues guitar playing with his original, keenly detailed slice-of-life songs, blazing his own blues trail. With the 2016 release of his Alligator Records debut, The Chicago Way, Cannon burst onto the international stage as one the most electrifying bluesmen to emerge from Chicago in decades. His live performances unfailingly earn him heaps of critical praise and hordes of wildly enthusiastic fans. Cannon has played major cities all over the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He recently performed for the first time in Japan, delighting and surprising audiences with one unforgettable gig after another. Now, with the release of The Preacher, The Politician Or The Pimp, Cannon builds upon the foundation he’s laid, creating and defining his vision of contemporary blues.

The Preacher, The Politician Or The Pimp features twelve Cannon originals, ranging from the burning social commentary of the title track to the wryly told, up-to-the-minute truths of Insurance to the trademark Cannon humor of Stop Me When I’m Lying and Ordinary Woman. He gets serious on the haunting The First 24, the Martin Luther King-inspired The Silence Of My Friends and on the moving final track, I’m Not Scared. Cannon’s blazing guitar and soul-baring vocals are front and center. His songwriting is inspired by his deep Chicago roots, the wisdom of his grandparents and his years of observing the public while driving a bus. His songs tell timeless stories of common experiences in uncommon ways.

“It’s not about the solos,” Cannon says, “It’s about the songs. People get used to everyday life, so it’s easy to miss the things around them. I write about those things. I know the problems of Chicago, the hardship, ’cause we’re always a scapegoat. But I choose to love and respect the city because of the Chicago blues giants that came here from down south. I’m proud to be standing on the shoulders of every great Chicago blues musician who came before me.”

Toronzo Cannon was born in the Windy City on February 14, 1968, and grew up in the shadows of the notoriously tough Robert Taylor Homes. Theresa’s Lounge, one of the city’s most famous South Side blues clubs, was nearby. As a child, Cannon would stand on the sidewalk outside the door, soaking up the live blues pouring out while trying to sneak a glance inside at larger-than-life bluesmen like Junior Wells and Buddy Guy. He also heard plenty of blues growing up in his grandfather’s home, and listened to soul, R&B and contemporary rock on the radio.
Cannon bought his first guitar at age 22, and his natural talent enabled him to quickly master the instrument. Although his initial focus was reggae, he found himself increasingly drawn to the blues. “It was dormant in me. But when I started playing the blues, I found my voice and the blues came pouring out.” He absorbed sounds, styles and licks from Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Hound Dog Taylor, B.B. King, Albert King, Freddie King, Jimi Hendrix, J.B. Hutto, Lil’ Ed and others. Although influenced by many, Cannon’s biting, stinging guitar sound is all his own.

Cannon began his rise in the intensely competitive proving ground of the local club scene, where only the best musicians reach the top. Iconic blues artists from Muddy Waters to Howlin’ Wolf to Koko Taylor to Hound Dog Taylor to Luther Allison all paid their dues in the Chicago blues bars before making their mark on the world. The same holds true today, as newcomers look to living legends like Buddy Guy, Jimmy Johnson and Lil’ Ed Williams for inspiration in taking their music from Chicago to fans across the globe.

From 1996 through 2002, Cannon played as a sideman for Tommy McCracken, Wayne Baker Brooks, L.V. Banks and Joanna Connor. But he was determined to prove himself. In 2001, while continuing to work as a hired-gun guitarist, he formed his own band, The Cannonball Express. By 2003, he was working exclusively as a band leader. Cannon’s first three albums—2007’s My Woman (self-released), 2011’s Leaving Mood (Delmark) and 2013’s Blues Music Award-nominated John The Conqueror Root (Delmark)—document his rise from promising up-and-comer to star-in-the-making.
Almost immediately upon the release of The Chicago Way, Chicago media helped launch Cannon toward blues stardom. He was the subject of multiple newspaper and magazine feature stories and appeared on every local television station. National and international media soon took notice. CNN filmed Cannon leading a tour of Chicago blues clubs and then broadcast the piece around the world. England’s MOJO magazine declared The Chicago Way the #1 Blues Album Of 2016, as did the readers of Living Blues magazine in their annual poll. The album and Cannon were also nominated for four Blues Music Awards (the Grammy of the blues) in 2017. And the world champion Chicago Cubs invited Cannon to throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the September 13, 2017 game. All the attention only makes Cannon more focused. “I feel like I’ve become an ambassador for Chicago blues. People expect a lot from me,” he says. “But it’s good, because I’m forced to keep upping my game.”

Cannon has played the Chicago Blues Festival on ten separate occasions, initially as a sideman, then as a special guest, a sidestage band leader and finally as a main stage headliner. When he’s home, he drives a Chicago Transit Authority bus by day and performs by night. Using every vacation day and day off and working four ten-hour shifts a week, Cannon arranges his schedule to gig out of town as much as possible. It isn’t easy, but, like all of the Chicago greats who have come before him, blues is his calling. Blues Music Magazine declares, “His guitar playing has all the fire and spontaneity of the Chicago legends he carries; his songwriting is a timely and original look at the world he sees by day on a bus and in blues clubs by night, and his assertive voice is the perfect vehicle to deliver the message.”

Now, with The Preacher, The Politician Or The Pimp, Toronzo Cannon delivers his messages loud and clear. Between his searing chops, soul-satisfying vocals and vibrant and distinctive original songs, Cannon has grown from being a local attraction to become a world-renowned torch bearer for the blues. PBS Television’s Chicago Tonight sums it up like this: “Cannon is just your typical CTA bus driver who moonlights as a sought-after Chicago blues musician. As a guitarist, singer and songwriter, he drives the sound of Chicago blues from the city to blues clubs and festivals around the world.”

Joanna Connor:
“Music chose me. I vividly recall trying to sing like Louis Armstrong’s ‘Hello Dolly’ in our Brooklyn apartment. It came on the radio often. I knew I was small, but when I researched what year this version was on the charts, I was floored with the realization that I was two years old!”
And so, Joanna Connor’s musical odyssey began. The soundtrack of her childhood in her adopted hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts was diverse and bounteous. The Blues was part of the lexicon. Joanna’s favorite record as a child was Taj Mahal’s “Take A Giant Step/ The Old Folks At Home”.
Seeing Buddy Guy perform at a local university at the age of 10 left a paramount impression. Playing saxophone, guitar and singing through her school years were her passions, and eventually led to her performing professionally at age 17.

But her hunger to become a guitarist first and foremost and her desire to immerse herself in the Blues, propelled her to move to Chicago in 1984.
“It was my university. I went out every night of the week. Within a month I had my first gig with the legendary Johnny Littlejohn. A few weeks later I became a part of Dion Payton and the 43rd St Bluesband. We were the house band at the Checkerboard Lounge, on the south side of Chicago, then owned by Buddy Guy. That’s when my schooling kicked into overdrive. I played with Buddy, Junior Wells, Otis Rush, Sammy Lawhorn, Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Magic Slim, Son Seals, Lonnie Brooks, Koko Taylor, just to name a few. I was blessed.”

Joanna went on to form her own band in 1988 with weekly appearances at the Kingston Mines in Chicago. Her formidable guitar playing, and distinctive soul-churning vocal ability caught the attention of Blind Pig Records, who released her debut album “Believe It” in 1990.
National and International accolades in the press and radio media resulted into a decade of world tours, a dozen recordings on Ruf Records, MC Records and others, a documentary on Germany’s WDR Television, and a multitude of TV appearances and radio features.

Joanna and band shared stages with Blues, Rock and Jazz greats, including Luther Allison, BB King, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Robben Ford, Danny Gatton, Robert Cray, Jimmy Page, ZZ Top, Joe Cocker, Etta James, and others.

Joanna signed endorsement deals with Gibson Guitars, Victoria Amps and Orange Amps.
In 2005, she took a hiatus from touring to spend time at home raising her young daughter. Two 15 plus year residencies at the House of Blues and The Kingston Mines, honed Joanna’s considerable guitar and vocal chops even further.

While working continuously in Chicago, a handful of videos of her incendiary slide guitar solos went viral creating quite a sensation and garnering attention from media and established musicians alike. Joe Bonamassa sought her out and offered to produce the kind of record he felt Joanna had always had in her and should deliver to the world. 4801 South Indiana is this record, a blues record that delivers all the raw emotion, passion, and fire that made the Blues so compelling from its inception. Joe Bonamassa did not merely produce, arrange, and play on the record, he enabled and inspired Joanna to pull from deep within her all of what her life in music had given her. While steeped in tradition, the recording is no museum piece, it is alive and it is kicking, once-in-a-lifetime Blues

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Tab Benoit with Anthony Rosano and The Conqueroos

Wednesday, Jul. 05 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Tab Benoit is a Grammy nominated singer, songwriter and guitarist who has built a remarkable 30+ year career on the foundation of his gritty and soulful Delta swamp blues, acquiring a devoted legion of fans along the way, as well as 5 Blues Music Awards, including BB King Entertainer of the Year (twice) and an induction into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He has recorded and/or performed with Junior Wells, George Porter Jr, Dr. John, Willie Nelson, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Billy Joe Shaver, Maria Muldaur, James Cotton, Cyril Neville, Kenny Aronoff, Allen Toussaint, Kim Wilson, Jimmy Thackery, Charlie Musslewhite, Kenny Neal, Chris Layton, Ivan Neville, Jimmy Hall, Jim Lauderdale, Anders Osborne, and Alvin Youngblood Hart to name a few.

Tab's accomplishments as a musician are matched only by his devotion to the environmental health of his native Louisiana wetlands. Benoit is the founder and driving force behind Voice of the Wetlands, an organization working to preserve the coastal waters of his home state. In 2010, he received the Governor's Award for Conservationist of the Year from the Louisiana Wildlife Federation. Benoit also starred in the iMax motion picture Hurricane on the Bayou, a documentary of Hurricane Katrina's effects and a call to protect and restore the wetlands.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

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2025 Spectacular Tournament of Playwrights SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Friday, May. 09 | 11:00pm ET (10:00pm CT)

Calling all playwrights! The Acorn is thrilled to announce the return of our highly anticipated 10-minute playwriting competition, The Spectacular Tournament of Playwrights! This is your chance to showcase your original, compelling stories and see them brought to life on our stage.

The deadline for entry is Friday, May 9 @ at 11:59pm ET. Click “Get Tickets” to complete the online entry form.

Learn more

Mark your calendars! The finalists will be revealed on August 1st. Join us for the thrilling 2025 Finals on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at The Acorn. Witness the top five plays performed live by talented local actors and directors.

The Acorn Dramatic Arts Camp (TADA)

Monday, Jul. 08 | 9:00am ET (8:00am CT)

The Acorn is proud to announce the second year of The Acorn Dramatic Arts Camp right here in the Harbor Country community. We are building this program with a mind to introduce and grow a love of musical theater to children and teens in the community who have no experience, and flourish musical theater as a passion for children and teens in the community who have already begun their exploration of musical theater. We believe that there is something for everybody to love about theater - whether that’s the stage, set building, stage managing, backstage tech, or any other little detail that goes into a production.

For ages 8 –16. All experience levels are welcome.

LEARN and PRACTICE:

• Acting
• Set Building
• Stage Managing
• Backstage Tech
• and MORE!

This camp will operate Monday through Thursday, from 9:00am-12:00pm ET. Camp will begin on July 8th, 2024 and will conclude on August 1st with a performance for friends and family of the campers, a cookout, and another performance for the community in the evening.

Space Is Limited! – link to registration form
REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE Monday, July 1st at 12 noon ET.

The Acorn Tree House presents Campfire Stu

Saturday, Aug. 26 | 12:00pm ET (11:00am CT)

Our Acorn Tree House series of shows is fun for the entire family! Music and entertainment for all ages!

Fun for all ages, young and old alike, singer-songwriter and author Mike Struwin will entertain us with music from his children’s book and partner album, “Campfire Stu & The Backwoods Jamboree.” Inspired by the likes of Jack Johnson, Dan Zanes and The Beatles, Mike Struwin (or as his friends like to call him, Stu) has forged a truly unique style of children's music that is all his own. With engaging songs and interactive shenanigans, Struwin tastefully melds silliness with sincerity. Whether you enjoy singing along, dancing or just sitting back and listening, Campfire Stu is sure to please!

The Acorn Tree House presents Little Miss Ann

Saturday, Jul. 29 | 12:00pm ET (11:00am CT)

In our new Family Fun series – Acorn Tree House – we present music and entertainment for all ages!

Little Miss Ann and her band will play upbeat, interactive fun songs that kids will sing, jump and dance along to! Little Miss Ann is a Chicago based, nationally touring kids musician who has made 7 award-winning Family Music albums. She is also a former Chicago Public School teacher, an instructor at Chicago's iconic Old Town School of Folk Music, a mom and a first generation Filipina American. Whether Ann is singing about Ube, a purple Yam, or the 606, a landmark trail in Chicago, her musical themes will inspire kids to let their own light shine in their own families as well as in their communities!