Meet the group bringing affordable music to Sioux Falls for nearly a century

Megan Raposa -

This is a paid piece from Live on Stage Sioux Falls.

Simplified: Live on Stage Sioux Falls has been bringing world-class music to the community since the early 1900s. Though it's changed over the years, the mission of bringing affordable, quality entertainment to town has lasted nearly a century.

Why it matters

  • Affordable pricing is a major tenet of the nonprofit, which was formally founded in 1930 as the Civic Music Organization.
  • Additionally, the goal is to bring a wide variety of entertainment – from cover bands of classic rock, to classical piano, to big band jazz, to fiddlers playing holiday tunes.
  • Members have been a big part of keeping the organization around for as long as it has. A membership – which includes tickets to five performances between September and May – is the most affordable way to experience these shows you won't see anywhere else.
"We try to bring entertainment that people aren't going to find in Sioux Falls through other venues," President and Executive Director Darla Van Rosendale said.

Tell me more about Live on Stage

The organization dates back to 1917, around when the Coliseum was built in downtown Sioux Falls.

  • At that time, a local woman named Mrs. Will H. Booth wanted to bring classical entertainment to town using this new venue.

By 1930, that effort had formalized with four to five concerts per year – a structure that's still in use today.

By the 1950s and '60s, the organization broadened beyond classical music to bring more variety.

The name officially changed to Live on Stage in 2014, as the organization continues to pivot to serve modern audiences.

Tell me more about the upcoming season

The first show is Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. and will feature a performance by pianist Jason Lyle Black. The online piano educator and YouTube star will perform, "100 Hits of Stage and Screen."

The season continues Tuesday, Oct. 22 and 7 p.m. with MusiKaravan, with a strings trio who came together during the pandemic when they toured in a 1971 VW bus to bring music to farmers, winemakers and others. They'll be presenting works by Brahms, Vivaldi, Mozart and more.

Live on Stage is also bringing "Holiday for Fiddlers" featuring Kenny Putnam, Tom Schaefer, and Owen Dejong together with an all-star support band, including some long-time performers with the Acoustic Christmas series. That performance will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5.

The season picks up again in the spring with an April 4 performance of "Bachelors of Broadway," a trio who'll sing vintage Broadway classics in three-part harmony.

And the final performance of the season will harken back to the early days of Live on Stage with a 1930s-style Big Band jazz performance from Good Shot Judy. That'll take place at 7 p.m. Monday, May 12.

How can I get tickets?

Memberships cost $205 for all five concerts, and tickets for individual shows are $48.50.

  • You can purchase tickets by calling the Washington Pavilion Box Office at 605-731-2422.

Cool thing: Use the code "SIMPLIFIED10" to get 10% off an annual membership.