JANUARY SCHEDULE

Ripon, WI- Ripon Public Library is excited to announce its January lineup of events and offerings for all ages! Thanks to the Friends of the Library and other generous donors, programming is always free.

WEDS JAN 10-FEB 7 | 10 AM | STORYTIME FOR KIDS & FAMILIES | NO REGISTRATION

Welcome to active learning & fun, where early literacy & STEM concepts come to life through stories, music, movement, and enrichment activities. It’s a happy place for kids and caregivers to learn and play. After Storytime, Stay-and-Play in the Romper Room! This active space allows kids to release excess energy and advance their physical skills all while supporting social connections for kids and their adults. On Wednesdays when there is no story time, keep your weekly library habit with DIY Books + Romper Room! Come on in for a stack of books and enjoy social time in the Romper Room.

SAT JAN 20 | 10 AM—NOON | TEEN PROGRAM | DIY BATH SALTS & SHOWER STEAMERS |

Drop in to design custom scented and colored bath salts or shower steamers. Great for gifting or for pampering yourself. Open to ages 11-17. No registration required.

MON JAN 22 | 2 PM | CLASSIC MOVIE MONDAY

Join us and relive the glory days of the black and white movies! Complimentary popcorn available. Visit the library website for title and rating information.

MON JAN 22 | 6:30-7:30 PM | ADULT BOOK DISCUSSION: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Enjoy a lively and friendly discussion with other readers.

SAT JAN 27 | NOON—4:00 PM | LET’S PLAY FAMILY GAME DAY

Join us for an afternoon of family-friendly tabletop gaming! Enjoy a variety of games for all ages from the library’s extensive collection. Try out something new with the guided help of staff and volunteers or play a tried-and-true classic, all while networking with fellow board game enthusiasts.

DROP-IN BOREDOM BUSTERS

· Come play in the Romper Room. Physical activity and human connections are important for healthy, happy human beings, and the Romper Room facilitates both! Focusing on active play, the room features trikes, foot-to-floor vehicles, a balance bike, tunnels, tumbling mats, balance beams, and more. The Romper Room, which is open during regular library hours, is most engaging for ages 2-6 years, though younger/older kids are welcome.

· Enjoy the always-available board games, toy library, and activity sheets located in the youth department.

· Visit the community table where there is always a puzzle in progress! Stay for a bit and place a few pieces or settle in for a longer session.

Visit the library’s website or follow Ripon Public Library on Facebook and Instagram for detailed information and the latest library news on programs and resources, or call a friendly librarian, 920-748-6160.

On January 20th, Ripon Noon Kiwanis will kick-off their 100th anniversary celebration with a Kiwanis Sledding Day at Kiwanis Park! From 12-4pm the Noon Kiwanis will be providing FREE hot beverages, snacks, a storywalk and warming barrels for sledders and parents. Sledders should access Kiwanis Park from Thomas Street, at the service entrance to the water tower, which leads to the top of the Sledding Hill. Bring your own sleds and dress appropriately for colder weather.

Kiwanis Park features a prime sledding hill, available to the community every day during daylight hours; and can also be enjoyed year-round. The Noon Kiwanis will be serving up refreshments and offering the storywalk on January 20th snow or no snow, so come enjoy this hidden gem!

The Ripon Noon Kiwanis Club has been serving the community since 1924; and to celebrate the Kiwanis club has plans for service projects and events each month in 2024! To learn more about the Noon Kiwanis’ centennial plans, visit https://riponnoonkiwanis.org/centennial. The Ripon Noon Kiwanis meets the first Tuesday of each month at Noon in the PDR in the Ripon College Pickard Commons.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 26, 2023 CONTACT: Jason Mansmith 920.294.4279 jason@thrasheroperahouse.com

Missoula Children’s Theatre to Perform Jack and the Beanstalk at Thrasher

Green Lake, Wis. (December 26, 2023) – The Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT), the nation’s largest touring children’s theatre, has been touring extensively for more than 40 years now from Montana to Japan and will visit nearly 1,200 communities this year with up to 44 teams of Tour Actor/Directors. A tour team arrives in each town with a set, lights, costumes, props, make-up, and everything it takes to put on a play…except the cast. The team holds an open audition and casts 50-60 local students to perform in the production. The show is rehearsed throughout the week, and two public performances are presented on Saturday. All MCT shows are original adaptations of classic children’s stories and fairytales, with a twist on the classic stories you know and love. Also included in the residency are three enrichment workshops presented by the Tour Actor/Directors. Creativity, social skills, goal achievement, communication skills, and self-esteem are all characteristics attained through participation in this unique educational project. MCT’s mission is the development of life skills in children through participation in the performing arts.

Auditions for Jack and the Beanstalk will be held on Monday, January 15, from 4 to 6 p.m. The performances will take place on Saturday, January 20, at 3:00 & 5:30 p.m. Tickets for adults are $15, and children are $10 and available at www.thrasheroperahouse.com. The Missoula Children’s Theatre residency in Green Lake is brought to you by Thrasher Opera House Party for the Arts sponsors with support from Adams Rib, Taylor & Associates, Bayview Motel & Marina, Green Lake Rotary, and Bergstrom Automotive????

The Missoula Children’s Theatre is based in Missoula, Montana, and runs many local programs. These include musical theatre day camps and performing arts classes for local children, a summer residency Performing Arts Camp for students worldwide, and the Missoula Community Theatre, which creates an arena for local talent of all ages to participate in large-scale productions and attracts audiences from western Montana. For students interested in a career in the performing arts, MCT has developed Next Step Prep—The Academy for Musical Theatre—providing high school students an affordable opportunity to train and study with well-known music, dance, and acting professionals to prepare for college.

Thrasher Opera House’s mission is to promote the arts and the power of live performance, provide a community gathering place, and preserve the historic Thrasher Opera House—a charming, intimate, friendly venue with excellent acoustics. Built-in 1910, restored in 1997, and on the National Register of Historic Places. Seats 200. For more information, please visit www.thrasheroperahouse.com