Current Tours

See the NEW TOURS page for exciting news about Theatre Getaways not closing its doors.



Nine - WILL NOW BE The Spitfire Grill - Skylight Theatre Milwaukee - Sunday, June 8, 2008

This will end up being the final Theatre Getaways tour! The Skylight Theatre in Milwaukee has changed their spring production from the musical NINE to the musical The Spitfire Grill. The tour date and the restaurant information remain the same as previously announced, but the play will be different.

The Spitfire Grill begins when Percy Talbot is released from prison in Maine. With no home or family to speak of, Percy elects to stay in Maine and relocate to the small, waning, town of Gilead, whose remaining residents seem to have long since grown numb to the commanding countryside that encloses them.
Percy arrives in the middle of a winter's night under the watchful eyes of the skeptical citizens of Gilead. They immediately begin to speculate on her background, with word of her criminal past spreading quickly. Needing to find her a temporary place to stay, Sheriff Gary Walsh asks a favor of Hannah Ferguson, the indomitable owner of the Spitfire Grill -- let Percy stay in one of the rooms above her restaurant in return for her services as a waitress. With this stranger's questionable history, it seems like a risky proposition. But Hannah isn't getting any younger, and she could certainly use the extra help. After a terse introduction, Hannah agrees to the arrangement. Soon after Percy begins working at the Grill, Hannah injures her leg and is temporarily unable to run the restaurant. Suspicious of Percy, and anxious to take control of the situation, Hannah's nephew Nahum Goddard suggests that Percy should be sent on her way and that his wife, Shelby, can run the grill for the time being. Unimpressed by Shelby, and resentful of Nahum's meddling, Hannah insists Percy can manage the restaurant while she recuperates. Alas, cooking is not one of Percy's strong suits and within a day or two, the timid Shelby Goddard appears at the door of the grill. Soon enough, the formidable team of Percy and Shelby have the Spitfire Grill back in good shape, and Hannah's leg heals enough to allow her to resume some of her duties.
As these three women forge a friendship unlike any they've ever experienced, deep secrets are slowly revealed. Among them are the circumstances of Percy's dark past which led to her incarceration, as well as Hannah's mysterious visitor who regularly picks up a sack of canned goods, left out at night behind the grill. Percy also discovers why Hannah has been looking to sell the Spitfire Grill for so many years. Although saddened at the prospect of losing the comfort and security she has found at the Spitfire, Percy suggests that Hannah advertise a nationwide contest, in which $100 and the most convincing essay on the attributes of Gilead will win the writer full ownership of the Spitfire Grill. Hannah decides it's worth a shot, and before she knows it, bushels of mail begin to pour in, each letter addressed: Care of The Spitfire Grill. As the contest kicks into full-gear and entries start pouring in, polarized opinions emerge. When Hannah's money suddenly disappears and Percy is nowhere to be found, suspicions and accusations result, culminating in a series of dramatic events that bring the citizens of Gilead back together with a new sense of purpose.
After the 2 p.m. show we will have dinner at Milwaukee’s historic Mader’s German Restaurant. Your entree selections will be: Almond Crusted Trout (Wisconsin rushing waters trout served with dill, red potatoes and asparagus); Franconian Chicken Schnitzel (served over red pepper spaetzel with sauteed onion, mushroom and chopped tomato in a lemon butter sauce); or Ritter Schnitzel (a trio of sauteed pork tenderloin medallions topped with Black Forest mushroom sauce over spaetzel and red cabbage.) Our dessert will be apple strudel. The price of $140 per person includes the charter coach, the theatre ticket, and the complete meal. We will leave for Milwaukee at 11:30 a.m. and be home by 8:30 p.m. A "show only" ticket (with no bus or dinner included) is $60. A $10 deposit holds your space on the tour, and the final balance will not be due until April 1.

Dirty Dancing - Chicago Palace Theatre - Saturday, October 4, 2008

Please call VanGalder Tour and Travel directly at 608-752-5407 if you would like to order the Dirty Dancing tour.

This classic movie now makes its way to the stage. Chicago has been selected as the pre-Broadway tryout city and you need to be there for all the action. It is the summer of 1963, and 17 year old Frances is about to learn some major lessons in life as well as a thing or two about dancing. On holiday with her older sister and her parents in New York’s Catskill Mountains, “Baby” shows little interest in the resort activities until she stumbles on the staff quarters where an all-night dance party is in full swing. She catches sight of the resort dance instructor and against all odds, they fall in love. Dirty Dancing follows the highs and lows of Baby’s summer romance with Johnny, the guy from the wrong side of the tracks.  The original story of Dirty Dancing has been expanded for the stage and is currently playing in London and Toronto to sellout crowds. After the 2 p.m. show, we will dine at Grazie! in Des Plaines IL. You will be preselecting your entree: 1) Chicken Portobello 2) Seared King Salmon or 3)Bocchoncini pasta rolled with spinach , three cheeses and marinara. Salad, Tiramasu dessert and beverage is included, and a cash bar is available. The entire day including orchestra (main floor) theatre seat, complete dinner, charter transportation and all taxes and gratuities will cost $199.


Mary Poppins - Chicago Cadillac Palace Theatre
Saturdays March 28, April 4, April 25, and May 16, 2009

Please call VanGalder Tour and Travel directly at 608-752-5407 if you would like to order the Mary Poppins tour. They are compiling an “interest list” for all these Mary Poppins tours and will contact you once we have received confirmed contracts from the theatre.

Based on the books by P.L. Travers and the classic Walt Disney film, this is the story of the Banks family and how their lives change after the arrival of nanny Mary Poppins at their home at 17 Cherry Tree Lane in London. The stage version premiered in London, has been on Broadway for a year, and is now ready to roar into the “Windy City” in 2009. I saw the show in November in NYC and loved it. The scenery and special effects are wonderful and the whole production is very entertaining. As usual, Disney pulls out all the stops. Check out a preview video on the web at http://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay.cfm?id=147&show=on
Our dinner after the 2 p.m. show will be at the Stonegate Conference and Banquet Center in Hoffman Estates. You may view the restaurant at http://www.thestonegate.com
We will enjoy a salad of field lettuces with artichokes, grape tomatoes, country olives and aged balsamic vinaigrette. You will need to preselect an entree: 1) Garlic crusted chicken with slow-roasted artichokes, tomatoes, spring asparagus, mashed red potatoes and chives, or 2) Columbia River Salmon stuffed with spinach, fire-roasted red pepper poached in champagne and served with lobster sauce, wild rice and patty pans. For dessert we will enjoy a Grand Marnier Creme Brulee with fresh berries. Coffee and tea and all taxes and gratuities are included for the day. A cash bar will be available in our private room. The final price for this tour has not been finalized, but will likely be around $200 and includes the orchestra level (main floor) theatre seat, charter bus transportation, the complete meal. A limited number of “show only” tickets at $120 will be available for this production if you prefer to go in to Chicago on your own and not use the charter bus and have the group meal.

All Shook Up - Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre - Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008

Please call VanGalder Tour and Travel directly at 608-752-5407 if you would like to order the All Shook Up tour.

This new musical comedy, inspired by and featuring the legendary songs of Elvis Presley, ran on Broadway in 2005, and now returns to Chicago’s Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre. This professional theatre-in-the-round is one of my favorite places to see a show. There are only ten rows of seats surrounding the stage, and the theatre always produces top-quality productions. All Shook Up is not an biographical Elvis review, but rather a brand new book musical. It's the summer of 1955, and Natalie is a young woman in a small town in the American Midwest with dreams of hitting the road. Chad, a black-jacketed, rock and roll loving motorcyclist stops at the town's garage because his bike needs repair. Chad is a charismatic rebel, and Natalie, the mechanic, immediately falls for him. She overhears him saying that he's had "a lot" of women but only travels with men. So Natalie covers her hair with a hat and puts motor oil on her face to approximate a beard, becoming "Ed", Chad's sidekick. The leather-jacketed stranger eventually leads the small town to discover the freedom of dance, the magic of romance, and the power of rock and roll. All Shook Up features 20 classic Elvis Presley hits including Heartbreak Hotel, Love Me Tender, Don't Be Cruel and Can't Help Falling In Love, all used in a new context. After the 2:30 p.m. show we will dine at the King’s Wharf, an upscale restaurant at the resort complex. Your entree selections include: Baked chicken, 8 oz. New York strip steak, or Char-grilled salmon. The dinners come with oven roasted potatoes, vegetables, salad, beverage, and a dessert of the day. A cash bar will be available. The entire day costs $125 and includes the theatre seat, charter bus transportation, the complete meal, and all taxes and gratuities.

Mame - Drury Lane Oakbrook - Sunday, December 7, 2008

Please call VanGalder Tour and Travel directly at 608-752-5407 if you would like to order the Mame tour.


Mame Dennis, a free-spirited eccentric with a flare for life and a razor sharp wit, loves to entertain. While giving one of her extravagant parties, she learns that she is the guardian of her young nephew, Patrick. She takes him in and gives him an “education.” Her Bosom Buddy, Vera Charles is always in and out of the melee that surrounds Mame. Her adventures take us from the speak-easies of the roaring 20's to the depression following the great Stock Market crash. Mame falls in love and marries, Patrick grows up and gets engaged, Mame disapproves, and the fireworks begin. The musical starred Angela Lansberry on Broadway, and features some great show tunes including the title song, If He Walked Into My Life Today, and We Need a Little Christmas. The show will be at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook, a western Chicago suburb. You can take a virtual tour of the theatre facility on the web at http://www.drurylaneoakbrook.com/facility_info.shtml# After the 2 p.m. show we walk across the lobby for dinner at the theatre’s restaurant. Your entree choices include: tender filet of lemon sole baked and served with tarragon sauce or slow roasted pork loin, served with apple sauerkraut and rosemary demi-glaze. A salad, dessert, and beverage are included. A cash bar is available. The final price for this tour is $79 and includes the theatre seat, charter bus transportation, the complete meal, and all taxes and gratuities.


Prices for our one-day tours include main floor theatre seating (unless otherwise indicated,) round trip Van Galder charter coach transportation, a complete meal, and all taxes and gratuities. Until June 30, 2008, all tours leave from the Beloit WAL-MART parking lot on Highway 81/I-43 (intersection of Milwaukee Road and Cranston Rd.) For Chicago trips, an optional pickup at the Farm and Fleet parking lot on Riverside Drive in Rockford can be arranged if that site is more convenient for you. If you live in Janesville, it is possible to board at the Van Galder bus barns on Pearl Street. I just need to let the bus company know if that is your intent. Boarding time in Janesville would be one hour prior to the Beloit departure time. I personally escort all of the tours, and the groups are always made up of a combination of couples, singles, families, and senior citizens. We all sit in the theatre together and eat as a group, so don’t pass up the opportunity to join us just because you may be alone. For those of you who are vegetarian or have special dietary demands, please let me know when selecting your menu choice. Almost every restaurant can accommodate a vegetarian food preference. Cocktails are available at dinner, but the cost is your responsibility. On all tours, I send a written confirmation letter when I receive your deposit. Then, about two weeks before the tour date, I send a reminder about bus loading times and other details about the trip. The Chicago and Milwaukee one-day trips that have a 2 p.m. curtain time, with dinner after the show, usually have us back in Beloit by 8:30 or 9:00 p.m.

Theatre Getaways “Fine Print” and Cancellation Policy (until June 30, 2008):

New Tours | Current Tours | Contact Us! | About Theatre Getaways

©2008 Theatre Getaways
Mr. Loren M. Sass
(608) 365-0235
2370 Cobblestone Lane
Beloit, WI 53511-6711