When the casting team at Footlight Players in Michigan City began doing auditions in February 2026 for their new spring musical, the callout was for four men and one woman, “no experience necessary but a required vocal audition and/or a drag-style lip-synch. Experienced drag queens are encouraged to audition!” The musical is “The Legend of Georgia McBride” by Matthew Lopez, and it’s the stage story of a young, broke entertainer with an expectant wife and an angry landlord. In need of money, he opts to give up his Elvis impersonation and says goodbye to The King and hello to being a cabaret queen at a small-town Florida dive bar. Described as “music-filled, fierce and a fabulous showbiz comedy celebrating finding your inner voice,” it also has strong language and adult themes. It runs April 9-19 on the Footlight stage, 1705 Franklin St. in Michigan City. Tickets are $12 for children and $17 for adults at footlightplayers.org, or call 219-874-4035.
POLISH POST-HOLIDAY
Usually, revelers have to hike to South Bend and to a new time zone to find the Polish heritage zany celebration called “Dyngus Day,” which has been observed for centuries, always the Monday after Easter Sunday. Starting at 6 a.m. Monday, April 6, Stan Stefanski, owner of Big Frank’s Sausage Restaurant and Tavern, 918 Carroll St. in East Chicago, is paired with the early morning WJOB radio show personalities Chuck Pullen and Bob Starkey for a morning live broadcast on location until 9 a.m. as the festivities continue all day through 9 p.m. closing. Favorite costumed characters like Mr. Pierogi and the Buscias Brigade will help host the morning events, including prizes and giveaways. Call 219-378-9556 or visit www.bigfranksausage.com.
ALL WRAPPED UP
Here Come the Mummies is a band from Nashville and brought to life on the music scene around the year 2000. However, according to their branding, promotional back story and website, they prefer fans believe they are from somewhere nearer to the Nile River, and arrived on the music scene more around the year 3000 BC. This eight-member funk rock band will play one concert at 7 p.m. April 12 at Art Theater, 230 Main St. in Hobart. The band offers the following description of themselves on their website, herecomethemummies.com: “Cursed after deflowering a great Pharaoh’s daughter (or daughters), Here Come The Mummies (HCTM) have been delivering their brand of Terrifying Funk from Beyond the Grave since the year 2000 AD. Some say they are reincarnated Grammy-winning studio musicians, some say their internal organs still lay in clay pots back in Egypt. Regardless, HCTM’s mysterious personas, cunning songcraft, and unrelenting live show will bend your brain, and melt your face. Maybe that’s why the ladies (and some dudes) can’t stop losing their minds over these mayhem-inducing mavens of mirth.” Tickets start at $50 by calling 219-942-1670 or visiting www.brickartlive.com.
ALL EGGS ABOARD!
Hop aboard a fun and remote rural “Easter Train” on Saturday, April 4, to enjoy a family holiday excursion aboard one of the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum’s most popular annual train rides. Passengers board the train at the depot and museum at 507 Mulberry St. in downtown North Judson for a quick trip across the Kankakee River bridge and along English Lake before returning to town. Passengers disembark from the train at Grasselli Tower to allow younger passengers ages 2 to 12 to participate in an expansive Easter Egg Hunt. Passengers must bring their own baskets for the search for treasured eggs filled with candies. Age groups for Easter Egg Hunt include 2 to 4 years and 5 to 7 years, as well as up to 8 to 12 years. The Easter Bunny will be available for photos. The length of the train ride is approximately 45 minutes, with the Easter Egg Hunt following each trip with times at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults 16 and older and $14 for youth age 3 to 15, and toddlers age 2 and younger are free. Call 574-896-3950 or visit www.hoosiervalley.org
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.Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and weekly radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at [email protected].