Spiked! — Table Salt Productions’ perennial holiday favorite — is back!

What is Spiked?  First-rate music plus sketch comedy, all mixed up in a sparkling holiday punch!  Featuring local music headliners and Brave New Workshop alums, it’s Saturday Night Live meets Mariah Carey … with cocktails!

Kick off the holiday season right, right after Thanksgiving.  Spiked! opens on Friday, November 29, and is a perfect night (or afternoon) out for you and all of your out-of-town guests.  Work off that turkey dinner with plenty of belly laughs, plus good old-fashioned hooting and hollering!  Rocking holiday songs will get you in the spirit; sweet foreign language carols will tug at your heart; and sketches that take aim at the workplace, the home — and an exploration of what exactly the family pets are getting up to — will have you rolling in the aisles!

This year's cast includes Brave New Workshop alums Jim Robinson, Katy McEwen and Joshua Will plus local sketch comedy and improv favorite Maureen Tubbs, with music from Dennis Curley (The Explainers, Country Roads), Dorian Chalmers (Church Basement Ladies, The Mancini Players), Natalie Nowytski (Orkestar Bez Ime, Follow the Firefly), Emily Judge-Becker (Ukrainian Village Band), Scott Keever (The Sweet Colleens, solo artist) and Marc Bohn (Tim Sigler, Jim Stairs Band).

Our list of guest artists is ALMOST complete — keep checking back for updates!

Friday, November 29, 2024 (7 pm, Celtic Junction Arts Center):  THREE!

“Three” is the brainchild trio of local Twin Cities’ musicians Rachel Holder, Judi Vinar and Lori Dokken.  These three artists have not only been friends for many years but have also been colleagues in a diverse array of musical groups and productions.  “Three” brings together a triad of diverse voices that are skilled in multiple styles and genres and the end product is an incredible performance that unites them into a singular sound — rich in color, character, confidence and the sonic seasoning of experience.  Three represents so many things:  past, present and future … beginning, middle and end … body, mind and soul … Rachel, Judi and Lori.

Saturday, November 30, 2024 (2 pm, Celtic Junction Arts Center):  DOUG ANDERSON!

Doug Anderson has been an actor/dancer/performer in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for 40+ years, performing at the Guthrie, Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Hey City Theater, and Center City Theater to mention a few.  He has performed his cabaret show at The Hey City Theater, The Bryant Lake Bowl and Crooner’s Dunsmore Room.  In London he’s performed at The St. James Theater (now The Other Palace), Piaño, Crazy Coq’s, The Music Café and The Phoenix Arts Club.

Saturday, November 30, 2024 (7 pm, Celtic Junction Arts Center):  TODD MENTON plus LORNA LANDVIK!

Todd Menton is a multi-instrumentalist and the lead singer for Boiled in Lead, a band renowned for their folk-punk innovation and raucous live shows.  He has toured extensively with the band, and his most recent solo CD, "Go 'Round Again," was released in September 2023.  In addition to performing, Todd teaches bodhrán, mandolin, and pub song at The Center for Irish Music in St. Paul.  While she’s not working on her novels (13 so far), Lorna Landvik likes to appear on stage; currently with Dudley Riggs’ alum as a member of the MASTERS OF IMPROV and weekends in January at the Bryant Lake Bowl in her one woman show.  Always in a holiday mood, Lorna loves giving and receiving the gift of laughter.

Sunday, December 1, 2024 (2 pm, Celtic Junction Arts Center):  COURTNEY BURTON!

A passionate champion of the Great American Songbook, Courtney Burton captivates audiences with her smooth, soulful voice and effortless style.  For over 25 years, she has breathed new life into jazz standards, infusing classic melodies with contemporary spirit and sophisticated interpretations.  As lead vocalist for the Beasley Big Band since 1996 and director of her jazz quintet Court's In Session, Burton's performances range from intimate trio settings to full big band experiences, each creating unforgettable musical moments.  Her warm, versatile vocals honor jazz's rich legacy while building a vibrant bridge between past and present.

Sunday, December 1, 2024 (7 pm, Celtic Junction Arts Center):  LAURA MACKENZIE and GARY RUE!

Laura MacKenzie delivers music from Scotland, Ireland, England, Sweden and Central France on an array of traditional wind-powered instruments and voice.  Enjoying a richly varied career grounded in traditional music, Laura has performed and recorded with diverse ensembles, worked with theatrical productions and for public radio, and has performed at festivals across the United States.  She performs solo and in ensembles of all sizes, including her Celtic big band, Brass Lassie.  Laura has received numerous honors and performing arts awards throughout her career, and she especially enjoys listing stunt piping in her resume.  Gary Rue has been writing and performing his own music ever since he was released from piano instruction in 1963 for intentionally altering the works of Mozart and Chopin.  Since then he has gone on to write 90 music theatre scores, has been to Carnegie Hall and back as music director for Gene Pitney, has had songs recorded by Helen Reddy and Nick Lowe (among others), is a 2010 inductee of the MN Music Hall of Fame and the Mid-America Hall of Fame, and was awarded an IVEY for music direction of The Buddy Holly Story.

Monday, December 2, 2024 (7 pm, Celtic Junction Arts Center):  BECKY SCHLEGEL!

Becky Schlegel is a Minnesota singer-songwriter, originally from South Dakota.  She has played on her own and with bluegrass, country and acoustic bands, building a loyal fan base across the Upper Midwest.  The Minnesota Music Academy has honored her for five consecutive years.

Monday, December 9, 2024 (7 pm, The Hive Collaborative):  LAURA RUDOLPH MORRIS and ERIC MORRIS!

Bio coming!

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 (7:30 pm, Crooners):  DENNIS CURLEY and BRAD ERICKSON as JOHN DENVER AND THE MUPPETS!

Bio coming!