BEND, OR, September 20, 2007 – The Tower Theatre Foundation will connect the Bend community with the area’s Native American history and heritage when Karen Therese performs at the Tower Theatre on Friday September 28 and Saturday September 29.

Karen Therese brings with her an historic blend of traditional and contemporary Native American music. Through her unique style and creative genius, Therese has evolved a new and entertaining mode of Native American sound. Coupled with that contemporary blend of old and new, there will be a group of children singers from Warm Springs as well as fancy dancers choreographed by Donnetta Squiemphen, also from Warm Springs, and Gerry Rainybird from Rocky Boy, Montana. All dancers will be in full regalia and the entire event promises to be stunning.

“We are pleased to bring Karen Therese to the Tower Theatre,” says Tower Theatre Foundation Executive Director, Eli Ashley. “We invited her because her music, story telling and dancing reflect our local and regional culture. These performances are often held out of doors or on the reservation, sometimes they aren’t open to the public. It’s a wonderful privilege for her to come here to the Tower Theatre. The form itself is beautiful art, the story telling and dancing is rich and wonderful. We wanted to bring Karen and her company to Bend for our enjoyment, enrichment and to connect our communities.”

Ms. Therese’s production will be presented twice during the day on Friday to students of the Central Oregon area free of charge through arrangements with the Tower Theatre Foundation. Of the 600 students scheduled to see the show, nearly 40% will be Title I recipients and for many of the children it will be their first exposure to a live stage performance on a major, professional stage.

Public performances for this presentation will take place both Friday evening with a special Saturday Matinee. For ticket information please call the Tower Theatre Ticket Office or visit the web at www.towertheatre.org.