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Entertainment at Woodloch: How I Got to the Stage

Shared by Ryan Fogler
When people think of Woodloch, a few different things might come to mind… gold medals… crumb cake… and even Double Dare.
Of course, one of the most cherished parts of the Woodloch experience comes after the sun goes down. While every guest spends the day making memories and enjoying adventures of their own, the evening brings everyone together once again to discover what Woodloch has in store on the grand stage of the Heritage Nightclub.
Coming from a background in performing, I was immediately interested in the nighttime entertainment that Woodloch had to offer. Within my first two weeks, I had seen the Broadway-style Theme Show and was absolutely blown away by the performance!
One of the first acts I saw was the band Nowhere Slow, a group well known in the Pennsylvania area that even included the director of the Theme Show, Nichole Granville. They usually play every Monday in the summer and return in the offseason at different points. Their sound was incredible, and they easily got everyone on their feet dancing to the music.
They played a great collection of crowd-pleasers and upbeat tunes that kept me locked in for a long time. I had such a good time that I wanted to come back and see more acts. I was trying to figure out which act I should see next, and my boss, Rory, recommended a unique act: Hilby the Skinny German Juggling Boy. I knew just from the name that I was in for a treat.
Now, it’s funny—when I went to see the show, I was surprised that Hilby wasn’t a boy… he was an older man who had been performing at Woodloch for decades! Even in nighttime entertainment, seeing longtime acts that have stayed with Woodloch for so long was so heartwarming. Also, I can’t overstate how good Hilby was… he was juggling knives on a unicycle!




All of this amazing entertainment, and yet I don’t think I would have realized when I started at Woodloch that I would one day have my own show at the Nightclub.
That’s right… after singing Michael Bublé’s “Feeling Good” at the Crisis Fund Show, the Kiesendahl family asked me if I could do my own act on the stage, singing old crooner songs.
I was absolutely interested, but I needed to learn from the best. That’s when I leaned on Sammy, a performer at Woodloch for over 40 years who absolutely wows audiences at the Theme Show.
From performer to performer, he gave me great advice about song selections, how to engage an audience, and how to develop a show from start to finish. I also can’t fail to mention how other amazing crooners at Woodloch, Pete Custode and Mark McGrath, inspired me with their amazing shows at Woodloch.
There is something so nice about being able to carry on this style of music at the one place where it feels like everyone comes together at the end of the day. Nighttime entertainment in the Nightclub is where Woodloch truly comes alive.
If you are interested in feeling that yourself, come to any one of the amazing nighttime acts at Woodloch. Give it a chance, and you’ll understand why people like Hilby have been juggling knives on a unicycle at Woodloch for decades.
There is simply no place like Woodloch.





