Here’s something you don’t hear every day: a musical is making its West Coast premiere right here in downtown Lynden. Rathskeller: A Musical Elixir, an original two-act musical, opens Thursday, October 29, at the Jansen Art Center on Front Street. Our team loves seeing big things happen in our small town, and this one’s worth a night out.
The Basics
- What: Rathskeller: A Musical Elixir, West Coast premiere
- When: Thursday through Saturday, October 29, 30 and 31, and November 5, 6 and 7, 2026, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
- Where: Jansen Art Center, 321 Front St., Lynden
- Tickets: General admission is $25 and VIP seating (rows 1 to 3) is $35. The Jansen also offers private tables for four on select nights. Prices and availability can change, so check the Jansen’s ticket page
- Rating: T+ (recommended for ages 13 and up)
So What’s It About?
The show follows John Casey, an ambitious young songwriter who wants to get his mom out of an abusive marriage. When ambition turns to desperation, he finds himself haunted by the same addiction he grew up resenting. On the night of his worst choice, he wakes up in the Rathskeller, an eerie dive bar in the basement of the afterlife, where a devilish Bartender and her ghostly staff offer him the elixir of a lifetime.
BroadwayWorld describes it as part rock concert, part social experiment, and here’s the fun twist: the audience gets to choose how the story ends. The Jansen says the production comes with a live orchestra, too.
Front Street in downtown Lynden. Photo by Joe Mabel
The People Behind It
Book, music and lyrics are by Brianna Kothari Barnes, the show was conceived by Dame Productions, and Andrew Cooper directs the Lynden production. Before heading west, Rathskeller premiered as a workshop production at the New Ohio Theatre in New York City in 2021 and won Best Musical in BroadwayWorld’s 2021 Off-Off Broadway Awards. Pretty great company for our hometown stage!
A Quick Note for Parents
The Jansen rates this one T+. It deals with addiction, alcoholism, family struggles, grief and redemption, and it includes strong language and depictions of alcohol use. The Jansen strongly recommends parental guidance for kids under 13, so this is a great pick for teens and a date night for the grown-ups.
Make a Night of It on Front Street
Part of the fun of a show at the J is the building itself. The Jansen sits in Lynden’s former City Hall and Fire Station and opened as an art center in 2012. Grab dinner at one of the restaurants along Front Street, then stroll over for the 7:00 curtain. The Jansen notes there’s 3-hour street parking out front, plus parking in the side and back alleys.
If an evening like this has you picturing life within walking distance of downtown Lynden, we’d love to help. Muljat Group North can show you what’s available near Front Street and around town, so reach out to our team any time, and check out more community events while you’re at it. Enjoy the show!
Featured photo: Jansen Art Center (former Lynden City Hall and fire station), 321 Front Street, Lynden, by Joe Mabel