January 6, 2025, press release from Quincy Thompson, Van Wert Live: [Van Wert, OH] – Get ready to laugh until your sides hurt as Etta May and The Southern Fried Chicks return to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 1st, to kick off 2025 with a bang! Supported by Leland Smith Insurance and Westwood Behavioral Health, this powerhouse trio – featuring Etta May, Leslie Norris, and Sonya White – will bring a hilarious and unapologetically saucy Southern perspective on life, love, and everything in between. Etta May, often hailed as the "Queen of Southern Sass," is no stranger to the Niswonger stage. Her quick wit and down-to-earth humor have made her a fan favorite across the country. Teaming up with the equally hilarious Leslie Norris and Sonya White, the Southern Fried Chicks deliver a night of laughter you won't want to miss. Who is Etta May, you ask? Prior to finding success as a stand-up comic, Etta wandered from dead end job to dead end job including a 10-year stint as a school bus driver. She says she learned how to handle unruly kids by Armor-Alling the seats and slamming on the brakes all the way to school.  Her theory: “Kind of hard to pick a fight with the kid in front of you, when you’re just holding on for dear life.” 

There will be Wizard of Oz on Ice and Rick Thomas: Illusionist coming to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center this spring.