Courtesy Photo Musician Rich Rider will kick off this year’s Coffeehouse Fridays at 7 p.m. Friday at Cabin Creek Coffee, sponsored by Thunder Bay Theatre.

ALPENA — Friday night entertainment is on in downtown Alpena, starting this Friday at 7 p.m. at Cabin Creek Coffee.

These events benefit Thunder Bay Theatre, which is still providing programming even without its doors being open. The theater will be undergoing extensive remodeling after the July 2020 fire that destroyed the adjacent John A. Lau Saloon and caused massive smoke and water damage to the theater. But they are still here, and they will be back in full swing at some point in the near future.

In the meantime, check out the musicians on tap in the coming months, starting with Rich Rider at 7 p.m. on Friday. Admission is $10, and all proceeds go toward TBT programming, according to TBT Board Vice President Lisa Larkin. She had been the president for three years, but now, Anne Gentry is president. Larkin said it was time for a change, and she will happily continue to serve the community on the board. Lucas Moquin is also a new board member. He was the artistic director at the time of the fire.

Rider is an artist, and self-taught finger guitar player. He is a singer and songwriter of original music, who plays at local establishments around Alpena.

“We’ve got four different acts who have never performed for TBT before,” Larkin said. “We have Rich Rider on the 25th, and then we have, on March 11, we have Steve Ray, and then … April 22nd is Mia and Jona Hauff (mother and son), and then, May 6 is Ethan O’Brien.”

Larkin said these events are a great way to both entertain the community and remind them that TBT is still alive and well here, although the building needs some serious work before they can open their doors back up to offer live professional entertainment to the Alpena area.

“Number one, it’s something that we can do offsite that doesn’t require a huge, upfront cost,” Larkin said of bringing back the popular Coffeehouse Fridays. “People enjoy them a lot.”

Mia Hauff has been involved with church, school and community choirs since she was a young girl.

“I grew up in a very musical family and have fond memories of singing in our home with my two sisters, utilizing our mother’s brass candlestick holders for microphones,” she said in her bio. “Now, I have the adventure of performing with my son, Jona Hauff. He’s an upcoming musician as a pianist/composer, and I’ll join in with vocals. Working from an eclectic repertoire, we are excited to be a part of TBT’s Coffeehouse Fridays.”

Her son Jona has been taking piano lessons since he was 7.

“Besides playing the piano, I’ve also dabbled a little bit in singing, ukulele, and guitar,” he said in his bio. “I was very fortunate that my parents were able to send me to a performing arts camp called Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp twice.”

He has enjoyed performing locally, and looks forward to more opportunities to share his talents.

“It’s been an amazing experience getting out into the community, and I look forward to performing with my mom for one of TBT’s Coffeehouse Fridays,” he added.

O’Brien was born and raised in Alpena, where he listened to his parents’ records and learned how to play rock and roll. In elementary school, he started the local band Bobbing for Piranhas with Conor Larkin and James Daoust.

“Even though rock and roll is his favorite thing in the whole wide world, Ethan also enjoys sitting on a stool, strumming an acoustic guitar and singing pretty (he hopes) songs,” a submitted bio explains.

“This is a chance to listen to people we might not normally get to hear,” Larkin added. “In a nice, casual, relaxed setting.”

The events last for about two hours, with a short intermission in the middle. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

“The proceeds go toward future programming,” Larkin explained. “We’d really like to get the ‘Let’s Talk’ panels started. We’d love to be able to do at least one musical this summer, even if it’s an in-concert series, which is minimal props, minimal costumes, but the full show. Hopefully we’ll be able to do that sometime this summer.”

She added that they need funding to be able to get the scripts and the rights to put on those types of shows.

As for the building, TBT did get a $25,000 grant from First Federal of Northern Michigan Legacy Foundation, for the construction.

“We are applying for a Community Block Grant, 50 percent matching, to be able to not just fix the fire damage, but update the apartments upstairs,” Larkin added. “And fix some other things that need to be fixed in the building.”

She added that they are still waiting on the hazardous materials report, which is the last piece of information they need before they can send in the initial application.

“Not just anybody can work on a 100-plus-year-old building that’s brick and plaster,” she noted. “We have to find the right person.”

The process will take another six to eight months.

“Don’t forget about us,” she added. “We’re still working on things. We’re still here.”