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(C.O.D. Photo by Rich Malec)
Play Auditions Next Week
Director of Theatre Connie Canaday Howard, left, and Amelia Barrett, assistant professor of Theatre, will hold auditions for student theatrical productions, including two Ray Bradbury one-acts and Charles Dickens' "A Christrmas Carol," on Thursday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Sept. 6, in the McAninch Arts Center. For audition information, see story below or call (630) 942-2137.
Arts news for the week of Sept. 1, 2008, at College of DuPage:
MAC Announces New Season
Celebrating its 22nd season, the MAC continues to bring high-quality entertainment to the western suburbs with a lineup of talent for 2008-2009. Tickets are currently on sale.
Student, Community Theater and Music Events
The McAninch Arts Center (MAC) will open the 2008-2009 season with a variety of student and community theater productions and music concerts.
Gahlberg Gallery: Works by Trevor Gainer
An exhibit by artist Trevor Gainer featuring a site-specific system of objects that includes video and everyday objects will be on display in the Gahlberg Gallery through Oct. 4.
College Theater Auditions
Auditions for student productions of "Cinzano and Smirnova's Birthday," "The Foghorn" and "Pillar of Fire," and "A Christmas Carol" will be held Thursday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Sept. 6, in the MAC.
Blind Boys of Alabama and Preservation Hall
Gospel Music Hall of Fame members The Blind Boys of Alabama will perform with renowned musicians The Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, to kick off the McAninch Arts Center's (MAC) 23rd season.
Burgess Gardner, Jazz Ensemble at The MAC Oct. 31.
Trumpet virtuoso and composer Burgess Gardner will perform alongside the Arts Center Jazz Ensemble at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Campus.
DuPage Chorale 2008-2009 Season
DuPage Chorale, a large community chorus based at College of DuPage, will open its 2008-2009 season with Handel's "Messiah" and Haydn's "Creation Mass" at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. A second concert is scheduled for April 26.
Ticket Information
(630) 942-4000
News Bureau
College of DuPage
Office of Public Information
OCC 143-45
425 Fawell Boulevard
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-6599
MAC Announces New Season
By David Hamilton
Celebrating its 22nd season, the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn continues to bring high-quality entertainment to the western suburbs with an outstanding lineup of talent for 2008-2009. This season of stars includes the Blind Boys of Alabama, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Garrison Keillor and the Ramsey Lewis Trio.
The season also promises Leo Kottke and Loudon Wainwright III, Soweto Gospel Choir, the Russian National Ballet, the Reduced Shakespeare Company and Ronald K Brown/Evidence. Single tickets are currently on sale.
In addition, the MAC also brings back its innovative series called Club MAC, which captures the feel of an intimate club or cabaret in the MAC's 200-seat Theatre 2. The series features four blues, jazz and folk concerts with cabaret table seating onstage.
Following is the lineup with more details about the 2008-2009 season.
Dance
Ronald K Brown/Evidence, A Dance Company will present an evening of mixed repertory accompanied by the music of Nina Simone, Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin and The Ashantis, at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. Tickets cost $42, $40 for senior citizens, and $32 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
The Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa paints a colorful and exciting picture of the oral and musical rites of the diverse peoples of West Africa, blending their traditional West African melodies and musical styles with the stylizations of the Western world, at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2. Tickets cost $38, $36 for senior citizens, and $28 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Von Heidecke Chicago Festival Ballet celebrates the Christmas holiday by presenting "The Nutcracker," the timeless classic with Tchaikovsky's marvelous score performed by New Philharmonic and a winter wonderland of excitement and awe. Maestro Kirk Muspratt conducts at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 19 and 20; 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20; and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21. Tickets cost $35, $33 for senior citizens, and $25 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Russian National Ballet Theatre will perform "Swan Lake," continuing the great ballet traditions developed by the Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet companies, at 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11. Tickets cost $46, $44 for senior citizens, and $36 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, one of Chicago's hottest contemporary dance troupes, returns with a program that is sure to engage, surprise and thrill. Artistic director Jim Vincent will present new work never performed on the MAC stage at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 27 and 28. Tickets cost $42, $40 for senior citizens, and $32 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Ballet Hispanico gives its signature flair to contemporary dance, illustrating the range and richness of modern dance. The dancers will bring a powerful, dramatic sensibility and delight in their performance at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Tickets cost $44, $42 for senior citizens, and $34 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Jazz
The Blind Boys of Alabama and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band will present "Down by the Riverside," an unprecedented collaboration with the vocal legends and the ageless music of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10. Tickets cost $60, $58 for senior citizens, and $50 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Burgess Gardner, one of Chicago's most distinctive trumpet soloists, returns to perform with Tom Tallman and the Arts Center Jazz Ensemble at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. Tickets cost $30, $28 for senior citizens, and $20 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
The Mulligan Mosaics Big Band with special guest Judi Silvano will present the music of jazz giant Gerry Mulligan and his Concert Jazz Band at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. Tickets cost $30, $28 for senior citizens, and $20 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Ramsey Lewis, the man who put a groove into jazz with his mega-hit "The In Crowd" more than 40 years ago, is going stronger than ever. He will return to the MAC with his trio at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9. Tickets cost $50, $48 for senior citizens, and $40 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Arts Center Jazz Ensemble with music director Tom Tallman will present the annual "KidJazz!" concert that includes the ragtime originals of Chicago's own Reginald Robinson and guest artist Darryl Boggs at 7 p.m. Friday, March 6. Tickets cost $10, $8 for senior citizens, C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Freddy Cole, the brother of the legendary Nat "King" Cole, and the Arts Center Jazz Ensemble, will sing smoky, jazzy vocals that are among the most respected in jazz at 8 p.m. Friday, April 3. Tickets cost $30, $28 for senior citizens, and $20 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
World
Soweto Gospel Choir, the awe-inspiring vocal ensemble from South Africa that combines western Christian church styles with traditional African forms, will present an evening of earthy rhythms, rich harmonies, dancing, drumming and a spirit that expresses South Africa's great hopes for the future at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24. Tickets cost $42, $40 for senior citizens, and $32 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
The Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa will perform its traditional West African melodies and musical styles with the stylizations of the western world at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2. Tickets cost $38, $36 for senior citizens, and $28 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Mystical Arts of Tibet: Sacred Music Sacred Dance features the monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery, who will perform multi-phonic chants dressed in elaborate costumes at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. Tickets cost $30, $28 for senior citizens, and $20 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
David Munnelly Band, featuring button accordion wizard David Munnelly, will present the excitement of music from Ireland's west coast at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7, in the intimate cabaret-style setting of Club MAC, Theatre 2. Tickets cost $32, $30 for senior citizens, and $22 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Simon Shaheen presents "Aswat - Celebrating the Golden Age of Arab Music," a multimedia experience featuring Sonia M'barek, Rima Khcheich, Ibrahim Azzam and Khalil Abonula at 8 p.m. Friday, March 13. Tickets cost $50, $48 for senior citizens, and $40 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Eclectic
Scrap Arts Music will present "Music, Metal, Muscle and a Mini Skirt," using more than 140 invented instruments hand-crafted from recycled scrap, and fueled by the same inexplicable genius that produced such projects as Blue Man Group and Stomp, at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Tickets cost $40, $38 for senior citizens, and $30 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
The East Village Opera Company, a powerhouse rock band, string quartet and two phenomenal vocalists will bring the towering emotion and timeless musicality of opera into the 21st century with its inventive, hard-hitting arrangements of opera's greatest hits at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9. Tickets cost $36, $34 for senior citizens, and $26 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Leo Kottke and Loudon Wainwright III, concert favorites, cult figures and kindred spirits will come together for what promises to be an engaging night of music featuring individual solo performances at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15. Tickets cost $42, $40 for senior citizens, and $32 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Hot Club of Cowtown with Elana James on violin and vocals, Whit Smith on guitar and vocals, and Jake Erwin on bass and vocals will open concerts at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21 and 22, in Club MAC, Theatre 2. Tickets cost $40, $38 for senior citizens, and $30 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Megon McDonough, cabaret artist, actor and former member of The Four Bitchin' Babes, will enliven the evening with the songs and stories of such divas as Connie Francis, Patsy Cline, Karen Carpenter and Joni Mitchell at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 28 and 29, in the cabaret-style setting of Club MAC, Theatre 2. Tickets cost $32, $30 for senior citizens, and $22 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Jim Peterik and World Stage will open a concert with some of the giants of the rock world at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17. Tickets cost $49, $47 for senior citizens, and $39 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
The Lascivious Biddies, the all-female cocktail pop quartet that is making headlines with their energetic and tightly woven show, full of humor and expert musicianship, will open 8 p.m. concerts Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13 and 14, in Club MAC, Theatre 2. Tickets cost $32, $30 for senior citizens, and $22 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Guitar Blues with Jorma Kaukonen, Robben Ford and Ruthie Foster will promise a special evening of music featuring the wonderful six-stringed instrument that is the heart and soul of the blues at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21. Tickets cost $40, $38 for senior citizens, and $30 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile will pack a wallop when they deliver their amazing four-movement suite "The Blind Leaving the Blind" concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 4. Tickets cost $36, $34 for senior citizens, and $26 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Theater
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE) opens its 22nd season with "Sleuth" by Anthony Shaffer, the Tony Award-winning play featuring Andrew, a wealthy, middle-aged mystery writer who wraps young upstart Milo into a spider web of a murder plot. Presented Sept. 26 to Oct. 19 in Theatre 2. Bryan Burke directs. Tickets cost $23 to $33.
Reduced Shakespeare Company will present "The Complete History of America (Abridged)," 600 years of history in 6,000 seconds, at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25. Tickets cost $38, $36 for senior citizens, and $28 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
"Italian American Reconciliation" by John Patrick Shanley, is an Oscar, Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning passionate comedy about Teresa who loves Huey, while Huey also loves Teresa but a piece of him still belongs to his ex-wife Janice, who wants to take pieces out of everyone. Presented by BTE Jan. 16 to Feb. 8. Kurt Naebig directs. Tickets cost $23 to $31.
The Acting Company/Guthrie Theater will present a production of "Henry V," Shakespeare's great history play about the ambitious Henry V who inherits a troubled crown and seeks to secure his position by launching an invasion of France. One performance at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15. Tickets cost $36, $34 for senior citizens, and $26 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
LA Theatre Works, America's premier radio theater company, will perform "War of the Worlds," Orson Welles' 1938 "eyewitness" report of an alien invasion, as well as "The Lost World" at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 21. Tickets cost $36, $34 for senior citizens, and $26 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Garrison Keillor, the renowned host of "A Prairie Home Companion" and author of 12 books, will present his one-man performance in an evening of wonderful stories and humor at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 19. Tickets cost $65, $63 for senior citizens, and $55 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
BTE will present "I Was A Beautiful Day" by Iain MacLeod, a profoundly affecting and comic story that chronicles the human capacity for adaptability and fortitude, is set in a psychiatric hospital. Show times are available May 1 to 24. Amelia Barrett directs. Tickets cost $23 to $31.
BTE will conclude the 2009-2009 season with "A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking" by John Ford Noonan, a lively comedy showing that fulfillment can come from the most unlikely people and places. Various dates July 3 to 26. Loretta Hauser directs. Tickets $23 to $31.
New Philharmonic
In "Celebrating Pavarotti," New Philharmonic will perform nine famous arias, including Puccini, Nessun Dorma, Lara, Granada, Leoncavallo, Mattinata di Capua, O Sole Mio, Plus, Respighi and Pines of Rome at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3 and 4. Tickets cost $35, $33 for senior citizens, and $25 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
"Music and Movement" with New Classic Singers, Lee R. Kesselman, music director, and Hubbard Street 2, will present a unique collaboration as dancers join New Philharmonic musicians onstage for an evening of contemporary dance set to the soaring strains of a live orchestra, at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 7 and 8. Tickets cost $35, $33 for senior citizens, and $25 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
"Russians Return" with Alexander Toradze, piano, will perform Shostakovich, Festive Overture; Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 3; and Mussorgsky, "Pictures at an Exhibition" at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28. Tickets cost $35, $33 for senior citizens, and $25 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
"Bruch and Bartok" featuring Robert Hanford, violin will perform Bruch's "Scottish Fantasy" and Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25. Tickets cost $35, $33 for senior citizens, and $25 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
"Viennese Pops - With an Irish Twist" is part of a New Year's Eve Celebration featuring Michelle Areyzaga, soprano, Chicago Festival Ballet dancers and Kenneth von Heidecke, choreographer, at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31. Tickets $60, $58 for senior citizens, and $50 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
DuPage Opera Theatre
"The Beggar's Opera," a ballad opera, includes a costumed, interactive orchestra sung in English and Maestro Kirk Muspratt participating onstage at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6 and 7, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8. Tickets cost $43, $41 for senior citizens, and $33 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
"L'Elisir d'Amore," Gaetano Donizetti's masterpiece about love lost and human desperation, will be performed at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 18; 7 p.m. Sunday, July 19; 8 p.m. Friday, July 24; and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 26. Tickets cost $43, $41 for senior citizens and $33 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Family
Hot Peas 'n' Butter are an exciting troupe of kids and adults who entertain with an interactive, invigorating and multicultural approach to music. The show mixes rock, folk and jazz rhythms with catchy lyrics, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26. Tickets cost $14, $12 for senior citizens, and C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Von Heidecke Chicago Festival Ballet will present "The Nutcracker," the beautifully danced story of sugarplum fairies, toy soldiers and a little girl's dream at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19; and 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 20 and 21. Tickets cost $35, $33 for senior citizens, and $25 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Justin Roberts' infectious tunes connect with kids and adults in a unique way using Beach Boys' style "oohs and ahhs" and alliteration in fun family pieces such as "Willy was a Whale." Show time is 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 3. Tickets cost $14 $12 for senior citizens, and C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
The Itty Biddies balance spunk with impressive skill. This all-female pop quartet will have kids singing and dancing in the aisles at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. Recommended for ages 5 to 10. Tickets cost $14, $12 for senior citizens, and C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences on Tour presents "The Phantom Tollbooth," based on the book by Norton Juster and adapted for the stage by Juster and Sheldon Harnick, at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Tickets cost $14, $12 for senior citizens, and C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Mad Science: CSI Live invites audience members to jump on stage and become part of the CSI team at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Tickets cost $14, $12 for senior citizens, and C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Arts Center Jazz Ensemble with Tom Tallman will present the annual "KidJazz!" concert with the ragtime originals of Chicago's own Reginald Robinson and guest artist Darryl Boggs at 7 p.m. Friday, March 6. Tickets cost $10, $8 for senior citizens, C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Beach Party with Dave Rudolf Brush offers interactive fun with some great Jimmy Buffet tunes and original music by Rudolf at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 14. Recommended for ages 5 to 11. Tickets cost $14, $12 for senior citizens, C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
College Speakers
Arun Gandhi, the grandson of the legendary spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi, offers insights through his relationship with one of the world's greatest and most influential leaders at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28. Tickets cost $14, $12 for senior citizens, and $8 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
Stephen Prothero, author of "Religious Literacy," will address this subject at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21. Tickets cost $14, $12 for senior citizens, and $8 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
The MAC includes an 800-seat state-of-the-art Mainstage theater, a 200-seat Theatre 2, a Studio Theatre and the Gahlberg Art Gallery, serving the western suburbs and Chicago's metropolitan community.
Group rates and subscription bargains are available for parties of 15 or more. Parking at the MAC is free. All artists and programs are subject to change.
The MAC is located at 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. For ticket information, call (630) 942-4000 or visit the MAC web site at www.cod.edu/artscntr.
Student, Community Theater and Music Events
By David Hamilton
The McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage will open the 2008-2009 season with a variety of student and community theater productions and music concerts.
The College Theater season opens with the Actor's Theatre in the Studio production of "Cinzano and Smirnova's Birthday" Oct. 10 to 26 at the MAC Studio Theatre. Tickets are $10, $9 for senior citizens and patrons 17 and under.
Set in Soviet Russia, the play is actually two companion plays. Cinzano and three friends meet to drink and discuss their woes and wants, while Smirnova's birthday offers the flip side as the women discuss the men in their lives.
Ray Bradbury's one acts "Pillar of Fire" and "The Foghorn" will be presented in a Stage Works production Nov. 7 to 16 in MAC Theatre 2. Tickets are $12, $11 for senior citizens and patrons 17 and under.
In "Pillar of Fire," a dead man escapes his grave to discover that earth has done away with its natural order and has instead converted entirely to scientific reasoning, void of any artistic form. "The Foghorn" presents a lighthouse operator and another man who are disrupted by the arrival of a mystery from the sea, lured by the call of the horn.
A Stage Works production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" will be presented Nov. 28 to 30 in the MAC Mainstage. Tickets are $12, $11 for senior citizens and patrons 17 and under, or $50 for a family of five. Adapted by William J. Norris, this timeless story of change and forgiveness has become a favorite of MAC audiences.
An Actors' Theatre in the Studio production of "Anton in Show Business" will be presented Feb. 27 to March 15 in the MAC Studio Theatre. Tickets cost $10, $9 for senior citizens and patrons 17 and under. This Jane Martin comedy looks at the challenges of producing theater and explores how art sometimes takes a backseat to the business of mounting a play.
"The Careless Husband" by Colley Cibber will be presented in a Stage Works production April 3 to 12 in MAC Theatre 2. Tickets cost $12, $11 for senior citizens and patrons 17 and under. A Restoration comedy, "The Careless Husband" deals with a woman's effort to restore her husband's waning affections despite his unfaithful romps with women from all levels of society.
Student and Community Music
Student and community music groups include the 100-voice DuPage Chorale, which sings the finest in choral masterworks; Concert Choir, open to all singers interested in a variety of choral literature; and Chamber Singers, whose members are selected by audition.
Other groups include the Chamber Orchestra, which performs music of the Baroque and Classical periods; DuPage Community Concert Band, open to all musicians without audition; DuPage Community Jazz Ensemble, a 20-piece big band; Small Group Jazz, an instrumental ensemble that performs works from the first century of jazz history; Percussion Ensemble, which performs various exotic instruments; and Guitar Ensemble, a group dedicated to performing works by a variety of composers.
Following are performance dates and times for these groups:
Oct. 16: Several student performing ensembles will present a Student Music Concert, 8 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
Oct. 21: DuPage Community Concert Band, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
Oct. 26: DuPage Community Jazz Ensemble Dance, 1:30 p.m., Older Adult Institute, Building K, West Commons, $6.
Nov. 23: DuPage Community Jazz Ensemble, 3 p.m., Theatre 2, $4.
Dec. 2 and 4: Small Group Jazz, noon, Theatre 2, free.
Dec. 3: Percussion Ensemble, 7:30 p.m., Theatre 2, $4.
Dec. 4: Guitar Ensemble, 2:30 p.m., Theatre 2, free.
Dec. 4: Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
Dec. 9: DuPage Community Concert Band, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
Dec. 10: Chamber Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
March 8: DuPage Community Concert Band, 3 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
March 19: Student Music Concert, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
April 5: DuPage Community Jazz Ensemble, 3 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
April 28: Chamber Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
April 29: Guitar Ensemble, 2 p.m., Studio Theatre, free.
April 30: Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
May 5: DuPage Community Concert Band, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
May 7: Percussion Ensemble, 7:30 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
May 8: Student Jazz Showcase, 8 p.m., Mainstage, $4.
May 17: DuPage Community Jazz Ensemble Dance, 1:30 p.m., Older Adult Institute, Building K, West Commons, $6.
The MAC includes an 800-seat state-of-the-art Mainstage theater, a 200-seat Theatre 2, a Studio Theatre and the Gahlberg Art Gallery, serving the western suburbs and Chicago's metropolitan community.
Parking at the MAC is free. All artists and programs are subject to change.
The MAC is located at 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. For ticket information, call (630) 942-4000 or visit the MAC web site at www.atthemac.org.
Gahlberg Gallery: Works by Trevor Gainer
By David Hamilton
An exhibit by artist Trevor Gainer featuring a site-specific system of objects that includes video and everyday objects will be on display in the Gahlberg Gallery of the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage Aug. 28 through Oct. 4.
"Through task-oriented sculptural procedures, the exhibit investigates objects and their conditions of occurrence," the Chicago artist said. "The narrative behind the invention conjured into form, anxiety and desire as receipts."
An artist's reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, in the gallery, located at 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Admission is free and open to the public.
Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays; during Mainstage performance events; and by appointment. Admission is free. Free exhibition catalogs accompany the exhibit.
For more information, call the gallery at (630) 942-2321 or link to: www.cod.edu/gallery.htm.
College Theater Auditions
By David Hamilton
Auditions for student productions of "Cinzano and Smirnova's Birthday" by Ludmila Petrushevkaya, "The Foghorn" and "Pillar of Fire" by Ray Bradbury, and "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, and noon Saturday, Sept. 6, in the College of DuPage McAninch Arts Center (MAC) Studio Theatre, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn.
No experience is necessary.
"Cinzano and Smirnova's Birthday," which runs from Oct. 10 to 26 in the Studio Theatre, will be directed by Robert Bailey, Chicago actor and Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE) member.
"The Foghorn" and "Pillar of Fire" will run Nov. 7 to 16 in Theatre 2 and will be directed by William Smillie, also a Chicago actor and BTE member. "A Christmas Carol" will open Nov. 28 and close Dec. 2 in the Mainstage and will be directed by Amelia Barrett, assistant professor of Theater.
During the auditions, actors will perform readings from all three scripts. Improvisations will also be required of those auditioning for "Cinzano and Smirnova's Birthday."
Callbacks, if deemed necessary, will be held Sunday, Sept. 7. Cast lists will be posted Monday, Sept. 8.
For more information, call Connie Canaday Howard, the college's director of Theater, at (630) 942-2137.
Blind Boys of Alabama and Preservation Hall
By Jen Duda
Gospel Music Hall of Fame members The Blind Boys of Alabama and renowned musicians The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will present "Down by the Riverside" at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, kicking off the McAninch Arts Center's (MAC) 23rd season.
"Down by the Riverside," an unprecedented collaboration between the two groups, brings together the smooth vocal legends of gospel with the soulful sounds of New Orleans.
The Blind Boys of Alabama formed in 1939 when the five met at Alabama's Talladega Institute for the Blind. They found success performing traditional Gospel music, but more than 60 years later and well into their 70s, the Blind Boys' repertoire has grown more eclectic and global. The group has won four consecutive Grammy Awards and worked with a number of musical artists, including Peter Gabriel, Tom Waits, Prince and Ben Harper.
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band has been performing and touring around the world for more than 45 years. Formed in 1961 and named for Preservation Hall, a music venue in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter, the band has performed for many audiences, including those at Carnegie Hall, the Red Sea Jazz Festival and even the British Royal Family. Many of the band's charter members performed with such greats as Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton.
Tickets to the performance are $60 for adults, $58 for seniors and $50 for College of DuPage students and children age 17 and younger.
The Arts Center is located at 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn. To purchase tickets, call (630) 942-4000. Tickets also can be purchased at www.atthemac.org.
Burgess Gardner, Jazz Ensemble at The MAC Oct. 31
By Jen Duda
Trumpet virtuoso and composer Burgess Gardner will present an evening of music with the Arts Center Jazz Ensemble at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Campus, 425 Fawell Boulevard.
One of Chicago's most distinctive trumpet soloists, Gardner has played in the bands of County Basie, Horace Silver and Louis Bellson. He's also played behind several artists, including Nancy Wilson, Sammie Davis Jr., Etta James, Lou Rawls and Sarah Vaughn.
Gardner currently directs and plays with the 18-piece Burgess Gardner Orchestra through the Chicago area. The Arts Center Jazz Ensemble plays under music director Tom Tallman.
Tickets are $30 for adults, $28 for seniors and $20 for College of DuPage students and children age 17 and younger.
To purchase tickets, call the Arts Center at (630) 942-4000 or visit: www.atthemac.org.
DuPage Chorale 2008-2009 Season
By David Hamilton
DuPage Chorale, a large community chorus based at College of DuPage, will open its 2008-2009 season with Handel's "Messiah" and Haydn's "Creation Mass" at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, in the college's McAninch Arts Center (MAC) Mainstage.
Lee Kesselman has been music director of the DuPage Chorale since 1981. He also leads the New Classic Singers and serves as director of Choral Activities at College of DuPage.
Joining the Chorale for the Dec. 7 concert will be guest soloists Lindsay Kesselmen, soprano; Jenn Johnson, alto; Peter Sovitzky, tenor; and Peter Van de Graaf, bass.
"The December concert will pay tribute to two of the greatest composers in Western music history, Franz Josef Haydn and George Frideric Handel," Kesselman said. "Haydn wrote six large-scale Mass settings near the end of his life. They are the culmination of his creative genius. The 'Creation Mass' is the only one that DuPage Chorale has never performed under my baton. We look forward to completing the cycle.
"Handel's 'Messiah' is one of the most beloved works in all of music. We'll be performing Part I, which contains many of the most familiar selections. It's an example of a piece of music that everyone looks forward to hearing and singing."
The Chorale's second season concert will be "Duke Ellington: The Sacred Concerts" with the Arts Center Jazz Ensemble and director Tom Tallman at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 26, in the MAC Mainstage.
Tickets to either concert are $16, $14 for senior citizens, and $6 for C.O.D. students and patrons 17 and under.
The MAC is located at 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. For more information, call the MAC ticket office at (630) 942-4000.
