Guest Artist Series 2010-2011
Center for Arts and Performance · 8815 W. Wisconsin Ave
Seating locations are found on the Seating diagram for the Schwan Concert Hall.
Click on event title below for more information.
At this time you may purchase the complete Classic Series, Encore Series, Family Series, Organ Masters Series, Keyboard Conversations Series, or Choose Your Own Series. You may also order tickets to Christmas with the O'Neill Brothers on December 18 in combination with one of the above series. Individual event tickets go on sale on July 15.
All ticket prices are in this order: Adult/Discount/Student. Discount price applies to seniors 65 and older and Friends of the Arts donors. Student price applies to all students, elementary through college. Ticket prices include tax. $4 service fee is added to all orders.
Download and print the Complete Brochure (.pdf 7.7 MB) | Ticket Order Form (.pdf)
Ticket links and Audio/Video Samples links will open in a new window.
Welcome Letter | Friends of the Arts
Sponsored by
Guest Artist Series 2010-2011
Individual event tickets go on sale on July 15.
Straighten Up and Fly Right: A Nat King Cole Tribute – Encore Series
Friday, September 17, 2010 – 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Pre-Show Dinner Option – 6:30 p.m.
A one-of-a-kind production, Straighten Up and Fly Right explores the genius of this unique entertainer and a hit-filled career spanning the decades from 1939 to 1962. Not only does this thoroughly researched production with its meticulous arrangements accurately convey the sound and style of Nat King Cole The show stars award-winning vocalist Maurice Jacox, supported with a musical ensemble that recreates the full spectrum of Cole's group sound, from jazz trio to big band, treating the audience to many beloved hits like Route 66, Ramblin' Rose, Unforgettable, and many more. The show will feature a special 2 p.m. matinee as well as an evening performance. straighten-up-and-fly-right.com
Video Sample (YouTube)
Daniel Sullivan – Organ Masters Series
Sunday, September 19, 2010 – 3 p.m.
Pre-Concert Lecture – 1:30 p.m.
American organist Daniel Sullivan has developed a wide-ranging career as a performer and teacher. He has been a featured soloist at New York City's Basically Bach Festival. In 2008-2009, Mr. Sullivan was appointed to the faculty of Juilliard to design and teach an organ literature class. Sullivan has earned degrees from Oberlin Conservatory, Yale University, and the Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School, where he is completing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree. His teachers have included Paul Jacobs, Thomas Murray, and Haskell Thomson. Mr. Sullivan currently resides in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and serves as an instructor at Immanuel College and as organist at Messiah Lutheran Church. danielsullivanorgan.com
Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra – Classic Series
Friday, September 24, 2010 – 8 p.m.
The Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra from Vienna is a highly sought-after Viennese chamber orchestra. The group consists of renowned musicians from all of Vienna's most important orchestras. The members of the orchestra are young, dedicated and artistically highly qualified musicians, having previously played in well-known concert halls throughout Austria. Since its inception in 1994, the orchestra has attached great importance to Viennese-style interpretation of the pieces it plays. The orchestra excels in interpreting the works of Strauss and other Viennese composers with a subtle and individual touch, always adding that "Viennese" note. imagevienna.com
Video Sample (YouTube)
Rick Hubbard Kazoo Show – Family Series
Sunday, September 26, 2010 – 3 p.m.
Rick Hubbard celebrates more than a decade of providing positive family entertainment throughout the United States, and every moment has been KAZOOBIE! Rick invented the word "kazoobie" to describe his performance. It means "exceptional, fun, involving everyone." Audience involvement is the key, and no entertainer in America gets more audience members into the show than Rick Hubbard. Rick performs his popular original songs on guitar, banjo, steel drum, and other exotic instruments, while kids are invited to participate on stage -- dancing, singing, shaking maracas, or playing inflatable guitars! Every song is an opportunity for participation in a show that is a fun and positive experience for the whole family! kazoobie.com
Video Sample (YouTube)
An evening with Rachel York – Encore Series
Friday, October 22, 2010 – 8 p.m.
Rachel York is a dynamic and versatile actress, singer, dancer, and comedienne. She is best known for her critically acclaimed Broadway performances in City of Angels, Les Misérables, Victor/Victoria (Drama Desk Award), The Scarlet Pimpernel, Sly Fox, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and many others. Rachel also turned heads on television with her courageous portrayal of Lucille Ball in the CBS movie, Lucy. Most recently she thrilled audiences and critics alike in the world premiere of The 101 Dalmatians Musical creating the role of the notorious dog-napping villainess extraordinaire, Cruella DeVil. rachelyork.net
Video Sample (YouTube)
Bella Hristova – Classic Series
Friday, October 29, 2010 – 8 p.m.
Born in Pleven, Bulgaria in 1985, Violinist Bella Hristova began violin studies at the age of six. She has appeared as soloist with symphony orchestras in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Indiana. During the 2009-10 season, Ms. Hristova performed Bach’s Concerto for Three Violins with the celebrated violinists Cho-Liang Lin and Kyoko Takezawa as guest artist with the New York String Orchestra. "Hristova plays with passion from the very first note ... Every sound she draws from her 1655 Amati is superb. By the time she had reached the final bars, everyone has become entranced by her playing." -- The Strad. yca.org/hristova
Video Sample (YouTube)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – Family Series
Children’s Costume Contest – 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 31, 2010 – 3 p.m.
It’s a Halloween Special! Join Ichabod Crane, Brom Bones, the lovely Katrina Van Tassel, the residents of Tarry Town, and oh yes, the Headless Horseman, in the story made famous by the legend. This classic is faithful to the original story written by Washington Irving in 1819 and will thrill and perhaps chill (but not too scary for young children) your family. No Halloween is complete without the telling of stories and the retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one story you won't want to miss. There will be a contest for all children who come to the show in costume. theatreiv.org
Intersection – Classic Series
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 – 7:30 p.m.
Soulful expression, instrumental virtuosity, and playful banter are the hallmarks of an Intersection event. The realms of classical and popular music are seamlessly dovetailed.
The typical Intersection program is an irresistible blend of classical, jazz, Latin, Broadway/film music, vital new commissions, and the group's own original compositions and arrangements.
With its versatility, its engaging stage manner, and its unique mixing of trio, duo and solo formats, Intersection has won a large and avid international fan base. Ranging from a Piazzolla tango to a West Side Story melody to a Mendelssohn scherzo, an evening spent with Intersection is an unforgettable one for any audience member. intersectiontrio.com
Video Sample (YouTube)
A Christmas Carol – Family Series
Sunday, December 12, 2010 – 3 p.m.
One of the best loved holiday stories of all time, TheatreIV’s adaptation of the Dickens' classic is particularly suited to children and families. All the joy, sentiment and meaning are here, with the familiar and well-loved characters of Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come, and of course, Tiny Tim. A Christmas Carol captures both the humorous and touching moments of the classic story, conveying Dickens' original message that the holiday season should be a "kind, forgiving, charitable time," a sentiment which still rings true today. theatreiv.org
Christmas with the O’Neill Brothers – Special Holiday Event
Saturday, December 18, 2010 – 8 p.m.
Pre-Show Dinner Option – 6 p.m.
The O'Neill Brothers have released over 30 CDs of beautiful instrumental piano music, and sold almost two million copies. Along the way, they’ve written and performed music for HBO, NBC, PBS, ESPN, and CBS. Their Christmas show will feature many of your holiday favorites and will include a number of special surprises including Katie McMahon, the original voice of Riverdance. Publications such as the Los Angeles Times, Parenting Magazine, Mpls./St. Paul Magazine, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune concur, describing The O'Neill Brothers' music as "reflective, soothing and stimulating" with rave reviews about their "keyboard artistry." pianobrothers.com
Video Sample
RED: A Tribute by Tom Mullica – Encore Series
Friday, January 28, 2011 – 8 p.m.
Don’t miss the ONLY Red Skelton Tribute show in America authorized by the Red Skelton Estate and Lothian Skelton! If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Red Skelton would be indeed flattered by the work of Tom Mullica. Mullica, a celebrated entertainer in his own right, appears daily at The Mansion Theatre in Branson in what critics have described as "the funniest and most successful tribute show in America." Acclaimed as one of the world's greatest comedy magicians, Tom Mullica, has performed all over the world and continues to confuse and amuse audiences wherever he goes. RED is a tribute show that transports audiences into a virtual Red Skelton performance featuring his most memorably hilarious and equally touching routines. tommullica.com
Video Sample (YouTube)
Naoko Takada – Classic Series
Friday, February 4, 2011 – 8 p.m.
Marimbist Naoko Takada is renowned for her wide range of repertoire, from Bach to Piazzolla. Born in Tokyo, Ms. Takada began marimba lessons at the age of eight. She first appeared as soloist with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Philharmonic at the age of 11. Takada has released her first CD, Marimba Meets the Classics, produced by Japan Victor Entertainment, Inc. According to The Washington Post, "Naoko Takada plays a thrilling marimba, moving with speed, grace, and extraordinary accuracy. If you have any doubts that a solo mallet instrument can sustain your attention throughout an entire concert, Takada will make you change your mind." yca.org/takada
Video Sample (YouTube)
Melissa Plamann – Organ Masters Series
Sunday, February 20, 2011 – 3 p.m.
Pre-Concert Lecture – 1:30 p.m.
Melissa Plamann is an accomplished organist with an exciting career as an organist. She has earned several degrees in organ performance with a bachelor's degree from Valparaiso University and a Master of Music degree from Emory University under the direction of renown American organist Dr. Timothy Albrecht. Plamann completed her Doctor of Music degree in organ performance at Indiana University. She has performed throughout the United States and Europe, and has taught courses in organ literature and church music at both Indiana University and Emory University. Ms. Plamann continues to concertize regularly and is currently the Director of Music at a church in Franklin, Indiana. melissaplamann.com
Take Me Home: The Music of John Denver - Starring Jim Curry – Encore Series
Friday, February 25, 2011 – 8 p.m.
Pre-Show Dinner Option – 6:30 p.m.
The untimely death of John Denver in 1997 was a tragedy that was felt the world over. Such a void in the musical world left John's ardent fans demanding that his music survive. CBS television responded by producing a made for TV movie: "Take Me Home: the John Denver Story," in which Jim Curry's voice was selected as the voice of John Denver. True, Jim Curry's natural voice has to be heard, but he also has to be seen to understand the pleasant coincidence that captures the natural essence of John Denver's persona and music. Curry's heartfelt delivery envelops the crowd with multi-platinum hits such as "Rocky Mountain High," "Annie's Song" and "Country Roads.";jimcurrymusic.com
Video Sample
Jose Franch-Ballester – Classic Series
Friday, March 11, 2011 – 8 p.m.
A native of Moncofa (Valencia, Spain) Jose Franch-Ballester, is one of the most promising clarinetists of his generation. In 2008, he received the highly coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant, and in 2007 he was one of a handful of participants selected for a Carnegie Hall Professional Training Workshop with Emmanuel Ax and Richard Stoltzman. He has been named one of the year's "most prominent emerging soloists", as selected by the American Symphony League Magazine. The New York Times raves, "He is a natural onstage… playing with technical wizardry and tireless enthusiasm," and the New York Sun adds, "… sweetly nostalgic, breathily passionate, and busily humorous…” josefranchballester.com
Video Sample (YouTube)
Cirque Voila! – Family Series
Sunday, March 13, 2011 – 3 p.m.
Cirque Voila! presents the core of what circus has always been about; extraordinary people doing amazing things. Cirque Voila is pure circus wrapped up in a comedy confection. You may ask, "So how is this different from Cirque du Soleil?" The answer is that, at their core, there is no difference. They make audiences laugh, cry, and drop their jaws in amazement. You will stare in utter disbelief at the contortion, juggling and acrobatics, and be mesmerized with the beautiful aerial performances. Cirque Voila is a group of circus performers dedicated to excellence, comedy and doing the impossible right there in your lap, in a live theatre. cirquevoila.com
Video Sample (YouTube)
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – Family Series
Sunday, March 27, 2011 – 3 p.m.
This enchanting musical is based on C.S. Lewis' adventure story about four children of war-torn England, who accidentally enter the land of Narnia by climbing through a magic wardrobe. This strange and wondrous place is ruled by the cold-hearted White Witch, who makes the winter last all year round. Although they seem unlikely saviors, the children fulfill an ancient prophecy by defeating the witch, thus restoring sunshine and peace to the spell-bound Narnia and returning the great Lion King Aslan to his throne. www.theatreworksusa.org
Club Swing – Encore Series
Friday, April 1, 2011 – 8 p.m.
Pre-Show Dinner Option – 6:30 p.m.
A long forgotten neon sign flares to life illuminating palm trees and the art deco bar magically restoring Club Swing to her former splendor. From the frenetic-paced opening of Benny Goodman's "Bugle Call Rag" to the show's blockbuster finale of Louis Prima's "Sing, Sing, Sing," Club Swing celebrates the songs, events and personalities that defined American popular culture during the Swing era. Whether performing their seductive arrangement of Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine,” the madcap parody of Spike Jones' "Cocktails for Two," or the lush romance of Nat King Cole's "Mona Lisa," Five By Design enchants audiences by deftly blending music and theatrics effortlessly. So check your coat and grab a seat for a night of unparalleled delight at the fabulous Club Swing! fivebydesign.com/ClubSwing.html
Video Sample
Jeffrey Siegel – Keyboard Conversations® Series
American pianist Jeffrey Siegel enjoys a flourishing career and has appeared with every major American orchestra as well as in the leading music capitals of the world. His enthusiasm is contagious, his credentials are world-class, and his virtuosity is astounding. Join Jeffrey for a season full of informative and entertaining Keyboard Conversations®, four full concerts with the stories behind the music's creation. These experiences begin with an insightful and entertaining prologue on the music and its composer, are followed by a full performance of the works, and end with a lively question and answer session. keyboardconversations.com | Video Sample (WMV)
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 7:30 p.m.
THE ROMANTIC MUSIC OF ROBERT SCHUMANN: FANTASIES FORBIDDEN AND FULFILLED
The program includes the love inspired Fantasies Opus 12 and the stunning, virtuoso Symphonic Etudes Opus 13 - or "Variations on a Theme of a false Father-in Law! buy tickets
Wednesday, December 15, 2010 7:30 p.m.
THREE GREAT B's: BACH, BEETHOVEN, AND BARBER!
The program includes the dynamic Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue of JS Bach, Beethoven's towering "Appassionata" Sonata and the magnificent music of Samuel Barber, the great American composer whose 100th birthday we celebrate in 2010. buy tickets
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 7:30 p.m.
NORTHERN STARS: BRAHMS, GRIEG, SIBELIUS, AND NIELSEN
Glorious music from the far north. Program includes Rhapsodies and Intermezzi of Brahms, Lyric Pieces and Norwegian Dances of Grieg, and charming, deeply expressive short pieces of Jean Sibelius and the Danish master Carl Nielsen. buy tickets
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 7:30 p.m.
PARIS 1911! A CENTURY CELEBRATION!
Enduring masterpieces composed exactly one century ago! Ravel's Noble and Sentimental Waltzes, exotic Preludes of Debussy and Faure, humorous short pieces of Eric Satie, and Stravinsky's colorful Petrouchka. buy tickets