No rest for the weary!

What a busy couple of weeks it has been at Sangamon Auditorium, UIS!  From time to time, I believe it is valuable to touch base about all the great stuff that happens in the course of only a few days.  Here's that listing for the current two weeks in progress:

Monday, January 28 - Schoolchildren in grades 3 through 6 were treated to performances by Kim and Reggie Harris, "Music and the Underground Railroad."  This small Studio Theatre performance on our Class Acts series gave students an up-close-and-personal look at the code songs used in the pre-Civil War days of slavery.  Did you know the popular hymn "Let Us Break Bread Together" was a code song for the Underground Railroad?  Neither did I!

Tuesday, January 29 - We hosted another school performance of "Music and the Underground Railroad," plus an after-school teacher's workshop led by Kim and Reggie.  This event was part of our Partners in Education program, a partnership between Sangamon Auditorium, Springfield Public Schools, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Saturday, February 2 - The Fabulous Thunderbirds took to the stage as the house band along with guests Kim Wilson, Tinsley Ellis, Bob Margolin, and James Cotton for Blues at the Crossroads 2: Muddy and the Wolf, a blues tribute to Chicago blues greats Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.  It was a fantastic showing of blues!

Sunday, February 3 - The first event in this season's UIS Family Series, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn took to the stage to the delight of families of all ages (but mostly with students a little older than attend our standard family fare, like our upcoming The Ugly Duckling and the Tortoise and the Hare).  It was a great Black History Month kick-off and a unique adaptation of Twain's classic.  

Monday, February 4 - Junior high and high school students enjoyed their own showing of Huck Finn on the Class Acts series.  

And coming up later this week...

Thursday, February 7 - Upper elementary school students will travel back to the pioneer days with Laura Ingalls Wilder on the Class Acts series.

Friday, February 8 - Music and arts specialist teachers from Springfield Public Schools and from across central Illinois will participate in a professional development session, Assessment in the Arts, led by Kennedy Center teacher-trainer Deb Brzoska.  This is another session in our Partners in Education program.

All the while, we continue to plan ahead, laying the groundwork for future projects that will happen months and even years from now.  It's an exciting time.  It always is.