Monday, December 16, 2013

Give the gift of live entertainment this season

Give the gift of live entertainment this holiday season! 
As you consider your holiday gift lists this week, remember Sangamon Auditorium and our fantastic lineup for spring 2014.  Gift certificates of any dollar amount are always available for purchase.  Stocking stuffer tickets for our January 24 Family Series event, Junie B. Jones are a great choice for families with elementary school-aged students.  And don't forget our seven performances of Jersey Boys, coming up March 4-8, 2014!

For Jersey Boys, we are pleased to be able to offer sales of a holiday voucher, redeemable for any performance of Jersey Boys.  This option permits the giver the flexibility to not need to check the personal schedule of the recipient in order to give this gift.  Consider this option for all those hard-to-buy-for folks on your list; Jersey Boys is just "too good to be true," after all!

To purchase tickets or gift certificates, visit our website or call the Ticket Office at 217.206.6160.  All purchases made prior to 2 p.m. on Friday, December 20 will be delivered in time for Christmas.  The Ticket Office will be closed from December 21 through January 1, but online purchases can still be made during this time.

Happy Holidays!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Return of holiday favorites

In the next few days, Sangamon Auditorium is bursting with holiday cheer!  You can come visit us for a family favorite this weekend, the Springfield Ballet Company's annual production of The Nutcracker.  Performances are Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
On Monday evening, December 16 at 7:30 p.m., we will welcome back Mannheim Steamroller Christmas to our Visiting Artist series.  Tickets are selling fast, so be sure to secure yours today by calling 217.206.6160 or visiting our website.

Just prior to the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas concert, we will host a reception for Friends of Sangamon Auditorium.  If you are a Friend and have not received an invitation to the reception, please call the ticket office for details.  If you would like to become a Friend, you may call the ticket office to do so and join us for the reception.  We are so grateful for the donor support of this membership program that enables our community to enjoy a wide range of quality performing arts programming.  Thank you for your support in 2013 and we look forward to a busy 2014!

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Stride pianist and jazz enthusiast Judy Carmichael

This weekend, we welcome stride pianist Judy Carmichael, whose public radio program, Jazz Inspired, brings jazz front-and-center as an inspiration to artists of all stripes.

Interestingly, Judy has family ties to Springfield.  Her paternal grandfather, Albert Edward Hohenstein, was from Springfield.  He offered all of his grandchildren $50 for the first one who learned his favorite rag, “Maple Leaf Rag.”  Judy learned it and got the prize.  Obviously a very critical piece to young Judy’s development as a stride pianist!

Stride pianist Judy Carmichael
Since 1980, Carmichael has released a number of solo recordings — often playing music from the American songbook with compositions by Hoagy Carmichael, Fats Waller, Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin and Duke Ellington. Her album "Two Handed Stride" received a Grammy Award nomination.

Following Friday's concert in the UIS Studio Theatre, the audience is invited to a dessert reception hosted by Carmichael's aunt, Jo Alessandrini, and Jo's husband Guerry Suggs.  For more information and tickets, visit our website.