I had the pleasure of seeing The Elephant Wrestler at a conference a year ago and am very much looking forward to having it in the Studio Theatre on February 3.

I always say that I love theatre because of the way it sheds light on the condition of being human; this piece is a funny, moving, surprising example of that. Check out the sneak peak for more and please consider joining us.

Tickets start at just $25. I promise you'll be glad you took a risk on this unique experience.  Buy online or call the Ticket Office at 217.206.6160.

STOMP returns to Sangamon Auditorium

On Monday, January 26, we're pleased to have the longtime audience favorite STOMP return to Sangamon Auditorium.  STOMP is such a great event for audiences of all ages.  Tickets for students high school age and younger are

STOMP appears at Sangamon Auditorium Monday, January 26 at 7:30 PM

I have a theory that STOMP has thrived for so long because it really is such a great gateway show for audience members who may not necessarily think they are the "type" who attends live events.  The show makes great "wow" moments out of everyday people and things, proving that *nothing* is "everyday."

The show also communicates effectively across language barriers, as no words are used, but instead the performers use objects and movements to communicate ideas.  It is a show for which it is thrilling to be in the audience, having a communal experience with everyone else in the room as you laugh and gasp at the same moments...again, with no words ever being spoken.

Past STOMP audiences should be pleased to know that while the show is mostly the show you remember from the past, some sections of the show have been updated and restructured and two new full-scale routines, utilizing props including tractor tire inner tubes and paint cans.

Come join us!  Tickets are still available (but moving quickly) at our website and at 217.206.6160.

Reflecting back and imagining the future

As each New Year dawns, I take the opportunity to reflect on the past and imagine the future.  Such is my lifelong habit regarding New Years.  But in very recent years, a lot of that reflection hinges upon the arts experiences I have had in the past year and will have in the year to come.  I wrote about this at length last January.  (Go ahead...please read it!) 

I remember that when my mother turned 50, she declared that she wanted to see more live arts events.  Year after year since then, she's made it happen.  She's seen a wider range of events than what she experienced prior to age 50, and I hope that range continues to widen for her.  

As a bona fide list-making geek, I keep track of the live events I see each year.  I get excited about seeing the annual number grow, as it did in 2014 (albeit by just a few, but still!)  But also, I get excited to consider the range of events I experienced.  Music.  Dance. Theatre.  Older styles.  New styles.  Amateurs.  Professionals.  Living legends.  New works.  Classics.  Reinterpretations.  Was I the oldest or youngest member of the audience, or something in between?  How many venues did I set foot in?  How many cities did I travel to in order to experience live performance?  

And then there's the question of what impact those performances had on me.  Some of that impact can't yet be measured.  It will take years to know the full impact.  

I look forward to 2015 and what the year's end list will look like for me.  I hope you look forward to your year-end list as well.  And I hope you'll get out and be a part of the arts by being a part of the audience this year.