It's back, and it is once again causing hilarious conversations in our administrative offices.
What am I talking about? Menopause, of course!
Menopause: The Musical, that is.
The hilarious hit makes its triumphant return to Sangamon Auditorium tonight and tomorrow. This show's turnout never ceases to amaze me. Though I haven't hit the age mark personally, I can understand how there is a real communal experience of being in an audience of those who understand what they're seeing on stage PERSONALLY, or through the eyes of someone they love and who is likely sitting right next to them.
If you've missed it in its inaugural presentation in Springfield two years ago, you will want to check it out. Especially if you know anything about the "CH-CH-Change of life."
Last Sunday was a magical day in Springfield with the men's vocal ensemble Chanticleer.
That afternoon, 53 singers from the Springfield Choral Society, under the direction of Marion van der Loo, participated in a Master Class taught by Jace Wittig, music director of Chanticleer. The Choral Society is preparing for their upcoming concert of Rachmaninoff's "All Night Vigil" on April 27 and were able to present a few of the movements from the piece to Mr. Wittig and work with him to refine their singing of it.
Chanticleer music director Jace Wittig works with the Springfield Choral Society.
Mr. Wittig was quite familiar with the selections, and it was interesting to me to take in how much of what he had to offer the group had to do with understanding the nuances of meaning of the Russian lyrics and understanding the context in which this piece was written. It brought such a wonderfully human element to the music that, I believe, sometimes gets lost in singers' desire to achieve musicality in details related to more traditionally-discussed elements such as tone, tuning, and dynamics. Mr. Wittig disclosed that much of Chanticleer's own rehearsal time is devoted to these similar discussions of lyrics and composer intent.
The concert that evening by Chanticleer was magical. Because Chanticleer sings without a conductor, each of the twelve individual singers must coordinate their efforts brilliantly. The piece that ended the first half of the concert, Canticum calamitatis maritimae, was especially mesmerizing and solidified for me many of the important elements that had been discussed at the afternoon Master Class. Through whispering and sighing, in addition to more musical passages that invoked a Siren's call to men at sea, this piece created something of an audio work of art - I'd almost go so far as to call it an audio "painting" - that left one of the most lasting impressions of the performing arts season for me.
How old should your child be before you start bringing him to arts events? As a lover of the arts and the parent of a toddler, my first inclination is to declare that if your child is old enough to hold his head up, he's old enough to be at an arts event! But upon deeper reflection, I realize there are many factors to take into consideration.
3-Legged Tale, coming up April 22 on the UIS Family Series
What kind of arts event is it? Will there be enough color, light and sound to hold his attention? I brought my then-six-month-old to a performance of Drumlineand the heavy beat, rhythmic movement, and creative lighting held his attention beautifully. Conversely, he did not fare as well a year later at a holiday-themed acoustic performance by Boston Brass.
How loud will it be? If it is going to be especially loud, please get some child-sized noise-canceling headphones to protect your child's hearing. My son loves wearing his (whenever he comes across them at home, he wears them around his playroom for an hour or more). If it is going to be especially quiet, consider if your child might need to talk to you during the performance and how that might negatively impact the other patrons around you. I have generally found that mid- to louder-sounding events minimize my son's distraction to other patrons. His questions and fidgeting have not been distracting at blues events and classic Broadway musicals, especially those that have music and color throughout, like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Where will you be seated? If you have concerns about your child being distracting to other patrons, is there a place you can be seated that can limit your child's ability to be distracting? Some theaters have "cry rooms" where parents and children can see and hear the performance acoustically separated from other patrons, when necessary. When this is not available, purchasing an aisle seat best enables a quick exit if your child becomes problematic.
How long will the performance be? Most venues can let you know the length of the performance in advance of the event. If there will be an intermission, would you feel comfortable enjoying just half of the show with your child before leaving? I have done this many times, and the long-term result is that it doesn't diminish mine or my son's experience; the shorter length is usually just perfect for him.
Do I have to pay full-price for my child's ticket, or do I need a ticket at all if they will sit on my lap? Ask! Most theaters have a specific policies in place. At Sangamon Auditorium, we require everyone to have an actual ticket, but "infant passes" do not cost anything; these tickets are for children under age 2 who will sit in an adult's lap. Child/youth tickets at our venue apply to anyone high school or younger and are usually discounted 50% (some events are restricted, however).
Will there be other children in the audience? Sangamon Auditorium is pleased to offer the UIS Family Series and there are always plenty of children and families on hand! Not only are the events selected for families with very young children, but many of the events actually encourage audience participation in the form of "oooohs" and "ahhhhs" and other shout-outs from young patrons. You will not feel out-of-place with your infant or toddler in this audience! I hope you will consider joining us for our next Family Series event, the Earth Day-themed 3-Legged Tale on Monday, April 22!
Coming up on April 14 at Sangamon Auditorium, UIS is the outstanding male vocal ensemble Chanticleer. It has been ten years since we saw Chanticleer on our stage and that's much too long to wait! While they are known for classical fare also, it's difficult to resist posting a pop gem like this when writing about their work:
In addition to the concert at 7 p.m., Chanticleer's music director, Jace Wittig, will conduct a master class with the Springfield Choral Society that afternoon as they prepare for their upcoming concert of Rachmaninoff's "All Night Vigil." We are so pleased to bring artists to our community who can, on occasion, advise, inspire, and even collaborate with local artists. It is an important part of our role on campus and in the community.
Sangamon Auditorium is proud to serve as a multi-use venue for important community events. In some cases, this means hosting non-arts events such as commencements, inaugurations of elected officials, and even a conference by a regional food company (that event has included samples of food at booths in the lobby...always a tasty day!)
But this week, we are pleased to host the Illinois High School Association State Finals for Drama and Group Interpretation. It is especially exciting to see high school students from around the state descend upon the Public Affairs Center for performances in the drama (fully-produced with sets and costumes, in Sangamon Auditorium) and group interpretation (less fully-produced, in the Studio Theatre) for this state finals in these drama events.
Most of the attendees at these events are the other high school participants and their parents, but the public is welcome to attend, free of charge. These are some of the most exciting plays produced by high schools across the state. Having watched a few over the seven years Sangamon Auditorium has hosted the event, I encourage you to check it out. Events run all day and into the evening on Friday, March 22 and for the first part of the day on Saturday, March 23. Check the schedule to see if there are particular productions that might interest you personally!
I have had the fortune to be present at several of our more recent UIS Kitchen Sink series events in the UIS Studio Theatre. While the Kitchen Sink series includes a broad range of performing artists, the two most recent events I've attended - concerts by Time for Three and The Good Lovelies - boasted at least two commonalities: both artists covered Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" as their encore and both talked about how great they thought it was to be involved in a series coined "Kitchen Sink". Yes, the series name is meant to imply that we try to include a broad range of performances (as in, "everything and the...") and it is also meant to imply that the events have the intimacy of being gathered around a kitchen sink, discussing anything and everything you care about.
We have just made special arrangements with Janis Ian and Livingston Taylor to move their performance, coming up on Saturday, March 16, to the Studio Theatre. This space, just below Sangamon Auditorium, will enable the most intimate experience between the solo artists and the audience. While I am somewhat inclined to say that it will be a rarity to see artists of this caliber in such an intimate space, given the caliber of some of our recent Kitchen Sink artists, that rarity hardly stands. What I suppose is really unique is seeing TWO artists of caliber in an intimate evening like this. Here's what you can expect:
Livingston Taylor has been a force on the folk music scene for over 30 years. He has toured and collaborated with major artists such as Linda Ronstadt and Fleetwood Mac and has over a dozen albums to his credit.
With hit songs like "At Seventeen" and "Society's Child," Janis Ian is one of folk music's living legends. A prolific songwriter, she is known for her warm, intimate live shows.
Janis Ian also recently won a Grammy for narration of the audio book of her autobiography, Society's Child, in a category up against Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama. It is this kind of exciting exchange that she will bring to UIS on Saturday evening for a beautifully intimate Studio Theatre audience. Check our website for ticking information.
A time or two a year, I get the opportunity to travel on behalf of the Auditorium and attend conference events. Sometimes these conferences permit me the opportunity to preview artists and events that we might be able to bring to UIS. On a couple of different occasions, I have been able to see The Good Lovelies. Most recently, just this past January, I whipped my iPhone out to capture a few seconds of their lovely harmonies on "The Chipmunk Song", which you can be sure is something of a departure from their usual fare of song choices.
Each time I've listened to their music, in recordings, but especially live, I get fascinated with those harmonies and the upbeat peacefulness of their folk style. I think it's impossible to not feel good after just a few minutes of that sound! The musical group is aptly named, not because they are physically lovely (make no mistake - they are all unfailingly cute), but because the whole experience, onstage banter and all, is positively...lovely!
And now they're coming to UIS. They're the next event on the intimate and eclectic UIS Kitchen Sink series. Join us this Saturday at 8 p.m. for those fantastic harmonies and the charming instrument-swapping event that is The Good Lovelies. Click her for more information and to purchase tickets.
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