“High-energy, contemplative, unexpected, reverent, inspiring, and esteemed—on the heels of its 45th anniversary celebration, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts presents the 2014-15 season. Artful encounters that cross genres and uplifting discoveries that span generations await all in the vibrant season of performances that lie ahead.”
Thus begins the enthusiastic announcement of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts’ 46th Season, and if Bridget Lee-Calfas’ high energy presence is any indication, this season is going to be a knock-out! I sat down with Ms. Lee-Calfas, the Advertising and Publicity Director for KCPA, to discuss the particulars of the upcoming season, and her enthusiasm and excitement were indeed contagious. When asked to describe the focus of the season, Lee-Calfas stated, “The concept this coming season is a broad swath of performance types and genres” to reach as many audience members as possible with the arts.
A cursory look at the offerings certainly guarantees something for everyone. As the announcement indicates:
“The Opening Night Party will sizzle with excitement as Mariachi Sol De México, Tiempo Libre, and Samba Soul fill the lobby with hot Latin sounds. Big names like Renée Fleming, Cassandra Wilson, Rosanne Cash, and Wynton Marsalis are sure to thrill. A trio of performances in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I will let history reverberate while commissioning projects with Gil Shaham, Ragamala Dance, and Mark Morris Dance Group will propel the future of the arts. Exciting classical repertoire will ring anew in the Foellinger Great Hall as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Jupiter String Quartet, and the young artists of the Salon Series — Emerging Artistry take to the stage. Families and audiences of all ages will relish the exuberance of Circus Oz and the National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China and there’s sure to be thunderous applause when KODO leads the lineup of artists for the March 14 Day of the Drum. The new season is chock full of diverse artists, consistent excellence, and uncommon creativity across a multiplicity of genres and from throughout the globe.”
As we spoke, Lee-Calfas discussed the highlights of the above listings, among them a multi-discipline tribute to a momentous historical era. The 100th Anniversary of World War I will be commemorated with the St. Louis Symphony’s September performance of music from the era before World War was a reality. In addition to this, the U of I Theatre Department will mount the musical Oh What a Lovely War in November, and Cantus and Theatre Latte’ Da will perform an evening of seasonal offerings in December entitled, “All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914.” This performance will recall the seasonal truce where the troops were allowed a cease-fire for celebration of the holidays and to acknowledge one another’s humanity. In March, Kronos Quartet will perform Beyond Zero: 1914-1918, a WWI-themed work which promises a reimagining of sorts of the musical expectations of string quartets. As member David Harrington tells us on the Quartet’s website, “I’ve always wanted the string quartet to be vital, and energetic, and alive, and cool, and not afraid to kick ass and be absolutely beautiful and ugly if it has to be. But it has to be expressive of life. To tell the story with grace and humor and depth. And to tell the whole story, if possible.”
Lee-Calfas also noted that the season will highlight the work of popular professional artists, including Roseanne Cash’s September performance from her new album The River & the Thread, a very personal work inspired by a road trip Cash took South to deal with some family property. In October, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will make their third appearance in as many years, a treat that has, until recently, been offered only every three years. Also in October, Todd Ellison and Friends — he is the composer of Spamalot — will perform Broadway Smash. Opera soprano Renee’ Fleming (pictued, left), who recently sang the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl, will perform in concert in February. In March, Cassandra Wilson will perform Coming Forth by Day: A Celebration of Billie Holiday. Then Dean Martin’s daughter, Deanna Martin, will celebrate her father and the rest of the Rat Pack in concert in April.
Those looking for a more adventurous experience will also find plenty to enjoy this season according to Lee-Calfas. In September, Susan Marshall and Company will perform a dance and multi-media meditation on the YouTube generation entitled Play/Pause; Isango Ensemble will perform a South-African influenced rendition of The Magic Flute (Impende Yomlingo) in October; the acrobatic Circus Oz will join us from Down Under for a production of their cheeky circus act But Wait…There’s More in February, then, also in that month, audiences can experience the fun of a real speakeasy environment in The Hot Sardines’ Speakeasy Nights in the Playhouse. In March, American-born German performer Cameron Carpenter will perform an organ concert which boasts both the showmanship of a modern Liberace and the unique sounds of an electronic organ created especially for this unique tour.
Rounding out the unique experiences are three commissioned works: Ragamala Dance with Rudresh Mahanthappa performing Songs of Jasmine in January; Gil Shaham: The Bach Project in April; and the Mark Morris Dance Troupe’s performance of Acis and Galatea in May, which boasts costuming by Isaac Mizrahi.
The University programs are also featured with productions of the contemporary play Polaroid Stories, as well as several time-tested classics. Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, John Ford’s tragedy ‘Tis a Pity She’s a Whore, and Tennessee Williams’ Not About Nightingales will represent the dramatic side of the spectrum, while the ever-popular musical Into the Woods (cleverly timed so near to the new big-budget film version) will be sure to draw crowds.
A mixture of local and international talent and University and special events promise to create an exhilarating 2014-15 Season at Krannert. Lee-Calfas also noted that all of this considerable entertainment will be available for at a very reasonable cost of $10 for U of I students and $15 for all other students. Objectivity aside, that’s a bargain.
When asked what were her personal favorites, Bridget demurred; but she did exhort all to “Choose one thing outside of your comfort zone and challenge your preconceptions of what you like. The rewards will be substantial for those who do.”
The 2014-15 Season books and online event descriptions will be available on Thursday, July 24th, and tickets go on sale on Saturday, August 16th at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online at KrannertCenter.com; by phone at 217/333-6280 or 800/KCPATIX (TTY: 217/333-9714); or in person at the Ticket Office (10 a.m.-6 p.m. every day). For more updates, continue to check in at KrannertCenter.com.
Planning Calendar 2014-15
September
12 Fr 6pm | Opening Night Party with Mariachi Sol De México®, Tiempo Libre, Samba Soul, and others
13 Sa 7:30pm | Rosanne Cash: The River & the Thread
14 Su 7:30pm | St. Louis Symphony
23 Tu 7:30pm | Susan Marshall & Company: Play/Pause
26 Fr 7:30pm | The Pygmalion Festival
27 Sa 7:30pm | Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
30 Tu 5:30pm | Sinfonia da Camera: Rush Hour—Youthful Impressions
October
2-3 Th-Fr 7:30pm | Isango Ensemble: The Magic Flute (Impempe Yomlingo)
2-4 Th-Sa 7:30pm | Polaroid Stories
7 Tu 7:30pm | Sphinx Virtuosi with Catalyst Quartet
7-11 Tu-Sa 7:30pm | Polaroid Stories
11 Sa 7:30pm | Chicago Symphony Orchestra
12 Su 3pm | Polaroid Stories
16-18 Th-Sa 7:30pm | The Skin of Our Teeth
17 Fr 7:30pm | Sinfonia da Camera: A Richard Strauss Celebration
18 Sa 6:30pm | Dessert and Conversation: The Skin of Our Teeth
18 Sa 7:30pm | Broadway Smash featuring Todd Ellison and Friends
22 We 7pm | National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China: Cirque Peking
22-25 We-Sa 7:30pm | Blind Summit Theatre: The Table
23-25 Th-Sa 7:30pm | The Skin of Our Teeth
25 Sa 7:30pm | Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra: Voyages
26 Su 2pm | Dessert and Conversation: The Skin of Our Teeth
26 Su 3pm | The Skin of Our Teeth
29 We 7:30pm | The Senegal St. Joseph Gospel Choir
30 Th 7:30pm | Jupiter String Quartet with James Dunham, viola
November
4 Tu 7:30pm | Apollo’s Fire: The Monteverdi Vespers of 1610
6-8 Th-Sa 7:30pm | The Elixir of Love
6-8 Th-Sa 7:30pm | November Dance
7 Fr 6:30pm | Dessert and Conversation: November Dance
8 Sa 6:30pm | Dessert and Conversation: The Elixir of Love
8 Sa 7:30pm | Sinfonia da Camera: Menahem and Mozart
9 Su 2pm | Dessert and Conversation: The Elixir of Love
9 Su 3pm | Concert Artists Guild Winner: Lysander Piano Trio
9 Su 3pm | The Elixir of Love
11-15 Tu-Sa 7:30pm | Oh What A Lovely War
16 Su 3pm | Oh What A Lovely War
18 Tu 7:30pm | CultureTalk: Barry Lopez and Deke Weaver
20 Th 7pm | Damine Kabuki
December
2 Tu 7:30pm | Cantus and Theater Latté Da: All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914
4-5 Th-Fr 7:30pm | The Nutcracker
5 Fr 7:30pm | Sinfonia da Camera: Messiah and Mendelssohn
6 Sa 2pm & 7:30pm | The Nutcracker
7 Su 2pm & 6pm | The Nutcracker
11 Th 7:30pm | Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra: The CUSO Holiday Concert
January
20 Tu 7pm | Russian National Ballet Theatre: Chopiniana/Romeo and Juliet
21 We 7pm | Russian National Ballet Theatre: The Sleeping Beauty
22 Th 7pm | Russian National Ballet Theatre: Cinderella
24 Sa 7:30pm | Ryan Truesdell Presents: The Gil Evans Project
29 Th 7:30pm | Ragamala Dance with Rudresh Mahanthappa: Song of the Jasmine
31 Sa 7:30pm | Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra: Musical Revolutionaries
February
5 Th 7:30pm | Tango Buenos Aires
5-7 Th-Sa 7:30pm | February Dance
6 Fr 6:30pm | Dessert and Conversation: February Dance
8 Su 3pm | Cleveland Quartet Award Winner: Ariel Quartet
10 Tu 7:30pm | Jupiter String Quartet
12-13 Th-Fr 7pm | Circus Oz: But Wait . . . There’s More
13 Fr 7:30pm | Sinfonia da Camera: El Fuego del Amor
14 Sa 10:30am | Circus Oz: But Wait . . . There’s More
14 Sa 7:30pm | Renée Fleming, soprano
17-21 Tu-Sa 7:30pm | The Sullivan Project
18 We 7:30pm | Step Afrika!
22 Su 3pm | The Sullivan Project
26-28 Th-Sa 7:30pm | The Hot Sardines: Speakeasy Nights
26-28 Th-Sa 7:30pm | The Merry Widow
28 Sa 6:30pm | Dessert and Conversation: The Merry Widow
28 Sa 7:30pm | State Symphony Orchestra of México
March
1 Su 2pm | Dessert and Conversation: The Merry Widow
1 Su 3pm | The Merry Widow
5-7 Th-Sa 7:30pm |’Tis Pity She’s a Whore
6 Fr 7:30pm | Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra: Music of the Heartland
6 Fr 7:30pm | The Nile Project: Music of the Nile
7 Sa 6:30pm | Dessert and Conversation: ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore
8 Su 3pm | Young Concert Artists Winner: Yun-Chin Zhou, piano
10 Tu 7:30pm | Kronos Quartet: Beyond Zero: 1914-1918
12 Th 7:30pm | Cassandra Wilson: Coming Forth By Day: A Celebration of Billie Holiday
12-14 Th-Sa 7:30pm |’Tis Pity She’s a Whore
15 Su 2pm | Dessert and Conversation: ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore
15 Su 3pm | |’Tis Pity She’s a Whore
12-14 Th-Sa 7pm & 9pm | Studiodance I
13 Fr 7:30pm | Sinfonia da Camera: A Chamber Music Potpourri
14 Sa All Day | Day of the Drum
14 Sa 7pm | KODO One Earth Tour: Mystery
18 We 7:30pm | BASETRACK
19 Th 7:30pm | Cameron Carpenter, organ
April
7 Tu 7:30pm | Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: The Passionate Piano Quartets
9-11 Th-Sa 7:30pm | Not About Nightingales
14 Tu 7:30pm | Jupiter String Quartet with Jon Manasse, clarinet
14-18 Tu-Sa 7:30pm | Not About Nightingales
15-16 We-Th 7:30pm | Momix: Alchemia
17 Fr 7:30pm | Sinfonia da Camera: Romanticism and Beyond
18 Sa 7:30pm | Deana Martin and Her Quintet: Tribute to Dean Martin
and Frank Sinatra
19 Su 3pm | Not About Nightingales
23 Th 7:30pm | Gil Shaham: The Bach Project
23-25 Th-Sa 7:30pm | Into the Woods
25 Sa 6:30pm | Dessert and Conversation: Into the Woods
25 Sa 7:30pm | Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra: The Triumph of Music
26 Su 2pm | Dessert and Conversation: Into the Woods
26 Su 3pm | Into the Woods
May
1-2 Fr-Sa 7:30pm | Mark Morris Dance Group: Acis and Galatea
3 Su 3pm | Krannert Center Debut Artist
Programs and artists are subject to change.