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| The Capitol Steps will perform as part of the Nazareth College Arts Center’s 50th anniversary season. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) |
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ROCHESTER — Tickets to the Nazareth College Arts Center 50th anniversary season will go on sale April 25.
To launch its season, the Arts Center will offer patrons who order tickets in the first 50 days (through June 13, 2017) 10 percent off their entire order, a backstage tour, and a chance to win free tickets, VIP parking, and more. Tickets can be purchased at naz.edu/artscenter or by calling 585-389-2170.
Music is at the forefront of the Arts Center’s 50th anniversary season, with Nazareth College having recently announced plans to build the Jane and Laurence Glazer Music Performance Center, a 550-seat venue expected to open in spring 2018. The season will open with a performance by the College’s accomplished Music faculty, joined by the Art and Theatre and Dance departments. This collaboration will present Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale as the composer intended: “read, played and danced” live on stage. The music will continue with performances by classical hip-hop violin duo Black Violin, the latest a cappella sensation, a holiday spectacular of genre-hopping music and percussive tap dance, Western and African musicians performing a blend of orchestral and world music with a djembe drum for every audience member, a three-time Grammy-Award nominated Afro-Caribbean ensemble, and a studio-tight tribute band.
A mix of visiting artists will round out the 50th anniversary season with three family shows based on favorite books, fresh comedy from The Second City, an astonishing performance by International Emmy Award-winning dancer-illusionists MOMIX, two New Year’s Eve shows by Rochester favorites The Capitol Steps, and performances by local partners Rochester City Ballet and Garth Fagan Dance.
“The arts enrich our lives and enhance our community, and I am honored that the Rochester community has embraced the Nazareth College Arts Center as one of its leading cultural organizations for the last 50 years,” said Nazareth College president Daan Braveman. “I am equally excited to see what future years bring, as the Arts Center and the Jane and Laurence Glazer Music Performance Center continue Nazareth’s longstanding tradition of welcoming audiences to enjoy outstanding performances and arts experiences.”
“We are excited to present a year-long celebration of 50 years of the arts at Nazareth College,” adds Nazareth College Arts Center executive director Rita Mannelli. “With a dynamic mix of music, dance, comedy, and family performances, there is truly something for everyone at the Arts Center.”
A school series has also been an important part of the Nazareth College Art Center’s 50-year history. Dating back to the 1970s, programming for school-aged audiences has always been and will continue to be a priority for the Arts Center. Over the past four years, an average of 8,800 students attended school series performances, and the Arts Center is projected to exceed 10,000 students from 114 different schools during the 2016-2017 season. The 2017-2018 school series will include theatrical productions for students ranging from pre-K through high school, including The Cat in the Hat, The Money Tree, A Doll’s House, Pete the Cat, Jabber, The Addams Family, Henry and Mudge, and My Heart in a Suitcase, as well as dance by MOMIX, Rochester City Ballet, and Garth Fagan Dance. The Nazareth College Arts Center’s 2017-2018 school series is sponsored by Alan Cameros and Carolyn Ettinger.
Nazareth College Arts Center opened its doors in October 1967. The Arts Center’s 2017-2018 season will serve as a celebration of 50 years of presenting world-class music, dance, theatre, family programming, and special events, culminating with the completion of the Jane and Laurence Glazer Music Performance Center in the spring of 2018.
Nazareth College Arts Center 2017-2018 50th Anniversary Subscription Series
The Soldier’s Tale; September 8-9, 2017
Nazareth College kicks off its celebration of 50 years of the Arts Center with this special performance of Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale (Patti Lewis Browne, stage director; Jared Chase, music director; Heather Roffe, choreographer). Enjoy an evening of music, theatre, dance, and art, followed by an anniversary soiree in the sculpture garden after Friday’s show.
Rarely performed with dance, this story of a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil in exchange for great wealth is recreated by a live septet of faculty musicians and student performers against digital scenery created by a student artist.
Rochester City Ballet: All That Jazz; September 29-October 1, 2017
Artistic Director David Palmer brings his Back to Brubeck to headline Rochester City Ballet’s interpretation of great jazz. Choreographer Nikolai Kabaniaev will restage his Bach de Trois, set to Jacques Loussier’s jazz rendition of Bach. The performance also will include a world premiere by Palmer.
Black Violin; October 12, 2017
To most people, jazz, hip-hop, funk, and classical are genres; to Black Violin they’re ingredients. Combining a daunting array of styles and influences to produce their signature sound, these two classically trained violinists and their DJ are redefining the music world one string at a time, and creating a sound that no one has ever heard, but everyone wants to feel. This performance is sponsored by Larry and Nancy Peckham.
The Filharmonic; October 21, 2017
Known for appearances on The Sing-Off and The Late Late Show with James Corden, L.A.-based a cappella group The Filharmonic shares a unique blend of pop, hip hop, and 90s nostalgia with music lovers of all ages. This performance is sponsored by the Nazareth College Campus Activities Board and Larry and Nancy Peckham.
Garth Fagan Dance; November 29-December 3, 2017
Internationally acclaimed Garth Fagan Dance culminates its 45th anniversary celebration with premieres by Garth Fagan and Norwood Pennewell, as well as spectacular revivals from the company’s repertoire.
Rhythmic Circus: Red and Green; December 8, 2017
Back by popular demand, Rhythmic Circus adds a groovy twist to memorable melodies in an all-ages Christmas spectacular that combines their signature rapid-fire tap with genre-hopping holiday music. This performance is sponsored by the Nazareth College Campus Activities Board and Larry and Nancy Peckham.
Theatreworks USA: Pete the Cat; December 10, 2017
A delightful family musical based on the best-selling children’s book series and presented by America’s largest and most honored theater company for family audiences.
The Capitol Steps; December 31, 2017
The Capitol Steps return to the Arts Center for a favorite New Year’s Eve tradition of award-winning, bi-partisan, politically based satire ripped from current headlines. This performance is sponsored by Jim and Flower Leo.
Do You Speak Djembe?; January 20, 2018
A festive fusion of cultures enjoyed by all ages. Onstage: a live band of outstanding Western and African musicians on traditional instruments. In the theater, the audience becomes part of the show as they beat infectious rhythms on their own djembe drums. This performance is sponsored by Josephine M. Perini.
Tiempo Libre; February 10, 2018
Three-time Grammy-nominated Afro-Caribbean ensemble Tiempo Libre features seven classically trained musicians. The band has appeared on The Tonight Show, Live from Lincoln Center, Dancing with the Stars, and performed worldwide (including the Rochester International Jazz Festival).
Childsplay: Go, Dog. Go!; February 18, 2018
A perfect first theatre experience for young children that brings the adventures of P.D. Eastman’s best-selling book to life in a frolicking musical presented by one of the country’s top professional theatre companies for young audiences.
The Second City; February 22, 2018
Fresh, fast, and spectacularly funny, The Best of The Second City brings hilarious sketches made famous by stars such as Belushi, Fey, Sudeikis, and Colbert, as well as brand new scenes, songs, and improv straight from sold-out club shows in Chicago and Toronto. May contain adult or mature content.
Rochester City Ballet: Cinderella; March 9-11, 2018
Rochester City Ballet brings back the classic, full-length favorite, Cinderella, filled with humor, beautiful dancing, and magic to create a performance that makes the shoe fit for everyone in the family.
MOMIX: Opus Cactus; March 18, 2018
MOMIX brings the landscape of the American Southwest to life with signature illusionistic style. Dynamic images of cacti, lizards, insects, fire dancers, and more are created with nothing more than light, shadow, props, and the human body in a show that is suitable for all ages. This performance is sponsored by Susan and Steven Eisinger and Helga B. and Paul F. Morgan.
Brass Transit: The Musical Legacy of Chicago; March 24, 2018
Travel back to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Chicago’s golden age with hits like “Saturday In The Park,” “25 or 6 To 4,” “If You Leave Me Now,” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,” and “Beginnings.” This performance is sponsored by Dr. Dawn Lipson.
Vital Theatre Company: Pinkalicious; May 5, 2018
Based on the New York Times best-selling picture book written and illustrated by Victoria Kann, this sparkling musical shows that being your pinkariffic, pinkatastic, pinkaperfect self is best of all!
