Opening Nights 2023-2024 Season Brochure

PLATINUM LEVEL

DIAMOND LEVEL

HERB & MARY JERVIS

GOLD LEVEL

KEN KATO & NAN NAGY

ERIC & ANDREA FRIALL

LEE HINKLE BERNADETTE & ROGER LUCA

SILVER LEVEL

MIKEY BESTEBREURTJE & WILSON BAKER

BRONZE LEVEL

CHRIS & BETH CORUM KIMBERLY CRISER

RON SACHS & GAY WEBSTER-SACHS

IN-KIND SPONSORS & ENDOWMENTS

BETH

Cover photo: Adele Myers and Dancers

KELLY & LAURIE DOZIER ENDOWMENT FUND

LOUISE IRELAND HUMPHREY ENDOWMENT FUND

& LAWTON LANGFORD ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC

MR. & MRS. JOHN RADEY JIM & BETTY ANN RODGERS

LARRY & JO DEEB SALLY KARIOTH DEBBY KEARNEY

CHARLES & SUSAN STRATTON

LINDA J. SMITH, PHD JANET R. THORNTON MARJORIE TURNBULL

LAW OFFICE OF LINDA A. BAILEY, P.A

RICHARD SCOTT KEARNEY

THE COULTER FAMILY

License Plate

Supporting a Cultural Tradition in our Community

It’s my honor to serve a second term as Chair of the Opening Nights Development Council for another amazing season of programming and enriching performances. We will continue to celebrate some of our community’s richest cultural connections through song, dance, spoken word and other artistic expressions.

Last season was our 25th anniversary milestone for our program. Thanks to sponsors and supporters like you, the next 25 years looks even brighter. Most notable, we were pleased to announce our first million-dollar endowment that helps to ensure a vibrant program moving forward.

We continue to listen to you and improve the program every year. You will notice a larger variety of venues and types of performances throughout the season. We managed to do this without compromising the headline performances that have served our program well for so many years.

As you know, Opening Nights is also about the students –including not only students from FSU, but students from other institutions of higher learning, community groups and young artists. We have formalized our relationship with Leon County School System and will expand our reach into the lives of these young people through the arts.

My wife, Andrea, and I have long supported the arts. We recognize the impact live performances have on people of all ages. We have watched our daughter, Camille, blossom through the performing arts. The arts teach confidence, problem solving, creative thinking, offer therapy, and can just be fun and entertaining.

Opening Nights provides an important and meaningful connection between our beloved university and our community. Please join me, in supporting a cultural tradition in our community—give to Opening Nights and ensure that the arts are available for all to enjoy.

S.

ERIC

FRIALL Chair, Opening Nights Development Council

Welcome from the Director

Welcome to the 26th season of Opening Nights at FSU! We are thrilled to share with you a brand-new season of exciting, world-class performances.

The programs selected for the 2023-2024 season represent Opening Nights’ continued commitment to presenting the very best in touring entertainment and high-quality performing arts. It also represents a vision for greater community engagement, more educational opportunities, and programming that fully represents the beautiful university and community that we serve. Opening Nights provides essential cultural experiences on behalf of Florida State University, connecting the Florida panhandle region to the states’ oldest preeminent research

university. Our mission contributes to our community and region’s social, cultural and economic vitality.

The 26th season features legendary artists, entertainers, and some not-to-be-missed performances by cutting-edge, emerging artists. Whether it’s comedy, dance, theater, distinguished speakers, authors, jazz, rock or kid-friendly programs, Opening Nights has something for everyone to enjoy and to be inspired.

Opening Nights also continues its commitment to education by providing interactive learning experiences, masterclasses and performances by featured artists exclusively for students of all ages. Thanks to our partnership with Leon County Schools, we

are excited to present two artist residencies in local K-12 schools where hundreds of students will be positively impacted. Your donations to our Opening Nights In Class Fund made this possible.

We are excited to welcome you back to Opening Nights this fall! Whether you are a first-time attendee or a long-time patron, we look forward to sharing many amazing performances with you. All the best,

JENNIFER WRIGHT Director, Opening Nights at Florida State University

Ticket Information

How To Buy ONLINE

OpeningNights.fsu.edu

BY PHONE

850.644.7670

Call the Opening Nights Ticket Office

Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

NEW THIS YEAR!

There will be one general on-sale window. All single tickets to all performances go on sale August 28.

For more ticket information, visit OpeningNights.fsu.edu/tickets.

Members/Sponsors Ticket Windows

CONCIERGE: August 1

PRODUCER’S CIRCLE: August 7

PARTNER: August 10

FRIEND: August 14

ASSOCIATE: August 17

DEBUT: August 21

SOLO: August 24

GENERAL PUBLIC: August 28

Be sure to get your tickets early. To become a member, visit openingnights.fsu.edu/give

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin Together on Stage

With hits like “Passionate Kisses” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” Mary Chapin Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards® (with 16 nominations), two CMA awards, two Academy of Country Music awards and is one of only 15 female members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Over the course of her acclaimed career, Carpenter has sold over 16 million records.

Shawn Colvin stopped the industry in its tracks with her arresting 1989 debut, “Steady On.” The following spring, Colvin took home the Grammy Award® for Best Contemporary Folk Album, establishing herself as a mainstay in the singer-songwriter genre. In the ensuing 30 years, Colvin has won three Grammy Awards, released 13 superlative albums, wrote a critically acclaimed memoir, maintained a non-stop national and international touring schedule, and appeared on countless television and radio programs.

Tickets

$60 | $45

Genre

AMERICANA, FOLK

Sponsor LEE HINKLE

“...through their friendship and music, [they] provide us with the spirit needed for the healing of our culture today.”

— San Diego Troubador

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5

Opperman Music Hall • 7:30 PM

Ranky Tanky

This two-time Grammy ® Award-winning, South Carolina-based quintet performs timeless music born from the Gullah culture of the southeastern Sea Islands. Their debut album was featured on NPR and the TODAY show. It also soared to the #1 position on the Billboard, Amazon, and iTunes Jazz Charts. Playful game songs, ecstatic shouts, and heartbreaking spirituals can all be found on their latest release Good Time, which also offers the group’s first original songs inspired by Gullah tradition.

In collaboration with

Genre ROOTS, BLUES Tickets

$40 Sponsor THE LOUISE IRELAND HUMPHREY FUND

“Ranky Tanky’s music is relentlessly upbeat and infectious...”

— JazzTimes

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12

Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre • 7:30 PM

Adele Myers and Dancers

Adele Myers and Dancers is a Miami based national touring dance theater company made up of female athletes of the heart. The company will present, T.W.I.S.T, a foot stomping, soul quaking, and heart pounding dance imbued with Myers’ signature fusion of personal theatricality and robust physicality.

Genre DANCE Tickets

$35 Sponsor

In collaboration with Florida State University School of Dance College of Fine Art s

“I was mesmerized. This was truly an immersive experience.”

— Cynthia Close

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20

Adderley Amphitheater • 7:30 PM

Leon County and Opening Nights Present

The Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes

with special guests The Maharajah Flamenco Trio

It has been 25 years since the Gipsy Kings captured the world’s imagination with their self-titled debut album—a record that became a genuine phenomenon, certified gold and platinum around the globe, introducing millions of listeners to a unique, irresistible blend of traditional flamenco styles with Western pop and Latin rhythms. Since then, the band has toured virtually non-stop, to the farthest corners of the planet, and sold almost 20 million albums, all the while retaining the same line-up of virtuoso musicians.

Tickets

$65 | $45 | $30

Genre

WORLD, LATIN

In collaboration with

“Equal parts flamenco, salsa, jazz and pop...”

— ChicagoConcertReviews

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26

Phipps Farm • 7:30 PM

Hot Club of Cowtown

Since the late 1990s, the Hot Club of Cowtown’s star has continued to rise as its reputation for jaw-dropping virtuosity and unforgettable live shows has become the band’s global brand. Lauded for its “down-home melodies and exuberant improvisation” ( The Times, London), the Hot Club has always woven a combination of seemingly disparate styles together to its own magical effect, setting up camp “at that crossroads where country meets jazz and chases the blues away” (The Independent).

Tickets

$45

Genre

WESTERN SWING

“...dazzled audiences across the globe with their blend of tin pan alley standards and solid original tunes...”

— PopMatters.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1

The Moon • 7:30 PM

Broadway’s Next Hit Musical The Phony Awards

Have you heard of the TONY awards? Well, Broadway’s Next Hit Musical is… The PHONY Awards! Audience members write down made up song titles and master improvisers gather these suggestions and present them as “nominated songs” for this coveted award. The cast then creates spontaneous scenes and songs filled with great dancing, catchy melodies, and tons of laughter. The audience votes for their favorite song and watches as the cast turns that song into a full blown improvised musical - complete with memorable characters, witty dialogue, and plot twists galore.

Tickets

$50 (Cabaret style seating.)

Genre COMEDY, IMPROV

“ Bottom line, Broadway’s Next Hit Musical is a lot of fun.”

— Broadway World

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Goodwood Museum & Gardens • 7:30 PM

Della Mae

Della Mae is a Grammy®-nominated all-woman string band founded by lead vocalist/guitarist Celia Woodsmith and two-time Grand National champion fiddle player Kimber Ludiker. Rounding out the current touring lineup are guitarist Avril Smith, and bassist Vickie Vaughn. Hailing from across North America, and reared in diverse musical styles, Della Mae is one of the most charismatic and engaging roots bands touring today. They have traveled to over 30 countries spreading peace and understanding through music. Their mission as a band is to showcase top female musicians, and to improve opportunities for women and girls through advocacy, mentorship, programming, and performance.

Tickets

$45

Genre BLUEGRASS

“Combining old-timey magic, strings and stories with modern concerns...”

— Tahoe OnStage

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7

Opperman Music Hall • 7:30 PM

MacMaster & Leahy Celtic Family Christmas

Hearing Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy speak reverentially about the fiddle, which has propelled their dazzling careers since childhood while cementing their status as Canada’s reigning couple of Celtic music, is almost as electrifying as hearing them play it. Indeed, when MacMaster and Leahy married in 2002 they could not have predicted their merger would recast what contemporary musical success looks like. Or that they would produce a large family and ensure their mantelpiece was jammed with JUNO and East Coast Music Awards while creating an inventory of achievements spanning the globe.

“Brilliant violinists who know what they’re doing, all the while bringing charisma and palpable joy to the proceedings.”

— Worcester Telegram & Gazette

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Elvis Costello & The Imposters

From punk rock to symphonic pop, Elvis Costello has explored seemingly endless subgenres of modern music with his signature flare over the past 40 years. With his exhaustive vocabulary and cheeky wordplay, Costello’s rocking-wordsmith style still delights fans in concert, and his catchy melodies have turned him into a household name. While fans line up to hear hits like “Pump It Up”, “Watching the Detectives”, and “Everyday I Write the Book”, the true thrill for ticket buyers comes from his knack of reinventing his songs in concert—and that’s where his talented backing band comes in. The Imposters features longtime collaborators Steve Nieve (keyboard) and Pete Thomas (drums), who are dialed in to the capricious whims of their iconoclastic frontman and support him brilliantly wherever his muse leads him. Even if the styles change, Elvis Costello & The Imposters always nail the familiar sentiments of their classic songs, and audiences can’t wait to hear the band put a fresh spin on their tunes any time they perform.

Tickets

$130 | $115

Genre ROCK, ALTERNATIVE

Sponsor

“Prolific and eclectic are two words that certainly describe Costello’s musical body of work...”

— Matt Friedlander

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11

Opperman Music Hall • 7:30 PM

Jesse Cook

An accomplished guitarist, producer, and equally prolific filmmaker, Jesse Cook has evolved his talents to create experiences that delight audiences both in concert and online. From composing his first instrumental album, Tempest, over 25 years ago, Jesse could not imagine that such a humble recording, in which he played all the instruments, would spark into a musical legacy with thousands of concerts performed around the world. The public response to Jesse’s unique blend of nuevo flamenco rhumba led first to sales of 2 million physical albums, and then as the digital era took hold over, there ave been over 600 million streams of his songs across the internet so far. Similarly, his vivid visual content has also become popular with 5 of Jesse’s concert specials airing on PBS TV. In a digital parallel, his prolific YouTube library of 250 music videos filmed to chronicle his diverse musical journey is engaging a million fans a month across the globe from Memphis to Marseille.

Genre FLAMENCO, JAZZ GUITAR

Tickets $50 Sponsor KEN KATO & NAN NAGY

“...a satisfying show that played to and showcased their many strengths and gifts as muscians.”

— Live Music News & Review

Photo credit: Matt Barnes

THURSDAY, JANUARY 18

Opperman Music Hall • 7:30 PM

Delirium Musicum

Delirium Musicum is an emerging, self-conducted chamber orchestra that brings together some of the most creative and refined musicians in Los Angeles. Led by violinist Etienne Gara, Delirium Musicum defines itself artistically by taking a new stand on the daring and varied repertoire it tackles. Created with a distinctive voice, the ensemble of musicians showcases its signature style, creativity, and the gift the musicians have for communing deeply with the audience. It was called “ferocious and rhythmically mesmerizing” by the San Francisco Classical Voice and was hailed as performing “with a brilliance that will electrify your whole body” by The Korea Times . “Seasons,” Delirium Musicum’s debut album with Warner Classics, was released in April 2023.

“Virtuosic and versatile. This exciting young ensemble is a step ahead, ready for anything.”

— Los Angeles Times

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson: “The Cosmic Perspective”

Neil deGrasse Tyson was born and raised in New York City where he was educated in the public schools through his graduation from the Bronx High School of Science. Tyson went on to earn his BA in Physics from Harvard and his PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia. In 2001, Tyson was appointed by President Bush to serve on a twelve-member commission that studied the future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. In 2004, Tyson was once again appointed by President Bush to serve on a nine-member commission on the Implementation of the United States Space Exploration Policy, dubbed the “Moon, Mars, and Beyond” commission. Tyson is the recipient of twenty-one honorary doctorates and the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest award given by NASA to a non-government citizen. His contributions to the public appreciation of the cosmos have been recognized by the International Astronomical Union in their official naming of asteroid “13123 Tyson.”

VIP $250 | $90 | $75

“...charismatic, brilliant, funny, relatable and fascinating...”

— Shepherd Express

Credit: © Amazon

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1

Fred Turner Auditorium • 7:30 PM

Sons of Serendip

Sons of Serendip is a musical group of four friends who through a series of serendipitous events, came together in graduate school at Boston University. Micah Christian, a former teacher from Randolph, Massachusetts, is the lead vocalist of the group; Cordaro Rodriguez, a former attorney from Charlotte, North Carolina, is the pianist and guitarist; Nathaniel Taylor, an accomplished, classically trained cellist; and Mason Morton, who is a former teacher from Atlanta, GA, is the harpist for the quartet. In 2014, they came together to begin what they know will be a long, beautiful journey of creating music that touches people’s hearts by competing and becoming finalists on America’s Got Talent, Season 9 (NBC). The group was also featured on the inaugural season of America’s Got Talent: The Champions . They hope that their music will resonate deeply with listeners and that, in some way, it will make their lives a little better – even if just for a moment.

Tickets

$35

Sponsor

“...ingenious arrangements make pretty much anything they touch sound like an original.”

— Chicago Concert Reviews

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

The Simon & Garfunkel Story

The Simon & Garfunkel Story chronicles the amazing journey shared by the folk-rock duo, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. It tells the story from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the ‘60s to their dramatic split in 1970. It culminates with the famous “The Concert in Central Park” reunion in 1981 with more than half a million fans in attendance. Using state of the art video projection, photos and original film footage, the show also features a full live band performing all of their hits, including “Mrs. Robinson” (featured in the 1967 film The Graduate), “Cecilia,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Homeward Bound” and many more .

“As close to the real thing as we’re going to get...”

— Theatre Weekly

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 2:00 PM

PRISM

Packed with performances ranging from small ensembles to the world-renowned Marching Chiefs, PRISM is a yearly favorite. The program showcases the immense talent boasted by Florida State University’s College of Music students and faculty. Known for blending traditional fare with more recognizable popular tunes, PRISM is a gem for music lovers of all kinds. This remarkable and lively performance migrates around the venue with each changing ensemble, creating a one-of-a-kind experience based on your location. Come enjoy the energy and passion of Florida State’s music program first-hand in this unforgettable performance!

Tickets

$40 | $25

Genre UNIVERSITY BAND

collaboration with FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC

“PRISM has a splendid, marvelous history of creating narrative through breathless, vivid motion.”

— Christopher Soden

In

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Vienna Boys Choir

The Vienna Boys Choir is one of the most famous choirs in the world, and one of its oldest. In 1498, Emperor Maximilian I moved his court to Vienna to establish the Chapel Imperial there, along with the Vienna Boys Choir. Over the centuries, the court attracted musicians like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Anton Bruckner. Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, and Franz Schubert were themselves choirboys. Today the Vienna Boys Choir is a private, non-profit organization, which relies on sponsorship and donations. The Choir maintains a primary school, a junior and a senior high school. 300 boys and girls between the ages of six and 19 attend the Choir’s Schools in Vienna’s Augarten park. All receive individual voice lessons and sing in one of the choirs. The Choir’s education is open to all, regardless of their origin, nationality, or religion. About a third of the students go on to become music professionals.

“...artful mix of ancient and modern, classical and pop, smooth and snappy...”

— New York Classical Review

Photo credit: Lukas Beck

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Complexions Contemporary Ballet

Led by dance icons Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet has awakened audiences to a new, exciting genre with their singular approach of reinventing dance and contemporary ballet. With stunning, gifted dancers and powerful choreography, Complexions has been hailed as “game changing” by London’s The Guardian and a “matchless American dance company” by the Philadelphia Inquirer. A collection of company favorites open the program that also features LOVE ROCKS, set to the music of Lenny Kravitz, it is Rock meets Ballet! Fun, thrilling and the most amazing Kravitz music, LOVE ROCKS is the “ ! ” on this exciting program.

In collaboration with Florida State University School of Dance College of Fine Art s

“Forging a path for what ballet can be instead of what it has historically been.”

— The Guardian

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to The Beatles with Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra

Since its initial performance at the Orange County Performing Arts Center (now renamed Segerstrom Center for the Arts) in 1996, Classical Mystery Tour has become the #1 Symphony Pops attraction over the two decades. The group has been performing consistently for nearly 25 years with more than 100 orchestras in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The group played to packed houses at the Sydney Opera House, and has performed with America’s most prestigious orchestras: The Cleveland Orchestra, The Boston Pops, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The San Francisco Symphony, among many others.

In collaboration with

“...the world’s best Beatles Show with symphony orchestra...”

— Broadway World

FEBRUARY

President’s House • 7:30 PM

Salon Concert Artist to be Announced

A special performance will be hosted at the FSU President’s House. Limited tickets available and will include a reception. The special guest will be revealed later in the season.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29

Opperman Music Hall • 7:30 PM

Ruthie Foster

We’ve all been in need of some healing in recent times, and Foster’s latest album provides a guide for how to move through the world with equal parts compassion and resolve. Ruthie Foster’s ninth studio album represents a new high water mark for the veteran blues artist—a collection of songs possessing pure power, like a tidal wave of musical generosity. Healing Time is the latest jewel in Foster’s accomplished career, which includes multiple Grammy® nominations and collaborations with fellow luminaries like Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. For her latest, Foster contributed more to the writing process than she had on any of her previous albums, effectively refining her own songcraft in the process. “With this album, I dug deep and tried to go for the best way to write,” she explains. “This album says a lot about the period we were making it in, and how I wanted to find my way out of it.”

“...a powerful and supple voice that sings with feeling and purpose.”

— Pop Matters

MONDAY, MARCH 4

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Pink Martini with China Forbes

Featuring a dozen musicians with songs in 25 languages, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America and North America. Pink Martini made its European debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 and its orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony in 1998 under the direction of Norman Leyden. Since then, the band has gone on to play with more than 70 orchestras around the world, including multiple engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Boston Pops, the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center, the San Francisco Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House, and the BBC Concert Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall in London.

Tickets

$60 | $45

“Perhaps the best experience in classical music...”

— The Austin-Ameircan Statesman

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

The Moon • 7:30 PM

Sing and Swing –A Jazz at Lincoln Center PRESENTS Production featuring Bria Skonberg and Benny Benack III

For over three decades, Jazz at Lincoln Center has been a leading advocate for jazz, culture, and arts education globally. Under the direction of Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) has brought the art form of jazz from the heart of New York City to over 446 cities in more than 40 countries. The Jazz At Lincoln Center Presents touring initiative provides an opportunity to present great jazz programming,featuring up-and-coming musicians who have been identified as rising stars by JALC. The initiative also allows for expansion of the mission of JALC “to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education, and advocacy.”

Tickets

$50

Genre JAZZ, SWING

“ Enlightens as it entertains and grabs new listeners in the process”

— The New York Times

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Mandy Patinkin in Concert: Being Alive with

Adam Ben-David on Piano

Mandy Patinkin has been fortunate to carve out a varied career including theater, the concert stage, film, television, and as a recording artist. In his 1980 Broadway debut, Mandy won a Tony Award® for his role as Che in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, directed by Hal Prince, and was nominated in 1984 for his starring role as George in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Sunday in the Park with George. Mandy’s other stage credits include: Compulsion, Paradise Found, The Tempest, Enemy of the People, The Wild Party, Falsettos, The Secret Garden, The Winter’s Tale, The Knife, Leave It to Beaver is Dead, Rebel Women, Hamlet, Trelawney of the ‘Wells,’ The Shadow Box, The Split, Savages, and Henry IV, Part I

$70 | $55

“The most complete entertainer of his generation.”

— The Toronto Star

MONDAY, MARCH 18

Opperman Music Hall • 7:30 PM

Jesmyn Ward

Jesmyn Ward received her MFA from the University of Michigan and has received the MacArthur Genius Grant, a Stegner Fellowship, a John and Renee Grisham Writers Residency, the Strauss Living Prize, and the 2022 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. She is the historic winner—first woman and first Black American—of two National Book Awards for Fiction for Sing, Unburied, Sing (2017) and Salvage the Bones (2011). She is also the author of the novel Where the Line Bleeds and the memoir Men We Reaped, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and won the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize and the Media for a Just Society Award. Her newest book Let Us Descend will be published in October. She is currently a professor of creative writing at Tulane University and lives in Mississippi.

$50

In collaboration with

The historic winner— first woman and first Black American—of two National Book Awards for Fiction.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

Goodwood Museum & Gardens • 7:30 PM

Damn Tall Buildings

In their early days, Damn Tall Buildings didn’t rehearse – they busked. Now, whether live or on record, the band still radiates the energy of a ragtag crew of music students playing bluegrass on the street. But anchoring that energy is their instrumental chops, their strong songwriting, and their varied influences that stretch beyond bluegrass, even beyond American roots music altogether. Whether sharing lead vocals and instrumental solos or blending their voices into loose, joyous harmony, the three members of Damn Tall Buildings (guitarist/lead vocalist Max Capistran, bassist/lead vocalist Sasha Dubyk, and fiddler/ vocalist Avery Ballotta) blend elements of bluegrass, blues, roots-rock and vintage swing to create a captivating, high-energy sound.

Tickets

$40

“ Sounds not like something from the heart of the city but something from deep in the heartland.”

— PopMatters

FRIDAY, APRIL 5

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet

The composer and renowned trumpet player Terence Blanchard has been a consistent artistic force for making powerful musical statements concerning painful American tragedies – past and present. Terence is unique in the jazz world as an artist whose creative endeavors go far beyond the genre into film scoring, crafting television series soundscapes and conceiving grand operas that have been recognized at the highest levels of art appreciation. In addition, Blanchard has been at the forefront of giving voice in his works to socio-cultural issues and racial injustices of our time. “Like anybody else, I like to play feel-good party music, but sometimes my music is about the reality of where we are,” says Blanchard who today lives in Los Angeles as well as in his native New Orleans. “I’m just trying to speak the truth.”

“...a lush and dramatic soundscape...”

— The New Yorker

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

Jim Moran Building • 6:30 PM

Dean Mitchell

“Navigating the Art World: Building Success Against the Odds”

Chain of Parks Art Festival Presenting Artist

Dean Mitchell is well known for his figurative works, landscapes and still lifes. In addition to watercolors, he is accomplished in other mediums including egg temperas, oils, and pastels. He has been featured in numerous publications including the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Artist Magazine, and more. Mitchell’s art can be found in corporate and museum collections across the country including Huntsville Museum of Art, The Rockwell Museum, Mississippi Museum of Art, and the Library of Congress just to name a few. He has received numerous accolades including the American Watercolor Society Gold Medal, Allied Artist of American Gold Medal in Watercolor and Oil, and the Thomas Moran Award from the Salmagundi Club in New York.

—

New York Times

In collaboration with

“ a virtual modern-day Vermeer of ordinary black people given dignity through the eloquence of his concentration and touch.”

The

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Adderley Amphitheater • 7:30 PM

Word of South and Opening Nights Present Rising Appalachia

As world travelers for nearly two decades, Rising Appalachia have merged multiple global music influences with their own southern roots to create the inviting new folk album, Leylines. Remarkably, the band has built its legion of listeners independently — a self-made success story that has led to major festival appearances and sold-out shows at venues across the country.

In collaboration with

“...undoubtedly one of the most intoxicating musical experiences you’ll have this year.”

— Folk Radio UK

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 7:30 PM

Indigo Girls

Released in 1989, Indigo Girls’ eponymous major label debut sold over two million copies under the power of singles “Closer to Fine” and “Kid Fears” and turned Indigo Girls into one of the most successful folk duos in history. Over a 35 year career that began in clubs around their native Atlanta, Georgia, the multi-Grammy®-winning duo of Emily Saliers and Amy Ray has recorded 16 studio albums, sold over 15 million records, and built a dedicated, enduring following across the globe. Rolling Stone describes them as the “ideal duet partners.” Committed and uncompromising activists, they work on issues like immigration reform (El Refugio), LGBTQ advocacy, education (Imagination Library), death penalty reform, and Native American rights. They are co-founders of Honor the Earth, a non-profit dedicated to the survival of sustainable Native communities, Indigenous environmental justice, and green energy solutions.

Genre ROCK Tickets

$65 | $50 Sponsor

“...music so compelling with its wide swerves between gentle, lovelorn balladry and the anguished yawps of activist souls...”

— NPR

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 5:00 PM

iLuminate

iLuminate is a company based on the fusion of technology and dance. This distinct intermix will reawaken your senses and imagination! We are a diverse team of experts and together we create a visual experience unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Audiences will see dancers in electrified glow-in-the-dark suits performing dynamic routines and illusions on a darkened stage. It’s a show that’s completely unique to our brand and incomparable to any other dance performance. iLuminate is the brainchild of Miral Kotb, a woman whose true passions in life are dance and software engineering.

“A heart-pounding, life affirming glow-in-the dark extravaganza!”

— Theater Pizzazz

SATURDAY, APRIL 6

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall • 2:00 PM

Dinosaur World Live!

Dare to experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for all the family. Grab your compass and join our intrepid explorer across uncharted territories to discover a prehistoric world of astonishing (and remarkably life-like) dinosaurs. Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child’s favorite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus! Now an international smash hit, Dinosaur World Live is back by popular demand following its hugely successful 2023 US tour. Don’t miss this entertaining and mind-expanding Jurassic adventure, live on stage.

— Behind the Arras

“Entertainment with Showmanship, Razzmatazz and Spectacular Puppets.”

FSU School of Theatre 2023-24

9 to 5: The Musical

Music & Lyrics by Dolly Parton

Book by Patricia Resnick

Based on the 20th Century Fox Picture

Originally produced on Broadway by Robert Greenblatt, April 2009

Oct. 13-22, 2023

FALLON THEATRE

Cheer on female friendship and revenge with music by Dolly Parton.

Pushed to the boiling point, three coworkers concoct a plan to get even with their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical boss. Violet, Judy, and Doralee live out their wildest dreams: giving their boss the boot, sticking it to “the Man,” and giving their workplace a makeover that proves the future is female.

Based on the classic film starring Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton, 9 to 5: The Musical first appeared on Broadway in 2009. In addition to the original hit song “9 to 5,” the musical features a new score with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton.

Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812

Book, Music & Lyrics by Dave Malloy

Feb. 23 - Mar. 3, 2024

FALLON THEATRE

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 is an electro pop opera based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Young and impulsive, Natasha Rostova arrives in Moscow to await the return of her fiancé from the front lines. When she falls under the spell of the roguish Anatole, it is up to Pierre, a family friend in the middle of an existential crisis, to pick up the pieces of her shattered reputation.

From the celebrated and award-winning composer Dave Malloy and an acclaimed run-on Broadway starring Josh Groban, this award-winning musical expands the possibilities for the genre with its daring score and bold storytelling.

TICKETING INFORMATION:

Tickets available to purchase at tickets.theatre.fsu.edu

Fundraiser

Join us for a special screening of

“Dark Universe”

A film narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023 AT 6:00 PM

Reception followed by Planetarium Show and Q&A at Challenger Learning Center

$50 DONATION

All proceeds will underwrite tickets for FSU and FAMU students to attend the live Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson speaking event at Ruby Diamond on Jan 24, 2024.

The Opening Nights Arts Advocate Award, presented by VyStar Credit Union, recognizes an exemplary educator from Leon County Schools who provides an outstanding arts education experience for students in our community. The Arts Advocate Award winner is selected by members of the ON in Class Education Committee.

– Lee Commander - Band Director at Leon High School in Tallahassee, Florida

The Opening Nights in Class Education Committee furthers Opening Nights’ education mission by providing expert knowledge, input, feedback, and support. This committee ensures the delivery of high-quality educational programs for K-12 audiences in collaboration with visiting artists by developing curricular-based educational materials and resources for teachers and students.

Scott Leaman - Chair

Nathan Archer

Sally Ash

Lewis Blessing

Dr. Benny Bolden Kelsey Boyer

Ashley Chandler

Dr. Michael Douty

Brooke Hobbs

Lakeisha Johnson

Jonathan Klepper

Dr. Christopher Small

Carlos R. Villa

Stacy Weaver

Tasha Weinstein

Dr. Joe Williams

2022-2023 SEASON IMPACT NUMBERS

5,000

people engaged with Opening Nights Educational programs

Opening Nights visiting artists were part of ON in Class

ON in Class events

K-12 Students active

for students FREE artists engaged in K-12 programming

Community Members attended

students received free tickets to Opening Nights evening performances

College Students engaged

events for College and Community members

Artists hosted college masterclasses

Title I schools engaged

“Winning the Opening Nights Arts Advocacy Award is truly an honor! Whether it’s painting a picture, learning an instrument or performing in front of classmates, creative expression is essential to enhancing cognitive development and building important life skills.”

LEON COUNTY SCHOOL RESIDENCIES

In partnership with Leon County Schools, ON in Class presents Sonia De Los Santos and Shana Tucker’s return to Tallahassee. Each musician will engage Leon County elementary school students in a series of workshops, performances, and other student engagement activities to support the development of artistic understanding and appreciation of K-12 students in our community.

SONIA DE LOS SANTOS Fall 2023 Residency

Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, Sonia De Los Santos exudes the joy she sings about. Singing in both Spanish and English, Sonia’s music is inspired by various Latin American rhythms like son jarocho, cumbia and salsa, as well as North American folk traditions from the United States.

In her highly interactive performances, students love singing along in Spanish and English, dancing in and out of their seats while learning about musical instruments and rhythms from Latin America. Sonia’s messages of finding hope and connection in our global community inspire and excite children and grown-ups of all backgrounds. Sonia De Los Santos offers Latin American rhythm and dance workshops for kids.

SHANA TUCKER Spring 2024 Residency

With a deep respect for lyrical storytelling, cellist/singer-songwriter Shana Tucker delivers a unique voice through her self-described genre of ChamberSoul™. Shana incorporates artist-in-residences, workshops and community outreach opportunities wherever her performances take her.

A front-line advocate for arts education, Shana is a newly designated A+ (Arts Integration) Schools Apprentice Fellow, and has been a teaching artist with Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts (NC and NV) since 2015. She has also been a teaching artist with United Arts Council of Raleigh/Wake County NC and The Smith Center for Performing Arts – Las Vegas.

MASTERCLASSES

Thanks to the generous funding of donors and partners, Florida State University has been able to attract an extraordinary lineup of world-renowned performers to our campus for masterclasses. These classes offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can help to elevate students’ artistic skills to a new level. Masterclasses artists for the 2023-2024 season include: Ranky Tanky, Adele Myers and Dancers, Delirium Musicum, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents - Bria Skonberg & Benny Benack, Mandy Patinkin, Jesmyn Ward, Pink Martini, The Maharajah Flamenco Trio and Terence Blanchard.

MOMIX Masterclass with the School of Dance at FSU

Credit: Calla MacNamara

OPENING NIGHTS AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

200 West College Ave. Tallahassee, FL 32301