WJ_SpringPerformingArtsGuide_022124

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Comedy Plex Comedy Club

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SPRING PERFORMING ARTS

Dominican Performing Arts

Concordia University Chicago

2024

Spring

Oak Park Festival Theatre

Performing Arts Guide

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re you looking for your next weekend adventure or something to do in your spare time? The Wednesday Journal’s Spring Performing Arts section is a guide for you to find upcoming performances to attend or new performing arts groups to explore!

Are you a theatre kid at heart? Oak Park Festival Theatre is presenting their Winter Readings starting this weekend with The Droll, or a StagePlay about the END of Theatre by Meg Miroshnik. You can also watch Forest Park Theatre’s reading series that focuses on American and British female playwrights, or you can sign up for one of Ovation Academy’s performing arts programs (students of all ages are welcome)!

Do you want to hear some music this spring? Downtown Oak Park’s Jazz Thaw is coming up in March where you can listen to free live music inside 13 local restaurants.

You can also attend a band, choral, or orchestral concert at Concordia University in River Forest or live music at the new Robert’s Westside in Forest Park!

Are you interested in all types of live events? Check out Dominican University Performing Arts Center’s lineup of artists or the Kehrein Center for the Arts in Austin.

We hope this new section immerses you into the local performing arts scene and allows you to discover new artists, shows, and events in Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park, and the surrounding communities.

Enjoy, Lourdes Nicholls & Ben Stumpe Wednesday Journal Advertising

2024

Spring

Performing

Arts Guide

SPRING PERFORMING ARTS

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February 21, 2024 21

THEATRE

MUSIC

The Artists of Concordia Theatre explore classic and contemporary plays, comedies and gripping dramas.

Performances showcase CUC’s choral, band and orchestral ensembles as well as solo instrumentalists and student composers.

Arts

COME TO CAMPUS TO ENJOY FREE ARTS EVENTS CALENDAR: CUCHICAGO.EDU/ ARTS

at Concordia VISUAL ARTS

7400 Augusta Street River Forest, IL 60305

Ferguson Art Gallery mounts exhibitions of student, faculty and alumni artwork as well as guest practicing professionals.

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And the Oscar Goes to …

Great Songs from the Movies SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2024, 7:30pm Pilgrim Congregational Church 460 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL

SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2024, 4:00pm Glenview Community Church 1000 Elm Street, Glenview, IL

Tickets $25 Students $20 (17 & under) Group Tickets (10+) $22

Tickets at the door $30 Breast Cancer Survivors $20

voicesofhopecc.com

A concert supporting breast cancer survivorship A portion of our proceeds goes to support breast cancer research.

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Voices of Hope Community Chorus Embracing the joy of singing

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oices of Hope is a welcoming, non-audition chorus created to harness the joy of music for those affected by breast cancer. Some of the 50+ singers are breast cancer survivors, while others have family or friends touched by this disease. In celebrating the power of song, Voices of Hope members relish their strong sense of community and audiencepleasing performances.

• Voices of Hope sings a mixture of music genres—pop, rock, the Great American Songbook and more. The chorus includes men and women who have varied musical skills, ranging from those with professional voice training to those with little singing experience.

• Recognized for their lively, uplifting concerts as well as their mission supporting breast cancer survivorship, Voices of Hope singers enjoy sharing their message through broader

engagements. Last fall, for example, they sang at a Chicago Bears game during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and also appeared on WGN TV.

• Singers come from all over Chicagoland and currently rehearse in two optional locations (Oak Park and Glenview). Committed to inclusivity, Voices of Hope is best described as a diverse group of caring, upbeat and congenial choristers. Those who love singing and a spirit of camaraderie are invited to join this group.

• In April, Voices of Hope will present “And the Oscar Goes to … Great Songs from the Movies” in Oak Park (Pilgrim Congregational Church, April 13, 7:30 pm) and Glenview (Glenview Community Church, April 14, 4:00 pm). For more information on the concert or joining the chorus, visit voicesofhopecc.com.

Participate in Extraordinary Musical Theater Experiences at Ovation Academy for the Performing Arts

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vation Academy for the Performing Arts in Oak Park, IL is an awardwinning performing arts program that offers training classes, summer camps, private lessons, and fully produced productions to children and adults in the western suburbs and throughout Chicagoland. Students of all ages and experience levels are invited to participate in its robust programming.

Ovation Academy promotes a friendly, noncompetitive learning environment where students can gain valuable skills both on and off stage. The focus at Ovation is to provide exceptional musical theater training while inspiring and encouraging enthusiasm, collaboration, commitment, and passion in students. Instructors at Ovation Academy are directors, vocal coaches, working actors, musicians and choreographers who are actively engaged

in the performing arts on a local, national, and international scale.

Ovation Academy for the Performing Arts is proud to call Madison Street Theater, the 200 seat performance space its home.

Since its inception in 2014 by Tina Reynolds, Ovation Academy has grown to offer musical theater programming to thousands of families. The performing arts company also boasts 7 years of awardwinning performances at the Junior Theater Festival, proudly representing Oak Park and all of Illinois on a national stage.

This year, Ovation will be celebrating its 10th year of building, empowering, and educating students through the power of musical theater, and looks to continue growing in the near future.

To learn more about Ovation Academy, visit www.ovationacademy.org.

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Dominican University: A Destination for Entertainment in the West Suburbs

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ast December, WBEZ published a report suggesting the western suburbs are becoming Chicago’s next big thing in live music.

It’s not surprising that Dominican University in River Forest was mentioned as one of the area’s topnotch venues.

Over the last 20 years, the Performing Arts Center has regularly welcomed notable performers to the stage: Renée Fleming, Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Matthew Morrison, Rosanne Cash, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kurt Elling, and Judy Collins, to name just a few.

Ranked among the top 15 Midwest universities by U.S. News and World Report, Dominican’s mission of creating a more just and humane world is also realized through its vibrant Arts and Minds programming.

Launched as Center Stage in 1999,

the Dominican University Performing Arts Center (known as DUPAC) has become the arts and culture hub of the university and helped establish the River Forest campus as a destination for its eclectic mix of programming—all open to the public and in River Forest’s backyard.

“Attending live performance is an opportunity for the joy of discovery,” said Leslie Rodriguez, executive director of external engagement at Dominican University. “I hope the community sees DUPAC as the place to experience such joy. We want people to come see artists they’ve never heard of.”

Diverse musical styles, dance, live theater, and even magic come alive on the Performing Arts Center stage. Esteemed authors, speakers and experts in their fields present programs meant to uplift, educate, provoke thought and start

a conversation. In the last year, Dominican University has hosted labor movement activist Dolores Huerta, poets Pádraig Ó Tuama and Javier Zamora, award-winning photojournalist Paula Bronstein, and Indigenous scholars Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy and Megan Redshirt Shaw, among many others.

“We are fortunate to have a vibrant arts organization in the Oak Park-River Forest area,” said River Forest resident Stephanie Schrodt. “DUPAC presents a diverse offering of cultural programs year-round. We have relished the opportunity to attend their outdoor summer concert series, poetry readings and top-notch musical acts.”

During summer evenings, Dominican’s Quad becomes an outdoor public concert venue, too. Between June and August, the Summer Sounds concert series features weekly performances by a variety of regional touring bands, duos and solo artists—all free of charge to the public. Just bring a chair or blanket, a picnic lunch and some friends.

“In my work, I get the thrill of seeing an audience connect with an artist or an event,” Rodriguez added. “On a regular basis, I see people changed by what they see on stage—whether uplifted by dance, empowered by a musician, or profoundly moved by a piece theatre. There’s nothing like it.”

Last summer’s line-up brought a mix of rock, soul, blues, folk and Latin sounds to River Forest.

Dominican University Performing Arts Center & St. Catherine of Siena Center

March

April

YOUR ARTS & CULTURE CONNECTION! May

22–24 Fri/Sat/Sun

20 Saturday

THEATRE ARTS LAB SERIES

DUPAC/SIENA CENTER

Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward

Become a part of this profound and memorable experience. For a list of all upcoming performances and programs, visit www.dom.edu/ arts-minds.

Summer

Carrie Newcomer & John McCutcheon

Martin Recital Hall Friday/Saturday 7:30 pm Sunday 3:00 pm

7:30 pm, Lund Auditorium

2024 FREE CONCERTS IN THE QUAD

WEDNESDAYS JUNE 12–AUG 14

12 Friday Pat Hazell’s Permanent Record

events.dom.edu

7:30 pm, Lund Auditorium

MAY 9, 2024 7:30 pm, Lund Auditorium Dominican University Performing Arts Center is partially funded by the Oak Park Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Villages of Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest, and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

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1128 LAKE ST (LOWER LEVEL)

NOW OPEN WEDNESDAYS THROUGH SATURDAYS!!

SHOWS | CLASSES | GROUPS

WEEKLY SCHEDULE OPEN MIC NIGHT (FREE) WEDNESDAYS AT 8PM

TOP SHELF COMEDY THURSDAYS AT 8PM

HEADLINER SERIES FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENINGS *2 DRINK MINIMUM *21 AND OVER UNLESS ACCOMPANIED AN ADULT

“WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED BY THE OVERWHELMINGLY WONDERFUL RESPONSE OAK PARK HAS EXTENDED TO US! NOW THAT WE’RE OPEN WE CAN PROVIDE A GREAT PLACE FOR FRIENDS, FAMILIES AND CO-WORKERS TO GATHER, SHARE A LAUGH, AND HAVE A GREAT TIME IN DOWNTOWN OAK PARK!” - CHRISTOPHER BELL, CO-FOUNDER

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SPRING PERFORMING ARTS

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MARCH 29 8PM MARCH 30 7 & 915PM

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LMS/ International Mansion: Every child has a gift to be shared

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ur school can be best described as a ‘Homeschool in School’ style program. We have a full dynamic Spanish Immersion curriculum and are listed by MENSA as a recommended program for gifted students.

We are a small school with 20 students between Kindergarten and 12th grade.

What sets us apart?

- Fluency in Spanish Achieved within one year during Preschool years, or within two years during Elementary School years. The Spanish language is spoken throughout as the target immersion language. Academic classes are all taught in English and/ or Spanish and English. If weather permits, many of our academic

classes are done outdoors.

- Student to teacher ratio: some classes are one on one, two to one, with a maximum of six students to one instructor.

Current subjects, but not limited to, are:

- Daily schedule is customized and flexible.

• Math • Science

- Professional and passionate instructors.

- Guest tutors with real life experience.

- No test to enter, no traditional testing.

- Students paired by interest, in mixed age setting.

- Weekly reports sent to parents.

• Penmanship • Reading/writing

• Geography/history • Logic/coding • Theater (improv, superhero stage combat, musical theatre)

• Social emotional discussions/Life skills • Spanish immersion spoken through out the day and taught in lesson format. Russian immersion taught in lesson format.

• Intro to Foreign languages (Hebrew, Italian, chinese, japanese, korean, etc.)

• Martial arts

• Physical education: Archery/Ice Skating/Soccer, and more.

• Art (including painting, clay art, comic book art and more)

• Chess and board games.

• Music (Rock band, intro to most instrument, harmony, chorus)

• Architectural design

Every child has a gift to be shared • Pre-K through 12th Grade. Private/Independent school since 1994. Listed by MENSA as a recommended program for gifted students.

Performing arts (afterschool or weekends) 1) Visual arts (drawing, painting, comic art, architectural models, recycle art, etc)

4) Music (most instruments and voice)

2) Martial arts (karate)

6) Musical theater

3) Dance (country)

7) Poetry and public speaking

5) Theater (audition prep, line memorization, etc)

The Language & Music School at International Mansion, est. 1994 509 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park info@internationalmansion.com Text us at: (708) 296-3244 • InternationalMansion.com

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Our Guide to the Performing Arts

Here is our featured list of local theatre, music, dance, and comedy organizations and venues

Theatre Artists of Concordia Theatre River Forest | cuchicago.edu

Pro Musica Youth Chorus

Oak Park | promusicayouthchorus.org

Robert’s Westside

Forest Park | robertswestide.com

The Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest

Forest Park Theatre

Oak Park & River Forest | symphonyoprf.org

April 7, 2024 Music of Liszt: The Sacred and The Profane

Madison Street Theater

Voices of Hope Community Chorus

June 2, 2024 Suk and Dvorak: A Czech Musical Family

Dominican Performing Arts Center River Forest | dom.edu

Forest Park | fptheatre.org Oak Park | madisonstreettheater.org

Oak Park Festival Theatre

Oak Park | oakparkfestival.com

Ovation Academy for the Performing Arts

Oak Park | ovationacademy.org

New Lenox | voicesofhopecc.com

Dance

Academy of Movement and Music

Oak Park | academyoakpark.com

Music

DeMaira Dance Studios

Bellissima Opera

INTUIT Dance!

Oak Park | bellissimaopera.com

Oak Park | demaira-dance.com Oak Park | intuitdance.org

Chicago Choral Artists

Légere Dance Centre

City Voices

TranscenDance Studios

Oak Park | chicagochoralartists.org Oak Park | cityvoiceschicago.org

Concordia University Chicago Music River Forest | cuchicago.edu

Dominican Performing Arts Center

River Forest | legeredancecentre.com Oak Park | transcendancestudios.com

Comedy & More

BABS Comedy Club - COMING FALL 2024!

Forest Park | babscomedyclub.com

River Forest | dom.edu

Comedy Plex

Downtown Oak Park Business Alliance - Jazz Thaw, Thursday Night Out, & Oaktoberfest

Kehrein Center for the Arts

FitzGerald’s

Oak Park | oakparkareaartscouncil.org

Handel Week Festival

Are you interested in being in our Fall Performing Arts Guide?

International Mansion

Contact Ben Stumpe (ben@oakpark.com) to learn more!

Oak Park | downtownoakpark.net

Berwyn | fitzgeraldsnightclub.com Oak Park | handelweek.com Oak Park | lmschool.com

Michael Teolis Singers Oak Park | mtsingers.org

Oak Park Concert Chorale

Oak Park | oakparkconcertchorale.org

PING!

Oak Park | pingoprf.org

Oak Park | comedyplex.com Austin | kcachicago.org

Oak Park Area Arts Council

Concerts on Sundays, 4 pm at Concordia University Chapel, River Forest Students through college admitted free of charge Free parking at 1124 Bonnie Brae Place

Play an instrument?

Email SymphonyOPRF@gmail.com if you'd like to join the orchestra.

Contact us for tickets or more information!

708.218.2648 | theSymphonyOPRF@gmail.com | SymphonyOPRF.org

2024

Spring

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Arts Guide

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Choral group fosters love for classical music, local composers and music education

March 9 & 10, 2024 Enjoy free live music performances inside 13 local restaurants with the option to order from the host restaurant’s menu.

Music Lineup Barry Winograd Duo Tony Richards Suenos Latin Jazz Chris Greene Quartet Crystal Rebone Duo Neal Alger Brazilian Trio Abigail Riccards Quartet The New Deal Maddie Vogler Duo Mason Jiller

Paul Abella Trio Kyle Asche Organ Trio Tony Do Rosario Duo Juli Wood Trio Rene Avila Afro-Cuban Quartet Chuck Webb and Guru Tonic Casey Nelson & Christy Bennett Erik Skov Duo Almee Gwen Duo

Presented by Downtown Oak Park Business Alliance in partnership with 90.9 WDCB “Chicago’s Home for Jazz!”

For the full schedule go to downtownoakpark.net/event/jazz-thaw or scan:

F

ounded in 1981, Oak Park Concert Chorale is a classical choral ensemble that specializes in both a cappella and accompanied performances as well as strengthening music education through free vocal technique and musicianship classes.

Led by Director Paul Lindblad, the Chorale is comprised of a diverse group of individuals who embrace their differences of age, ethnicity and culture.

If you love to sing, consider auditioning to join us for our fall semester and Christmas concert.

• Visit www.oakparkconcertchorale.org/audition • Contact us at info@oakparkconcertchorale.org

Come to our spring concert, Canticles for the Soul, on April 28 at 4pm, St John Lutheran Church, Forest Park. Hear music to sooth and embrace your soul. We will premiere O Taste and See by our conductor Paul Lindblad, and, from the archives of Carl Schalk, the first performance of a lovely Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis.

Highlights of the program will be spirituals, canticles, and psalm settings by Norman Luboff, Richard Hillert, Larry Fleming, Ernst Pepping; and the stunning Three Prophecies from Isaiah by John Ness Beck.

It is our pleasure to have Michael Costello as our guest organist. We look forward to having you join us for a memorable concert. Tickets will be available through Eventbrite mid-March.

OPCC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, and a grant from Oak Park Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Village of Oak Park, the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Robert’s Westside in Forest Park Home for Live Music & Community Events

Though we are primarily a live music venue, we also serve as a welcoming neighborhood bar. We are a home for families to gather for their milestone achievements and celebrations of life, as well as a space offered for non-profit fundraisers and mutual aid benefits. We feature handmade cocktails, craft beers and premiere NA drinks to provide all patrons choices to maximize their experience.

Robert’s Westside was founded and is operated by Donnie Biggins, a lifelong Oak Park and Forest Park resident. You are familiar with his work booking the American Music Festival, keeping music alive during the pandemic by curating community pick-up truck & drive-in concerts and programming the annual Oaktoberfest in Downtown Oak Park. Biggins brings his 15 years of experience in organizing community events and live entertainment to his forever home on Madison Street.

In 2024, Robert’s will host Food Aid - a two day music festival to combat food insecurity in Forest Park, Oak Park and our surrounding communities. You should expect more news about a new dining experience paired with another stage, and hundreds of opportunities to connect with your neighbors while enjoying music, food, good drinks and conversation.

A Live Music Venue & Community Gathering Space events

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obert’s Westside is your new favorite home for live music & community events. Showcasing artists of all generations and genres, bringing everything we love about diversity in programming to a community filled with music lovers. We want to invite you all to engage with your neighbors, explore new genres, and see groundbreaking touring artists.

7321 madison street, forest park, il robertswestside.com | @robertswestside

OAK PARK FESTIVAL THEATRE PRESENTS

WINTER READINGS AT PLEASANT HOME & CHENEY MANSION In partnership with The Droll, or a Stage-Play about the END of Theatre by Meg Miroshnik February 23 & 24

Imogen Says Nothing by Aditi Brennan Kapil March 22 & 23

Or, by Liz Duffy Adams April 26 & 27

Scan for more info

Admission includes a selection of beer, wine, and hors d’oeuvres.

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Handel Week Festival 2024– Our Gala 25th Anniversary Season!

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ou are cordially invited to join us for the final two concerts of the Handel Week Festival 2024–Our Gala 25th Anniversary Season!

Sunday, Feb. 25, 3:00 pm The Intimate Handel: Sing and Play in Dulcet Tone

Join us as we present three distinctive solo cantatas of love and longing, sung in the rich crisp tones of soprano Rosalind Lee. Pair these with a fiendishly difficult Handel harpsichord suite played by Dennis Northway and two rarely heard sonatas for oboe and cello, performed by Deborah Stevenson and Steven Houser.

You’ll be beguiled by these treasures of Handel’s Italian years!

Sunday, March 3, 3:00 pm The King of Oratorios–The Messiah

Enjoy an unforgettable afternoon with the best-known and beloved oratorio of all time, performed by some of Handel Week’s favorite soloists (Kimberly

O

Grandes Dames of the Chicago Black Renaissance

n May 4, the Michael Teolis Singers (MTS) will present one of the most ambitious and significant concerts in its 17-year history, “Grandes Dames of the Chicago Black Renaissance,” featuring the music of Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, Lena McLin, Betty Jackson King, Irene Britton Smith, and Regina Harris-Baiocchi.

These amazing women developed their crafts in Chicago, leaving their special marks on the musical history and culture of the Windy City. The centerpiece of the concert is Margaret Bonds’ “Credo,” dedicated to the memories of her close friends Abbie Mitchell and Langston Hughes and featuring a text by W.E.B. DuBois.

MTS often performs uncovered gems that are important contributions to musical art. The May 4 concert—held at the First United Methodist Church of Oak Park--features works from Black women who were influenced by the

music and emotions that embodied the post-World War I Great Migration of Blacks from southern states to northern cities, often Chicago. Classically trained composers like Ms. Price and Ms. Bonds also flourished, producing significant works in non-idiomatic styles that are included in the upcoming program and even now influence the Chicago music scene.

MTS members are all volunteers, coming from all walks of life. Director and founder Michael Teolis has helped shape Chicago’s musical landscape for 50 years as a music education professional and freelance musician.

Maestro Teolis is a published composer, and many of his former students have achieved significant recognition in the music industry.

Learn more about MTS or purchase tickets at www.mtsingers.org.

McCord, Noah Gartner, Gerald Frantzen and Michelle Wrighte) along with our magnificent chorus and orchestra, under the seasoned baton of founding Artistic Director Dr. Dennis Northway.

Our audience members enjoy: • Free Parking On Site

• Handicapped Accessible Venue

• Group discounts for 10 or more tickets re–concert lecture before March 3 •P concert

• An acoustically excellent setting in the sanctuary of Pilgrim Church, 460 Lake St. • Receptions following each concert

Go to www.handelweek.com for tickets!