Art center hosted 250 events

By Rebecca Petersen | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, January 5, 2008

Our annual meeting and volunteer appreciation event is just around the corner — Jan. 22 to be exact. Invitations are going out in the next few days. If you’re a member of A Center for the Arts or a volunteer, please, mark your calendars. If you’re not, consider becoming a member or a volunteer in the next week or two and you can still join us at our celebration and meeting.

It’s a chance to review the past year and look ahead to the new year.

We’re reviewing the past 25 years with a “Walk Down Memory Lane,” as our theme. It will be fun to see old pictures and programs and posters and be part of a “Name That Tune, or Name That Play, or Name that Year” contest.

We’re intentionally trying to slow down a little bit this year — not too much, but a little bit. With movies and theater productions and dance performances and music and literary events and concerts in the park, we realized that we were involved in more than 250 events last year.

Whew. This is why we’re taking the first two weeks in January to be closed (sort of) and regroup.

However, that being said, there is a violin recital tonight, with Dr. Neal Page and guests Jenny Oliver, Michael Page, Judy Dietzler, Mark Solie and (perhaps) Dr. Bruce Money. You won’t want to miss it.

Here’s a quick look at last year and the performers hosted by the Center: Chuck Suchy at Thumper Pond; The Big Read Kick Off at The Prairie Wetlands; Ring of Kerry at Thumper Pond and A Center for the Arts; Frostbite Follies Vaudeville Show; Plain Hearts (12 performances) here and on tour; TU Dance; David Stoddard Concert at Thumper Pond and A Center for the Arts; Commonwealth Theater Performance of Ghosts; Gustavus Jazz Band; Razzle Dazzle Revue; Guitarist, Pat Donohue; Summer Vaudeville; Eight Concerts in Roosevelt Park; Laura Ingalls Wilder; Lance Johnson Theatre Organ Concerts; Beauty and the Beast; Songs from the Tall Grass (18 performances here and on tour); Finnish Fiddlers JPP; violinist Midori and McDonald Recital; Tony Sandler and the LOL Boys Choir; Dance & Dessert; FM Symphony Holiday Pops; Handel’s Messiah; Best Christmas Pagaent Ever; It’s A Wonderful Life Radio Drama; Swedish Christmas; Summer Classes; Early Childhood Music Classes; and movies, movies, movies; and open mike night; and Celtic Music Jam every month at The Kaddatz Hotel; not to mention rotating visual artists every other month.

You see now why that $500 ticket for two for an entire year of programs here is such a great deal. And if you can’t attend them all, give your tickets to someone else as a gift.

Look what’s ahead — Neal Page Recital (the first in a series of “Center Saturdays); Volunteer Appreciation Event (one member said that this event was worth the price of membership alone); Frostbite Follies: A Musical Interlude with Local Musicians and Conversation; James Sewell Ballet; The Big Read Joy Luck Club and Many Activities; The Irish Group Piper’s Crow; Claudia Schmidt with The Biddies; Children’s Theater Company with “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie”; David Stoddard in Concert; Pianist George Winston; Ragamala East Indian Dance; Lorie Line (to be announced); Wendy and Linda Concert; Ten Concerts in the Park; Robin Hood; The Wizard of Oz; Barbary Coast Dixieland Band.; Talk of the Town; Dance and Dessert; FM Symphony Holiday Pops; Amahl and the Night Visitors (we hope); and more movies, movies, movies; more art; ore open mic nights; more Celtic Music; but maybe a little less often than last year. You know what they say, sometimes less is more.