Arts Calendar
Revised Monday 02/08/10
Through Sunday, 03/07
Conklin's Barn II Dinner Theatre in Goodfield presents "Weekend Comedy" with dinner at 6pm and the show at 8 Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and Sunday brunches with lunch at noon and the show at 1:30. For reservations call 965-2545 or visit www.barn2.com
Through Saturday, 02/19
The Contemporary Art Center presents a new exhibit "Predator/Prey/Scavenger", an installation project by Kate Kaminski, in gallery 3R at 305 SW Water Street in Peoria. For hours and information, call 674-6822.
Through Sunday, 02/14
Peoria Players Theatre, 4300 N. University at Lake Street in Peoria, presents the classic Meredith Willson musical comedy, "The Music Man", with curtain times at 7:30pm and a Sunday matinee at 2:30. Tickets are $17 for adults and $12 for 18 and under. For tickets and information, call Peoria Players at 688-4473 or vist www.peoriaplayers.org
Through Saturday, 02/13
The Peoria Art Guild invited Local, Regional and National Jewelry artists to participate in an exhibition running though the week. The Peoria Art Guild is located in the Foster Arts Center, 203 Harrison Street in downtown Peoria. The hours are 9:30am to 6pm Monday through Friday and 9:30am to 5pm Saturday. The Peoria Art Guild juried and invited artists who have been national or regional award winning designers and yet produce moderately priced jewelry. Several of the regional artists participating in the Jewelry Show have been exhibitors at the Peoria Art Guild’s Annual Fine Art Fair on Peoria’s Riverfront. Local jewelry artists were chosen for their unique artistry.
The Peoria Art Guild is not a jewelry store but a 130 year old non-profit community art center devoted to education, exhibitions and community service. The reception will include a Valentine theme fundraiser: live music by local musician, Joe Metzka, Chocolates by East Peoria’s Ruthie’s Toffees, Food and refreshments by Kelleher’s and Water Street Café. Admission is free for Peoria Art Guild members and $5 for non-members. Call the Peoria Art Guild 309-637-2787 ext. 2 for more information. Funds raised will support the Peoria Art Guild’s educational mission.
National Jewelry artists, Judith Neugebauer, from Pennsylvania, Biba Schutz from NYC and Barbara Silverstein from Massachusetts are showing their artwork in Peoria for the first time. These artists participate in the most competitive exhibitions in the country, including the Society of Arts & Crafts, the American Craft Council and the Smithsonian Institution shows.
Missouri glass artist, Mary Smith creates, not only glass jewelry but also glass functional table and bar ware. Mary Smith produces her original designs with Murano glass from Italy.
Jewelry is the most sought-after art form. Local artists, Jan Ebling, Merrell Hickey, Cherie Moery-Metzka, and Erin Robert to name a few of those participating in the show, are very popular in this area for offering their diverse, original designs at reasonable prices. For more information, call Sheryl Cohen 309-686-1888 or Gabe Johnson, Peoria Art Guild, 309-637-2787 ext. 2
Tuesday, 02/09
Water Street Wines, Cafe and Coffees, 100 State Street at Water Street in downtown Peoria, presents "Art at Water Street" from 6pm - 8pm. "Art at Water Street" continues the series of intimate art exhibitions, capped off with an opportunity to meet the artist(s) currently on display, during a casual cocktail event, with appetizers provided by Water Street Cafe. Meet Doug Leunig, the artist featured in our current exhibition. Upcoming: February 10th through April 5th, Art at Water Street will be featuring the work of local artist, Tom Gross. For additional information, contact Water Street Cafe at 309-677-4246 or online at: waterstreetcoffee.com
Tuesday, 02/09
The next Peoria Symphony Guild Musical Morning will actually be at night. In an experiment to make the program available to spouses and others who work during the day, the Guild will present Dr. John Orfe, pianist and composer currently teaching at Bradley University, in a lecture-recital on Chopin at 7pm in the Universalist Unitarian Church, 3000 West Richwoods Blvd. off Sterling in Peoria. A social time and refreshments will follow. As always, guild members are free, guests are $5. For reservations and information, call the Peoria Symphony office at 637-2787.
Thursday, 02/11
The next lecture presented by the Fine Arts Society of Peoria will be at 9:25am for coffee and cookies; the lecture starts at 10:00. Dr. Rolf Achilles, curator of the Smith Museum of Stained Glass at Navy Pier, will present "Great Midwestern Panes", a fully illustrated talk on many significant stained glass windows in the Midwest. For more information, visit www.fineartssociety.net
Friday, 02/12
At 7:15pm there will be a free concert at St. Mary's Cathedral by the Notre Dame University Handbell and Celebration Choirs. Sacred music from classic hymns to gospel and contemporary will be performed accompanied by organ, strings, flute, guitar, the Irish bodhran, piano and the African djembe. A free-will offering will be taken to help fund the establishment of a childrens' choir school for the Peoria Catholic Diocese. A reception will be served after the concert. For more information call Sherry Seckler at 672-6447 x22.
Friday, 02/12
Bradley University junior Russell Zehr will present a saxophone recital at 7:30 p.m. in Dingeldine Music Center, located at 1417 W. Barker Avenue.
Russell is the son of Lynn and Mona Zehr of Graymont, and is a student of Keith Zimmerman of the Bradley music faculty.
The recital will feature a few staples within the classical saxophone repertoire, including Alpine Sonata for Soprano Saxophone by Lawson Lunde, Introduction, Dance and Furioso by Herbert Couf and Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano by Bernhard Heiden.
The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, call 309.677.3596.
Friday, 02/12 through Saturday, 02/20
"Rabbit Hole"
, the Pulitzer Prize winning drama from playwright David Lindsey Abaire will be presented at Corn Stock Theatre's winter playhouse in Upper Bradley Park beginning Friday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Subsequent shows will be Saturday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m. and Thursday Feb. 18 through Saturday Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students. The show is rated "R" because of language and adult themes.
Rabbit Hole tells us about a couple whose wonderful life is destroyed when their four-year-old child is hit by a car and killed. It's the story of how the parents, Becca and Howie Corbett, struggle to put their lives back together. Trying to help are Becca's sister, Izzy, and her mother, Nat, but their
own issues get in the way.
Then there is Jason, the teen who was driving the car that killed their son. He, too, needs closure and it is Jason that tells us of the Rabbit Hole, his way of dealing with the grief. The Rabbit Hole is how he refers to his belief in parallel universes, that somewhere in the infinite universe is a happier version of himself and the Corbett family, where little Danny is alive.
Directed by Paul Gordon, this remarkable show is tinged with sadness, but it also is often funny, at times uplifting and a challenge to the actors who portray its characters. The cast includes Peoria community theatre veterans Tim Wyman and Connie Sinn along with Mollie Huisman, Katherine Marchetta and Tadd Madallozzo, all newcomers to the Corn Stock winter playhouse but experienced performers at other venues. For tickets and information, call 676-2196.
Saturday, 02/13
The Illinois Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association will present a Collegiate Chorale Festival from 10 am to 1 pm in the Dingeldine Music Center, located at 1417 W. Barker Ave. on the Bradley campus. The event is free and open to the public.
Choirs from Bradley, Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities and Illinois Central College and Knox College will perform. For more information, call 309-677-2600.
Saturday, 02/13
The Peoria Symphony Orchestra is in concert with its 5th candidate for the post of Music Director. George Stelluto will conduct at 8pm, joined by piano soloist Benjamin Moser in the Peoria Civic Center Theatre. For tickets and information, call the PSO ticket line at 671-1096.
Sunday, 02/14 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY !
The Bradley University Music Department will present a two-piano concert benefiting the people of Haiti on Sunday, Feb. 14, at 3 p.m. in Dingeldine Music Center, located at 1417 W. Barker Avenue on the Bradley campus.
Four guest pianists, including Dr. Edward and Janet Kaizer, Dr. John Orfe, and Dr. Joshua Russell, who have all been recognized at the national and international levels, will perform pieces by Mozart, Bach, Liszt and Rachmaninoff on two pianos. A member of the American Red Cross will be on hand to accept donations to help those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Admission to the performance is free.
Dr. Joshua Russell helped to teach Haitian musicians during his Bradley student years. As a pianist, he has given numerous performance and lectures in relation to Haitian music throughout the country.
For more information, contact Dr. Edward Kaiser at 309-677-2598.
Thursday, 02/18
The Bradley Chorale will present its Spring Chorale Talent Show at 7:30 p.m., in the Dingeldine Music Center, located at 1417 W. Barker Avenue on the Bradley campus.
The evening will feature songs, dances, skits, and surprises performed by Chorale members and their friends. Tickets for the general public are five dollars and may be purchased at the door. Proceeds will go towards funding the Chorale’s concert tour of Denmark and Norway in May.
For more information, call 309-677-2600.
Sunday, 2/21
Female vocal quartet “Main Street, USA” joins with male vocal quartet “After Hours” for an entertaining program of barbershop, spirituals, novelties and secular vocal arrangements. This “must see” presentation will take place at 3pm at the Universalist Unitarian Church, 3000 W. Richwoods Blvd, Peoria. An offering will be taken and a reception will follow the concert. For more information call 691-4959.
Friday, 02/26 through Sunday, 02/28
Three Sisters Folk Art School is pleased to present our first Mountain Dulcimer Weekend featuring acclaimed artist Mike Anderson! Mike will teach an extended weekend-long dulcimer class on February 26-28, 2010 at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL. A special Saturday night concert, held in the park chapel, will feature the dulcimer music of Mike Anderson and friends.
Class students will discover how to play melodies high and low on the fingerboard, and how to simplify or complicate any melody in this weekend workshop. Time will be spent on strumming, flat picking, fingerpicking, fingerings and chords. This class is intended for students who already have some experience and can tune and strum a mountain dulcimer. Students are required to bring their own instruments. Class begins Friday evening, February 26 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the park pavilion, and continues Saturday, February 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The workshop finishes on Sunday, February 28, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, followed by lunch and impromptu jamming. Registered students receive
one free admission to the Saturday night concert, plus continental breakfast and lunch on both Saturday and Sunday.
The Saturday Night Concert begins at 7:30 p.m., February 27, in the chapel at Three Sisters Park. Mike Anderson and his friends will present an evening of oldtime musical tradition featuring the mountain dulcimer. The audience will enjoy an evening of folk music, storytelling, and a unique brand of humor that has made Mike Anderson one of the most sought-after folk artists in the nation today.
The Mountain Dulcimer class is $75 before January 31, 2010, or $100 after January 31, 2010. Concert tickets are available for $10 each, or two for $15. Details and registration forms are available online at www.ThreeSistersFolk-ArtSchool.com, or by calling (309) 274-8837, ext. 131.
Three Sisters Folk Art School is dedicated to enriching lives through art and craftmanship. The School was formally established in 2007, and offers classes in traditional arts with intense multi-day sessions. Students can immerse themselves in their chosen art while enjoying the peaceful historic farmstead setting of Three Sisters Park. Plans are underway to raise funds and construct permanent
classrooms and student housing.
Sunday, 03/07
The Heritage Ensemble will perform at the Universalist Unitarian Church, 3000 W. Richwoods Blvd, at 5:00 pm. Spirituals, blues, ragtime, jazz, gospel, work songs, and hollers will be presented. An offering will be taken and a reception will follow the performance. For more information, call 691-4959.
Monday, 03/15
Call for entries for the Peoria Art Guild 5th Annual Art Fair at Junction City
The Peoria Art Guild is now accepting artist applications for the 5th Annual Art Fair at Junction City to be held on June 5 & 6, 2010. The deadline for applications is March 15.
Fine art and fine craft artists living within a 150-mile radius of Peoria are encouraged to apply to the juried art fair. An online artist application form is provided at www.juriedartservices.com.
Jurors will select sixty-five regional artists to exhibit their works. Twenty-five percent of the artists selected will live within a fifty-mile radius of Peoria, IL, making the fair truly both a local and regional event. Cash prizes of $15,000 will be awarded during the fair, including a Best of Show award of $5,000.
Last year, over 10,000 people attended the event to view original works by central Illinois' talented fine artists and enjoy the unique, outdoor boutique setting of Junction City Shopping Center.
"Peoria always turns out to support this fair," said Tanya Geranios, Art Fair at Junction City co-chair.
Artists praise the staff and volunteers for the welcoming atmosphere and attention to detail they provide. "Everyone is very nice and helpful and the audience is so supportive of our artist community," said Jacob Grant, a 2009 award winner. From the complimentary meals, booth-sitting, an artist-only break room to the security and set-up assistance provided, the Art Fair at Junction City is a highlight on many artists' schedules.
Applications are available at http://www.juriedartservices.com. The deadline for all applications is March 15th.
For more information, please visit www.peoriaartguild.org, or call 309-671-1093, or by email, artfair@peoriaartguild.org. Find us on Facebook for updates and information.
Saturday, 04/10
The Piecers of the Heartland Quilt Guild in Canton will be holding their Quilt Show at the Canton High School, 1001 N. Main Street in Canton from 9am to 4pm. They will have over 250 quilted items, a bed turning, antique quilts, vendors, demonstrations, concessions, door prizes and second-hand treasures. At 12 noon they will present a special event: “The Civil War: Noble Cause/High Cost”, a reading of letters sent between a husband & wife from 1862-1864 while he served in the Union Army. There will also be a beautiful raffle quilt. Raffle tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.
There will be plenty of free parking and the space is handicapped- accessible. Admission is $5. For more information call Rich Eaves at (309) 668-3109 or by e-mail patchworker22@yahoo.com
Tuesday, 04/27 through 05/04
Continuing Education at Bradley University is now accepting registrations for “The Civil War Tour,” a trip taking place from April 27 to May 4 that will take participants through Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio to visit some of the most storied highlights of the Civil War.
Hosted by Civil War experts Bernie Drake and Randy Saxon, “The Civil War Tour” will include stops at the National Civil War Museum, Gettysburg, Antietam, Harper’s Ferry and the Underground Railroad Museum, among others.
Cost of the trip, which covers lodging, admission fees, charter bus transportation, gratuities, presentations, and most meals, is $1,499 per person for double occupancy and $1,799 per person for single occupancy.
The deadline to register for “The Civil War Tour” is Feb. 15. For more information, visit www.bradley.edu/continue.
