Center for the Performing Arts Presents World Premiere, 26 Other Events in 08-09
May 6, 2008
The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State’s 2008-2009 season features the world premiere performance by a trio of virtuoso musicians, touring Broadway musicals, jazz legends, an elite European orchestra, world music superstars, classical and modern dance, events for families and children, chamber music ensembles and more.
Pianist Emanuel Ax, violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Yo-Yo Ma perform together for the first time in a March 30 concert at Eisenhower Auditorium. The line-up of touring musicals at Eisenhower includes Chicago (Oct. 1), Hairspray (Oct. 23), Jesus Christ Superstar starring Ted Neeley (Feb. 3) and Ain’t Misbehavin’ starring 2003 American Idol winner Ruben Studdard (April 14).
The 27 music, theater and dance events—to be presented in the September 2008 through April 2009 season at Eisenhower and Schwab auditoriums—are on sale now to Center for the Performing Arts members (at the Affiliate level or higher), last-season series subscribers, sponsors and underwriters. Eligible patrons may purchase tickets by phone at (814) 863-0255 or 1-800-ARTS-TIX; in person at Eisenhower or Penn State Tickets Downtown; or by a mail-in order form. Visit www.cpa.psu.edu for complete details about the upcoming season or to download a brochure. Tickets go on sale to the general public June 2.
Jazz offerings include the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (Oct. 9), the Jimmy Heath Quartet (Nov. 20), the McCoy Tyner Quartet (Feb. 19) and the Blue Note Records 70th Anniversary Tour featuring pianist Bill Charlap as music director, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and other all-star musicians (April 8). The jazz quartets perform in Schwab. The larger jazz ensembles play in Eisenhower.
Poland’s Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Antoni Wit, performs Nov. 13 on the 25th anniversary of its last appearance at Eisenhower. Virtuoso pianist Valentina Lisitsa is the guest soloist for Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
Singers Angélique Kidjo (Oct. 30), who won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album, and Mariza (Feb. 24), who sings Portuguese fado, make their Eisenhower debuts.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, one of America’s great modern companies, makes a rare State College appearance Nov. 6. The State Ballet Theatre of Russia makes its first visit to Penn State to perform Cinderella Jan. 15. MOMIX returns in Lunar Sea March 26. All three dance events are in Eisenhower.
Family presentations include Cirque Mechanics in the fanciful Birdhouse Factory (Nov. 9) and the popular Japanese drummers KODO (March 18). Shows for kids include Dallas Children’s Theater in Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters (Oct. 26), TheatreworksUSA in Charlotte’s Web (Jan. 25) and Magic Tree House: The Musical (Feb. 15).
For information about becoming a Center for the Performing Arts member, contact Dave Shaffer at (814) 863-1167 or DaveShaffer@psu.edu.
A complete list of Center for the Performing Arts 2008-2009 presentations follows.
CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 2008-2009
Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise indicated. Performances are in Eisenhower Auditorium unless indicated as being in Schwab Auditorium (SA). Artists, programs, dates and times are subject to change.
Orion String Quartet
with David Krakauer, clarinetist
Tuesday, September 23 (SA)
Chicago
Wednesday, October 1
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
with Wynton Marsalis
Thursday, October 9
Sphinx Chamber Orchestra
Thursday, October 16
American String Quartet
with Timothy Deighton, violist
Tuesday, October 21 (SA)
Hairspray
Thursday, October 23
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters
Dallas Children’s Theater
2 p.m. Sunday, October 26
Angélique Kidjo
Thursday, October 30
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Thursday, November 6
Cirque Mechanics
Birdhouse Factory
2 p.m. Sunday, November 9
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
Antoni Wit, general and artistic director
Valentina Lisitsa, piano soloist
Thursday, November 13
Jimmy Heath Quartet
Thursday, November 20 (SA)
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Baroque Inspirations
Thursday, December 4 (SA)
Cinderella
State Ballet Theatre of Russia
Thursday, January 15
Charlotte’s Web
TheatreworksUSA
2 p.m. Sunday, January 25
Jesus Christ Superstar
Tuesday, February 3
Chanticleer
An Orchestra of Voices
Saturday, February 7
Ying Quartet
Friday, February 13 (SA)
Magic Tree House: The Musical
3 p.m. Sunday, February 15
McCoy Tyner Quartet
Thursday, February 19 (SA)
Mariza
Tuesday, February 24
KODO
Wednesday, March 18
MOMIX
Lunar Sea
Thursday, March 26
Ax-Perlman-Ma
Monday, March 30
Blue Note Records
70th Anniversary Tour
Featuring Bill Charlap, Peter Bernstein, Ravi Coltrane, Lewis Nash,
Nicholas Payton, Peter Washington, and Steve Wilson
Wednesday, April 8
Ruben Studdard
starring in
Ain’t Misbehavin’
The Fats Waller Broadway Musical
also starring Frenchie Davis
Tuesday, April 14
Guthrie Theater
and The Acting Company
King Henry V
Tuesday, April 21
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Contact: Laura Sullivan, 814-863-6379