The Champaign-Urbana Ballet and Sinfonia da Camera will present their annual production of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" Dec. 4-6 at the Krannert Center in Urbana. The cast includes company dancers and scores of children from the surrounding community. CU Ballet's Nutcracker will be the focus of our conversation on the Tuesday edition of "Live and Local.
Denise and Michael Grupp-Verbon constitute the folk harp and guitar duo called Tapestry, based in Toledo, Ohio. Their music ranges from Celtic and folk to pop, classical and more. They will be performing in Bloomington Wednesday night, and they'll be my guests on the Wednesday edition of "Live and Local," playing live in our studio.
Beginning Dec. 4, Bah Humbug Productions and Parkland College Theatre in Champaign will present their third annual production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" in their own musical adaptation. On the Monday edition of "Live and Local," I'll talk with the creators of this production, and we'll hear some of the songs live in our studio.
At 72 years and counting, Red Mask Players in Danville is one of the oldest community theaters in the state. They complete their run of Tom Jones this weekend, and we'll have two of their members on the Friday edition of "Live and Local." I'll also talk with Milton Scott, director of the choral group Opus 24, which gives its Fall concert in Decatur next week.
On the Thursday edition of "Live and Local," we'll meet members of the Arcadia Chamber Players, who give their fall concert Friday night. And we'll visit with the JACK Quartet, in residence at the University of Illinois this week. They've been called "a four man super squad armed with bows and strings," and one of their number was locally born and raised.
The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company comes to the Krannert Center Wednesday night for a program on the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. On Wednesday's show, we'll talk with Bridget Lee-Calfas about that production. And we'll hear scenes from an adaptation by two local 13-year-olds of the Chet Gecko mystery "Give My Regrets to Broadway," in Champaign this weekend.
On Tuesday's show, I'll talk with Gary Shaw and Sharon Huff, directors of the Millikin University Wind Ensemble and Concert Band, about their Wednesday night concert. I'll also chat with Robin Kearton and Scott Schwartz about the "Granny's Porch" concert in Champaign Friday night.
The Kilborn Alley Blues Band is one of the gems of our area music scene, and they're headed out next Monday for a two-week tour through London, England, with a kick-off party on Saturday in Urbana. Three members of the band will play live in our studio on the Friday edition of "Live and Local"-with a couple of other surprise guests on the show as well. We'll also hear from David Commanday, conductor of the Heartland Chamber Orchestra in Peoria, playing concerts this weekend, and violinist Elena Urioste, winner of the Sphinx Competition, playing a recital at the Krannert Center on Sunday. NOTE: The second sound clip is the complete interview with Mr. Commanday, of which we heard only a portion during the live program.
Bossa Nuevo is a new band based in Urbana-Champaign that performs an eclectic mix of classic music by South American composers like Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto and Astor Piazzolla. The band is giving a concert Friday at Urbana's Independent Media Center, and we'll have two band members on the Thursday edition of "Live and Local.
Lucinda Lawrence is Bands Librarian at the University of Illinois, and Robert Picklesimer is founder of Creative Dramatics Workshop in Sidney. The two are collaborating to create a new musical theater work called "1787: We the People." I'll talk with Bob and Lucinda about the project on the Wednesday edition of "Live and Local.
