March Busy Month at Center for Performing Arts
The following is a list of coming events and attractions at Carmel’s Center for the Performing Arts.
8 p.m. Friday, March 6
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Drewry Simmons Vornehm Jazz Series
Grammy-winning trumpeter Chris Botti has been one of the most popular instrumentalists in the world for nearly three decades. He has collaborated with some of the biggest superstars on the planet, including Sting, Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell, Steven Tyler, Andrea Bocelli, Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma and others. He has topped the jazz charts with numerous albums, earned multiple Gold and Platinum records, performed with symphony orchestras and on prestigious stages from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House.
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra & Marc-André Hamelin
8 p.m. Saturday, March 7
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Leo Brown Group Classical Series
Canadian piano virtuoso and composer Marc-André Hamelin joins the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra for a program featuring Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414, as well as Beethoven’s Allegretto from Piano Sonata No. 17 and Schubert’s Chamber Symphony in B-flat Major. Founded in 1972 in New York City, the Grammy-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has recorded more than 70 albums for Deutsche Grammophon, Nonesuch and other labels.
Jerome Collins: Rewind: A Journey to Motown and Beyond
8 p.m. Saturday, March 7
The Tarkington
Katz, Sapper & Miller Pop/Rock Series
Rewind: A Journey to Motown and Beyond is a captivating solo performance featuring the talented Jerome Collins of famed a cappella group Straight No Chaser. This show is a nostalgic throwback to the legendary sounds of Motown and R&B. Collins takes the audience through electrifying renditions of timeless hits from some of the world’s most iconic musicians and renowned artists. With a set list that includes songs from legends like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke and Stevie Wonder, his soulful delivery ensures an unforgettable experience. Opening the show will be the singer-songwriter duo Small Town City, featuring Straight No Chaser’s Mike Luginbill and SNC alumnus Ryan Ahlwardt.
7 p.m. Sunday, March 8
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Telamon Passport Series
Named Live Ireland’s Traditional Group of the Year and Chicago Irish American News’ Group of the Year, Goitse have become leaders of the new generation of traditional Irish ensembles. The group has released six critically acclaimed recordings, mixing original compositions with age-old traditional tunes. Its lineup consists of Colm Phelan, bodhrán; Áine McGeeney, fiddle, vocals; Conal O’Kane, guitar; Alan Reid, banjo, bouzouki; and Daniel Collins, piano, accordion. Together, the quintet Goitse – the Gaelic word for “come here,” pronounced GO-witcha – makes what Irish Music Magazine calls “Music that’s brimming with energy and creative zeal.”
Joshua Henry: Get Up, Stand Up
8 p.m. Friday, March 13
Payne & Mencias Palladium
BHI Senior Living Songbook Series
Taking a break from his acclaimed starring role in the Broadway revival of Ragtime, Joshua Henry makes his headlining debut at Allied Solutions Center. Get Up Stand Up is described as “a soulful bop through the songs that have moved and grooved us through the decades,” featuring “Feeling Good,” “Wait for It,” “A Change is Gonna Come,” “If I Loved You,” “What’s Goin’ On” and more. Henry is best known for his Tony-nominated leading roles in Carousel, The Scottsboro Boys and Violet on Broadway, as well as his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the Chicago production and First National Tour of Hamilton. He also is a BMG recording artist.
Gregorian: Pure Chants World Tour featuring Songs of Enigma
8 p.m. Saturday, March 14
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Katz, Sapper & Miller Pop/Rock Series
Since its founding in 1999 by producer Frank Peterson (Enigma, Sarah Brightman, Andrea Bocelli), Gregorian has sold more than 10 million albums and performed for more than 3 million people in 31 countries with its blend of pop/rock songs and chorale in the style of medieval chants. For its current North American tour, supporting the albums Pure Chants I & II, the ensemble of eight classically trained English vocalists will highlight the music of Enigma, the Grammy-nominated recording project that blended new-age and world music with electronic and ambient sounds and sold an estimated 70 million worldwide.
Step Afrika! The Evolution Tour
7 p.m. Sunday, March 15
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Telamon Passport Series
The Evolution Tour is an electrifying production that fuses groundbreaking step choreography with the vibrant soundscape of a live DJ. Founded in 1994, Step Afrika! blends traditional African dances, percussive dance styles practiced by historically Black fraternities and sororities, and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation. An official Cultural Ambassador of Washington, D.C., Step Afrika! has toured more than 60 countries, headlined President Barack Obama’s Black History Month Reception, and performed at the first ever Juneteenth Celebration at the White House.
One Night in Memphis: The Number One Tribute to Presley, Perkins, Lewis and Cash
7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Katz, Sapper & Miller Pop/Rock Series
One Night in Memphis is a rocking concert tribute to legendary Sun Records recording artists Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley, featuring over 90 minutes of rockabilly, country, gospel and pure 1950s rock ’n’ roll performed live with an energetic rockabilly backup band. Inspired by the “Million Dollar Quartet” incident of 1956, this rock ’n’ roll royalty jam session of true American music features hits like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Whole Lotta Shaking Going On,” “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Hound Dog” and many more.
8 p.m. Friday, March 20
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Drewry Simmons Vornehm Jazz Series
Saxophonist Branford Marsalis is a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Grammy Award winner, Tony and Emmy award nominee, and one of the most influential figures in contemporary music. For more than three decades, the core of his musical universe has been the Branford Marsalis Quartet, an ensemble celebrated for its uncompromising interpretation of both original compositions and jazz and popular classics. Following up on the Grammy‐nominated albums Upward Spiral and The Secret Between the Shadow, the group’s new debut release on Blue Note Records is Belonging, a complete interpretation of Keith Jarrett’s 1974 album of the same name.
Direct from Rome: The Three Italian Tenors
7 p.m. Sunday, March 29
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Leo Brown Group Classical Series
The Three Italian Tenors’ program Italia Musica Amore is a unique tribute to Italian song and aria, saluting the tradition of great Italian tenors such as Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Mario Lanza and Enrico Caruso. This exhilarating and unique musical event features original arrangements of universally loved Italian song and tenor arias, presenting memorable melodies and themes in a stunning program filled with nostalgia and memorable classics. Audiences will be captivated with this first concert tour of North America by the spectacular Three Italian Tenors: Giovanni Maria Palmia, Ugo Tarquini and Alessandro Fantoni, accompanied by Fabrizio Mocata on piano.
OTHER MARCH ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
Peanut Butter & Jam: Bobcat Opossum
10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 7
The Studio Theater
Tickets: $10 per child, includes two free adult admissions
Multi-instrumentalists Sean Hoffman and Ellen Coplin tell stories through music and invite the audience to participate. All ages can travel through time and experience the vibrant world of folk songs and dances. Designed for ages 1-7, Peanut Butter & Jam sessions engage young children in the joy of live performance.
Stand-Up Comedy Practicum – SOLD OUT
Mondays, March 16-April 6
Payne & Mencias Palladium
6:15 p.m. Wednesdays, March 18-April 15
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Cost: $90
Musical theater veteran Todd Neal leads this course on topics including song selection, vocal technique and interpretation. Students gain a better understanding of performance, delivery, projection and stage presence. The class is for anyone who enjoys singing, with no previous vocal training required.
Child & Adult Music Class: Over in the Meadow – SOLD OUT
Tuesdays or Fridays, March 24-May 1
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Luminaries speakers series: The Roots of Rock ’n’ Roll
Payne & Mencias Palladium
Tickets: $10
Bassist, educator and music publicist Ron Kadish has extensive experience in the business and history of music. His presentation will provide a comprehensive look at the roots of rock ’n’ roll, from its diverse influences to the pivotal moments that set the stage for the British Invasion, including a discussion about which song is really “the first” rock ’n’ roll song.
FROM OUR RESIDENT COMPANIES:
Carmel Symphony Orchestra
7 p.m. Saturday, March 21 – Payne & Mencias Palladium
Central Indiana Dance Ensemble
4 p.m. Sunday, March 8 – The Tarkington
Civic Theatre
March 13-28 – The Studio Theater
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre
March 27-28 – The Tarkington
Indiana Wind Symphony
7 p.m. Saturday, March 7 – The Studio Theater
