EACC announces 2017-18 performance season’s schedule

EACC announces 2017-18 performance season’s schedule

Steven Curtis Chapman, Charlie Daniels Band headline Spotlight Series

www.eacc.edu FORREST CITY — East Arkansas Community College announces the upcoming 2017-18 Performance Season’s schedule of events to be held in the EACC Fine Arts Center. Season ticket packages for the 2017-18 Season will go on sale to the general public on Monday, July 17.

The EACC Spotlight Series:

Steven Curtis Chapman Saturday, Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m.

One of the most prolific and celebrated singer-songwriters in the Christian music industry, Steven Curtis Chapman is also one of the most highly decorated, winning 5 Grammy Awards and 58 Dove Awards. Chapman has released more than 20 albums and has had over 40 #1 hits on Christian radio. For more than two decades, Steven Curtis Chapman has celebrated life’s most precious moments in song. The joys and challenges of daily existence reverberate throughout Chapman’s music and his songs have become the soundtrack of life for believers everywhere.

*** The Charlie Daniels Band – Saturday, Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m.

From his Dove Awardwinning gospel albums to his genre defining Southern rock anthems and his CMA Award-winning country hits, few artists have left a more indelible mark on America’s musical landscape than Charlie Daniels. An outspoken patriot, beloved mentor to young artists, and still a road warrior at age 80, Charlie has parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum career and a platform to support the military, underprivileged children and others in need. When he formed the Charlie Daniels Band, the group scored its first Top 10 hit with “Uneasy Rider.” Since then, the Charlie Daniels Band has populated radio with such memorable hits as “Long Haired Country Boy,” “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “In America,” “The Legend of Wooley Swamp,” and of course, their signature song,” The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”

*** Dublin Irish Dance: Stepping Out – Friday, Jan. 19, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.

Follow the evolution of Celtic culture in Stepping Out, a high energy extravaganza of sights and sounds presented by Dublin Irish Dance. These accomplished Irish step-dancers and musicians take the audience on a journey, exploring the history of the Celtic cultural experience through song and dance. Many of the artists in this ensemble have performed with popular acts like Riverdance, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, and Celtic Woman. With the lightning fast footwork of the step-dancers, the spirited melodies of the eight-member traditional Irish band, and the lovely sounds of their Irish vocalists, this performance is sure to amaze.

*** The Shirelles – Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.

Don’t miss all the great hits performed live by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees and America’s Original Dream Girls, the Shirelles, starring original and founding member, Beverly Lee. Their long string of hits, including “Soldier Boy,” “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” “Dedicated To The One I Love,” “Mama Said,” and so many others, have been recorded by hundreds of artists including the Beatles, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton & The Yardbirds, the Mamas & the Papas, Bernadette Peters, and Smokey Robinson. Named one of the 100 Best Acts of All Time by Rolling Stone in 2004, the Shirelles topped the Billboard Hot 100 with “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.”

*** Travis Tritt Saturday, April 7, 2018— 7:30 pm More than 27 years after Travis Tritt launched his music career, the Grammy Award-winning artist continues to sell out shows, top sales charts, and stay true and relevant to Country music fans across the globe. A native of Marietta, Georgia, Travis Tritt is dubbed one of the “Class of ’89,” which included Country music superstars Garth Brooks, Clint Black and Alan Jackson, all of whom dominated the charts in the early ‘90s. Among his eleven studio albums and numerous charted singles are nineteen Top 10 hits. Some of his biggest hits include “It’s A Great Day to Be Alive,” “Here’s A Quarter,” and “Anymore.” His overall career has produced millions in album sales, two Grammy Awards, and multiple No. 1 singles on the Country radio charts. ***

Holiday Features:

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra: Home for the Holidays – Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m.

Beginning its 52nd season in 2017-18, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Phillip Man, is one of Arkansas’ most dynamic performing organizations. Music Director Phillip Mann is quickly gaining a worldwide reputation as an expressively graceful yet passionate artist with a range spanning opera, symphonic repertoire, new music, and experimental collaborations. Don’t miss the chance to experience the magic of the holiday season with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. No matter the weather, this holiday favorite will bring back some of the mostloved and coziest melodies ever created. Tickets for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Feature performance will be $25.

*** Mooseltoe – Saturday, Dec. 10, at 3 p.m.

Mooseltoe, the moose with a dream, and his friends come to life in this colorful, magical and whimsical musical tale. Follow our hero as he pursues his seemingly impossible dream while learning many valuable lessons along the way – lessons which are important for us all. Al Roker narrates the story while celebrities from Broadway, television, and movies provide the voices of Mooseltoe and his friends in this charming production. Tickets for the Mooseltoe Holiday Feature performance will be $14.50.

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Special Events:

The Wizard of Oz – Friday, July 28, TBA EACC, Compass Creative Dramatics, and area children will present The Wizard of Oz on the mainstage in the EACC Fine Arts Center. The performance will be the culmination of EACC’s annual Children’s Theater Camp. Children will perform alongside two professional Chicago-based actors from Compass Creative Dramatics. During the week-long camp, students in grades 1st – 12th learn, play, and perform alongside professional actor/educators who stretch their creativity and bravery muscles, while helping to instill trust, responsibility, teamwork, and empathy. Tickets for The Wizard of Oz can be purchased at the door for $5, and seating is general admission.

*** Kimistri – Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, TBA Featuring the powerhouse vocals of Nicki Parrish, Kimistri brings a natural excitement that audiences have come to love. Articulating the emotions that individuals feel, their style of music is captivated by a vast audience of R& B, gospel, jazz, neo soul, country, blues, hip-hop, reggae, and salsa genres of music that touch the heart and souls of all mankind. Tickets for this special event will be $10, or free to EACC students with a valid ID.

*** UAPB Vesper Choir Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, TBA The UAPB Vesper Choir, under the direction of Dr. Michael J. Bates, Professor of Music, is nationally recognized among historically Black colleges and universities for its diverse repertoire and excellent performances. This 75-80 member select ensemble, founded in the 1940s by Professor Ariel Lovelace and conducted for more than 40 years by professor Shelton J. McGee, has a rich choral tradition that includes numerous performances on radio and television, as well as performances across the United States and online. In March of 2017, the Vesper Choir traveled to Spain for a concert/educational tour. This event is free to the public.

Current Season Package Subscribers can expect to receive renewal information by the end of June. Season ticket packages will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 17. Packages will be available online at www.eacc.edu or by calling 870-633-4480 ext. 352. Season subscription options save up to 20 percent. Single tickets to all Spotlight Series events are $39. Tickets for Spotlight Series performances, Holiday Features, and Special Events generally go on sale six weeks prior to the event.

From Lindsay Midkiff