Spring Awakening Selling Limited Number of Exclusive STAGE SEATING!!

Ever wonder what it's like for the actors of your favorite productions to be on stage? Ever love a show so much that you want to be in the middle of the action, experiencing the show first hand as it unfolds? Ever want to look out at the audience and feel the bright lights on your face?

Here is your chance!

SPRING AWAKENING, the award winning musical that broke boundaries and awed audiences, is coming to Jacksonville on Thursday, March 24th at the Times Union Center, and is selling 18 EXCLUSIVE STAGE SEATS to the first lucky purchasers!

Come to the Times Union Center TOMORROW at 9AM (Thursday, March 24th, the day of the show) to get in line to purchase these amazing seats! Sit on stage while the cast performs the show and experience what it's like to be in one of the most revered musicals of the last decade!

Eighteen stage seats will be for sale for $25.00 (all inclusive) each at the Times-Union Center at 9am on March 24. Available while they last, each purchaser must be 18 years or older to purchase one stage seat each, show ID, and agree to follow specific rules. A limited number of 3rd price seating will be available for purchase at the discounted price of $32.00 after stage seats are purchased, while they last.

Where: Times Union Center – Moran Theater
300 Water St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202

When: Thursday, March 24, 2011
Stage Seats On Sale: 9:00AM
Show Time: 7:30PM

Pilobolus

Pilobolus is not only a fungal entity that grows in barnyards and pastures; it is also the name of a unique American arts dance company of international influence that originated in a Dartmouth College dance class in 1971 and will perform in Jacksonville as one of The Artist Series’ April productions. With over twenty-five full and part-time dancers, the company has continued to grow, expanding and refining its unusual collaborative methods to produce a body of over 100 choreographic works. Pilobolus is based in Washington Depot, Connecticut and performs for stage and television audiences all over the world. The 2010-2011 season marks the company’s 40th year.

Today, the company is comprised of three sublets: PILOBOLUS DANCE THEATRE, the umbrella for a series of radically innovative and globally acclaimed concert dance companies; THE PILOBOLUS INSTITUTE, unique educational programming for schools, colleges, and public arts organizations as well as a series of classes and leadership workshops for corporate executives, employees, and business schools; and PILOBOLUS CREATIVE SERVICES, a division specializing in a wide range of movement services for film, advertising, publishing, commercial clients, and corporate events.

The physical images of Pilobolus works are not drawn from choreographed dance movements. They are, instead, creative improvisations of the human form meant to convey the body’s seductive innocence. The dancers infuse elements of ballet and gymnastics to create acrobatic, picturesque poses.

In June 2000 Pilobolus received the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for lifetime achievement in choreography and in 2004 the company was featured on CBS 60 Minutes. In 2007, the company created and presented six acclaimed performances during the 79th Annual Academy Awards, and produced a series of original segments for the Oprah Winfrey Show; in 2008, it was featured on the Conan O'Brien show; and in 2009 it was nominated for a Sports Emmy for its work for the NFL Network.

The company will present an elegant representation of what it means to be symbolically contracted and decomposed in an artistic sense when Pilobolus appears at the Times Union Center’s Moran Theater on Friday, April 15, 2011.

Visit www.artistseriesjax.org or contact The Artist Series at (904) 632-3373 for more details.

Simply Sinatra

Steve Lippia has become one of the most prominent, in-demand vocalists and has quickly established his place among the finest interpreters of standards and traditional pop music in the nation. Steve’s youthful, energetic talent and powerful show creates a perfect blend of classic with current. His show introduces a new generation to timeless music, while appealing to long-time listeners. With a hot, driving band behind him, Steve moves from crisp, popping swing tunes to lush, poignant ballads. He possesses great stage presence, a charm and an ease that immediately endears audiences to him.

The great entertainers of the time are honored with sincerity and style as Steve Lippia performs a show stopping repertoire of popular Big Band and classic American pop. His repertoire includes such great standards as “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, “The Lady Is A Tramp”, “Mack The Knife”, “Summer Wind”, “You Make Me Feel So Young”, “That’s Life”, and “The Best Is Yet To Come”.

His natural sound and style is a remarkable combination of his own honest musical interpretation, with influences from some of the best singers of this era. It is immediately apparent that Steve’s sound is reminiscent of a younger Sinatra, as he uses the musical organization from Frank Sinatra's original arranger.

Steve’s much acclaimed, self-titled CD was recorded at Warner Brothers’ Studios in Los Angeles with a 41-piece symphony. In addition, Steve has recorded “Steve Lippia Live”, a collection of some of his live performances. His much anticipated third CD, titled “Steve Lippia In Concert”, was released June 16, 2009. He performed in a highly successful European Jazz Festival Tour that resulted in a nationally televised special on Finnish TV2 and his TV appearances include “EXTRA”, FOX’s “Good Day New York”, CNN’s “Showbiz Today”, ABC and the BBC.
Lippia is sure to captivate the Jacksonville audience with his stellar live show when he performs in Jacksonville April 7-8, 2011 at The Times Union Center’s Moran Theater.

Visit www.artistseriesjax.org or contact The Artist Series at (904) 632-3373 for more details.

Spring Awakening

Based on the 1891 Frank Wedekind play, SPRING AWAKENING is a stirring combination of sexuality, morality and rock & roll that is captivating audiences across the nation like no other musical in years. The landmark musical features an award-winning and evocative story with a score by Duncan Sheik, book and lyrics by Steven Sater, and original direction and choreography by Michael Mayer and Bill T. Jones, respectively. Set against the backdrop of a repressive and provincial late 19th century Germany, SPRING AWAKENING follows a group of young students as they navigate through teenage self-discovery and coming of age anxiety.


The strong adult content and controversial subject matter caused the production to be banned for nearly 100 years. However, a bulk of modern sitcoms and the presence of a growing reality era “awakened” the need to address important issues that plague young teens in today’s society. The seemingly innocent topics introduced and portrayed in the following teen-focused television shows: Blossom, Degrassi, 7th Heaven, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Saved by the Bell, Hannah Montana, Moesha, Lizzie McGuire, Full House, Boy Meets World, Different Strokes and Smart Guy dramatically infused the topics of sex, drugs, eating disorders, stealing and violence without addressing the negative effects in an aggressive manner. Current shows like Gossip Girl, Jersey Shore, Life Unexpected, 90210, Teen Mom, 16 and Pregnant involve a deeper exploration of the above mentioned themes while showcasing the harsh consequences of realistically portrayed scenarios.

The cast of SPRING AWAKENING tackles a plethora of further hardcore situations dealing with homosexuality, abortion, child abuse and suicide. In two acts, the innocence of adolescence transforms into the responsibilities of adulthood. The dialogue is strategically designed to help today's teens comprehend and understand the psychological challenges of the issues they deal with on a daily basis. The artistic realm of music and various theatrical props place emphasis on the importance of the topics addressed. As these teenagers cope with the newness of discovery, they are forced to recognize the relevance of responsibility while facing the unfortunate repercussions of their actions.

Local actor, Mark Poppleton, is a part of the touring cast of SPRING AWAKENING as the only adult man playing all the adult men parts and will be on stage with the show when it appears for one night only in Jacksonville on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at The Times Union Center’s Moran Theater at 7:30pm. Just as on Broadway, the tour will feature a limited number of on-stage seats available for purchase. Eighteen stage seats will be for sale for $25.00 each at the Times-Union Center at 9am on March 24. Available while they last, each purchaser must be 18 years or older to purchase one stage seat each, show ID, and agree to follow specific rules. A limited number of 3rd price seating will be available for purchase at the discounted price of $32.00 after stage seats are purchased, while they last.

Visit www.artistseriesjax.org for ticket information or contact The Artist Series at (904) 633-3273.

Johnny Mathis in Concert

Johnny Mathis will be in Jacksonville on February 26th to enchant his fans with over 50 years of beautiful melodies.

The fourth of seven children, Johnny Mathis was born on September 30, 1935 in Gilmer, Texas. He became an instant lover of music when his father taught him his first song, “My Blue Heaven”, at age eight. As a child, he sang in the church choir, school functions, community events, for visitors in their home as well as amateur shows in the San Francisco area.

Johnny perfected his singing ability while studying with a voice teacher for six years and simultaneously became a star athlete on the track and field team as a high jumper and hurdler at George Washington High School. In 1954, he enrolled at San Francisco State College with the intention of being an English and Physical Education teacher. While pursuing his education, Johnny set a high jump record of 6’-5 1/2”, only two inches short of the Olympic record of the time, and was placed on San Francisco State College’s Top 15 list. His name was frequently mentioned in the sports sections of the Northern California newspapers and he was often referred to as “the best all-around athlete to come out of the San Francisco Bay Area”. Johnny continued his studies at San Francisco State and gained additional fame as a high jumper. In early 1956, he was asked to attend the trials for the 1956 Olympic teams that would travel to Melbourne, Australia that summer.

At the same time, Columbia Records requested that Johnny come to New York to start arrangements for his first recording session. Faced with the challenge of choosing passion over skill, Johnny was forced to make the biggest decision of his life. Urged by his father, he gave up the chance to become a member of the USA Olympic Team and instead chose to move to New York to record his first album in March of 1956, a collection of jazz oriented renditions of popular standards entitled: Johnny Mathis: A New Sound In Popular Song.

Unaware at the time, Johnny made a decision that would lead him on a surprisingly successful record-breaking journey. In June of 1957, he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. “Wonderful, Wonderful” and “It’s Not For Me To Say” reached their peaks on the Billboard pop chart in July of 1957, followed by the monumental single “Chances Are” which became Johnny’s first #1 hit. In 1958, two years after being signed by Columbia Records, Johnny’s Greatest Hits was released and noted in the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the most popular albums of all time for spending almost ten years on the Billboard Top Albums Chart.

Johnny Mathis is one of only five recording artists to have Top 40 Hits spanning each of the four decades since 1955. Amazingly, his second #1 Hit Single, “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late” (recorded with Deniece Williams), came almost 21 years after his very first #1 Hit Single, “Chances Are”. Furthermore, Mathis has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame two times so far, in 1998, with "Chances Are" and in 2002 with "Misty". The Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences also presented him with the 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Johnny Mathis has had over 75 Top 40 hits spanning across four decades. 2006 marked his 50th anniversary as a recording artist. Mathis will be performing a live rundown of his hits at the Times Union Center’s Moran Theater on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 8:00pm. Visit www.artistseriesjax.org or contact The Artist Series at (904) 632-3373 for more information. Tickets are on sale now!

“Run Away with Cirque Dreams” Winner Announced!

Cirque Dreams Illumination’s quest to showcase “ordinary people doing extraordinary things” has been conquered. On Saturday, January 29, 2011, an open casting call was held at the Avenues mall for aspiring Cirque Dreams hopefuls. 15 contestants auditioned for the chance to perform live with the Cirque Dreams cast. A band of masked percussionists, fittingly called, RAD, was announced as the winner on Monday, February 7th.

RAD (Random Acts of Drumming) is comprised of Jacksonville residents Michael Patterson, Andrew Nixon, Matthew Remsen and Reggie Bailey. The group first met as drummers for the University of North Florida and has performed regularly for the past 8 years. The 4 friends come from diverse backgrounds but hold in common a passion for music and percussion. Andrew Nixon, medical supply technician and a 2000 graduate of Edison College in Southwest Florida, read about the casting call online the morning of the event and encouraged his three friends to join him for the audition that day. Matthew Remsen works full-time as a sales & loan associate and is a 2006 graduate of Florida State University. Reggie Bailey is a full time student working on his business degree at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Michael Patterson graduated from the University of North Florida in 2001 and is currently an underwriter at Bank of America.

The judges were wowed by RAD’s ability to create syncopated melodies with the union of drumsticks and graffitied metal trashcans. The group will be trained locally and given the opportunity to perform a uniquely choreographed segment in custom-made costumes. They will debut their feature role performance during the production’s stay in Jacksonville on Thursday, February 17, 2011.

To see RAD perform live, visit www.artistseriesjax.org or contact The Artist Series at (904) 632-3373 for ticket information.

Celtic Woman

Celtic Woman - a four member, all-female Irish ensemble comprised of awe- inspiring vocalists and a mesmerizing Celtic violinist - is coming to Jacksonville for a one night only showcase.

Formed in 2005, Celtic Woman continues to have mainstream success without heavily rotated radio or video airplay. Their accolades include 6 million CDs/DVDs sold worldwide, two Top 10 album debuts on the Billboard Top 200, 3 Gold and Platinum albums, 4 Top 5 releases on the Billboard Top Video chart and over 1.2 million concert tickets sold. Their Emmy-nominated television special, Celtic Woman – Songs from the Heart filmed live from Powerscourt House and Gardens in Ireland, is a blockbuster on PBS.

They connect directly to their fans via their Public Television specials and their frequent tour schedules. Despite constant lineup changes, current members Chloë Agnew, Lisa Lambe, Lisa Kelly, and Máiréad Nesbitt insist that there are no divas within the group.

During the 2011 tour, fans have the opportunity to experience Celtic Woman's most dazzling production yet as they perform Irish classics, contemporary covers and original compositions featuring renditions of Jimmy Webb's "The Moon's a Harsh Mistress," Billy Joel's "Goodnight My Angel," Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “Pie Jesu,” "Amazing Grace," and Irish classic "My Lagan Love" as well as a new favorite "Níl Sé'n Lá."

Come see Celtic Woman with their 6 piece band and the Aontas Choir perform live at the Times Union Center’s Moran Theater on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 7:30pm. Visit www.artistseriesjax.org or contact The Artist Series at (904) 632-3373 for ticket information.