McAninch Arts Center (MAC), located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage, is pleased to return to live in-person performances for its 35th Anniversary Season. The Oak Ridge Boys, BoDeans and Heather Headley are among the season headliners. The season also marks the return of Buffalo Theater Ensemble and the 45th anniversary of New Philharmonic. Subscriptions are on sale now. Single tickets go on sale Sept. 24
“We’re so thrilled to return to in-person performances in time for our 35th Anniversary,” says MAC Director Diana Martinez. “MAC audiences will have the opportunity to now see some of the fabulous acts they enjoyed virtually last year live such as Drum Tao and the incomparable Anne Careere in ‘Piaf! The Musical’ plus encore engagements of some of our most popular acts that have been featured throughout the MAC’s history including electrifying illusionist Mike Super, the BoDeans, the legendary Oak Ridge Boys, The Second City, The Texas Tenors and everyone’s holiday favorite, ‘The Nutcracker.’ We are also happy to welcome some exciting new names coming to MAC stage for the first time including Tony Award-winning Broadway star Heather Headley, the extraordinary Ten Tenors and Belinda Davids in her acclaimed tribute to Whitney Houston, ‘The Greatest Love of All’.”
The MAC’s full 2021-2022 season line-up, including New Philharmonic and Buffalo Theatre Ensemble’s previously announced seasons, is attached to this release. Select events will be accompanied by a free MAC Chat, providing the opportunity to engage with artists and learn more about their work.
Masks are required for all audience members for the MAC’s 2021-2022 Season. Based on new CDC guidance it is anticipated proof of vaccination will also be required for entry. For updated information visit www.AtTheMAC.org.
The MAC is also the host to more than 60 College of DuPage College Theatre, Music and Dance performances and recitals which are affordable and exceptional entertainment experiences. In addition, the MAC offers free programming for the community throughout the year, including the “Free Global Flicks” series and free summer Lakeside Pavilion outdoor concert series. The MAC is also home to the Cleve Carney Museum of Art which opens its 2021-2022 season with Tony Fitzpatrick: “Jesus of Western Avenue” (Oct. 16-Jan. 31). Visit www.AtTheMAC.org for more information about these and other events.
Tickets:
Subscriptions (purchases of three or more shows) are on sale now. Subscribers receive a discount of up to 20% and access to the best seats.Subscriptions may be ordered online at www.AtTheMAC.org or by the MAC Box Office at 630.942.4000.
All tickets for individual shows* go on sale Sept. 24 at noon online at www.AtTheMAC.org, by phone (630.942.4000) and in person at the MAC box office located at 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, Ill.
The MAC Box Office is open Tuesday – Sunday: 12 noon – 6 p.m.
About the MAC
McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355 at 425 Fawell Blvd. It houses three indoor performance spaces (the 780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; the 236-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and the versatile black box Studio Theatre), an outdoor venue, the Lakeside Pavilion, plus the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and classrooms for the college’s academic programming. The MAC has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 2 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 100,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season.
The mission of the MAC is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. For more information about the MAC, visit www.AtTheMAC.org, @AtTheMAC on Facebook and Instagram.
Support for the McAninch Arts Center is provided in part by the G. Carl Ball Family Foundation; DoubleTree by Hilton Lisle/Naperville; Arts Midwest; The National Endowment for the Arts; the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; WDCB 90.9 FM and the College of DuPage Foundation.
Established as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization in 1967, the College of DuPage Foundation raises monetary and in-kind gifts to increase access to education and to enhance cultural opportunities for the surrounding community. For more information about the College of DuPage Foundation, visit www.foundation.cod.edu or call 630.942.2462.
The 2021-2002 MAC Season celebrates the memory of Joan Friank, for a lifetime of service, thanks to the support of family and friends. Programs at the MAC are partially supported through a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
* Individual event tickets are currently on sale for all New Philharmonic and as well as the Nov. 21 engagement of The Texas Tenors.
McAninch Arts Center 2021-2022 35th Anniversary Season
(Prices shown are single event ticket prices.
Events, dates, artists and prices are subject to change)
The following performances will take place in the MAC’s Belushi Performance Hall, unless otherwise noted. Masks are required for all audience members for the MAC’s 2021-2022 Season. Subscriptions are on sale now. Individual show tickets go on sale Sept. 24. For tickets or more information, visit www,AtTheMAC.org or call the MAC Box Office at 630.942.4000. The MAC Box Office is open Tuesday – Sunday: 12 noon – 6 p.m.
Masks are required for all audience members for the MAC’s 2021-2022 Season. Based on new CDC guidance it is anticipated proof of vaccination will also be required for entry. For updated information visit www.AtTheMAC.org.
New Philharmonic: “Halloween Spooktakular”
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2; 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3
Tickets: $53 | $10 Student
Maestro Muspratt conjures up witches, sorcerers and poltergeist with his baton, and the help of the New Philharmonic orchestra in costume. Halloween musical treats include Offenbach’s “Orpheus in the Underworld” and Berlioz’s “Witches Sabbath” from “Symphonie Fantastique” and the Hungarian March from “The Damnation of Faust.” The program also includes music from ghoulish film and TV favorites including Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” “The Addams Family,” Disney’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” “Psycho” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Mike Super: Magic & Illusion
4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17
Tickets: $55-$60 (top ticket price includes VIP Meet and Greet) | $50 Youth
Super returns to the MAC with a family friendly show featuring new illusions and twists on old favorites. Super is the only magician in history to win a live magic competition on primetime US network television. He has been named Entertainer of the Year, Best Performing Artist of the Year and Best Novelty Performer of the Year and he was voted America's Favorite Mystifier on NBC's hit TV Show “Phenomenon.”
New Philharmonic: “Dvorák’s New World”
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13; 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14
Guest Violinist, David Taylor
Tickets: $53
MAC Chat: Free
Antonín Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9, popularly known as the “New World Symphony,” was composed in 1893 by Dvorák while he was the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America. In a New York Daily Herald interview, Dvořák stated he was influenced and inspired by Native American music and Black spirituals evident in the melodies The program also includes Sarasate’s “Fantasy on Bizet’s Carmen” featuring guest violinist David Taylor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Assistant Concertmaster and The Ling Z. and Michael C. Markovitz Chair.
The Texas Tenors
7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21
In-Person Tickets: $65-$55; Gold Circle $75.
Livestream Tickets: $50
The Texas Tenors are the most successful music group and third-highest selling artist in the history of NBC’s “America's Got Talent!” Their PBS special, “You Should Dream,” won three Emmy Awards. Their second special, “Rise,” premiered in September 2017 and was released in conjunction with their studio album of the same name, which peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Classical charts and No. 22 overall. This album was followed by "A Collection of Broadway and American Classics," which debuted in August 2018 at No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Chart. The Nov. 21 concert will feature selections new album, “Outside The Lines,” an eclectic mix of music ranging from Country to Rock Opera, plus fan favorites.
The Texas Tenors appearance is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the State of Illinois and the Crane Group.
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents “Stove Toucher” – World Premiere
Written and performed by Kurt Naebig
Directed by Connie Canaday Howard
Nov. 26-Dec. 19; Press Opening Nov. 26
Performed without an intermission
Performances Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m.
In the Playhouse Theatre
What happens when you achieve the high-rolling lifestyle you always dreamed of…at 13 years old? An extraordinary and funny coming-of-age story set during the 1970’s skateboard boom, about a semi-pro boarder who opens a successful business, gets interviewed by Charlie Rose, and falls into drugs: all before high school. A little bit “Doogie Howser,” a little bit “Basketball Diaries,” “Stove Toucher” is a high adrenaline, hilarious, heartfelt recounting about getting everything you ever wanted – and then watching it fall apart.
College Theater Presents “You’re A Good Man, Charley Brown”
Based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz
Book, Music and Lyrics by Clark Gesner
Additional Dialogue by Michael Mayer
Additional Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa
Directed by Connie Canaday Howard
Music Direction by Christopher Kriz
Choreography by Kyle Donahue
2 and 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11
Tickets $16 Adult | $14 Student
In the Playhouse Theatre
Charlie Brown and the entire Peanuts gang explore life’s great questions as they play baseball, struggle with homework, sing songs, swoon over crushes and celebrate the joy of friendship in this light-hearted award-winning family-friendly musical.
The Second City: “It’s A Wild, Wacky, Wonderful Life”
4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12
$30-$48
The Second City unwraps the most wonderful time of the year in their nut-cracking-est, jingle-bell-ing-est revue featuring selections from 60 years of sketches, songs, and comedic conviviality as delivered by a new generation of comedy superstars.
Salt Creek Ballet: “The Nutcracker”
With Tchaikovsky’s Score Performed Live by New Philharmonic
2 and 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 18 and 1 and 5 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 19
Tickets: $46 Adult | $36 Youth
New Philharmonic welcomes back Salt Creek Ballet to present a holiday tradition: Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.” This magical full-scale production features accompaniment from New Philharmonic – a rare opportunity to see this magnificent ballet set to live music.
New Philharmonic: “New Year’s Eve Concerts”
1:30, 5 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31
Guest Baritone Ted Allen Pickell
Tickets: $67-$77 (Top ticket price includes prime seating, glass of bubbly and party favors)
MAC Chat: Free
Guest Baritone Pickell, last seen by MAC audiences in the New Philharmonic’s 2017 sold-out production of “The Mikado,” reteams with New Philharmonic and Maestro Muspratt ring in the New Year with a celebratory program of waltzes, polkas, arias, light classical and pops. This concert is sponsored by Sullivan Taylor, Gumina & Palmer, P.C.
New Philharmonic: “A Night at the Movies”
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15; 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16
Tickets: $53
MAC Chat: Free
New Philharmonic, under the baton of Maestro Muspratt, opens 2022 with a concert of film-score favorites from award-winning films including “Gone with the Wind,” “Spiderman,” “Independence Day,” “Seahawk,” “Jurassic Park” and more.
“The Greatest Love Of All”
A Tribute to Whitney Houston Starring Belinda Davids
7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 28
Tickets: $49-$69
Showtime Australia presents the critically-acclaimed live concert celebrating the talent, music and memory of Whitney Houston. Featuring the breathtaking vocals of Belinda Davids accompanied by a fabulous six-piece live band and dancers, this is a beautifully crafted tribute to one of the world’s most revered singers. The evening will feature many of Whitney’s greatest hits including “I Will Always Love You,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “How Will I Know,” “One Moment in Time,” “I Have Nothing,” “Greatest Love of All” and more!
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents “Naperville”
By Mat Smart
Directed by Kurt Naebig
Featuring Ensemble Members Kelli Walker, Robin Coffin, Nick DuFloth and Robert Jordan Bailey
Jan. 28-Feb. 27; Preview Thursday, Jan. 27; Press Opening Friday Jan. 28
Performances Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m.
In the Playhouse Theatre
It is Naperville, 2012. Anne works on a new project, T.C. is captaining the first shift as new manager and Candice and son Howard, back from Seattle, arrive at her favorite coffee spot: a Caribou. What follows is a day full of eccentricity, cups of coffee and affecting conversation creating a turning point that shows how community can add to your life. The New York Times says, “…everyone in this shop has a story, a loss, a regret, and Smart weaves their tales together adeptly.” This funny and moving play is a heartwarming salute to the moment we discover a new definition of home.
“Piaf! The Show”
7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 11
Tickets: $50-$70
MAC Chat: Free
Anne Carrere stars as legendary French chanteuse in this salute to life and music of the legendary French chanteuse. This musical celebration, inspired by the award-winning movie “La Vie En Rose,” follows the rags-to riches story of the Parisian singer's career through her unforgettable songs, complemented by a visual tapestry of previously unreleased photographs and images of famous Parisian locations of the Edith Piaf era.
The Second City: “The Best of The Second City”
5 and 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 12
Tickets: $30-$48
This must-see show features the best sketches and songs from The Second City’s history made famous by superstars like Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Keegan-Michael Key, Aidy Bryant, Alan Arkin and more–as well as their trademark improvisation. It is the perfect date night or evening to enjoy with friends. Special Valentine’s-themed drink specials will be available.
BoDeans
7:30 p.m., Friday, March 4
$60-$80
The BoDeans’ blend of compelling songs and high-energy performances has solidified their place as one of the best live acts in the business. They have been featured on “SNL,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” NBC’s’ “The Today Show,” CNN and ESPN. The Rock and Roll of Fame Museum has them permanently displayed as part of their Midwest Artists exhibit. Best known for their chart-topping songs “Fadeaway,” “Closer to Free” and “Dreams,” the band has helped to inspire the smooth, melodic adult alternative sound.
“Mardi Gras Mambo”
Featuring Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Nathan and The Zydeco Cha Cha’s
7 p.m., Sunday, March 6
Tickets: $60-$65
MAC Chat: Free
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band are the pioneers of the modern New Orleans brass band movement, recognized worldwide as an unstoppable musical machine. Joined by Nathan and The Zydeco Cha Cha’s this concert is a master class in blues, Cajun, New Orleans soul, zydeco and R&B from two of Louisiana’s best. Special Mardi Gras-themed drink specials will be available.
Drum Tao
3 and 7 p.m., Saturday, March 12
Tickets: $40-$49
MAC Chat: Free
More than 8 million spectators across the world have experienced TAO’s modern, high-energy performances. Combining highly physical, large-scale Japanese drumming with contemporary costumes, precise choreography, and innovative visuals, the athletic performers create an unforgettable production. Philippines’ ABN-CBN News says, “From the very first beat to the last thundering echo, the audience at the Kia Theater was treated to a performance that was truly out of this world.”
The Texas Tenors appearance is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the State of Illinois and the Crane Group.
Danu St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
4 p.m., Sunday, March 13
Tickets: $50-$60
The critically acclaimed traditional Irish musical group have been delighting audiences worldwide with their virtuosic players for over two decades. Winners of numerous awards from the BBC and Irish Music Magazine, audiences will enjoy a moving and memorable musical journey perfect for the holidays. The Irish Times calls Danu “a powerhouse band.”
American Ballet Theatre Studio Company
7:30 p.m., Friday, March 25
Tickets: $50-$55
MAC Chat: Free
From the company that trained phenom dancers such as Misty Copeland, David Hallberg, and Isabella Boylston, ABT Studio Company brings the artistry and virtuosity of American Ballet Theatre direct to the MAC. Featuring a versatile, mixed program of beloved classical favorites such as Balanchine’s “Stars and Stripes” (Pas de deux) to fresh heartfelt new work this one-night only performance will leave you breathless. “From the opening pose and through this movement there was passion and professionalism...these performers are the next generation of ballet dancers, blossoming before our eyes.” - Broadway World
The Ten Tenors Presents “Love Is In The Air”
4 p.m., Sunday, March 27
Tickets: $66-$85
MAC Chat: Free
The Ten Tenors’ signature brand of music featuring 10-part harmonies has been enjoyed by more than 90 million people worldwide. They have headlined more than 2,000 concerts, sold more than 3.5 million concert tickets and become renowned for their dynamic, choreographed performances and skillful ability to seamlessly transition from operatic arias to soulful ballads through to chart-topping pop and rock songs.
Heather Headley
4 p.m., April 3
Tickets: $95-$100
MAC Chat: Free
Tony and Grammy Award-winner, R&B hitmaker and international singing sensation Headley’s one-woman show offers nods to her time as the original Nala from “The Lion King” on Broadway, Her Tony-winning performance as “Aida,” as well as her Laurence Olivier Award nominated performance in “The Bodyguard” musical.
New Philharmonic: “West Side Story” in Concert
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9; 3 p.m. Sunday, April 10
Tickets: $59
MAC Chat: Free
Leonard Bernstein’s music and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics capture this contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” which won two Tony Awards and ten Oscars. New Philharmonic, four soloists and a 8-voice chorus sing all of the favorites: the Jet Song; “Something’s Coming;” “Maria;” “Tonight;” “America;” “Cool;” “One Hand, One Heart;” “I Feel Pretty;” “Somewhere;” “Gee, Officer Krupke” and “A Boy Like That.” Sponsored by Bjarne R. Ullsvik.
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents “One Man,Two Guvnors”
By Richard Bean
Based on “The Servant of Two Masters” by Carlo Goldoni and songs by Grant Olding
Directed by Connie Canaday Howard
Featuring Ensemble Members Bryan Burk, Nick DuFloth, Rebecca Cox, Laura Leonardo Ownby, Lisa Dawn and Norm Woodel
April 29-May 29; Preview Thursday, April 29; Press opening Friday, April 30
Performances Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m.
In the Playhouse Theatre
The ever-starving Francis Henshall finds himself working for both a gangster and a criminal in hiding, both of whom are linked in a web of schemes, shakedowns and seductions. To prevent the discovery that he is working for two bosses, Francis must do everything he can to keep his two guvnors apart, while still getting food and the girl. Playwright Bean transports the commedia dell'arte conventions of the 1746 "The Servant of Two Masters" to the seaside town of Briton in 1963. Daily Variety calls “One Man Two Guvnors” “…sheer comic delirium.”
The Oak Ridge Boys
7 p.m., Sunday, May 8
Tickets: $75-$85
The Oak Ridge Boys, with awards and honors that span 50 years, including five Grammys, bring four decades of charted singles and one of the most distinctive gospel and country sounds in the music industry. As inductees into both the Gospel and Country Music Halls of Fame their string of hits includes the country-pop chart-topper “Elvira” as well as “Bobbie Sue,” “Dream On,” “American Made,” “Fancy Free” and many others.