Spotlight Series
The Spotlight series this season offers a variety of entertainment you won’t want to miss, including family and childrens’ shows, dance, entertainers and comedians. And, as always, we’ll continue to add to our lineup, even as we get into the season, so become a subscriber and get first choice for the best seats in the house.
Jeff Foxworthy
Friday, Sept. 25 | Times & Pricing
Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most respected and successful comedians in the country. He is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy® award nominee and bestselling author of 11 books. Widely known for his redneck jokes, his act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature. Don’t miss the most exciting comedy event of the season!
Glenn Miller Orchestra
Friday, Oct. 9 | Times & Pricing
Remember when swing was king, when zoot suits were hot, and songs such as “In the Mood” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo” were even hotter? The Glenn Miller Orchestra brings audiences back year after year with their big brass sounds and unique jazz melodies. Don’t miss one of the most popular bands of all time performing the upbeat melodies that have been thrilling audiences for over five decades.
Tales from the Field with Jeff Corwin
Sunday, Oct. 18 | Times & Pricing
Renowned speaker and television host Jeff Corwin shares his passion for environmental conservation in this highly interactive and educational program. Corwin invites audience members on stage to interact with a variety of live animals while he discusses the unique challenges each species faces in the world. Known around the world for his conservation work, Corwin inspires audiences to become more aware of the threats to wildlife and to the environment. This family friendly event has been hailed as “the world’s greatest animal show.” Presented in conjunction with the Kalamazoo Nature Center and Binder Park Zoo.
Sophie Milman
Thursday, Oct. 29 | Times & Pricing
Russian-born Sophie Milman has toured the world, won a 2008 Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year, sold more than 100,000 records—and she’s only 25. Since her self-titled debut was released in 2004, Milman has become one of the hottest new singers in jazz. Despite her youth, Sophie enchants her audiences with a mix of old, new and progressive tunes. Her sultry voice sounds like “whiskey and honey,” says the L.A. Times, “...it’s obvious she is one of a kind.” Her new album, Take Love Easy, will be available June 2.
The Most Trusted Stranger in America:
Frank Warren's PostSecret
Wednesday, Nov. 4 | Times & Pricing
The sole founder and curator of PostSecret, Frank Warren has a collection of over 250,000 highly personal artfully decorated postcards mailed anonymously from around the world, displaying the soulful secrets we never voice. Through this remarkable website and a popular book series based on the site, he has created a safe space where people worldwide can freely reveal themselves. In this program, Warren reads from his collection of postcards, sharing the wonderful stories behind them. He discusses why the blog is important, and why he has made suicide awareness part of his life's work. Whether divulging secret wishes, secret identities or secret behaviors, the cards show audiences how we are more similar than different, united by our shared dreams and experiences.
Sweet Honey in the Rock®
With the NAEA GospelFest Choir
Friday, Nov. 13
| Times & Pricing
Sweet Honey In The Rock® is an African-American female, a capella vocal group consisting of six members who bring the message of the southern black church, the civil rights movement and the conscience of justice through musical expression. Internationally heralded and Grammy® award-winning, Sweet Honey’s collective voice produces a sound filled with soulful harmonies and intricate rhythms. Presented in conjunction with the Michigan Festival of Sacred Music.
Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway
Saturday, Nov. 21 | Times & Pricing
Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway recreates the finest theatrical moments from the best musicals of the century. Fans of Phantom of the Opera, Cabaret, Chicago, West Side Story and Mamma Mia! will love this tuneful tribute to the Great White Way. Direct from Manhattan, the show features five dazzling vocalists who’ve performed in many of these hit Broadway musicals. Songs include “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Man of La Mancha” and “All That Jazz.”
The Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller
by Chip Davis
Saturday, Nov. 28| Times & Pricing
Get an early start on your “holiday mood” when Mannheim Steamroller kicks off their Christmas tour at Miller Auditorium. Created by Chip Davis, Mannheim Steamroller’s signature sound is where classical and modern-day rock, acoustic and electronic music meet. Celebrate the spirit of the season with the “18th century rock band” that has become one of the most popular and best-selling acts in the last 30 years.
A Christmas Carol
Saturday, Dec. 5 | Times & Pricing
With all the warmth and comfort of a cup of Christmas cheer, Nebraska Theatre Caravan’s A Christmas Carol is packed with laughter, pageantry and gorgeous costumes. Every memorable detail of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol springs to life, from spine-chilling ghosts to heartfelt renditions of traditional British carols. Crotchety Scrooge, lovable Tiny Tim and all the fascinating characters that audiences have come to love make Charles Dickens’ enchanting story a treasured holiday event.
The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas
Friday, Dec. 11 | Times & Pricing
The Oak Ridge Boys have one of the most recognizable sounds in the music industry. Their four-part harmonies have spawned dozens of country hits and earned them Grammy®, Dove, CMA and ACM awards. Their exciting and acclaimed stage show includes three decades of charted singles and 50 years of tradition. The Oaks’ Christmas show includes a collection of traditional and contemporary holiday favorites, as well as many best-known hits.
Moscow Festival Ballet: Sleeping Beauty
Artistic Director: Sergei Radchenko
Sunday, Jan. 24 | Times & Pricing
The Moscow Festival Ballet was founded in 1989 when legendary principal dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet, Sergei Radchenko, sought to realize his vision of a company which would bring together the highest classical elements of the great Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet companies in an independent new company within the framework of Russian classic ballet. Leading dancers from across Russia have forged under Radchenko’s direction an exciting new company staging new productions of timeless classics such as Sleeping Beauty. Under the direction of Radchenko, the Moscow Festival Ballet continues to expand its repertoire and tour extensively across the world.“This was an afternoon that deserved ‘bravos’ within minutes of the opening steps.” —Las Vegas Review-Journal
Love, Gold Company Style
Dr. Steve Zegree, Director
Friday, Feb. 13 | Times & Pricing
WMU’s award-winning Gold Company will dazzle the entire family! Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Love, Gold Company Style brings Gold Company’s trademark musical flair to your favorite songs of love. Fun for kids of all ages, this special performance features the comedy, choreography and showmanship that make this vocal group a hit with audiences. Widely recognized as one of the most successful and prestigious collegiate vocal groups in the world, they have appeared throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Join Gold Company and Dr. Steve Zegree as they return to the Miller stage for their 32nd annual show.
Ballet Folklórico de México
Sunday, March 7 | Times & Pricing
Founded in 1952 by Amalia Hernández, Ballet Folklórico de México sets itself apart by combining their artists’ talents with the traditional music, elaborate dance and ornate costumes of Mexican culture. The result is a stunning performance that disseminates the rich tradition and folklore of Mexico throughout the world. Today, having performed more than 5,000 performances, Ballet Folklórico de México has been distinguished with over 200 awards recognizing their artistic merits. “A fast-paced, entertaining show that can make viewers want to rush right off to Mexico.” — The New York Times
An Evening with Garrison Keillor
Wednesday, April 14 | Times & Pricing
The charming, witty and always entertaining writer, humorist and speaker Garrison Keillor is probably best known for his widely popular radio show A Prairie Home Companion. The show attracts more than two million listeners on more than 450 NPR stations weekly. Keillor is also the host of the daily radio and online program, The Writer’s Almanac, and a best-selling author of many books, including Lake Wobegon Days, Love Me and Homegrown Democrat. True to his radio form, Garrison Keillor shares hilarious anecdotes about growing up in the American Midwest, the people of Lake Wobegon and “late-life fatherhood.” With a wonderful, dry sense of humor, he captivates audiences and delivers with class, charisma and wisdom and remains one of the most popular American storytellers of all time.
