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Center for the Arts announces 2004-05 season
By DAVID WEDEKINDT
Reporter Contributor
The Center for the Arts has announced the lineup for the 2004-05 season—its 10th anniversary season—which will feature cutting-edge dance companies, compelling theatre, comedy, opera, speakers, family entertainment and music.
One of the center's signature events, the Key Bank Dance Series will include several performances: Hubbard Street 2 on Nov. 6; Doug Varone and Dancers on Feb. 25; St. Petersburg State Ballet Theatre presenting "Romeo & Juliet" on March 23; Trinity Irish Dance, the 22-time winner of the World Championships of Irish Dance, on April 8, and Savion Glover—hailed by the late tap great Gregory Hines as "the greatest tap dancer to ever lace up a pair of Capezios, or any other tap shoes"—on April 22.
KeyBank is sponsor of the KeyBank Dances Series for the seventh consecutive season.
The CFA also will collaborate with Neglia Ballet Artists to present "Giselle and Mixed Repertoire" on Feb. 5 and "Don Quixote" on May 7.
This season, the CFA will present concerts to appeal to just about any musical taste. Among the artists performing will be eclectic, 19-year-old singer and songwriter Nellie McKay, who will make her first area appearance tomorrow; Tears For Fears on Oct. 4; Béla Fleck and the Flecktones on Oct. 6; the popular jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra on Oct. 9 in a benefit for the Boys & Girls Club; Bruce Hornsby on Nov. 1; guitar prodigy Derek Trucks on Nov. 17; Linda Eder on Dec. 11, and the Pat Metheny Group, one of the most celebrated jazz groups of all time, on Feb. 17.
The CFA also will present several interesting speakers. Bill Rancic—the only contestant on the first season of NBC's "The Apprentice" not to be fired by Donald Trump—will speak on success in business, life and the hit reality show on Sept. 17.
Best-selling author and public radio personality David Sedaris will return to the CFA on Oct. 16, and another popular radio personality and author, Garrison Keillor—best known as the host of "A Prairie Home Companion"—will speak on Jan. 24.
Comedy will continue to be a popular component of the CFA's programming, with Colin Quinn, former "Saturday Night Live" star and current host of Comedy Central's "Tough Crowd," scheduled to deliver his stand-up routine on Nov. 12.
In addition, the CFA's schedule will feature a variety of international events during the upcoming season, beginning with a performance of the Warsaw Village Band on Tuesday. These award-winning musicians have dedicated themselves to conserving and experimentally enhancing the traditional folk music of Poland.
The International Monkey King Troupe will perform "The Adventures of the Monkey King: A Beijing Opera" on Oct. 8. Based in Beijing, the 17-person company draws on the talented students and senior masters of the National Academy of Beijing Opera. The CFA is one of only 10 U.S. venues presenting the troupe.
On Dec. 8, an 18-member company of Korean dancers and musicians will perform a program of court, shamanic, Buddhist and folk dances collectively titled "Reimagining Tradition: Korean Traditional Dance by Cho Heung Dong."
The National Acrobats of Taiwan will perform their awe-inspiring acts on April 20.
Opera will return to the CFA this season, with celebrated lyric soprano Kathleen Battle performing on Oct. 14 as one of the events celebrating the investiture of John B. Simpson as UB's 14th president. Opera Verdi Europa will bring its full-scale touring production of "La Traviata" to the stage on Feb. 9.
Among a number of special events to be presented during the upcoming season are the center's sixth Annual Masquerade Ball benefiting the center's community outreach initiatives on Oct. 30; the American Academy of Ballet's presentation of "The Nutcracker" on Dec. 3-5, and two presentations by a national touring company of one of the most popular musicals of the past decade, "Rent," on Feb. 22 and 23.
UB's Department of Theatre and Dance will present dynamic and innovative performances by talented young actors, dancers and choreographers.
Performances will include "Spinning into Butter" by Rebecca Gilman, Oct. 14-17 and 21-24; "Steel Pier" by Kander & Ebb, Nov. 18-21 and Dec. 2-5; Zodiaque Dance Company, Oct. 14-17 and 21-24; Zodiaque Studio Dance Ensemble, Dec. 2-5; "We Tell the Story" by Ahrens & Flaherty, Feb. 16-20; "The Good Woman of Setzuan" by Brecht, April 7-10 and 14-17, and "Young Choreographers," April 29 through May 1.
Tickets are on sale and prices vary for every show and/or series. Tickets are available at the CFA box office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and at all Ticketmaster outlets.
For further information, call 645-ARTS or visit the CFA Web site at http://www.ubcfa.org.