May 20, 2015
Contact Jen Roberdeau at 608-796-3738 or jaroberdeau@viterbo.edu
VITERBO UNIVERSITY FINE ARTS CENTER ANNOUNCES 2015-2016 BRIGHT STAR SEASON
LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Fine Arts Center has announced its 2015-2016 Bright Star Season, which will feature a variety of performances that range from poignant and inspiring to nostalgic to astounding. The season will include music from the heart of America and beyond, Broadway musicals, contemporary ballet, and a classic American drama.
The season opens Wednesday, Sept. 23 with the Dukes of Dixieland, a group steeped in tradition who effortlessly blend jazz and Dixieland with pop, gospel, and country. These Dukes are ready to bring the very soul of New Orleans into the heart of La Crosse.
“We want to make sure that we provide an enjoyable and positive experience for our audience, and we thought, ‘What better way to kick off a season of great performances and good times than with some really great jazz?’” said Jen Roberdeau, director of audience services and marketing for the Viterbo Fine Arts Center.
The 2015-2016 Bright Star Season also includes Cirque Mechanics’ stunning performance of Pedal Punk, a Steampunk-inspired extravaganza featuring thrilling tumbling and acrobatic maneuvers. Viterbo students will take the stage in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! as well as a global celebration of the holiday season in Christmas Around the World. The Broadway musical Ragtime will bring the season to a close with a look at early 20th century families and the struggles they faced, set to a glorious Tony Award®-winning score.
“As our country and our communities face growing tensions between various groups, we feel it is the perfect time to emphasize similarities among people and make sure that diverse stories are being told. Ragtime is one of those remarkable pieces that tells the stories of people from multiple walks of life in one evening. It’s a beautiful and deeply moving work that we’re ecstatic to have the opportunity to present,” said director of the Fine Arts Center Michael Ranscht.
Planning for the 2015-2016 season was not without its challenges, as a performance of the national tour of I Love Lucy® Live On Stage, originally scheduled for Feb. 9, was cancelled by the touring company. The Fine Arts Center staff learned of the cancellation after the season had been announced to patrons and was quickly able to replace the performance with the national tour of Million Dollar Quartet, a musical inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins for the first and only time.
The 2015-2016 Bright Star Season full schedule, all of which will be performed in the Fine Arts Center Main Theatre, includes:
- Dukes of Dixieland – Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
- Viterbo University presents Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! – Oct. 9–10 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.
- Cirque Mechanics: Pedal Punk – Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m.
- Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond: A Celtic Family Celebration – Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
- Viterbo University presents Christmas Around the World – Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 6 at 2 p.m.
- Million Dollar Quartet – Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
- A Tribute to Benny Goodman: The Julian Bliss Septet – Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
- Voces8 – Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
- Montana Repertory Theatre presents All My Sons – March 2 at 7:30 p.m.
- Aspen Santa Fe Ballet – March 18 at 7:30 p.m.
- Ragtime – April 20 at 7:30 p.m.
“It is always our goal to bring a variety of performances every year because we want to ensure that everyone in the community and beyond feels as though they can be a part of the Fine Arts Center community,” said Ranscht. “We are pleased with the season we’ve assembled for 2015-2016, and we think there’s something enjoyable for everyone.”
Season tickets are on sale now through Aug. 7 and can be purchased by contacting the Viterbo Box Office at 608-796-3100. Packages range from $110 for six performances to $340 for the full season. More information about the performances may be found at www.viterbo.edu/fac.
-30-