January 6, 2011

The Department of Performing Arts is gearing up for a performance packed winter term. The Dance program kicks things off with their winter dance concerts Reflected and New Beginnings. The Dance Ensemble’s winter concert, Reflected, will showcase choreography from the 2010 Ellen Forman Award winner, Nora Gibson. The concert will be January 27th, 28th, and 29th at 8 PM at the Mandell Theater. FreshDance is the winter concert for the newly created freshman dance company. They will perform works of faculty choreographers Stephen Welsh, Mina Estrada and Jodi Obeid, as well as two selected student works from the Dance Ensemble concert. FreshDance will perform January 29th and 30th at 2 PM at the Mandell Theater. Tickets for the concerts are $5 for students and $8 for general admission.

On February 6th at 5 PM at the Mandell Theater, the Gospel Choir and Jazztet will present an Evening of African American Music in celebration of Black History Month. The free concert will include gospel, blues, and jazz.

The theatre season continues in February with a new take on Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. This classic follows the citizens of an average town going about their everyday lives. Our Town is on stage February 24th, 25th, and 26th at 8 PM and February 27th at 2 PM at the Mandell Theater. Tickets are $5 for students and $15 for the general public. That same weekend go back to the year 1611 with the Chamber Singers, as they perform the 21st Annual Madrigal Dinner. The Madrigal Dinner presents an evening of Madrigals, Chansons, Lute Songs and Lieds, complete with fully costumed Renaissance players, a meal and entertainment. Performances are February 25th and 26th at 7 PM in the Great Court, Main Building. Tickets are $21.95 and include the meal. A $3 balcony seat ticket (no meal) is also available. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 215-895-1275.

In early March, audiences will have the opportunity to hear more than ten different music concerts. Hundreds of students from all Drexel majors perform in over a dozen different music ensembles. Highlights of the concert season include The Percussion, Mediterranean, and Guitar Ensembles playing an eclectic mix of music on March 9th at 8 PM. Also, Jazz Extravaganza XII, featuring the Jazz Orchestra and the Spelman College Jazz Ensemble, will perform an evening dedicated to the greats of jazz on March 10th at 8 PM. And the University Chorus will end the week of concerts as they perform Mendelssohn’s epic “Elijah” on March 13th at 3 PM.

Our second annual Performance Charrette weekend will take place from April 8th to 10th, giving students the opportunity to solve a performance “problem” in 48 hours. On April 10th at 2 PM, audiences will be able to watch what happens when digital media, dance, choreography and electrical engineering come together to create new work. For more information on any of the upcoming performances and concerts, contact Jim Yandoli, Publicity Graduate Assistant, at 215-895-1275 or yandoli@drexel.edu.