The performer/songwriter who co-wrote 鈥淓ye of the Tiger鈥� for Sylvester Stallone鈥檚 鈥淩ocky III,鈥� comedians, other musicians and a bonus Christmas program by America's premier doo-wop group are included in East Central University鈥檚 2011-12 Fine Arts Season, along with regular 成人B站 theatre and music productions.
Season tickets are on sale until Sept. 1 for six national touring productions and five 成人B站 Theatre and 成人B站 Opera performances.
Appearing at 成人B站 will be comedian, magician and ventriloquist Andy Gross; Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and guitar/keyboardist Jim Peterik; doo-wop group Alley Cat with a special Christmas show; Nobodies of Comedy, six up-and-coming comedians; Broadway singer Franc D'Ambrosio, best known as the 鈥淧hantom鈥� in 鈥淧hantom of the Opera;鈥� and Black Violin, two musicians who fuse their classical training with the urban musical genre.
Photo of Black Violin
Season tickets are $111.12 and can be purchased by cash, check or credit card by calling the 成人B站 Foundation office at 580-559-5514. They can be picked up at the will-call window the night of the performance.
Individual tickets for the touring productions will cost $15 and should be available online about mid-August. Theatre productions will cost $10.
鈥淚n many venues these acts would cost up to $30 per ticket, but thanks to our sponsors and endowments, we are able to charge far less.鈥� said Dr. Brad Jessop, director of the School of Fine Arts, 鈥渁nd that makes this season particularly exciting.鈥�
Concerts by 成人B站 bands, ensembles and vocal groups are included in the season, but there are no admission charges for them.
Andy Gross, the only entertainer who currently combines stand up comedy, magic and ventriloquism successfully, will open the season at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15 in the Ataloa Theatre in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.
Photo of JIM PETERIK
Gross performs more than 150 shows a year at comedy clubs, Fortune 500 corporate events, colleges and performing arts theaters, as well as in Las Vegas and on cruise ships. He also has made numerous TV appearances.
Jim Peterik will perform a number of his classic rock songs at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14 in the Ataloa Theatre. As the founding member of both Survivor and The Ides Of March, he has been responsible for 18 Top 10 hits. Three of his hits, 鈥淰ehicle,鈥� 鈥淭he Search is Over鈥� and the Grammy-winning 鈥淓ye of the Tiger鈥� made it all the way to No. 1.
He also is responsible for many of the hits of .38 Special, such as 鈥淗old On Loosely,鈥� 鈥淐aught Up In You,鈥� and 鈥淔antasy Girl.鈥� His songs have been featured worldwide in countless movies, television shows, sporting events and commercials.
His first smooth jazz project is Jim Peterik鈥檚 Lifeforce (Jazz that rocks).
A special Christmas production will be offered on Nov. 29. Alley Cats, America's premier doo-wop group, will present their Christmas show at 7:30 p.m. in the Ataloa Theatre. The group also will star in the Doo Wop Drive-In in Branson in November.
鈥淎s our special Christmas Gift,鈥� Jessop said, 鈥渢his show is free to season ticket holders and only $10 at the door.鈥�
The Alley Cats鈥� a cappella style, musical talent, comic timing and interaction with audiences have made them favorites for more than 20 years. They have performed with Jay Leno, Rascal Flatts and the Beach Boys and at the White House.
The Nobodies of Comedy is an annual collection of rising stars and club regulars. The five comedians will offer edgy, adult comedy on Jan. 26. In this year鈥檚 lineup are Pat Dixon, James Johann, Mark Viera, Mike Whitman and Rachel Feinstein.
Franc D鈥橝mbrosio held the title of 鈥淲orld鈥檚 Longest Running Phantom鈥� for nearly a decade. He was 鈥渄iscovered鈥� in the chorus of his first Broadway show and cast as the opera-singing son in the film 鈥淕odfather III.鈥� He also sang the film鈥檚 Academy Award-winning theme song, 鈥淪peak Softly Love.鈥�
Photo of FRANC D'AMBROSIO
He tours extensively with three one-man shows and will perform 鈥淔ranc D鈥橝mbrosio鈥檚 Broadway鈥� at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Ataloa Theatre. He is a frequent guest artist in American orchestras鈥� and symphonies鈥� pop series. He performed twice on skater Brian Boitano鈥檚 TV specials and co-starred with Dorothy Hamill in 2008 in Broadway on Ice.
Black Violin has been described as an ingenious duo that portrays black music from a violin鈥檚 perspective. Classically trained violinists Wil B and Kev Marcus have a signature style that considers jazz, hip-hop, funk and classical as ingredients, not just musical genres, and appeals to a hip-hop fan base and music enthusiasts everywhere.
Black Violin, which will perform at 8 p.m. March 26, in the Ataloa Theatre, first garnered national attention by appearing with Alicia Keys at the Billboard Music awards and touring with Mike Shinoda, lead singer of Linkin Park. The duo also has performed with P.Diddy, Kanye West, Fifty Cent, Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Aretha Franklin and the Eagles.
成人B站 Theatre will present 鈥淏lithe Spirit鈥� Oct. 6-8; 鈥淎 Shot in the Dark,鈥� Nov. 17-19; 鈥淐abaret鈥� Feb. 16-19; and 鈥淟ysistrata鈥� April 19-21. 成人B站 Opera will present 鈥淗ansel and Gretel鈥� Nov. 10-13 and Collage, 成人B站鈥檚 dance company, will present its Spring Dance Concert April 26-28.