Standing Room Only

LARRY MILLER UPDATE 4/9/2012:  Cocktails with Larry Miller originally set for Saturday, April 14 at Elgin Community College Arts Center has been postponed.

“Due to a recently sustained injury, Larry will be postponing his tour until he has received medical clearance for air travel,” said his representative Michael Hansen. “We hope to have the opportunity to reschedule any of these cancelled dates and we appreciate the support of Larry’s fans during his recovery.”

The ECC Arts Center plans to reschedule “Cocktails With Larry Miller” at a future date to be announced. For questions regarding tickets, please call the Arts Center box office at 847-622-0300. Box office hours are noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 5 p.m. Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.

The production team of ECC Musical Theatre’s The Drowsy Chaperone was kind enough to give us a preview of the fun to be had at this “musical within a comedy” that opens February 17. Check out their “Top Ten” list and photos below!

10. Who doesn’t love gangsters who sing and dance?

9. Glitter glitter everywhere!

8. Spit in your face vaudeville hilarity! (literally, see below photo)

7. Charmed snakes, twirled plates and magic tricks!

6. Try to resist being seduced by Aldolpho, King of Romance!

5. Blast from the past: If you’ve never seen a record, here’s your chance.

4. Blind roller skating!

3. More sparkling wedding dresses than a Bridezilla expo in Rosemont (And way less scary)

2. Spontaneous tap dancing!

1. Dozens of mega talented actors, singers, and dancers putting their all into one fast-paced, high energy, hilarious musical comedy right here at ECC for 2 weekends only!

Gangsters #1 and #2, respectively

He is Aldolpho!

Spit take!

The cast of The Drowsy Chaperone

ECC Musical Theatre’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone opens Friday, February 17 through Sunday, February 26. Tickets and information can be found by calling 847-622-0300 or by visiting  elgin.edu/arts.

That’s right: we’ve already started looking for artists for next season. Help us narrow down our choices by voting in the below poll. Pick up to four artists that you’d come to ECC to see  in 2012-2013. Thank you for your help!

Six out of the twelve pianos that fill the American Grands stage

Guest blogger and American Grands expert (he’s been involved since the very first year!) Stu Ainsworth shares his insight into this “monster piano concert” that’s celebrating its 17th season on January 28. Thank you, Stu!

Why has American Grands been so successful and appreciated for seventeen years?

• The music staff has changed very little.  The music director was initially Lorelei Capell followed by Howard Bakken  and then Larry Dieffenbach for the past 7 years.  Colin Holman has been “the man on the podium” for sixteen of the performances with the exception of one season during which Jon Mortensen, American Grands percussionist, filled in for him.  Jon Mortensen has participated in every  American Grands performance.
• Only one change in venue.  Started in Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles, American Grands moved to the  Blizzard Theatre in the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Elgin Community College which has been our home ever since.
•  Started in 1995, with one evening performance entitled “A Monster Piano Concert”, Amercan Grands soon grew to two performances, and eventually enlarged to three concerts in 2002-all to accomodate the growing number of players which will number nearly 500 during the 3 concerts in 2012.     
• The number of highly polished ebony grand pianos have remained unchanged-all twelve strategically placed at different levels on the stage. Since the beginning, all have been  loaned and maintained by Cordogan’s Pianoland.
• Only two closing works have been used:  initially “God Bless America” and then a stirring rendition of John Phillip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever”.   Performed by 24 hands (240 flashing fingers) at twelve pianos on stage while all the participants file into the theatre to the thunderous applause that greets and thanks them.   

American Grands XVII will be performed on January 28, 2012 at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. For more information, visit elgin.edu/arts.

Calling all Under the Streetlamp fans: we need your help! We wanted to write a blog that shared the amazing experience audiences have when they see the Under the Streetlamp guys live. But then it occurred to us that you, the fans and audience members, would do a much better job writing that blog. So here’s the challenge (please accept it ):

1. Write a 150-300 word blog about your favorite Streetlamp moment (s)
2. Email it to artscenter@elgin.edu with the subject “Streetlamp Blog Entry” before Wednesday, 11/9.
3. The arts center staff will vote on our favorite entries and that writer of the entry with the most votes will receive 2 free tickets to see an Under the Streetlamp performance at the Elgin Community College Arts Center.  

Thanks for your help! Can’t wait to hear your favorite moments!

In honor of the spookiest day of the year, we thought we’d share some of the photos we took of the Halloween-themed fun that was had by all at Cinematic Titanic! Check out our frightening (but helpful) ushers plus  a ghoulish technician promoting our monster photo booth (It took photos in 3D!)! Enjoy and have a fun day!

Little known fact: skeleton masks protect the face from the heat of popcorn poppers. More commonly known fact: that hat is awesome, Victor!

Joyce, Carol and Victor: our Halloween ushers!

Would you like a hand with that popcorn?

Our inviting photo booth zombie technician, Sean!

Inspired by Rosanne Cash’s The List Steve Duchrow, the Arts Center’s Director of Performing Arts, decided to make his own list of essential songs of Americana. He revealed his list in its entirety at the October 8 performance by Rosanne Cash but we thought we’d give our blog readers some closure as well. Below is Steve’s ENTIRE list. Enjoy!  

This music should be part of any discussion of Great American Dons. It is not prioritized. That would be another type of list.

Today I Started Lovin’ You Again-Merle Haggard
I Walk the Line-Johnny Cash
I Miss My Mary-Hal Ketchum
I Dream a Highway-Gillian Welch
Joe Roberts-Bruce Springsteen
State Trooper- Bruce Springsteen
Amerika 6.0- Steve Earle
Jerusalem-Steve Earle
Copperhead Road- Steve Earle
Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blue- Dwight Yoakam/Danny O’Keefe
Help Me Make It Through the Night-Kris Kristofferson
Crazy-Patsy Cline/Willie Nelson
Lord I Have Made You a Place In My Heart-Greg Brown
Time the Revelator-Gillian Welch
My Morphine-Gillian Welch
Dancing with the Women at the Bar-Ryan Adams
Wichita Lineman-Glen Campbell/Jimmy Webb
Close Up the Honky Tonks-Buck Owens
Wash My Eyes-Greg Brown
Your Town Now-Greg Brown
These Impermanent Things-Peter Himmelman
Ithaca-Red Bird/Kristen Delmourst
Drunk Lullaby-Jeffrey Foucault
Mesa Arizona-Jeffrey Foucault
Sing Me Back Home-Merle Haggad
Big River-Johnny Cash
Silver Wings-Merle Haggard
South of Cincinnati-Dwight Yoakam
My Old Friend Blues-Steve Earle
She looking for Me Somewhere-The Bodeans
I’ll Fly Away-Albert Brumley
You Are My Sunshine-Jimmy Davis
Smoke That Cigarette-Merle Travis
Smoke Along the Tracks-Doc Watson
Small Town Saturday Night-Hal Ketchum
Streets of Bakersfield-Dwight Yoakam
She Thinks I Still Care-George Jones
Together Again-Buck Owens
Time the Revelator-Gillian Welch
I Ain’t Got No Home
Hard Times-Stephen Foster
This Land is Your Land-Jimmy LaFace/Woody Guthrie
Sam Stone-John Prine
Angel from Montgomery-John Prine
Only Living Boy in New York-Paul Simon
America-Paul Simon
Pancho and Lefty-Townes Van Zandt
Baker Street-Gerry Rafferty
Hold On-Tom Waites
Bells of Rhymney-The Byrds/Pete Seeger
Will the World Survive-Los Lobos/David Hidalgo
Spoonful-Howlin Wolf
(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man-Willie Dixon
The Boxer-Paul Simon
Tennessee Plates-John Hiatt
She’s No Lady-Lyle Lovett
Elvis Presley’s Blues-Gillian Welch
Engine Engine #9-Roger Miller
Farmer’s Daughter-Merle Haggard
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner-Warren Zevon
Folsom Prison Blues-Johnny Cash
Girl of the North Country-Bob Dylan/Traditional
The Weight-The Band
Good Things-The Bodeans
Guitartown-Steve Earle
Sweet Old World-Lucinda Williams
Heartaches by the Number-Dwight Yoakam/Halan Howard
If You Need Someone-Jesse Winchester
I’m So Lonesome I could Cry-Hank Williams
I Miss My Mary-Hal Ketchum
I Still Miss Someone-Johnny Cash
If I Were a Carpenter-Tim Hardin
Beauty Way-Eliza Gilkyson
Hard Times in Babylon-Eliza Gilkyson
Honey Don’t-Carl Perkins
Come to Me-Otis Redding
Is There Anybody Going to San Antone?-Charlie Pride
Boots of Spanish Leather-Bill Camplin/Bob Dylan
He’ll Have to Go-Jim Reeves
Only the Lonely-Roy Orbison
Dream River-The Mavericks
Tommy-Kelly Jo Phelps
See that My Grave is Kept Clean-Kelly Jo Phelps/Blind Lemon Jefferson
Coat of Mail-Harry Manx*
Waling Wail-Stephen Fearing
Horses-Dala*
Hallelujah-Leonard Cohen*
Pocahontas-Neil Young*
Pacing the Cage-Bruce Cockburn*
I’m Wondering Where the Lions Are Bruce Cockburn*
Memphis in the Meantime-John Hiatt
Mr. Jones-Counting Crowes
Oh Boy!-Buddy Holly
Lodi-John Fogerty
Senor-Billy Campbell/Bob Dylan
The Thrill is Gone-BB King
Rose Colored Glasses-John Conlee
She Left Me for Jesus-Hayes Carll
Ships-Redbird/Greg Brown
God’s Promise-Burns Sisters/Woody Guthrie
Deportee-Woody Guthrie
Sunday Morning Coming Down-Kris Kristopherson
To Be Young-David Rawlings & Ryan Adams
For a Dancer- Jackson Browne
Fallen Angel-Marc Cohn
Walkin’ In Memphis-Marc Cohn
Barricades in Heaven-Jackson Browne
Your Silence I will Always Admire-Michael McDermott
Zodiac-Richie Havens
By the Time I Get To Pheonix-Glen Campbell/Jimmy Webb
Eve of Destruction-Barry McGuire/P.F. Sloan
Your Mind is on Vacation-Mose Allison
Waist Deep in the Big Muddy-Pete Seeger
Fall on Me-REM
Ten Little Indians-John Hiatt
Empty-Ray Lamontagne
Trouble-Ray Lamontagne
Wagon Wheel-Old Crowe Medicine Show/Bob Dylan
He Stopped Loving Her Today-George Jones/Bobby Braddock
White Freightliner Blues-Townes Van Zandt
Black Cadillac-Rosanne Cash
Sea of Heartbreak-Rosanne Cash/Hal David & Paul Hampton
Swallowed by the Cracks-David Baerwald
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down-The Band
The Wabash Cannonball-Ray Acuff
I Fall to Pieces-Patsy Cline
Wildwood Flower-The Carter Family
He’ll Have to Go-Jim Reeves
Cattle Call-Eddy Arnold
For the Good Times-Ray Price
Lovesick Blues-Hank Williams
King of the Road-Roger Miller
Flowers on the Wall-The Statler Brothers
Seven Year Ache-Rosanne Cash
Six Days on the Road-Dave Dudley
Together Again-Buck Ownes
The Year That Clayton Delaney Died-Tom T Hall
From a Jack to a King-Ned Miller
500 Miles-Rosanne Cash/Bobby Bare & Hedy West
Blue Yodel #1 (T for Texas)-Jimmie Rodgers
The Train that Carried Jimmie Rodgers Home-Greg Brown
Walking the Floor Over You-Ernest Tubb
Blue Suede Shows-Carl Perkins
Waltz Across Texas-Ernest Tubb
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain-Willie Nelson
Gentle on My Mind-John Hartford
Galveston-Glen Campbell/Jimmy Webb
Lord I Hope This Day is Good-Don Williams
Always Late for Your Kisses-Lefty Frizzell
Amazing Grace-Traditional
Both Sides Now-Dave Van Ronk/Joni Mitchell
Freight Train-Elizabeth Cotton
The Water is Wide-John Gorka/Traditional
It’s All Over Now Baby Blue-Boby Dylan
Hobo’s Lullabye-Woody Guthrie
Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright-Bob Dylan
If I Had a Boat-Lyle Lovett
Blue Moon of Kentucky-Bill Monroe
Wayfaring Stranger-Traditional
Kilkelly Ireland-Peter Jones
For What It Is Worth-Buffalo Springfield

*Denotes Canadian Artists