By Jennifer Berosek, Coordinator of Fine Arts, North Central College
At North Central College, we take pride in our role as a cultural gem in the Chicago area and specifically as a cultural leader right here in Naperville. We view it as part of our responsibility as an institution of higher education to engage the community through entertaining, enlightening, and thought-provoking performances, exhibits and presentations on our campus.
That’s why I’m so excited about the College’s upcoming Fine & Performing Arts 2022-2023 Performance Series, which runs from September 2022 through May 2023. The series offers events for all ages, featuring past favorites returning to our campus live and in-person for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, and exciting new performers spanning a wide range of genres including rock, jazz, classical, cabarets, and family friendly theatrical events.
Highlights from this year’s lineup include:
- Fan favorite Jim Peterik’s World Stage kicks off our season on September 24;
- Singer-songwriter Edwin McCain—famous for Top 40 hits “I’ll Be” and “I Could Not Ask for More”—takes the stage in November;
- The “Home for the Holidays” series returns in December, featuring three new artists performing for the first time at North Central College: vocalist Darlene Love, famous for the holiday classic “Christmas Baby Please Come Home”; the all-female tenThing Brass Ensemble from Norway; and John Denver tribute artist Ted Vigil;
- The Chicago Sinfonietta returns in January for their annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- The youth and family performance “Fairytales on Ice” performs on synthetic ice on the Pfeiffer Hall stage in April;
- And award-winning jazz vocalist Alyssa Allgood—a North Central graduate—helps close out our season in May.
The full series of events can be found at northcentralcollege.edu/show. Tickets and season subscriptions are on sale now; and those who purchase tickets for three or more shows can save up to 20 percent on performances by becoming a season subscriber. If you have questions, call our Box Office at 630-637-SHOW or stop by the Box Office located in the Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center at 171 E. Chicago Ave.
In addition to our Performance Series, North Central students also have the opportunity to shine on stage and share their theatrical and musical gifts with the community. These high-quality performances—which range from choral, jazz and big band concerts, to student-directed dance and theatrical shows—are typically open to the public and offered for free or at minimal cost to attend. Check the College’s Fine & Performing Arts website throughout the year for more information about these events.
Later this month, the College is excited to partner with Naper Settlement and Naperville Preservation, Inc., to pay homage to mid-century modern architecture with our “Mid-Century Modern at North Central College” art exhibit at Shoenherr Gallery (171 E. Chicago Ave.). The exhibit runs from August 22 through December 9, and community members are invited to attend our grand opening reception on Saturday, August 27, from 1-5PM. The grand opening will include free trolley tours throughout Naperville that will explore the living history of mid-century modern homes in the area, and a self-guided walking tour of mid-century modern buildings on our campus. For more details, visit finearts.northcentralcollege.edu/galleries.
It’s going to be an exciting and busy year ahead at North Central College with a full slate of fine and performing arts events. And while we might be a bit biased, here at North Central College we think there’s no better night out than dinner in downtown Naperville and a show on our campus. We hope to see you soon!
