Above / North Central College Fine & Performing Arts has announced the 2023-2024 season, opening with two performances of “Cinderella” on Oct. 28. (Photo courtesy North Central College)
Featuring live, and in-person events perfect for all ages, this season begins Sat., Oct. 28, 2023, and runs through April 2024. The lineup includes artists and ensembles both new and returning to campus, with a variety of performances that span genres such as classical music, comedy, family and youth theatrical events, and cabarets.
In December, North Central will once again host the Home for the Holidays series featuring artists: “Teen Idol” Frankie Avalon; local artist Erin Oechsel’s “Merry Musings: A Christmas Cabaret!”; and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Wild & Swingin’ Holiday Party.
Tickets for individual performances and season subscriptions are on sale now. Patrons who purchase three or more shows save up to 20 percent on performances by becoming a season subscriber. To purchase a season subscription, call the Box Office at 630-637-SHOW (7469) or stop by the Box Office located in the Fine Arts Center at 171 E. Chicago Ave.
Performance information listed here is subject to change.
Visit northcentralcollege.edu/show throughout the season to purchase tickets and check for updates.
Jennifer Berosek, associate director of Fine & Performing Arts at North Central College, contributed to this schedule preview.
Rock, Pop, and R&B
- Oct. 29: The Doo Wop Project
- Nov. 11: Brass Transit: The Musical Legacy of Chicago
- Jan. 27: The Beat Goes On starring Lisa McClowry as Cher
- Feb. 17: The Drifters
Classical, Comedy, and Cabaret
- Jan. 14: Chicago Sinfonietta’s Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: PULSE
- March 3: Jonathon Lynch’s “The Baroque Cycle”
- March 8: HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis starring Stephanie Courtney & Asad Mecci
Youth and Family
- Oct. 28: The Panto Company USA’s “Cinderella”
- April 6: TheaterWorksUSA’s “Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical”
- April 20: The Let’s Go Science Show
Holiday, sponsored by City of Naperville Special Events & Cultural Arts Fund
- Dec. 2: Frankie Avalon
- Dec. 3: Erin Oechsel’s “Merry Musings: A Christmas Cabaret!”
- Dec. 16: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Wild & Swingin Holiday Party
North Central College Music
- Oct. 6: Homecoming Kickoff Concert
- Nov. 9: An Evening of Jazz Fall Concert
- Nov. 17: Explore the Sound
- Nov. 20: Jazz Combo & Big Band Fall Concert
- Dec. 1: North Central College Symphony Orchestra Fall Concert
- Dec. 5: Concert Winds Winter Concert
- Feb. 10: Gospel Extravaganza
- Feb. 21: Winter Choral Festival
- March 1: An Evening of Jazz Spring Concert
- March 2: Chords for Kids
- April 9: Jazz Combo & Big Band Spring Concert
- April 10: Concert Winds Spring Concert
- April 12: Spring Choral “Finale!” Concert
- April 19: North Central College Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert
North Central College Theater
- Oct. 4-5, 7- 8: “Pool (No Water)”
- Oct. 21, 22: Fusion: Fall Dance Production
- Nov. 2-5: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
- Nov. 30, Dec. 1-3: “A Devil Comes to Town”
- Dec. 1- 4: “The Neo-Futurists x North Central Collab: A Co-Production with The Neo-Futurists Theater”
- Feb. 29, March 1, 2, 3: Guest Directed Spring Musical – TBA
- April 11-14: “this is not the reunion”
Thanks for supporting the arts
North Central College’s 2023-2024 Fine and Performing Arts Performance Series is supported by the following sponsors and partners: City of Naperville Special Events and Cultural Amenities Fund; Illinois Arts Council Agency; Advanced Data Technologies; Blooming Color; Chef By Request; Elements at Water Street; Monarch Landing; Naperville Magazine; Naperville Park District; Nicor Gas; BMO Harris Bank; Catch 35; Dommermuth, Cobine, West, Gensler, Philipchuck and Corrigan, Ltd.; Marquette; Naper Settlement; Century 21 affiliated Ryan Hill Group; and Naperville Development Partnership.
North Central College since 1861
North Central College provides students with the confidence, instruction and direction they need to exceed their personal best inside and outside of the classroom and throughout their careers. Founded in 1861, and located just 28 miles west of Chicago in the Historic District of Naperville, Ill.—named among the nation’s “Best Places to Live” by Money magazine—North Central is home to nearly 3,000 students and offers more than 70 undergraduate majors, 60 additional undergraduate minors and concentrations, and 13 graduate degree programs.
Visit northcentralcollege.edu to discover why U.S. News & World Report has named North Central a “Best in the Midwest” school for 20 years in a row and to learn more about the College’s state-of-the-art facilities and distinctive programs, particularly in the sciences and business.
Update – Feb. 28, 2024 / Important Announcement from North Central College Fine & Performing Arts regarding ‘Presented Performance Series’
Dear friends and supporters of the arts,
We wanted to share some news that was recently announced to our campus community. At the conclusion of the 2023-2024 season, the College will no longer offer a Presented Performance Series as part of its fine and performing arts program. The current season will continue as scheduled with the final presented performance—The Let’s Go Science Show—taking place on April 20, 2024. The significant operational cost of the series no longer made financial sense for the College.
This decision is in no way a reflection of the College’s longstanding commitment to the arts. The College’s venues and stages will continue to showcase our collaborations with partner organizations, such as the Chicago Sinfonietta, the DuPage Symphony Orchestra, the Naperville Chorus, and many others, throughout the year. Alumni, friends, and community members will still be welcome to experience world class performances on the North Central College campus through these partnerships, as well as to view stars in the making — our students! — through our many student-led shows.
We have valued your support of the arts at North Central College, and we hope that support will continue. Your ongoing financial generosity is vital to the future of our student performances and our spectacular fine arts venues. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your generosity and patronage of the Fine & Performing Arts at North Central College!
-North Central College Fine & Performing Arts
