The Madden Theatre and Wentz Concert Hall are located in the North Central College Fine and Performing Arts Center at 171 E. Chicago Avenue and Ellsworth Street, just steps from many restaurants in downtown Naperville. Consider dinner and the show!
North Central College Report
Oct. 7–11 Theatre: The North Central College Department of Theatre presents Love/Sick by John Cariani, directed by Mitzi Smith. A darker cousin to Almost, Maine, Love/Sick is a collection of slightly twisted and completely hilarious short plays that explore the pain and joy of love. Full of imperfect lovers and dreamers, this unromantic comedy is for the romantic in everyone. The play contains mature themes and language. Performances begin at 7:30PM Oct. 7, 8 and 10 and at 2PM Oct. 10 and 11 in Madden Theatre. Tickets are $14.
8PM Oct. 9 Music: Celebrate Homecoming with an evening of music from the North Central College Department of Music. The Chamber Singers, Chorale, Concert Choir, Orchestra and Concert Winds will come together for this annual tradition, filling the stage with energy, creativity and community spirit. Arrive early for a pre-concert performance by the NCC Big Band in the lobby at 7:15PM. before the main event in Wentz Concert Hall. Tickets are $7.
4PM Oct. 11 Music: Chicago a cappella presents Northern Lights. Through music from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark, the ten singers of Chicago a cappella bring the beauty, mystery and wonder of the far north to life. Filled with luminous harmonies, breathtaking landscapes and timeless stories, Northern Lights invites audiences to experience a world shaped by nature, folklore and light. The performance is in Wentz Concert Hall. Tickets are $10-$50. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit chicagoacappella.org.
7:30PM Oct. 23 Music: The West Suburban Symphony opens its 80th season with Rhapsodies, featuring George Gershwin’s spirited Rhapsody in Blue and Aaron Copland’s exuberant Symphony No. 3, introduced by local composer Mike McFerron’s lively Concert Fanfare. Pianist Melanie Brsan Villasenor performs Rhapsody in Blue, a spectacular fusion of classical music and jazz that captures the spirit of New York City in the Roarin’ Twenties. Copland’s symphony, generally regarded as the greatest American symphony, has the feel of the open prairie, with bright themes that reflect the national euphoria at the end of World War II. The symphony was completed in 1946, just a year before the West Suburban Symphony’s founding. The performance is in Wentz Concert Hall. Tickets are $0-$40. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit westsubsymphony.org/.
8PM Oct. 24 Music: Bruce Springsteen & Bob Seger: A Rock Tribute by Sons of Chicago will be an evening of classic rock written by iconic American artists Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger and performed by the 12-piece band Sons of Chicago. Every riff is a heartbeat and every lyric a memory, keeping the audience rocking, dancing and singing with the band. The event is part of the Wintrust 40,000 Meals Tour, which provides funding for local food pantries, with support from Wintrust Bank and the Bomher Family Foundation. The performance is in Wentz Concert Hall. Student tickets are $10 and reserved tickets are $25-$35. For colorful info and to purchase tickets, click the banner ad on this Positively Naperville website.
7:30PM Oct. 26 Music: The North Central College Faculty Recital Series presents Duo Lumina. Lumina Piano Duo, featuring faculty pianist Jun-Hee Han and pianist Hyejin Cho, presents a piano four-hands program exploring the spirit of dance across centuries. From the elegance and wit of Mozart’s Sonata for Four Hands to the intoxicating whirl of Ravel’s La Valse, the beloved charm of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite and the vibrant rhythms of Cornick’s Latin Suite, the program moves through classical grace, fantasy and fiery energy. As a married piano duo, Han and Cho bring a deep musical and personal partnership to the stage, creating a distinctive sense of unity, communication and vitality in every performance. The performance is in Wentz Concert Hall. Tickets are $7.
7:30PM Oct. 30 Music: The North Central College Faculty Recital Series presents chamber music featuring the Balourdet Quartet. Acclaimed for its vibrant energy and emotional depth, the Balourdet Quartet was formed in 2018 at the Taos School of Music, where its members bonded around Chef Antoine Balourdet’s table and were inspired by his joie de vivre. They later named the ensemble in tribute to him, honoring the generosity and spirit of friendship he brought to their early days. The quartet has held graduate residency positions at the New England Conservatory and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and earned top prizes at the Banff, Borciani and Nielsen International String Quartet competitions as well as the gold medal at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. In 2021, the quartet received the Grand Prize at New York’s Concert Artists Guild Competition. The Balourdet Quartet also works with Seattle’s Memory Hub to co-design music-based programming for people living with memory loss and, in collaboration with the University of Washington, is conducting research aimed at developing a practical blueprint for arts and health initiatives worldwide. The quartet will collaborate with North Central College piano faculty member Susan Chou for this concert, featuring Beethoven’s String Quartet, Op. 18, No. 3, and Dvořák’s Piano Quintet, Op. 81. The performance is in Wentz Concert Hall. Tickets are $15.
Thanks for supporting the arts!
North Central College’s 2026–2027 Fine and Performing Arts Season is partially supported by the following sponsors and partners: Gensler, Corrigan, Philipchuck and West, Ltd.
These upcoming events are among many ongoing programs at North Central College to enrich and broaden the cultural and academic outlook for the College and community. North Central offers a variety of venues that accommodate a rich range of local and world-class events, performances and space needs for the public.
For a comprehensive schedule of musical performances, theatrical and dance productions, visit northcentralcollege.edu/show. For tickets (unless otherwise noted), call the box office at 630-637-SHOW (7469).
Submitted by Jennifer Berosek, Associate Director of Fine Arts, North Central College.
