Homer Bryant teaches ballet students of all ages at the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center

Executive Produced by Melissa Sage Fadim and Produced and Directed by Emmy Award-winning producer Terry Spencer Hesser, “Raising the Barre: The Homer Bryant Story” is a 30-minute documentary film that follows Chicago ballet master Homer Hans Bryant’s career with a special focus on the school he built and has operated since 1990, the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center (CMDC). 

The premiere public airing of the film will be on WTTW-TV Channel 11 TONIGHT Thursday, December 17 at 10 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »

Walking With Dinosaurs Comes to the Allstate Arena July 28 - Aug. 1

Tickets are on sale today for WALKING WITH DINOSAURS – The Arena Spectacular, based on the award-winning BBC Television Series. Tickets can be purchased by calling 800-745-3000, on-line at Ticketmaster.com  or in person at the Allstate Arena box office.  For discounts on groups of 15 or more, please call GroupTix at 877-447-7849.

Start your summer planning now!

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS – The Arena Spectacular will perform 8 performances at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, Wednesday, July 28 – Sunday, Aug. 1.

The production originated in Australia, where after years of planning, WALKING WITH DINOSAURS came to life at Sydney’s Acer Arena in January 2007.   The show proved to be such a sensation that this North American tour was fast-tracked.  It began a short three months after completing its sold-out engagements in Australia. Since that time, the show’s two companies have played to 4.4 million people worldwide and generated over $210 million dollars in overall ticket sales.

For more information, visit www.dinosaurlive.com.

Nickelodeon's "Storytime Live" comes to Chicagoland

It’s a child’s dream come true!

Nickelodeon’s latest musical adventure,  “STORYTIME LIVE,” brings four of the top-rated preschool shows together for an exciting musical adventure at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Rd., March 12-14. Hosted by Nickelodeon characters Moose and Zee, the show features “The Backyardigans,” “Wonder Pets!,” “Ni Hao, Kai-lan” and “Dora the Explorer.”

Tickets just went on sale and are currently available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Rosemont Theatre box office and at all Ticketmaster outlets.  For groups of 15 or more please call GroupTix at 1-877-447-7849.

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Rosemont Theatre
5400 N. River Rd., Rosemont, IL 60018 Map | More Info…

Hosted by MakeItBetter.net

It’s the perfect gift giving opportunity!

Support SeeChicagoDance.com and find the perfect gift for that special someone on your list.

Bid on gorgeous prints by some of Chicago’s most respected dance photographers including William Frederking, Kristie Kahns, Johnny Knight, Cheryl Mann, Todd Rosenberg and Sandro.

Auction items also include tickets to “Billy Elliot The Musical”, Blue Man Group, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, dinner packages, a night’s stay at the Fairmont Hotel in downtown Chicago and so much more!

Click here to bid on items from Audience Architects.

Centre East presents the Grammy Award-winning group, The Klezmatics, in “Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah!”   the last day of the Jewish holiday Saturday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. The show intermingles Klezmer music with American folk and bluegrass and is perfect for all ages.

Klezmatics are globally renowned world music superstars and the only klezmer band to win a Grammy Award and you’ve probably seen and/or heard them on HBO’s “Sex and the City,” NPR’s “Prairie Home Companion” and a whole lot of other places. They include:

• Frank London who Paul Wieder/JUF Interactive hails as “Arguably the most important Jewish horn player since Joshua picked up a shofar;”
• Matt Darriau (clarinets, sax, kaval) who has recorded and performed with David Byrne, Marc Ribot, Roberto Rodriguez, Ben Folds Five and many others in the New York scene;
• Lisa Gutkin’s (fiddler/composer) who has appeared with The Roches, Shawn Colvin, Suzanne Vega to name a few;
• Paul Morrissett (bass, tsimbl) is a collector and player of Eastern European and Scandinavian folk instruments and records and performs on an impressive array of ethnic strings, winds and reeds;
• Lorin Sklamberg (lead vocals, accordion, guitar, piano) a founding member of The Klezmatics, has been heard on numerous recordings and live shows, solo and in collaboration with such artists as Itzhak Perlman, Paradox Trio, Hip Hop Hoodios Emmylou Harris, Tracy Grammer and Neil Sedaka;
• and Richie Barshay (drums), who has been a member of the Herbie Hancock Quartet since 2003 and was recently singled out as “a player to watch” by JazzTimes magazine.

So how did Woody Guthrie get inspired to write for Hanukkah?  In 1942, Woody Guthrie, through his mother-in-law, Yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt, became involved with the Coney Island Jewish community and decided to write some songs about Hanukkah, Jewish history and spiritual life. After his death in 1967, the songs sat forgotten in archives for decades. But in 1998 the songs were discovered by Woody’s daughter, Nora Guthrie, and she asked the Klezmatics exclusively to write new music for the lyrics. The result, “Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah!,”

Tickets are $48.  Free parking available. For more info, call 847-673-6300 or visit northshorecenter.org.

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North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie
9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, IL 60077 Map | More Info…

Pictured L-R: Andrew Carter (Harry and others), Ashley Bishop (Violet and others), Gary Houston (Uncle Billy and others), Kevin R. Kelley (George Bailey) and John Mohrlein (Mr. Potter/Clarence). Photo: The Stage Channel (2009).

American Blues Theatre continues with their “Soldier Spotlights” at performances of this year’s critically acclaimed staging of “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph!” The five servicemen spotlighted this week include:

Thursday, 12/10 8 p.m.: 1^st Lt. Milton Greenfield, Army.  Greenfield’s heroic efforts during World War II earned him nine medals including the Distinguished Service Medal and the Purple Heart. He saved the lives of three soldiers while under heavy fire and witnessed the loss of his entire crew during a single battle.

Saturday 12/12 5 p.m.: John “Fred” Sharpe, Sgt., 1^st class, Army.

Sgt. John Sharpe

As part of the 3275th Quartermaster Service Company, his first assignment was to set up and receive units in Normandy. He later went on to participate in the Battle of The Bulge. After the war, he became mentor to many troubled youth as a counselor at Sullivan House, coached Little League baseball and volunteered at Bryn Mawr Elementary School.

American Blues Theatre presents “It’s A Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph!” now through Dec. 27.  All performances take place in the new Studio at Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago.  For tickets or more information call the Victory Gardens box office at 773-871-3000 or visit victorygardens.org.

Shernett Swaby designs will be available in the Indie Designer Market at the Modern Vintage Holiday Market

The third annual Modern Vintage Holiday Market features the “best of the best” of the Randolph Street Market Festival, including dealers from the Chicago Antique Market and the Indie Designer Fashion Market.  Plumbers Hall will be filled to the brim with antiques, fashion, jewelry, art, decorative objects, house wares, furniture and more from 75 vendors. Shoppers will discover fabulous keepsakes, gifts and home décor at this unique and beautifully-crafted mix of smartly priced vintage and modern goods.

Saturday, Nov. 21 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 22 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Admission: $10 ($8 in advance online); Student admission with valid ID: $5; Children under 12: free.  Free parking and free gift wrapping!

Visit www.randolphstreetmarket.com

The SAIC Holiday Art Sale features more than 120 student designers

This weekend you can also purchase original artwork from the next generation of immensely talented student artists and designers. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago hosts its 21st Annual Holiday Art Sale on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the MacLean Center Ballroom (112 S. Michigan Avenue). Don’t miss this opportunity to purchase unique, one-of-a-kind holiday gifts: photographs, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, prints and drawings, jewelry, fashion accessories and handmade paper designs.  Admission is totally FREE and for more details you can call (312) 629-6880.

Olympia Dukakis to be special guest at American Blues Theater Benefit

Next Monday Olympia Dukakis will be in Chicago!

Academy Award-winner Olympia Dukakis will be the special guest at American Blues Theater’s “The Rebirth of Blues Benefit,” Monday, Nov. 16 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Bridgeview Bank, 4753 N. Broadway. The acclaimed theater company kicks off its 24^th season with this awesome party….and you can be there!

Tickets are $75 ($125 VIP tickets include a 5:30 p.m. private reception with Dukakis). Parking is available adjacent to the bank and is complimentary. For tickets, call 312.725.4ABT or visit americanbluestheater.com. 

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