The 2014-2015 Season: Tickets on Sale Now!
Sun Valley Center for the Arts announces their 2014-2015 Season that includes: the Performing Arts Series, the Lecture Series and Company of Fools Theatre 19th Season.
“As The Center is finishing up a wonderful summer of concerts, exhibitions, plays and classes for adults and kids, we are looking forward and are thrilled to share our upcoming season with our friends and community. Our mission is to engage our community through art and ideas, and the programs we have scheduled will do this in spades!” said Kristin Poole, Artistic Director for the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. “Starting in October with celebrated author Timothy Egan, we’ve created a number of ways for our community to come together and be stimulated, inspired and just have some fun. The list of programs is deep and varied including a dance performance with the athletic company, JUNK, to a night of puzzles with Will Shortz and a piece of theater that will appeal to all, Peter and the Starcatcher. “
In addition to Timothy Egan, who will be speaking as a part of the 2014-2015 Lecture Series and the “Big Idea” project Forests, Foraging and Fires, The Center’s 201 Lecture Series will bring NPR’s puzzle master Will Shortz to the valley for an evening of fun and games; rock photographer Ethan Russell will present a slide lecture titled Best Seat in the House which will include his iconic images of the Who, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones; social scientist and author of “The Hidden Brain”, Shankar Vedantam will be speaking as a part of The Center’s “Big Idea” project on The Brain; and finally, beloved and renowned author Ann Patchett will wrap up the season.
Company of Fools 19th Theatre Season starts with the amazing Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice – based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. This 5-time Tony award-winning play is a “prequel” to Peter Pan and will be a wonderful way to spend time with kids and grandkids during the month of December. Following Peter and the Starcatcher, Company of Fools will present David Auburn’s Proof in February as a part of The Center’s “Big Idea” project on The Brain. The play follows Catherine, who after the death of her brilliant but unstable mathematician father, must deal with her own emotions and explores the question: how much of her father’s madness—or genius—will she inherit? Finally, in the summer in 2015, the Fools take on Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang. The 2013 Tony Award-winning Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is one of the most lauded Broadway plays of recent years.
The performing arts season weaves a blend of soloists and ensemble performances, outreach to the schools and a dance performance for 2014-2015. In October, the Portland Cello Project will be in residence to work with local students who will then perform a few selections during the concert. Late November is the start of The Center’s “Big Idea” project entitled, Under the Influence of Rock & Roll. This project will feature a gallery exhibition and two live concerts: the first with bluesman Guy Davis who will explore the roots of rock & roll. The second is with Little Feat co-founder and pianist extraordinaire Bill Payne. Coming back to the valley in March are Brian Sanders’ JUNK, a dance company that bridges the gap between dance and physical theater. Finally, in April, TorQ Percussion comes to the valley for a full week to perform all-school lecture demonstrations in Blaine County elementary schools and then will perform a full length concert.
SALES SCHEDULE
SERIES TICKETS ON SALE Members Only:
Friday, September 5, 10am
(members will be emailed a special online link)
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS ON SALE Members Only:
(plus Company of Fools plays and Second City)
Friday, September 12, 10am
ALL TICKETS ON SALE GENERAL PUBLIC:
Friday, September 19, 10am
TICKET INFORMATION
Sun Valley Center for the Arts Members receive discounts to all regular ticketed events (exceptions are fundraising events). Additional discounts are available by purchasing Series tickets.
Lecture Series
- $500 Editors Series*
- $117 for all 5 lectures
- $90 for Lecture Mini Series (January to March only: includes Shortz, Russell, Vedantam and Patchett)
- $75 Student Lecture Series (all 5 lectures)
Performing Arts Series
- $500 Critics Circle Series*
- $112.50 for all 5 performances
- $67.50 Performing Arts Mini Series (January to March only: Bill Payne, JUNK and TorQ)
- $70 Student Performing Arts Series (all 5 performances)
Series & Mini Series Tickets
Series tickets are only available to Sun Valley Center members. Series tickets and “Mini Series” tickets are available for the Lecture Series and the Performing Arts Series. “Mini Series” will include performances from January to March only. When you buy a series ticket, you save an ADDITIONAL 10% off the member price!
*Editors Series & Critics Circle Series Tickets
The purchase of an Editors Series (Lectures) or a Critics Circle Series (Performing Arts) ticket helps to underwrite the cost of the entire series.
Tickets are $500 per person, per series and include:
- Preferred seating at the lecture series or performing arts series
- Reception with one of the visiting lecturers
- Luncheon in the spring with Editors and Critics Circle ticket holders
- The knowledge that you are helping sustain these events for the entire community
For individuals interested in purchasing an Editors Series or Critics Circle Series please contact us at 208.726.9491 or visit us in person at the box office in either Ketchum or Hailey.
The Sun Valley Center for the Arts 2014/2015 Season
2014-2015 WINTER PERFORMING ARTS SERIES
Portland Cello Project (and school residency)
October 25, 2014, 6:30pm
Wood River High School Performing Arts Theatre, Hailey
Since the group’s inception in late 2007, the Portland Cello Project (or, PCP, as their fans affectionately call them), has wowed audiences all over the country with extravagant performances everywhere from Prairie Home Companion to punk rock clubs. The group has built a reputation mixing genres and blurring musical lines and perceptions wherever they go. No two shows are alike, with a repertoire now numbering over 800 pieces of music you wouldn’t normally expect to hear coming from a cello.
Portland Cello Project will work with students from Wood River High School’s chamber orchestra and their vocal group, Spiritus, while here. The students will participate in a few selections during the evening concert.
Portland Cello Project’s residency has been generously supported by Gayle Marie and Wendy & Alan Pesky.
Guy Davis
December 12, 2014, 6:30pm
Sun Valley Opera House
Guy Davis is the son of actors Ruby Dee and the late Ossie Davis. He’s a musician, composer, actor, director, and writer, but most importantly, Guy Davis is a bluesman. The blues permeates every corner of Davis’ creativity. Throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to reviving the traditions of acoustic blues and bringing them to as many ears as possible through the material of the great blues masters, African American stories, and his own original songs, stories and performance pieces.
His appearance is a part of The Center’s BIG IDEA, Under the Influence of Rock & Roll, and will explore the blues—the undeniable roots of rock and roll.
An evening with Bill Payne
January 30, 2015, 6:30pm
Sun Valley Opera House
Bill Payne co-founded, with Lowell George, the band Little Feat. He is considered by many other piano rock musicians, including Elton John, to be one of the finest American piano rock and blues music artists. In addition to his trademark barrelhouse blues piano, he is noted for his work on other keyboard instruments, particularly the Hammond B3 organ. Payne is also an accomplished songwriter whose credits include co-writing, with Lowell George, the Little Feat classic “Oh, Atlanta.”
Payne has worked and recorded with other musicians including J. J. Cale, Doobie Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Bryan Adams, Pink Floyd, Bob Seger, Toto, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Helen Watson, Stevie Nicks, Shocking Edison, Robert Palmer and Stephen Bruton. He was a guest performer on Bonnie Raitt’s album Sweet Forgiveness in 1977, and wrote its track “Takin’ My Time.”
Brian Sanders’ JUNK dance performance and workshop
March 19, 2015
Wood River High School Performing Arts Theatre, Hailey
Brian Sanders’ JUNK is known for their ingenious use of found objects and clever inventions that bridge the gap between dance and physical theater. Sanders’ choreography blends traditional dance theater with an inventiveness and physicality that gives reason for critics to hail JUNK as “Philly’s most imaginative perpetrator of dare-devilish physical theater” and declare Sanders as “the city’s most exciting choreographer.”
JUNK’s mission as a dance-theater company is to inspire with creativity. The company strives to produce work that is both artistic and accessible while maintaining a ceaseless desire to try new things. JUNK will teach a master class while in the Wood River Valley.
JUNK’s residency has been generously sponsored by Gayle Marie and Wendy & Alan Pesky, WESTAF, the Western States Arts Federation, the Idaho Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
TorQ Percussion Group (and school residency)
April 18, 2015
TorQ Percussion Quartet was formed by four Canadian percussionists looking to add new vitality to percussion repertoire and performance. Renowned for their engaging performances and repertoire, TorQ is also committed to commissioning new works for percussion quartet from both established and up-and-coming composers. In addition to promoting new music, TorQ is also a strong believer in the importance of music education.
The Center has engaged TorQ to be in the Wood River Valley for a weeklong residency which will include performances at every elementary school and the middle school in addition to their full length evening concert.
2014/2015 WINTER LECTURE SERIES
Timothy Egan
Oct 2, 2014
Timothy Egan has written several books chronicling the American West, including The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America, which dissects one of our country’s worst-ever forest fires and its impact on national forest management. He is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, a popular New York Times columnist and a National Book Award-winning author.
Will Shortz
January 13, 2015
Puzzle master for NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday, the crossword editor of the New York Times, and the founder and director of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Shortz will engage the audience in a fun, informative and brain stimulating lecture that will address how puzzles are created, the curious history of crosswords, and his lifelong passion for puzzles.
Ethan Russell
January 22, 2015
Author of the memoir Ethan Russell: An American Story and rock photographer of the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and the Who. He will share compelling behind-the scenes stories, illustrated with original photographs and music from his experience with these Rock and Roll greats.
Shankar Vedantam
February 5, 2015
NPR social science correspondent and author of The Hidden Brain, Vedantam speaks nationwide about the link between science and human behavior. With expertise and insight he explores the role of our unconscious mind in dictating many of our deeply rooted feelings, prejudices, biases and expressions.
Ann Patchett
March 5, 2015
A celebrated writer and the owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN, Ann Patchett is a champion of literary culture. In this presentation hear from the author who is described as “a woman of wisdom, determination, generosity and courage” by her friend and novelist Elizabeth Gilbert. Patchett is the award-winning author of The Magician’s Assistant, Bel Canto, State of Wonder, Run and many others. She is also a contributor to The New York Times, The Atlantic and The Wall Street Journal.
COMPANY OF FOOLS 19TH SEASON
Peter and the Starcatcher
By Rick Elice – Based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
December 17, 2014 -January 3, 2015
Peter and the Starcatcher is a hilarious evening of madcap fun! In this 5-time Tony Award-winning play, a dozen brilliant actors play more than 100 unforgettable characters using their enormous talent, ingenious stagecraft and the limitless possibilities of imagination. This swashbuckling grownup prequel to Peter Pan will have you hooked from the moment you let your imagination take flight. Perfect for ages 10 and up!
Proof
By David Auburn
February 11-28, 2015
On the eve of her 25th birthday, Catherine, a troubled young woman, has spent years caring for her brilliant but unstable father, a famous mathematician. Now, following his death, she must deal with her own emotions; the arrival of her sister and the attentions of Hal, a student of her father’s who hopes to find valuable work in the notebooks that her father left behind. Over the long weekend, a burgeoning romance and the discovery of a mysterious notebook draw Catherine into the most difficult problem of all: How much of her father’s madness—or genius—will she inherit?
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
By Christopher Durang
July 1-25, 2015
The 2013 Tony Award-winning Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is one of the most lauded Broadway plays of recent years. Vanya and his adopted sister Sonia live a quiet life in the Pennsylvania farmhouse where they grew up, but their peace is disturbed when their movie star sister Masha returns unannounced with her twenty-something boy toy, Spike.