News and Announcements

Garrison Keillor - A Brand New Retrospective

Jaime Davidson — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:18:12 GMT

Buy Tickets Samford University’s Wright Center Presents Series continues March 25 with Garrison Keillor: A Brand-New Retrospective. The 7 p.m. show is co-presented with Samford’s Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies as part of the annual Tom and Marla Corts Distinguished Authors Series. The Keillor program is described as “A man at 70 relives the good times — and the music that brings it all back: hymns, jingles, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, pop tunes, limericks, rock ‘n roll, Beethoven, love sonnets, rags, blues, rousers, with Richard Dworsky, Rob Fisher, and Christine DiGiallonardo.” Sean Wright, Samford’s director of venue and event management, noted that the program is a change from the originally announced Evening with Garrison Keillor. While it will not be a broadcast of “A Prairie Home Companion,” it will include some of the regular performers from his radio program. “We are excited to partner with the Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies to bring Garrison Keillor to Samford and to Birmingham,” said Sean Wright, Samford’s director of venue and event management. “Mr. Keillor has been delighting fans of public radio for over four decades, and this brand-new retrospective has something for everyone, from fans of ‘A Prairie Home Companion’ to readers of his many books. We are looking forward to a very memorable evening, one worthy of the Tom and Marla Corts Distinguished Author Series.” Tickets range from $25-$55 and are on sale now at the Samford Arts Box Office, by phone at (205) 726-2853 or online at www.samford.edu/wrightcenter. Box office hours are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and 1 hour prior to performances. Keillor is considered one of America’s most beloved radio hosts and acclaimed humorists, Wright said. He went to work for Minnesota Public Radio in 1969, and on July 6, 1974, he hosted the first broadcast of “A Prairie Home Companion.” Some 4 million listeners on more than 600 public radio stations coast-to-coast and beyond tune in to the show each week. Keillor has been honored with Grammy, ACE, and George Foster Peabody awards, the National Humanities Medal and election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His many books include “Lake Wobegon Days”, “The Book of Guys”, “Pilgrims: A Wobegon Romance” and “Guy Noir and the Straight Skinny.” Each week on “A Prairie Home Companion,” Dworsky leads The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band and appears as keyboardist, composer and arranger. A PHC regular since 1986, he's accompanied Keillor on U.S. and European concert tours and provided original music for many Keillor recordings. He's recorded with Peter Ostroushko, John Gorka, Robin and Linda Williams, and the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band. One of Dworsky's songs was recorded by Tony Award-winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth. An authority on American music and musical theater, Fisher spent four seasons leading the Coffee Club Orchestra for Keillor's “American Radio Company.” He has been a guest of virtually every major orchestra in the U.S. as conductor or pianist, and he has made numerous appearances on the “Lyrics & Lyricists” series at the 92nd Street Y in New York. For his work as music director and conductor of the Tony-winning “Encores!” series at New York's City Center, he was presented the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Special Achievement. When singer-actress DiGiallonardo and her two older sisters were kids in Brooklyn, they loved stacking up three-part harmonies and entertaining family and friends. They even put on elaborate backyard shows and charged the neighbors admission. Today, DiGiallonardo’s credits include “Two Gentlemen of Verona” (Shakespeare in the Park Festival), “My Fair Lady” (Lincoln Center), and “Monica! The Musical” (New York Musical Theatre Festival). The Tom and Marla Corts Distinguished Authors Series was launched in 2011 to highlight reading and literacy and to provide endowment support for Samford’s Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies. The series is named for Samford’s 17th president and his wife. Marla Corts was instrumental in establishing the series following her husband’s untimely death in 2009.

Wright Center 2012-2013 Brochure

Jaime Davidson — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 15:52:39 GMT

To order tickets, please click here Open publication -

Wright Center part of Dance Touring Initative

Jaime Davidson — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:36:47 GMT

Samford University’s Leslie S. Wright Center has been selected as one of 10 presenters to be part of South Arts’ Dance Touring Initiative (DTI). The DTI is an ambitious three-year project designed to enhance the presentation of modern dance for presenters and audiences throughout the Southeast. Participants receive intensive professional development, peer mentorship, tour development assistance and touring subsidies. Sean Wright, director of Venue Management at Samford, will work with presenters from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee to more effectively present dance and create a block booking of major dance companies in the region. The presenters will travel to regional and national arts conferences and dance festivals to meet with dance companies and choreographers. Working together, these groups will create tours and residency activities for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 seasons. “It is a tremendous honor to be a part of the Dance Touring Initiative,” says Mr. Wright. “This will allow us to expand our dance offerings and further cements the Wright Center’s standing as the home for fine arts in Birmingham. It is a natural extension of our partnerships with the Alabama Dance Festival and the Alabama Ballet and guarantees that we will be bringing vital dance offerings to the city for at least the next three years. We look forward to further integrating dance into our community and developing life-long audiences for dance.” One of the core aspects of the DTI is that the group of presenters will have the opportunity to not only select the dance companies who will participate, but to work directly with those companies on creating expansive residency programs like master classes, workshops and community projects. Through these residencies, students of all ages and skill levels will be interacting with touring artists. The residencies are very important to Mr. Wright. “We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to identify companies who are fully invested in the residency component of the tour. Part of the Wright Center’s mission is to provide a true arts laboratory for our Samford students. Through these residencies the students, as well as other constituencies in Birmingham, will get the opportunity to learn from, talk to and even dance with professional companies.” South Arts (formerly the Southern Arts Federation) is a nonprofit regional arts organization that has been making a positive difference in the arts throughout the South since 1975. South Arts creates partnerships and collaborations; assists in the professional development of artists, arts organizations and arts professionals; presents, promotes and produces southern arts and cultural programming; and advocates for the arts and arts education The Dance Touring initiative is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The 10 participants in the Dance Touring Initiative: Samford University - Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Birmingham, AL The Arts Association of East Alabama, Opelika, AL St. Johns River State College - Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts, Orange Park, FL City of Tarpon Springs - Tarpon Springs Cultural Treasures; Tarpon Springs, FL Palm Beach Atlantic University - Department of Dance, West Palm Beach, FL Manship Theatre, Baton Rouge, LA Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, LA University of Mississippi - The Ford Center, University, MS Appalachian State University - Office of Arts and Culture Programs, Boone, NC Town of Huntingdon - The Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center, Huntingdon, TN

Wright Center Announces 2012-2013 Season

Jaime Davidson — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 15:49:05 GMT

June 1, 2012Press Contact: Jaime Davidson Assistant Director, Wright Center jdavids2@samford.edu (205) 726-2615 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LESLIE S. WRIGHT CENTERANNOUNCES 2012-2013 SEASONIncludes Four Show Wright Center Presents Series; WideArray of Performing Arts Events Director of Venue Management SeanWright is proud to announce the 2012-2013 Season at SamfordUniversity's Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center. This year'sschedule is highlighted by the four show Wright Center PresentsSeries which features internationally acclaimed performances fromthe worlds of theatre, dance and music. Additionally, the WrightCenter will once again be home to three of Birmingham's best lovedperforming arts organizations: the Alabama Ballet, the AlabamaSymphony Orchestra's SuperPOPS! series, and Opera Birmingham. Alongwith events from Samford University's School of the Arts and Schoolof Education, the Wright Center will fill 2012-2013 with the verybest and brightest of the Performing Arts. According to Mr. Wright, thisdynamic range of programming is a key component of what the WrightCenter is all about. "Unlike many Fine Arts Centers, the WrightCenter is embracing a broader and more inclusive vision. We wantthe Wright Center to be a venue for theatre, for dance, forclassical and popular music. We want to present the finest nationalacts and the best artists in Alabama. We want to be a laboratorywhere arts students throughout Birmingham can interact with greatperformers through masterclasses, workshops, and meet and greets.In short, we want to be the home for great Performing Arts in theregion. This schedule is representative of that goal." The signature piece of this ideal isthe Wright Center Presents Series. The Series begins with theEisenhower Dance Ensemble on November 16 at 8 p.m.This acclaimed modern dance troupe will be presenting an incredibleevening of work entitled NewDANCEfest, a collection ofdances by five respected choreographers. As part of theirresidency, a group of Birmingham dance students will study with thecompany throughout the week and will perform with the company for aportion of the concert. This performance is funded in part by theMetLife Community Connections Fund of the New England Foundationfor the Arts' National Dance Project and by a grantfrom South Arts in partnership with the NationalEndowment for the Arts and the Alabama State Council on theArts. Beloved stage and television actorEd Asner will perform his one-man theatre piece Ed Asnerstarring as FDR on January 28 at 7:30 p.m. The piece isbased upon Dore Schary's hit Sunrise at Campobello, whichran for 70 weeks on Broadway. The Wright Center will partner withthe Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education at Samford to presentAn Evening with Garrison Keillor on March 25 at 7p.m. The beloved humorist and radio host will delight with histrademark dry wit and unparalleled storytelling. This is part ofthe Wright Center Presents Series as well as the 2012-2013 Tom andMarla Corts Distinguished Author Series. The Wright Center Presents Serieswill conclude with a loving tribute to the theatre and showtuneswith Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway on April 16at 8 p.m. This performance recreates the greatest moments from thefinest Broadway shows of the century and will feature music fromshows such as The Phantom of the Opera, LesMiserables, CATS, Jesus Christ Superstar,and Jekyll & Hyde among many others. In addition to this series, theAlabama Ballet returns to the Wright Center to present threefull-length story ballets. Just in time for Halloween, the Balletstages La Sylphide: A Witch's Revengeon October26-28. They return at Christmas for the annual production ofGeorge Balanchine's The Nutcracker onDecember 14-16 and December 21-23. Finally, audiences will beenchanted by the first pairing of composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky andchoreographer Marius Petipa, The Sleeping Beauty,on February 22-24. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra's2012-2013 SuperPOPS! Series at the Wright Center begins November 2with A Broadway Romance, led by acclaimed musicdirector Ted Sperling. It continues December 8 with HolidayCirque de la Symphonie returning after their terrificperformance in 2011. The new year will begin with a celebration ofthe Music of Ray Charles on January 12, featuringR&B sensation Ellis Hall. Broadway star LindaEder will join the Symphony on March 2. Pop legendNeil Sedaka performs on April 20. The SuperPOPS!Series will conclude with a tour through southern rock withSweet Home Alabama Symphony. Opera Birmingham will be performingtwo Grand Operas at the Wright Center this season. January 25 and27 will bring the classic Puccini opera MadamaButterfly to the stage. Under the direction of Dona Vaughnand the baton of Israel Gursky, this heartbreaking story featuringsoaring melodies is always a favorite. Mozart's perfect comedyThe Magic Flute will be performed March 15 and 17.Blending onstage hilarity and touching musical moments, this Operais fun for all ages. Tickets Full series tickets for the WrightCenter Presents Series can be purchased by contacting the SamfordArts Box Office at (205) 726-2853. Single tickets will go on saleJuly 9 at 9 a.m. Tickets for the Alabama Ballet orAlabama Symphony can be purchased by contacting (205) 975-2787. Tickets for Opera Birmingham can bepurchased by contacting (205) 322-6737. More information on all events,directions and parking information and online links to tickets canbe found at the Wright Center website: www.samford.edu/wrightcenter. Leslie S. Wright Center Season At aGlance August17: Gaither Vocal Band - 7 p.m. October26: Alabama Balletpresents La Sylphide: A Witch's Revenge - 7:30 p.m. October27: Alabama Balletpresents La Sylphide: A Witch's Revenge - 2:30 pm &7:30 p.m. October28: Alabama Balletpresents La Sylphide: A Witch's Revenge - 2:30 p.m. November 2: Alabama Symphony SuperPOPS! presents A Broadway Romance -8 p.m. November 16: WrightCenter Presents Eisenhower Dance Ensemble - 8 p.m. December8: Alabama Symphony SuperPOPS!presents Holiday Cirque de la Symphonie - 8 p.m. December 14: Alabama Ballet presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker- 7:30 p.m. December 15: Alabama Ballet presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker- 2:30 pm & 7:30 p.m. December 16: Alabama Ballet presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker- 2:30 p.m. December 21: Alabama Ballet presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker- 7:30 p.m. December 22: Alabama Ballet presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker- 2:30 pm & 7:30 p.m. December 23: Alabama Ballet presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker- 2:30 p.m. January 12: Alabama SymphonySuperPOPS! presents The Music of Ray Charles - 8 p.m. January25: OperaBirmingham presents Madama Butterfly - 7:30 p.m. January27: OperaBirmingham presents Madama Butterfly - 2:30 p.m. January28: Wright CenterPresents Ed Asner starring as FDR - 7:30 p.m. February22: Alabama Ballet presentsThe Sleeping Beauty - 7:30 p.m. February23: Alabama Ballet presentsThe Sleeping Beauty - 2:30 pm & 7:30 p.m. February24: Alabama Ballet presentsThe Sleeping Beauty - 2:30 p.m. March2: Alabama Symphony SuperPOPS! presents Linda Eder - 8 p.m. March15: Opera Birmingham presents The Magic Flute - 7:30 p.m. March17: Opera Birmingham presents The Magic Flute - 2:30 p.m. March25: Wright Center Presents An Evening with Garrison Keillor - 7p.m. April16: Wright Center Presents Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway -8 p.m. April20: Alabama Symphony SuperPOPS! presents Neil Sedaka - 8 p.m. May 4: Alabama Symphony SuperPOPS! presents Sweet Home AlabamaSymphony - 8 p.m.