"Random Acts" Series (RAS)
A variety of events and rentals presented most at very affordable ticket prices to encourage you to see something new or up-and-coming artists you might not be familiar with.
For ticket information, please contact the Stocker Box Office at (440) 366-4040 or (800) 995-5222 ext. 4040 or Click here to buy tickets!
Continuing this season – TAKE A CHANCE ½ price tickets (off of the Adult ticket price) – available at the Box Office 1-1/2 hours prior to some “Random Acts” events. Please look for the TAKE A CHANCE icon in the event listing or scroll down for the full list of qualifying events. The chance you will be taking is that the events are not already sold out!
2009-2010 "Random Acts" (in date order)
FAMILY EVENT! Friday, November 20, 2009 – 7:00pm (please note early start time!)
Billy Jonas Band
Tickets: $15/Adults; $10/Children 12 and under
TAKE A CHANCE
A founding member of the Oberlin Big Bang Theory, Oberlin-trained composer, songwriter, performer, instrument creator, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist and educator Billy Jonas creates a musical conversation with his audience. His drum kit is made of found objects – buckets, pots, pans, a garbage can, and a 5 gallon water bottle. With jingles on his ankles and sticks coming out of his shoes, he transforms the mundane into the marvelous. His band accompanies Billy with dynamic choreography, rich three- and four-part harmony, bass and multifarious and eclectic instruments. It’s Frank Zappa meets Pete Seeger…It’s Parliament Funkadelic and Spike Jones meet Mr. Rogers…It’s Miriam Makeba and Igor Stravinsky meet Captain Kangaroo…It’s a Billy Jonas Band concert! Bring your parents for lots of family fun. www.billyjonas.com
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 – 7:30pm
That’s Amore - Dean Martin and Friends!
starring Mark Adams
Tickets: $25/each
That’s Amore - Dean Martin and Friends stars Mark Adams, who captures perfectly the style, the looks, the charm, the voice and the magnetic appeal of Ohio’s own Dean Martin. Many superstars have dominated the American recording scene, but none shone more brightly than Dino! His superb romantic voice, laconic style and good looks, took him to the top of both the record and movie charts. That’s Amore! is based on Dean's hugely successful TV shows of the '60's. Travel back to those golden television variety show days, when the world sat back and let Dino entertain them with his songs, jokes and the top guests starring in each show, many of them taking part in sketches and antics you would never see them doing elsewhere! Mr. Adams spent three years in London's West End starring as Dean Martin in The Rat Pack - Live From Las Vegas to much critical acclaim. He, together with The Barry Robinson Orchestra, will feature such hits as Volare, Little Old Wine Drinker Me, Mambo Italiano, Gentle on my Mind, That's Amore and many more! Joining them will be the glamorous singer/dancers the Goldiggers, with very special guests performing the songs made famous by Peggy Lee, Petula Clark, Nat King Cole and Shirley MacLaine. That’s Amore! is a hit-filled celebration. www.handshakegroup.com
Sunday, December 6, 2009 – 7:00pm
CHRISTMASTIDE
Tickets: $10/Adults; $5/Children 12 and under
Faith Lutheran Church-Avon, Hosanna Lutheran Church-Columbia Station, Emmaus Journey Lutheran Church-North Ridgeville and Shepherd of the Ridge Lutheran Church-North Ridgeville, under the direction of Sherry Galland, come together to present CHRISTMASTIDE, a musical celebration for Christmas. Hear the music of the Lutheran Wind Ensemble followed by a choral performance of Born A Savior, Born A King. Proceeds will benefit Ablaze! Fan into Flame, a stateside and overseas mission initiative of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Christmastide is sponsored by Emmaus Journey, Faith, Hosanna, and Shepherd of the Ridge Lutheran Churches. For more information, please visit www.Christmastide09.com.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 – 7:30pm
Susan Werner & Janis Ian
A double bill featuring Two Extraordinary Women of Music
Tickets: $15/Adults; $10/Children 12 and under
TAKE A CHANCE
SUSAN WERNER
Susan Werner is one of the defining artists of folk music with songs that slide between folk, jazz and pop, delivered with wit and charm. She studied voice at Temple University; but inspired by a Nanci Griffith concert, she began performing as a singer-songwriter at coffeehouses. She self-released her first album Midwestern Saturday Night in 1992, recorded Live at Tin Angel the following year, and Last of the Good Straight Girls in 1995. She added country and soul sounds to her vocal stylings for Time Between Trains and 2001’s New Non-Fiction. 2004 she released I Can't Be New, originals done in the style of the Great American Songbook; 2007 brought The Gospel Truth, a gospel/bluegrass-tinged collection of 11 originals. Susan's new release Classics leverages all of her many talents, and adds "arranger" to her long list of musical accomplishments. "…a triply blessed artist who sings adroitly, plays the piano smartly and, best of all, writes songs of genuine distinction and high craft..." – Chicago Tribune www.susanwerner.com
JANIS IAN
Who are the great songwriters in America today? Not the most popular. Not the richest. Simply the greats. Ask any student of the form, and Janis Ian will be counted among them. The writer of Jesse, a song recorded by so many others that few remember Janis Ian wrote it; Stars, possibly the best song ever written about the life of a performer, recorded by artists as diverse as Mel Torme and Cher; and the seminal At Seventeen, a song that brought her five Grammy nominations (the most any solo female artist had ever garnered) in 1975, and which is now reaching its third generation of listeners. Janis Ian is a formidable talent, a force of nature. Ella Fitzgerald called her "The best young singer in America." Chet Atkins said "Singer? You ought to hear that girl play guitar; she gives me a run for my money!" In 2008, Janis reached another pinnacle in her career, releasing her long-awaited book: Society’s Child: My Autobiography. This monumental story that traces Janis' meteoric rise to fame in the 60s and beyond has gotten stellar reviews; Oprah's O Magazine called it "Hugely readable" and recommended it as "one of 27 'must-reads' this summer," and Mojo Magazine gave it a four star review. Concert reviewers have called her live performances "overwhelming to the spirit and soul," and "drenched with such passion, the audience feels they've been swept up in a hurricane." www.janisian.com
FAMILY EVENT!
Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 7:30pm
Patriots Symphonic Band presents
Christmas Traditions
Tickets: $12/Adults; $10/Seniors; $6/Students;
Free/Children 12 and under (available at the Box Office only)
The holiday season would not be complete without this great family event the exciting and heartwarming sounds of Christmas music. The Patriots Symphonic Band returns to the Stocker main performance hall to bring you a full suite of your favorite, traditional holiday carols, along with some fun, new arrangements of familiar Christmas songs. The evening will include a moving arrangement of Silent Night; written by Chris Donze for the Patriots Band and it’s soprano soloist Lorrie Coughlin. Other special features include a powerful performance of O Holy Night, an exciting trip on The Polar Express, and the annual reading and playing of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. All of the young children in the audience will be invited to the stage to sit at Grandfather’s feet while he reads this wonderful story.
There is no better way to feel the excitement of the season than with a live musical performance. From delicate melodies to powerful and stirring passages, the 85-member Patriots Band will fill the hall with joyful sound and fill your hearts with holiday spirit. You don’t want to miss this heart-warming concert, so take a sleigh ride over to Stocker Center for this holiday tradition and fun family event! www.patriotsband.com
The Patriots Symphonic Band is one of northeast Ohio’s largest and most active non-profit, all-volunteer music organizations. The Band’s members, who are drawn from 23 area communities, range in age from the mid teens to the lower nineties. The Band has performed at Severance Hall, Cleveland State University, Baldwin-Wallace College, the Sandusky State Theatre, numerous summer concert series locations, and is a regular performer in the Stocker Arts Center Random Acts Series. The Patriots have recently received outstanding reviews for their invited performance at the 2009 OMEA/MENC Professional Musicians Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
STUDIO THEATRE CABARET
Friday, December 18, 2009 at 7:30pm &
Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 3:00pm
The Musical Theater Project presents
A Christmas Cabaret
Tickets: $15.00/Adults; $10.00/Children 12 and under
Back by popular demand for the third year in a row for two performances only! The Christmas season has inspired hundreds of joyful pages from the Great American Songbook going all the way back to Irving Berlin’s 1916 Santa Claus. A Christmas Cabaret was conceived and is hosted by radio personality Bill Rudman, who with pianist Nancy Maier and singers Jared Leal and Sandra Simon, will take you on a sleigh ride of 30 songs for the season and other festive curiosities – plus evergreens like Winter Wonderland, White Christmas, Silver Bells, as well as Jerome Kern’s jazz version of God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen, a holiday song that George Gershwin composed at the age of 21, and lots more. Some recent holiday confections include Jerry Herman’s The Best Christmas of All (from the TV musical Mrs. Santa Claus) and the pop hit Just in Time for Christmas. Come celebrate the season with this joyful holiday treat! www.musicaltheaterproject.org
*SPECIAL EVENT: Sponsored and Presented by Ohio Dance Theatre
Friday and Saturday December 18 & 19 at 7:30pm
& Sunday, December 20, 2009 at 2:00pm
The Nutcracker 
Tickets: Adults: $30/Orchestra; $25/Mezzanine
Seniors: $25/Orchestra; $20/Mezzanine
Children (under 12): $17/Orchestra; $16/Mezzanine
Groups of 15 or more: $18/Mezzanine only
Last row of the Mezzanine: $12/each - Friday & Saturday night only (available at Box Office only)
Usher in the holidays with this hallmark tradition. With a tree that grows, battling mice and extraordinary dancers, Ohio Dance Theatre’s production provides a visual delight for all ages. From the grace of the Dew Drop Fairy to the footwork of the mischievous mice, this “Nutcracker” is filled with wonder and surprises. www.ohiodancetheatre.org
A RESIDENCY WITH LYNNE TAYLOR CORBETT AND JOANNA RUSH
Friday & Saturday, January 22 & 23, 2010
7:30pm each evening
Asking For It
A one woman play written by and starring Joanna Rush
Directed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett
Studio Theatre
Tickets: $15/each
TAKE A CHANCE
The Midwest Premier of Asking For It was held at Stocker's Studio Theatre in April 2006. Since then the play has been performed numerous times and was included in the New York Fringe Festival. We are proud to offer the return engagement as we begin a 10-day residency with writer/actress, Joanna Rush, and director/choreographer and Tony-nominee, Lynne Taylor-Corbett. The residency is bookended by another new script by Ms. Rush, Home Sweet Homeland. Please see the Meeting Great Minds/ Residency section for more information on Ms. Rush and Ms. Taylor-Corbett.
Asking For It follows the evolution of Bernadette O’Connell, “Outstanding Catholic Youth of the Year,” as she puddle-jumps through the primordial slime of American culture to personhood. Possessed of a religious fervor surpassed only by a fierce libido, she passes on life with the nuns and joins 35 sisters at Radio City Music Hall…as a “Rockette.” But her sexual mis-education leaves her wide open and vulnerable to the twisted testosterone-filled world permeating her new life in the Big Apple. As directed by Tony-nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Asking For It is a zestful kaleidoscope of faith and femininity, repression and redemption, humor and humility, joy and terror, spiced with song and dance. Joanna Rush peoples the stage with an eccentric cast of characters that range from uptight clerics to sexy chorines, to growing boys of all ages. Hilarious, irreverent and moving, Rush’s Asking For It leaves audiences, male and female and of all ages, invigorated, inspired, and, strangely, healed. 4 STARS! Time Out New York. Please note, this show contains some material that may not be appropriate for children under 13. www.askingforitonline.com
Friday & Saturday, January 29 & 30, 2010
7:30pm each evening
Home Sweet Homeland
A Workshop Production of a New Work by Joanna Rush
Directed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett
Studio Theatre
Tickets: $7/Adults; $6/LCCC Students, Faculty, Staff & Seniors 65+; $5/Groups of 15 or more
Home Sweet Homeland follows five neighbors through the events of September 11th, 2001, from the attack, to their evacuation and eventual return to - or abandonment of - their Ground Zero homes. All are devastated and full of doubt about the world and about each other. What is the truth? At what cost will the truth be uncovered? What is “safe”? Will we ever laugh again? Life is forever changed. Together, a young boy, a musician, a financial analyst and a couple of comediennes stumble through the pathways of mind and heart to seek the truth and find their way back to trust and laughter.
WANT TO BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF BRINGING A NEW WORK TO LIFE? Joanna Rush will be joined by two other professional actors for these performances. However, the remaining roles and understudies will be cast with local actors by the Director, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, from taped auditions. Watch our website for audition information coming this fall.
The residency with Lynne Taylor-Corbett and Joanna Rush and the mounting of the two plays is made possible with the support of The LCCC Foundation and the Beth K. Stocker Trust.
STUDIO THEATRE CABARET
Friday & Saturday, February, 12 & 13, 2010
7:30pm each evening
My Heart Beats for Broadway
Helen Welch and her Trio
Tickets: $15/Adults; $10/Children 12 and under
Need a little romantic nudge this Valentine’s Day? You’ve come to the right place. What is Broadway without its never ending parade of fabulous love songs? And what could make a more romantic evening than to hear those classic love songs performed by Helen Welch and her wonderful trio of musicians within the intimate setting of Stocker’s Studio Theatre. The evening will feature a bountiful array of Broadway love songs from throughout the decades including music from shows such as Wicked, A Chorus Line, Carousel, Guys and Dolls, My Fair Lady, Les Miserables, Chicago, South Pacific, Kiss Me Kate and Mary Poppins. Songs include: Some Enchanted Evening, Too Darn Hot, What I Did for Love, If I Were A Bell, As Long As He Needs Me, My Funny Valentine and many more! With Helen’s usual diverse mix of classic and contemporary songs coupled with some cheeky British humor My Heart Beats for Broadway will appeal to people in love – or people who simply love Broadway music. www.helenwelch.com
FAMILY EVENT!
Thursday, February 18, 2010 – 7:00pm
Princess Katie and Racer Steve Live!
Tickets: $15/Adults; $10/Children 12 and under
TAKE A CHANCE
Their getups make them look like they're moonlighting from amusement-park jobs, but Princess Katie and Racer Steve are a serious rock-and-roll band - one that wouldn't sound out of place opening for any current chart topper. Singer/songwriter Katie O’Sullivan and her husband/partner, Steve Borne, don their alternate personalities to mix high energy music kids dig with extremely necessary life lessons. Katie and her talented band will win you kids over, even if you usually resist anything princessy – and she’ll win your parents over with her earthy voice, which is a dead ringer for Natalie Merchant. The danceable music includes a wide variety of styles including reggae, big band, alt-rock and bossa nova. They have been highlighted in Cookie Magazine as well as other well- known kids magazines and were a Parenting Magazine "Fave" for 2008. www.princessracer.com
Friday, March 19, 2010 – 7:30pm
The 12
A New Work written by Robert Schenkkan
Book and Music by Neil Berg
Tickets: $15/Adults
TAKE A CHANCE
"A powerful rock 'n' roll experience that rises up from where Jesus Christ Superstar ends" Broadwayworld.com. First came Hair, then Jesus Christ Superstar which led to Rent and Spring Awakening. Now comes The 12, a thrilling new theatrical concert which is unlike anything you've experienced! Written by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Robert Schenkkan (Kentucky Cycle) and created by award winning composer/lyricist Neil Berg (100 and 101 Years of Broadway), The 12 takes one of the most well known stories in history and explores the least known aspect of it: how twelve ordinary individuals torn apart by the unthinkable death of their leader came together to create one of the most powerful movements ever known to mankind. The 12 features some of the finest rock 'n roll and Broadway performers and an all-star New York band performing original songs in the classic rock ‘n roll styles of U2, the Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Eric Clapton, Led Zepplin, Elvis and Aretha Franklin! Don't miss it! Stocker Arts Center is proud to be one of the presenting organizations that is helping to develop this new work for further touring and maybe Broadway! Please note, this show contains some material that may not be appropriate for children under 13.
FAMILY EVENT!
Friday, April 16, 2010 – 7:00pm
Tap Kids
Tickets: $15/Adults; $10/Children 12 and under
TAKE A CHANCE
In a series of musical vignettes, Tap Kids tells the story of a group of high-school kids facing challenges both mundane and momentous as they journey through their senior year. Complete with dancing on lunch trays in the cafeteria, drama at the school dance, mischief in detention and finally graduation, as they are launched into their futures with all their hopes and dreams ahead of them. With an original score by Philip Stern and choreography by Lisa Hopkins, Tap Kids takes this traditional dance form to new heights in a electrifying performance that is hip, contemporary, and uplifting. The show features 8 extraordinary rhythm tap dancers ages 16-21 and is appropriate for all ages. You will want to enjoy this rousing, joyous celebration of American youth culture with family members of all ages. www.nystage.com
FAMILY EVENT!
Friday, May 14, 2010 – 7:00pm
Ball in the House
Tickets: $15/Adults; $10/Children 12 and under
TAKE A CHANCE
You may have seen them most recently on the Today Show, where they won the “Golden Ticket to Hollywood” competition and the opportunity to audition for the America's Got Talent judges. To find out how the audition went...tune in to America's Got Talent. But nothing beats seeing this amazing Boston-based vocal group live! Ball in the House takes a cappella to the highest level. Soulful Pop/R&B meets contemporary stylings layered on a cappella harmonies, rhythmic vocal bass, and vocal percussion. It's hard to believe it's just five guys’ five voices. They've astounded audiences nationally with their exciting live show (averaging 250 dates a year) and original recordings. They can also be heard on national TV and radio as the voices behind the Cool Whip commercials. You will not want to miss this show. www.ballinthehouse.com
* - Rental Events
TO ORDER TICKETS FOR STOCKER EVENTS:
Call the Stocker Arts Center Box Office from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm Mondays through Fridays at (800) 995-5222 ext. 4040 OR (440) 366-4040, or click on the “Buy Stocker Event Tickets” icon on the right to place your order.
Continuing this season – TAKE A CHANCE ½ price tickets (off of the Adult ticket price) – available at the Box Office 1-1/2 hours prior to some “Random Acts” events. Please look for the TAKE A CHANCE icon in the event listing or scroll down for a full list of qualifying events. The chance you will be taking is that the events are not already sold out!
Take A Chance tickets are available 1-1/2 hours before curtain time for the following events:
Billy Jonas Band - Friday, November 20, 2009
Susan Werner & Janis Ian - Thursday, December 10, 2009
Asking For It - Friday & Saturday, January 22 & 23, 2010
The 12 - Friday, March 19, 2010
Princess Katie and Racer Steve Live! - Thursday, February 18, 2010
Tap Kids - April 16, 2010 Ball in the House - Friday, May 14, 2010
("Take A Chance" tickets ARE NOT available for the Studio Theatre Cabaret events, Guitars for Girls, That's Amore!, The Nutcracker, or Home Sweet Homeland).
Please also visit our myspace page at www.myspace.com/stockerartscenter
If you have any comments about any Stocker events, please feel free to share them with me. My email is: jbarlow@lorainccc.edu
Sorry you missed these wonderful events:
Friday & Saturday, August 21 & 22, 2009 - Gershwin '29: An Evening with George & Ira in Their Own Time - Studio Theatre Cabaret
Friday, September 4, 2009 at 7:30pm & Saturday, September 5, 2009 at 3:00pm - Pick Yourself Up: Songs For Hard Times
Friday, October 9 & 10, 2009 - Cleveland Jazz Initiative Showcase Concert #1 - Studio Theatre Cabaret - featuring the Brad Wagner Quartet, the up ensemble and the Glenn Holmes Trio
Saturday, October 10, 2009 - Cleveland Jazz Initiative Showcase Concert #2 - Studio Theatre Cabaret - featuring the Bobby Selvaggio 4tet, the Theron Brown Trio and the Oblique Orchestra
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - Ryan Star in Concert
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - Guitars for Girls featuring Richie McDonald, James Otto and Chuck Wicks - co-sponsored by WGAR Radio, LCCC and Cleveland Clinic for the benefit of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.