2009 Performers
Auditorium and Pavilion Events
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Christine Marie Heath
Vocalist  Christine
Marie
Heath has established herself as a
Cross-Over Artist, one who is equally at home with musical theatre and opera, and her versatile career continues to gather momentum. She has sung with several theatre companies in the states including The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players ( Christine has
appeared with the Gulf Coast Symphony in performances of “A
Musical Tribute
to Barbara Streisand”, which was also presented in Ms. Heath
also
sings with a world-wide entertainment group called The Three
Waiters.
In 2008, she took part in concerts that were booked for corporate
events
located in Christine is a grant
recipient of “The Richard F. Gold Career Grant” from the Shoshana
Foundation
and a grant winner of The Gerda Lissner Foundation. A graduate of the
Maryland
Opera Studio and Mark Dvorak
Folk Singer
Mark
Dvorak’s roots are in Chicago, but since 1981, he has
been criss-crossing the country performing, teaching, and
learning
all the
while. He has visited big cities where
his concerts and recordings have been hailed as “a refreshing and
significant
portrait of the living folk tradition”, and has traveled many a back
road to
some out-of-the-way place or little town where the sounds and songs of
the
American experience seem more deeply rooted; where his performance
comes across
like a friendly conversation with neighbors.
Dvorak follows in the footsteps of Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Big Bill
Broonzy and Art Thieme. He is an
entertainer whose performances are marked with a clear knowledge of his
music
and art, and also with an understanding of what a given
audience is ready to
listen to.
The Acafellaz, originally founded in 1999, is Illinois State University’s oldest a cappella group as well as the premier all-male group on campus. Consisting of between 8-10 guys, the group performs original versions of popular songs, as well as some musical theatre and jazz, all without the aid of any instruments. Performing with impeccable musicality and often a twist of humor, this group has become a favorite within the ISU community, as well as around the state. The Acafellaz would like to thank all those involved with this great festival for giving them an opportunity to come perform today! The Spellbinder   www.magicofthespellbinder.com Nic Wehrwein Playwright
Having
won
such illustrious prizes as “Best Artwork, K-2” and “Best Story, 3-5” it
only made sense that Nic Wehrwein would find his way to some sort of
storytelling. He spent many hours both
on and behind the “stage” in what was then called the West
Gym.
There he would truly cut his teeth on what
theater was supposed to be. Upon
graduating from Kanealnd in 2001, Nic traveled to the distant city of
Naperville, Illinois where he attended North Central College.
While at North Central, Nic really found his
passion: dramatic writing. Although he
got a B.A. in History, his lust for the dramatic forced him to take
various
theater classes along the way. With the
help of many books and a few friends, Nic honed his dramatic writing
skills. After a few soul sucking years in the “real
world,” the itch for graduate school started to…well…itch. In
the fall of 2008, Nic actually did move to
a distant city – Albuquerque – where he is currently working on his
M.F.A. in
Dramatic Writing at the University of New Mexico. Keep an eye
out for Sins
Of The Subtle And Austere
which is being put on by Thirteen
Pocket Productions (though a date is still yet to be set) and Under
21 which has been optioned by the
Las Angeles based 1120 Films. Carolyn Jakes A New Portolese on Life Jazz Quartet  A New Portolese on Life is a jazz quartet based out of Elmhurst, Illinois. The group first formed last year when three of its founding members were enrolled in Frank Portolese’s Jazz Improvisation course at Elmhurst College. The group consists of Kaneland alumna Carolyn Jakes on tenor saxophone, Kevin Claxton on guitar, Dan Parker on bass, and Eric Morong on drums.The combo performs jazz standards and original compositions written by the group’s members.A New Portolese on Life is excited for the chance to perform at the Kaneland community Fine Arts Festival, and is also available to book for events. |
Christine Marie Heath Mark Dvorak Acafellaz David Stocker World Music David Stocker is a Masters graduate of the Yale University School of Drama. As actor and singer, David has performed throughout the U.S. and abroad. As a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, David’s talents have delighted thousands of school-age children and adults through his arts residencies in instrument-making, his concerts, and his storytelling/ musical performances: “Stories of Who We Are”. David is a State of Illinois Artist in Residence whose work has received numerous educational grant awards. Shows and Origins of Music residencies with David are eligible for grants from Illinois Arts Council Arts-in-Education, Arts Tour, and Quick Start programs. Mayer Irish Dancers The Mayer School was founded in 1980. Since then the school has grown to cover three states and classes are held every day of the week. Children and young adults can take classes and learn Irish dance in the Chicagoland area, St.Louis, Northwest Indiana and Galena, Il. Kiu Haghighi Santour Virtuoso
Kiu
Haghighi is known as a
santour virtuoso in concert halls around the world. The santour he
plays is
often called the box zither of the
Mary Hunt Jazz Duo  Mary
Hunt Music consists of solo,duo
and group musical performance. The group covers a wide range of genres,
such as, jazz, blues and rock.We strive to keep "live music"
alive.
Mary has been singing for most of her life. Her biggest
musical
influences are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Dinah
Washington, Louis Armstrong, Kurt Elling, Robert Plant and Mary J.
Blige. Most of her stylings are taken from jazz and
blues. The Mary Hunt Duo features Mary
Hunt vocals and Brandon Thies of
Chicago on the guitar. The Duo currently is performing at The
Hotel
Baker in St. Charles, IL, Wildwood in Geneva, IL, FoxFire in Geneva, IL
and Niche in Geneva, IL. The Quartet features Mary Hunt
vocals, Brandon Thies on guitar, Oliver
Hunt of Chicago on percussion and Alex Austin of Chicago on
bass.
www.maryhuntmusic.com
Masters of Ceremony Chelsea Chelsea
Roberts is a junior at Kaneland High School and finds herself stepping
on the
Kaneland stage multiple times throughout the year. She has
been a member
of “Acid Reflux Comedy Troupe” since August 2007, and continues to
write and
perform with other local students. She had a blast with her
large role in
“Bye Bye Birdie,” last year and has just finished performing as various
characters in last month’s acclaimed “Beauty and the Beast."Bryan Renaud
Bryan
Renaud is a senior at Kaneland High School, and is graduating next
month!
He has been performing on stage for more than half of his
life. He is
very active and well known in Kaneland theatre, and has also made a
name for
himself in community theatre. He co-directs, writes, and
performs
regularly with the “Acid Reflux Comedy Troupe,” which he co-founded in
2006. This fall, he is planning on attending North Central
College to
major in theatre performance.
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