------Feature • Niswonger Performing Arts Center------or es f lass Fall Classes! C es Ag 18! 3 to Pre K - “Let’s Show Off!”

Drama - “Pre-Creative Drama” “Creative Drama” “Beginning Drama” “Junior Drama” “Senior Adv. Drama” Voice - “Voice for the Stage” Niswonger Opens Its Fifth

Specialized - “Shakespeare” By Ashley Motia the Niswonger Performing Arts Center has The Osmonds. “Radio Theatre” plenty lined up for the rest of its 2012-2013 If Christmas music isn’t your speed, Dance- “Theatre Dance” The Niswonger Performing Arts Cen- season to enchant and excite you. NPAC hosts Legend Lore presenter Ceci 260.422.6900 Tech Theatre - “Stagecraft” ter of Northwest Ohio (NPAC) in Van Wert October ushers in the (in)famous coach Wiselogel’s presentation on the legends of turned five earlier this year. More than Bob Knight to the stage (October 4) to dis- Christmas December 20. Wiselogel dishes Comedy- “Make ‘Em Laugh!” 25,000 people gather each season in its halls cuss life, mentors and students over his many on everything from mistletoe, Yule, to Santa to experience professional acts, high school years of coaching. Then, on October 14, La- himself. And if you’re a real bah-humbug- fortwayneyoutheatre.org performances, dance competitions, guest verne & Shirley star Cindy Williams per- er, Shrek – The Musical is sure to get you to speakers and more. Great names have graced forms with The Little Sisters of Hoboken in crack a smile. This show comes direct from their stages ranging from Amy Grant, Sandy Dan Goggin’s wacky Nunset Boulevard. The Broadway on December 22 with two perfor- Patti and Kenny G to Tony Orlando, Ma- comedy features “all new songs, audience mances. All ages are welcome. rie Osmond and the Charlie Daniels The Niswonger Performing Arts Band, in addition to several Broad- Center starts the new year off right way shows. with the contemporary jazz tones of To celebrate five successful years Grammy-nominated Russ Freeman of bringing legendary and new artists and The Rippingtons in late Janu- to the northwest Ohio area, NPAC is ary. Love is in the air on Valentine’s holding its Gala V Celebration week- Day with a performance from adult end September 14-15. This weekend contemporary crooner Christopher also marks the kick-off of their 2012- Cross who built a name on hits like 2013 season. “Sailing” and “Ride Like the Wind.” It begins with a special dinner at February also brings Cirque Ziva fea- the Willow Bend Country Club on turing the Golden Dragon Acrobats Friday, September 14. Special guests to enchant your eyes and boggle your include the featured speaker for the mind with dance. evening, motivational speaker, para- Bowfire – top virtuoso violin and plegic Gold Medalist athlete and Irish fiddler players from around the con- Tenor Ronan Tynan, along with those tinent – deliver a “total string experi- instrumental in creating and building ence” on March 10. Also in March, the Niswonger Performing Arts Cen- Ceci Wiselogel returns for her lecture ter. After dinner, Tynan will share in- exploring the life and works of one of timate insights into his life as a physi- America’s most beloved illustrators cian, singer and speaker. Norman Rockwell. Gospel singers “I’ve always believed that I Ernie Haase and Signature Sound are could do anything if I wanted it badly welcomed to the area toward the end enough,” Tynan told the Irish Echo of the month. Online in an interview last year. “I On April 5, 2013, Emmy Award don’t set limits for myself. I always RONAN TYNAN winning comedienne Vicki Lawrence find a way to do what I want to do. takes the stage for an evening of I might have to go laughs. Lawrence will share person- about it a differ- al stories and anecdotes for the first ent way, but I get GALA CELEBRATION V half of the performance; her famous there eventually.” Featuring Ronan Tynan “Mama” character will perform for A modern- Saturday, Sept. 15 • 7:30 p.m. the second half. day Renaissance participation, and NPAC brings one of National Geograph- man, Tynan is Niswonger Performing Arts Center heavenly humor.” ic’s top presenters and photographers to the most well known 10700 Ohio 118, Van Wert, OH Bring the area in April. Joel Sartore blends humor, for his role in the Tix: $22-$52, 419-238-6722 whole family in conservation messages and award-winning trio The Irish Ten- November for photography for his presentation on April ors. He may also www.npacvw.org “a one-of-a-kind 21. To finish out the month, Gordon Good- be recognized black-light puppet win’s Big Phat Band will have you moving by New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, show” as John Tartaglia’s ImaginOcean cre- in your seats to their high energy, orchestra and Buffalo Sabres fans as the man behind ates a magical undersea adventure to north- jazz sound. “God Bless America” at sporting events. His western Ohio. Three best friends set out on The Niswonger Performing Arts Center unique singing voice and warm personality a remarkable journey of discovery that is 2012-2013 wraps up with a tribute to clas- are known the world over. bubbling with original music and fun. The sic rock legends Queen on May 11. The stars The New York Times praised that the United States Army Field Band and Soldiers’ from London’s wildly popular musical We Irishman is “very easy to listen to, effort- Chorus will perform a free Veterans Honor Will Rock You join a full orchestra to per- lessly singing top notes. He has tremendous Concert on November 8. This annual perfor- form all of Queen’s hits (and then some). command of his repertoire.” Even Luciano mance is a patriotic salute to those who serve Peppered amongst these performances is Pavarotti gives him props, remarking that as well as a harmonious mixture of all genres NPAC’s Community Concert Series. These Tynan has “a pure voice.” of music from the musical ambassadors of five shows include The Lennon Sisters (Oc- That pure tenor voice will take the music the Army straight from Washington DC. tober 6); the Rodney Mack Philadelphia hall stage on Saturday, September 15 for the The holiday season is perhaps NPAC’s Big Brass (October 20); Igudesman & Joo: NPAC Gala V concert. Audience members busiest time of the year. The day after A Little Nightmare Music (November 11); will receive a full aural experience, as the Thanksgiving delivers the Oak Ridge Boys’ American Spiritual Ensemble (February 22, Lima Symphony Orchestra (under the direc- annual Christmas show which includes the 2013); and American pianist Thomas Pan- tion of Maestro Crafton Beck) accompanies Oaks’ greatest hits as well as tried and true dolfi (May 5, 2013). him. This is a must-see for any fan of classi- crowd holiday-time favorites. In December, Tickets for these shows are bundled as cal singing. Jay, Jimmy and Merrill Osmond belt out a series and are currently on sale for $60 for If you can’t make Tynan’s performance, their seasoned harmonies in Christmas with all five shows. 6------www.whatzup.com------September 13, ’12