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8 the Chronicle, Willimantic, Conn.,Thursday, March 2, 2017 ENTERTAINMENT More weekend events and entertainment on Pages 9-10 Call 860-423-8466 to AdvertiseAdvertise Acclaimed conductor to wow at UC STORRS — Grammy-winning com- Award for Best Choral Performance. “In term as composer in residence at Sidney poser and conductor Eric Whitacre an ensemble you learn compassion; you Sussex College at Cambridge University brings his internationally acclaimed vocal learn empathy; you learn discipline; you in Great Britain. ensemble, the Eric Whitacre Singers, to learn languages; you learn history; you In addition to his extensive output for the University of Connecticut’s Jorgensen learn focus; all of these things that are choir and vocal ensemble, Whitacre’s Center for the Performing Arts on Sat- essential for every other part of your life. orchestral works have been performed by urday at 8 p.m. I can’t imagine how educators don’t say, some of the world’s most distinguished Doors open at 7:30 p.m. ‘this is the way we start our days. We start orchestras on both sides of the Atlantic. our days with singing, and then every- Renowned for his use of advanced har- Tickets are $40 for floor seats, $37 for monies, dissonant chordal phrasings and thing else actually rolls out in this really lovely way.” mezzanine, $34 for balcony and $15 for surprising tempo changes, Whitacre will students and children under 18. lead his choir through a program featur- A 1997 graduate of the Juilliard School ing some of his best- known works, like of Music, Whitacre is one of today’s most Jorgensen is located at 2132 Hillside “Go, Lovely Rose” and “Lux Aurumque,” popular composers. Road. as well as a few surprises, including a His remarkable global appeal has been For tickets and information, call the box Whitacre world premiere. enhanced by his achievements as conduc- office at 860-486-4226, Monday through “There are so many good things about tor, innovator, broadcaster and charismat- Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 90 choral music that it’s kind of stunning ic public speaker, and by the best-selling minutes prior to events, or order online that it’s not required as part of our educa- success of his recordings. at jorgensen.uconn.edu. Contributed photo tional curriculum,”The Chronicle said Whitacre, whose- 03/02/2017 He was recently appointed artist in CopyConvenient Reduced $5 event to parking 59% is from avail- originalGrammy-winning to fit letter composer page and conductor Eric Whitacre brings his vocal Page : 08 first album as composer and conductor, residence with the Los Angeles Master able in the North Garage and free park- ensemble, the Eric Whitacre Singers, to the University of Connecticut’s “Light & Gold,” won the 2012 Grammy Chorale, having completed a five-year ing is available in lots 9, F and L. Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Learn about MUSIC DANCE COMEDY Located on the UCONN campus animation from ENTERTAINMENT in Storrs, CT a puppetry ad COMING UP@JORGENSEN producer STORRS — As part of the 2017 6DW0DUSP 7,; Spring Puppet Forum Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of ERIC WHITACRE Connecticut will present “Puppe- try and Animation,” a discussion SINGERS with Michael Bannon, director of :LOGO\SRSXODUFKRUDOPXVLFFRPSRVHU advertising production for Bob’s DQGFRQGXFWRU(ULF:KLWDFUHFRPHV Discount Furniture, on Wednesday at 7 p.m. WR-RUJHQVHQZLWKKLV*UDPP\$ZDUG Bannon’s Wreckless Abandon ZLQQLQJ(ULF:KLWDFUH6LQJHUV:KLWDFUHV Studios has produced and direct- 0HGLDVSRQVRU JURXQGEUHDNLQJSURMHFW9LUWXDO&KRLUzLQ ed award-winning commercials ZKLFKSHUIRUPDQFHVRIKLVFRPSRVLWLRQV for scores of companies across the United States, as well as the E\VLQJHUVDURXQGWKHJOREHDUHGLJLWDOO\ famous “Little Bob” spokespup- FRPSLOHGLQWRD|VXSHUFKRLU}zKDVPRUH pet for Connecticut-based Bob’s WKDQPLOOLRQYLHZVRQDQG@ State University in New Hampshire Aydan Crumrine KDUGKLWWLQJ} /$:HHNO\ ZLWKDYLEUDQW with the goal to make a career per- GDQFHVW\OHZKLFKLVLQVSLULQJWRERWKQHZ sonifying brands through charac- DXGLHQFHVDQGH[SHULHQFHGGDQFHORYHUV ter animation. 6SRQVRUHGE\ Bannon joined forces with docu- DOLNH([SHULHQFH%2'<75$)),&IRUD mentary filmmaker Ron Wyman ZKROHQHZXQGHUVWDQGLQJRIZKDWLWPHDQV to form Atlantic Media Services. WREHLQVKDSH Their client list grew to include Eastern numerous furniture stores, along with notable news networks such 7KXUV0DUSP 7,; musical debut as CNN. In 1991, Bannon added ABOVE: ‘Two Gentlemen Bob’s Discount Furniture to the Dadan 2017 of Verona,’ a musical by roster. KODO John Guare, Mel Shapiro In 1997, Bannon founded Wreck- 7KHZRUOGVPRVWSRSXODUDQGFHOHEUDWHG and Galt Macdermot, less Abandon Studios, an award- winning stop-motion and digital -DSDQHVHGUXPHQVHPEOHLVEDFNE\ based on a play by William Shakespeare, opened at animation studio located near SRSXODUGHPDQG$QDWKOHWLFDQGLQWLPDWH Eastern Connecticut State Hartford. GXHWEHWZHHQPDQDQGGUXPWKLVGD]]OLQJ University’s Fine Arts Center Over nine years, Wreckless GLVSOD\RISUHFLVLRQGH[WHULW\DQGVSHHG last weekend in Willimantic. It Abandon grew to employ a staff IXVHGZLWKWKHVSLULWXDOEHDXW\RIWDLNRZLOO will continue through March of over 75 artists and produc- 5. The play is a musical tion personnel, including many OLIW\RXRXWRI\RXUVHDW adaptation of Shakespeare’s alumni from UConn’s Puppet Arts |$QHVVHQWLDOH[SHULHQFH}z7LPH2XW early comedy about young Program and Art and Art History people exploring love, Department. friendship and the tempta- As executive vice president and 7KXUV0DUSP 7,; tions of city life. The perfor- creative director of Wreckless mances will take place in Abandon Studios, Bannon was the Proscenium Theatre of responsible for creative direction the Fine Arts Instructional of the studio, which has produced SANAM MARVI Center. LEFT: ECSU fresh- On Tour as part of Center Stage man Deham Demac, from animated commercials for national clients including PepsiCo, Fisher- |'HHSO\UHVRQDQW6XEOLPH7UDQVSRUWLQJ} Cheshire, plays the part of Launce, who is accompanied Price, Talbots, Dannon and Sony z7KH,QWHUQDWLRQDO1HZV3DNLVWDQ by his dog. BELOW: Jordan Music Entertainment. Today, Bannon continues to bring .QRZQDVRQHRIWKHILQHVWVLQJHUVRI6XIL Pollard plays Valentine and Hannah Madler plays Sylvia “Little Bob” to life while training GHYRWLRQDOPXVLFDQG3DNLVWDQLIRONVRQJV in the musical. a stable of talented young artists in 6DQDP0DUYLVZRUNZLWKPDMRU%ROO\ZRRG stop-motion animation. VWDUVKDVPDGHKHURQHRIWKHOHDGLQJ The event is co-sponsored by UConn’s Art and Art History YRLFHVLQ,QGLDDQG3DNLVWDQ Department. Admission to this event is free but donations will be accepted. 6DW0DUSP 6XQ0DUSP 7,; Al Malpa Refreshments will be served. The forum will also be broadcast via CIRQUE SHOW! Facebook Live. The museum is located at 1 Royce Circle. CUISINE & CONFESSIONS For more information, visit bimp. by The 7 Fingers of the Hand uconn.edu or call 860-486-8580. $FLUFXVGDQFHWKHDWUHURFNVKRZZLWKH\H Arts in brief SRSSLQJDFUREDWLFVSXOVDWLQJPXVLFDQG VWRU\WHOOLQJWKURXJKIRRG Students put on a |0\RQO\UHJUHWLVWKDW,GRQRWKDYHVL[ rendition of ‘Grease’ VWDUVWRJLYH}z%RVWRQ(9(176,QVLGHU COVENTRY — The Coventry High School Drama Company presents “Grease: School Version” 7KXUV0DUSP 7,; on March 9, 10 and 11 beginning at 7 p.m. in the high school audi- torium. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Russian National Ballet “Grease” is among the world’s :LWKRYHUEHDXWLIXOO\FRVWXPHGGDQFHUV most popular musicals, with an eight-year run on Broadway, two DQGVHWWR7FKDLNRYVN\VOXVKDQGURPDQWLF subsequent revivals along with PXVLFDOVFRUH7KH6OHHSLQJ%HDXW\ innumerable school and commu- 0HGLDVSRQVRU FRPHVDOLYHDPLGVWPDJLFDOHIIHFWVDQG nity productions, as well as the hit FRXUWO\VSOHQGRUZKLOHXSKROGLQJWKHJUDQG 1978 film. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 QDWLRQDOWUDGLWLRQRI5XVVLDQEDOOHW for students, seniors and veterans. Children 5 and younger are free. For more information, contact PRICES INCLUDE ALL FEES drama director Elizabeth Wright at 860-742-7346, ext. 4079, or 2QOLQHMRUJHQVHQXFRQQHGX0)SP Aydan Crumrine [email protected].