BAND SPOTLIGHT | The Henhouse Prowlers Maybe you don’t think of Chicago when you think of bluegrass music, but you just might after
experiencing the Henhouse Prowlers. The five-piece, traditional bluegrass
outfit hailing from the Windy City, features Ben Benedict (guitar), Jon
Goldfine (doghouse bass), Ryan Hinshaw (fiddle), Nathan Sitzman (mandolin), and
Ben Wright (banjo), all dressed up in official-looking suits and ties just like
the old-time bluegrass bands of Bill Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs. Not only do
they dress similar to those legends of the acoustic music genre, the Prowlers
aspire to play music akin to the classics. You won’t find hybrid versions of songs with electrified instruments or rock-flavored
additives, only the pure and simple, one-microphone style of genuine bluegrass — straight from the streets of Chicago.
The Henhouse Prowlers
Friday, Feb. 6, 10pm
Bar None
Fifth and Monroe
www.henhouseprowlers.com
www.myspace.com/thehenhouseprowlers
PERFORMANCE | Chinese acrobats Twisting your knee to your elbow may be a feat for some, but for the National
Acrobats of China it’s all in a day’s work. The National Acrobats of China was formed more than 50 years ago and
since then they have become ambassadors for China. The 35-member troupe
combines the mouth-dropping tricks of acrobats with thrilling moves of martial
arts set to traditional music. Entertaining audiences with plate-spinning,
cycling stunts and juggling with their feet, the group has won hundreds of
international competitions. Using illusion to enhance their incredible skills,
this group is sure to make the audience say, “How’d they do that?”
National Acrobats of China
Sunday Feb. 8,
Sangamon Auditorium
UIS
217-206-6160
3pm
$32 or $37
THEATER | Foreign ways Just because they’re family doesn’t mean you have to love ’em. In the British farce, Our American Cousin, a family learns that lesson the hard way. The three-act play revolves around Asa Trenchard, an ill-mannered American who visits his aristocratic English relatives to claim
the family estate. The production is famous for the absurdity of the
characters, like the dim-witted Lord Dundreary, and made a cultural impact when it premiered in 1858. In
traditonal English style, The Springfield Theatre Center is hosting a “Tea with Mrs. Linoln” before each Sunday performance. While the play made a cultural impact, it also
holds a unique place in history. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated while
attending a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.
Our American Cousin
Feb 6-8 and 13, 15 Fri-Sun
Hoogland Center for the Arts
420 S. Sixth St
217-523-2787
$13 adult, $12 senior/ children
EVENT | Blingin’ poets Expressions in the Dark is celebrating its sixth anniversary with a Denim and
Diamonds party. The event features the hottest spoken word artists in Illinois.
All are encouraged to dress in their best denim and bling to hear the sounds of
smooth jazz and flowing prose. Expressions in the dark showcases talent from
Springfield, Champaign, St. Louis and more. The show is not for the easily
offended, with poets speaking on topics ranging from the joys of sex to
unrequited love. This year the folks at Expressions in the Dark switched things
up with a new host and spoken word artist Explicit. DJ Tone is still spinning
the latest hip-hop and R&B joints to keep the crowd moving during the after-party.
Expressions in the Dark
Saturday Feb 6
Charles and Limey’s
620 S. First St.
9:45 p.m. show, 1-3 a.m. after set
$10
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 4, 2009.
