Two performances of Second City’s Dysfunctional Holiday Revue are slated for audiences in the LRS Theatre at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on Saturday, Dec. 17. Don’t miss the mark as the best-known comedy troupe enterprise in the United States shares an evening of humorous song, scenes and the improvisation that gives Second City […]
IT Picks
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Glorious oratorio
A performance you won’t want to miss, The Springfield Choral Society conducted by Marion van der Loo, performs Part I of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah with an effort to do so as Handel envisioned it. The Society’s goal is to bring to Springfield the insight and style of the work discovered by musical scholars in […]
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Seditious holiday humor
Jolly good seditious holiday fun fills up the Hoogland Center for the Arts Club Room as New York actor Jay Randall stars in The Santaland Diaries for three performances. Written by the renowned humorist David Sedaris, the dramatic piece reveals the frosty thoughts of an out-of-work actor who had to take a job as a […]
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Festive footwork
Springfield Ballet Company performs the holiday classic, The Nutcracker, at Sangamon Auditorium, UIS on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 with two performances on Saturday. The production features a cast of 130, including children and adults from the Springfield area, SBC members and guest artists. These include: SBC member Caragan Phillips, Clara; Carolina Ballet Theatre members […]
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Excavating the past
Local authors Kenneth Farnsworth, Dr. John Walthall and Robert Mazrim sign copies of their recently published books in The Museum Store. Farnsworth and Walthall’s book, Bottled in Illinois: Embossed Bottles and Bottled Products of Early Illinois Merchants from 1840-1880, describes and illustrates nearly 1,100 different Illinois embossed-bottle varieties produced before, during or after the Civil […]
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Nice an’ naughty
Springfield Theatre Centre presents six performances of the musical The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Dec. 2-4 and 9-11. The story line involves the naughtiest kids in town who enter the Christmas pageant. Their naive interpretation of the Christmas story is hilarious and entertaining. Christie Lazarides-Purdy directs a cast of 25 plus a 10-person angel choir. […]
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Prime chime
Ring in the season with the 19-member handbell ensemble, Bells in Motion. Hear traditional holiday favorites and more during their “Ring Noel” concert Dec. 3 at the First Congregational Church. The professional team combines seven octaves of bronze and aluminum handbells and chimes, string bass, drums and other instruments to provide innovative music in many […]
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Showcase of style
Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association holds its Holiday Historic Home Tour Sunday, Dec. 4 on the north side. Five homes built from the 1870s to the early 1900s will be decorated in holiday finery and open to guests. The tour benefits the LPNA and Northside Community Children’s Library. Tickets can be purchased at Noonan’s True Value […]
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Heart of downtown
Join Mayor Mike Houston, city leaders, Land of Lincoln Chorus and others at the lighting of the downtown holiday tree Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. on the Old Capitol Plaza, Sixth and Adams. The ceremony kicks off the Old Capitol Holiday Walks, evenings in charming downtown offering a winter wonderland of shopping, entertainment, displays, horse-drawn […]
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Heartland troubadours
Catch the delightful Prairie Voices the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 25, at the Old State Capitol. Starring local acclaimed actors Kevin Purcell and Aasne Vigesaa, this is a great time to hear and see the one-hour performance that so many others have raved about as something special. A highlight of the Old State Capitol’s […]
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Right on key
First Presbyterian Church offers a free lunchtime concert with pianist Agnes Wan on Wednesday, Nov. 30, starting at 12:15 p.m. Attendees may bring their lunch or purchase one at the door for $5. A Hong Kong native, Wan has won numerous awards from around the world. With a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano […]
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Group ride
Join other bicycle enthusiasts at November Critical Mass Friday, Nov. 25 at 5:30 p.m. for a night ride on the streets of Springfield. The leisurely-paced ride usually lasts about 45 minutes and averages about 15 riders. Helmets and lights are encouraged, but there are no rules. Springfield Critical Mass is part of an international movement/group […]
