Since its world premiere in 1999, Mamma Mia! has been a continuous fixture of the theatrical landscape, drawing crowds with its timeless 70s soundtrack. Co-directors Morgan Kaplan and Andrew Maynerich are on their second go-round of this iconic, disco fever show after having directed it previously at Sacred-Heart Griffin High School. “We wanted to take […]
Newsletter – Event
Posted inCommunity & Lifestyle
Illinois College to host Camp College
Local middle and high school students are invited to the Illinois College campus this summer for Camp College, a two-day immersive experience designed to introduce students to STEAM projects, college life and career exploration. The camp will take place June 15 – 16 and is open to rising sixth graders through eight graders and rising […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Bella Szabo interview
Bella Szabo, executive director of the Springfield Area Arts Council, joins The Mosaic Project for a conversation about creativity in a changing world. From the rise of AI-generated art to the community impact of the Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series, Bella explores what it means to keep art human, accessible, and rooted in connection. It’s […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Ashwin Manivannan interview
From India to American citizenship, Ashwin Manivannan shares his deeply personal journey through the immigration and naturalization process. In this episode, he talks about what it meant to leave home, navigate the long road to citizenship, and face the challenges, uncertainties and sacrifices along the way. It’s a conversation about identity, perseverance, belonging and what […]
Posted inTurning Points
Leroy G. McDaniels
Beloved husband, father, coach, mentor and community leader Leroy G. McDaniels, of Springfield, Illinois, passed away peacefully at his residence at 8:51 a.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2026. He was born Aug. 9, 1945 in Springfield. He was preceded in death by his mother, Lillie Mae (McDaniel) Daniels; father, Harry Flake; and brother, Jackie Daniels. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Hospital Sister Mission Outreach ships $1 million of supplies to Bolivia
Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach has shipped a container of medical supplies and equipment valued at $1 million to Bolivia. The 40-foot shipping container of requested supplies left the Mission Outreach warehouse, 4930 Laverna Road in Springfield, on May 5. This is the most expensive shipment since the medical supply and equipment recovery organization was founded […]
Posted inThe Mosaic Project
Brian Galecki interview
Brian Galecki is the co-owner of Dumb Records. This episode begins with some rapid-fire hot takes, explores how Dumb Records began, and discuss why community matters more than ever.
Posted inArts & Culture
An immaculate conception
Jesus Christ Superstar is the 1971 Andrew Lloyd Webber Biblical rock-musical that narrates the last seven days of Jesus’s life in a flashy, pop-filled 90-minute package. There is no intermission, so audiences make it back home for their bedtime prayers, hallelujah! A talent-studded odyssey of love, power and protest, Springfield Theatre Centre’s gender-bending production, co-directed […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Levitt AMP announces 2026 season
The Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series will return to downtown Springfield for a seventh season on Thursday nights starting May 28 through July 30. Presented by PNC, the 10-week live concert series will feature a diverse lineup of performers from across the world. Entertainment begins at 6:15 p.m. every Thursday in the vacant block north […]
Posted inMusic
ISO gets its kicks in a roadworthy finale
With renovations of Sangamon Auditorium on the University of Illinois Springfield campus nearing completion, the May 1 finale of this season is likely to be the last time the Illinois Symphony Orchestra will perform at First United Methodist Church, which has served as home away from home for the orchestra since October 2025. The culmination […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Kena Bere interview
Kena Bere is a young attorney working in downtown Springfield who is dedicating her career to building a more just and equitable legal system. She serves as a SAFE-T Act lawyer for the Illinois Office of the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor. A 2020 University of Illinois Springfield graduate, Kena focuses on criminal justice and system […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Dana-Thomas House Foundation to demolish adjacent property
When Susan Lawrence and family moved to the neighborhood, it looked a lot different than it does now. The three houses across the street from the Dana-Thomas House (302, 306 and 308 E. Lawrence) were originally built as two-story homes. They were destroyed in the fire of 1916, and the current houses were built around […]
