Upcoming Grand Center events

Event Highlights:     
•    Neighbourhood Watch Stilts International performance group from Newcastle Upon Tyne, U.K. perform “sculptural ballet on stilts” at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
•    50 Dance Groups on 4 stages
•    The Fox Stage will be dedicated to Tap Dance and members of  The World-Famous Radio City Rockettes will make a special appearance on this stage from 3:30 – 4 p.m.  They will teach the audience some Rockette-style dance steps.
•    Site-specific dance performances throughout the day.
•    Radio Disney’s street team will perform & teach choreography from “High School the Musical”
•    Learn to Salsa during an hour of professional instruction with Tom Obermeier and demonstrations from Grupo Azucar!
•    HOT! HOT! HOT! El Caribe Tropicale performing live latin dance music from 6:30 – 9 p.m. and  fire dance performances from Tribe Ayaka
•    Great food provided by district restaurants: Reggie’s Backstage, The Best Steakhouse, The Bistro on Strauss Park, Wm. Shakespeare’s Gastropub, Triumph Grill And More: Pappy’s Smokehouse, Norton’s Café and People’s Coffee
•    Beer and Wine Gardens
    
Additional District Events:
•    Galleries and Museums will be open to the public various hours; Gallery Walk 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
•    The Fabulous Fox Theatre will hold open house from 12 noon – 4 p.m. with Stan Kann at the Wurlitzer and photo opportunities from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. with The World-Famous Radio City Rockettes in the lobby.
•    EarthWays Center Green Homes and Renewable Energy Festival   10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
•    St. Louis University Parents Weekend & Homecoming Activities on the SLU campus with Fireworks at approx. 8:15 p.m.

Other District Ticketed Events:
•    SLSO concert curtain at 8:00 p.m.
•    Off Ramp’s “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” curtain at 8:00 p.m.
•    Fox Theatre, Comedy Concert  with Jim Gaffigan at 8:00 p.m.
•    Kranzberg Arts Center Black Box: HotCity Theatre at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
•    Jazz at the Bistro: Cedar Walton Trio at 8:30 and 10:15 p.m.
•    Sheldon Concert Hall: David Grisman and John Sebastian at 9:00 p.m.
•    Creep Crawl Concerts staring at 6:00 p.m.

Event Sponsorships:
Edward Jones, Co., Jordan Charitable Trust Foundation, Mary Strauss    
RAC, MAC, Whitaker Foundation        
MEDIA:  FOX 2, KEZK , St. Louis Magazine and AT HOME

Official Beer:
Schlafly    

In-Kind:
Clearbrook Natural Spring Water, an affiliate of Ronnoco Coffee

Schedule of Events:
10:00 a.m.    EarthWays Center Green Homes & Renewable Energy Festival begins ‘til 6 p.m.
12:00 noon    Open House at the Fabulous Fox Theatre until 4 p.m.
1:00 p.m.    District Gallery Walk begins and continues to 4:00 p.m.
        Fox Tap, Grandel, and Grand stages begin programming
1:30 p.m.    Les Oiseaux de lux
2:00 p.m.    Washington stage begins programming     
3:00 p.m.    NWSI performance #1: Chromorama  
3:30 p.m.    The World-Famous Radio City Rockettes on the Tap Stage until 4 p.m.
4:30 p.m.    Les Oiseaux de lux  
6:00 p.m.    NWSI performance #2: Chromarama
6:30 p.m.    El Caribe Tropicale on the Grand Stage     
7:30 p.m.    Intermission; Tribe Ayaka  fire performances in the beer/wine garden area
7:45 p.m.    El Caribe Tropicale on the Grand Stage;  Les Oiseaux de lux  
8:15 p.m.     Approx. time for SLU Fireworks display off Compton St. garage;
9:00 p.m.    Event Ends        

Parking:
Parking will be available in lots and garages throughout the Grand Center district.
All Lots will offer an early-bird rate of $5 from 11 – 4 p.m.
Limited street parking will also be available. Grand Center encourages the use of Metro.
 
Stage Performance Groups:
Site Specific Performances:
ANNONYArts: Dawn Karlovsky and Dancers
Mary Ann Rund and Dancers
Webster University Dance program: Janele Moore

Fox Tap Stage on Olive
Stage Manager: Gerri Stretz  
ADIVA DANCE CENTER
AMES VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC SCHOOL) TOP HATS
CHARMETTE ACADEMY OF DANCE
COCA
THE DANCE CO. OF ST. CHARLES
DIVA LA TAP (LEAPING LIZARDS)
L.A. DANCE CENTER
LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY DANCE ENSEMBLE
KIM MILLER
MISS KIM'S DANCE CLASS
MY KING STUDIO OF DANCE
PATZIUS PERFORMING ARTS
PROFESSIONAL DANCE CENTER
ST. LOUIS STRUTTERS
TAMMY'S TUMBLING & DANCE CENTER
 
Washington Stage
Stage Manager: Linda Green
Aalim's Arabian Silk
Afriky Lolo & Yele
Alexandra Ballet
Atrek  Dance Company
COCA Ballet Eclectica
COCAdance
COCA Hip Hop Crew
The DANCE CO of St. Charles
Lindenwood University
Metro Dance Company
MADCO
Midwest Dance Theater
The Slaughter Project
St. Louis Academy of Dance: Pazazz Performers
St. Louis Ballet
Tango Zone
Viva Flamenco!

Grandel  Square Stage
Stage Manager: Ann Dryden
Ashleyliane Dance Co.
Belly Dance Mirage
Blackthorn Morris
BG Spirit, Bulgarian Dancing Group
Dances of India
Dimensions Dance Center
Grupo Azucar
Harris-Stowe State University Honeycombs
Kids Mex
Missouri River Cloggers
Mound City Slickers
Move/Motion Express
St. Louis Flamenco Society
Stars of Tomorrow Dance Company
Tribe Ayaka
 
Grand at Lindell Stage
Stage Manager: Lorraine LiCavoli
Hawaiian Polynesian Revue
Radio Disney Dance Team Exhibition and Instruction featuring choreography from “High School: The Musical”
Salsa Dance Demonstrations and Instruction
El Caribe Tropicale
More to Come!

Grand Center has invited the much celebrated and controversial filmmaker, artist, writer and entertainer John Waters to perform his one- man show titled “This Filthy World” on Monday, October 13, on the stage of the Sheldon Concert Hall at 8 p.m. 

“In keeping with our support of the arts, we wanted to create a distinct event during the 2008 performing arts season in Grand Center celebrating creativity and the art of the film and filmmakers.  John Waters is a perfect fit,” said John Killacky, Grand Center’s Art Director.
The Grand Center collaboration and celebration of Waters’ work, extends to Laumeier Sculpture Park, which is offering several events featuring the artist.  On September 19, Laumeier will present a double feature of two of his most famous films, “Hairspray” at 7 p.m., and “Polyester” at 9 p.m.  The free screenings will take place under the stars at the Park’s Laumeier Outdoor Music Amphitheatre.  On October 11, Laumeier will host a free opening reception for “Artistically Incorrect: The Photographs and Sculpture of John Waters.”  The exhibition, which continues through January 11, 2009, will feature more than 60 photo-based artworks and sculptures by Waters that reflect his quirky, humorous and irreverent style.  Waters will attend the opening reception and the more intimate cocktail party fundraiser that follows, “Socially Incorrect: A Night of Contradictions with John Waters.”

For the last 10 years, Waters has been expanding and updating his one-man show “This Filthy World.”  Waters’ “vaudeville” act celebrates the film career and obsessional tastes of the man William Burroughs once called, “The Pope of Trash.”  Focusing in on Waters’ early negative artistic influences and his fascination with true crime, exploitation films, fashion lunacy, and the extremes of the contemporary art world, this joyously devious monologue elevates all that is trashy in life into a call to arms to “filth followers” everywhere.

The 2008 celebration of film and filmmakers, in Grand Center includes in its performing arts season a challenge to local filmmakers with its “Grand Center Shorts” event.  “Grand Center Shorts” marks Grand Center’s first filmmaking invitational.  Grand Center and KDHX have asked five filmmakers to produce a four-to-seven minute short film that uses the Grand Center Arts District as a backdrop.  Each of the films will be shown first at a screening in the new Kranzberg Arts Center located at Grand and Olive, on October 16, and again during the Cinema St. Louis International Film Festival in November.  

“We want to continue to bring the highest caliber entertainment into Grand Center while at the same time working with the District and its many constituents to support and grow audiences for national and local artists,” said Kelly Weber, Director of Grand Center’s Arts Programming.

Tickets for John Waters’ “This Filthy World” at Grand Center’s Sheldon Concert Hall will go on sale September 2 through Metrotix by calling 314-534-1111 or visiting www.metrotix.com.  Tickets start at $20.   For more information on John Waters and Grand Center go to www.grandcenter.org or call 314-289-1591

First Night Saint Louis 2009 Call to Artists!

It’s not too early to be thinking about how your talent or craft could interpret our theme for this year’s First Night. “Kaleidoscope,” or the continually changing pattern of shapes and colors, is the perfect theme to launch us into the new year. Whether you are a musician, theater troupe, dance company, visual artist, storyteller or just a unique individual with a grand vision, we are already accepting submissions for participation in our event on December 31st, 2008.

Stay tuned for event and schedule updates on First Night 2009, “Kaleidoscope!”