2014 - 2015 Season
Split Knuckle Theatre
Endurance
Created by Split Knuckle Theatre in collaboration with Nick Ryan.
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014, 7:30 p.m.
Dunham Hall Theater
Trapped in Antarctica with no hope of rescue, the great British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton kept 27 men alive for two years in the most inhospitable climate on earth. Ninety-five years later, in the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression, Hartford insurance man Walter Spivey, struggling to justify his recent promotion and save his employees jobs, relives Shackleton's story. Can one of the greatest leaders in human history inspire him to conquer the corporate world?
Split Knuckle is a critically acclaimed company that creates dynamic, physical, visually striking theater from simple materials. Through imagination, text and movement, they create vast landscapes, vivid characters and epic stories. They make powerful theater engaging the audience and performers in collective acts of imagination. Using the expressive power of the human voice and body, they tell stories confronting the wonders and challenges of life in our world.
“These four amazing men create a dozen distinct characters, a dozen particular situations and locales out of thin air, including cracking pack ice, a ship at sea, a singing shower, a packed bus, comically terrifying garbage-can-clad powers-that-be, all impeccably executed.”
Heather McAllister, nytheatre.com
An Evening With Los Lobos
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, 7:30 p.m.performing La Pistola y El Corazón
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center
Celebrating their 40th Anniversary as a group and the 25th Anniversary of their Grammy-winning release, La Pistola y El Corazón (1990-Best Mexican-American Performance), Los Lobos will, for the first time, perform the album in its entirety, followed by a set of fan favorites performed acoustically. More than four decades have passed since Los Lobos released their first album, Just Another Band from East L.A. Since then, they’ve repeatedly disproven that title—Los Lobos isn’t “just another” anything, but rather a band that has consistently evolved artistically while never losing sight of their humble roots.
Sweet Honey in the Rock® - 40th Anniversary
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University CenterThursday, Oct. 23, 2014, 7:30 p.m.
Rooted in a deeply held commitment to create music out of the rich textures of African American legacy and traditions, Grammy Award nominated SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK® possesses a stunning vocal prowess that captures the complex sounds of blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, hip hop, ancient lullabies and jazz improvisation. Sweet Honey’s collective voice, occasionally accompanied by hand percussion instruments, produces a sound filled with soulful harmonies and intricate rhythms. This performance will be sign language interpreted.
“This ensemble is the gold standard … their voices are all fabulous, and they unite to create a sound so pure, smooth and homogenous that it does not seem humanly possible.” Fort Worth Star Telegram
Rosalind Wiseman
Thursday, November 20, 2014, 7:30 p.m.Owning up: Creating a Culture of Dignity in your School and Community
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center
Most famously the author of "Queen Bees and Wannabes," the groundbreaking and best-selling book that was the basis for the movie "Mean Girls," Rosalind Wiseman is an internationally recognized expert on children, teens, parenting, bullying and social justice. Her latest and best-selling book, "Masterminds and Wingmen," published in 2013, offers insights into what matters most to boys. As a teacher, thought leader, author and media spokesperson on bullying, ethical leadership, the use of social media and media literacy, Rosalind Wiseman is in constant dialogue and collaboration with educators, parents, children and teens.
Mills/works, Compulsion Dance Theatre and the Modern American Dance Company (MADCO)
Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Dunham Hall Theater
As a part of the 30th Arts & Issues celebration, we commemorate three dance companies—two founded by SIUE dance alumni Michael Mizerany and Joseph Mills. The third, the Modern American Dance Company (MADCO), was co-founded by Alcine Wiltz, who established the academic dance program at SIUE. Current executive/artistic director of MADCO Stacey West is another of our SIUE dance alums. MILLS/works and Compulsion Dance Theatre will perform selected original works with MADCO performing an excerpt from "Liquid Roads"* with live musicians. You won’t want to miss this concert! Join us for a variety of entertaining and inspiring dance works.
*"Liquid Roads" was created and choreographed by Gina Paterson. Music by Brian Casserly. "Liquid Roads" was made possible through support from Novus International and Ameren.
Arlo Guthrie
Saturday, March 7, 2015, 7:30 p.m.Alice’s Restaurant: 50th Anniversary Tour
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center
Arlo Guthrie was born with a guitar in one hand and a harmonica in the other. He is the eldest son of Woody Guthrie, America's most beloved singer/writer/philosopher, and Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, a professional dancer with the Martha Graham Company. An icon of the “Folk Boom” era, his career exploded in 1967 with the release of "Alice's Restaurant." Since then, he’s brought his brand of musical storytelling to stages around the world. This season, we welcome Guthrie back to SIUE, where he appeared four times at the Mississippi River Festival and once with Arts & Issues in 2008. In 2015, Arlo embarks on his 50th Anniversary Tour celebrating “Alice’s Restaurant.”
Dave Barry
An Evening with Dave Barry
Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center
Dave Barry is a humor columnist. For 25 years, he was a syndicated columnist whose work appeared in more than 500 newspapers and generated thousands of letters from readers who thought he should be fired. In 1988, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. Many people are still trying to figure out how that happened. Barry has written more than 30 books, including the novels "Big Trouble," "Lunatics," "Tricky Business" and, most recently, "You Can Date Boys When You’re 40: Dave Barry on Parenting and Other Topics He Knows Very Little About." He has also written a number of books with titles like "I'll Mature When I'm Dead," which are technically classified as nonfiction, although they contain numerous lies.
Internationally renowned water resource expert and best-selling author of "Unquenchable"
Robert Glennon
Thursday, April 2, 2015, 7:30 p.m. America’s Water Crisis and What To Do About It?
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center
Robert Glennon is Regents’ Professor and Morris K. Udall Professor of Law and Public Policy in the Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona. Glennon is the author of the highly-acclaimed Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping and the Fate of America’s Fresh Waters (Island Press, 2002.) Glennon has been a guest on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," "Talk of the Nation" with Neal Conan, "The Diane Rehm Show," C-SPAN2’s "Book TV" and numerous National Public Radio shows. He has been a commentator for American Public Media’s "Marketplace." He is featured in the recent documentary, "Last Call at the Oasis."
