Darke County Center for the Arts has labeled the upcoming 2019-2020 season “Kaleidoscope,” an evocative idea inspiring an endless variety of unique images depicting the wondrous diversity found within the arts.
DCCA’s Artists Series will feature an array of artists who, while uniformly spectacularly talented provide multiple images of the bounty of beautiful opportunities available for the enjoyment of audiences everywhere; these performances in majestic Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall offer many perspectives of artistry, addressing differing perceptions of the heritage and future of musical traditions.
Talented fiddling and step-dancing siblings Tom, Kerry, and Julie Fitzgerald literally kick off DCCA’s season on Saturday, Sept. 21; their exceptional musicianship and energetic dance routines have exhilarated audiences across North America. Hailing from Canada’s Ottawa Valley where Irish, Scottish, and French influences contribute to their cultural heritage, the trio utilizes pieces of traditional and modern styles of fiddle and dance to create their own blend; fans of Celtic, jazz, bluegrass, and pop music will find something wonderful to behold in a performance by The Fitzgeralds.
With a slight rotation of the Kaleidoscope, a new yet similar image appears; The Malpass Brothers, based in the legacy of traditional artists such as the Louvin Brothers, Marty Robbins, and Hank Williams, will bring their vocal blend and skillful musicianship to the Memorial Hall stage on Saturday, Jan. 18. Their concerts have been labeled “time-traveling journeys,” linking the talented duo to the sound of classic country and earning the praise of bluegrass maestro Doyle Lawson as well as kudos from the queen of bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent.
Saturday, April 18 will bring another shift to the Kaleidoscope season when legendary rock super group The Hit Men deliver their plethora of hits to our community. You may not know their names, but you went to their concerts, heard them on the radio, watched them on TV, and bought their records; these are the actual artists whose sparkling work helped make stars of Frankie Valli, Carole King, Jim Croce, Rod Stewart, Elton John and others. Brilliant musicians who toured and recorded with the biggest names in show business, The Hit Men—Lee Shapiro, Jimmy Ryan, Jeff Ganz, and Steve Murphy—have appeared on over eighty-five albums, won multiple recording awards, Emmy nominations, and more.
The consistently extraordinary Toledo Symphony Orchestra will bring the Kaleidoscope season full circle with their Saturday, May 30 concert. Their skill and ever-changing repertoire have endeared the ensemble to local audiences as well as earned acclaim in their home territory where TSO is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding, proving the wisdom of always remaining committed to excellence while seeking new and different artistic challenges.
To take in all the wonder of this season, you can purchase tickets to the entire Artists Series for $95. Adding to the splendor, DCCA’s holiday event will bring renowned a cappella singers VoicePlay back to Memorial Hall on Saturday, Dec. 14. The internationally acclaimed quintet will unfold the multiple joys of the Christmas season by spectacularly creating the sound of fully orchestrated music without any musical instruments other than the human voice. Tickets for the Voice Play concert are $30, but adding Voice Play to your season ticket purchase will cost $120, a total savings of $15 over individual purchases.
But wait, there’s more to this rotating palette of delight! On Saturday, Nov. 9, husband and wife duo Thompson Square will bring their award-winning music to our community. The couple, whose vocal blend harkening back to the duets of Johnny Cash and June Carter has created Number One hits “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not” and “If I Didn’t Have You,” says that their success revolves around their love for one another which infuses all that they do and radiantly impacts their relationship with their fans. Tickets for the special event cost $40.
A Kaleidoscope of possibility awaits! To order your tickets, contact DCCA at 937-547-0908 or online at www.darkecountyarts.org. Also, DCCA’s summer box office at the Darke County Welcome Center, 421 South Broadway, will be open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Aug. 15.
