For IMMEDIATE RELEASE Beth Anne Eckerle

JULY 17, 2017 Marketing Director,

Great Lakes Center for the Arts
231.439.2607
baeckerle@greatlakescfa.org

Great Lakes Center for the Arts

announces 2018 Premiere Summer
Season events!
Detroit Symphony Orchestra headlines inaugural gala
Performers include Stars of the Joffrey Ballet, Sara Evans, Matthew
Morrison and Pink Martini

PETOSKEY - The Great Lakes Center for the Arts is pleased to announce programming
for its 2018 Premiere Summer Season! The inaugural season line-up includes a diverse
mix of events spanning the performing arts spectrum, offering a first look at what
patrons can expect at the world-class arts venue opening in Petoskey, MI on July 7,
2018.
This first summer season schedule reflects the vision of the board and staff of the
Great Lakes Center for the Arts. Over the coming years, we will present the best local,
national and international performers across all performing arts genres, said Michael M.
Kaiser, Founding Artistic Director and Lead Strategy Consultant for the Center. Kaiser,
President Emeritus of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts, has worked with Center
leadership and the Board of Directors to craft a debut season appealing to a wide range
of performing arts interests.

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We had a lot of fun putting this season together bringing in country, comedy, opera,
classical music, ballet, jazz, Broadway and more, Kaiser added. We hope audiences
will be thrilled to see this caliber of performers appearing in Northern Michigan.
The 2018 Premiere Summer Season schedule follows. Further information about the
performers and ticket prices can be found on the Centers web site,
www.greatlakescfa.org.
All dates below are in 2018:

Saturday, July 7: Raising the Curtain!

Grand Opening Gala with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
This evening, a fundraiser for the Great Lakes Center for the Arts, will feature the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra along with the Interlochen Arts Camps World Youth
Honors Choir and other surprise guests.
Please join us in celebrating a magnificent moment in this incredible journey, as the
Center raises the curtain on a new era of performing arts, said Jill ONeill, the Centers
Executive Director.
Tickets are available to the public; please call (231) 439-2606 or email Maris Harrington,
Director of Development, at maris@greatlakescfa.org to inquire about reservations.
Time: 8 p.m.

Thursday, July 12: Great Lakes Leadership Forum

The Great Lakes Center for the Arts is pleased to launch its signature series, the
Leadership Forum. In the first Forum, Dr. Edison Miyawaki, a Boston neurologist and
Harvard faculty member, will discuss What is memory, and where is Alzheimers
research headed? Daniel Hesse, former CEO of the Sprint Corporation, will discuss the
transformation of mobile technology. Bill Cobb, retiring CEO of H&R Block and
Petoskey seasonal resident, will moderate. Additional guests may be added. The
Forum will feature three to four diverse topics in an interview format. These topics could
range from CEO profiles to the effects of social media, the future of artificial intelligence
to advances in medicine, the sciences and academia.
Time: 8 p.m.

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Saturday, July 14: The Stars of the Joffrey Ballet
One of America's cultural jewels, The Joffrey Ballet expresses a unique perspective on
dance, proudly reflecting the diversity of America with its company, audiences, and
repertoire which includes major story ballets, reconstructions of masterpieces and
contemporary works. Founded by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey in 1956 and guided
by celebrated choreographer Gerald Arpino from 1988 until 2007, The Joffrey Ballet
continues to thrive under internationally renowned Artistic Director Ashley Wheater.
Time: 8 p.m.

Tuesday, July 17: Interlochen Jazz Faculty

Join Interlochen Arts Camp faculty for an unforgettable evening of Jazz, America's own
music. These acclaimed performers will have guests swinging in their seats as the
performers serve up a medley of favorites.
Time: 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 21: Pink Martini

The Great Lakes Center for the Arts is pleased to present the biggest little orchestra
around, Pink Martini, featuring lead singer China Forbes. Drawing inspiration from
music from all over the world crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop
Thomas Lauderdale founded Pink Martini in 1994. Pink Martini was recently inducted
into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame and regularly tours the world including visits to
Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Royal Albert Hall, and the Sydney Opera House.
Pink Martini draws inspiration from the romantic Hollywood musicals of the 1940s and
50s and crosses genres to make an eclectic, genre-defiant sound. Arrangements of
Latin music, jazz, cabaret and cinema scores have made Pink Martini a favorite for a
diverse audience of all ages. Their latest release, Je dis oui! traverses the world from
France to Iran, Armenia, South Africa and more.
Time: 8 p.m.

Tuesday, July 24: Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra

Featuring soloists David Lockington, Dylana Jensen
The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Music Director Dr.
Libor Ondras, are excited to present an evening of the world's greatest music. Featured
performances will include Bartered Bride Overture by Smetana, Choruses from Candide
by Bernstein, El Salon Mexico by Copland, and Brahms Concerto for Violin, Cello, and

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Orchestra Op. 102. Featured soloists will be Dylana Jenson, violin, and David
Lockington, cello.
The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra has completed 16 seasons as the only
professional orchestra in Michigan north of the 45th parallel. Since 2001, GLCO has
offered to its audiences over 150 performances, including chamber music series
concerts, educational concerts and outreach projects in local schools.
About the soloists:
David Lockington received his masters in cello performance from Yale University and
served as assistant principal cellist of the Denver Symphony Orchestra before turning to
conducting full time. He was the conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra
for 14 years. He is Music Director of the Pasadena and Modesto Symphonies, and he
has never stopped playing the cello.
Dylana Jenson started playing violin at age 2. At the International Tchaikovsky
Competition, she became the youngest and first American woman to win the Silver
Medal at age 17. She made a Carnegie Hall debut playing the Sibelius Concerto with
Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, which launched her career as a
concert violinist.
Time: 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 28: An Evening with Sara Evans

Multi-platinum country entertainer Sara Evans is at the top of her game. With five No. 1
country singles including No Place That Far, Suds In The Bucket, A Real Fine Place
To Start, Born to Fly, and A Little Bit Stronger, which spent 2 weeks in the top spot
and was certified platinum by the R.I.A.A., Ms. Evans thrills audiences across the U.S.
playing more than 50 shows each year.
Her stunning, country voice (Rolling Stone) has earned her the prestigious Academy
of Country Music Top Female vocalist accolade as well as numerous American Music
Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Country Music Association, CMT and Grammy
Awards nominations.
In addition, the CMA awarded Video of the Year honors for her hit chart-topping single,
"Born to Fly" from her double-platinum album of the same name. In 2014 Evans
released her critically acclaimed seventh studio album Slow Me Down, which debuted
at #2 on the Country Album Chart and landed in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart,
winning over fans and media alike and dubbed her best album to date.
Named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People," Evans career also
includes the platinum-selling studio albums Real Fine Place and Restless and the gold-
certified No Place That Far. Ms. Evans continues to forge a bold, creative path with

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the launch of Born To Fly Records, distributed by Sony RED, and will release her highly
anticipated eighth studio album in 2017.
In addition to a prolific country music career, Ms. Evans is an accomplished author,
lifestyle blogger and Red Cross ambassador who in 2008 was presented with the
national Crystal Cross award for her work with the disaster-relief organization.
For more information, visit SaraEvans.com and ARealFinePlace.com and engage with
her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Time: 8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 2: Great Lakes Music Festival

The Great Lakes Music Festival is an annual event showcasing compelling young
indie/country/rock artists with ties to the Great Lakes region.
Time: 8 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 5: Charles Krauthammer

Charles Krauthammer writes a syndicated column for The Washington Post which
appears in more than 400 newspapers worldwide and for which he won the 1987
Pulitzer Prize.
He is a FOX News commentator, appearing nightly on FOXs evening news program,
Special Report with Bret Baier. His latest book, Things That Matter: Three Decades of
Passions, Pastimes and Politics, a #1 New York Times bestseller, has sold more than
one million copies.
Time: 4 p.m. (Please note this is on Sunday and has an earlier time than other
weekend events in this listing.)

Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 7-8: Opera, The Marriage of Figaro

Presented by the Bay View Music Festival
Bay View Music Festival hosts over 120 auditioned, collegiate musicians each summer
as a vital component of Bay View Associations summer programming and
conservatory, one of the oldest of its kind in the country. This fully staged, hilarious
production of Mozarts popular opera, accompanied by orchestra, is the only production
of its kind in Northern Michigan and is a great evening of entertainment for first-timer
and opera aficionado alike. For a complete schedule of the opera and additional
programming on Bay Views unique historic campus north of Petoskey on U.S. 31, visit
www.bayviewassociation.org.

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Time: 8 p.m.
Note: Each night is an identical performance

Saturday, Aug. 11: Matthew Morrison

Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe-nominated star Matthew Morrison, backed by his five-
piece band, will perform Broadway standards and numbers from his past productions,
such as Hairspray, South Pacific, and Finding Neverland. Mr. Morrison is a versatile
actor who is recognized for his work on-stage and on-screen. Many will recognize him
from Foxs musical comedy series Glee, where he starred for many years as the
director of the glee club, Mr. Schuester. The Golden-Globe winning show concluded in
2015.
In June, 2013, Mr. Morrison released his latest studio album, Where It All Began, an
album of Broadway standards that was produced by the legendary Phil Ramone. Prior
to this album, Morrison released his debut, self-titled album through Mercury Records in
2011, which featured an A-list lineup of guest artists including Sting, Gwyneth Paltrow
and Sir Elton John.
Time: 8 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, Aug. 17-18: Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
Musical, 2 hours 25 mins (incl. intermission), suitable for all ages
The Great Lakes Center for the Arts is proud to present a fully-staged musical that
traces the life of the legendary performer and includes Buddys final performance at the
Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, with Ritchie Valens (La Bamba) and the Big
Bopper J.P. Richardson (Chantilly Lace). After that final concert, Buddy breaks his
promise to his pregnant wife not to fly as he and the other two headliners board a small
plane and fly off into the night for Moorhead, Minn., only to crash into a field. There are
no survivors and as the legend says, it was the day the music died.
Time: 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 25: Comedian Tom Papa

With more than 20 years as a stand-up comedian, Tom Papa is one of the top comedic
voices in the country finding success in film, television and radio, as well as on the live
stage.
Papa is host of the hit podcast and SiriusXM show, Come to Papa, a weekly, hour-
long show featuring Papa exploring the funny side of life, with guests like Mel Brooks,

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Ray Romano, Carl Reiner and Jerry Seinfeld. His current special, HUMAN MULE, is
streaming on Amazon, Hulu and Epix.
Personally chosen by Jerry Seinfeld, Papa hosted the NBC series, The Marriage Ref,
which ran for two seasons. Papa had a recurring role opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus on
the CBS series, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and starred in his own NBC
series, Come to Papa.
Time: 8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 30: Great Lakes Conservatory Night

with the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
The new Chamber Music Department of the University of Michigan's School of Music,
Theatre & Dance presents a performance featuring some of the best student ensembles
on the Ann Arbor campus. From winds and brass to strings and piano, come hear a
beautifully curated evening featuring a variety of both new and old music.
Time: 8 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 2: Celebrate the Centers Journey

with The Journey Tribute Band
Celebrate the journey of the Centers Premiere Summer Season and all that lies ahead,
set to the tunes of one of the most memorable decades in music: The 80s! This Labor
Day weekend, enjoy some light-hearted fun with The Journey Tribute Band, of Traverse
City.
The Center will host an 80s-themed pre-party in the Community Engagement Room
and other fun festivities to celebrate a successful first summer filled with the
enchantment of a diverse performing arts palette.
This is a chance to gather friends, throwback to the 80s and just have fun after a
whirlwind summer of world-class entertainment, said ONeill.
Time: 8 p.m.

Community Open House Sunday, July 8, 2018

In addition to the 14 premiere season events, the Center will host a Community Open
House on Sunday, July 8, 2018.
We would like the public to share in our excitement at the opening of the Center and be
able to see the theater and the various spaces, like the Community Engagement Room,

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up close, said ONeill. After watching the Center take shape over an almost two-year
timeframe, we think there will be plenty of excitement to see the finished product:
Northern Michigans own state-of-the-art performing arts venue.
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.

How to get tickets

The Centers announcement of the 2018 Premiere Summer Season also launches the
pre-sale of event subscriptions for the family of donors who have supported the Center
with gifts of $5,000 or more, including through Seat Campaign and Founding Circle
gifts. Subscriptions allow patrons to purchase seats for multiple events at one time,
ensuring seats and securing discounts based on the Centers series options.
Subscriptions will go on sale for the general public beginning Sept. 1, 2017. Both donors
and the public will have until Dec. 31, 2017, to lock in discounts on purchases of 7 or
more events. Subscription packages begin at four events.
Our theater is intimate - just 500 seats are available to experience incredible
programming, so subscribing is the best way to ensure seats for the 2018 Premiere
Summer Season, said ONeill.
Single tickets will go on sale March 1, 2018, and will be available first for donors
followed by general public sales.
Details about how to subscribe can be found on the Centers web site,
www.greatlakescfa.org. If you have questions or would like more information, please
call (231) 439-2600.
Year-round performing arts
The Center is a year-round performing arts venue and ONeill said additional 2018
events will be announced beginning in Spring 2018.
We wanted to give people a taste of the types of performances we will be offering in
the years to come, with this summers early announcement of the premiere summer
season, added ONeill. We look forward to shaping September-December of 2018 and
sharing that season schedule as soon as we have it ready to announce.

About the Center

The Great Lakes Center for the Arts is a $25 million, year-round performing arts center
being constructed in the Northern Michigan community of Petoskey. Ground Breaking
took place in July 2016, with Grand Opening set for July 7, 2018. The Center features a
500-seat theater, Community Engagement Room, rooftop terrace and other beautiful
spaces.

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The Center is a 501(c)3 charitable organization being built on donated land, with an
independent Board of Directors. Founding Artistic Director and Lead Strategy
Consultant is Michael M. Kaiser, President Emeritus of the John F. Kennedy Center for
the Arts and Chairman of the DeVos Institute of Arts Management. It is designed by
renowned theater designers Fischer Dachs Associates of New York and architects
TowerPinkster. General Contractor is The Christman Company.
Please learn more about the Great Lakes Center for the Arts at www.greatlakescfa.org

800 BAY HARBOR DRIVE BAY HARBOR, MI 49770 GREATLAKESCFA.ORG