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Clark State Performing Arts Center Announces 2022-23 Season

Clark State Performing Arts Center Announces 2022-23 Season

June 30, 2022

The Clark State Performing Arts Center (PAC), 300 South Fountain Avenue in Springfield, will raise the curtain on live performances for the 2022-23 season in October.

With a mix of theatre, live music, magic, and multi-media experiences, tickets to the 2022-2023 season will be available at pac.clarkstate.edu in August.

“There is something for everyone at the PAC,” said Dan Hunt, interim executive director of the Clark State Performing Arts Center. “From musicals to magic, from hip hop to Winnie the Pooh, we have live entertainment to suit everyone’s taste.”

Hunt also said as the season progresses, the PAC hopes to add more performances, including a country music performer who will be announced at a later date.

The 2022-23 PAC Season includes:

Fiddler on the Roof - Friday, October 7 at 8 p.m.

Tony®-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony® winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. A wonderful cast and a lavish orchestra tell this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family.

Clark State Theater Arts Program presents: Red Herring - October 28 through November 6 (times to be announced)

Three love stories, a murder mystery, and a nuclear espionage plot converge in this noir comedy about marriage and other explosive devices. It’s 1952: America’s on the verge of the H-bomb, Dwight Eisenhower’s on the campaign trail, and I Love Lucy’s on Monday nights. Meanwhile, Senator Joe McCarthy’s daughter just got engaged to a Soviet spy, and Boston detective Maggie Pelletier has to find out who dumped the dead guy in the Harbor—or else lose out on a honeymoon in Havana. A blunt-nosed, sharp-eyed look at love and tying (and untying, and retying) the knot.

The Illusionists - Magic of The Holidays - Tuesday, November 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Celebrate the holidays with the entire family at The Illusionists – Magic of the Holidays, a mind-blowing showcase featuring jaw-dropping talents of the most incredible illusionists on earth. The Illusionists has shattered box office records across the globe and dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions. 

The Illusionists previously wowed audiences and around the world including smash hit engagements on Broadway, London’s West End and on tour around the United States and Canada. This year’s family-friendly show promises even more illusions, close-up magic, mentalism, daring escapes, and technological spectacle performed by master entertainers who’ve captivated audiences worldwide.

Hip Hop Nutcracker - Saturday, December 3 at 8 p.m.

A holiday mash-up for the whole family, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is back and better than ever. Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music. A unique and joyful event, this evening-length production is performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow.

Winnie the Pooh – Sunday, January 15, 2023 at 3 p.m.

Disney's iconic Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and their best friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, and Owl (oh… and don't forget Tigger too!) have come to life in a beautifully crafted musical stage adaptation.

Featuring the Sherman Brothers' classic Grammy Award-winning music with further songs by A.A. Milne, this beautiful fresh stage adaptation is told with stunning life-sized puppetry through the eyes of the characters we all know and love, in a new story from the Hundred Acre Wood.

This production is created by renowned family entertainment creator Jonathan Rockefeller, and made by Rockefeller Productions alongside Disney Theatrical Productions.

Pride and Prejudice, Aquila Theatre Company of London – Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Published in 1813, Jane Austen's ultimate romantic comedy Pride and Prejudice has stood the test of time. Filled with unforgettable characters including Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, this sharp social satire has it all; wit, love and lots of dancing! As the Bennet sisters try to navigate their way toward love and marriage, Austen humorously skewers the hypocrisies and absurdities of the English class system, and puts the thoughts and feelings of her women characters front and center.

Aquila Theatre will bring this classic thrillingly to life with its signature passion, energy, and visual flair. The New Yorker says that “Aquila’s productions are beautifully spoken, dramatically revealing and crystalline in effect,” while DC Metro Arts described Aquila's production of Austen's Sense and Sensibility as 'Delightful - one of the joys of Aquila Theatre, a fun and lively version.' Artistic director Desiree Sanchez’s adaptation of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was described by The New York Theatre Guide as 'another piece of theatrical genius. Her direction is polished and laser sharp. She gets the maximum amount of potential out of every stage moment, has exceptional attention to detail, and is a demiurge of direction.'

Taj Express – Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

Taj Express- The Bollywood Jukebox explodes with the sounds of India and Bollywood, featuring vibrant & expressive hits of Bollywood with a unique mix of traditional, classic, modern, disco and retro music which have been entertaining billions for generations. The story revolves around Shankar, a young composer and his foray into the Bollywood film industry. His music bridges Bollywood’s chartbuster classics with new age compositions. The show comprises hit numbers for all age groups, backed by a unique & exotic company of performers and musicians.

This big-hearted Bollywood Razzle Dazzle with an exceptionally talented cast, mesmerising costumes, joyful choreography, thrilling live music and raw infectious energy takes audiences on a live cinematic journey through modern Bollywood culture and society.

Clark State Theater Arts Program presents: Clybourne Park - April 14 through 23, 2023 (times to be announced)

Clybourne Park explodes in two outrageous acts set fifty years apart. Act One takes place in 1959, as white community leaders anxiously try to stop the sale of a home to a black family. Act Two is set in the same house in the present day, as the now predominantly African-American neighborhood battles to hold its ground in the face of gentrification.

Media Contact

Lori Common Communications Coordinator

937.328.6086 commonl@clarkstate.edu