RICHARDSON, TX – The Eisemann Center and the City of Richardson announced the 2023-2024 Season of Eisemann Center Presents (ECP) at a City Council meeting Mon, May 8, 2023. The season includes our full subscription series: Jeffrey Siegel’s Keyboard Conversations® with a total of four concerts; and a diverse roster of artists including the return of the The Manhattan Transfer celebrating their 50th Anniversary on their Final Tour. Single tickets for all shows are on sale Friday, May 19 on opening day of the Wildflower Music and Arts Festival.
FULL SUBSCRIPTION SERIES: JEFFREY SIEGEL’S KEYBOARD CONVERSATIONS®
Jeffrey Siegel’s Keyboard Conversations® are piano concerts with broad, popular appeal and lively commentary, making the music more accessible and meaningful for all. Each piece is performed in its entirety and there is a question and answer session following each concert. Piano and music teachers may request one complimentary ticket for each ticket purchased (single or subscription) to bring a student to experience a Keyboard Conversations® concert. The series is sponsored by Dr. John F. Dixon.
Jeffrey Siegel’s Keyboard Conversations® Concerts for 2023-2024 are:
THE POWER AND PASSION OF BEETHOVEN / Mon, Oct. 16, 2023 at 7:30 pm
CHOPIN AND LISZT/ Mon, Dec. 4, 2023 at 7:30 pm
FESTIVE FRENCH FARE / Mon, Feb. 5, 2024 at 7:30 pm
THREE GREAT ROMANTICS/Mon. Apr. 15, 2024 at 7:30 pm
CREATE YOUR OWN SUBSCRIPTION: EISEMANN CENTER PRESENTS 2023-2024 SEASON
MANUAL CINEMA: FRANKENSTEIN / Sat, Sept. 23, 2023 at 8:00 pm
Love, loss, and creation merge in unexpected ways as Manual Cinema presents its thrilling version of the classic Gothic tale Frankenstein. The Chicago-based performance collective imaginatively combines shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, sound effects, and live music in haunting shows like nothing else you’ve ever seen.
MARIACHI HERENCIA DE MEXICO IN HEREDEROS / Fri, Sept. 29, 2023 at 8:00 pm
WITH LA MARISOUL
Latin GRAMMY®-nominated, Mariachi Herencia de México, announce the extension of their wildly successful North American tour, Herederos (the Heirs), with special guest GRAMMY-winner La Marisoul (from the Mexican American band La Santa Cecilia). Simultaneously honoring the past, celebrating the present, and creating the future of regional Mexican music, Mariachi Herencia de México and La Marisoul take mariachi music to whole new heights in this vibrant celebration of Mexican music and culture.
RANKY TANKY WITH VERY SPECIAL GUEST LISA FISCHER / Fri, Oct. 13, 2023 at 8:00 pm
The soulful songs of the Gullah culture are brought to life by this band of native South Carolinians who mix jazz, gospel, funk, and R&B. The GRAMMY-winning powerhouse vocalist Lisa Fischer joins them as a special guest. Fischer has toured for over 25 years with the Rolling Stones and made a standout appearance in the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom.
STEP AFRIKA! / Sun, Oct. 22, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping. Since 1994, stepping has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports, touring more than 60 countries across the globe, and the Company now ranks as one of the top ten African-American dance companies in the United States. Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional African dances, and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience.
THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER 50TH ANNIVERSARY & FINAL TOUR / Thu, Oct. 26, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Ten-time Grammy Award-winning vocal group The Manhattan Transfer is hitting the road for the final time and returning to the Eisemann Center for a fourth appearance. As they celebrate their 50th Anniversary, the group looks back on a career that has spanned genres from pop to jazz to rock and roll and more. After their recording debut in 1975, the group was primarily known as an East Coast cult act, but quickly expanded their following after starring in their own 1975 CBS-TV variety series. Trist Curless, Alan Paul, Janis Siegel, and Cheryl Bentyne are joined by guests The DIVA Jazz Orchestra for a very special evening.
WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR / Fri, Nov. 10, 2023 at 8:00 pm
A JAZZ TRIBUTE TO 100 YEARS OF DISNEY
Join us for an unforgettable evening as we celebrate 100 years of Disney through the lens of Jazz. From Snow White to Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins and Toy Story to The Jungle Book, popular songs from these famous films have been interpreted and recorded by Disney music fans suchas Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Dianne Reeves and more. When You Wish Upon a Star will be performed by the house bandof The National Jazz Museum in Harlem featuring pianist Sean Mason, and vocalists Kim Nalley and Sasha Dobson.
GET HAPPY STARRING MICHAEL FEINSTEIN / Sat, Nov. 11, 2023 at 8:00 pm
Michael Feinstein rejoices in the songs and saga of “Miss Show Business” in his brand new concert, GET HAPPY: MICHAEL FEINSTEIN CELEBRATES THE JUDY GARLAND CENTENNIAL. Liza Minnelli serves as executive producer of this multimedia live show, featuring: big screenfilm clips, archival photos, rare concert footage, never-before-heard audio recordings — and incomparable music. Michael explores Judy’sunique legacy: her vaudeville debut, classic motion pictures, and groundbreaking concert and television performances.
VERSA-STYLE DANCE COMPANY / Fri, Nov. 17, 2023 at 8:00 pm
Founded in 2005 by Los Angeles natives and co-artistic directors Jackie “Miss Funk” Lopez and Leigh “Breeze-Lee” Foaad, Versa-Style Dance Company was created to promote, empower and celebrate the artistry of Hip Hop and street dance culture. Named “Los Angeles’ Best DanceTroupe for Hip Hop Empowerment” by LA Weekly, Versa-Style is recognized for its electrifying performances and inspiring engagement activitiesfor schools and local communities.
NOCHEBUENA: A CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR / Fri, Dec. 29, 2023 at 8:00 pm
In Mexico, Christmas is not just a single day, but a whole season of Christmas-related celebrations. Today, the Christmas traditions in Mexico are a blend of indigenous culture, Spanish heritage, and many influences. On Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), it is tradition for Mexican families to attend midnight mass before returning home to a late-night feast that includes foods like bacalao, ham, turkey, tamales, and mole, with ponche to drink and lots of music! Performed by Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles and Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuellar.
THE HOT SARDINES / Fri, Jan. 19, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Fueled by the belief that classic jazz feeds the heart and soul, The Hot Sardines are on a mission to make old sounds new again and prove that joyful music can bring people together in a disconnected world. In the last two years, The Hot Sardines have been featured at the Newport Jazz Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival, have sold out NYC venues from Joe’s Pub to Bowery Ballroom and more than 150 tour dates from Chicago to London. Quality is timeless. Just ask The Hot Sardines.
JUDY COLLINS WITH THE RICHARDSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA / Sat, Jan. 27, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Judy Collins has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs, and a firm commitment to social activism. In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, her luminescent presence shines brightly as new generations bask in the glow of her iconic 50-album body of work. Ms. Collins will be accompanied by the stellar Richardson Symphony Orchestra led by Maestro Clay Couturiaux as she presents Wildflowers in Full Bloom.
THE SOUND OF (BLACK) MUSIC / Thu, Feb. 1, 2024 at 7:30 pm
The Sound of (Black) Music is a dynamic and groundbreaking production that reimagines one of America’s most beloved musical classics through an Afrofuturistic lens. The electrifying score, featuring elements of jazz, soul, funk, and hip-hop, celebrates the rich cultural heritage of black music and its impact on American popular culture. With beautiful voices, dazzling arrangements, and a powerful message of unity and resilience, The Sound of (Black) Music is a must-see production.
BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL / Sat, Feb. 24, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Dubbed “the last leading man” by The New York Times, two-time Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a career that spans Broadway, television, film, and concert appearances with the country’s finest conductors and orchestras. He received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his star turn in Kiss Me, Kate. He also gave Tony-nominated performances in Man of La Mancha, August Wilson’s King Hedley II, and Ragtime. In 2016 he was awarded his second Tony Award, the Isabelle Stevenson Tony for his work with The Actors Fund.
CENICIENTA: A BILINGUAL CINDERELLA STORY / Sun, Mar. 17, 2024 at 2:00 pm
Ten-year-old Belinda is a budding poet and loves to tell stories, but when she’s stuck in the basement preparing for a party upstairs that her stepmother and stepsisters will host, she’ll have to get creative. It’s a story within a story; Belinda lives out her version while also re-enacting the classic tale of Cinderella. But to do that, she must learn to stand up for herself and take charge of her life and dreams. This captivating bilingual one-woman performance is a modern spin on the beloved fairy tale and tackles cultural heritage, family, and the power of language.
PATTI LUPONE: A LIFE IN NOTES / Sat, Mar. 23, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Three-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone describes her new concert as a “personal musical memoir,” and what a memoir she has! Patti takes to the stage with her longtime musical director Joseph Thalken to celebrate, through song, her legendary career. “Patti LuPone is that very particular kind of animal, perhaps the last of the breed, a genuine Golden Age Broadway star, the kind that can turn a theater into a living room, throwing out an electric current that makes 1,000 people feel as if they are being spoken to, and sung to, individually.” Maureen Dowd, The New York Times
CONTEMPORARY WEST DANCE THEATRE / Sat, Mar. 30, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Contemporary West Dance Theatre (CWDT) is a multicultural nonprofit organization that was founded in March 2007 by Alvin Ailey protege Bernard H. Gaddis and Charmaine Hunter. The company has a dance methodology that integrates classical and modern paradigms with an athleticism that gives audiences a more profound dance experience. CWDT dancers are passionate, relatable, and highly skilled and have been bringing virtuoso performances to the stage that have excited and inspired audiences around the world for over a decade.
360 ALLSTARS / Fri, Apr. 5, 2024 at 8:00 pm
BMX, basketball, breakdancing, acrobatics, drumming and more, the international smash hit returns! A phenomenal physical performance exploring all forms of rotation, 360 ALLSTARS connects the street with the elite to deliver a supercharged urban circus. Boasting a stellar cast of World Champion and World Record holding artists and athletes, 360 ALLSTARS is a spectacular fusion of the extraordinary artistry that emerges from street culture.
123 ANDRÉS / Sat, Apr. 13, 2024 at 2:00 pm
Andrés and Christina are the Latin Grammy-winning music duo 123 Andrés. Their catchy songs and lively performances get the whole audience dancing, singing, and learning! Available for family concerts and student matinees, these high-energy, joyful shows celebrate the Latinx experience and incorporate Spanish, English, and ASL languages. The company has also created multiple bilingual books, based on their songs including Hello, Friend (Hola, Amigo) and Ten Little Birds (Diez Pajaritos).
THE UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN / Wed, Apr. 24, 2024 at 7:30 pm
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has stumbled upon international and critical acclaim as the most entertaining pluckers. Dancing somewhere between sincerity and insanity; punk rock sensibilities and restrained British humor; the not-too-silly and the not-too-serious, a 37-year-long career has taken them to Carnegie Hall, Glastonbury festival, the North Pole, and from China to Estonia via Japan, Australia and The Isle of Man, garnering hordes of fans and imitators along the way.
COMPAGNIA TPO: FARFALLE / Fri, Apr. 26 & Sat, Apr. 27, 2024 at various times (see website)
The show is divided into two moments which alternate with each other: one part where the audience, seated at the sides of the stage, observes the dancers’ actions and another part where the audience, in small groups, is invited to enter the stage and participate. The show is rich with different languages: dance, sounds, images, interactive animations. However, what makes the show special is that every scene has its own particular movement-sensitive environment; the dancers’ movements cause new images and sounds to appear and compose the visual and sound frames which allow us to play with forms and colors…the world of butterflies.
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND SINGLE TICKETS
The Keyboard Conversations® full series subscriptions range from $126.00 to $150.00 at a 25% discount off single ticket prices. All ticket prices include a $2.00 non-refundable facility maintenance fee. Subscriptions may now be renewed or purchased online at www.eisemanncenter.com/subscriptions.
Single tickets for Eisemann Center Presents new season and individual Keyboard Conversations® concerts may be purchased online at www.eisemanncenter.com, by telephone and in person beginning Friday, May 19, 2023. A Create Your Own subscription model offers patrons a 15% discount off all tickets in an order when four or more shows are purchased in one transaction. For more information, call the Eisemann Center Ticket Office at 972.744.4650. The Ticket Office is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm and two hours prior to curtain time for all events.
The Eisemann Center is a City of Richardson facility located in the Galatyn Park Urban Center at 2351 Performance Drive in Richardson, Texas.
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Photo Cutline: Judy Collins Photo: Courtesy of Cadenza Artists
Photo Cutline: Step Afrika! Photo: Courtesy of IMG Artists
Additional photos for other shows are available by contacting Alexis Moorer alexis.moorer@cor.gov or 972.744.4613
