The inaugural season at Eastern Kentucky University’s Center for the Arts is packed with popular performers and entertainment. The lineup of about dozen acts was released Friday. Among the performers are public radio’s Garrison Keiller, country icon Willie Nelson and soul music queen Aretha Franklin. Center executive director Debra Hoskins is pleased with the way things have fallen into place, especially since she was hired only five months ago.
“Typically programming starts in October, November the year prior to, so we’re a little bit behind schedule, but I think overall we’ve shown that we want to be the best and we’re coming out doing so,” said Hoskins.
Most performances are scheduled for the Center’s Grand Hall. Hoskins thinks a range of ticket prices will help fill the Hall’s 2,100 seats.
“Not everything will be a sellout. Typically there are certain kinds of music genres that do not sell out but I look for three-quarters of the facility to be filled and the ticket prices, you know, we’re across the board,” said Hoskins.
Hoskins says assembling a schedule of about two dozen acts is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.
“One of the things that we always look at when we’re booking is, what are we going up against? We certainly don’t want to go up against the NCAA Final Four or the Kentucky Derby or events like that on the campuses. There’s just a lot of factors that you put on the table when you’re planning one of these seasons,” said Hoskins.
World class music from The Munich Symphony orchestra is also on tap, as well as a Riverdance performance and the stage production of Beauty and the Beast. The season includes a live broadcast of the popular public radio quiz show, Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell me!
Munich Symphony and Gloriae Dei Cantores: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 – 8:00 p.m.
Mannheim Steamroller: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 – 8:00 p.m.
Beauty and the Beast: Sunday, December 4, 2012 – 7:00 p.m.
Garrison Keillor: Thursday, February 14, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Wynton Marsalis: Saturday, February 25, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
The Knights: Thursday, April 12, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Moscow Festival Ballet-Sleeping Beauty: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Riverdance: Friday, May 4, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Wynonna: Saturday, September 24, 2011 – 8:00 p.m.
Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood: Friday, November 18, 2011 – 8:00 p.m.
Jane Monheit: Saturday, January 28, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Spamalot: Friday, February 3, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Cirque D’Or/Golden Dragons: Thursday, February 9, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Celtic Crossroads: Saturday, February 18, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Chris Botti: Friday, April 6, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Temptations & Four Tops: Saturday, April 14, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Coasters, Drifters, and Platters: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 – 8:00 p.m.
Peter Frampton: Tuesday, October 4, 2011 – 7:30 p.m.
B B King: Saturday, October 15, 2011 – 8:00 p.m.
Willie Nelson: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 – 8:00 p.m.
Aretha Franklin: Saturday, October 22, 2011 – 8:00 p.m.
The Nutcracker-The Lexington Ballet: Saturday, December 10, 2011 – 8:00 p.m.
The Lexington Singers and the UK Symphony Orchestra: Friday, March 30, 2012
Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!: Thursday, December 8, 2012
