Date: April
23, 2001
To: Board of
Directors
From:
Karleen Weitzel, Events Coordinator
-
Christian
pop/rock/alternative
-
Playing
old favorites and songs off the Roaring Lambs album
-
2-3
hours, one night
-
Directors
Karen Lynne Deal and Marion van der Loo
-
Classic
carols and madrigals
-
2
hours--two nights, one afternoon matinee.
-
Combination
of percussion, movement, and visual comedy
-
Performers
from all across the country and around the world
-
90
minutes, two nights
-
Pianist
-
Original
romantic favorites featuring Anne Cochran on vocals with some songs from his
upcoming album
-
90
minutes to 2 hours, one night
-
Musical
play based on Cervantes’ Don Quixote
-
Book
by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion.
-
Director
Mike Moynihan, Assistant Director Julie Schultz, and Music Director Joylene
McFarland
-
2-3
hours--three nights, one afternoon matinee
-
Comedian
-
Comedy,
jokes, and stories for kids to adults
-
90
minutes, one night
The
Roaring Lambs Tour is aimed at Christian music fans or anyone who would
enjoy a rock show with wholesome lyrics appropriate for all ages. The inspirational Bob Briner book Roaring
Lambs, which discusses being “salt and light” in our culture as The
Bible instructs Christians to do, prompted Squint Entertainment to release
a compilation album of the same title featuring new songs inspired by the book
and performed by some of the biggest names in Christian music. This critically acclaimed album thus
inspired the tour, which features two artists who have not released anything
new in over three years and one artist who hit it big five years ago and hasn’t
been able to stop since. The band PFR,
which stands for Pray For Rain, broke up in 1997 after releasing The Late,
Great PFR, a best of album, and their 5th and final album. PFR has had at least six #1 hits on
Christian radio, three #1 albums, countless Dove Award nominations and wins,
and a Grammy nomination for Contemporary/Rock Gospel Album of the Year. The band got back together in 2000 to write
and record the song “Kingdom Come” for Roaring Lambs, from that they
decided they wanted to officially get back together to record and tour
again. Their first all new album in
five years is set to release this summer.
Steve Taylor is a Christian music pioneer. He is a singer, songwriter, producer,
director, filmmaker, and record company executive. Between 1982 and 1994, he released nine albums and five
full-length videos. Steve has written
songs for bands such as Newsboys and Guardian, as well as producing their
albums, along with producing albums by Sixpence None The Richer, Waterdeep, and
the Roaring Lambs project, to name a few. He has also directed and conceptualized music videos for
Newsboys, Sixpence, Margaret Becker, and himself, and co-wrote, directed, and
produced the Newsboys’ movie Down Under The Big Top. Steve founded
Squint Entertainment in 1996 to provide a recording home for Sixpence. Squint is now home to many popular bands such
as Waterdeep, Burlap to Cashmere, and PFR in addition to Sixpence. “Shortstop” is Steve’s first new song
released since 1993 and this tour will be his first performances since
1996. Finally, Jars of Clay has
made a name for themselves in the secular market as well as Christian. These four guys, who met at Greenville
College in Illinois (Bob Briner’s alma mater), were an overnight success when
their song “Flood” hit the airwaves back in 1995. They dropped out of college, moved to Nashville, and haven’t
looked back since. Since 1995, Jars of
Clay has sold over 4 million albums.
Their three albums have been certified double platinum, platinum, and
gold. They have had songs featured in
many popular movies including Prince of Egypt, Jack Frost, Hard Rain, Long
Kiss Goodnight, and Drive Me Crazy.
Jars of Clay has been nominated for—and won—countless Dove and Grammy
Awards. They have also performed on
national talk shows such as The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with
Conan O’Brien, and Good Morning America.
The
Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is currently in its 8th
year of existence as the combination of the Bloomington-Normal Symphony Society
and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Association. The Springfield Symphony was founded in 1921 and the
Bloomington-Normal Symphony was founded in 1944. The two joined together to form the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in
1993. The Springfield Symphony Chorus
was founded in 1985 to further broaden the Springfield Symphony’s repertoire
and increase community participation.
The Chorus now makes regular appearances with the Orchestra each
season. The Orchestra has been named
“Orchestra of the Year” by the Illinois Council of Orchestras twice (“About the
Illinois Symphony Orchestra”).
STOMP
is described as “a unique combination of percussion, movement, and visual
comedy” (“History of the Show”). The
musicians in STOMP take everyday and unusual items and make percussive music
with those items. The show was created
in 1991 in Brighton, UK by Luke Cresswell, a self-taught percussionist, one
time member of Britain's leading cabaret musical group Pookiesnackenburger, and
the former star of the British TV show of the same name, and Steve McNicholas
who worked with Pookiesnakenburger, the TV show “Mr. Bean,” and various
soundtrack work. STOMP has performed
all around the world and includes performers from all around the world as well. There are permanent shows in New York City
and San Francisco, as well as shows that tour the United States and
internationally. STOMP’s talents have
been featured in commercials, movies, and TV shows, and have won awards for
these efforts (“History of the Show”).
Pianist
Jim Brickman has been named America’s romantic pianist. Of his seven albums, four have reached gold
status and the sales continue. Jim
released his debut album, No Words, in 1994, but didn’t get much
recognition on the charts until the release of By Heart—Piano Solos in
1995. The majority of his songs do
contain lyrics, but there is at least one song on each album (except his debut)
for which he collaborated with the likes of Martina McBride, Susan Ashton,
Colin Raye, Jordan Hill, Michael W. Smith, and Olivia Newton-John to provide
vocals. He is currently working on a
new album on which he will supply his own voice for a few songs. Jim’s shows are perfect for romantics or
simply those who appreciate beautiful music—young and old.
The
Man of La Mancha is a musical adaptation of “Don Quixote” by Cervantes. This musical play tells of Cervantes’ brush
with the Spanish Inquisition and the story of Don Quixote de la Mancha, and
hilarious, enlightened madman who fights windmills. Don Quixote dreams the impossible dream and is on a “quest for
justice, pure and chaste love, and all that is the best in us, is the same
quest we all seek as we grow out of our childhood, but too often find is
unattainable” (“Man of LaMancha”).
Students at the University of Illinois Springfield will perform this
particular production. The show would
not be entirely appropriate for young children, but teens on up would enjoy
this hilarious and lively story.
Bill
Cosby’s credits and accomplishments are too many to list all of here. He started out as a stand-up comic in the
1960s and was starring in the TV show I Spy by the mid to late 60s. Bill had another hit in the 1980s with The
Cosby Show. Most recently he’s
starred in the CBS sitcom Cosby and hosted the CBS series Kids Say
the Darndest Things. Throughout his
television career, Cosby has won five Emmy’s.
He has also written a series of humorous books about life, the most well
known of these being Fatherhood (“Bill Cosby Bio”). His live comedy shows are great for children
and adults alike. Everyone loves Bill
Cosby!
All
of these shows are, for the most part, family oriented or at least family
friendly. With the exception of a
little bit of The Man of La Mancha, parents need not worry about taking
their children to any of these performances and still having a good time
themselves. Some Springfield residents
will be interested in all of these shows, while some will be interested in only
one or two. That shows that there is
enough variety in styles, genres, and types of shows so there is something to appeal
to just about anyone. Also, everyone
that I propose bringing to the auditorium is known well enough to draw crowds
and, therefore, money.
·
Posters
and flyers promoting the “family friendliness” of all the shows. Perhaps: “A season of fun for the whole
family”
·
Posters
and flyers for the individual shows with more of the details for times, prices,
etc.
·
Radio
and TV
-
Roaring Lambs on Christian stations and some mainstream
-
Illinois
Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and The Man of La Mancha on NPR, talk
radio, and easy listening
-
Jim
Brickman on NPR, easy listening, and top 40
-
STOMP
and Bill Cosby on all stations that will advertise them and TV commercials
·
Word
of mouth—a given
·
Ticket
giveaways on radio stations
·
In-Store
signing for Roaring Lambs at Mustard Seed Bookstore or Family Christian
Stores
·
Possible
radio interviews for some of the performers
The
2001-2002 season of events at Sangamon Auditorium will be entertaining and
still uphold the family values held so dear here in Springfield. There is a little something for
everyone. Even those who don’t have a
family to keep entertained will be able to find an enjoyable show to attend. In addition, I truly believe that with the
right advertising and promotions, we can sell out each one of these shows.
“About the Illinois Symphony
Orchestra.” Illinois Symphony
Orchestra. 2001. 4/12/01.
<http://www.ilsymphony.org>.
“About Roaring Lambs.” Roaring Lambs. 2001.
4/12/01.
<http://www.roaringlambs.net>.
“Accolades.” 3 o’clock Parade Tour [Jars of Clay]. 2000.
4/18/01.
<http://www.ifileftthezoo.com>.
“Bill Cosby Bio.” Mr. Showbiz Celebrities. 2001.
4/18/01.
<http://mrshowbiz.go.com>.
“History of the Show.” STOMP Online. 2001.
4/12/01. <http://www.stomponline.com>.
“Jim Brickman Home.” GetMusic. 2001. 4/15/01. <http://www.getmusic.com>.
“Man of LaMancha.” Starlighters Theater. 1997.
4/18/01.
<http://www.starlighters.org>.
“Sangamon Auditorium.” Sangamon Auditorium. 2001.
4/18/01.
<http://www.sangamonauditorium.org>.
“Time Line.” PfR – On the Net. 10/4/98.
4/15/01.
<http://www.pfr.org>.