Hairspray tour and more on sale soon at UWP Center for the Arts

PLATTEVILLE-The Center for the Arts at UW-Platteville has announced that tickets for the second half of the 2009-2010 Performing Arts Series will go on sale at 8am on November 30th. A special internet only pre-sale will begin at 10am on November 28.

“Ever since we starting doing big Broadway tours in 2006, the on sale day has been exciting,” said John Hassig, Director of Performing & Visual Arts, Programs & Facilities. “I think Hairspray and The Wedding Singer are going to generate some big first-day sales, and I encourage people to think about buying early if they plan on attending. It is a strong schedule and I think The Blanks will bring big crowds as well. ”

The season includes Broadway, classical music, jazz, bluegrass and vocal comedy.

I Musici de Montreal, February 2, 7:30pm
I Musici de Montreal is an orchestra from Montreal, Canada who play a variety of classical pieces ranging from Bach to Prokofiev to Tchaikovsky. The program will feature a multi media performance of Natasha Turovsky’s Award-Winning Film of Pictures at an Exhibition. The orchestra performs live before the large-screen projection of choreographed paintings. Tickets: GA $26, Senior Citizen & Faculty Staff $24, Under 18 $20, UWP Students $10.

The Matt Wilson Quartet, February 5, 7:30pm
The Matt Wilson Quartet is the culmination of Matt Wilson’s dream to have a working jazz ensemble. He is also the leader of the ensemble and the drummer for the band. The ensemble can be described as being “dedicated to bringing the music to the people. We perform music that is not afraid to challenge AND entertain. We have fun and so will you!” Tickets: GA $12, Senior Citizen & Faculty Staff $10, Under 18 $6, UWP Students $4.

The Wisconsin Brass Quintet, February 10, 7:30pm
The Wisconsin Brass Quintet is the ensemble-in-residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The brass chamber group has performed in such places as Carnegie and Merkin Halls, and are regularly featured on Wisconsin Public Radio. Tickets: GA $12, Senior Citizen & Faculty Staff $10, Under 18 $6, UWP Students $4.

The Punch Brothers, March 6, 7:30pm
Featuring Chris Thile (formerly of Grammy Award-winning Nickel Creek) on mandolin, The Punch Brothers have as style that has been described as introducing bluegrass instrumentation and spontaneity in the strictures of modern classical. Unquestionably talented, the group’s bluegrass instrumentation is a new twist on familiar classical music creating a unique and interesting sound. Tickets: GA $20, Senior Citizen & Faculty Staff $18, Under 18 $12, UWP Students $8.

Hairspray, (National Tour) March 7, 3pm & 8pm
Hairspray is the winner of eight Tony Awards and is a musical-comedy which takes the audience back to 1962 Baltimore, as 16 year-old Tracy Turnblad sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a big girl with big dreams – and even bigger hair – change the world and still have time to win the boy she loves? Tickets: GA $42, Senior Citizen & Faculty Staff $40, Under 18 $36, UWP Students $22.

The Wedding Singer, (National Tour) March 21, 3pm & 8pm
The Wedding Singer is a musical based on the 1998 film starring Adam Sandler. Nominated for five Tony Awards, The Wedding Singer is focused around Robbie Hart, who is New Jersey’s favorite wedding singer. Featuring a score which pays homage to the pop songs of the 1980s, The Wedding Singer takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer just might be the coolest guy in the room. Tickets: GA $36, Senior Citizen & Faculty Staff $34, Under 18 $28, UWP Students $18.

The Blanks, April 15, 7:30pm
Starting as a quartet of friends who like to sing a cappella music, The Blanks or Ted’s Band, as they are better known, make regular guest appearances on the hit TV show Scrubs. The leader of the group, Sam Lloyd (Ted), is the hospital’s lawyer in the show. The Blanks sing TV and movie themes such as “Charles in Charge” and the “Superman March” and do not use any traditional instruments except for, as their pledge states, talking toys, hand claps, finger snaps and thigh slaps. Tickets: GA $22, Senior Citizen & Faculty Staff $20, Under 18 $16, UWP Students $8.

The Chris Norman Ensemble, April 25, 3pm
Hailed as one of the finest flute players of our time, Chris Norman proves over and over again that the simple wooden flute is the original - and still unsurpassed - woodwind of expression, passion, joy and subtlety. Norman’s flute playing can be heard in the Oscar winning soundtrack of Titanic as well as other films including Stone of Destiny and Soldier. The ensemble is devoted to bringing to life the energetic traditional dance music of Maritime Canada, Scotland, & Ireland. Tickets: GA $18, Senior Citizen & Faculty Staff $16, Under 18 $10, UWP Students $5.

More information on the Performing Arts Series and other performance events can be found at http://uwplatt.edu/arts/cfa.

Tickets are available through the University Box Office located in the lower level of Ullsvik Hall at Hickory and Main streets in Platteville. The University Box Office is open Monday 8am-5pm, Tuesday 8am-8pm, Wednesday through Friday 8am-5pm and Saturday 10am-2pm. Phone orders can be made by calling (608)-342-1298. Tickets are also available online 24/7 at http://tickets.uwplatt.edu.