The
Clark State Performing Arts Center (PAC) will raise the curtain on live performances after more than a year of cancelations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PAC will welcome patrons to the venue at 300 South Limestone Street, on Friday, Sept. 10, with a Welcome Home celebration.
The come-back event will feature a variety of favorite local artists, including
Wyatt McCubbin and the
Springfield Symphony Orchestra Brass Quartet. Beginning at 5 p.m. that evening, guests can purchase dinner from a mix of local food trucks in the PAC parking lot.
The
2021-22 PAC season includes theatre, live music, and multi-media experiences.
“(Scheduling this season) was by far the most challenging due to all the uncertainties around the pandemic and when and if tours would be going out on the road,” says Adele Adkins, executive director of the Clark State Performing Arts Center. “It is by far the most emotional and exciting season I have ever announced."
About half of the upcoming season includes rescheduled dates from this past year and half the season includes new shows.
“The more arts organizations in a community, the more vibrant the community is,” says Adkins. “It’s important for arts groups to work together rather than complete because a collaborative model brings more diverse offerings, therefore attracting more people.”
Adkins says the live arts bring communities together in a way that no other gathering does, and she is excited about the diverse 2021-22 season.
“Watching a live concert or performance with hundreds of other people is a truly unique shared experience,” she says. “I wanted to make sure the upcoming season truly had a bit of everything.”
Adkins says the PAC participated in a state survey along with 15 other venues regarding the return of live, indoor entertainment coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The data tells us that people are eager to come back,” she says. “It was interesting that the data from all 16 venues was remarkably similar, but ultimately, ticket sales will tell the true story.”
This PAC season will be a season of celebration that will not be taken for granted, Adkins says. PAC performance tickets will be available at
Ticketmaster.com this month. Pre-sale tickets for PAC donors went on sale July 13, and public ticket sales begin July 27.
The complete 2021-22 PAC Season includes:- Welcome Home - PAC Celebration: Friday, Sept, 10 | 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- Waitress National Broadway Tour: Saturday, Oct. 2 | 8 p.m.
- Diamond Rio: Thursday, Oct. 7 | 7 p.m.
- Hairspray National Broadway Tour:Tuesday, Dec. 14 | 7 p.m.
- Mannheim Steamroller: Monday, Dec. 20 | 7:30 p.m.
- Anaïs Mitchell And the Bonny Light Horseman: Thursday, Feb. 10 | 8 p.m.
- Trey Mclaughlin And the Sounds of Zamar: Saturday, Feb. 26 | 8 p.m.
- Aquila Theatre Company of London – The Great Gatsby: Tuesday, March 1 | 7 p.m.
- Fiddler on The Roof: Wednesday, March 9 | 7 p.m.
- The TEN Tenors – Love Is in The Air: Saturday March 26 | 8 p.m.
- The British Invasion – Live on Stage: Saturday, April 30 | 8 p.m.
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