Now that the Blue Men have left the building, we’re on to family shows, classical music and dance. This Tuesday, Treasured Stories by Eric Carle will enchant young and old alike as Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia uses puppetry, black light, and other theatrical magic to bring “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, “Brown Bear” and “Papa Please Get the Moon for Me” to life onstage. Next week, we’ll have cellist Narek Haknazaryan in concert on Tuesday evening, and Ballet Memphis on Wednesday. Hope you’ll join us!

Seats are sold out for all performances of BLUE MAN GROUP at Juanita K. Hammons Hall. Over 9000 patrons of all ages will have experienced this amazing show during the course of the weekend – for fun facts and photo ops, check our Facebook page. And keep in mind that we still have two great Broadway shows this season – THE COLOR PURPLE and SHREK THE MUSICAL. Right now, you can buy a tickets to both shows as a package – single tickets will go on sale March 2nd for Color Purple and March 30 for Shrek. Get your tickets early so you won’t miss these great shows!

One of the goals of any Blue Man Group performance is to have the audience leave the theatre feeling as though they have been a big part of the experience – and if you’re joining us this weekend for a Blue Man show, you’ll have a chance to let them know if they succeeded. The Blue Men come out into the lobby after the performance for photos with theatregoers – there are still seats available, so don’t miss your chance to see, and get your picture taken, with Blue Man Group!

Check the News-Leader Weekend tab for an interview with Blue Man Group – including a local connection!

Juanita K. Hammons Hall is about to be overtaken by Blue Men !!! – and if you haven’t got your tickets yet, don’t delay, because the shows are selling fast! Best seats are at the Sunday matinee, with tickets available at our box office locations, by phone or online. Hurry – you don’t want to miss Blue Man Group.

We have lost a wonderful supporter and friend. Don Wessel was a great spokesman for the arts, offering not only solid financial support to ours and many other organizations, but also expressing his love for the performing arts by faithful attendance at concerts throughout the years. We will miss his smile and enthusiasm, and treasure the many fond memories he leaves with us. Our condolences to his family, and our grateful appreciation to them as they carry on his legacy of arts patronage.

Juanita K. Hammons Hall is about to be overtaken by Blue Men !!! – and if you haven’t got your tickets yet, don’t delay, because the shows are selling fast! Best seats are at the Sunday matinee, with tickets available at our box office locations, by phone or online. Hurry – you don’t want to miss Blue Man Group.

Bring your little ones to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy – and three Disney Princesses! – onstage for two performances this Friday. There’s nothing more fun than sharing an afternoon and evening with hundreds of excited little theatre-goers – tickets are still available for both performances.

Get your tickets soon for Blue Man Group, with four amazing shows February 17th-19th – seats are going fast! Make plans to bring the kids to see the Fresh Beat Band – and we’ve also added the Experience Hendrix concert and Rain – A Tribute to The Beatles to our roster – check out details on these shows and all the other Hammons Hall spring performances on our website.

…or actually, let’s let Lewis rant for us! Comedian Lewis Black takes the stage at the Hall this Sunday night to vent his frustrations about a wide range of topics. Black’s curmudgeonly comments strike a chord with audience members – if you’re one of those folks who are put out and put off by many aspects of today’s world, come join us as Lewis Black puts a comic spin on our common complaints.  Lest we forget, this show is intended for mature audiences.

Tickets are still available for Blue Man Group, with four amazing shows February 17th – 19th, but get your tickets soon, they’re going fast!  We’ve added the Experience Hendrix concert and Rain – A Tribute to The Beatles to our roster – check out details on these shows and all the other Hammons Hall spring performances on our website.

…we invite you to make plans to see a show at the Hall! Check out the 15th Annual Springfield Multicultural Festival from noon to 4pm on Monday, January 16th…the Springfield Symphony on Saturday, January 21st, and comic and political commentator Lewis Black on Sunday, January 29th. Don’t miss the onsale date for single tickets to Blue Man Group on Friday, January 20th (join the Hammons Hall e-List and you’ll be included in a special Presale opportunity!)…and check our website for information on all the great shows coming in February, March, April and May.

Our final show of 2011, the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas show, was a roaring success, and as we wrap up the first half of  the 20th Anniversary Season at Juanita K. Hammons Hall, we want to take the time to express our appreciation to all of you for your support and patronage throughout this season and every season.

Remember that tickets make great gifts!  We have a Broadway 3-Show Package that guarantees wonderful seats to wonderful shows in the New Year – and, of course, the second half of our season includes a wide variety of single-performance shows, including Doc Severinsen, Ballet Memphis, Kansas, Béla Fleck, Garrison Keillor, and a tribute to Ricky Nelson by his sons Matthew and Gunnar.  There’s something to suit everyone on your Christmas list.

It’s also a great time to donate to Juanita K. Hammons Hall.  Your gifts will create a lasting legacy, helping with general or special kinds of programming, the Children’s Ticket Fund, or maintenance and equipment.

We wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – we’ll see you at the Hall in 2012!