EXPLORE CREATE CONNECT
At Queens, we believe that no matter what degrees or skills are sought, a well-rounded education includes the arts. Elevating the student experience is a central goal of Arts at Queens and the Community is invited to be an integral part of that experience at the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic
WELCOME
Join us this season as the Gambrell Center’s Spotlight Series and Arts at Queens explore the power of CONNECTION.
People are social creatures. We tell stories to create a shared understanding and sense of community. We gather in theatres and galleries where artists—our most gifted storytellers—employ language, film, paint, clay, movement, and music to weave diverse threads of perspective into a rich tapestry of shared human expression.
This season, the Gambrell Center and Arts at Queens present world-class artists to invite us into their creative, layered experiences about democracy in the 2024 Connected Campus, the intersection of jazz and classical music in the Grammy Award winning Passion for Bach and Coltrane, the newly found works of Earl Scruggs and John Hartford in Tony Trischka’s EARL JAM, the unexpectedly difficult and delightful history of Makin’ Cake, and so much more.
Come to the Gambrell Center! Be surprised. Share laughter. Embrace challenge. Support community. We look forward to seeing you!
Laura Kratt, Executive Director Gambrell Center
Thank you to our season sponsors:
Charlotte Concerts Legacy Fund
THE SPOTLIGHT SERIES PRESENTS:
MAKIN’ CAKE
FRIDAY
OCTOBER 25, 2024 | 7:30PM
TICKETS $20-$35 | $10 STUDENTS
In her show, Makin’ Cake, Wisconsin Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly Hamilton uses the history of baking to explore race, culture, and class in a refreshing and fun way. It is multimedia storytelling filled with aha-moments and poignant vignettes, and two onstage bakers serving engaging audiences in a conversation about equity in America.
Part history lesson, part social science revelation, Makin’ Cake is a short story about America’s sweet tooth with a cake reception immediately following the performance.
NOBUNTU
SATURDAY
OCTOBER 5, 2024 | 7:30PM
TICKETS $29-$55 | $15 STUDENTS
Nobuntu, the female a cappella quartet from Zimbabwe, has drawn international acclaim for its inventive performances that range from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro Jazz to Gospel.
The ensemble’s concerts are performed with pure voices, augmented by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as the Mbira (thumb piano) and organic, authentic dance movements. Nobuntu was nominated for Best Musician of the Year at the Zimbabwe International Women Awards in London in 2015.
“A vibrant and stunning performance, full of sparkling energy" - SUNDAY TIMES
BROADWAY’S GOLDEN AGE MEETS THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK
SOME ENCHANTED EVENING
Featuring
BENNY BENACK III + STELLA COLE + JABU GRAYBEAL
SATURDAY
NOVEMBER 2, 2024 | 7:30PM
TICKETS $29-$55 | $15 STUDENTS
Celebrating a century of Broadway magic from Hammerstein to Hamilton, Some Enchanted Evening is a jazz-steeped sojourn exploring a bevy of the American Songbook’s most enduring hits from the golden age to today, combining timeless music and dance.
Led by 33-year-old Emmy-nominated trumpeter and crooner Benny Benack III, the performance features the lavishly gifted singer and social media sensation, Stella Cole and North Carolina tap dance phenom, Jabu Graybeal.
These accomplished artists toured widely with Postmodern Jukebox.
“Benny Benack III has already become a leading voice in jazz for his generation."
- ALL ABOUT JAZZ
“To watch Stella perform is to be transported back in time. Her voice, personality, and presence shine timelessly as if she'd been plucked straight out of an old MGM movie."
- BROADWAY WORLD
VITAMIN STRING QUARTET
THE MUSIC OF TAYLOR SWIFT, BRIDGERTON, AND BEYOND
THURSDAY
JANUARY 23, 2025 | 7:30PM
TICKETS $29-$55 | $25 STUDENTS
Long before Bridgerton broke the Netflix algorithm, Vitamin String Quartet (VSQ) had helped establish classical crossover as a genuine force in contemporary music. From Billie Eilish to Bjork, Maroon 5 to Nirvana, VSQ approaches their renditions with innovation and care, breathing new life into each.
To date, these heartfelt recordings have earned over 2 billion streams. Seven of VSQ’s albums charted on Billboard, peaking at #4 in both Classical and Classical Crossover. At this moment, they are one of the most popular string ensembles in the world.
“VSQ’s atmospheric hits have made classical versions of pop music cool."
- NEW YORK OBSERVER
“Charmed the world with their classical covers." - NYLON
TONY TRISCHKA’S EARL JAM: A TRIBUTE TO EARL SCRUGGS
“Tony Trischka is known as the father of modern bluegrass.”
- NEW YORK TIMES
“Father of banjo fusion.”
- THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
“The great banjo liberationist.”
- NPR
FRIDAY
FEBRUARY 21, 2025 | 7:30PM
TICKETS $29-$55 | $15 STUDENTS
Tony Trischka honors the music of Earl Scruggs, pioneer of the three-finger banjo style and one of the most important musicians in bluegrass. Trischka recently came into possession of extremely rare recordings of jam sessions with Scruggs and John Hartford, and he’ll be debuting Scruggs’s note-for-note solos from a few of these.
Trischka’s recent Earl Jam album project attracted the best pickers alive including Billy Strings, Vince Gill, Sam Bush,and Molly Tuttle. Now he’s taking the project on the road with his ace band—Michael Daves on vocals and guitar, bassist Jared Engel, fiddler Brittany Haas and sometimes Maddie Witler on mandolin— they will trace the story of Scruggs from his childhood to his final years. QUEENS.EDU/ARTS | 704.337.2466
PASSION FOR BACH AND COLTRANE
IMANI WINDS + HARLEM QUARTET + A.B. SPELLMAN
FRIDAY
MARCH 14, 2025 | 7:30PM
TICKETS $32-$65 | $15 STUDENTS
“The result is a piece that is powerfully forward looking, an enduring testament to the potential of musical creativity."
- SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
The Grammy Award winning Passion for Bach and Coltrane pairs Imani Winds, the poet A.B. Spellman, Harlem Quartet, and a jazz piano trio to synthesize classical and jazz styles, highlighting the gifts of all the performers onstage. Inspired by and featuring Spellman’s poetry, Passion interweaves orated poems with music, in a manner inspired by J.S. Bach’s Passion settings.
Jeff Scott selected one masterwork by each composer—Bach’s Goldberg Variations and John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme—and used each as source material to construct a mosaic tapestry around the drama and imagery in Spellman’s text. Pensive, ethereal moments are punctuated by Bach, while the tone for moody, dark passages is set by Coltrane’s work. Winner of the 2024 Grammy for Best Classical Compendium Album.
This concert is made possible through the generous support of the Charlotte Concerts Legacy Fund.
A.B. SPELLMAN
is an author, poet, critic, lecturer and native of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. He has published numerous books and articles on the arts, including Art Tatum: A Critical Biography (a chapbook), The Beautiful Days (poetry), and Four Lives in the Bebop Business.
FOR THE PEOPLE: DEMOCRACY IN CONVERSATION
A collaborative, non-partisan exploration of perspectives on democracy FALL 2024
VOICES OF DEMOCRACY: Exploring the Ideal
9/8 - 12/15 | Gallery Opening 9/15
Through diverse perspectives and historical contexts, unravel the essence of democracy as a defining aspect of identity.
ART, DESIGN, & MUSIC PROGRAM | FREE
WORDWALL:
On Democracy
9/15 – 10/25
Campus and Community are invited to share what democracy means to them by posting it on a word wall in Gambrell lobby.
DICE PROGRAM | FREE
TRAX ON THE TRAIL: Music on the Campaign Trail
9/20/24 | 10:40 AM
Dr. Dana Gorzelany-Mostak explores the intersection of music and politics in American culture in her lecture on American presidential campaign music and how music constructs the identity of the U.S. presidency.
ART, DESIGN, & MUSIC PROGRAM | FREE
DESIGN FOR DEMOCRACY POPUP GALLERY
10/20-27/24
AIGA’s nation-wide Get Out the Vote initiative believes good design makes your electorial choices clear. View nonpartisan posters that encourage the American public to participate in the electoral process.
ART, DESIGN, & MUSIC PROGRAM | FREE
The Connected Campus convenes at the Gambrell Center. Collaborative partners include the American Institute of Graphic Arts, Bechtler Museum, Charlotte Lit, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Independent Picture House, Infusion Fund and its generous donors, League of Women Voters, Theatre Charlotte, The Carter Center, WFAE, and the Queens Departments of Art/Design/Music, Community Engagement, DICE, English & Writing Studies, Greenspon Center, Knight School of Communication, Learning Society, Political Science & Sociology, and The Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement.
MAKIN’ CAKE WITH DASHA KELLY HAMILTON
10/25/24 | 7:30 PM
Part history lesson, part social science revelation, Wisconsin Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly Hamilton delivers a multi-media stage production where baking becomes an exploration of equity, class, and race in America.
GAMBRELL CENTER & LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS | Tickets $15-$35
HOW TO KNOW A PERSON: Bringing Humanity Back from the Brink with David Brooks
10/30/24 | 7:00 PM
Based on his bestselling book, “How to Know a Person,” this talk is a guide to becoming a better person, living a more connected life, and repairing our torn social fabric.
LEARNING SOCIETY | Tickets priced and sold separately
TESTAMENT OF FREEDOM
11/17/24 | 3:00 PM
As World War II came to an end, composer Randall Thompson honored Thomas Jefferson and his writings by creating a choral work that rallied great national pride at a time of world conflict.
ART, DESIGN, & MUSIC PROGRAM | FREE
ELECTION ROUNDTABLE
All events at 7:00 PM
9/26/24 US Foreign Policy and the 2024 Election
10/10/24 Identities, Issues, and Influence: Social Groups at the Ballot Box 10/24/24 Election Update: NC and the National Election
POLITICAL SCIENCE & SOCIOLOGY PROGRAM | FREE
ARTS AT QUEENS
CAMPUS EVENTS ART | MUSIC | LECTURE
The Art, Design, Music, and English and Writing Studies programs at Queens invite you to attend our diverse array of events & experiences. All events take place in the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts & Civic Engagement and are free of charge unless otherwise noted.
Connected Campus Event
Voices of Democracy: Exploring the Ideal
Trax On the Trail: Music on the Campaign Trail
September 8 - December 15
From its elusive nature to the pivotal role of art in its expression, this exhibition invites you to reflect on the changing landscape of democracy. Gallery Opening Sunday, September 15 at 3pm.
Friday, September 20 | 10:40am
In her lecture on American presidential campaign music, Dr. Dana Gorzelany-Mostak explores the intersection of music and politics in American culture.
The Testament of Freedom
Songs of Protest
Art & Design Faculty Showcase
Sunday, November 17 | 3:00pm
Queens choirs perform this stirring work honoring Thomas Jefferson alongside other works by composers extolling the great American experiment.
Monday, November 25 | 7:30pm
Coinciding with the presidential election, the Guitar Ensemble will perform protest music, including iconic protest songs from different eras, creating a narrative of social change.
January 21 - April 14
In this exhibition, we celebrate art, design and their makers by providing an opportunity for the Queens and Charlotte communities to view recent work by our Art and Design faculty. Gallery Opening Sunday, January 26 at 5pm.
Music Therapy Spring Celebration Guitar Symposium
Friday, January 31 - Sunday, February 2
Immerse yourself in captivating performances, spirited competitions, insightful lectures, world-renowned artists led master classes, and the artistry of instrument craftsmanship at our 3rd annual event!
North Putnam: A Film Screening & Conversation
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tuesday, March 18 | 6:00pm
The Seelbinder Literary Arts Series: Director Joel Fendelman and Producer James Chase Sanchez discuss their documentary North Putnam that depicts a year in the life of a rural Indiana school district and the community it serves.
Saturday, April 5 | 4:00pm
The Music Therapy Program proudly presents their annual Spring Celebration featuring student therapists and their clients from the on-campus music therapy clinic.
Saturday, April 5 | 7:30pm Sunday, April 6 | 3:00pm, 7:30pm
A gripping story of revenge and redemption set to one of Broadway’s most magnificent musical scores. Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd – if you dare! TICKETS $10-$15
Guitar Ensemble
Queens Orchestra Concert
Monday, April 14 | 7:30pm
Join us for this end of term celebration featuring a diverse array of musical selections by Queens Guitar Ensemble.
Tuesday, April 15 | 7:30pm
The Queens Chamber Orchestra presents selections from the major classics.
OUR MISSION
The Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement is a dynamic arts destination for our community and students to share in diverse cultural experiences. The Gambrell Center facilitates creative scholarship through interdisciplinary collaboration and offers a vibrant gathering place for educational exploration. Queens demonstrates its commitment to this mission by presenting world-class performances, conversations, and exhibitions, showcasing exemplary faculty and student works, and providing an inspiration for design, creativity, and artistic expression.
Since re-opening in 2020, the 63,000 SF state-of-the-art Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement has been dedicated to discovery, collaboration, and connection with the Charlotte community. Providing a shared academic home for the visual, performing and literary arts, as well as design and music therapy, the Gambrell Center is the creative heartbeat of Queens hosting 550+ events and 59,000 visitors last season.
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST! engage.queens.edu/register/ artsatqueens
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
Tickets sales only cover a fraction of the cost of the programs and daily operations of the Gambrell Center. With your annual donation, outstanding concerts, plays, readings, exhibitions, and educational programs will continue to grow. Will you become a member?
Arts at Queens ENEWS
• Invitation to Art/Music/English Events
Donor Recognition in Spotlight Playbill
Complimentary Drink at each Spotlight Event
Premier Box Office Service which features:
• Advance Ticket Buying
• Early Concert Notice & Email Updates
Can buy GOLD CIRCLE Seats for Spotlight Series Invitation to Annual AAQ Donor Reception
Access to Spotlight Series Member Lounge
Donor Recognition Signage in the Lobby
Reserved Parking for Spotlight Events
Free Tickets Exchanges & Handling Fees Waived
Your membership gift is tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tickets are purchased separately. Many corporations match their employees’ donations through a matching gift program. If you participate in such a program, please submit the appropriate forms along with your membership form.
EIN #56-0530003 | 501 (C)3
ABOUT THE GAMBRELL CENTER
On the corner of Selwyn and Wellesley, Queens College dedicated the newly minted Charles A. Dana Auditorium and E. H. Little Fine Arts Center on October 5, 1966. It was part of a 5-year, $3.6 million campus expansion to renovate several existing buildings and construct a new classroom building (Walker), dormitory (Barnhardt) and arts center for the growing study body.
Designed by Charlotte firm J. N. Pease and Associates, the Little Fine Arts Center cost $1.25 million to build and was considered state of the art at the time with a 1040-seat auditorium, 13 teaching studios, 3 classrooms, 22 practice rooms, small recital hall, art gallery, and a drama rehearsal room in the 55,000 square foot facility. The renowned acoustical firm of Bolt, Beranek and Newman of Boston designed the sound of the performance halls having successfully completed work for Lincoln Center and the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood.
Over the next 50 years, Dana Auditorium hosted notable artists and speakers as well as ceremonies such as Commencement, and Convocation. After decades of heavy use, the arts center was ready for an update.
On February 20, 2020, the newly renovated Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement and Sandra Levine Theatre re-opened with Broadway star, Sutton Foster. After an extensive $23 million renovation, the expanded 63,000 square foot arts complex housed a 992-seat theatre, 150-seat recital hall, 3 art galleries, practice and classrooms, teaching studios, a music therapy suite, and the Art, Design and Music academic programs. Each year, these facilities proudly host over 500 events ranging from presented concerts, art exhibitions, lectures, symposia, plays, films, and a wide variety of campus and community-sponsored events.
GAMBRELL CENTER STAFF
Laura Kratt, Executive Director
Kristof Leopold, Technical Director
Megan Triplett, Operations Manager
Liz Ball, Patron Services Manager
Scott Brower, Media Specialist
Amanda Mullen, Media Specialist
Jane Wiley, Media Specialist
Jenna Cartee, Administrative Assistant
The Gambrell Center staff programs and manages the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center in addition to providing production services to events across campus.
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST! engage.queens.edu/ register/artsatqueens
OFFICE HOURS
Administration: 10am-5pm, M-F
Box Office: 11am-4pm, TU-F and 90 minutes prior to showtime for ticketed events
Office hours will change for university holidays, and when school is not in session.
TICKET PRICES & MEMBERSHIPS
TICKET PRICES BY ZONE ARTS AT QUEENS GIVING LEVELS
Memberships do not include tickets 24-25 Season Spotlight Series
Some Enchanted Evening
Vitamin String Quartet
Tony Trishka: Earl Jam
Passion for Bach & Coltrane
& Producer Members
Nobuntu
Makin’ Cake
BOX OFFICE & MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
TICKET ON-SALE DATES
GAMBRELL BOX OFFICE
Members
General Public
Online
July 15
Aug 13
Aug 13
Ticket orders filled in order received.
FORM & PAYMENT
Gambrell Center Box Office
Queens University of Charlotte 1900 Selwyn Avenue
Campus Box 1366
Charlotte, NC 28274
SCAN & EMAIL FORM
gambrelltix@queens.edu
Arts at Queens Members at the Benefactor Level and higher can purchase Gold Circle tickets directly through the Gambrell Box Office
The Gambrell Center Box Office window has summer hours by appointment. Digital and Print and Home tickets are provided by ETix. Please consult the seat maps or call the box office if you need assistance. All ticket sales are final. Dates/Times/Artist subject to change. Everyone, regardless of age, must have a ticket to enter. Service animals are welcome. Fees and NC Sales Tax apply to all ticket sales.
VENUE LOCATION: 2319 WELLESLEY AVENUE, CHARLOTTE, NC 28274
Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts & Civic Engagement