Colorful thank you notes to the Lied Center from patrons and education outreach participants!
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Video Link: Hungry Caterpillar.mp4
Newspaper Reviews of Lied Center Performances
Press Releases: Lied Center Shows
Attention: News, Entertainment Editors, Education Editors, Community Events Editors Contact: Carrie Christensen, Communications Coordinator, Lied Center for Performing Arts, 402-472-4734, cchristensen22@unl.edu News release website: http://newsroom.unl.edu/releases
Lied Center to “Grow A Show” at First New Musical Theatre Festival in Lincoln ASCAP New Musical Theatre Workshop Joins Festival with Master Classes and Concert Lincoln, Neb., August, 27, 2013 – The Lied Center for Performing Arts is thrilled to announce the Lincoln premiere of the ASCAP New Musical Theatre Workshop. This exciting event, held annually in New York and Los Angeles, hits Lincoln September 10 – 12, 2013 and offers artists the opportunity to “Grow A Show” with the help of renowned industry experts. The workshop will center on staged readings of selected new works from across the United States. The Lied Center has developed a musical theatre festival to accompany this prestigious workshop, which includes master classes and a concert which will incorporate local talent and visiting Broadway guest artists. Annually, composers and playwrights submit new musical theatre works for development at workshops hosted by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in New York or Los Angeles. This year, ASCAP specifically invited the Lied Center for Performing Arts to host an additional New Musical Theatre Workshop in Lincoln. This event brings some of the finest emerging musical theatre writers to the Lied Center this fall. Guest artists and Tony® Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin will be honored guests at the workshop and festival. Broadway legend Karen Morrow will also join Sklar and Beguelin in conducting workshops, as well as performing in a concert alongside local talent, directed by Alisa Belflower, Associate Producer in Musical Theatre Development with the Lied Center for Performing Arts and Coordinator of Musical Theatre Studies in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. Michael Kerker, Director of Musical Theatre for ASCAP, is the Executive Producer. “The entire festival will be free and open to the public,” said Lied Center Executive Director Bill Stephan. “Imagine a chance to see a brand-new musical as it is created, before it hits the streets of Broadway and becomes a smash-hit. This festival gives you that opportunity.” The new works selected for workshop and presentation are: CROSSING OVER by Stephanie Salzman and Deborah Brevoort, CROSS THAT RIVER by Allan Harris and THREADS by Michael McLean. CROSSING OVER begins in the world of Amish hymn and ends in the world of Hip Hop, R & B and Pop. It centers around a young Amish woman as she embarks on Rumspringa, the time when Amish teenagers are released from the bonds of their daily life and allowed to enter into mainstream society. CROSS THAT RIVER is the story of Blue, a Louisiana slave who steals his master’s prize stallion and rides west to freedom, after witnessing the selling of his father and the brutal whipping of another slave. THREADS is a musical about women and clothes and what holds them together. A grandfather’s passionate desire to fill his
granddaughter’s wardrobe throughout her life with perfect outfits, reveals that people are so much more than what they wear. It is the Lied Center’s objective to identify a new Broadway musical through the workshop process, which could be produced and presented at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. “The Lied Center does so much more than present touring shows and community productions,” said Stephan. “The Lied has a long history of commissioning new works.” The ASCAP New Musical Theatre Workshop and Lied Center for Performing Arts New Musical Theatre Festival is an unprecedented opportunity for students, the Lied Center, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the local community. It provides a chance to participate in the creative process with nationally renowned musical theatre writers and artists. The ASCAP New Musical Theatre Workshop and the surrounding festival is made possible by generous support from the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and the HixsonLied endowment, ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and the UNL Arts and Humanities Research Enhancement Program. Ticket Information All events are free and open to the public. To attend festival activities, please register with Festival coordinator Becky Key Boesen: email rboesen2@unl.edu or call 402-472-3215. To reserve tickets to the free main stage concert, please contact the Lied Center ticket office at 402472-4747. About the Lied Center for Performing Arts The Lied Center for Performing Arts is a state-of-the-art performing arts facility. The Lied Center, opened in 1990, is Nebraska’s “Home for the Arts.” The facility offers major regional, national and international events designed to attract, entertain and inspire a statewide audience. The Lied Center and its programs are made possible through the generous 2013/2014 season support of Christina Hixson and the Lied Foundation Trust, Friends of Lied, Ameritas, Union Bank and with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. For more information visit www.liedcenter.org.
Media Contact: Carrie Christensen Communications Coordinator 605.675.9007 cchristensen22@unl.edu WHEN: Wednesday, Sep. 11, 2013 WHERE: Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 N. 12th Street Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 4, 2013 Lied Center Announces Star-‐Studded “HELLO, BROADWAY!” Cabaret on Sept. 11 Performance to be the Highlight of Lincoln’s Premiere ASCAP New Musical Theatre Workshop & Festival The Lied Center for Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska-‐Lincoln invites the public to say “HELLO, BROADWAY!” with an evening celebrating the songs of Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin on Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. This free cabaret is a part of the Lincoln premiere of the ASCAP New Musical Theatre Workshop & Festival to take place Sept. 10-‐12 at the Lied Center. “HELLO, BROADWAY!” Held annually in New York and Los Angeles, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) workshop gives artists the opportunity to "Grow a Show" with the help of renowned industry experts. The workshop will center on staged readings of selected new works from across the United States. The Lied Center has developed a musical theater festival to accompany this prestigious workshop, which includes master classes as well the HELLO, BROADWAY! cabaret that will incorporate local talent and visiting Broadway guest artists. Join Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, writers of the Broadway musicals Elf and The Wedding Singer, on the Lied Main Stage Wednesday night for an evening of songs from hit musicals and musicals yet to come. Broadway legend Karen Morrow will also be making an appearance alongside Lincoln’s own local artists, including jazz vocalist Jackie Allen and bassist Hans Sturm. The cabaret is directed by Alisa Belflower, Associate Producer in Musical Theatre Development with the Lied Center and Coordinator of Musical Theatre Studies in UNL's Hixson-‐Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts.
The ASCAP New Musical Theatre Workshop and the accompanying festival is made possible by generous support from the Hixson-‐Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and the Hixson-‐Lied Endowment, ASCAP and the UNL Arts & Humanities Research Enhancement Program. HELLO, BROADWAY! is free and open to the public. Reserve your tickets at liedcenter.org or call 402.472.4747. About the Lied Center for Performing Arts The Lied Center for Performing Arts is a state-‐of-‐the-‐art performing arts facility. The Lied Center, opened in 1990, is Nebraska’s “Home for the Arts.” The facility offers major regional, national and international events designed to attract, entertain and inspire a statewide audience.The Lied Center's 24th Season is supported by Friends of Lied, Ameritas and Union Bank. All events in the Lied Center are made possible entirely or in part by the Lied Performance Fund, which has been established in memory of Ernst F. Lied and his parents, Ernst M. and Ida K. Lied. The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, has supported Lied Center programs through its matching grants program funded by the Nebraska Legislature; the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.
Media Contact: Carrie Christensen Communications Coordinator 605.675.9007 cchristensen22@unl.edu
Comedy Legend Jim Belushi and the Chicago Board of Comedy to Perform at Lied Center (LINCOLN, Neb. – November XX, 2013) Nebraska’s Home for the Arts, the Lied Center for Performing Arts welcomes comedy legend Jim Belushi to the stage on Nov. 15 at 7:30PM. With more than thirty years of experience and an alumnus of “Saturday Night Live” and Chicago’s famed Second City, Jim Belushi is now bringing to the stage an improvised comedy sketch show featuring members of the Chicago Board of Comedy. “The Lied Center prides itself on providing programming for everyone who loves the performing arts,” said Bill Stephan, Executive Director of the Lied Center for Performing Arts. “Over the years the Lied Center has enjoyed bringing the biggest names in comedy to the people of Nebraska. Mr. Belushi joins a long list of legendary comedic performers like Bill Cosby and Joan Rivers who have performed on the Lied Center stage.” Jim Belushi began his acting career in Chicago, Ill. studying at three of the top theatres: The Goodman, The Apollo, and The Second City. After his two-year stint on “Saturday Night Live”, Jim appeared in over 75 movies, including “Red Heat”, “About Last Night”, “The Principal”, and “K-9”, and five television series, including eight years on “According to Jim” and, most recently, CBS’s “The Defenders”. In 2011, Jim gained rave reviews on Broadway as Harry Brock in “Born Yesterday”. However, drama and comedy are not the only facets to Jim’s breadth of talents. For the past fifteen years, he has been singing, dancing, and playing harmonica in the Blues Brothers with Dan Aykroyd and with his own band, The Sacred Hearts. Together they have produced four albums and performed all over the world. Belushi is thrilled to be getting back to his improv roots with this incredibly talented and hilarious group of actors. In conjunction with The Chicago Board of Comedy, Jim has also recently opened The Comedy Bar, a stand-up club in his hometown of Chicago in River North. Accompanying Belushi are Megan Grano, Robert Belushi, Larry Joe Campbell, Joshua Funk, Jon Barinholtz, and Brad Morris, all of who are classically trained professional improvisers who tour regularly nationwide. Ticket Information Tickets for Jim Belushi and the Chicago Board of Comedy on Nov. 15 are available at LiedCenter.org, at the Box Office on 12th and R Streets, or by phone at 402-472-4747. Tickets start at just $25 for adults, $12.50 for students.
About the Lied Center for Performing Arts The Lied Center for Performing Arts is a state-of-the-art performing arts facility. The Lied Center, opened in 1990, is Nebraska’s “Home for the Arts.” The facility offers major regional, national and international events designed to attract, entertain and inspire a statewide audience. The Lied Center and its programs are made possible through the generous 2013/2014 season support of Christina Hixson and the Lied Foundation Trust, Friends of Lied, Ameritas, Union Bank and with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. For more information visit www.LiedCenter.org.
Press Releases: Good things about the Lied Center
Media Contact: Carrie Christensen Communications Coordinator 605.675.9007 cchristensen22@unl.edu
Lied Center Employee Recognized as a “Friend of American Indian Education” (LINCOLN, Neb. – November XX, 2013) Nebraska’s Home for the Arts, the Lied Center for Performing Arts is proud to announce that Nancy Engen-Wedin of Education and Creative Initiatives has been selected by the Nebraska Department of Education, Office of Multicultural and Native American Education as a recipient of the Friend of American Indian Education Award. Engen-Wedin was recognized on Oct. 7 at the Nebraska Department of Education’s Native American Student Achievement Symposium. The symposium is an annual event hosted by NDE in conjunction with Educational Service Unit #1 (ESU1). In 2008, as part of the celebration of the 10th Annual Native American Education Symposium, the Nebraska Department of Education, Office of Native American Education inaugurated an award to honor those who have promoted the cause of American Indian Education in the state of Nebraska. Consideration for this award is given to individuals who have shown dedication to promoting the use of tribal language or culture in the education of American Indian students in Nebraska, the increase of American Indian educators in schools that serve American Indian students, and family and community engagement among American Indians. “This award was created to celebrate the contributions of people like Nancy who have a long term dedication to improving American Indian education in our state,” said Carol Rempp, Program Coordinator at the Office of Multicultural and Native American Education. “She has worked tirelessly to get the grants needed for on-going funding of programs and bring a variety of people together from UNL, NDE and the partner schools to make these programs successful. It was truly my pleasure to present the 2013 Friend of American Indian Education Award to Nancy.” Engen-Wedin was acknowledged for her many years of service to the Umonhon Nation School through the Lied Center and the Indigenous ROOTS Teacher Education Program through UNL’s College of Education and Human Sciences, which provides American Indian students with opportunities to become certified elementary education and bilingual teachers to work in area reservation schools. Since 2001, the Lied Center, Umonhon Nation School District, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Education and Human Sciences have partnered to provide professional development in Pre-K through 12 arts integration for teachers, staff and students enrolled in the Umonhon Nation School District. The program was established through the
Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and is designed to assist arts and cultural organizations throughout the nation to develop and/or expand educational partnerships with their local school systems. Since the program began, the Lied Center and Engen-Wedin have worked to enrich the lives of at-risk youth through all art forms including dance, music, theater and visual arts. In 2011, the Lied Center’s Partners in Education program received national recognition when it was featured in a Kennedy Center publication presenting six programs across the country whose research on K-12 student learning was compelling. Engen-Wedin led this research effort which was funded by the Kennedy Center, National Endowment for the Arts and the Dana Foundation. About the Lied Center for Performing Arts The Lied Center for Performing Arts is a state-of-the-art performing arts facility. The Lied Center, opened in 1990, is Nebraska’s “Home for the Arts.” The facility offers major regional, national and international events designed to attract, entertain and inspire a statewide audience. The Lied Center and its programs are made possible through the generous 2013/2014 season support of Christina Hixson and the Lied Foundation Trust, Friends of Lied, Ameritas and Union Bank. For more information visit www.LiedCenter.org.
Media Contact: Carrie Christensen Communications Coordinator 605.675.9007 cchristensen22@unl.edu
Lied Center Recognized as a Top 100 Theatre Venue by Pollstar (LINCOLN, Neb. – December XX, 2013) Nebraska’s Home for the Arts the Lied Center for Performing Arts was once again recognized as a “Worldwide Ticket Sales Top 100 Theatre Venue” by Pollstar, the leading trade publication in the worldwide concert industry. The Lied Center also received this prestigious distinction in June 2013. “Receiving recognition from such a reputable publication in our industry is extremely exciting,” said Bill Stephan, Executive Director of the Lied Center for Performing Arts. “We are honored to be listed next to some of the most respected theatres in the world and believe that this truly cements Nebraska’s position as an international performing arts destination.” Other theatre venues on the list include the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles and Radio City Music Hall in New York. A number of Midwest locations were also identified including the Orpheum Theatre (Minneapolis, MN), the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (Saint Paul, MN), and the Orpheum Theater (Omaha, NE). All rankings are based on tickets sold worldwide as reported to Pollstar for shows played between 1/1/2013 and 9/30/13. About the Lied Center for Performing Arts The Lied Center for Performing Arts is a state-of-the-art performing arts facility. The Lied Center, opened in 1990, is Nebraska’s “Home for the Arts.” The facility offers major regional, national and international events designed to attract, entertain and inspire a statewide audience. The Lied Center and its programs are made possible through the generous 2013/2014 season support of Christina Hixson and the Lied Foundation Trust, Friends of Lied, Ameritas and Union Bank. For more information visit www.liedcenter.org/events.