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Arts & Entertainment

KidsMatter Ignite the Nite Celebration of the Performing Arts

KidsMatter “Ignite the Nite” Benefit Features Musicians, Singers, Dancers and  

More than a Little Magic from 62 Area High Schoolers + Idol Glocksen

 

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The talent of Naperville’s high school performers will be a great complement to Naperville Idol Gina Glocksen’s performance when Kids Matter presents the upcoming benefit concert Ignite the Nite, presented in cooperation with Naperville’s School of Performing Arts.  The concert on April 19th at Wentz Hall will feature singers, dancers, instrumentalists and even a magician representing Metea Valley, Naperville Central, Naperville North, Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley High Schools and Benet Academy.  The benefit honors KidsMatter founders Mary Ann Bobosky and Marianne Boyajian.   WGN-TV weatherman and  Waubonsie Valley graduate  Paul Konrad serves as host.

 

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“We’ve been really fortunate to get some great talent across the community,” says director Elic Bramlett. “We have a great mix of dance, musical theatre, instrumental music, vocal music, classical and jazz, singer/songwriters and magic.  We are still finalizing casting with more talented teens, but I think folks are in for a great show for a great cause.  The kids get to perform in an acoustically nearly-perfect  hall  with a national talent, and Gina’s pieces will add the perfect tone to this celebration of youth for KidsMatter.”

 

The Naperville Central Orchesis ensemble will put 27 dancers on the stage in “Starting Something,” and Neuqua Valley students Anna Dvorchak and Hanna Elmgren will offer the duet “In His Eyes” from the school’s upcoming musical “Jekyll & Hyde”.  Metea Valley ‘s nine-voice women’s a capella group The Muses will present “Forget You”  while the five- piece instrumental jazz  Van Dril Quintet from Naperville North offers their take on “Nigerian Marketplace”.  Will Chorski presents a violin solo,   Alexis Hill offers a tap solo to “Mercy,” while Nick Martinez presents a freestyle dance to “Robocop.”

 

Waubonsie Valley’s 14-voice a capella Mosaic Ensemble will offer international flair, while the school’s vocal soloist Josh Blue will present the operatic  “Una Furtiva Lagrima”.  Singer/songwriters Claudia Dockery and Alec Kapisac will each offer original works.  The program will include additional musical theatre offerings from Hannah Lorimer,  Miggie Snyder and Emma Wichart.  A  Contemporary Dance solo “Conflicted” will be danced by Danielle Fattore,  while the School of Performing Arts Dance Ensemble will take the stage with “Rumor Has It.”  Mary Downes accompanies herself on piano,  singing “So Small.” Magician Blake Grigsby promises to surprise the audience with a Vegas-style magic show.

 

Tickets for “Ignite the Nite” are available from the North Central College Box Office at 630-637-SHOW. Tickets are $15 for students, $35 for general admission and $65 for VIP seating and benefit cocktail reception prior.

Research shows that every day, kids battle the stress of academic, social and economic competition.  Left unmanaged, these stressors can undermine healthy personal development and lead to chronic anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol use and thoughts of suicide.  KidsMatter equips youth and families with tools to manage the stress of everyday life through dynamic school and community programs, practical education, resources and youth recognition. 

 Funds raised from” Ignite The Nite” will benefit KidsMatter’s character-building events and community outreach programs that arm youth with the tools they need to battle the debilitating stressors of everyday life  and  link youth and families with a wide variety of volunteer opportunities.  

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