McAninch summer lineup: Music tributes, movies, more
A variety of music and some classic movies will highlight the 2017 Lakeside Pavilion Free Outdoor Summer Series sponsored by the McAninch Arts Center on the Glen Ellyn campus of the College of DuPage.
The series runs from July 6 through Aug. 11 at 425 Fawell Blvd. and features a Thursday evening Family Movies Series, a Friday evening Pop Music Series and a Thursday evening Jazz Concert Series. Parking also is free.
This is the fourth year for the Lakeside Pavilion summer shows, MAC Director Diana Martinez said, and more than 35,000 people have attended since the series began. She said the series "has become a signature summer event for our community."
For the fourth straight year, the Pop Music Series will open with a concert July 14 by American English, a Chicago-based Beatles tribute band.
The series will continue with a July 21 performance by former members of the Broadway smash "Million Dollar Quartet" presenting "Presley, Perkins, Lewis & Cash" honoring legendary Sun Records recording artists Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.
The series also includes the following performances:
• July 28: The New Philharmonic, under the baton of Maestro Kirk Muspratt, performs a mix of classical, Broadway pops and movie scores.
• Aug. 4: Nikki Torres and the Rhythm Machine Band bring "A Tribute to Miami Sound Machine & Gloria Estefan" to the Pavilion stage.
• Aug. 11: The Magic of Motown wraps up the series with the harmonies and smooth moves made famous by the Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Earth, Wind & Fire and more
All Pop Music Series concerts are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. The performance of The Magic of Motown is sponsored by Follett's College of DuPage Bookstore.
The Thursday Evening Family Movie Series, meanwhile, begins July 6 with "The Wizard of Oz," starring Judy Garland. The movie series also includes "Back to the Future" on July 13 and Disney's "Zootopia" on July 20. All the films are free and begin around dusk, or 8 p.m.
Finally, WDCB 90.9-FM, located on the COD campus, returns with its Thursday Evening WDCB LIVE Jazz Concert Series.
The series opens with "An Evening with Guy King and His Little Big Band, including a tribute to Ray Charles and B.B. King, on July 27. Up next is the New Lionel Hampton Big Band with Jason Marsalis on Aug. 3 and the Orbert Davis Sextet (with special guests to be announced), and "A Centennial Salute to Dizzy Gillespie" on Aug. 10. Admission is free and all performances begin at 7:30 p.m.
All concert and movie events take place rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, concerts will be moved indoors to the Belushi Performance Hall and notice will be posted on the MAC'S website, AtTheMAC.org.