Art on the Prairie

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Art on the Prairie returns with more gusto and elegance with its own stage on Manning Street named Manning Street Performing Arts Stage for 2010! The Performing Arts stage will host on Friday, August 6 starting at 1:30pm DancEncounter Studio Company Dancers with an up beat, tapping step in their soles as they entertain you. The Company Dancers compete and perform throughout the local Chicagoland area. DancEncounter is under the direction of Tracy Adams.

At 2:30pm Great Works Theatre will bring the stage alive with The BFG (The BIG FRIENDLY GIANT) live theatre Show special for the children! When orphan Sophie is snatched from her bed by a Giant, she fears that he’s going to eat her. But although he carries her far away to Giant Country, the Giant has no intention of harming her. He is THE BIG FRIENDLY GIANT. Adapted from Roald Dahl's modern classic, this is great entertainment for kids in grades K-5.

The Manning Street Performing Arts Stage wraps up the day’s event with Jim Guter’s Brass Band performing the big band sounds! Jim Guter's Big Band is one of the Chicago area's most exciting jazz ensembles. Jim's musicians have quickly developed a great reputation. Whether performing straight-ahead jazz, big band classics, Latin favorites, or swing dance charts, the band is a great entertainment to round out the evening for Art on the Prairie!

Saturday, August 7 at 11am the Warrenville Park District Performing Arts Dancers open the Manning Street Performing Arts stage with loads of energy, smiles and feet stepping to the grove! The dancers range in age from 3-13 years old.

Midwest Soaring Foundation takes the stage to a new level of tribal heritage dance at 11:45am. The Midwest Soaring foundation will perform Tribal Ritual dances with a tribal flute player to add to the festivities of their performance.

Dona and Dan Benkert of Acorn Folklore Center take the stage at 1:15pm entertaining the audience with instruments including Hammered Dulcimer, Appalachian Dulcimer, Autoharp, Bowed Psaltery Mountain Dulcimer, and Bowed Psaltery throughout the afternoon. Dona, an instructor at the Old Town School for over 20 years, is well known throughout the Midwest as an accomplished musician and instructor who enjoys working will all ages and skill levels. She has the ability to draw any audience into the music, and incorporates the history and tradition of the instrument into her teaching. Her musical styles include contemporary, British Isles, New England Country dance music, Appalachian fiddle tunes, ragtime and the music of Irish harpist Turlough O'Carolan.

Ashley Lewis brings the Manning Street Performing Arts Stage to close on August 7th at 2:45pm; enthralling audiences with her fiery, driving mandolin, fiddle and impassioned vocals. Ashley Lewis of Ashton Gap gives an energetic and riveting performance with an innovative approach to all facets of bluegrass music, while providing fresh definition to the traditional tunes. The combined effects of pure vocals, smooth harmonies and acoustic instruments, consisting of mandolin, fiddle, guitar, upright bass, and banjo, blend to create that inspiring bluegrass sound. Lewis and Ashton Gap Blue Grass Band have the special honor of performing this October at the International Bluegrass Music Association in Nashville.

Recognized by the Illinois Arts Council as an accomplished musician who is preserving the heritage and art of bluegrass mandolin, Ashley’s music is commented upon by Female Vocalist of the Year, Dale Ann Bradley, “I sat there with a smile on my face the whole time. You are a natural! You have the beauty in your heart and it comes through in your music.”

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