Auditorium Theatre 2019-2020 Big Cats

2 | AUDITORIUM THEATRE 2019-20 | January 18 - March 8, 2020 Welcome to 2020 at the Auditorium Theatre ! We are thrilled to have you with us as we continue our 2019-20 Season. We ended 2019 on a very high note. The Auditorium celebrated its 130 th birthday on December 9, 2019, with an Open House event that brought people from all across the world to our National Historic Landmark. There was really no better way to celebrate 130 years of being the “Theatre for the People” than by opening our doors and letting visitors experience the beauty of this magnificent building. December 9, 2019 was also officially designated as “Auditorium Theatre Day” by the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago, in recognition of the theatre’s legacy and impact on the cultural fabric of Chicago, the state, the country, and the world. We also witnessed some of Chicago’s best dance with Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater and Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre (recently named one of the top 10 dance performances of 2019 by the Chicago Tribune); saluted Stephen Sondheim with a cast of talented singers from all different genres of music; celebrated Halloween with Disney in Concert’s The Nightmare Before Christmas with the Chicago Philharmonic ; traveled to the Grand Canyon with National Geographic explorers; and watched Jordan Peele’s masterpiece Get Out as score composer Michael Abels conducted the Chicago Sinfonietta live to film. The new year kicks off on January 18 and 19 with Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah , which has become an annual Chicago tradition that we are honored to host for a historic 15 th year. Too Hot brings us together to experience the impact of the performing arts and to uplift Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of creating a “beloved community” — a peaceful world without violence, hunger, poverty, and bigotry. We continue our National Geographic Live series on January 26 with On the Trail of Big Cats , featuring Steve Winter , a wildlife photographer who has traveled all around the world seeking these elusive animals. Winter has been a National Geographic photographer since 1991, and we can’t wait to hear stories from his adventures over the years and learn more about what is being done to protect these creatures. We get an extra day in 2020 and we’re going to make great use of it here at the Auditorium Theatre! On February 29 (Leap Day), Trinity Irish Dance Company (TIDC) returns following its triumphant 2019 performance. The company brings beloved works like Soles and brand-new pieces, including the Auditorium Theatre-commissioned American Traffic to our stage for two performances. In March, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater makes its annual visit to Chicago for six performances at the Auditorium, the company’s Chicago home. In addition to Ailey classics, the company brings newer works like Donald Byrd’s Greenwood and Jamar Odom’s Ode to Chicago for the first time. As 2020 gets underway with all of these fantastic shows, there’s still time to join us as a Subscriber to receive an exclusive discount and special benefits — we have even more great events from March to June, including National Geographic Live , American Ballet Theatre, Giordano Dance Chicago, and the Bolshoi Ballet, dancing Swan Lake . For more information on our Subscription options, please see page 17 of this program or visit AuditoriumTheatre.org. Now that the theatre has officially turned 130, we are more excited than ever to think about the future of this landmark. We hope you take a moment to explore the building – whether it’s your first time at the theatre or your 130 th — and join us again as we look towards the next 130 years. Enjoy the performance! Sincerely, Rich Regan Chief Executive Officer Rich Regan and Ann Nash Ann Nash Chair, Auditorium Theatre Board of Directors