After more than a year without any major show announcements, the Performing Arts Center at Kent State University at Tuscarawas is set to raise the curtain in dramatic fashion. The Center’s 2021/2022 Season, scheduled to begin in September, will be announced during a free outdoor event on Saturday, June 12.
“This season unveiling will be like nothing we’ve ever done before,’ says David Mitchell, general manager of the Performing Arts Center. “With indoor capacity limits still in place at the moment, we’ve decided to take the party outdoors and invite the public for what will be an epic return for us.”
Plans for the event include live music, food trucks and once the sun goes down, the new season line-up will be projected on the side of the Performing Arts Center. This free event is open to everyone and will take place in the Performing Arts Center’s parking lot. “We had such great feedback from our outdoor event in September, it was an easy decision to utilize the side of the building to feature the video presentation highlighting the upcoming season,” continues Mitchell. “We’ve always brought in big names and big shows to the area and now by projecting a clip of each show on the building, the term ‘larger-than-life entertainment’ takes on a much different meaning.”
The parking lots will open at 6:00 p.m. with live music beginning at 6:30 p.m. The unveiling video presentation will begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. (or sundown). Food trucks will be available from 6-9 with a wide variety of delicious food. Participating trucks include Casey's Snack Shack, Messdad's Concession, Vegan A Go-Go and Millers Creamery.
“We have all been craving the social connection which only live music can bring, so we had to include that element in the event, and we have two phenomenal bands for everyone to enjoy,” adds Mitchell. “Hey Mavis, a NorthCoast Americana band known for their banjo-driven sound and rocking Appalachian music will kick off the live music. They will be followed by Ohio folk band Ramey who brings pop-leaning folk rock to the Midwest with joyful relevance.”
People should bring their own lawn chairs, find a comfortable spot to listen to the music, eat some food and then enjoy the video presentation. Attendees are encouraged to follow all CDC guidelines for outdoor events including maintaining social distancing between groups. For those unable to attend in person, the Performing Arts Center will also stream the season unveiling video presentation on their website (www.kent.edu/tusc/pac) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/KSUTuscPAC). In case of inclement weather, the event will move indoors and subject to capacity restrictions. Priority access will be given to Performing Arts Center members.
Performing Arts Center members will have first access to tickets to the new season beginning June 14. Anyone can become a member of the Performing Arts Center and more information can be found at www.kent.edu/tusc/pac/individual-memberships or by calling the Box Office at (330) 308-6400. Packages of six or more shows will be available to the public starting on June 24 and tickets to individual shows will be available beginning June 28.
The Performing Arts Center’s 2021-2022 Season is sponsored by the Tuscarawas County Community Foundation.
Kent State Tuscarawas is located at 330 University Dr. N.E. in New Philadelphia.