Tag: Brooks Center for the Performing Arts

Omnium Circus presents I’mPossible

Thursday, September 17, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets from $25

Omnium: A Bold New Circus is a world-renowned, welcoming and spectacular non-profit Circus company. We assure everyone can participate together in joy, laughter, thrills, chills and connection through representation, comprehensive access and shared wonder. By spotlighting and supporting disability in the arts, we showcase the extraordinary feats that highlight the astounding potential of the human spirit.

American Patchwork Quartet

Thursday, September 24, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets from $25

American Patchwork Quartet (APQ)—founded by multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning guitarist and vocalist Clay Ross and shaped in collaboration with an ensemble of internationally celebrated musicians—binds timeless American folk songs with jazz sophistication, country twang, West African hypnotics, and East Asian ornamentation. Their debut album was recently nominated for “Best Folk Album” at the 67th GRAMMY® Awards.

Inlet Dance Theatre presents What Would You Do With a Problem?

Family Series

Sunday, September 27, at 4 p.m.

$25 Adults, $15 Children

A dance theatre adaptation of the #1 New York Times bestseller, What Do You Do With a Problem?—a powerful story for all ages about a child facing a persistent problem. At first, the problem feels overwhelming, growing larger the more it’s ignored. But when the child bravely confronts it, the problem reveals unexpected possibilities. This moving production invites audiences to see challenges in a new light—reminding us that within every problem may lie a hidden opportunity…and a chance to discover something meaningful about ourselves.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

American Soundscapes

Utsey Chamber Music Series

Tuesday, October 6, at 7:30 p.m.

FREE, ticket required

Celebrating the rich voices of American composers, 13 musicians in the CMS explore a range of musical expressions that define the nation’s cultural landscape. William Bolcom’s lively Rag infuses playful energy into the string quartet, while Amy Beach’s Piano Quintet, a cornerstone of American chamber music, blends lyrical vibrancy with innovative harmonies. Bernard Herrmann’s Psycho Suite, performed in its original instrumentation for strings, brings the suspense of his iconic film score into the concert hall with gripping intensity and dark beauty. The concert concludes with Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite, a quintessentially American work that captures the hope and optimism of life on the frontier.

The Music Man

Tuesday, October 13, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets from $45

Meredith Willson’s timeless, six-time Tony Award®-winning musical comedy, The Music Man, follows a notorious, fast-talking traveling salesman as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band that he vows to organize – despite the fact that he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian Paroo, the local librarian. A true musical theater gem, the story’s relevance transcends generations with unforgettable songs including “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “Trouble,” ‘Till There Was You,” “Pickalittle,” and “Gary, Indiana.”

Charlotte Ballet

Whispers, Echoes, Voices

Thursday, October 29, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets from $25

Charlotte Ballet presents a mixed repertory, contemporary program featuring choreographers Jiří Kylián, Crystal Pite, and Mthuthuzeli November. Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort wields fencing foils and fabric in a euphoric exploration of tension and release, reflecting the delicate balance between vulnerability and strength while capturing the essence of life’s nature to the melody of Mozart. Crystal Pite’s Solo Echo sweeps through like a winter wind, its poetry etched in motion, resilience, and the echo of remembrance — a profound narrative of connection and emotional endurance. Resident Choreographer Mthuthuzeli November’s As I Am breathes life into ancestral voices, honoring the past, embracing the strength of the future, and the quiet freedom of truly arriving as oneself.

Tickets available at clemson.edu/brooks. Clemson University staff members receive 10% off tickets on all Boni Belle and Family Series shows.

Collage Dance Collective

Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

Brooks Theatre

FREE, ticket required

Working to inspire the growth and diversity of ballet, Collage Dance Collective showcases a repertoire of relevant choreography and world-class dancers representative of the communities they serve. The professional company has presented thirteen full-length seasons in Memphis, plus national and international touring, presenting a diverse range of classical and contemporary choreography. Collage Dance Collective will perform Their Eyes Were Watching God, a neoclassical ballet based on the book by Zora Neale Hurston, and Rise, set to the iconic “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968.

This performance is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support comes from the City of Clemson, Clemson Area African American Museum, Clemson University Global Black Studies, Clemson University Harvey and Lucinda Gantt Multicultural Center of the Division of Community, Engagement, Belonging, and Access, Clemson University Libraries, College of Arts and Humanities, Clemson University Humanities Hub, and the Office of the Provost.

Clemson University Orchestras: Silent Film Concert

Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Walhalla High School Auditorium

$5 Adults/Students FREE

Get ready for a cinematic experience like no other at the 2nd Annual Silent Film Concert presented by Clemson University Orchestras. A side-by-side concert experience with local high school musicians.

Into the Woods, presented by the Clemson Players

Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. and

Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Brooks Theatre

$15 Adults, $10 Students

Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by James Lapine
Directed by Kerrie Seymour
Musical Direction by Luke Browder
Conducted by Kim Souther

Fairy tales and real life collide in Sondheim and Lapine’s Into The Woods. Full of the late Stephen Sondheim’s signature sounds – both beautiful and incongruous – Into The Woods explores and explodes the idea of “happily ever after.”

Jazz at Lincoln Center present New Orleans Songbook: The Spirit of Mardi Gras

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

Brooks Theatre

$45 Adults, $20 Students

Revel in the soul of New Orleans and the spirit of Mardi Gras with the latest JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER PRESENTS concert touring the nation in 2025 celebrating the New Orleans Songbook. Led by acclaimed pianist Luther S. Allison, featuring the soulful vocals of Quiana Lynell and Milton Suggs and backed by an equally brilliant band, this concert celebrates the legendary composers and timeless songs that define the Crescent City – best known as the historic epicenter of jazz. From the pioneering sounds of Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong to the distinctive stylings of Ellis Marsalis and James Black, this celebratory evening of amazing is not to be missed by fans of jazz, New Orleans and great music.

Clemson and NFL football legend Levon Kirkland will speak about his new book, “Run Bonnie Run!” at the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, October 22, at 7 p.m.

Kirkland’s book is the true story of a young boy, Bonnie, who dreamed of playing football in the NFL, despite never playing on an organized team. The story is based on Kirkland’s on life and is intended to inspire children to chase their dreams and overcome challenges, regardless of their background or circumstances.

“We are excited to host one of Clemson’s all-time football greats as he shares his story in this new book,” said Clemson Libraries Dean Chris Cox. “We hope that his talk will be an inspiration for readers of all ages to follow their dreams and pursue their passions.”

Hosted by Clemson Libraries and the Brooks Center, the event is free and open to the public. Click here to register to attend.

A native of Lamar, South Carolina, Kirkland played linebacker for Clemson, earning consensus All-American honors in 1991. He is a member of the Clemson Ring of Honor and Clemson’s Hall of Fame, as well as the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame. Selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 1992 NFL draft, he played nine seasons with the Steelers and later played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a two-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection and named to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team.

After his playing career, Kirkland was a linebackers coach for the Florida A&M Rattlers. He returned to Clemson in 2023 and serves as Director of Sophomore Transition and Player Development for the football team. He earned his bachelor’s in sociology in 2004 from Clemson and a master’s in psychology in 2023 from Grand Canyon University.

CU Jazz Ensemble

Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
$5 Adults/FREE Students
Brooks Theatre

Make plans to join the Clemson University Jazz Ensemble, The Jungaleers, for an exciting evening of jazz..

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CU Men’s and Women’s Choirs

Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
$10 Adults/$5 Students
Brooks Theatre

The Men’s and Women’s choirs will perform an evening of inspiring choral music, featuring a collaboration with special guests from the Choral Arts Exchange program!

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The Dancing Double Bass
Michael Geib, Alumni Recital, solo bass

Friday, April 12, 2024 at 5 p.m.
FREE
Samuel J. Cadden Chapel

Double Bassists are constantly searching for music to perform, as there is not an abundance of solo music written specifically for the instrument. Domenico Dragonetti’s 12 Waltzes are likely the first known works written for the unaccompanied modern double bass, yet they are not considered a standard part of the pedagogical repertoire. Geib hopes that these works will enable double bassists of all levels to add this wonderful, idiomatic music to their performance catalog. This concert features these brilliant waltzes, as well as other short vignettes written during the 18th and 19th Centuries.

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The Taming by Lauren Gunderson

April 15-20, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
April 21, 2024 at 3 p.m.
$15 Adults, $10 Students
Bellamy Theatre

Tweetering, pandashrews and undying giddiness for James Madison – what else could you expect to find at a Miss America pageant? In this hilarious, raucous, all-female “power-play” inspired by Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, contestant Katherine has political aspirations to match her beauty pageant ambitions. All she needs to revolutionize the American government is the help of one ultra-conservative senator’s aide on the cusp of a career breakthrough, and one bleeding-heart liberal blogger who will do anything for her cause. Well, that and a semi-historically-accurate ether trip. Here’s lookin’ at you, America.

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CU Symphony and String Orchestra

Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
$10 Adults, $5 Students
Brooks Theatre

Enjoy an exciting performance by the Clemson Symphony and String Orchestra as they celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Brooks Center.

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CU Percussion Ensemble and CU Steel Band

Tuesday, April 19, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
$10 Adults, $5 Students
Brooks Theatre

The CU Percussion Ensemble features contemporary drumming and percussion from around the world.

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CU Symphonic Band and CU Contract Band

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
$5 Adults, FREE Students
Brooks Theatre

Enjoy selections performed by the CU Symphonic Band and CU Concert Band led by conductors Mark Spede and Timothy Hurlburt.

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CU Singers and Cantorei

Tuesday, April 25, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
$10 Adults, $5 Students
Brooks Theatre

CU Singers and Cantorei will perform an evening of inspiring music ranging from classics to contemporary choral music. This performance will include a World Premiere of a new choral work by Emmy Award-winning composer Jake Runestad featuring Clemson Cantorei and our collaborative pianist, Grace Berardo.

Geneva Lewis, violin

Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
Free, no ticket required

Geneva Lewis may only be 24, but the New Zealand-born, U.S.-domiciled violinist is clearly one to watch. The recipient of a 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant and Grand Prize winner at the 2020 Concert Artists Guild Competition, Ms. Lewis won Kronbergh Academy’s Prince of Hesse Prize, was a finalist at the 2018 Naumberg Competition, and was named New Artist of the Month by Musical America in June of 2021. Currently in the Artist Diploma program at New England Conservatory, Ms. Lewis studies with Miriam Fried.

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Chloé Arnold Syncopated Ladies LIVE!

Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
$35 Adults/$20 Students

Syncopated Ladies is a female tap dance band from Los Angeles, CA, founded by Emmy Award-nominated, tap dancer and choreographer, Chloé Arnold, protege of Debbie Allen. Known for their viral video content, which has amassed over 100 million views, the Syncopated Ladies were recognized by Beyoncé after catching her attention with their tap choreography to her hit “Formation.” Beyoncé not only shared their work, saying “they killed it,” she transformed the homepage of Beyoncé.com to feature the Syncopated Ladies and invited them to perform live internationally. The ensemble has also performed on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance, Good Morning America and at the US OPEN. Experience the fierce footwork of Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies: LIVE!

Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y Jazz Band

Friday, February 9, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
$35 Adults/$20 Students

Performer, producer and educator Ulysses Owens Jr. goes to the limit in the jazz world and beyond; claiming eight successful albums of his own. Owens has also gained special attention for his performances on GRAMMY Award-winning albums by Kurt Elling and The Christian McBride Big Band. In addition to five Grammy-nominated albums with Joey Alexander, Christian McBride Trio, John Beasley’s Monk’estra, and Gregory Porter. Both JAZZIZ and Rolling Stone Magazines picked his album “Songs of Freedom,” as a Top Ten Album for 2019 and in 2021 his most recent Big Band release, “Soul Conversations,” was voted the top album in May 2021 by JAZZIZ Magazine. Owens will perform as part of his quintet, Generation Y.

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Josh Blue: The Freak Accident Tour

Thursday, February 15, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
$10 Adults/FREE Students

The event is presented in partnership between the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts and the Clemson University Accessibility Commission. 

After his groundbreaking win on Last Comic Standing in 2006, Josh Blue has risen through the ranks to become a well-established headliner at venues throughout the world. In 2018, Josh crushed his set on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In the same year, he was honored with a performance at the William H. Macy Gala at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Canada. He wrapped up 2018 by recording his fifth hour special, Broccoli, at his home club, Comedy Works in Denver, CO. In 2021, following his 3rd place finish on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Josh Blue hit the road with his As NOT Seen on TV Tour. Josh does over 200 shows a year, continuing to spread laughter and break down stereotypes of people with disabilities. His stand-up routine is in a constant state of evolution and his off-the-cuff improvisational skills guarantee that no two shows are alike.

CONTENT WARNING: This program may be offensive to some audience members and may include profanity, adult content, and sensitive topics.

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Vienna Boys Choir

Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 4 p.m.
$50 Adults/$20 Students

The illustrious group of child musicians has been delighting music lovers across the globe for six centuries with their purity of tone, distinctive charm and diverse repertoire which includes everything from medieval to contemporary to experimental music. These gifted musicians with voices of unforgettable beauty are part of four touring choirs that hail from dozens of nations and together give over 300 concerts a year around the world. The Fort Worth Star Telegram raves “There’s no more gratifying sound than that of children singing. And there’s no more polished ensemble of children’s voices than the Vienna Boys Choir.”

“Besides the eclectic programming, let’s not forget the sheer wonder of young voices thoroughly trained and ensembles carefully crafted, and all of it performed from memory. It seemed as though nothing could set Carnegie’s vast space ringing like a high, finely-tuned major triad sung in vibratoless straight tone.” – New York Classical Review