July's Upcoming Events At The Kimmel

The Buddy Holly Story will come to the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater for previews on June 24, 2017 after it has completed its run at the Bucks County Playhouse. Directed by Tony nominee Hunter Foster with choreography by Lorin Latarro, Buddy:The Buddy Holly Story will have its official opening on June 28, 2017 and run through July 9. Virtually the entire cast from the 2016 record-breaking run at the Bucks County Playhouse is scheduled to return for this production. Leading the talent is John Dewey, reprising his role as Buddy Holly. Also returning to the production are Zach Cossman as Jerry Allison; Andrew Frace as Hipockets Duncan; James David Larson as Joe B. Mauldin; Kent M. Lewis as Norman Petty; Brandi Chavonne Massey as Apollo Performer; Elizabeth Nestlerode as Vi Petty; Karack Osborn as “The Big Bopper” Gilbert Sanchez as Ritchie Valens; and Maximilian Sangerman as Tommy Allsupp. They will be joined by newcomer Natalie Ortega who will appear as Buddy’s wife, Maria Elena. The Buddy Holly Story features more than 20 of Holly’s greatest hits.  Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, visiting online at kimmelcenter.org or at the Kimmel Center Box Office.  Group sales for 10 or more can be purchased by calling 215-790-5883.

After a successful 2016 sold-out tour, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, in association with Mills Entertainment, welcomes back Bring It! Live featuring Miss D and her Dancing Dolls. The stars of Lifetime’s hit series will perform hotter-than-ever-.never-before-seen routines with audience participation. Bring It! Live will be in the Merriam for two shows Sunday July 16, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. V IP packages include an add-on photo opportunity with Miss D and the Dolls or a deluxe option, which includes premium seating, a souvenir tour program, and a photo opportunity. Add-on VIP packages can be purchased if accompanied by a valid ticket to the live performance. Tickets are on sale now. More information is available at kimmelcenter.org. 

In honor of the 10 year anniversary of “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” Tim and Eric are hitting the road this summer for a special “10 Year Anniversary Awesome Tour!” Tim and Eric will have a number of new spoofs, riffs, songs and dances. The comedy duo of Tim Heidecker  and Eric Wareheim have developed a distinct and creative style with a bizarre sense of humor. They will perform on Thursday July 20, 2017 at the Merriam Theater. Tickets may be purchased at the Kimmel Center Box Office, at kimmelcenter.org, at AXS.com or by calling 215-893-1999.

Wicked, Broadway’s biggest blockbuster will return to Philadelphia’s Academy of Music on July 25 through August 27, 2017. Tickets for the return engagement are on sale now at www.kimmelcenter.org., at the Kimmel Center Box Office or by calling 215-893-1999. Wicked looks at what happened in Oz from a different angle. It’s the story of a young woman born with green skin who is smart, talented and misunderstood. Winner of over 100 international awards, including a Grammy Award and Three Tony Awards, Wicked  has been performed in over 100 cities in 14 countries around the world.

April Events at the Kimmel

April Events at the Kimmel

Pianist Aaron Diehl, one of today’s most sought-after jazz virtuosos, will perform with his trio at the SEI Innovation Studio on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. Diehl fell in love with jazz at an early age but  was classically trained at Julliard. In 2013 Diehl’s debut album The Bespoke Man’s Narrative reached No.1 on the Jazz Week Jazz Chart. His 2014-15 career highlights include; serving as Music Director for the Jazz at Lincoln Center New Orleans Songbook concert series, performing in the New York premiere of Phillip Glass’ complete Études at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and touring the U.S. and Europe with Grammy-nominated jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant. Diehl’s latest album is Space, Time, Continuum, establishing the jazz language as a continuum uniting artists.

Cabaret will make its Philadelphia Premiere at the Kimmel Center’s Academy of Music April 4-9, 2017, as part of the 2016-17 Broadway Philadelphia season presented collaboratively by The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Shubert Organization. Jon Peterson, a veteran of Cabaret on Broadway will be starring in the role as the Emcee while Leigh Ann Larkin, known for her roles on Broadway in Gypsy and A Little Night Music will be making her Cabaret debut as Sally Bowles. Roundabout Theatre Company’s tour of Cabaret features original Broadway direction by Sam Mendes and original co-direction & choreography by Rob Marshall. Roundabout Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of Cabaret first opened on Broadway in 1998 and won four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a musical. 

Actress Carol Burnett spends An Evening of Laughter and Reflection Where the Audience Asks the Questions at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts’ Academy of Music on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Throughout the performance, Burnett will take questions from the audience and show video clips from her show. Named in 2007 by TIME magazine as one of the “100 Best Television Shows of All Time,” The Carol Burnett Show ran for 11 years and received 25 Emmy Awards, making it one of the most honored shows in television history.

The Cyrus Chestnut Trio, led by acclaimed pianist Cyrus Chestnut, comes to the SEI Innovation Studio on April 13, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. for a blues-infused jazz performance. .Anne Ewers, President and CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts states, “Cyrus Chestnut defines what it means to be a versatile musician, combining gospel, pop, blues, and transforming them into unmistakable jazz.” Chestnut enjoys mixing styles and resists being typecast in any niche.

In a one-night-only event, Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq will combine her voice with other musical talents, silent film and organ improvisation for a mesmerizing effect. Controversial silent film Nanook of the North will be projected on screen in the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts’ Verizon Hall as Tagaq provides an improvisational soundscape alongside organist Dr. Aaron David Miller, revealing the film’s original score in a new contemporary light. The performance will take place Thursday, April 13, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. The 1922 documentary Nanook of the North paved the way for the modern documentary but also drew controversy for its sometimes fictional images. Channeling ancient rituals, Tagaq’s improvised performance include haunting chants, screams, and growls into a sometimes unnerving journey to a completely new sound world.

The Kimmel Center Resident Dance Company PHILADANCO will perform its Spring program at the Perelman Theater, featuring a selection of fast-moving, breath-taking works by founder Joan Myers Brown’s favorite choreographers. The program, taking place April 13-15, 2017, will feature a combination of revivals and new works from Talley Beatty, Gene Hill Sagan, Dawn Marie Bazemore, and Christopher L. Higgins. The program will comprise revivals of two classic works by choreographer Talley Beatty set to music by Prince and Earth, Wind and Fire as well as a piece by choreographer Gene Hill Sagan set to sounds of Teddy Pendergrass. The program will also feature new works by choreographers Dawn Marie Bazemore and Christopher L. Huggins.

International music sensation Celtic Woman will appear at the Academy of Music April 14, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Featuring songs from their latest album, Voices of Angels, the newly Grammy nominated group showcases the voices of Susan KcFadden, Mairéad Carline, Eabha McMahon and new Celtic violinist Tara McNeill, accompanied by a full ensemble of musicians and dancers. Celtic Woman formed in 2004 featuring classically and traditionally trained Irish female musicians. Over the past 12 years,  they have achieved great success with nine public television specials, appearances  for three different U.S. Presidents and  over four million fans across 23 countries.

Brit Floyd brings the “World’s Greatest Pink Floyd Tribute Show” to the Academy of Music on April 15, 2017. With a spectacular new million dollar light show and state-of-the-art video design, this highly-anticipated rock event will feature fan favorites from The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, The Division Bell, and a special tribute  to the Animals album in its 40^th anniversary year. Formed in 2011 in Liverpool, Brit Floyd was the brainchild of Damian Darlington, musical director, guitarist, and singer with The Australian Pink Floyd Show. The group’s live shows emulate and recreate the sound and musical components  of Pink Floyd’s live shows.Tickets for the above shows are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (215) 893-1999, visiting www.kimmelcenter.org or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling (215)790-5883.

Broadway Philadelphia, in collaboration with the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Shubert Organization presents the national tour of Hedwig and Angry Inch which will play at the Forrest Theatre   from April 18-23, 2017. The genre-bending musical sensation tells the story of Hedwig Robinson who is out to set the record straight about her life, her loves and the botched operation that left her with that “angry inch.” Directed by Tony Award-winner Michael Mayer and winner of four 2014 Tony Awards, Hedwig and the Angry Inch played to sell-out crowds on Broadway. Individual tickets are available online at www.telecharge.com, by phone at 800-447-7400 or at the Forrest Theatre Box Office (114 Walnut Street) Group sales for groups  of 15 or  more are available at www.broadwayinbound.com or by phone at 866-302-0995. 

Upcoming Events in March at the Kimmel

The first-ever live tour of the hit Nickelodeon show Paw Patrol Live! “Race to the Rescue”, coming to the Merriam theater on March 3-5, 2017, is presented by the Kimmel Center for the Preforming Arts in association with VStar Entertainment. Based on the hit animated TV series on Nickelodeon that airs weekdays at 12:p.m., Paw Patrol Live! “Race to the Rescue" brings the pups to the stage for an action-packed, high energy, musical adventure. These favorite characters teach children to use teamwork to solve everyday problems. Children of all ages learn lessons about citizenship, social skills and problem solving as the characters use their unique skills.

World-renowned vocal trio IL Volo will have a one night only performance of Une Notte Magica- A Tribute to Three Tenors at Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. The three young Italian tenors, Piero Barone, Ignazio Boshetto and Gianluca Ginoble will provide a night of music that fuses classical and pop influences with traditional Italian, Spanish and English songs complemented by a full orchestra. The trio has won numerous awards and returns to America following their time at #1 on the Billboard Classical chart. 

Drumline Live's World Tour is bringing a brand new production to the Merriam Theater March 9-10, 2017.  Drumline Live exemplifies the soulful, high-stepping style of the Historically Black College and University HBCU marching band experience with rhythms, beats and high energy all set to classic music and top 40 hits. Drumline Live is an international tour with content based on HBCU marching band tradition, incorporating original composition and soul-infused interpretations of today’s top songs.

Shaping Sound, America’s hottest dance company will perform a new show entitled After the Curtain at the Kimmel Center’s Merriam Theater on Tuesday, March 7, 2017. Founded in 2012 by Emmy Award winning choreographer Travis Wall, the company is a collaboration of diverse artists who describe themselves as “visual musicians.” After the Curtain is the second show for this dance company. Travis Wall will be dancing in the show and will be joined in various cities by Kyle Robinson and Nick Lazzarini.

Philadelphia’s favorite Drag Queen, Martha Graham Cracker, is returning to the Kimmel Center’s SEI Innovation Studio in a brand new musical Lashed but Not Leashed. Martha Graham Cracker is Dito van Reigersberg’s alter ego and will perform March 16-18. The musical was written for and stars Martha Graham Cracker where she belts out a bevy of original and eccentric songs. Directed by Joanna Settle, the show is a collaboration between van Reigersberg and David Sweeny, Vince Federici and Eliza Hardy Jones. Dito van Reigersberg is an alumnus of the Kimmel Center’s Theater Residency Program which annually invites world-class performing artists to join their program to create new works.

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in partnership with Sun and Sky Entertainment, welcomes back 16-year old piano prodigy and philanthropist Ethan Bortnick to the Perelman Theater on Friday March 17 at 8:00 p.m. Recognized by Guinness World Record as “The World’s Youngest Solo Musician to Headline His Own Concert Tour.” Ethan raised more than $40 million for charity. Ethan’s performance will include a performance from cover artists, great classical artists, and original works.

Joey Alexander, the world’s youngest Grammy nominee makes his Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts debut at the Perelman Theater March 18-19, 2017. He will perform music from his recording debut album My Favorite Things and his upcoming album, Countdown. Fresh off his performances at the GRAMMY Awards and ABC’s CMA Country Christmas Special, Alexander will appear with his Trio for these performances, a group that has performed in major festivals and well-known venues across the United States and all over the world. His 2015 debut album My Favorite Things won two Grammy nominations for “Best Jazz Instrumental Album and “Best Improvised Solo.”

Tony® and Emmy Award®-winning comedian, actor, producer, writer and director, Billy Crystal, has added two shows to his Spend the Night with Billy Crystal Tour. It will be in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center on March 20 and 21. A stand-up comic turned television star, Crystal hosted the Academy Awards nine times, starred in movies, such as “When Harry Met Sally”, and has written best-selling books.

The 2016-17 Broadway Philadelphia Season, presented in collaboration between the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and The Shubert Organization continues with the national tour of the Lincoln Center Theater Production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s The King & I, which will play at the Academy of Music March 22-April 2, 2017. The King and I won four 2015 Tony Awards® including Best Revival of a Musical. The creative team has many awards to their credit as well.

tenThing, the internationally acclaimed Norwegian brass ensemble, makes its Kimmel Center debut in a program that combines original works for brass with pieces that feature Verizon Hall’s Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ. The program, which takes place on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at 8:00 p.m., will feature the 10 member all-female group alongside organist Jeffrey Brillhart, to perform non-traditional and original works. Formed in 2007 by Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth, tenThing is rapidly establishing itself on the international music scene.

Broadway Up Close

Perelman Theater

KIMMEL CENTER ANNOUNCES NEW SEASON

OF BROADWAY UP CLOSE SERIES

HOSTED BY SETH RUDETSKY

   AT THE PERELMAN THEATER

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts announces the 2016-17 line-up for Broadway Up Close, hosted by Sirius XM Radio Star Seth Rudetsky.  This season will consist of four performances featuring celebrated actors from stage and screen, including Tony Award winners Chita Rivera and Alice Ripley; Tony, Emmy & Golden Globe nominated star of Glee, Matthew Morrison, and Grammy, Tony & Emmy nominated star Vanessa Williams.  Broadway Up Close is presented in association with Mark Cortale Productions. Matthew Morrison has performed in several award winning shows on Broadway and in the Golden Globe Best Television Series Glee. He will perform at the Perelman Theater on December 17, 2016. Vanessa Williams has performed in numerous shows on Broadway and has sold over 25 million records worldwide. On television she starred as Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty. She will be starring in a new series, Satan Sisters on VH1. Her performance will be held in the Perelman Theater on January 21, 2017. Alice Ripley received the Tony and Helen Hayes Award for Best Actress in Next to Normal. She has appeared in numerous other Broadway shows and in national touring companies. She has been featured on television shows and has written and produced several record albums.  Alice will perform on May 6, 2017 in the Perelman Theater. Chita Rivera is a two-time Tony award winner for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. She originated the Broadway roles of Anita in West Side Story, Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie, and Velma in Chicago and appeared in the original casts of many others. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama on August 12, 2009. She received the Kennedy Center Honor in Washington D.C.  in December of 2002, the first Hispanic chosen to receive this award. She will perform at the Merriam Theater on June 3, 2017. Tickets go on sale for email list subscribers on November 15 and to the general public on November 18, Tickets can be purchased by calling (215) 893-1999, visiting online at kimmelcenter.org or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and may be purchased by calling (215) 790-5883.  

More December Events at the Kimmel

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE KIMMEL CENTER

FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Philadelphia’s jazz orchestra returns to the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday December 3 at 8:00 p.m. for a musical tribute to American saxophonist John Coltrane in his 90^th birthday year. The Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia (JOP) led by world-renowned trumpeter Terell Stafford, will perform Trane-ing Day- a program that celebrates the jazz icon and highlights his ties to Philadelphia. The program will also feature The Harlem Nutcracker by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. 

The New York City based string quartet, Well Strung, will present their holiday show, A Well-Strung Christmas in the Perelman Theater of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, December 8, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. The string quartet will fuse pop and classical music in their show.  The quartet is comprised of Edmund Bagnell (1st violin), Chris Marchant, (2^nd violin) Daniel Shevlin (cello) and Trevor Wadleigh (viola) blending their vocals and strings. In addition to performing live and creating entertaining music videos, the quartet performs for school classes and answers questions from the students.

For the 4^th year, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is presenting what has become a beloved tradition, A Soulful Christmas. This year's performance, taking place on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in Verizon Hall, will honor Grammy Award winning gospel artist Richard Smallwood. This joyous event brings together more than 300 voices from local choirs to perform holiday spirituals and gospel favorites, complemented by messages of hope for the season delivered by local church leaders. A Soulful Christmas will feature the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale led by Artistic and Music Director J. Donald Dumpson alongside hundreds of singers from the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale Youth Choir and seven other choirs. Special guests will include Brian Lenair, saxophone, Marvin Mills, organ, Patty Jackson, WDAS-FM radio announcer and Fred Blain WNAP-AM radio announcer. 

Tickets for above shows are available now and can be purchased by calling (215) 893-1999, visiting online at www.kimmelcenter.org  or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales for 10 or more can be purchased at (215)790-5883.

The 2016-17 Broadway Philadelphia Season, presented collaboratively by the Kimmel Center and the Shubert Organization, presents the smash-hit musical Mamma Mia! based on the hit songs of ABBA. Mamma Mia! Is produced by Work Light Productions. The show will return to Philadelphia for a limited holiday engagement December 27-31 at the Merriam Theater as part of its farewell tour.  Allentown native Lizzie Markson will appear in one of the lead roles, “Sophie” in the national touring production coming to Philadelphia. Mamma Mia! is the eighth longest running show in Broadway history and one of only five musicals to have run for more than ten years on Broadway. The special edition cast recording is available on Decca Broadway.

Tickets are available now and can be purchased by calling (215) 893-3333, visiting www.kimmelcenter.org, or the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales for 10 or more are available by calling 215-790-5883

November Events at the Kimmel

END OF NOVEMBER EVENTS

AT THE KIMMEL

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, the most honored new musical of 2015 and winner of four Tony Awards® will make its premiere at the Academy of Music for a one-week engagement November 22-27, 2016. The show, for which the Kimmel Center is a producer, is part of Five Cent Productions and Elephant Eye Productions and will open the 2016-17 Broadway Philadelphia season. Inspired by the Academy award winning film, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS is the romantic story about an American soldier, a spirited city and a mysterious French girl, each yearning for a new beginning in the aftermath of war. The show features music and lyric by George and Ira Gershwin. It has won several Tony, Drama Desk, and Drama League Awards and many others, too numerous to mention.

PBS Kids’ Odd Squad, winner of four Daytime Emmy® Awards, has a new interactive adventure on the stage with Odd Squad Live!  During all three performances, Friday November 25, and Saturday Nov 26, all Odd Squad agents will be able to help solve a strange case at the Merriam Theater.  Geared toward 4-8 year olds, Odd Squad Live! Incorporates lessons in math and problem solving, all paired with music and audience involvement.  Odd Squad is about a spy organization run by kids who investigate anything strange, weird or odd.  These performances are presented in association with Mills Entertainment as part of the Kimmel Center’s Family Discovery Series.

NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON will go on a scientific journey through our favorite films in An Astrophysicist Goes to the Movies.  From Star Wars to Frozen, he will provide an entertaining review of the science in our favorite movies - what the film makers got right and what they got wrong.  He frequently give talks across the country whenever a science issue makes the news and has a knack for taking complex issues and making them relatable to his audience. He is known not only for his speaking skills but also for his sense of humor. He will appear at the Academy of Music on November 30, 2016 at 7:30 pm.

Upcoming Events at the Kimmel

MID- NOVEMBER EVENTS

AT THE KIMMEL

Smokey Robinson, “The King of Motown” will be playing hits from the 1060’s and ‘70’s on Friday, November 18, 2016 at 8:00 p.p. at the Academy of Music.  Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Robinson founded The Miracles while still in high school.  Following multiple #1 hits, he continued to write for them and other Motown recording artists. He has received numerous awards, including the Grammy Living Legend Award, NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award, and The National Medal of Arts Awards from the President of the United States.  He has also been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.

The collaboration of  two of Philadelphia’s greatest dance companies, Rennie Harrie Peremovement and Kimmel Center’s PHILADANCO will perform in a program that blurs the lines between modern dance and hip-hop entitled “Straight Outta Philly.”  The program will include a story about Philadelphia featuring new choreographer Rennie Harries.  It will run at the Perelman Theater on Friday November 18 through Sunday November 20.  PHILADANCO is celebrated for its innovation, creativity and preservation of predominantly African American traditions in dance.  Rennie Harris Puremovement dance company works to encompass rich and diverse African-American traditions of the past while including the voices of a new generation.

November Events at the Kimmel

EARLY NOVEMBER EVENTS

AT THE KIMMEL

Two artists from the Blue Note Record label, pianist Chucho Valdes and saxophonist Joe Lovano will come together for a first time collaboration at the Merriam Theater on November 4 at 8:00 pm. Demonstrating the leading edge of jazz, they will be joined by a bassist, drummer and percussionist as part of the Kimmel Center’s jazz series.   Chucho Valdez has been a key figure in the evolution of Afro-Cuban jazz for the past 50 years. He has won numerous Grammy® and Latin Grammy awards. Throughout his career he has released many albums. Joe Lovano is also a Grammy® Award winner. He played his first Carnegie Hall gig in 12974, toured with many major jazz musicians, and then signed with Blue Note records in 1991.  Since then he has produced nearly 25 recordings as a leader, becoming one of the great jazz artists of our time.

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts will collaborate with the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia (MCC) for British Organ Invasion at Verizon Hall on November 5, at 3:00 pm. The presentation will feature a program of works by British composers performed by the Mendelssohn Club. The Keystone State Boychoir will also share the stage for selected works. As one of the country’s longest-standing choruses, Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia strives to develop choral music as an art form through taking artistic risks that stretches and challenges their singers and audiences.

Lewis Black brings his infamous yell and sarcastic wit to the Academy of Music in The Emperor’s New Clothes: The Naked Truth Tour on November 5, 2016 at 8:00 pm. Known for his bitter rants and angry finger pointing, Lewis Black will present his candid humor combined with his self-proclaimed “pissed-off optimism in this show which is presented in association with Live Nation. “Best known for his intense release of anger during live performances, Lewis Black has had comedy specials on HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime and EPIX. He has also won multiple Grammy awards for his comedy albums and has published threeThe Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts will collaborate with the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia (MCC) for British Organ Invasion at Verizon Hall on November 5, at 3:00 pm. The presentation will feature a program of works by British composers performed by the Mendelssohn Club. The Keystone State Boychoir will also share the stage for selected works. As one of the country’s longest-standing choruses, Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia strives to develop choral music as an art form through taking artistic risks that stretches and challenges their singers and audiences.

September At the Kimmel

Bill Maher

Comedic Genius and political Commentator Bill Maher returns to the Academy of Music on September 9, 2016. The performance of this Emmy Award comedian is presented by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in association with Larry Magid Entertainment. Maher started his career as a stand-up comedian in 1979 and still performs more than 50 dates a year in Las Vegas and sold out performances across the country using politics as his mainstay; three of his ten stand-up specials for HBO have been nominated for Emmy Awards. His stints on “Politically Incorrect“ (Comedy Central and ABC 1993-2002) and the last thirteen years on HBO’s “Real Time” have earned him a total of 24 Emmy nominations. In addition to his television programming, Maher is also a five time best-selling author. 

Amos Lee

Philadelphia native Amos Lee returns home to perform songs from his new Album, SPIRIT, September 11, 2016. Formerly a Philadelphia school teacher and bartender, singer-songwriter Amos Lee returns to his hometown on September 11, at 8:00 p.m. to perform at the Academy of Music to celebrate his forthcoming sixth full length album scheduled for release on August 19, 2016.  Spirit is the first album in which Lee has acted as his own producer. The performance is presented in association with Live Nation. “In the studio, Amos Lee has an unparalleled ability to flawlessly blend together country to blues, folk to gospel, soul to rock,” said Anne Ewers, President and CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Lee has toured with Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and collaborated with Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams Alison Krauss, Calexico and Zac Brown Band.

Jazz 100

2017 marks the Centennial Celebration of four visionary icons of jazz: Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Mango Santamaria and Thelonious Monk. Jazz 100 showcases the individual artistry of each artist as well as the unifying threads between them which helped shape the evolution of jazz. The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts will celebrate 100 years of this musical genre on Friday September 30, 2016   with Jazz 100 at the Merriam Theater. Jazz 100 brings together a world-class ensemble of virtuosos, bandleaders and composers including Chris Potter (saxophone, woodwinds), Avishai Cohen (trumpet) Wycliffe Gordon (trombone, vocals- North America), Lizz Wright (vocals- North America), Robin McKelle (vocals – Europe), Roman Diaz (percussion, vocals), Ben Street (bass), and Adam Cruz (drums).  Jazz 100 is part of the Kimmel Center’s Jazz Series, which includes 10 performances and allows patrons to pick 4 or 5 show packages of the shows they want to see while saving 15%-20%. The jazz package also grants ticket buyers access to the best seats.

Tickets for all three shows are available now and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1993, visiting online at kimmelcenter.org or at the Kimmel Center Box office.  Group Sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling 215-790-5883. More information is available at kimmelcenter.org.