WITNESS UGANDA, MOMIX, Neil Gaiman and More Set for Park City Institute's 2014-2015 Season

Entertaining, educating and illuminating. Park City Institute (formerly known as Park City Performing Arts Foundation) presents a dynamic season of eclectic, electrifying, awe-inspiring and internationally acclaimed dancers, musicians, family entertainers, speakers, actors and performance troupes.

The 18th -- "and most ambitious season yet," according to PCI executive director Teri Orr -- fills The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center for the Performing Arts from November through April.

Tickets and season punch cards go on sale Sept. 22 (early bird ticket purchase is available to PCI members Sept. 8). Tickets are available by calling 435-655-3114 or online at EcclesCenter.org.

"We are proud and grateful to our community of supporters to allow us to present such a diverse collection of extraordinary artists and thinkers this season," says Orr. "The beauty of live performance is that it brings us together and yet it impacts each of us in an individual way - engaging, inspiring or simply suspending reality for a couple of hours."

SEASON LINE-UP:

Witness Uganda - November 1, 2014

Disney's Choo Choo Soul "with Genevieve!" - December 6, 2014

Parsons Dance Company - December 20, 2014

Cirque Mechanics Pedal Punk - December 30, 2014

Jane Lynch - New Year's Eve

Keb' Mo' - January 3, 2015

Green River Ordinance - January 10, 2015

Aoife O'Donovan - January 17, 2015

MOMIX "Dreamcatcher" - February 7, 2015

Marcia Ball and Elvin Bishop - February 14, 2015

Lucia Micarelli - February 21, 2015

Sam Bush - February 28, 2015

L.A. Theatre Works "In the Heat of the Night" - March 8, 2015

Suzanne Vega - March 21, 2015

Mummenschanz - April 4, 2015

Hot Sardines - April 11, 2015

An Evening with Neil Gaiman- April 18, 2015

Alonzo King LINES Ballet - April 25, 2015

DETAILS:

The 2014-2015 Season begins with Witness Uganda "a joyous, wrenching experience," according to The Boston Globe on Nov. 1, 2014. This award-winning musical is equal parts bright hope and harsh reality. It is the story of Griffin Mathews, a young African-American actor, who - shortly after being dismissed from his church's choir for being gay - leaves New York City to volunteer in Uganda. Upon befriending a troupe of street orphans, he learns that the charity he's working with to build schools is a sham; and so, he takes matters into his own hands and dedicates himself to the education of his newfound friends. Mathews, who plays himself, co-wrote the musical with composer Matt Gould. Under the direction of Tony award winner, Diane Paulus, "Witness Uganda" is headed for Broadway in 2015.

PCI reaches out to a younger audience on Dec. 6, 2014 with Disney's Choo Choo Soul "with Genevieve!" When a top-notch video game designer gets annoyed by bad children's music, spectacular entertainment is born. That's the abridged version of how this smart show targeted at four- and five-year olds and their grown-up sidekicks came to be. The Parents Choice Award- winning performance features train conductor Genevieve (who possesses a rich and soulful set of pipes) and DC, her beatboxing and breakdancing engineer. There will be trains. There will be learning. There will be great, magical, sing-along-able fun. All aboard!

Sexy athleticism meets joyous movement in an encore performance by Parsons Dance Company, "one of the hottest tickets in contemporary American dance" (The Toronto Star) on Dec. 20, 2014. On tap for the evening: sizzling New Orleans inspired "Whirlaway," set to the music of legendary jazz trumpeter Allen Toussaint; Trey McIntyre's duet "Hymn;" the new work of former Parsons dancer and Generation NOW Fellow Natalie Lomonte; and the perennial favorite David Parsons' signature piece "Caught" (featuring a soloist leaping more than 100 times as strobe lights create the illusion of flight). This troupe -- led by "one of modern dance's great living dance-makers" (New York Magazine) -- simply soars.

Cirque Mechanics returns to the Eccles with its spin-tastic show, Pedal Punk, on Dec. 30, 2014. This rowdy circus-on-wheels whirls onstage with acrobatic artistry inspired by mechanical genius. The centerpiece contraption dreamed up by the company's creator and BMX rider Chris Lashua, the "Gantry Bike," travels the stage via the force of aerial and ground acts. From unicyclists to high-flying artists, the acrobatic romp delights audiences ages four to 100. "Cheers and applause erupt throughout the show," writes The New York Times, "Intelligently conceived and expertly executed... in a word, excellent."

The Emmy Award-winning Jane Lynch saunters into the New Year with a side-splitting evening of musical comedy-cabaret. Perhaps best known for her iconic portrayal of Sue Sylvester on "Glee" or her Broadway debut as Miss Hannigan in "Annie" or her hilarious (and often foul-mouthed) roles in such films as "40 Year-Old Virgin," "Best in Show" and "Role Models"... Lynch has mastered the art of comedic timing and, oh boy, can she sing. Celebrating her love of the beauty -- and absurdity -- of American standards and show tunes, Lynch puts on a delightful and witty Dec. 31 performance.

Keb' Mo' arrives on the Park City scene Jan. 3, 2015 in the soulful wake of his 12th album release "BLUESAmericana." The bluesman combines social relevance with irresistible talent. He's reached Grammy fame multiple times and dazzled crowds with songwriting, guitar skill and rich vocals. Rolling Stone describes his music as "somewhere between the soul of Delta Blues and the melodic feel of contemporary folk bundled in story-like framework." From subtle acoustic tunes to his wailing version of "America the Beautiful," Keb' Mo' manages to conjure up the best of old-school blues as well as contemporary originals.

On Jan. 10, 2015, Green River Ordinance brandishes tight harmonies, a front man with a "yearning, honest vocal tone" (Billboard), relevant lyrics and a warm, alternative sound that critics liken to the Counting Crows, The Fray and Matchbox Twenty. GRO jams and charms across genres. Country. Rock. Pop. Folk. It's all in the mix cooked up by five extraordinarily talented artists, who've been playing together since they were 13 year-old kids. The Fort Worth, Texas-based band first launched into the spotlight with hit singles "Come On" and "On Your Own" on its 2009 debut album. And the hits and albums (including 2013's "Chasing Down the Wind") keep on coming...

Lead singer and songwriter of bluegrass band Crooked Still, Aiofe (pronounced Ee-fuh) O'Donovan performs Jan. 17, 2015. Her musical journey has also crossed paths with folk trio Sometymes Why and she's worked on the Grammy-winning "Goat Rodeo Sessions" with Chris Thile and Yo-Yo Ma. Her solo album "Fossils" (released in 2013) shows off her soothing vocals with "strong, clever, honest and provocative" (All Music Guide) songs. As The Guardian writes, "It's lean-in music, and O'Donovan has the ability to keep you draw you in even further, dialing it down to minus 11 like a reverse-Spinal Tap."

Mind-bending, gorgeous choreography returns with a new spark of genius from the wildly inventive Moses Pendleton. In MOMIX's "Dreamcatcher" (Feb. 7, 2015), the troupe's classically trained dancer-illusionists deliver an otherworldly show filled with striking imagery. This edgy - and sometimes trippy - dose of the unexpected comes from a company that has defied predictability since 1980. While surreal innovation may be its hallmark, this troupe also boasts exquisite performers. As The Boston Globe writes, "MOMIXs dancers are excellent - acrobatic, athletic, extraordinarily strong and flexible." And Pendleton is the wizard behind the dream.

Valentine's Day means a double billing of blues... rich, Crescent City-seasoned blues, featuring Marcia Ball and Elvin Bishop. Ball and Bishop share the love and the stage Feb.14, 2015 with iconic voices - and music that speaks to good times as well as more introspective lyrical moments. Chart-topping, five-time Grammy-nominated Ball, whose songs "ring with emotional depth," (Rolling Stone) is slated to release a new album, "The Tattooed Lady and the Alligator Man," this September. Legendary guitar wielding Bishop comes to Park City hot on the heels of his latest CD release, "Can't Even Do Wrong Right." As Rolling Stone puts it, "We've got an album ranking among Bishop's very best: Good playing, good singing, and, most notably, good spirits." Ever since his original band's monster hit, "Fooled Around and Fell In Love," the bluesman has grooved, boogied and rocked his audiences.

Violinist Lucia Micarelli first picked up a bow at age three. At five, she performed as a soloist for the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra. She attended Julliard; then, while studying with Pinchas Zukerman, began moonlighting, hitting jazz clubs, jamming with rock bands and taking that classical fiddle into worlds and genres far flung from her concerto roots. She's toured with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Josh Groban and Jethro Tull. And the vivacious now-31 year-old made her acting debut when she landed a gig as "the woman who makes [HBO's] Treme worth watching" (Esquire). She takes the spotlight Feb. 21, 2015.

"One of the greatest and most innovative mandolin players alive," (American Songwriter), Sam Bush captivates his audiences with string-pickin' virtuosity and Grammy-winning vocals (he also happens to be a three-time national junior fiddle champion) on Feb. 28, 2015. While his music may be rooted in bluegrass, the "King of Telluride" also ventures into jazz, rock, blues, funk and beyond. Bush has released seven albums and shared the stage with everyone from Emmylou Harris and Bela Fleck to Charlie Haden and Lyle Lovett.

Tune in live as a L.A. Theatre Works first-rate cast delivers a riveting thriller. Based on John Ball's 1965 novel, "In the Heat of the Night" features a small town Alabama cop forced to confront his bigotry when an African American police detective arrives to investigate a murder. Unafraid to tackle the tensions and challenges of an incendiary chapter of American history, L.A. Theatre Works delivers its still-relevant message and poignant questions through the spontaneous and unique medium of radio theater. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, this acclaimed company is "eloquent, vital, a national theatrical treasure." The play fills the Eccles Center on Mar. 8, 2015.

Singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega takes the stage Mar. 21, 2015. In the '80s, Vega paved the way for an entire generation of female singer-songwriters and the folk-pop revival that hit its stride in the '90s. Though perhaps best known for her smash hits "Luka" (about an abused child) and "Tom's Diner" (which was remixed and pumped through clubs for years), the folk singer with a talent for riddle and metaphor has steadily created vital and original music. According to NPR, "Vega's songwriting gifts haven't waned at any point in her long career." With a new album "Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles" released this past February, the gifted Vega continues to reinvent what it means to be an American folk singer.

For forty years, the world-renowned, mime-like dance/theater performance known as Mummenschanz (performing Apr. 4, 2015) has dazzled, delighted -- and mystified -- audiences. A black backdrop offsets objects and bodies as they glide, contort and challenge perception. There's science, athleticism and art involved. Giant people-like beings high-five one another. A sheet becomes a face, then a crumpled floating leaf. This pioneer of visual theater speaks a language anyone can understand. Bizarre. Beautiful. In the words of a Buffalo News reviewer, "It's just all too surreal to be true, but believable enough to accept. And in that is a great abundance of joy."

Foot-stomping (there's even a tap dancer), brassy jazz sizzles as the Hot Sardines resurrect the music of the 1920s, '30s and '40s on Apr. 11, 2015. All the elements are here: a killer brass lineup; a rhythm section led by a stride-piano virtuoso; and a Parisian-born-and-bred front-woman, who sings and writes in English and French. "...One of the best jazz bands in NY today," (Forbes), the Sardines serve up a sound reminiscent of wartime Paris via New Orleans, or the other way around. Think Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt and Fats Waller. Straight-up jazz. Electrifying delivery. And the most American of musical genres with French inflection.

Bestselling and award-winning author Neil Gaiman -- whose "Make Good Art" speech went viral on YouTube -- comes to the stage Apr. 18, 2015 with decidedly more than an ability to spin a good yarn. He creates and he inspires. His work extends from fiction and comics to screenplays, song lyrics, poetry, journalism and multimedia works. A self-described "feral child who was raised in libraries," Gaiman's bestselling fantasy novel, "American Gods," took the Hugo, Nebula, Bram Stoker, and Locus awards--as did his bestselling young adult story, "Coraline." According to The Times of London, "His prose is simple but poetic, his world strange but utterly believable--if he was South American we would call this magic realism rather than fantasy."

"The most sophisticated modernism in classical dance," (Los Angeles Times), Alonzo King LINES Ballet performs a bold and poetic mixed repertory evening on Apr. 25, 2015. The show's centerpiece is a new collaborative work inspired by the animal soundscapes of bio-acoustician Dr. Bernie Krause - sonic recordings that serve as critical barometers of global environmental health. Alonzo King, "one of the few bona fide visionaries in the ballet world today," (San Francisco Chronicle) creates technically exquisite ballet pieces that challenge the boundaries of the point-shoe clad set. A trilogy of his iconic pieces round out the performance.

In addition to Main Stage performances Park City Institute presents TEDx conferences, Curiosities Evenings and, in partnership with Strategic News Service, the "Future in Review" Speaker Series. Many of these world-renowned artists and speakers will participate in PCI's student and community outreach programs. More information on master classes and outreach events will be available throughout the 2014-2015 Season.

All shows take place at The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center for the Performing Arts, 1750 Kearns Blvd., Park City, Utah.

Tickets and Season Punch Cards** go on sales to Park City Institute members on September 8 and to the general public on September 22. Tickets may be purchased by calling 435-655-3114, online at www.EcclesCenter.org or at the box office, which is located within The Eccles Center (1750 Kearns Blvd., Park City). Box Office hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; the Box Office is open from noon through show time on the day of a performance.

Individual tickets range from $20 to $69* for regular season performances (children's shows, benefits and New Year's Eve have different pricing); Season punch cards are also available.**

Show time: The majority of PCPAF Main Stage performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

*Discounts are available for children (16 and under), seniors and Summit County students (K-12).

**Season punch cards of 10 (redeemable for all regular season shows, but not eligible for Special Events, including New Year's Eve) are available for $290 (bronze) $390 (silver), $490 (gold) and $590 (platinum).

Park City Institute (formerly Park City Performing Arts Foundation) is a non-profit organization, dedicated to bringing world-class performances and new ideas to the community. Founded in 1994, PCI presents internationally renowned and cutting edge musicians, actors, authors, comedians, dancers, speakers and film at The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center for the Performing Arts (a joint-use facility with the Park City School District). PCI is dedicated to introducing young people to the arts through free student outreach workshops, shows and demonstrations. The institute proudly launched the Mega Genius Supply Store and IQ HQ - a free, after school literacy program and very thinky retail store - in January 2010. And the organization continues to illuminate with TEDx events, Curiosities evenings and The Park City Institute / Strategic News Service "Future in Review" Speaker Series. The organization recently wrapped up its11th season of summer concerts at Deer Valley Resort.

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