First Night - St. Louis invites everyone in the bi-state area to - "Come one and come all" to St. Louis' most celebrated New Year's Eve party. This year's production, with the theme, "The Rhythm of the Night," marks the 15th annual visual and performing arts family festival that observes the coming of the New Year. On Monday evening, December 31, 2007, Grand Center streets, theaters, churches and buildings, will sparkle with performances and activities for all ages. More than 75 musicians, dancers, actors and singers will enliven the imagination, astound the senses and encourage creativity, all celebrating the rhythm of the night. Entertainers and partygoers will literally move to the beat as they sing and ring in 2008.
Festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a "Musical Procession" including drum lines, bagpipes, kazoos, musicians, street performers and colorful ribbon festooned dancers. All this leads to the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. on the Grand and Lindell Stage. Performers in the musical procession will invite spectators to join the fun in a "Community Kazoo Corp." Free kazoos will be distributed, and participants can march and play along to the tunes. The entertainment continues non-stop throughout the night including two fireworks displays - the first at 9 p.m.- timed especially for the youngsters. The Grand Finale caps the evening with the musical, choreographed fireworks exhibit, ringing in 2008 at midnight.
"This year's theme, 'The Rhythm of the Night,' is fitting as by definition, the word rhythm pertains to 'forward movement,'" explains Managing Director, Kelly Weber. "We have all the elements and the music to make this a fantastic and memorable celebration of moving forward into 2008."
Grand Center's streetscapes, parks, churches, theaters and performance centers will be alive with both indoor and outdoor presentations and activities from local, regional and national artists and entertainers. Featured this year, are three performances of St. Louis: The Operetta, a unique, multi-media theater experience created from sound and image, by the nationally recognized Squonk Opera. Also highlighted, is the creative energy of Brian Olsen and his 'Art in Action,' which will light up the Washington Avenue performance stage. His spectacular paintings are choreographed into an awesome auditory and visual performance, on canvas, for the crowd to enjoy.
This New Year's Eve everyone will be able to capture the rhythm throughout the streets and venues, and follow the footprints of a cha cha dance down Grand Avenue. All can explore and discover a whole host of musical artists and dancers from a variety of genres. Dance companies participating include: Modern American Dance Company; Afriky Lolo; Metro Dance, Mayer Irish Dancers, Blackthorn Morris and Sheila Rabbitt and Dancers. Just a few of the singers and musical performers will be: Country and Western artist, Steve Cline; the Taiko Drummers; Oliver Sain Review; Bach to the Future; MUNY Kids; Midwest Lyric Opera Company and a tribute performance by Mae Wheeler. Dance venues will be located at the Continental Building and the Grand Hall of the Grandel Theater. A "Mambo Lounge" at The Sheldon presents Latin/Salsa and Tango lessons; a tango demonstration and performance by the Tango Society of St. Louis and the opportunity to groove to Latin orchestra El Caribe Tropical.
Other featured First Night events include: a hypnotist, to help induce and capture an "artful self;" Ed Reggi and the Paper Slip Improv troupe, and the side-splitting, hysterical Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre Company performing a parody of the Star Wars trilogy. Add New Year's resolutions and "beat" the colorful, giant drum in Strauss Park or get rid of a regret at the chimes display entitled the "Winds of Change," on the Tilted Plane in front of the Grandel Theater. Across the street, Grand Center's Public Art Plaza will showcase a 30 ton musical-themed sculpture by world-renowned sand sculptor, Dan Belcher.
Children will love activities and entertainment at The Busch Student Center, where their imaginations will shine with make-and-take creations in the Artful Objects room. Emmy award winning storyteller, Bobby Norfolk will charm listeners of all ages and The Imaginary Theater Company is guaranteed to entertain.
With the purchase of an admission button, revelers gain access to all that First Night - Saint Louis has to offer. Buttons are $8 for adults, $4 for children 6-12 and free to children 5 and under, if purchased in advance (beginning mid - November) at all Starbucks and Borders locations in the metropolitan area. Buttons are also available at the Metro Information Center located in front of the America's Center. Buttons will the also be sold at the event, $10 for adults and $5 for children. Plenty of parking and a shuttle from the parking lot of the Grand Metro-Link station will be available. For more information about First Night - St. Louis and Grand Center, visit www.firstnightstl.org. |
