Elgin's Hemmens planning full entertainment season with something for everyone, events planner says
Nine shows have been scheduled so far at The Hemmens Cultural Center as the 56-year-old Elgin venue moves into its full first season following the completion of its $14.4 million expansion and renovation.
'We're excited to be offering these shows, giving people another entertainment option for their weekends,' said Tony Lentino, cultural arts and special events programming manager for the city-owned center.
Tickets for shows already booked will go on sale July 8, and Lentino said he's working on at least one more act to be added to the lineup. All of the events will be listed on the Hemmens' website, he said, and they're preparing a brochure to advertise the upcoming schedule.
Lentino said his goal was to get a good mix of entertainment that will appeal to a wide variety of people, including shows that are familiar and family friendly.
'I try to put together a diverse list of potential acts that tick all of those boxes, and I bring that to our Hemmens team to discuss what they think would be within our technical capabilities and what we think would do well here while supporting our community,' he said. 'Tickets will range from $15 to $59, depending on the show, but we are always open to sponsors that want to help us lower ticket prices.'
The Hemmens also will be offering discounts to those who purchase tickets to three shows in the season, and there will be group, child, senior and military discounts for most events.
Lentino was hired by the city in July 2024, and put together a shortened season of shows that ran between March and May of this year.
One of the challenges is the Chicago-area has a lot of theaters all competing to book performers coming through the area, Lentino said.
'The Chicago area has a lot of amazing venues,' he said. 'Acts can't play at all of them every year so we have to get creative and look at a lot of artists. This also means we need to stay on top of who is touring at the other venues in the area. In the end, it just means we're putting in the work to create a unique experience for our patrons.'
Having a good staff is helping to rebuild The Hemmens' brand after its hiatus of not booking touring shows for many years, he said.
'Every artist I've worked with since I came here has told us how easy our staff makes putting on a show here,' he said. 'It's inspiring to watch everyone work together to execute a vision.'
Here is upcoming Hemmens lineup as it currently stands:
'Juana and the Missing Mayan Book,' 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19: Puppeteer Chio Cabrera and her cast will present the story of Juana, a 9-year-old girl who journeys through Mexico to save the few remaining remnants of ancient Mayan society. www.chiocabrera.com
Classic Albums Live: 'Rumours,' 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4: Led by Craig Martin, the tribute band will perform Fleetwood Mac's 1977 classic rock album, 'Rumours,' in its entirety. www.classicalbumslive.com
The Silhouettes: 'Love Happens,' 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17: This shadow dancing troupe has appeared on 'America's Got Talent' and is a resident act at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. www.thesilhouettes.com
The Lovettes, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1: A Chicago-based trio pays tribute to the girl groups of the 1940s, '50s and '60s. www.thelovettes.com
Comedy Dance Chicago, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24: The show combines sketch and physical comedy with music, dance and word play. www.comedydancechicago.com
Step Afrika! 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 27: This dance troupe blends traditional African styles with those from Black fraternities and sororities and contemporary forms in a show that also features storytelling, humor and audience participation. www.stepafrika.org
Style Thief Fashion, 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24: Instagram influencer Erin Stroll shares stories and fashion tips during an interactive evening. www.stylethieffashion.com
The Greatest Piano Men, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16: Four musicians pay tribute in song, stories and multimedia to piano legends that include Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Liberace and Billy Joel. www.thegreatestpianomen.com
Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, 4 p.m. Sunday, May 24: This act is a Grammy-winning, all-woman mariachi band led by trumpet player Cindy Shea. www.mariachidivas.com
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Elgin's Hemmens planning full entertainment season with something for everyone, events planner says
Nine shows have been scheduled so far at The Hemmens Cultural Center as the 56-year-old Elgin venue moves into its full first season following the completion of its $14.4 million expansion and renovation. 'We're excited to be offering these shows, giving people another entertainment option for their weekends,' said Tony Lentino, cultural arts and special events programming manager for the city-owned center. Tickets for shows already booked will go on sale July 8, and Lentino said he's working on at least one more act to be added to the lineup. All of the events will be listed on the Hemmens' website, he said, and they're preparing a brochure to advertise the upcoming schedule. Lentino said his goal was to get a good mix of entertainment that will appeal to a wide variety of people, including shows that are familiar and family friendly. 'I try to put together a diverse list of potential acts that tick all of those boxes, and I bring that to our Hemmens team to discuss what they think would be within our technical capabilities and what we think would do well here while supporting our community,' he said. 'Tickets will range from $15 to $59, depending on the show, but we are always open to sponsors that want to help us lower ticket prices.' The Hemmens also will be offering discounts to those who purchase tickets to three shows in the season, and there will be group, child, senior and military discounts for most events. Lentino was hired by the city in July 2024, and put together a shortened season of shows that ran between March and May of this year. One of the challenges is the Chicago-area has a lot of theaters all competing to book performers coming through the area, Lentino said. 'The Chicago area has a lot of amazing venues,' he said. 'Acts can't play at all of them every year so we have to get creative and look at a lot of artists. This also means we need to stay on top of who is touring at the other venues in the area. In the end, it just means we're putting in the work to create a unique experience for our patrons.' Having a good staff is helping to rebuild The Hemmens' brand after its hiatus of not booking touring shows for many years, he said. 'Every artist I've worked with since I came here has told us how easy our staff makes putting on a show here,' he said. 'It's inspiring to watch everyone work together to execute a vision.' Here is upcoming Hemmens lineup as it currently stands: 'Juana and the Missing Mayan Book,' 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19: Puppeteer Chio Cabrera and her cast will present the story of Juana, a 9-year-old girl who journeys through Mexico to save the few remaining remnants of ancient Mayan society. Classic Albums Live: 'Rumours,' 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4: Led by Craig Martin, the tribute band will perform Fleetwood Mac's 1977 classic rock album, 'Rumours,' in its entirety. The Silhouettes: 'Love Happens,' 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17: This shadow dancing troupe has appeared on 'America's Got Talent' and is a resident act at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. The Lovettes, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1: A Chicago-based trio pays tribute to the girl groups of the 1940s, '50s and '60s. Comedy Dance Chicago, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24: The show combines sketch and physical comedy with music, dance and word play. Step Afrika! 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 27: This dance troupe blends traditional African styles with those from Black fraternities and sororities and contemporary forms in a show that also features storytelling, humor and audience participation. Style Thief Fashion, 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24: Instagram influencer Erin Stroll shares stories and fashion tips during an interactive evening. The Greatest Piano Men, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16: Four musicians pay tribute in song, stories and multimedia to piano legends that include Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Liberace and Billy Joel. Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, 4 p.m. Sunday, May 24: This act is a Grammy-winning, all-woman mariachi band led by trumpet player Cindy Shea.
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