Diverse
roster in Oxford includes actor James Earl Jones, singer Art Garfunkel
and circus
UNIVERSITY,
Miss. - Actor James Earl Jones and singer Art Garfunkel are just two
of eight featured performances slated for the inaugural Ford Center
for the Performing Arts Series at the University of Mississippi. The
series opens Sept. 9 at 8 p.m. with The Princely Players, who will
present "On the Road to Glory," a poetic and lyrical celebration
of the earliest sources of African-American music. On Sept. 28, the
series will present Robin and Linda Williams and Their Fine Group,
whose vocal harmonies have thrilled folk, bluegrass and country audiences
throughout America for more than 25 years. The program begins at 2:30
p.m. Master illusionists The Spencers and their "Theatre of Illusion"
entertain with their unique brand of magic Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. Their
powerful theatrical experience combines scenery, music, lighting,
special effects and illusions. Interim Director I.B. Dent hailed the diversity of UM's new Ford Center Series: "I can't wait to see the excitement that these performances will generate in the community. A facility of this quality enables the university to provide a great variety of programming to students, faculty, staff and the community, from Broadway shows to magic to circuses all being presented in this magnificent setting." The Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts, constructed with public and private funds, opened this past spring on University Avenue. The series continues into 2004 with the Jan. 13 theatrical monologue "Shakespeare in the Minor Key," by James Earl Jones, a veteran theater, film and television actor. A Mississippi native, Jones is best known for his steady, authoritative voice, which is among the world's most recognizable, especially from his "Star Wars" speaking part as the villain, Darth Vadar. On Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. Meredith Willson's "The Music Man" brings its all-American salute to music, romance and fast-talking flimflam. The show features such songs as "Seventy-six Trombones," "Trouble," "Til There Was You" and "Pickalittle." In the only two-day offering set March 8-9 at 8 p.m., Cirque Éloize presents "Nomade!," which features some of Canada's most talented circus performers and musicians. The company has performed extensively in North America, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The series ends March 30 at 8 p.m. with singer Art Garfunkel, best known as half of the duo Simon and Garfunkel, formed with his grade-school friend Paul Simon. Garfunkel is on tour with Maia Sharp and Buddy Moudlock, and the trio will promote its new album on Manhattan Records, "Everything Waits to be Noticed." Garfunkel received the 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award in conjunction with the 45th annual Grammy Awards. To purchase Ford Series tickets by phone, call the Central Ticket Office at 662-915-7411. For more information about the Ford Center Series or the Ford Center Founding Patrons Program, call 662-915-2787 or go to http://www.olemiss.edu/fordcenter/. Founding Patrons enjoy a special status, priority seating and will be recognized by a plaque in the Ford Center lobby. The patrons program will help create a permanent endowment to support events in the facility. For all other information not pertaining to tickets, call I.B. Dent, center interim director, at 662-915-2787. Those requiring special assistance because of a disability also should contact his office. (Deidra Jackson) For more
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