FIRST
NIGHT® – SAINT LOUIS RINGS IN A “RHYTHM OF
THE NIGHT”
CELEBRATION IN GRAND CENTER THIS NEW YEAR’S EVE
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.
