There’s always something for everyone at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, and April is no different. For tickets to any of these fine events, go to TheCenterPresents.org or call (317) 843-3800.
Center Presents Performances include:
Kevin Nealon
8 p.m. Friday, April 7
The Palladium
Tickets from $35
Comedy Series
Emmy and SAG-nominated actor, comedian, and author Kevin Nealon is best known for his nine-year stint on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, where he anchored the “Weekend Update” segment and helped cement its popularity. He has received critical acclaim for his work on the Showtime series Weeds, and he more recently co-starred on the CBS comedy series Man with a Plan. Nealon’s film appearances have included Anger Management, Eight Crazy Nights, The Wedding Singer, and Happy Gilmore, and he produces and hosts the YouTube series Hiking with Kevin, interviewing his celebrity friends on hikes throughout the country. Performance Partner: Marquis Commercial Solutions.
Marc Cohn & Shawn Colvin Together Onstage
7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13
The Palladium
Tickets from $45
Katz, Sapper & Miller Pop/Rock Series
Two of a generation’s favorite singer-songwriters, Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin, come together onstage for a special evening of music. Cohn, a Grammy Award winner for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” and Colvin, winner of the Grammy Awards’ Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Sunny Came Home,” welcome fans into their decades-long friendship for a night of songs and stories.
Abilene
8 p.m. Saturday, April 15
The Palladium
Tickets from $35
Printing Partners Classical Series
Formed in 2020, Abilene is a quartet whose cinematic compositions marry classical and modern elements with an emphasis on narrative storytelling. Electronics, percussion, and sounds made with household items often supplement the core instrumentation of Joshua Spacht, piano; Katie Foto, violin and vocals; Gaylyn Foto, cello and vocals; and David Molina, synthesizers. The Miami-based ensemble’s unconventional, genre-bending artistry is driven by the belief that music should serve, inspire, and elevate the soul.
The Four Phantoms in Concert
8 p.m. Friday, April 21
The Palladium
Tickets from $35
Hoosier Village & The Barrington of Carmel Songbook Series
The Four Phantoms in Concert brings together four stage stars who have played the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award-winning Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, London’s West End and around the globe. Brent Barrett, Ciarán Sheehan, Franc D’Ambrosio, and John Cudia are joined by Kaley Ann Vorhees, one of the youngest sopranos to sing the role of Christine on Broadway. The show features many hits from the Lloyd Webber songbook as well as songs from Man of La Mancha, Chicago, Les Misérables and many more.
Graham Nash: Sixty Years of Songs and Stories
7 p.m. Sunday, April 23
The Palladium
Tickets from $46
Katz, Sapper & Miller Pop/Rock Series
As a solo artist and founding member of both the Hollies and Crosby, Stills & Nash, singer-songwriter Graham Nash is a two-time inductee of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, known for such classics as “Teach Your Children,” “Our House,” “Chicago” and “Just a Song Before I Go.” His new studio album, Now, will be released May 19. On this tour, Nash will be joined by his longtime musical partners Shane Fontayne (guitar and vocals) and Todd Caldwell (keyboards and vocals), performing favorites from across his 60-year career.
Filipe DeAndrade: Untamed
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 25
The Palladium
Tickets from $30
National Geographic Live Series
Wildlife filmmaker and conservationist Filipe DeAndrade, star of Nat Geo WILD’s digital series Untamed, gives his unfiltered look at what it’s like to come face to face with wild animals, survive extreme environments and make unexpected discoveries. He’ll also share a preview of his new documentary, The River and the Wall, which focuses on wildlife along the Mexico/U.S. border. A free morning matinee presentation is available for school groups.
The Wallflowers
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26
The Palladium
Tickets from $35
Katz, Sapper & Miller Pop/Rock Series
With the Wallflowers’ 1996 album Bringing Down the Horse, singer-songwriter Jakob Dylan proved he was more than a son of rock royalty, dropping hit singles like “6th Avenue Heartache” and “One Headlight,” which tops Billboard’s list of “Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs.” After several acclaimed group and solo albums and a nine-year hiatus – during which he executive produced and starred in the acclaimed documentary film Echo in the Canyon – Dylan assembled a new band for the latest Wallflowers album, Exit Wounds, which critics have called “his best original work” (Mojo) and “a stunning body of work by anyone’s standards” (Spin).
Get Happy: Michael Feinstein Celebrates the Judy Garland Centennial
8 p.m. Saturday, April 29
The Palladium
Tickets from $45
Hoosier Village & The Barrington of Carmel Songbook Series
Michael Feinstein, founder of the Great American Songbook Foundation and artistic director at the Center for the Performing Arts, celebrates the songs and saga of “Miss Show Business” in this new concert production. His friend Liza Minnelli, Garland’s daughter, serves as executive producer for a multimedia presentation that includes film clips, archival photos, rare concert footage, never-before-heard audio recordings and incomparable music. With musical director Tedd Firth, Feinstein explores Garland’s unique legacy, from her vaudeville debut to classic motion pictures and groundbreaking concert and television performances.
George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
7 p.m. Sunday, April 30
The Palladium
Tickets from $20
Telamon Passport Series
Formed in 1985, this groundbreaking ensemble has become an international sensation, boasting celebrity fans such as Sir Paul McCartney, Bette Midler and author Neil Gaiman. Comprising only ukuleles of various sizes, along with the voices of its members, the seven-piece group blends elements of rock, classical, jazz, folk, film soundtracks and other genres into a truly unique musical experience. In addition to selling out such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House, they have performed at festivals including Glastonbury, The Big Chill and WOMAD.
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Other April events include:
World Voice Day
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11
The Palladium
Free; registration recommended
Grab your sheet music, family and friends and come sing onstage during the Center’s annual World Voice Day celebration, as the Palladium is transformed into a cabaret for one special evening. Singers of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to join piano accompanist and MC for an open-mic night that is informal, free and open to the public. The performers and audience will sit nightclub-style at tables on the stage, with a cash bar for anyone who needs a little liquid encouragement. Spaces are limited; signup begins at 6 p.m.
Film screening: Meredith Willson: America’s Music Man
6 p.m. April 11
The Tarkington
Free; registration recommended
The Great American Songbook Foundation, WFYI Public Media and Heartland Film present the Indiana premiere of a new PBS documentary about the intriguing musician, composer, and playwright behind the classic musical The Music Man. The project relied heavily on research and interviews conducted at the Songbook Foundation headquarters in Carmel. The evening includes a lobby display of rare artifacts from the Songbook Library & Archives and an introductory conversation with the filmmaker and music scholars.
Luminaries: Frank Dean: A Coincidental Life in Music
2 p.m. Tuesday, April 18
The Palladium
Tickets: $10, includes light refreshments
A discussion of the odd road from Gilman Bottom, W.V., to hanging out and performing with some of the biggest stars in music. Franklin-based singer-songwriter Frank Dean and his bands have opened shows for more than 60 major recording artists, including Emmylou Harris, Todd Rundgren, Merle Haggard, Marty Stuart, and George Jones. Dean will share stories of his colorful life in music and will perform a few songs with help from a friend, Indianapolis musician Jon Martin.
Live at the Center: Premium Blend
7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 20
Online and at the Palladium
Livestream: Free (pay-what-you-can, no minimum)
On site: $5 (pay-what-you-can, $5 minimum)
Led by saxophonist Jared Thompson, Premium Blend is a modern jazz quartet that combines elements of bebop, hard bop, R&B, and groove in its original compositions. Backed by guitarist-songwriter Ryan Taylor and keyboardist-songwriter Steven Jones, the band has released four studio albums: S.O.A.P (Sum of All Parts) (2015), The Road (2017), Vices (2019) and 38th & Postmodernism (2021). The group also is featured in the 2017 Heartland Film Festival documentary about the Indianapolis jazz scene, Go Get Your Horn.
Faegre Drinker Peanut Butter & Jam: Folk Music with Cindy Kallet & Grey Larsen
10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 29
The Palladium, Robert Adam Room
Tickets: $10 per child, includes up to two free adult admissions
Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen love to share southern Indiana fiddle tunes, Irish jigs and reels, Scandinavian-style fiddle duets and original songs with audiences of all ages. There will be plenty of chances to sing and clap along, and children will be welcome to have a closer look and try out a variety of instruments toward the end of the program. (Have you ever played a harmonium or a concertina?) Designed for children aged 1 to 7, Faegre Drinker Peanut Butter & Jam sessions encourage kids to become engaged in the arts.
About the Center for the Performing Arts
The mission of the nonprofit Center for the Performing Arts is to engage and inspire the Indiana community through enriching arts experiences. Its campus includes the 1,500-seat Palladium concert hall, the 500-seat Tarkington theater and the black-box Studio Theater. The Center presents and hosts hundreds of events each year, including the Center Presents performance series, featuring the best in classical, jazz, pop, rock, country, comedy and other genres. Educational and experiential programming includes children’s concerts, summer camps, book clubs, lectures, and classes in music and dance. The Center is home to the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation and provides space and support services for six resident arts companies. More information at TheCenterPresents.org.