February 8, 2001

The Best In Jazz, Folk, Celtic And Ballet Are Featured In Ramapo College Foundation Performing Arts Series

Eileen Ivers • American Repertory Ballet • Chuck Mangione • Janice Ian

(Mahwah) – The Ramapo College Foundation will present Celtic fiddler Eileen Ivers, the premiere of Graham Lustig’s Cinderella by the American Repertory Ballet, jazz flügelhorn-player Chuck Mangione and folk icon Janis Ian. In addition, at each performance, subscribers to the four-event series will be treated to a pre-show dinner reception and post-performance dessert with the artist. Other benefits to subscribers include preferred seating for all four performances in the Sharp Theater in the Angelica and Russ Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts at Ramapo College of New Jersey.

Eileen Ivers, who is scheduled Friday, February 23 at 8 p.m. (the reception begins at 6 p.m.) has toured the world to great acclaim with Riverdance and Cherish the Ladies, of which she was a founding member. Now she brings her trademark blue violin and her band to the Berrie Center, crossing over from traditional Irish music to a sound that incorporates African, hip-hop and Spanish Flamenco, as well as Celtic, into a riveting world music brew.

The American Repertory Ballet will premiere Graham Lustig’s modern day version of Cinderella, set to the memorable Prokofiev score, Friday, April 6 at 8 p.m. (reception at 6 p.m.). This is the production’s New Jersey debut.

Chuck Mangione won his first Grammy Award for Bellavia (beautiful way), named for his mother. Another hit, Give It All You Got, was heard around the world as the theme of the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. His jazz has reached audiences which include children (his Cat in the Hat series) and television – he is currently caricatured on the Fox hit TV show King of the Hill -- as well as live audiences at the Village Gate and other jazz venues. His Berrie Center appearance is scheduled Sunday, June 3 at 7 p.m.; the reception begins at 5 p.m.

Janis Ian burst onto the music scene at age 15 with Society’s Child, a controversial ballad about interracial love. Her single At Seventeen went platinum and won two Grammy awards. She composed musical scores and title songs for movies such as Falling From Grace and TV shows such as Murder She Wrote. Her performance in the Berrie Center will take place Saturday, October 20 at 8 p.m. and will be preceded by a 6 p.m. reception.

All proceeds from this performing arts series benefit student scholarships, faculty development opportunities and critical college projects. For more information, please call (201) 684-7613.

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