The Performing Arts Series (PAS) brings world-class, award-winning artists to Moraine Valley for all ages at an affordable price. The Series takes place in the 575-seat Dorothy Menker Theater, and the Cabaret Series takes place on the stage of the Dorothy Menker Theater. In addition, concessions opens one hour prior to the performance and include wine, beer, soda, water, candy, and chips. Join us for a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience at Moraine Valley!
Get tickets 24/7 at ticket information or call the Box Office at (708) 974-5500 Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (summer and holiday hours vary)
Season Subscriptions
Become a season subscriber and save! Grab the best seat in the house, and if you purchase all 12 shows, you get the opportunity to renew your seats each year before tickets go on sale to the general public. You can also customize your season package with a Pick 8 (save 15%) or Pick 6 (save 10%).
Cabaret Series is not included in season subscriptions. Fees are separate and are not part of the discount.
Full subscription, all 12 shows
$275 Adults (save $92), $257 Seniors 55+ (save $86), $230 Veterans (save $77), $226 Under 18 (save $75)
* PAS Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets
Need a break from studying and want to see world-class award-winning artist for only $5 (includes per ticket fee)? Then head to the Fine and Performing Arts Center box office with your student ID. Available starting the Tuesday the week of the performance and is subject to availability. One ticket per student, and ID must be presented at the time of sale by the student.
The Second City, Jack Frost Roasting on an Open Fire
Saturday, Dec. 13 | 7:30 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
Adults $37, Seniors 55+ $35, Veterans/Under 18 $32
Moraine Valley Employee $32, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
Skip the same old holiday routines and experience a comedy revue like no other. Join us as we roast everything from classic holiday movies to festive family gatherings in this fast-paced, interactive show. Expect seasonal songs, sharp sketches, and a healthy dose of improv, all wrapped up in a hilariously irreverent package. It’s rated R, so leave the kids at home, and prepare for the most “wonderful” time of the year—Second City style!
This show contains adult content.
Artist Website: secondcity.com
Sarah Ellis, In Other Words
Sunday, Dec. 14 | 3 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater (seating is on the stage)
Table Seating: Adult $30, Seniors 55+ $28, Veterans/Under 18 $25, Moraine Valley Employee $25
Theater Seating: Adult $25, Seniors 55+ $23, Under 18/Veterans $20, Moraine Valley Employee $20, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
Celebrate the holiday season with Sarah Ellis’s “In Other Words.” New York City-based actor, singer, dancer and indie film producer will be performing favorites, such as, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Jingle Bells?, That’s What I Want for Christmas, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, Man With The Bag, and much more!
Ellis is the co-founder of the award-winning production company MT Shorts and a Musical Theatre graduate of Penn State University where she was awarded the Margaret ‘Peg’ French Award for undergraduate Theatre. When she’s not on stages or sets around the country, she’s telling stories as a creative producer and copywriter for brands, products, and personalities. And if you ask her hometown of Platteville, WI, Sarah peaked when she won a car on ‘The Price Is Right.’
Don’t miss an unforgettable evening filled with joy and holiday spirit.
Artist Website: meetsarahellis.com
Video: (start at 1:16 min)
Purse String Productions Golden Girls
Saturday, Jan. 31 | 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
Adults $30, Seniors 55+ $28, Veterans/Under 18 $25
Moraine Valley Employee $25, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
Experience the joy of friendship as Purse String Productions performs a never-seen episode of everyone’s favorite Golden Girls. Laugh along as Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia face new challenges that strengthen their friendship and weaken their defense for cheesecake. Be prepared to sing and clap along as the cast of exceptional drag artists perform 80s-era songs to highlight each of their stories. It will be an evening celebrating the spirit of friendship and saying, “thank you for being a friend!”
Artist social media: facebook.com/pursestringproductions
Two-time GRAMMY® and Emmy Award winner
The King's Singers
Friday, Feb. 13 | 7:30 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
Adults $40, Seniors 55+ $38, Veterans/Under 18 $35
Moraine Valley Employee $35, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
The King's Singers have set the gold standard in a cappella singing on the world’s greatest stages for over fifty years. They are renowned for their unrivaled technique, musicianship and versatility, which stem from both the group’s rich heritage and its drive to bring an extraordinary range of new and unique works, collaborations and recordings to life. The King’s Singers’ extensive discography has led to numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a place in Gramophone magazine’s inaugural Hall of Fame. Over the course of 2023, the group has released three diverse, collaborative albums that showcase the breadth of their repertoire. One marks 400 years since the deaths of two great Renaissance composers, Thomas Weelkes and William Byrd. Another celebrates their body of commissioned music, including the six Nonsense Madrigals written for the group by György Ligeti (who would have turned 100 in 2023). And the third honors 100 years of Disney, with almost thirty brand-new arrangements of songs from its iconic films.
Growing the global canon of choral music has always been one of the group's key aims, and The King’s Singers have now commissioned more than 200 works by many of the most prominent composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. These composers include John Tavener, Joe Hisaishi, Judith Bingham, Eric Whitacre, György Ligeti, Luciano Berio, Krzysztof Penderecki and Toru Takemitsu. All of this new music joins their unique body of close- harmony and a cappella arrangements, including those by individual King’s Singers past and present.
The King’s Singers were officially formed in 1968 when six recent choral scholars from King’s College, Cambridge gave a concert at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By chance, the group was made up of two countertenors, a tenor, two baritones and a bass, and the group has stuck to this singular formation ever since that debut. Alongside their demanding performing and recording schedule – with over 100 concerts worldwide every season – the group also leads educational workshops and residential courses across the globe, working with both ensembles and individuals on their approaches to group singing. To mark their 50th anniversary in 2018, they founded The King’s Singers Global Foundation in the USA to provide a platform to support the creation of new music across multiple disciplines, to coach a new generation of performers, and to provide musical opportunities to people of all backgrounds.
Artist Website: kingssingers.com
Dinosaur World Live!
Saturday, Feb. 21 | 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
Adults $35, Seniors 55+ $33, Veterans $30
Moraine Valley Employee $30, Under 18 $25, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
Winner of the prestigious 2024 Olivier Award for Best Family Entertainment, DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE returns to North America for its third major tour of the United States! Now an international smash hit, following six UK tours including two summer seasons at London’s Regent’s Park Open-Air Theatre (2018 and 2023) and Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre (2019); two major tours of the U.S.A (2022 & 2024), Canada, Ireland, China and Australia, DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE has delighted critics and audiences alike, from all ages 3 and above.
Using stunning puppetry to bring remarkably life-like dinosaurs to the stage, DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE presents a host of impressive pre-historic creatures including every child's favorite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, along with a Giraffatitan, Microraptor, Segnosaurus and Triceratops. The show introduces Miranda, daughter of paleontologists, who grew up surrounded by dinosaurs on a far-away island off the coast of South America. She has brought her pre-historic pals to your local theatre and would love you to meet them. Warning: some of these dinosaurs aren’t as docile as they seem!
If looking for fun things to do with the kids, DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE delivers an entertaining and educational live show that promises to delight the whole family. Dino-lovers are urged to book fast before tickets become extinct!
DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE is written and directed by Derek Bond (Sweet Charity, Manchester Theatre Awards 2017 winner, Little Shop of Horrors Manchester Royal Exchange). The creative team includes: Puppet Designer Max Humphries (National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Cirque de Soleil); Puppet Director Laura Cubitt (Running Wild, Chichester Festival Theatre; Don Quixote, RSC; War Horse NT Berlin); Puppetry Consultant Toby Olié (for the National Theatre: Elephantom, Peter Pan, The Light Princess, Hansel & Gretel, NT: 50 Years on Stage and also the original hind puppeteer of Joey in War Horse); Set & Costume Designer James Perkins; Lighting Designer John Maddox and Sound Designer Tom Mann. Produced by Nicoll Entertainment. Casting to be announced.
A special meet and greet after the show offers all our brave explorers the chance to make a new dinosaur friend. Don’t miss this entertaining and mind-expanding Jurassic adventure, live on stage.
Running Time: 50 mins + 15 mins Meet & Greet
Age Guidance: 3+
Artist Website: dinosaurworldlive.com
Danú
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Tour
Sunday, March 8 | 2 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
Adults $30, Seniors 55+ $28, Veterans/Under 18 $25
Moraine Valley Employee $25, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
Hailing from Counties Waterford, Cork, Dublin and Donegal in Ireland, Danú is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. The band formed in 1995 as part of Irelands delegation to Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival in Brittany, France (an annual event that is the biggest gathering of celtic nations in the world). The debut album simply entitled 'Danú' was released by the band in 1997 to huge critical acclaim and in 1999 Danú signed a multi-album record deal with the US based recording label Shanachie Entertainment with whom they subsequently released five albums and a live DVD internationally between 2000 and 2006. Over the past few years Danú has added three independent releases to their discography.
For over 2 decades Danú's virtuosi players on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki, and vocals (Irish and English) have delighted audiences worldwide. Winners of numerous awards from the BBC and Irish Music Magazine, Danú has toured throughout Europe and North America with stops at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Symphony Space in New York City. Danú takes its audiences on a musical journey to their native Ireland, offering a moving and memorable concert experience.
Danú welcomes star vocalist Nell Ní Chróinín into the fold in 2016 marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the band's legacy. Nell's multiple awards include TG4 Traditional Singer of the Year 2012, and she was also the winner of the prestigious Oireactas 'Corn Uí Riada' award in 2014. Danú's live performances are often broadcasted on RTE, TG4, BBC, NPR and CBC.
Artist Website: danu.net
Video: (start at 2:45 min)
Step Afrika!
The Evolution Tour
Friday, March 20 | 7:30 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
Adults $35, Seniors 55+ $33, Veterans/Under 18 $30
Moraine Valley Employee $30, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
This is the power of the performing arts! This unforgettable show transcends traditional dance, weaving together captivating songs, engaging storytelling, and delightful humor, all while inviting audience participation. Each performance is a vibrant fusion of technique, agility, and electrifying energy, ensuring a unique experience that will resonate in your heart long after the final curtain falls.
Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional West and Southern African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping. Under Mr. Williams’ leadership, stepping has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports, touring more than 50 countries across the globe. Step Afrika! now ranks as one of the top ten African-American dance companies in the United States.
Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement and cross-cultural understanding. The Company reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year through a 50-city tour of colleges and theatres and performs globally as Washington, DC’s one and only Cultural Ambassador. Step Afrika! has earned Mayor’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education (2005); Innovation in the Arts (2008); and Excellence in an Artistic Discipline (2012); and performed at the White House for President Barack Obama and the First Lady.
Step Afrika! is featured prominently at the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African-American History & Culture with the world’s first stepping interactive. In 2017, Step Afrika! made its Off-Broadway debut with the critically acclaimed production, The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence.
Don't miss your chance to be part of this exhilarating journey!
Artist Website: stepafrika.org
Bridge & Wolak: Scandalous Romantics
Saturday, March 28 | 7:30 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater (seating is on the stage)
Table Seating: Adult $30, Seniors 55+ $28, Veterans/Under 18 $25, Moraine Valley Employee $25
Theater Seating: Adult $25, Seniors 55+ $23, Under 18/Veterans $20, Moraine Valley Employee $20, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
Genius! Stardom! Betrayal!
Bridge & Wolak present their latest program, Scandalous Romantics, a hilarious tabloid take on stories behind the most celebrated music stars across genres—and their spectacular lapses in judgement. B&W expose the lust, pride, and envy that fueled some of the greatest music ever written, such as Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You, Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20, and much more!
Michael Bridge, digital accordion, & Kornel Wolak, clarinet and piano (“those handsome, rich, and famous Canadians”) are known for their dazzling virtuosity, down-to-earth humor, and signature arrangements in an explosive program that brings musical giants to contemporary audiences of all ages. The duo met over a decade ago and immediately established an artistic alliance based on the attraction of opposites: Wolak - intensely focused with a world view infused with sardonic humor; Bridge- flexible and fearless with a playful wit. What they have in common is a love of classical, jazz and world music, a fascination with fusing genres and a passion for performance. They play dozens of original shows every year, exploring everything from Bach to Benny Goodman and figure they’ve logged about 350,000 kilometers on the road - from Kraków to Quito, from Nancy, France to Fargo, ND - about the same distance as a trip to the moon.
B&W have also developed an on-line music mentorship program for students wondering whether a life in the arts is right for them…and how to make a living if the answer is yes. Bridge began playing when he was 5 and growing up in Calgary and received his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Toronto and was a Rebanks Fellows at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto. Wolak received his doctorate from the Paderewski Music Academy in Poznan, Poland. He grew up in Włocławek, a small city west of Warsaw. His parents were both professional musicians and by the age of 5 Wolak was taking piano lessons and dreaming of becoming a famous musician.
B&W share an ambitious agenda - to create unforgettable experiences for audiences through bold original programs that are irreverent, meticulously prepared and completely in-the-moment. They invite you to join them on their slightly unruly musical adventures, wherever they might lead.
“Watch and be amazed” —CBC Music
Artist Website: https://www.bridgewolak.com
Damn Tall Buildings
Saturday, April 11 | 7:30 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
Adults $20, Seniors 55+ $18, Veterans/Under 18 $15, Moraine Valley Employee $15, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
Damn Tall Buildings is a celebrated folk-bluegrass band known for their soulful melodies and intricate instrumentals. Based in Brooklyn, this seasoned trio—Max Capistran, Sasha Dubyk, and Avery Ballotta—has spent over a decade honing their craft through dedicated touring and recording. With a distinctive sound that weaves heartfelt lyrics into masterful fiddle, guitar, and bass arrangements, they embody a unique blend of Americana roots and contemporary finesse. From intimate local venues to larger global stages, their magnetic performances resonate deeply, leaving a lasting mark on audiences around the world.
Initially honing their skills through busking, Damn Tall Buildings brings an infectious energy to their music. Their varied influences extend beyond bluegrass, infusing elements of old-time, blues, and jazz into their songwriting. With seamless vocal harmonies and captivating instrumental solos, the trio creates a cohesive sound that feels greater than the sum of its parts. As they continue to travel and grow, Damn Tall Buildings fosters a welcoming spirit, inviting audiences to join them on a journey through their vibrant, well-crafted performances. Critics have praised their ability to establish a musical blend that defies categorization, offering a warm and reflective embrace that is both enthusiastic and deeply resonant.
Artist Website: damntallbuildings.com
"Listen to Her Heart" Tom Petty Experience
Friday, May 15 | 7:30 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
Adults $37, Seniors 55+ $35, Veterans/Under 18 $32
Moraine Valley Employee $32, Moraine Valley Student Rush Tickets* $5
Listen To Her Heart: The Tom Petty Experience is a tribute band dedicated to honoring the legendary musician Tom Petty and his iconic music. With their spot on renditions and passionate performances, Listen to Her Heart captures the essence and spirit of Tom Petty’s sound, taking audiences on a nostalgic journey through his incredible career.
Formed by a group of talented musicians out of Atlanta who share a deep admiration for Petty’s music, Listen To Her Heart have quickly gained a reputation for their authentic sound and high-energy live shows. Each member of the band brings their own unique musical expertise and passion to the stage, resulting in a powerful and unforgettable performance that leaves audiences wanting more.
From the heart felt ballads like “Free Fallin” and “Wildflowers” to the energetic anthems like “American Girl” and “Refugee,” Listen To Her Heart delivers a setlist that showcases the breadth and depth of Petty’s catalog. With meticulous attention to detail, they recreate the signature guitar riffs, soaring harmonies, and heartfelt lyrics that made Petty a true rock and roll icon.
But Listen To Her Heart is more than just a tribute band. They are a group of dedicated musicians who strive to keep Petty’s music alive and introduce it to new generations of fans. Their love and respect for Petty’s music shine through in every note they play, creating an authentic and immersive experience for audiences of all ages.
Whether you’re a die-hard Tom Petty fan or simply appreciate great music, Listen To Her heart: The Tom Petty Experience is a must-see live act. So, join them on their musical journey as they pay homage to one of the greatest musicians of our time. Get ready to sing along, dance, and celebrate the enduring legacy of Tom Petty!
Artist Website: georgiaplayersguild.com/wildflowers
