MAC Announces 2018 Lakeside Pavilion Free Outdoor Summer Series of Films and Concerts

McAninch Arts Center, located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage (COD), presents the 2018 Lakeside Pavilion Free Outdoor Summer Series. Programming runs July 12-Aug.10 and includes a Thursday evening Family Movie Series, the Thursday evening WDCB Live Jazz Concert Series and a Friday evening Pop Music Series. One of the highlights of the Friday evening series promises to be the July 20 New Philharmonic pops concert, which will be simulcast on Facebook Live for the second year in a row. New for this season: To help insure everyone's safety in light of the growing popularity of the series, seating for films and evening concerts will begin at 6 p.m. No admittance will be allowed prior to 6 p.m. for sound check and security reasons. Admission to Lakeside Pavilion Summer Series events and parking is always free.

"The Lakeside Pavilion Series is one of my favorite things to do at the MAC and it is so gratifying to give back to the community with these free events. This year, we are also giving back to our COD students by providing the incredibly talented finalists from this year's annual Apollo Live! student talent competition the chance to provide pre-show entertainment prior to our Friday evening concerts. The contestants blew me away in the March competition, so I wanted to share their talents with the Lakeside audiences. In that same spirit of giving back, we're hoping our audiences will participate in our collection of non-perishable food items for the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry throughout the series.

The 2018 Thursday evening Family Movie Series will feature the delightful family film "Willie Wonka

and the Chocolate Factory" (1971), starring Gene Wilder (July 12) and Disney's Academy Award-winner, "The Lion King" (1994), featuring original songs composed by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice (July 19). Showings begin at dusk (around 8 p.m.)

For the fifth consecutive year the Friday evening Pop Music Series opens with the internationally acclaimed Chicago-based Beatles tribute band, American English (July 13). New Philharmonic, under the baton of Maestro Kirk Muspratt, presents an evening of pops, marches and movie scores (July 20). This concert will also be broadcast live on Facebook Live, COD YouTube and select area cable channels. The tribute band "Unraveling The Wilburys" celebrates the catalogues of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne (July 27); and Broadway veterans Craig Meyer and Donnie Kehr return to Glen Ellyn to channel two of the most critically acclaimed musicians of a generation in "The Piano Men: A Tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel" (Aug. 3). MAC favorite Rick Michel completes the series Aug.10 with "My Sinatra," his homage to one of the greatest singers of all time, Frank Sinatra. All Pop Music Series concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

New for this season: all Friday evening concerts will feature a 15-minute performance at 7:15 p.m. by winners of the third annual Apollo Live! COD Student Talent competition held this past March at the MAC. The roster of performers includes Winfield's Ariana Diaz (July 13), Addison's Caryna Martinez Rios (July 20), La Grange's Michael McInerney (July 27), Lombard's Haley Mae Mott, Morgan Mott and Miray Mcelroy (Aug. 3) and Batavia's Emma Lee (Aug. 10).

WDCB 90.9 FM, Chicago's Home for Jazz, located on the campus of College of DuPage, returns with its Thursday evening WDCB LIVE Jazz Concert Series beginning July 26 with a performance by the acclaimed Chicago Jazz Orchestra with special guest, Randy Becker. Frank Russell & The Chicago Power All-Star Band follows with "A Tribute to Bass Guitar in Jazz," featuring special guests Corey Wilkes, Henry Johnson, Robert Irving III and Dee Alexander Aug. 2; and a performance by the Joe Louis Walker Band completes the series on Aug. 9. Admission to WDCB LIVE Jazz Concerts is free and all performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

All concerts and movie take place rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, concerts will be moved indoors to the Belushi Performance Hall and notice will be posted on the MAC's website, AtTheMAC.org. Collection of non-perishable food items for the Glen Ellyn Food Panty will take place at all Friday night concerts.

Attendees are encouraged bring a blanket and picnic to enjoy at the event. Seating begins at 6 p.m. prior to any evening event (no exceptions). Holding of space for latecomers or groups is not permitted. To host a special event or reserve space for a group, contact the MAC Box Office at 630.942.4000. Concessions available for purchase on site include burgers, Chicago style hot dogs, desserts, coffee, soda, popcorn, ice cream, wine, beer, specialty drinks and soda. Outside alcohol is not permitted onto the property. Neither are coolers, kegs, umbrellas, tents and skateboards. Food vendors for the 2018 Lakeside Pavilion Free Outdoor Summer Series include Weber Grill, Parkers' Restaurant and Bar, Heavenly Hot Dogs, Nothing Bundt Cakes and more. (Dining Partners and menu items may vary and are subject to change. Visit AtTheMAC.org for updates.)

Also at the Lakeside Pavilion this summer, COD College Theater presents its production of "Goldilocks and the Next Big Adventure" Saturday, July 14 and Sunday, July 15 at 5 p.m. COD Professor of TheaterAmelia Barrett directs this free, hour-long, interactive family-friendly show.

In addition, throughout the summer, the MAC continues to offer programming inside the venue. Events taking place in the Playhouse Theatre will include COD College Theater's production of "The Addams Family - A New Musical Comedy," directed by COD Professor of Theater Connie Canaday Howard, Thursday-Sunday at 7 p.m. July 5 to 15 (no performance Friday, July 13) and 2 p.m. (July 15 only) and The College of DuPage Dance Department's 4th Annual Choreography Showcase Saturday, July 28 at 7 p.m. The Cleve Carney Art Gallery will present two exhibitions: "One," the Gallery's annual emerging artist exhibition June 1-July 28; and "On Anxiety," curated by Gwendolyn Zabicki and featuring work by ?Matt Bollinger, Alexander Bradley Cohen, Jenn Dierdorf, Ethan Gill, Justin John Greene, Mika Horibuchi, Hai-Hsin Huang, Ben Murray, Veronika Pausova, Celeste Rapone and Brandi Twilley (Aug. 31-Oct. 13). For more information about these and additional MAC summer 2018 events call 630.942.4000 or visit AtTheMAC.org.

About the MAC

The McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355. It houses three indoor performance spaces (the 780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; the 236-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and the versatile black box Studio Theatre), the outdoor Lakeside Pavilion, plus the Cleve Carney Art Gallery, classrooms for the college's academic programming. The MAC has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 75,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season.

The mission of the MAC is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. For more information visit AtTheMAC.org, facebook.com/AtTheMAC or twitter.com/AtTheMAC.