Much has changed about Infinity Visual and Performing Arts in the past year.
Friday night, the center is welcoming the public to come out and see all those changes - as well as enjoy a performance from the talented musical youth of the program - during its annual Spring Showcase event.
The Infinity Spring Showcase has been held in past years at Jamestown Community College's Scharmann Theatre. However, after record attendance last year forced organizers to turn people away at the door last year, a decision was made to move to a bigger venue for this year's event.
Article Photos
Students from the Infinity Visual and Performing Arts will play Friday night at the Reg Lenna Civic Center as part of the program’s annual Spring Showcase event.
Submitted photo
''We were happily surprised with the turnout,'' said Shane Hawkins, Infinity director. ''So due to that, we're having it at the Reg Lenna this year.''
As the Reg Lenna Civic Center is located directly across the street from Infinity, having the concert there also affords the program the opportunity to tie more events into the event. An open house and student art show will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, two hours prior to the showcase concert's 7 p.m. start.
The open house is a chance for Infinity to show the public its 3,300 more square feet of instructional space, Ms. Hawkins said, as well as all the cosmetic changes that have taken place to the building's facade in the past year.
Fact Box
What: Infinity Spring Showcase
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Reg Lenna Civic Center
Cost: $5, pre-sale; $6, at door; free, under 18
For more information, call 484-7070.
* 0 miles from downtown Jamestown.
''Through a grant the city received, we were able to repair the facade in July of last year,'' she said. ''They painted and made it a unified storefront, so that was a great benefit to us, just because it looks better from the outside.''
The lease and renovation of the space next door, formerly housed by Blue Cross Blue Shield, was assisted by the Gebbie Foundation and has allowed Infinity to expand its offerings, Ms. Hawkins said.
''We can have a dedicated art room, so we don't have to do so much juggling as we did when we only had the one space,'' she said, adding that the new space also includes a dance studio and additional band lesson rehearsal rooms. ''That's a completed project, so we'd like people to come in and see it.''
The program is now working with the city and the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation to put a sign on the front of its building - something Ms. Hawkins said it has needed since its inception in 1998.
''People never really knew where we were,'' she said. ''We're hoping that makes a huge difference.''
Following the open house and art show, the Spring Showcase concert will begin across Third Street at the Reg Lenna. All of Infinity's student bands will be featured, Ms. Hawkins said, as well as some student soloists.
The finale piece for the evening concert will be performed by Collective Groove Project, a group that was formed in January and consists of a melding of steel drums, hand drums and vocal artists. Featuring students from Steel Pan Alley, directed by Howie Feldman, and GAHU Drum Ensemble, conducted by T.R. McKotch, the band has been joined by vocal students instructed by Rhonda Harp to create something special, Ms. Hawkins said.
''They perform a very rhythmic percussive group with vocals and all different styles of drumming,'' she said. ''It's pretty and it's going to make a fantastic finale for us.''
While admission for the concert for adults is $5 pre-sale and $6 at the door, anyone under the age of 18 will be admitted for free. Ms. Hawkins said the concert provides young people with an opportunity to see the type of instruction they could receive at Infinity.
''We want children to come out and see their peers performing and being on stage and doing really creative things with their time,'' she said.
The event will also include drawings for prizes including $150 cash, a $300 in gift certificates to local restaurants, and an iPod Touch. Members of local improv comedy troupe The Unexpected Guests will host the event.
Pre-sale tickets for the concert are available by calling Infinity at 664-0991 or the Reg Lenna Civic Center box office at 484-7070.
For more information about Infinity Visual and Performing Arts, visit its website at www.infinityperformingarts.org.
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