Magical Starlight Theatre: “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
While we are fortunate to live just a short distance from Chicago theatres, we also can take advantage of high quality, engaging performances in Naperville for a fraction of the cost.  For example, just last week, the Naperville Park District’s Magical Starlight Theatre finished a two-week run of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Naperville Central High School auditorium.

I was able to attend one of the Saturday evening performances and thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was fun, colorful, and full of surprises. The chorus and orchestra sounded bigger than their numbers, with the children’s voices adding freshness and charm. Joel Hamilton was a natural in playing Joseph, with his strong, pleasing singing voice. The evening flew by, with the cast enjoying the performance as much as the audience did.

Joseph and his brothers

From the scene with the Egyptian official, Potiphar

Magical Starlight Theatre will return in the fall of 2012 with a play and in January 2013 with a musical, both of which have not yet been selected.  Interested in participating in these productions?  Community actors from fourth grade up through adult are encouraged to audition. Watch for announcements in upcoming Park District Program Guides.

Élan Dance Company:  “String Theory”
Another performance which took place in January involved the Park District’s Élan Dance Company. Following their debut of a modern dance interpretation of “String Theory” in Michigan City last fall, the Élan Dance Company performed “String Theory” on Sunday, January 22 in a free workshop at the Yorkville Public Library. The workshop included an educational Q and A session with Élan’s artistic director Melissa Sallée and the Company. “The audience loved the performance and the discussion that followed,” said Sallée. “The dancers answered questions about both their training in dance and the artistic process of creating pieces,” she said.

The Élan Dance Company is now preparing for their next major event, which is the annual Showcase at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 17 at Naperville North High School auditorium. The performance is for audiences of all ages and features an eclectic collection of dances from classical ballet to jazz and modern dance. The Showcase promises to be another special evening of performing arts in Naperville. Hope to see you there!

   
   Élan Dance Company at the Yorkville Library. Photo by Melissa Sallée.

String Theory performance at the Yorkville Library.
Photo by Melissa Sallée

5. Skating and sledding – Free!
When cold temperatures and snow allow, head out to one of the Park District’s sled hills or outdoor skating areas. Locations are listed here. We even have a special snowboarding hill at Weigand Park. Check here for opening and closing information.

Skaters enjoy the outdoor skating area at Gartner Park.

4. Visit one of our playgrounds – Free!
Did you know that the Park District offers 67 playgrounds throughout the Naperville community? Playgrounds are open year round. On those long, winter days with no snow to play in, bundle up and bring the kids out to try a new playground or your family’s favorite. Our newest playground was installed in the fall of 2011 at Knoch Park, located at 812 S. West St.


Our newest playground at Knoch Park is open on S. West St.   

Families enjoy the ever-popular Jaycee Playground on the Riverwalk.

                           3. Take a winter trail walk – Free!
The Riverwalk is open year round, with snow removal and maintenance performed by the Naperville Park District. Other trails throughout the District may be snow covered, but are open and offer a quiet environment for a refreshing winter walk. The DuPage River Trail that winds through Pioneer Park, Knoch Knolls, and DuPage River Park is maintained for both cross country skiing and walking.

2. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Jan. 20-22 and Jan. 27-29 – Only $8 per ticket (purchased in advance) or $10 at the door.
Magical Starlight Theatre presents this entertaining musical featuring talented youth and adult actors from our community. Tickets are available at www.napervilleparks.org.  Shows take place at Naperville Central High School’s auditorium.

Joseph (Joel Hamilton) proudly displays his coat of many colors. Photo by Susan Hobson.

1. Table Tennis Tournament – Feb. 11 – Free for spectators, $8 or $10 for participants
Players of all ages can participate in this fun tournament, sponsored by the Naperville Table Tennis Club and the Naperville Park District. Matches run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at River Woods School.

We hope you will enjoy both indoor and outdoor fun this winter!

   
    Spectators watch multiple matches at the 2011 Table Tennis Tournament.

In 2011, the Naperville Art League celebrated its 50th anniversary. Congratulations to this fine organization! The Naperville Park District is proud to partner with the Art League to offer a variety of art classes for both children and adults. 

Beginners as well as experienced artists are welcome in any of the League’s classes. “Students can work at their own pace and can learn from each other,” said Debbie Venezia, executive director of the Art League since 2002.

Along with its own art classes, the Naperville Park District lists Art League classes for kids and adults in each season’s Program Guide, and art camps in the annual Summer Camps Guide.

One local adult student, Sam Dalinis, began taking “Oil Painting in a Day” as a beginner approximately 10 years ago. “I wanted something else to do outside of work,” he said. He enjoyed the class so much that he enrolled continuously in it for many years. “The teachers are good, and it’s a lot of fun to get together with other people. The class is interactive and small enough so that you get the attention you need from the instructor.”



Oil paintings by Sam Dalinis

Although Dalinis is no longer enrolled in the oil painting class, he still is enjoying his art and has moved on to acrylic painting.

Debbie Venezia has seen many aspiring artists grow and flourish through art classes and other means of support offered by the Naperville Art League. “They come here, get involved with the Art League, and then reach a level of professionalism where they can support themselves through their art,” she said. “We help them find an audience.”

The Art League’s biggest event each year is the Riverwalk Fine Arts Fair in September, which is a juried show, and one of the top outdoor art fairs in the country.  The League also supports artists through networking and sending frequent e-mail updates about other exhibits and commission work.

If you want to begin learning more about painting, woodcarving, pottery, or any other visual art, the Naperville Park District and the Naperville Art League have classes to fit your interest.  Or if you are an experienced artist and would like to fine-tune your technique, or enjoy practicing your art with others, classes such as “Painting Techniques: Advanced” are available starting in January.

We encourage you to step out and try something new, to grow your creative side, and to experience the benefits of art, from stress reduction and personal enrichment to creating art to share with others, or even launching a career.  

About Seager Park
Those who were able to attend the Oct. 22 opening of the new interpretive center at Seager Park got a glimpse of the beauty of this wooded park, tucked away on Plank Road on Naperville’s north side. In addition to the 20 acres of unspoiled woodlands, Seager Park, newly redeveloped, features open fields for baseball, soccer, or other field games, basketball and volleyball courts, a walking trail, picnic shelter, and a fire pit with a council ring.

Seager Park Interpretive Center. Photo by Lambros Photography, Inc.

The new interpretive center‘s classroom houses the Park District’s nature preschool program, Toadstools and Pollywogs, during weekday preschool hours. The center also has a large deck and a small lobby area with restrooms, open to the public whenever the park is open (from dawn to dusk).  By the end of 2011, two large educational signs will be added, one on the deck and one overlooking the wetland near the interpretive center.  In 2012, four additional signs will be in installed, completing the story of the park’s natural history, human history, plant and animal habitats, and the flow of water through the park.

Nature Programs coming this winter
The new park amenities together with the large wooded area make Seager Park a fitting location for nature programs and all kinds of outdoor recreational and educational activities. Beginning in January, the Naperville Park District is offering a variety of nature programs at Seager Park and other locations for all ages.

Young children can learn about how animals survive our cold, Illinois winters, explore the winter landscape, and even celebrate Groundhog Day by learning more about this special animal. A series of nature classes for elementary school kids will include outdoor experiences learning about snow, raccoons, birds, maple trees, and more.  Adults and kids age 8 and up will be able to register for a snow shoe hike at Knoch Knolls Park. Participants will gain a new appreciation for the winter habitat and its quiet beauty as well as getting some great exercise.

Nature and your health
There’s no doubt that spending time outdoors in nature, whatever the season, has health benefits for kids and adults.  In addition to our new nature programs, the Naperville Park District provides winter recreation facilities, including sled hills and skating rinks as well as trails, playgrounds, and other facilities that are open year-round so that residents can enjoy time outdoors.
 
Some of the benefits of walking or other outdoor physical activity during the winter include the following:
• Exposure to natural, outdoor light (even when cloudy) helps maintain circadian rhythms for regular sleep
• Activity in the cold helps burn calories for weight control
• Exposure to sunshine and natural landscapes improves mood and reduces feelings of stress

An old Scandinavian saying states: “there is no bad weather, just bad clothing.” We hope that you can enjoy nature and the outdoors this winter, dressed for the weather, and reap the health benefits for you and your family.

On Friday, Nov. 4, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., ten members of the Élan Dance Company’s Senior Company are embarking on a new adventure: performing a modern dance as part of Jözef Sumichrast’s sculpture, “String Theory.”

The dancers will travel to Michigan City, Indiana to the Lubeznik Center for the Arts, where “String Theory” is one of the featured exhibits (through December 18).

What is string theory?
The sculpture is based on the theory in physics with the same name.  What is string theory, you may ask?  Élan’s Artistic Director Melissa Sallée recommended checking Wikipedia for a good, understandable description. The artist, Jözef Sumichrast, also posted a helpful explanation about string theory and how it relates to his work.

In physics, string theory assumes that matter is composed of strings, rather than particles, that oscillate in multiple dimensions. Sumichrast’s sculpture portrays the theory with a striking display of 11 life-sized, three-dimensional horses suspended by strings.

The sculpture is meant to portray a fourth dimension of motion and perception by the observer, which is an aspect of string theory.  The Élan dancers will highlight this aspect by their movement and interpretation of the abstract ideas in the sculpture.

The String Theory Dance Project
In a video interview, Sallée explained that she first heard about Sumichrast’s exhibit through a colleague when attending an arts conference.  Sallée seized the opportunity to combine the art of dance with visual art and as an example of “where science and art intersect.”  She charged her students to read about string theory prior to learning the choreography. “They are ready for a challenge,” said Sallée. “This is a new level of artistry, to portray abstract concepts, such as the passage of time and multiple dimensions.”

If you go….
The “String Theory” exhibit will be open to the public free of charge during Élan’s performance on Friday, Nov. 4 from 5:00 to 8:00 as part of the Center’s “First Fridays at 5” series.

The Lubeznik Center is located at 101 W. 2nd St., at the lakefront in Michigan City, Indiana.  Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Galleries are closed on Mondays.

 
"String Theory" by Jözef Sumichrast

Élan Dance Company - Senior Company, Spring 2011

As mentioned in the previous blog post, several individuals now living in the Naperville area shared with us their past experiences at Seager Park. Park visitors will be able to hear excerpts from the interviews by means of an audio box that will be installed near the interpretive center within the next few months.

Seager Park in the early 1900s
Did you know that the existing 30-acre Seager Park was once part of a 150-acre campgrounds used for religious meetings and summer camps? And that the founding of the church camp occurred in the mid-1800s?  By the early 1900s, the campground included a large, open-air worship center named the Ebenezer Tabernacle, a hotel known as Bethany, a camp store, 65 summer cottages, a bridge over the ravine, and a lake large enough in which to swim.  The camp was so popular that a train stop was estblished for the camp. 

Walter Hagemann, who was born on the farm just south of Seager Park in 1920 and lived there until 1978, recalls seeing camp visitors transporting their luggage in 2-wheeled push carts from the train stop to the camp.  His favorite time of year was spring, with the beautiful violets and wild tulips blooming in the woods at Seager Park.  Summers were busy and lively at the camp even through the Depression years in the 1930s, he said. World War II seemed to diminish the camp activities, however, and in 1947 it was sold to another church, beginning a new era.

The Camp Seager era: 1950s to 1980s
During the 1940s and 1950s, Mayor A. George Pradel lived with his family as a young boy near Seager Park. He recalls playing in the woods at Camp Seager, as it was called, and at Hagemann’s Farm.  Hagemann taught him to milk a cow. Pradel remembers seeing cows occasionally wandering across the street to Camp Seager, buying milk from Hagemann’s Farm for 40 cents a gallon, hayrides, and tractor rides.

Mayor Pradel has fond memories of the sights, sounds, and tastes of Camp Seager: singing around the campfire, kids playing games of baseball, tag, and pom-pom pull away. He was delighted when the camp counselors invited him and his friends to make a lanyard and enjoy lemonade and cookies.

Later, in the early 1960s, Mayor Pradel and his wife lived in one of the Seager cottages for a few seasons. Winters were tough, without heat or running water in the cottage. They loved the quiet of the snow, being out in nature, and being able to live economically.

Also during the 1960s, the Hagemanns’ daughters, Connie and Jennifer, grew up on the farm and experienced Camp Seager as campers for several summers. Their memories include taking the bus from camp to Centennial Beach each afternoon, appreciating the uniqueness of the remaining Victorian cottages on the property, looking forward to their summer friends who came to the cottages each year, and shopping at the camp store.

From the 1964 to the early 1980s, the Grosshuesch family lived in the caretaker’s house at Camp Seager and with the help of their seven children, managed the grounds year round and ran the camp in the summer, including meal preparation and clean up, mowing, etc.  Spike, one of their sons, recalls spending hours at the camp with his friend, Rick Lietz, during junior high and high school. They remember the Tabernacle as a huge building, 3 stories high. The kitchen building had a large dinner bell that rang for each meal. Favorite camp games were shuffleboard, horseshoes, and tetherball. Fall was their favorite time of year, even though their chores did not end. Raking leaves at Camp Seager always created enormous piles of leaves, which, of course, were perfect for jumping into.

More stories to come with the re-opening of Seager Park
With the re-opening of Seager Park, and the addition of an interpretive center, the Naperville Park District invites the community to learn more about the history of the land, its people, and the wildlife and natural surroundings that have been preserved for the future.

Photos of Hagemann's Farm in the 1900s, south of Seager Park

Connie (Hagemann) Highland, Walter Hagemann, and Jennifer (Hagemann) Berthold

Kids growing up in Naperville in 2011 seem to have fewer and fewer opportunities to explore the corner woods, find a tadpole in a stream, or spend hours outdoors playing in local fields and back yards. In many neighborhoods in Naperville, you might wonder, where is the nearest woodland? 
 
Seager Park:  a beautiful “corner woods” for the community.  On Naperville’s north side, 30-acre Seager Park is home to a beautiful woodland, as well as playing fields, trails, a picnic pavilion, a fire pit, and newly renovated basketball and volleyball courts. The Naperville Park District just added a brand new interpretive center, designed as a home base for Park District programs, school groups and others who want to explore the woods and also learn more about the plants and animals that live there.

Grand opening and dedication of Seager Park Interpretive Center on October 22. Now that construction of the new interpretive center at Seager Park is complete, Naperville Park District staff and commissioners look forward to unveiling the new center to the public at the dedication and ribbon cutting on Saturday, October 22 at 10:00 a.m.  Everyone is invited to join in the festivities, including refreshments, socializing, and nature-based activities.  Those who plan to attend are asked to send an e-mail message to rsvp@napervilleparks.org .

Seager Park Interpretive Center


A child's view from inside the new Interpretive Center


A series of interpretive signs will be installed at Seager Park later this year, to explain the natural features, plants, and animals at the park, while highlighting the interesting history of the land and its people. Replicas of the signs will be on display at the dedication.

Coming soon:  A glimpse into Seager Park’s unique history. Several individuals who lived in or near the Seager Park property at various times over the past 90 years graciously agreed to tell us their memories and stories of Seager Park, or Camp Seager, as it was called. These individuals include A. George Pradel, Mayor of Naperville, Cliff Preston, former owner of Preston Builders, who built the existing pavilion and other buildings at the park, Spike Grosshuesch, son of the caretakers of Camp Seager, Rick Lietz, Spike’s friend, and Walter Hagemann and his daughters, Connie Highland and Jennifer Berthold, who lived on the farm across from Camp Seager.

Park visitors will be able to hear excerpts from the interviews with these individuals by means of an audio box that will be installed at the park later this year.

We invite you to check out future posts at ParkTalk Blog to read some of the fascinating stories about what life at Seager Park was like in the early days as a campground.  

Volunteers at the Naperville Park District continue to enrich programs and benefit parks, as they have for years, supporting youth soccer and other programs and beautifying the Riverwalk and many other parks. In 2011, the Park District created a new position dedicated entirely to coordinating the volunteer program.  As a result, both the diversity of projects and number of volunteers have increased steadily.

Formerly a community relations representative for the Park District, Lynnette Hoole began serving as volunteer coordinator early in 2011. She brings enthusiasm and experience to the job, and can hardly wait to implement some of her ideas for engaging volunteers.

Volunteers at the Garden Plots
One of her ideas was to begin a Garden Plot Ambassador program. “The gardeners like their time alone, tending their plants, but they also need to know the latest news about the plots, and they enjoy the sense of community out there,” said Hoole. “Garden Plot Ambassadors just walk around the plots, letting gardeners know upcoming dates, Park District information, and where they can find help for any of their gardening questions,” she said.  By the way, you don’t have to be a master gardener to be a Garden Plot Ambassador.  The main qualifications needed are the desire to help others, enjoyment of the outdoors, and availability. The Garden Plot Ambassadors act as liaisons to the master gardeners, who also volunteer their time at the Garden Plots, offering on-the-spot advice during regular hours in the summer. 

Master Gardeners, together with the new Garden Plot Ambassadors, are on hand
at the West Street Garden Plots to assist gardeners during the growing season.

Adopt-A-Park
Another new volunteer program just getting underway this fall is the Adopt-A-Park program. This program is for individuals or groups who want to take care of a park on a regular basis for one year or more. Cocntact Lynnette Hoole at lhoole@napervilleparks.org for more information. The Naperville Evening Kiwanis Club is the first group to adopt a park. They completed their first park spruce up project at Veterans Park on September 10, mulching tree rings, removing invasive plants, and picking up litter. They plan to gather at the park a few more times this fall, and then will return next spring.

Naperville Evening Kiwanis Club at their adoped park, Veterans Park

A Place for Everyone
Volunteering at the Park District gives people of all ages and abilities opportunities to make the most of their free time, serving the community as well as gaining valuable experience, meeting new people, spending time with friends and family, and enjoying the outdoors. From small children who volunteer with their families to senior adults who coordinate programs for their peers, there is a place for everyone who is willing and able to volunteer.

This year the District has continued an initiative to coordinate projects with volunteers from special education programs in School District 204. Special needs students have picked litter at the Frontier Skate Facility and cleaned preschool toys. Students from both school districts have helped plant prairie seeds at Commissioners Park. “Volunteering can be a helpful transition from school to work situations for high school students with special needs,” said Park District Volunteer Coordinator Lynnette Hoole. “In addition to practicing life and work skills, they gain a sense of belonging,” she said.

Student volunteers help make tutus for the preschool program.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
October traditionally marks the beginning of the busy season for volunteers, with over 100 teen volunteers needed at Halloween Happening, and even more needed at Santa House in December. The Park District will display information about volunteer opportunities at the upcoming Kidsmatter Volunteer Fair. 

With the growth of the Park District’s youth sports programs, parents have many opportunities to get involved with their child’s team as a coach, assistant coach, liaison, or equipment volunteer.  Naperville Youth Soccer has expanded to include indoor soccer at Player’s Indoor Sports during the cold season. Volunteers are also needed for the new Premier Indoor Soccer League and for baseball programs during the spring and summer.

There are endless opportunities to get involved in volunteering at the Park District, both in existing
programs and in ways that we haven’t thought of yet.  Your suggestions and talents are welcome! 

  
  Over 100 volunteers are needed at Halloween Happening

Audiences of all ages are invited to enjoy a live, theatre production of A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh in the Little Theatre at Naperville Central High School beginning September 9, 2011. This whimsical play features a cast of 17 talented actors from the community and is produced by Magical Starlight Theatre, a program of the Naperville Park District.

Those who saw the Disney film this summer will find that the theatre version follows the original story even more closely than the film did.  Jill Ludlam, publicity chair for Magical Starlight Theatre and producer for this show, said that the performance is fun and fast-paced, with a special surprise at the end for the children in the audience.

I was able to sit in on parts of a rehearsal a couple of weeks ago, and was amazed at how the actors fit their roles and looked like their characters, even without their costumes! 

Pooh (Tim Thompson) and Piglet (Mikayla Detwiler) go for a walk.

Tickets are available at the door and at the Naperville Park District.

A consistent theme for all of Magical Starlight Theatre’s productions is family friendliness, both for audiences and for the actors and those who work behind the scenes.  Run entirely by volunteers, Magical Starlight Theatre strives to include as many family members as possible in all aspects of each production.  Winnie the Pooh is no exception.  Out of a cast of 17, there are 5 pairs of actors who come from the same families, with other family members involved in other ways as well.

A passion for the theatre often begins early in life, and Magical Starlight Theatre gives children an opportunity to learn and perform in a supportive environment, while being involved in an outstanding production.  With family time at a premium, parents also have the opportunity to get involved in productions with their children, creating memories and a foundation for future artistic growth.

The next Magical Starlight Theatre production is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” to be performed in January 2012. Auditions for this musical will be held October 22-23 at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center. Children must be in fourth grade or higher to audition. There’s still time to prepare for this exciting opportunity.  For more information, check Magical Starlight Theatre’s website.  

Like many other girls who grew up in Naperville, Lindsey Gapen began dancing at age 4, in the Park District’s recital dance program. She still remembers the tutus and how special she felt wearing the angel costume with wings. Dance was one activity among many for Lindsey, including all kinds of sports that she enjoyed, but not a season went by without dancing. As time pressure and commitments increased in high school, Lindsey had to choose between traveling soccer and dance. She chose dance.

“I always kept dancing,” said Lindsey in a recent interview with Melissa Sallée, artistic director for the Naperville Park District’s Élan Dance Company (formerly the Concert Dance Ensemble). “And I liked the people in our dance program.  We are like a family; everyone is genuine. There’s a lot less drama here,” she said.

Lindsey is a 2011 graduate of Neuqua Valley High School and has been a member of Élan Dance Company for four years. When Lindsey joined, the dance company was divided into two groups: ballet and jazz. At the same time, Melissa Sallée came to the Park District to direct the ballet company. Lindsey preferred jazz and was in the jazz group. The following year, Sallée assumed leadership of the entire Company and combined the ballet and jazz companies. When she had the opportunity to work with Lindsey on the eel dance for SOS Trouble in the Trench, Sallée noticed that Lindsey learned quickly. “I saw that Lindsey was a sponge,” said Melissa. She also saw that Lindsey would be able to grow quickly as an artist with individualized attention and more instruction in classical ballet.

Lindsey took a ballet class from Sallée in the summer and began to absorb not only the technique, but also the philosophy of learning that guides Sallée’s instruction and artistic direction in the Élan Dance Company.

“The instructors in our dance program focus on the individual, to help them become the best they can be,” said Sallée. “We do this through offering diverse dance styles, just as our dancers are diverse, and through informal but intentional mentoring,” she explained. 

Lindsey flourished as a dancer under Sallée’s mentorship, progressing in her dance technique and artistic expression. “Our dance company isn’t competitive,” said Lindsey. “I like it that way. In school, they teach dance as a sport, but here it’s an art,” she said. 

As she approached her senior year, Lindsey wanted to explore the role of choreographer in addition to dancer. Lindsey and another dancer had an idea for a piece and brought it to Sallée.  They worked on the piece and held auditions for the roles.  It was performed in the 2011 Spring Showcase, entitled, “Contagious”, and was set to “Us” by Regina Spektor.

The challenge of choreographing a piece and directing others to perform it was another growing experience for Lindsey. “There’s a difference between choreography and dance— choreography is harder; you have to be in charge of the rehearsals. You realize how difficult people can be unintentionally.  It was a really good experience for me,” she reflected. 

Although her senior year in Élan has ended, Lindsey’s involvement with dance continues. This summer she is teaching two pre-ballet classes and a pre-tap class in the Park District’s Dance Academy.  In the fall, she will attend the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where she hopes to include dance as a part of her life.

Lindsey Gapen. Photo by Melissa Sallée.

Lindsey Gapen and Melissa Sallée

Looking back on her experience over the past four years in Élan Dance Company, Lindsey‘s favorite memories came from being more involved during her senior year.  “Having the dancers tell me that they liked our piece, ‘Contagious’, made me happy.  Melissa has faith in us.  We work hard on things like lifts, and Melissa makes us do it until we get it,” said Lindsey. “ It feels so good!”

From Melissa’s perspective, she is thrilled to see students like Lindsey transition from receiving instruction to becoming a role model themselves. 

“It’s therapeutic to have a single focus, such as dance,” said Melissa.  “Kids live complicated lives.  In dance, they are fully present.”

Photo by Jessica James.