What to See at CSUN

For Subscribers, a Sneak Preview of New Performing Arts Center

One of America’s best-loved past Presidents, two famously thwarted lovers and a honky tonk-rockabilly-bluegrass-psychedelic country rock band will take the stage—not simultaneously, mind—during the sizzling fall season of Cal State Northridge’s Plaza del Sol Performance Hall.

And, as an exclusive benefit for fall season subscribers, the internationally acclaimed Moscow State Symphony Orchestra will present one of the first technical try-outs of the new Valley Performing Arts Center, which officially opens in January 2011. Patrons who purchase the Choose-Your-Own or Super Subscriber Series will receive a complementary invitation to the performance in this special acoustical tuning of the Great Hall.

All performances will be held in the Plaza del Sol Performing Arts Center except the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra.

In store for the season:

Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company. September 28, 8 p.m., Plaza del Sol Performance Hall.
Dedicated to the preservation of indigenous Philippine art forms in music, dance, costumes and folklore, the world-traveling dance company has created fascinating repertoires suited to the demands of contemporary theater.

“FDR.” October 9, 8 p.m., Plaza del Sol Performance Hall.
Emmy Award-winning actor Ed Asner (“Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Lou Grant”) will star in “FDR,” based on the Broadway hit “Sunrise at Campobello.” In a powerful dramatic exploration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Asner reveals the depths of the iconic chief executive, from his inauguration through World War II.

The Acting Company’s “Romeo & Juliet.” October 27, 8 p.m., Plaza del Sol Performance Hall.
Shakespeare’s timeless tale of teenagers caught up in a tragic passion is performed by one of the country’s best repertory theaters, whose ranks have included the likes of Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, Jesse L. Martin and Jeffrey Wright.

Moscow State Symphony Orchestra. November 1, 8 p.m., Valley Performing Arts Center.*
Under the leadership of Pavel Kogan, one of Russia’s finest conductors, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra will delight the first audience of the Valley Performing Arts Center with a program derived from a rich cultural tradition. Founded in 1943, the orchestra performs in the most prestigious of the world’s concert halls, from Europe to Asia.

Luna Negra. November 6, 8 p.m., Plaza del Sol Performance Hall.
This innovative dance company has “served as a springboard for Latino contemporary choreographers to give expression to their stories and bring new life to the cultures of their communities.”

Assad Brothers. November 13, 8 p.m., Plaza del Sol Performance Hall.
Brazilian-born Sérgio and Odair Assad have had a major role in the creation of brilliant new music for two guitars, inspiring music by composers such as Astor Piazzolla and Jorge Morel. The brothers have worked with Yo-Yo Ma, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Dawn Upshaw and many other gifted artists.

John Doe and the Sadies. November 20, 8 p.m., Plaza del Sol Performance Hall.
This “genre-bending collaboration” melds the sounds of Nashville and Bakersfield, driven by John Doe’s vocals, the guitar, keyboards, vocals and fiddle work of brothers Dallas and Travis Good and the off-the-chart rhythm section of Mike Belitsky and Sean Dean.

Holiday on Broadway. December 4, 8 p.m., Plaza del Sol Performance Hall.

Tickets for the 2010 Fall Season are scheduled to go on sale July 19 for subscribers and August 23 for single ticket buyers. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or by calling the Associated Students ticket office at (818) 677-2488. For more information, visit www.valleyperformingartscenter.org.

— Brenda Roberts

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