Big Head Todd Featured on Ripley’s Believe It or Not

The band Big Head Todd & the Monsters, which opens for John Hiatt and the Combo on Sunday, Sept. 11, was recently featured on the popular show Ripley’s Believe It or Not. It was reported that in March, the group became the first band in history to perform a live song to awaken the crew of an orbiting spacecraft. Believe it or not! Pavilion and lawn tickets are available to this final concert of the 2011 Ravinia Festival season

Maroon 5 “Moves” to the Top Spot as Adam Levine Takes “Voice” Back to TV

Maroon 5, which made its Ravinia Festival debut with two of this summer’s most popular concerts, has moved to the top spot on the pop charts with the hit single Moves Like Jagger. The song features Christina Aguiilera, who will return to television with Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine to headline the second season of the competition show The Voice, which premieres on Feb. 5, following the Super Bowl.

A Good Man Documentary Set for Chicago Run

The award-winning documentary A Good Man will play for one week at the Gene Siskel Film Center, Sept. 23-29. The film from directors Gordon Quinn (Hoop Dreams) and Bob Hercules (Forgiving Dr. Mengele) follows Tony-winning choreographer Bill T. Jones on his creative journey to deliver Fondly Do We Hope … Fervently Do We Pray to the Ravinia stage. That full-evening dance work was part of Ravinia’s 2009 celebration of the Abraham Lincoln bicentennial. In addition to the film, there will be a Q & A discussion with the filmmakers on Sept. 23 and a panel discussion with dancers from the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company moderated by Ravinia Festival President and CEO Welz Kauffman on Sept. 27. A Good Man will have its television premiere Nov. 11 on American Masters on PBS stations, including WTTW Channel 11.

Ramsey Lewis Day in Illinois

We had a very special treat tonight prior to the Ramsey Lewis/Pink Martini concert. Ravinia's President and CEO Welz Kauffman took the stage and welcomed park guests. He then introduced to the stage Illinois Governor Pat Quinn who read a proclamation devoted to Ramsey Lewis and declared July 10, 2011,  "Ramsey Lewis Day" in the state of Illinois. Lewis came out and thanked the governor and said a few words; the packed park cheered.

We are so proud to have Lewis as our artistic director of jazz and for him to perform exciting works on our stage such as tonight's U.S. premiere of Colors: The Ecology of Oneness. Congratulations, Ramsey, you deserve it!

Amy Schrage
Associate Director of Communications