Party Like It's 1599: LW East Madrigals Set To Return In December

FRANKFORT, IL — Hear, ye! Hear, ye! The Lincoln-Way East High School Madrigals are set to return this season with performances scheduled for Dec. 3 through Dec. 5 at the high school, 201 Colorado Ave. in Frankfort. Tickets are on sale through Nov. 14.

Guests will be transported back in time to 16th century England with students performing music and dressed in costumes from the era. Each show will start with 45 minutes of Renaissance-style entertainment and hors d'oeuvres in the lobby, followed by the musical performances.

"It does look different this year. Typically we've done Madrigal dinners. We served a full-course dinner on our stage," said Lincoln-Way East Choir Director Hanna Samawi. "Of course, there are still some COVID restricts, so we're sort of changing it around a little bit. We're going to have audience members in the lobby for some entertainment and hors d'oeuvres, and then we're going to have a concert-style performance in our auditorium."

The theme for this year's performances is "Awakening," which Lincoln-Way East Choir Co-Director Ann McMann-Kotze said felt appropriate because of the return to live performances.

"We were trying to think of an inspirational theme that would be uplifting after this rather dark 18 months we've had, especially in the performing world," McMann-Kotze said.

The Madrigals are comprised of 70 students as the vocal ensemble, actors and instrumentalists, all in full costume to play the part of 16th century English revelers.

"The kids especially are excited to get to wear their Renaissance costumes again," McMann-Kotzesaid. "We have very spectacular costumes and parents who help us with that. The kids really look forward to that. And I'm really looking forward to seeing that this year."

Performances were put on hiatus last year because of the pandemic, said Lincoln-Way East Choir Director Hanna Samawi, but the Madrigals were still able to send out holiday carols recordings.

Performance dates and times are:

• 6:15 p.m. (concert begins at 7 p.m.) Dec. 3.
• 12:15 p.m. (concert begins at 1 p.m.) and 6:15 p.m. (concert begins at 7 p.m.) Dec. 4
• 1:15 p.m. (concert begins at 2 p.m.) Dec. 5.

Tickets can be purchased on the Lincoln-Way East Madrigals' Eventbrite page. Tickets are $20 each, with a special senior citizen discount of $15 for the 12:15 p.m. performance on Dec. 4 only.

For more information, email Hanna Samawi.

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