On Stage

FLIPPO presents a tribute to the music of Steely Dan for a special evening that will also feature the talents of Kay Harris and Ron Jenkins on vocals, and Dan Rowan on keyboards and vocals. Steely Dan is an American jazz rock band founded by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen in 1972. They enjoyed great critical and commercial success and continue to influence new generations of musicians.

FLIPPO is a Columbus jazz group displaying instrumental virtuosity and creative energy in the spirit of sonic colors and innovation born of the “funk” and “jazz/rock fusion” movements of the 1970’s and beyond. The band features Michael Cox on Sax, Dennis Hodges on guitar, Erik Augis on Keys, Kevin O’Neill on saxophone, Cary Hackett on trumpet, Andy Woodson on Bass and Louis Tsamous on Drums.

Affirmative Distraction and Kodeswitch are two all black improv groups in Columbus. Founded and produced  by Joseph Moorer, the show is a mix of Wild'n Out and Whose Line is It Anyway! We ask the audience for suggestions, and use those suggestions to produce different games and scenes. No two shows are the same, and hilarity automatically ensues. Bring your audience participation pants, and we will see you at the McConnell Arts Center!

Affirmative Distraction has done shows all around Columbus, Ohio, and has been a Columbus staple for 5 years, performing for large crowds at Via Vecchia, and The Columbus Funny Bone. KodeSwtich started this past year, calling The Upfront Performance Space their home. It is made up of young adults from 18-24, and is usually referred to by Affirmative Distraction's younger sibling. We love what we do, and are proud to be two all black improv troupes, when there were none! We have a fanbase that loves to bring their people out, and we make sure that we interact with our crowds before, during, and after the show. Laugh With Us! 

VIGNESH ISHWAR
Vignesh Ishwar is one of the leading young musicians of Karnatik music. Endowed with a sonorous voice and unforgettable presence on stage, his music is fresh, energetic, and impactful. His uniqueness as a musician stems from an individual approach that combines sincerity, discipline, creativity, and perfect shruti. Born and raised in Mumbai, Vignesh trained under Palakkad Shri T S Anantharama Bhagawathar from the age of 4. His music is steeped in a strong foundation. Since 2008, he has been learning from Sri T M Krishna.

Vignesh has performed extensively in India and abroad. Being one of the leading young musicians of his generation, he has been regularly featured by all the major sabhas at the prestigious December Music Festival in Chennai for over 15 years. Internationally, Vignesh has given various performances in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, and Barcelona and has toured the United States of America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand extensively. He has also given lectures and has conducted various workshops...

Family Fun Series

It's time for some family fun at the MAC! You'll be delighted with our new family series programming, which is geared toward preschool - young elementary-aged kids and their families.

Come on in to meet and learn about some of our favorite local animals in this fun and educational presentation!

Stress is a universal human experience that all must weather from time to time. While coping with one or two stressors at a time may seem manageable, sometimes challenges accumulate to a point where we can become easily overwhelmed. This discussion will center on strategies for coping and re-balancing during stressful times. We will explore individual approaches as well as the role of systems in sustaining resilience over time.

Arianna Galligher, LISW-S is the Director of the Gabbe Health & Well-Being Program and the Associate Director of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program at OSU Wexner Medical Center. She has an extensive clinical background in mental health care across multiple settings, serving both adolescents and adults. She earned her Master’s degree in Social Work in 2005 at Ohio State University where she also teaches part-time. 

Sangeet: Yayati Aani Devyani is a historic Marathi musical drama, written by highly talented and famous litterateur V.V. Shirwadkar (popularly known as Kusumagraj) with music by legendary Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki. It's a classic tale of love and revenge between the King Yayati and his wife Devayani from pre-Mahabharata period. It is one of the literary masterpieces of Kusumagraj depicting the richness of Marathi language. It is further embellished with Indian Classical music based naytasangeet, featuring beloved songs like "He suranno chandra vha", "Sarvatmaka Sarveshwara" and more.

This is the first ever production of "Sangeet: Yayati Aani Devayani" in the US. This rendition of the musical drama comprises of 3 acts and 10 songs with live music and dance, performed by well-accomplished, local artists from Ohio, Michigan and New Jersey. Along with the literary and musical eloquence, the grandeur of Mahabharata era in this drama is presented with spectacular drapery, make-up and stage setup.

Kruthi Bhat, a young prodigious vocalist in the field of Indian Classical Music, hails from a family of musicians. Kruthi Bhat is a conservator of her genre’s unique beauty and also preserves ancient tradition as she continues to innovate within it. Kruthi is a disciple of her mother, Vidushi Rajarajeshwary Bhat & maternal uncle Vidwan Vittal Ramamurthy. She has had the privilege to learn from the legendary Padmabhushan Sri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman and Sri T. R. Subramanyan. She is also blessed to receive guidance under renowned musicians, Neyveli Santhanagopalan, S. Sowmya, Abhishek Raghuram, Kalyani Sharma & Trivandram G. Seethalakshmi. Kruthi, an All India Radio graded artist, has performed extensively at Prestigious platforms all around the Globe and has numerous Titles and Awards to her credit. She is the youngest recipient of the title “Kala Ratna” by Cleveland Thyaragaraja Aradhana Committee, “Isai Chudar” from Karthik Fine Arts Chennai, & “Yuva Kala Mani” from Mani Krishna Swamy Academy – To name a few awards, she is a recipient of the ”Best Female Vocalist” Award from the Prestigious Madras Music Academy as part of the Spirit of Youth series, Winner of the Reality Show, Carnatic Music Idol USA Season 3 from Maximum Media Jaya TV, ” “Top 5 Voices of the Future” by Sruti Magazine & “Best Vocalist” by Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, Chennai. Kruthi is a Computer Science graduate, also proficient in Western & Indian Classical violin playing, Bharatnatyam & Pastel/Acrylic Painting.

Playing hits from the Great American Songbook as well as Holiday faves from the early 1960’s, these talented and seasoned members of the well known “Phil Dirt and the Dozers” band are sure to turn out another memorable show! Come enjoy the season and let the music take you back to a simpler time in America… of sharkskin suits, polaroid cameras and the whiskey sour… a time when every AM car radio played the tunes that would become the “Baby-Boomer” hits of today by Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat Cole and more.