Manhattan KS Art Music Theater

Concerts geared towards youth
Music composition contests for elementary students
Art contests
Community theatre
Arts scholarships for children and young adults

They also have a mobile art display called the MAC Truck, as well as indoor permanent galleries at their facilities. They offer classes in art, music, and theatre for children as well as adults, and also have performing troupes that perform regularly.

In the art department, both children and adults can choose from classes in painting and clay work, and children can take part in summer camps where they will learn art in various forms: painting, clay, acting, music, and even cartooning.

Music students will find course work in everything from Suzuki Strings to symphonic music appreciation and performance choruses. Music performance lovers will also enjoy the new salon concert series, a revival of the Romanic Era salon concerts that were held in homes and accompanied by refreshments and discussions about the performance.

One of the favorites of The Manhattan Arts Center is the Birdhouse, an acoustic music series that can only be described as a fusion of blues, jazz, and various folk/country styles. These concerts are very popular, so plan in advance if you want to make sure you get a seat!

The theatre at The Manhattan Arts Center is pleased to announce some great performances coming up for the 2007-2008 season, including Mary, Mary, Deathtrap, The Trip to Bountiful, and The Fantasticks. Every season they offer four performances and roles are all played by community members. So if you live in Manhattan, Kansas, you may see your next door neighbor or may even get a role yourself!

If you have an even coming up, you can also contact The Manhattan Arts Center about renting space. It’s very popular for private concert offerings, receptions, meetings, small conferences or conventions, and a host of other events. Student recitals are also plentiful at the Center, and those who rent the hall for this purpose will receive special rates.

Arts in the Park

This great series of free concerts and performances is sponsored by the Manhattan Parks and Recreation District, and is a summer full of free concerts by some well known and entertaining groups. Here is a short list of some of the featured acts that perform at Arts in the Park

The Benders, Oldies
Peter Tork and Shoe Suede Blues, Blues
Trinidad Tripoli Steel Drum Band, Caribbean
Shevy Smith, Country
Youth Musical “Once On This Island”
Scratch Track, Alternative

All the shows at Arts in the Park are by acclaimed performers who are known for their artistry as well as particular style of music or performance. Many of these performing groups are known nationally and a few world-wide, and often have recordings available for purchase. These highly talented performers will wow audiences with eclectic choices, and you might even catch a fusion performance, such as a steel drum band playing Bach.

Strecker Nelson Art Gallery

Located in the downtown area, the Strecker Nelson Art Gallery offers many different kinds of art displays, from modern sculpture to photographic arts and paintings. The index of artists is extensive, and includes some of today’s world-renowned visual artists of all media. In addition, the gallery offers a framing service that can produce styles from simple and clean to highly decorative.

The most recent exhibit, the Kansas Masters Invitational, held works by 128 Kansas artists, and coming up in July of 2007 you will see the “Beyond Mimesis: Contemporary Realism” exhibit featured through July 28. Some of these exhibits will be 3D, and sure to thrill all ages including children. During August and September the gallery will offer the “Abstraction: The Language of Art” show that features some amazing contemporary pieces that will thrill any art lover.

Gold & Silver Orchestras

These orchestras, associated with the Kansas State University, and is a series of youth orchestra concerts that the university students help with either in a performance capacity or an assistance capacity. You will hear works of major artists and composers, from the early masters to contemporary selections.

These youth orchestras are top of the line, and consists of the cream of the cream of the Manhattan, Kansas youth strong and orchestral brass/woodwind players. Many of these young people have dedicated their lives to music, and you can hear this dedication in the performances they give.

To listen to tomorrow’s up and coming professional performing artists, don’t miss the Gold and Silver Orchestras at Kansas State University. These students range from the fifth through the tenth grade, and you will hear why it is one of the few youth orchestras to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

McCain Auditorium

Again at Kansas State University, the McCain auditorium offers a performance venue where you can find almost any kind of performing arts. From music to theatre to lectures and more, whatever you’re in the mood for the McCain Theatre has it. There are several different series’ available for you to choose from. Here are a few of those:

McCain Performance Series. You can purchase season tickets and receive a 15% discount on the entire package. Tickets go from $184 to $368, and you have your choice of seats. There is a special discount offered to KSu students as well as military, and children are also offered special prices.

Select-a-Series. With this special package, you can order a set of seven to fifteen advance tickets that are like a season ticket, except that you get to choose the performances you will attend. The discount is 10% on this series, and you must purchase them other than online.

Some of the upcoming performances include “Tango Bueno Aires,” the comedy performance “Chicago City Limits,” and a performance by world-renowned pianist Jean-Frédéric Neuburger. The Kansas City Symphony and Kansas City Chorus will also be doing a performance at McCain this year. If you like other kinds of performances as well, try catching “The Spencers: Theatre of Illusion,” Solid Blues, or one of the many theatre productions held at McCain.

Lou Douglas and Landon Lectures at KSU

The Landon Lectures, begun in 1966 by former president of Kansas State University James A. McCain, is one of the country’s finest lecture series’ available. The first lecturer was delivered by Governor Landon, and since then world-famous lecturers have stood at the podium to speak. These lectures are often broadcast by local radio stations and television programs and manuscripts are printed and distributed to important figures nationwide.

Past speakers include former President Bill Clinton, Lech Walesa , Prince Turki Al-Faisal, John Hofmeister, President Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev, Robert Mueller, and many more.

Columbian Theatre Museum & Art Center

In nearby Wamego, Kansas, the Columbian Theatre Museum & Art Center began when Wamego banker and citizen J.C. Rogers brought back a collection of art works from the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. These works were to decorate his music hall, where music and theater acts would be performed. Through the years and a major renovation project, the center became what it is today, a venue that includes the magnificent Peddicord Playhouse, a gallery display of J.C. Rogers’ paintings from the 1983 World’s Fair, and the second-to-none Swogger Gallery of art.

In addition to being a cultural center for the area, it is also a favorite for private social functions, meetings, conventions, conferences, weddings, and much more. Any even that calls for elegant surroundings fits in at the Columbian Theatre Museum & Art Center. And if you really want to keep abreast of what’s going on at the center at all times, be part of the adventure of it, and also receive discounts throughout the year, you can become a member of the organization with a donation.

Manhattan Area Art, Music & Theater