| Entertainment chosen for 97th annual Marion Chamber Awards Banquet & Auction The entertainment has been selected for the 97th Annual Marion Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet & Auction Friday, January 19, 2018, at The Pavilion. The entertainment has been selected for the 97th Annual Marion Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet & Auction, which is set for Friday, January 19, 2018, at The Pavilion. RSVP by calling (618) 997-6311, e-mailing director@marionillinois.com or clicking here. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a Social Hour, sponsored by Northbridge Professional Technologies. Entertainment (sponsored by Clearwave Communications) will include performances by Brock Bertling - a local pianist, and Artstarts.  Bertling is originally from Indianapolis, Indiana. He started playing piano in church, nursing homes and malls, later moving on to venues including exclusive parties in the Hamptons of New York as well as being an America's Got Yalent tryouts finalist. He has written and composed his own album and is going on a tri-state tour with his material. Now working as a freelance musician in Southern Illinois, he plays for parties and other engagements locally. Also performing during the event will be Artstarts. Every January, Artstarts Company takes a group of performers to the Junior Theatre Festival. This is the largest gathering of young people performing musical theater in the world. Each troupe performs fifteen minutes from a Broadway Junior show for adjudication by a panel of musical theater experts. The weekend also includes professional development for teachers, workshops for students and parents, a New Works Showcase featuring new musical adaptations soon to be released and ends with a grand finale concert headlined by Broadway’s professional performers. The Artstarts’ performers have won numerous awards at past festivals including “Excellence in Music”; “Top Male Performer”; “Top Female Vocalist," and “Excellence in Acting." This year, Artstarts Company is competing with Seussical, Jr. The troupe will be performing fifteen minutes from this show. Attendees at the annual Marion Chamber of Commerce dinner will have the opportunity to see the Artstarts’ troupe’s 15-minute “Seussical, Jr.” production. Artstarts Company, a non-profit, charitable community-arts organization devoted to making the “arts” accessible to young people in Southern Illinois, was founded in 2005. Artstarts is located at 104 S. Van Buren in Marion, IL. Artstarts typically produces two musical theater productions annually. The next scheduled performance is “Hunchback of Notre Dame” to be performed November 16th – November 19th at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center. Entertainment is sponsored by Clearwave Communications. For more information about the 97th annual Marion Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet & Auction, click here. Published: 11/26/17 |