Out and About

On this week's episode of Out and About, host Jenn Gordon talks with Derel Monteith about the new release of an old album.

On this week's episode of Out and About, host Jenn Gordon is joined by George Stelluto of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and Jessie Williams of the Central Illinois Ballet to talk about Romance.

On this week’s episode of Out and About, host Jenn Gordon is joined by Travis Olson to talk about Peoria Players current production, "The SpongeBob Musical."Unabashedly optimistic and surprisingly inspirational, the show is based on the beloved animated series created by Stephen Hillenburg, and includes original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, They Might Be Giants, David Bowie and many more. The show runs Feb. 4-6 and Feb. 9-12 at Peoria Players Theatre. For tickets and more information visit Peoria Players Theatre.

On this week’s episode of Out and About, Artistic Director and Conductor David Commanday joins Jenn Gordon to talk about the Heartland Festival Orchestra’s upcoming concert "A Heartland Homecoming."The concert takes place on Saturday, Feb. 5, at the Scottish Rite Theatre in Peoria. The homegrown vocal stars return to their home state of Illinois to celebrate the spirit and warm the heart. Jodi Benson, original voice of Ariel in "The Little Mermaid" and Victor Solomon, 2021 Finalist on NBC's “The Voice,” join the HFO for an evening ranging from Disney favorites to traditional spirituals and crossover gospel.For tickets and information visit Heartland Festival Orchestra.

On this week’s episode of Out and About, host Jenn Gordon talks with William Butler from the Contemporary Art Center of Peoria about two exhibits currently on display at The Contemporary Art Center. "Home Sweet Home" by Iranian artist Shahrbanoo Hamzeh explores what occurs behind closed doors through melancholic and artful paintings and suggests that our bodies, domestic spaces and home countries function as three parallel homes on different levels. Her exhibit is on display in the Preston Jackson Gallery."Roger Bean & Chuck Flagg" showcases the collaborative work of these artists. From an early age, both Roger and Chuck took an interest in alternative photographic processes. Chuck was attracted to analog processes, like pinhole cameras. Roger worked most often with digital processes and print manipulation, like toning and dye transfers. Roger and Chuck met in 1969 as student and teacher respectively at IVC High School. Over the next 40 years, they developed a great friendship. This effort is their third collaborative exhibition and is on display in Gallery 3R.These exhibits are on display at the Contemporary Art Center now thru February 19. For more information visit Contemporary Art Center of Peoria.

On this week’s episode of Out and About, host Jenn Gordon talks with George Stelluto about the Peoria Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming concert “John Williams Strikes Back.” The concert takes place on Sunday, Jan. 16, at 3 p.m. at the Peoria Civic Center Theatre and will feature iconic selections from John Williams’ expansive cannon of cinematic scores including Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, Jurassic Park, and more.For tickets and more information, visit Peoria Symphony Orchestra.

On this week’s episode of Out and About, Kerri Rae Ryan and Taylor Porter join host Jenn Gordon to talk about Corn Stock Theatre’s production of "These Shining Lives."In this drama centering around Catherine Donahue and her three coworkers, the new financial independence of women working in the post-war 1920s is both liberating and exciting. The women earn a comfortable living, painting watch faces using a radium compound that glows in the dark. This new vision of freedom is shattered when one by one the women begin to fall ill to mysterious ailments. They discover the source of their sickness is the radioactive paint used for the watches, and decide to seek retribution in the form of a class-action lawsuit against their employer, Radium Dial Company. Though the women are doomed to die, their struggle to fix what is broken demonstrates the power of the female spirit, despite the curbing of women’s newly won social freedoms during the Great Depression. Corn Stock Theatre's production of "These Shining Lives" opens Jan. 14 at the Theatre Center at Upper Bradley Park and runs for two weekends.For tickets and more information visit Corn Stock Theatre.

On this week’s episode of Out and About, Jenn Gordon talks with Bill Conger and physician and pianist Dr. Tony Karam about the special upcoming concert and exhibition "From Peoria to Lebanon."One year ago, a massive warehouse explosion rocked Beirut, Lebanon, killing hundreds of people and displacing 300,000. Among the most prominent local populations of central Illinois are thousands of Americans whose family members immigrated from Lebanon.On this anniversary, the Peoria Riverfront Museum presents an unprecedented contemporary art exhibition featuring donated art from artists of Lebanon and a piano concert in partnership with the Scottish Rite Theatre. The concert features Karam, a renowned Lebanese physician and classical pianist. The concert will take place Sunday, Dec. 19, at 2:30 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Theatre. For tickets and more information visit From Peoria to Lebanon Concert.

On this week’s episode of Out and About, Dr. Joseph Henry joins Jenn Gordon to talk about "An American Family Christmas."The annual holiday concert is known for featuring a variety of musical selections that appeal to all ages. This year’s music includes contemporary arrangements of favorite hymns such as O Come All Ye Faithful, O Holy Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem and Silent Night, and secular favorites like It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.The concert takes place at Five Points Washington from Dec. 17–19.For tickets and more information visit Peoria Area Civic Chorale.

On this week’s episode of Out and About, Jenn Gordon talks with Wendy Thomasson, Executive Director of the Peoria Ballet, about the return of The Nutcracker to the Peoria Civic Center. This family holiday tradition features 100 dancers joined by professional guest artists dancing the roles of Drosselmeyer, Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier, plus live music by Heartland Festival Orchestra. Three performances will be offered December 11 -12 with tickets starting at $10. For tickets and information visit The Peoria Ballet.