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April 2018
Rodger & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA is the Tony Award®- winning Broadway musical from the creators of The Sound of Music and South Pacific that’s delighting audiences with its contemporary take on the classic tale.
Find out more »May 2018
Stars of Tomorrow
The amazing talents of the youth Concerto Competition winners of the NFSO Guild sponsored competition appear as Guest Artists with the NFSO in the season finale concert that also includes performance by the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorale!
Find out more »Hunchback of Notre Dame Auditions
Auditions for our summer show, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, are May 5. Sign in is at 4:30 p.m. in the Sprint Theater at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. Start time is 5 p.m.
Additional details can be found in the audition packet here: bit.ly/HunchbackAuditions.
Find out more »2018 NWF Ballet Student Concert
The annual Northwest Florida Ballet Student Concert is the culmination of the NWF Ballet’s community class season
Find out more »Marjorie Huwa, 2017 Best-in-Show Winner
On view in the Holzhauer Gallery will be works by Marjorie M. Huwa of Prosperity, South Carolina, whose oil painting on canvas, Patriot Orchid, won Best in Show in the 25th Southeast Regional (2017).
Find out more »The 26th Emerald Coast National Juried Fine Arts Exhibition
The exhibition will open with a reception in the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries on Saturday, May 19, 6-8 p.m. An Awards Ceremony will begin at 6:30.
Find out more »Guest Artist Chloe Zhang Benefit Piano Recital
Join us for a benefit piano recital by guest artist Chloe Zhang of Julliard School. Presented by NFSO.
Find out more »June 2018
Godspell – Summer Musical Theatre Workshop
Join us for the ultimate musical theatre training at our annual Summer Musical Theatre Workshop at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. The workshop is open for students ages 13-21 (students MUST be 13 on or before June 4, 2018). Students will receive concentrated training in acting, voice, and dance from instructors Christa Whittaker, Diara Morris and Kelly Murdock. The workshop is Monday, June 4 through Thursday, June 28 from 8:30 a.m.-2:20 p.m. in the dance studio (Building 100, Room 125).…
Find out more »Godspell Summer Musical Theatre Workshop Performances
Join us for the presentations of our summer musical theatre workshop! In the workshop, students ages 13-21 received concentrated training in acting, voice and dance. Wednesday's performance will start at 1 p.m. Thursday features two performances, the first at 10:30 a.m. and the second at 1 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase for $7. Buy Tickets
Find out more »July 2018
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
From the Academy Award-winning team comes a lushly scored retelling of Victor Hugo’s epic story of love, acceptance and what it means to be a hero. A sweeping score and powerful story make The Hunchback of Notre Dame an instant classic. Audiences will be swept away by the magic of this truly unforgettable musical.
Find out more »August 2018
AQUIFERious
Northwest Florida State College and the Mattie Kelly Arts Center are pleased to announce the upcoming gallery exhibit, AQUIFERious. This exhibition will run from August 20-November 2, 2018, in the McIlroy, Holzhauer and Corridor Galleries. AQUIFERious is curated by Margaret Ross Tolbert, and is based on her award-winning book by the same title. The exhibition will juxtapose Tolbert’s dramatic, large-scale springs paintings and eloquent poetry with contributing artists’ and scientists’ photographs, videos, cartography and writings. The exhibition will feature contributions from Margaret…
Find out more »Film Club Meeting
The Northwest Florida State College Film Club is composed of students (and is also open to the public) who meet to watch and discuss Hollywood hits, foreign, independent, and classic movies. Films are selected for viewing by club vote during the meeting prior. The first film of the season will be Baby Driver. For more information, please contact Advisor Dr. David Simmons at (850) 729-6074 or simmonsd@nwfsc.edu.
Find out more »September 2018
Meet the Maestro
Join us for dessert and wine with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra's New Conductor, Devin Patrick Hughes. Tickets on sale now!
Find out more »Tchaikovsky’s Fourth
Join our community as we welcome Maestro Devin Patrick Hughes for the Symphony’s opening night concert as the dramatic and electrifying come to life with Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony.
Find out more »Sarah Palin & Donna Brazile: Bridging Political Divide
This very honest look at both sides of the partisan divide finds new hope in the values and ideals that can bring us together as Americans. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. Limited seating available.
Find out more »Smithsonian Magazine’s 14th Annual Museum Day at the MKAC Galleries
The MKAC Galleries has the rare opportunity to open its doors on Saturday, September 22nd, as part of Smithsonian magazine’s 14th annual Museum Day, a national celebration of boundless curiosity in which participating museums emulate the free admission policy at the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington DC-based museums.
Find out more »Magic School Bus
Blast into outer space for an epic interplanetary field trip! Hop on the Magic School Bus for a ride in this new musical adaptation based on the original book series published by Scholastic. There will be two showings for this event. The first performance will be at 9:45 a.m., followed by the second show time at 11:30 a.m. Shows are approximately one hour in length. Study guides are available upon request. Tickets for this show are $6 and can be…
Find out more »October 2018
Hocus Focus – Theater of Magical Illusion
Join us for an afternoon of magic & illusion! This sensory-friendly performance of is designed to create an experience that is welcoming to all families including those with children with autism or with other developmental or intellectual disabilities that create sensory sensitivities. The performance was specifically designed to be baffling and entertaining for all members of the audience! Admission for this event is free, but donations will be warmly accepted.
Find out more »The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus
Famous for being the first dramatized version of the Faustus tale, this Christopher Marlowe play depicts the sinister aftermath of Faustus's decision to sell his soul to the Devil's henchman in exchange for power and knowledge.
Find out more »November 2018
Science of Ecology with Steve Trash
The SCIENCE OF ECOLOGY - starring Steve Trash - is a magical, ecological, and educational experience, filled with fun illustrations demonstrating how everything in the natural world is connected and tips on how to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. There will be two showings of this event. The first performance starts at 9:45 a.m., followed by the second show time at 11:30 a.m. Shows are approximately one hour in length. Study guides are available upon request. Tickets for this show are $6 and…
Find out more »Something Rotten
SOMETHING ROTTEN! is “Broadway’s big, fat hit!” (NY Post). Set in 1595, this hilarious smash tells the story of two brothers who set out to write the world’s very first MUSICAL! It’s “The Producers + Spamalot + The Book of Mormon. Squared!” (New York Magazine). Watch the Sneak Preview...
Find out more »It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play
NWF State College is proud to present Joe Landry’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play. Set in a glamourous radio production studio, performers are warming up and preparing to present the live radio show of the beloved Christmas story. This live dramatic and musical performance will take audiences back in time to the 1940’s, when radio shows brought families together for story time and good, old-fashioned fun. It’s a Wonderful Life unfolds with beautiful carols of the season sung…
Find out more »December 2018
Holiday Pops
The sounds of the holiday season will fill the air as the NFSO, joined by the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorale, performs some of your seasonal favorites including The Nutcracker, Handel’s Messiah and music from John Williams featured in the movie Home Alone. It’s an evening for everyone, with a special performance by NWF State College President Dr. Devin Stephenson.
Find out more »A Peter White Christmas with Peter White, Rick Braun & Euge Groove
Promoted by: Seabreeze Radio
Find out more »Free Jazz Ensemble Concert
For the first time, we are hosting our annual jazz concert in the Sprint Theater with a jazz club flair featuring drinks, snacks and lobby entertainment. Food & drinks available for a nominal fee beginning at 6 p.m. House will open at 6:30 p.m. Event begins at 7:30 p.m.
Find out more »January 2019
Kinky Boots
KINKY BOOTS is Broadway’s huge-hearted, high-heeled hit! With songs by Grammy® and Tony® winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this joyous musical celebration is about the friendships we discover, and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind. Inspired by true events, KINKY BOOTS takes you from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan.
Find out more »ARRIVAL Music of ABBA with NFSO
Devin Patrick Hughes, conductor This production has all of the features a great ABBA show needs: lovely costumes, extremely talented musicians and breathtaking singers joined by the NFSO and Maestro Devin Patrick Hughes. ARRIVAL from Sweden has been touted as the world's greatest ABBA tribute band, with sold-out shows all over the world, performances in more than 50 countries since 1995 and 25 sold-out tours in the USA since 2005.
Find out more »Grammy Nominated Cellist, Amit Peled and the Peabody Cello Gang Free Concert
Join us on January 15, 2019 in the Tyler Recital Hall for a free concert by Grammy-nominated Cellist, Amit Peled and the Peabody Cello Gang! For more information about the performance, please visit Mr. Peled’s website.
Find out more »Salvador Dali: Surreal Visions of Eternity
Part of MKAC Galleries permanent collection, these pieces are prime examples of why Dalí has become one of the world’s most recognizable Surrealist artists. The 100 pieces displayed here were made by Dalí to illustrate each of the 100 scenes in Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy through Dalí’s recognizable style of dreamlike images, distortion, and use of the absurd. The Salvador Dalí Collection at NWF State College was generously donated by Dotty Blacker.
Find out more »Mutts Gone Nuts
Expect the unexpected, as canines and comedy collide in a smash hit performance, that’s leaving audiences everywhere howling for more. From shelters to showbiz, these amazing mutts unleash havoc and hilarity in a breathtaking, action-packed, comedy dog spectacular, featuring some of the world’s most talented 4 legged performers. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youth ages 18 and under.
Find out more »The Power of Perseverance Featuring Lonnie Johnson
Johnson served in the U.S. Air Force, where he was awarded multiple medals and helped develop components in the stealth bomber program. Later as a NASA Nuclear Engineer, he received multiple achievement awards for his work in spacecraft system design. Johnson is most well known as the inventor of the Super Soaker squirt gun, that received multiple industry awards, including Outdoor Toy of the Year.
Find out more »Len Davis’ A Thousand Words Series
Len Davis’ A Thousand Words series explores the complicated interplay between the figurative and the literal. The series consists of 100 8”x5” collages combining drawings of faces, text, and newsprint pages. With this series, Davis is illustrating the differences in understanding we derive from reading facial expressions and reading text. In each collage is a face, which we interpret to understand how the person is feeling, while the text or images clearly explain the person’s feelings. The text and the…
Find out more »Erth’s Prehistoric Aquarium
Erth's Prehistoric Aquarium Adventure is an immersive experience that invites you to jump in and explore unknown ocean depths where prehistoric marine reptiles lived eons ago - and maybe still live today! Erth shows are at the forefront of family entertainment, using actors, technology, puppets, science and imagination to create an amazing visual experience that connects young audiences to the real science of paleontology. This prehistoric event will have two showings. The first performance will be at 10 a.m., followed…
Find out more »February 2019
Rosie Revere
With a spotlight upon STEM curriculum, this fun new musical is based upon Andrea Beaty’s book series (Rosie Revere, Engineer; Iggy Peck, Architect; and Ada Twist, Scientist). There will be two showings of this event. The first performance will start at 9:45 a.m., followed by the second show time at 11:30 a.m. Shows are approximately one hour in length. Study guides are available upon request. Tickets for this show are $6 and can be purchase by contacting Suzanne Flood at (850) 729-6065, or…
Find out more »Jim Witter – Experience the Timeless Hits of Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow’s songs have the power to make you smile, make you laugh and even shed a tear. You’ll hear these songs come alive like you never have before when Jim Witter and his band take the stage.
Find out more »Wizard of Oz
This production of THE WIZARD OF OZ is a spectacular celebration of that classic 1939 MGM film. Audiences young and old, seeing it for the first time or the fifth, will be dazzled by the brightly colored sets, charmed by its timeless score and enthralled with its breathtaking special effects. Whether it creates new memories or conjures them up from the past, everyone deserves to experience or relive the wonderful, whimsical and enduring story, THE WIZARD OF OZ.
Find out more »Artist Talk: Len Davis of ‘A Thousand Words’
'A Thousand Words' artist Len Davis will host a lecture with slideshow, speaking about his art and process. The lecture will take place in Tyler Recital Hall and last approximately 45 minutes to one hour. Admission is free and open to the public.
Find out more »Collage Workshop
As a follow-on to Len Davis' lecture, attendees of this free two-hour workshop will learn to make their own collage in the same style as Davis' work. It is encouraged that workshop attendees bring magazines, newsprint, old books, etc., to ensure adequate supplies. This free event will take place in the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries and is open to the public.
Find out more »NFSO Piano Recital Series Featuring Dzmitry Ulasiuk
Join us for an evening with talented pianist Dzmitry Ulasiuk, in the NFSO Piano Recital Series.
Find out more »Snowbird Concert
Join the Northwest Florida State College Division of Humanities, Fine & Performing Arts for their Snowbird Concert on February 17, 2019, featuring the NWF State College Jazz Ensemble and Soundsations. Tickets can be purchased at a Snowbird Meeting, by calling Brenda at (989) 860-8741 or on-site the day of the event.
Find out more »Peter Versus the Wolf
For 30 years, the NFSO has provided a free annual concert for Okaloosa & Walton fifth-grade students with specialized youth oriented programming & teacher’s curriculum. In addition, the NWF State College Fine Arts Division sponsors a popular “Picture the Music” art contest in conjunction with the annual theme of the NFSO 5th Graders concerts. Cash prizes are awarded to winners and all artwork is displayed in the lobby of the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Mainstage Theater. All attendees must be…
Find out more »A Symphony of Taste
Enjoy food samples from area restaurants, fine wines, craft beers, a silent auction and jazz music entertainment. The event is hosted by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra Guild with proceeds benefiting the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and its youth music education endeavors. Tickets: $40 in advance or $45 at the door.
Find out more »March 2019
Hammer of the Gods, The Led Zeppelin Experience
Hammer of the Gods, The Led Zeppelin Experience is an international touring act recreating the excitement of Led Zeppelin’s legendary live concerts of the early 1970’s. Hammer of the Gods has entertained tens of thousands since 2000 with their professionally produced theatrical performance featuring period costumes, authentic equipment, staging and spectacular light and sound systems. It’s a multimedia extravaganza.
Find out more »NWF State College Humanities, Fine & Performing Arts Division Presents: Uptown 1.0
Part psychological thriller and part revenge tragedy, this play is inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet and takes place sometime in the near future of New York City in the headquarters of the corporation, CyberCom, International.
Find out more »NFSO Piano Recital Series Featuring Yi-Nuo Wang
Join us for an evening with talented pianist Yi-Nuo Wang, in the NFSO Piano Recital Series.
Find out more »April 2019
Money Expert Rachel Cruze
There’s so much more to life than fighting to pay the bills. Take the first step to ditch the stress and headaches that debt brings. This biblically based solution to your money problems has a proven track record of helping people just like you experience the freedom that the right plan can offer. It’s time.
Find out more »Free Jazz Ensemble Concert
Join us for a FREE jazz concert in the Sprint Theater with a jazz club flair featuring drinks, snacks and lobby entertainment beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Food & drinks available for a nominal fee.
Find out more »Mozart’s Requiem and Stars of Tomorrow
Devin Patrick Hughes, conductor Join the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra for a farewell letter from the greatest composer of all time featuring Northwest Florida Symphony Chorale. The mystery surrounding Mozart’s death remains an enigmatic puzzle to this day. Answers can only be found in his Requiem Mass, which he left for us as an inspirational message of hope and spiritual fulfillment. This season finale concert spotlights the amazing talents of the youth Concerto Competition winners of the NFSO Guild-sponsored competition.…
Find out more »NWF Reads & Blackwater Review Reception Main Event
Literary journalist and documentary filmmaker Sebastian Junger will speak about his latest book, Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging. Book signing to follow. (Books will be available for purchase.)
Find out more »Million Dollar Quartet
On December 4, 1956, four young musicians -Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins -gathered at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll jam sessions ever. The Tony® Award-winning smash-hit musical Million Dollar Quartet brings that unbelievable musical moment to life, featuring timeless and enduring hits. Don’t miss your chance to experience this red-hot moment in rock ‘n’ roll history!
Find out more »CANCELLED – Northwest Fest
UPDATE as of 4/24: Due to inclement weather, Northwest Fest has been cancelled.
Find out more »Dance Facets
Dance Facets is an annual dance program concert. Many styles of dance are featured, from ballet to jazz, and contemporary to tap. Each year is very different and exciting! Please join us for an extraordinary evening of dance. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for youth ages 18 and under.
Find out more »Orchestra Rocks: Link Up! with Carnegie Hall
Orchestra Rocks is the end-of-the-year performance for local students who participate in the region’s first Carnegie Hall Link Up! program. The program features a year-long music curriculum & fun classroom activities that culminate in this interactive concert with the NFSO at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. Contact Lynne Fehrenbach, NFSO Education Director at fehrenbl@nwfsc.edu for Link Up!
Find out more »May 2019
Memorial Day Concert
In honor of America's veterans and first responders, the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and Northwest Florida State College present a stirring concert of American music for the whole family. Pack a picnic and enjoy an evening under the stars! Repertoire Star Spangled Banner John Williams: Superman March Morton Gould American Salute Aaron Copland Rodeo: Hoe-down Matt Fossa: Heroic Flight 5’ (NFSO premiere) John Williams Jaws Theme Antonin Dvorak last movement from Symphony no. 9 (from the New World) 10 minute…
Find out more »July 2019
Summer Pop-Up Exhibitions
The summer pop-up exhibitions are here! Featured in the McIlroy Gallery is the 'Contemporary Selections from the Permanent Collection,' where visitors can learn about what makes art contemporary: new media, new subject matter, and new looks at traditional ways of seeing. Over in the Holzhauer Gallery, viewers can get a special look at 'From the Vault: The Drawings of Emil Holzhauer.' Currently on display are works of art seldom seen by the public: Holzhauer’s drawings. These black-and-white drawings give a…
Find out more »NWF State College Humanities, Fine & Performing Arts Division Presents: Footloose
The Humanities, Fine & Performing Arts Division of Northwest Florida State College will present Footloose: The Musical as the 2019 summer musical production at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center nightly July 10-13 at 7:30 p.m. along with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on July 13. Based on the hit 1980s movie (which launched the careers of Kevin Bacon, Sarah Jessica Parker and John Lithgow), Footloose has become a stage musical phenomenon. With music by Tom Snow, lyrics by Dean…
Find out more »September 2019
“America’s Got Talent” Top 5 Finalist Preacher Lawson
Best known from this past season of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Preacher Lawson was a Top 5 Finalist on the show’s highest-rated season to date. Lawson has been bringing his brand of goofy, high-energy comedy to the stage since he was 17. He moved 20 times before the age of 10, but considers himself a native to Orlando, Florida, as he believes it is the city where he grew most as a comedian. In 2015, he won the title of…
Find out more »Take Flight: NFSO Concert Season 33
Our season launches with Take Flight on September 28, featuring music from The Planets, Star Wars Suite 1, E.T. Adventures on Earth, and other works saluting flight, outer space and heroes of flight. NFSO welcomes Maestro Kellen Gray to open our season! Tickets are $25 Adults, $16 Youth, and FREE with NWFSC Raider ID card.
Find out more »October 2019
(CANCELLED) NWF State College Humanities, Fine & Performing Arts Division Recital
Due to COVID-19, this event has been cancelled. Please view our COVID-19 Schedule Impact page for more information. Join the Northwest Florida State College Division of Humanities, Fine & Performing Arts in the Tyler Recital Hall for their biweekly recital. Admission is free!
Find out more »Love & Marriage featuring Special Guest Artists, Piano Duo Joseph Rackers and Marina Lomazov
Joining us from Brazil, the NFSO will be under the baton of Manfredo Schmiedt for Love and Marriage, featuring music from Grieg’s popular Peer Gynt Suite and the epic Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz. Steinway Artists, husband/wife piano duo Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers, will join us as our guest artists, dazzling with Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos. Tickets are $25 Adults and $16 Youth. Free for NWFSC students with Raider ID.
Find out more »President’s Speaker Series: Winston Scott, Former NASA Astronaut
Winston Scott’s journey to the stars as a NASA astronaut is a testament to the power of perseverance and vision. Raised in Miami, Scott’s largely segregated education provided little access to resources, but his own determination combined with the dedication of his teachers set him on an inspiring path of achievement. Since retiring from NASA, Scott has remained an active pilot and his work in space is now regarded as a case study in leadership and expert communication, qualities most…
Find out more »Northwest Florida State College presents Sword Against the Sea
Northwest Florida State College is pleased to announce the opening of its first fall student production of Sword Against the Sea, October 16-19. Sword Against the Sea is a stylized spectacle with fantastic costumes and masks, chorus and dance. The play is an adaptation by Arthur Feinsod of the Irish poet William Butler Yeats' six one-act plays and some of his most stirring poems about the Celtic hero Cuchulain. This two-act play presents the hero's failed attempt as a young…
Find out more »Dog Man the Musical
Best buds George and Harold have been creating comics for years, but now that they’re in 5th grade, they figure it’s time to level up and write a musical based on their favorite character, Dog Man, the crime-biting sensation who is part dog, part man, and ALL HERO!
Find out more »Johannes Moller: FREE Classical Guitar Concert
Since 2018, Johannes Moller has been an ambassador of ZhengAn Guitar in China. ZhengAn is a city in China which has made guitar manufacturing and guitar culture its main priority. Acquiring his skills in both performance and composition at an early age, Johannes performs a highly characterized and idiosyncratic voice that many listeners around the world have come to admire. Come enjoy a FREE classical guitar performance on Wednesday, October 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Tyler Recital Hall at…
Find out more »Orlando Transit Authority
“Orlando Transit Authority is a high-energy Chicago tribute show made up of A-list players who are, first and foremost, Chicago fans. Founder Stan Allen and Musical Director Carl Dirkes, hand-picked each member of the band based on one simple criteria: The degree to which each member naturally sounds like the corresponding original member of Chicago. Any time you assemble players of this caliber, a great-sounding band is a given – but that wasn’t enough. Orlando Transit Authority went one step…
Find out more »Enlightened Studio Presents 11 FEST
Don’t miss Enlightened Studios’ first annual 11-Fest on October 26th! 11 bands, 11am to 11pm, $11 admission. Featured bands include: Jessie Ritter Tribe Zion The Strangers of Elevated Underground Battle of Bands Winner Morning Trips Cat Rhodes & the Truth Loose Bolts Action Doug Duende Mantra Tyler Livingston & the Absolutes
Find out more »December 2019
Mystery Science Theater 3000 LIVE: The Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour
Join show creator and original host, Joel Hodgson, along with the world’s greatest – and only – movie-riffing robots, Tom Servo, Crow, and Gypsy, as they take you on an exhilarating roller coaster ride through some of the cheesiest films ever made. Mystery Science Theater 3000 has earned its place in history as one of the Top 100 TV Shows of all time and is currently a hit show on Netflix. Now you can sit in the same theater with…
Find out more »Northwest Florida State College Presents: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol performances will be held nightly December 5 - 7 at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, December 7. Tickets are $25 and include an intermission reception in the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries with holiday treats provided by The Eventful Planner.
Find out more »NFSO Presents: Holiday Pops
Maestro Christopher Confessore leads the NFSO’s annual Holiday Pops concert featuring the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorale. Familiar holiday works will fill you with the spirit of the season! Tickets are $25 Adults and $16 Youth. NWFSC students' admission is FREE with presentation of Raider ID card. About the Conductor Christopher Confessore currently serves as Music Director of the Brevard Symphony Orchestra and Principal POPS Conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. His schedule as a guest conductor has included appearances with…
Find out more »January 2020
Paramount’s Laser Spectacular: The Music of Pink Floyd
Celebrating 50 years of Pink Floyd; Paramount’s Laser Spectacular has become a cult classic, presenting the music of Pink Floyd, as you’ve never seen before. Surrounded by walls of concert quality sound, Laser Spectacular carries listeners away on a mind-expanding journey driven by cutting-edge effects, high-powered lasers, hi-def, large screen video projection and special lighting effects. Your senses are confronted with an array of visual displays, choreographed to the soundtrack during this spectacular Laser Light Show.
Find out more »The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston Starring Belinda Davids
The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston Starring Belinda Davids (not affiliated with the Estate of Whitney Houston) returns to the U.S., following rave reviews of its debut tour last year. Houston’s most memorable tunes are recognized, including Pop highlights I Wanna Dance With Somebody, How Will I Know and I’m Every Woman, favorites from her movie career such as Queen of the Night and Exhale (Shoop Shoop) and of course all of her most iconic and timeless…
Find out more »Wild World of Animals starring Grant Kemmerer & Friends
Direct from Jack Hanna’s Adventures, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Kelly and Ryan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Good Morning America and Rachel Ray, Wild World of Animals is an entertaining and educational show in an intimate setting, presenting animals born in captivity displaying natural behaviors, facilitated by an extremely knowledgeable moderator and guide. These animals are not pets, they still have their natural instincts, but they have no fear of humans. During the program, Kemmerer stresses the importance…
Find out more »President’s Speaker Series: John Quiñones of “What Would You Do?”
Known for truly connecting with audiences and leaving them uplifted and inspired, Quiñones delivers a powerful message of believing in one’s self, never giving up, and always, always doing the right thing. As host and creator of What Would You Do?, the highly-rated, hidden camera ethical dilemma news magazine, Quiñones has literally become “the face of doing the right thing” to millions of fans. It’s a role that he has enthusiastically embraced off camera, with a popular book and keynote…
Find out more »February 2020
Bandstand, The Tony® -Winning Broadway Musical
From three-time Tony® Award winner and Hamilton choreographer, Andy Blankenbuehler, comes an inspiring new American musical that explodes with infectious music and high-octane, heart-stopping dancing. It’s 1945, and six soldiers return from war to a changed nation. When NBC announces a national competition to find the nation’s next great musical superstars, they form a band unlike any the nation has ever seen. Along the way, they discover the power of music to face the impossible, find their voice and finally…
Find out more »The Viola! Song Cycle
The Viola! Song Cycle is a new work on the fate of the Viola Edwards Hospital which opened in 1922 as the first African American-owned hospital in Pensacola, Florida. The fate of the hospital and its owner is at the core of this story and reveals two women’s lives altered in pursuit of the American dream. Tickets are $35 for adults and $15 for students.
Find out more »Jersey Boys
They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story -- a story that has made them an international sensation all over again. Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony and Grammy Award®-winning…
Find out more »Mardi Gras Food and Wine Festival
The Northwest Florida Symphony Guild invites you to an afternoon of tapas, wine and a silent auction to the theme of Mardi Gras! Enjoy the Mardi Gras Food & Wine Festival on Sunday, February 23, 2020 from 1-4 p.m. at Northwest Florida State College's Niceville campus on the first floor of building 400 (Student Services Center). Take your pick from dozens of scrumptious drinks and samples provided by local restaurants and businesses. Proceeds from the event benefit the Northwest Florida…
Find out more »NWFSC & MKAC Galleries Present Deborah Masters: Ghosts
Deborah Masters is a highly gifted figurative sculptor whose specialty is heads. She constructs works that are both much greater than life-size and also tabletop portraits. Masters' art is that of an undertaking that is both otherworldly and artistic: the point at which longing and the accomplishment of the hand meet. The heads, almost all rendered in clay, are invested with sharply delineated features, an aura of profound seriousness, and various collars or ties circling their necks and descending down…
Find out more »March 2020
Cinderella, Presented by Northwest Florida Ballet and Mattie Kelly Arts Center
Northwest Florida Ballet will return to the Mattie Kelly Arts Center with the classic fairytale, Cinderella, on Friday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 1 at 2:30 p.m. with live music by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. Featuring the acclaimed choreography of NFB Artistic Director Todd Eric Allen and the beautiful music of Serge Prokofiev, this timeless classic is presented in three acts and brings to life a cavalcade of enchanting characters, brilliant dancing, vibrant costumes and a magical set…
Find out more »Dance! The Music of Beethoven & Bernstein
"Dance! The Music of Beethoven and Bernstein" features Bernstein’s West Side Story and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. Guest conductor Steven Byess leads the NFSO in an exciting evening of robust, rhythmic music, celebrating the elements of dance in symphonic works. Tickets are $25 Adults, $16 Youth. NWFSC students' admission is free with presentation of Raider I.D. card. About the Conductor STEVEN BYESS is renowned for his versatility, multi-faceted presence on the podium, passion for music education, and his devotion to…
Find out more »Pete the Cat
For Pete the Cat, life is an adventure no matter where you wind up. So the minute the groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking. That is, except for young Jimmy Biddle, the most organized second grader on planet Earth.
Find out more »President’s Speaker Series: Dale Berra, Former Major League Baseball Player and Author
Dale Berra, the son of Yogi Berra, is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played from 1977 to 1987 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros. In Dale’s extraordinary life, there were also extraordinary challenges. When Dale started in the Majors, he was only 20-years-old with a bright career ahead of him. All of that was cut short when he started using drugs. Cocaine slowly took Dale’s promising career away and it could have…
Find out more »(CANCELLED) NWFSC Fine and Performing Arts Division Presents: “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare
Due to COVID-19, this event has been cancelled. Please view our COVID-19 Schedule Impact page for more information. Northwest Florida State College is proud to present an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s, “The Tempest.” This play is centered on a deserted island, where a sorceress, Prospera, uses magic to conjure a storm and then torment the survivors of a shipwreck.“The Tempest” will be performed in the Mattie Kelly Arts Center’s Sprint Theater Wednesday-Saturday, March 11-14, with nightly performances at 7:30 p.m.…
Find out more »(CANCELLED) The Choir of Man
Due to COVID-19, this event has been cancelled. Please view our COVID-19 Schedule Impact page for more information. Known across the globe as “the ultimate feel-good show,” THE CHOIR OF MAN offers up 90 minutes of indisputable joy. It’s a party. It’s a concert. It’s a pint-filled good time set in a real working pub that combines hair-raising harmonies, high-energy dance and live percussion with foot-stomping choreography. The multi-talented cast of nine handsome blokes sings everything – pub tunes, folk,…
Find out more »(CANCELLED) NWFSC Alumni Nicholas Ward Presents: For All We Know, Featuring the Niceville High School Chorus
Due to COVID-19, this event has been cancelled. Please view our COVID-19 Schedule Impact page for more information. Join NWFSC Alumni Nicholas Ward as he presents his solo concert, For All We Know on Monday, March 30 at 7: 30 p.m. at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Main Stage. Ward has acted in four Broadway shows including, The Lion King, Frozen, In Transit and On The Town. Joining him on stage for a few numbers will be the Niceville High…
Find out more »April 2020
(CANCELLED) Savor the Sound
Due to COVID-19, this event has been cancelled. Please view our COVID-19 Schedule Impact page for more information. Join the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at the outdoor amphitheater for a fundraising concert benefitting the Taylor Haugen Foundation! Headlining the event will be A Brother's Revival (An Allman Brothers Tribute Band) with special guests, Parker Willingham, Reed Waddle & Zydeco. Ticket prices are $10 per person or $25 per family. For more information about the Taylor Haugen Foundation, please visit taylorhaugen.org..
Find out more »(CANCELLED) NFSO Presents: Stars of Tomorrow – An Evening at the Opera
Due to COVID-19, this event has been cancelled. Please view our COVID-19 Schedule Impact page for more information. Our season finale Stars of Tomorrow/An Evening at the Opera opens with performances from the winners of our 33rd annual Concerto Competition (TBA). The Northwest Florida Symphony Chorale will join the orchestra, performing opera choruses from some of the most popular and beloved operas. Maestro David Hoose, guest conductor, will close the season with a spectacular night of music! Tickets are $25…
Find out more »(POSTPONED) Dance Facets
Due to COVID-19, this event has been postponed. Please view our COVID-19 Schedule Impact page for more information. Dance Facets is an annual dance concert hosted by the Northwest Florida State College Department of Dance. The production showcases many styles of dance, from ballet to jazz to contemporary, and features choreography from students, faculty and guest choreographers. This year's concert will also feature guest performances by Cie Grain de Sable, a French dance company. Please join us for an extraordinary evening…
Find out more »May 2020
(CANCELLED) The Spongebob Musical
Due to COVID-19, this event has been cancelled. Please view our COVID-19 Schedule Impact page for more information. A legendary roster of Grammy® Award winners. A visionary director and a Tony Award®-winning design team. One of the world’s most beloved characters. Turn them loose on stage and what do you get? The musical The New York Times declares, “BRILLIANT!” Broadway’s best creative minds re-imagine and bring to life the beloved Nickelodeon series with humor, heart and pure theatricality in “a…
Find out more »August 2020
28th Emerald Coast National Annual Fine Arts Exhibition
This year's show features 40 artworks from artists all over the US. Juried by Dr. Ezeluomba, the curator of African Art at the New Orleans Museum of Art, world renown, a contributor to the World Encyclopedia of African Art, he will consult on our holdings of African masks in the college's permanent collection. Art can be seen in person, and at www.ECN28.org.
Find out more »September 2020
An Evening with Lee Greenwood
Lee Greenwood: Enjoy "An Evening with Lee Greenwood," on September 4, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Amphitheater. Tickets are $20 or $10 for active duty military (Military tickets can be purchased on-site or by calling the Box Office at 850-729-6000). Children under 12 years of age are free of charge. Lee Greenwood is an icon in Country music with more than 30 albums to his credit. His song, “God Bless the USA” has been voted…
Find out more »Sarah Thomas: Breaking Through: My Journey to Becoming the First Female NFL Official
Sarah Thomas is a woman of many firsts – she was the first female official to ever work a major college football game, the first woman to officiate a bowl game, and the first to officiate in a Big Ten stadium. She is also the first permanent female NFL official and made post-season history during the Patriots/Chargers 2019 AFC Divisional championship. As an exemplar of what’s possible if you believe, Sarah brings audiences takeaways on breaking through in your own…
Find out more »NFSO: From the New World
The Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra presents “From the New World,” featuring NFSO conductor search finalist Christopher Confessore. Join us as the symphony opens our season with influential American melodies that impacted some of the most popular orchestral music with Charles Ives’ Variations on “America” and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, his famous “New World Symphony.” Guest pianist Dzmitry Ulasiuk will perform Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 for Piano in C minor. Join us for NFSO’s long-awaited season opener! Tickets…
Find out more »Sarah Thomas
Sarah Thomas is a woman of many firsts – she was the first female official to ever work a major college football game, the first woman to officiate a bowl game, and the first to officiate in a Big Ten stadium. She is also the first permanent female NFL official and made post-season history during the Patriots/Chargers 2019 AFC Divisional championship. As an exemplar of what’s possible if you believe, Sarah brings audiences takeaways on breaking through in your own…
Find out more »October 2020
Nicholas Ward: Uplift!
Northwest Florida State College Alumni, Nicholas Ward returns to present Uplift: A Fun Evening Filled with Broadway Favorites, Laughs and Joy! Ward is a successful Broadway actor and has recently played King Agnarr in the original cast of Frozen and Mufasa in The Lion King. Come enjoy an evening of joy with our very own Nicholas Ward! Tickets are available for $20. Also available to watch live online at www.virtualticketcenter.com.
Find out more »NFSO: From the New World
The Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra presents “From the New World,” featuring NFSO conductor search finalist Christopher Confessore. Join us as the symphony opens our season with influential American melodies that impacted some of the most popular orchestral music with Charles Ives’ Variations on “America” and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, his famous “New World Symphony.” Guest pianist Dzmitry Ulasiuk will perform Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 for Piano in C minor. Join us for NFSO’s long-awaited season opener! Tickets…
Find out more »First Date: A Musical Comedy
When blind date newbie Aaron is set up with serial-dater Casey, a casual drink at a busy New York restaurant turns into a hilarious high-stakes dinner. In a delightful and unexpected twist, Casey and Aaron's inner critics take on a life of their own when other restaurant patrons transform into supportive best friends, manipulative exes and protective parents, who sing and dance them through ice-breakers, appetizers and potential conversational land mines. Can this couple turn what could be a dating…
Find out more »NFSO: 1940’s New York
NFSO brings you a bite of the Big Apple featuring Leonard Bernstein’s Three Dance Episodes from “On the Town” and Aaron Copland’s sophisticated and rarely-performed Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra. The evening concludes with Sergei Rachmaninoff’s last major composition, his highly-energetic and robust Symphonic Dances. NFSO conductor search finalist Todd Craven will lead the symphony with special guest to be announced on clarinet. Tickets are $25 for Adults and $16 for students of NWFSC. Virtual tickets are also available for…
Find out more »November 2020
MKAC Galleries: Spotlight on the Collection Exhibition
This year the show will include an exhibit built around Emil Holzhauer paintings of the Emerald Coast that the artist made when he lived and worked in Niceville. This special exhibition will be in the Holzhauer gallery. The McIlroy gallery may reveal an exciting new addition to our collection.
Find out more »December 2020
NFSO: Holiday Pops
Holiday Pops: Join Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra conductor search finalist Kellen Gray and the NFSO for the symphony’s annual Holiday Pops concert. Familiar holiday works will fill you with the spirit of the season, along with some surprises! Ring in the holidays with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra! Tickets are $25 for Adults and $16 for students of NWFSC. Virtual tickets are available for live streaming of the concert at www.virtualartscenter.com and patrons can also view the digital playbill. Kellen…
Find out more »January 2021
NFSO: Almost Elton: Remember When Rock was Young
Craig A Meyer is considered to be the best Elton John tribute artist in the market whose strong vocals, striking resemblance and amazing talent on the piano has audiences everywhere remembering when rock was young. This spectacular musical journey celebrates the decades of chart topping hits by Sir Elton John, including: Benny and the Jets, Philadelphia Freedom, Crocodile Rock, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Candle in the Wind. A celebration of the character, costumes and charisma of the famed pianist…
Find out more »February 2021
NFSO: Stars of Tomorrow/An Evening at the Opera
The Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor Jeffrey Rink present “Stars of Tomorrow/An Evening at the Opera” featuring the winners of the 2019 NFSO-John Leatherwood Concerto Competition: Kye Richardson (violin), Evan Nicholson (cello), and Skyler Blair (violin). Enjoy movements from classics such as Mozart’s Concerto No. 3 for Violin, Shostakovich’s Concerto No. 1 for Cello in E-flat Major and Chausson’s Poème. Soprano Bevin Hill will dazzle on the second half of the evening with beloved opera arias and melodies,…
Find out more »Jeanne Robertson: Humorist
At 76 years young, Jeanne Robertson continues to charm audiences with her humorous observations about life around her. This former Miss North Carolina, standing tall at six-foot-two, has a vivacious personality, heart and sense of humor. Some of her most popular anecdotes include “Don’t Go to Vegas Without A Baptist,” “Don’t Bungee Jump Naked”, and “Don’t Send a Man to the Grocery Store.” Jeanne’s witty depiction of everyday situations never fails to have audiences of all ages rolling with laughter.…
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