Bologna Performing Arts Center announces Fall 2024 performances for 30th anniversary season

by Nathan Duff

Cleveland, MS (07/01/2024) — Contact: Christy Riddle FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phone: (662) 846-4336

Email: criddle@deltastate.edu

Bologna Performing Arts Center announces Fall 2024 performances for 30th anniversary season

CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Bologna Performing Arts Center (BPAC) on the campus of Delta State University is pleased to announce the Fall 2024 series of performances to include five mainstage and three School-Time Matinee Series programs. This year marks the 30th Anniversary Season of Arts and Entertainment at the theater, and includes genres spanning pop, rock, Christian, country, and jazz music.

Kicking off the season on Thursday, September 19 is crossover superstar, LeAnn Rimes. Rimes is an international multi-platinum selling acclaimed singer and ASCAP award-winning songwriter. She has sold more than 48 million units globally, won 2 GRAMMY Awards; 12 Billboard Music Awards; 2 World Music Awards; 3 Academy of Country Music Awards; 2 Country Music Association Awards and one Dove Award. At 14, Rimes won Best New Artist making her the youngest solo artist to take home a GRAMMY Award, and at 15, she became the first country artist to win Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards.

The BPAC is excited to offer a newer music genre to its programming with Spin Doctors on Thursday, October 10, who will bring their blues-inspired 80's and 90's rock to the Delta mainstage. Flexing their musicianship and announcing their elastic approach to live performance with jams that stretched to the outer reaches, the lineup's glorious ability to supercharge a tune was evidenced on 1991's debut live release, Up For Grabs, where some tracks stormed beyond ten minutes. They didn't know it yet, but Spin Doctors - alongside peers like Blues Traveler, Phish and Widespread Panic - would drag the jam-band ethos into the 90's era, their DNA later dripping into the scene's post-millennial resurgence. Their Epic Records backed second album, Pocket Full of Kryptonite, defined the early 90's rock scene. The band has recorded a new studio album set to be released early next year on Capitol Records.

The second October show of the fall series features Crowder, a contemporary Christian artist who will hit the BPAC stage on Thursday, October 24. Known for his innovative blend of folk, rock, and electronic elements, Crowder's distinct style is characterized by his soulful vocals and eclectic instrumentation. His ability to seamlessly blend genres, from bluegrass to electronic, sets him apart, and with more than 1.8 billion global streams, he is one of the most influential voices in Contemporary Christian Music. Armed with four No. 1 radio singles, five GRAMMY nominations, and more than 20 Dove Award nominations - four of those being wins - Crowder's exploration of faith, redemption, and personal transformation continue to catapult the genre forward.

Moving ahead, the BPAC will welcome country-music veteran John Michael Montgomery on Thursday, November 7. Behind the string of hit records, the roomful of awards and the critical and fan accolades that have defined his phenomenal success lies a connection that goes beyond his undeniable talent and his proven knack for picking hits. Since the days when "Life's A Dance" turned him from an unknown artist into a national star, John Michael's rich baritone has carried that most important of assets - believability. It is readily apparent in love songs that have helped set the standard for a generation. Songs like "I Swear," "I Love the Way You Love Me" and "I Can Love You Like That" still resonate across the landscape. It is apparent even in the pure fun that has always found its way into John Michael's repertoire--songs like "Be My Baby Tonight" and "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)," where John Michael's vocal earnestness takes musical whimsy to another level.

Later that month, the BPAC encourages patrons to kick off the holiday season with an incredible night of music from three world-renowned artists. On Thursday, November 21, the BPAC will present Home for the Holidays, starring two-time GRAMMY Award winner and two-time Academy Award winner Peabo Bryson; American Idol winner and GRAMMY Award nominee Ruben Studdard; and double-platinum recording artist Haley Reinhart. These artists have combined for an astounding nine platinum and gold albums, forty-six (46) Billboard top 25 singles, and eight Billboard #1 singles.

The Bologna Performing Arts Center's 2024 Fall Series is made possible through the generous support of its corporate sponsors. Premier Sponsors include Bolivar Medical Center, Cannon Motors of Mississippi, Needle Specialty Products Inc., Robinson Electric, and Wade Inc. Executive Sponsors are Gainspoletti Financial Services, Guaranty Bank, McAlister's Deli, Planters Bank, and Quality Steel. VIP Sponsors include BankPlus, Bayer, Cleveland State Bank, Cotton House Hotel, Entergy, Renasant Bank, and Visit Cleveland.

Annual Members will have exclusive access to a ticket presale from July 1 - July 12. To become an Annual Member for the 2024-2025 season and secure early access to ticket sales, please visit bolognapac.com/support or call the office at 662-846-4625. Series Packages, offering one ticket to all five Fall 2024 performances, will go on sale starting July 15. Series packages offer a discount of 15% across all performance tickets. For a more personalized experience, custom "build your own" packages of at least three Main Stage performances will be available starting July 17. Individual tickets for all shows will be open to the public for purchase on July 19. To preview the artist hits, follow the Discover BPAC playlist, available on Spotify.

As part of the BPAC's mission to educate and deepen the appreciation for the arts for all audiences, the fall semester will also include three engagements as part of the School-Time Matinee Series. On August 28, The Mississippi Book Festival will be hosting their KidNote program with featured speaker Andrea Beaty, author of the renowned Rosie Revere, Engineer book series. All children in attendance will receive a free copy of Beaty's book at the free event.

On October 30, the BPAC will also host two showings of Lightwire Theatre's crowd-pleasing Dino-Light. Rounding out the children's shows on November 19 is Shaun Boothe: The Unauthorized Biography Series. School groups can reserve their seats starting August 1 through the administrative offices at 662-846-4625. Limited scholarship tickets are provided through annual grant support.

The Bologna Performing Arts Center is excited to host its 30th Anniversary season this fall and invites the Delta community to come out and experience the joy of live entertainment at Delta State University. For more information and to stay updated on the latest news, please visit bolognapac.com.

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