Hoogland Center for the Arts (HCFTA)

Jean Follin is a licensed clinical professional counselor and a long-time volunteer at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. In fact, the volunteer award at the Hoogland Center is named in her honor. She spoke to Community Voices about her love of music and theatre, and her inspiration to help others through counseling. She also reflected on her time with the Sound Celebration Chorus, a women’s acapella chorus, and gave a preview of what to expect at the chorus’ upcoming concert on Sept. 13.

Michal Dawson Connor performs his arrangement of spirituals that he has researched from the era of American slavery Feb. 28 at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. He joins Community Voices to share his passion, reflect on his time performing in "The Lincolns of Springfield" here, and share how the Los Angeles wildfires affected him. Connor has published a book on his research, The Slave Letters.

Ashley Brown originated the role of Mary Poppins on Broadway, and she will perform in Springfield, Ill. on Sept. 14 as the headliner for the Hoogland Center for the Arts Gala. Brown spoke to the Beyond the Mouse podcast about her upcoming performance. For more information visit hcfta.org

Sheila Walk, retiring executive director, Springfield Area Arts Council, and Gus Gordon, executive director, Hoogland Center for the Arts, join Randy Eccles in a Citizens Club of Springfield/NPR Illinois collaboration to examine the role of the arts in our community.

Community Voices got to know Zoey Zara and Joshua Ratz, who play Bea and Nick Bottom in the Hoogland Center for the Arts production of “Something Rotten!” The two talked about their involvement in local theater and experience with the upcoming musical comedy.

NPR Illinois joins the Citizens Club of Springfield's next policy event on Friday, February 24, 8 a.m. for a mayoral forum with Misty Buscher and James Langfelder. Sean Crawford and Angie Muhs will moderate it. AARP Illinois sponsors the event. Suggest questions at forum@nprillinois.org.

"Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic" will be performed at the Hoogland Center for the Arts Oct. 27-30. Director Mac Warren and Assistant Director Anna McFarland spoke to Community Voices about the play and how it may or may not have some similarities to a certain boy wizard. For more information visit www.hcfta.org.

Originally from Iowa, Molly Norris is the new program director of the Hoogland Education program at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. She spoke to Community Voices about her career in music education and musical theatre. She also shared her excitement to work with the students in the Hoogland Education classes.

Mary Zentmyer is the star of “Late Nite Catechism” playing at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on July 31. She spoke to Community Voices about her career portraying the character “Sister” and how she uses improvisation to interact with audience members in each performance. She also shared behind-the-scenes stories about being mistaken for a nun and shared how the money collected at performances benefits local nuns and Catholic Charities.

Riders in the Sky will perform at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on Thursday Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. These singing cowboys have won two Grammy awards and performed for thousands across the U.S. Ranger Doug and Too Slim, members of the group, spoke with Community Voices about their career and their love of Country Western music.