The week kicks off Wednesday with “The Soul of Gospel,” a celebration of the multi-layered roots of gospel music through a local lens under the direction of Aaron Clark with Springfield voices that will show the influence of gospel on various genres of music.
A tribute favorite wings its way back to Veterans Park after several years: Hotel California: The Original Eagles Tribute on Thursday. From hard-rocking numbers to ballads, the group covers the spectrum of the legendary band’s songbook and some of the group members’ solo hits.
Let the screaming begin Friday for a new act. Boy Band Review brings the harmonies, dancing and energy of NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block and other video stars who created the soundtrack for generations.
Wyatt McCubbin is a familiar face and voice to local stages. The Southeastern High School graduate brings his distinctive country sound to the festival Saturday for the first time in four years.
When not playing on the same bill as legends including Merle Haggard, George Jones and Hank Williams Jr., newer stars such as American Idol winner Scotty McCreery or in Nashville, McCubbin can be found around the area, playing at the Clark State Performing Arts Center or for audiences at a drive-in event during the pandemic.
One of the surprising audience turnouts at last year’s abbreviated Summer Arts Festival was for the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The group brings another Bard classic here Sunday. Shakespeare’s comedy “Twelfth Night” resembles a romantic comedy with shipwrecks, love triangles and mistaken identity that will make for a different summer evening experience.
For more information, go to www.springfieldartscouncil.org/.
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