Last December, WBEZ published a report suggesting the western suburbs are becoming Chicago’s next big thing in live music.
It’s not surprising that Dominican University in River Forest was mentioned as one of the area’s top-notch venues.
Over the last 20 years, the Performing Arts Center has regularly welcomed notable performers to the stage: Renée Fleming, Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Matthew Morrison, Rosanne Cash, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kurt Elling, and Judy Collins, to name just a few.
Ranked among the top 15 Midwest universities by U.S. News and World Report, Dominican’s mission of creating a more just and humane world is also realized through its vibrant Arts and Minds programming.
Launched as Center Stage in 1999, the Dominican University Performing Arts Center (known as DUPAC) has become the arts and culture hub of the university and helped establish the River Forest campus as a destination for its eclectic mix of programming—all open to the public and in River Forest’s backyard.
“Attending live performance is an opportunity for the joy of discovery,” said Leslie Rodriguez, executive director of external engagement at Dominican University. “I hope the community sees DUPAC as the place to experience such joy. We want people to come see artists they’ve never heard of.”
Diverse musical styles, dance, live theater, and even magic come alive on the Performing Arts Center stage. Esteemed authors, speakers and experts in their fields present programs meant to uplift, educate, provoke thought and start a conversation. In the last year, Dominican University has hosted labor movement activist Dolores Huerta, poets Pádraig Ó Tuama and Javier Zamora, award-winning photojournalist Paula Bronstein, and Indigenous scholars Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy and Megan Redshirt Shaw, among many others.
During summer evenings, Dominican’s Quad becomes an outdoor public concert venue, too. Between June and August, the Summer Sounds concert series features weekly performances by a variety of regional touring bands, duos and solo artists—all free of charge to the public. Just bring a chair or blanket, a picnic lunch and some friends.
Last summer’s line-up brought a mix of rock, soul, blues, folk and Latin sounds to River Forest.
“We are fortunate to have a vibrant arts organization in the Oak Park-River Forest area,” said River Forest resident Stephanie Schrodt. “DUPAC presents a diverse offering of cultural programs year-round. We have relished the opportunity to attend their outdoor summer concert series, poetry readings and top-notch musical acts.”
“In my work, I get the thrill of seeing an audience connect with an artist or an event,” Rodriguez added. “On a regular basis, I see people changed by what they see on stage—whether uplifted by dance, empowered by a musician, or profoundly moved by a piece theatre. There’s nothing like it.”
Become a part of this profound and memorable experience. For a list of all upcoming performances and programs, visit www.dom.edu/arts-minds.