Indigo Girls, Loggins lead 'Summer Nights'

By Linda East Brady

Fri, 03/18/2011 - 11:39am

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Layton’s Kenley Centennial Amphitheater’s “Summer Nights With the Stars” includes the Indigo Girls.

Layton’s Kenley Centennial Amphitheater’s “Summer Nights With the Stars” includes Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone.

Where can you get a fine brew of national acts, with a splash of gifted locals, a daring dash of Shakespeare, and a little magic to boot?

Layton's Kenley Centennial Amphitheater's "Summer Nights With the Stars" series is the place. The Davis Arts Council announces its 2011 summer season, a potpourri of talent sure to please.

The two premium shows for this summer feature songwriters extraordinare -- Kenny Loggins (Sept. 10) and the Indigo Girls (July 18). Nashville singer Darryl Worley also takes the stage (Aug. 11), as do Utah favorites David Osmond (Aug. 5) and Alex BoyÃ© (July 16).

The season debuts June 25 with the third annual Show Layton Your Talent show. Singers, comedians, dancers and more vie for cash prizes.

"It's a good way to kick off the season," said Kirt Bateman, executive director for the Davis Arts Council. "And not only does it showcase local talent, which is always great, but this year, you can potentially walk off with $2,000 -- $1,000 apiece, if you win both the judges vote and the audience favorite. I like it because it gives local people an opportunity to use their talent to earn money that they can then use to further that talent."

Family treats

Another event that is meant for all ages is a family night of magic with Los Angeles-based Joel Ward on Aug. 15. Bateman said that the idea of a family show was very popular last year, despite being rainy.

"So we decided to keep a family show, especially so we can have something for the little kids. We thought magic would be fun."

When Darryl Worley plays, the amphitheater will also honor the men and women of Hill Air Force Base.

"There will be special discounts for base employees," said Bateman. "We also always give a big block of tickets to the base, and they in turn give them to family members of service men and women who are deployed."

The Davis season has always included theater, but this year the arts council wanted to bring something fun and different to the stage Aug. 24-29.

Said Bateman: "Almost every little community hereabouts does a musical with community actors. ... So I thought, 'What isn't being done that should be?' We're making a bold move and putting on one of his best-known and most accessible comedies with 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' "

The headliners

As for this year's special engagements of the Indigo Girls and season closer Loggins, Bateman is hoping they can build on past successes.

"We haven't had a big rock show in a couple of years, so I am looking forward to that aspect with the Kenny Loggins show," he said. "And I am hoping we build on the base we had at the Joan Baez show of a couple years ago for the Indigo Girls.

"With the season itself, I try to make it so there is something you may not have heard of, but that something will be the kind of thing where you'll walk away from the show humming and having a great time. We've got everything this year from someone from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (BoyÃ©) to Kenny Loggins, who's had hit after hit. I really do like that diversity."

Season ticket renewals will be available for sale as of 10 a.m. Monday, with all tickets on sale 10 a.m. April 29. Individual ticket prices are yet to be announced. Season tickets are $132 for adult reserved seating, and $122 for reserved seating for children and seniors. General admission season tickets are $95 for adults, $85 for children and seniors.

The Indigo Girls and Loggins tickets are special engagements, and not included in the season ticket pricing. Prices for those shows are $26 to $54 for the Indigo Girls, and $34 to $74 for Loggins.

For more information, call 801-546-8575 or visit www.davisarts.org.