Broadway performers to be part of conservatory fundraiser
Five Broadway stars will perform in concert with a 20-piece orchestra as part of a Feb. 21 fundraiser for the Illinois Conservatory for the Arts in Naperville.
The gala scheduled for 5 p.m. at Wentz Concert Hall in downtown Naperville will include the live concert, an open bar, plated dinner, free valet parking, silent and live auctions, and an afterparty, a news release said. It is black-tie optional.
Tickets for the dinner and concert are $250. Concert-only tickets range from $50 to $100.
The show will feature Myles Frost, the 2022 Tony Award winner for “MJ the Musical” and the youngest male solo Tony Award winner in history, event organizers said.
Other performers are J. Harrison Ghee, the 2023 Tony Award winner for “Some Like it Hot,” Amber Iman, the 2024 Tony nominee for “Lempicka,” Karen Mason, a longtime Broadway performer and Arlington Heights native, and Aisha Jackson, the first Black actress to portray Anna in “Frozen.”
Among the items available in the silent auction are vacations, wine tastings, sports packages and jewelry.
For tickets and more information, go to ilconservatory.org.
Naper Settlement launching new Family STEM Nights
Naper Settlement is planning a new Family STEM Night series at which families with children 12 and younger can participate in hands-on experiments and activities.
The first will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at the settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Participants will explore STEM as it was in the 1860s by creating simple machines. They also will learn about the telegraph and steam engines, organizers said.
The next event is scheduled for March 6 during which families will learn about the science behind light, color and iridescence through hands-on activities.
On April 10, the program will look at the water cycle, rain-inspired activities and the wonders of weather, organizers said. The next month, on May 8, families will learn about plants, pollination and perform flower-inspired experiments.
Future events will focus on engineering, insects, changing leaves and 3D printing.
The programs will take place at the IDNR STEM Learning Lab inside the Mary and Richard Benck Family Agriculture Center, which opened in spring 2023.
The cost $8 per person. Register at www.napersettlement.org/familystemnights.
Naperville group to hold self-defense class at Benet
Naperville-based RJM Strategy Group will hold a Real-World Safety and Self-Defense Seminar for teens and adults from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at Benet Academy, 2200 Maple Ave., Lisle.
Check-in will begin at 10:30 a.m.
The class is designed to give participants with little to no self-defense experience the knowledge they need to protect themselves in domestic or street violence situations, organizers said in a news release.
It includes 30 minutes of instruction on situational awareness, personal safety and how to avoid confrontations and assaults followed by 90 minutes of basic self-defense skills with both men and women instructors to assist participants, the release said.
Instruction will be led by retired police officers Ray McGury and Chuck May, who are also certified Krav Maga instructors.
The seminar costs $40 per person. Teens age 14 to 17 will need a parent or guardian to sign a waiver, the release said.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Mutual Ground of Aurora, which helps individuals impacted by domestic violence, sexual violence and substance use.
Advanced registration is required by emailing ray@rjmstrategygroup.com or calling 630-461-0095.
