MAC’s amazing After Dark series continues with another great performance by local vocalists and musicians, including Don Markese and Peg Miller, Haylee and Hugo Espinoza, Jennifer Hendrickson, Lilly Cherney, and Matt Peters. Whether it’s Jazz, Pop, Country, or Broadway, you will be entertained with an evening devoted entirely to music that will engage your heart and soul. The songs and stories of our local talent will delight and please your artistic senses and enhance your musical experience.
With Dan Blum (WBGR Radio) as the Master of Ceremonies and Cindy Blanc as the Musical Director, the Monroe Arts Center’s intimate “After Dark” series will bring the magic of live music to life on the MAC stage.
MAC Presents Music After Dark featuring;
CINDY BLANC
Music Director, Cindy Blanc, is honored to help lead another MAC-produced showcase of local talent “After Dark.” Cindy holds degrees in music education and performance, and she loves making her living doing both. She serves St. John’s UCC as its organist and choir accompanist, and also operates a private music studio. She lives in rural Green County with her retired drummer husband Peter Minucci and five fabulous cats.
LILLY CHERNEY
Lilly Cherney is a senior at Monroe High School who plans on double majoring in vocal performance and musical theatre at Oklahoma City University in the fall. Lilly has always adored the way music enhances stories and performance, and has portrayed many characters over the past few years, including Ariel in The Little Mermaid and Gertrude in Seussical at Monroe High School. She is also a member of the Southern Wisconsin Jerry Ensemble, a forensics captain, and NHS President, and enjoys traveling, watching Julia Roberts movies, and selling cheese at Baumgartner’s in her spare time.
HAYLEE ESPINOZA
Haylee Espinoza is a singer/ songwriter from Monroe. She’s been singing since she was a little girl, and these days, loves performing for local spots! She loves Taylor Swift, live music, crocheting, and cuddling her chihuahua, Penny Lane.
HUGO ESPINOZA
Hugo, known as HugeMusic OMB has lived in Southern Wisconsin for half his life. Growing up in Chicago, he has entertained all over the country from Chicago to LA, Nashville and many cities in between. He has accumulated a repertoire of hundreds of songs for his fans, from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s to the present in as many different musical styles including Oldies, Country, Rock & many Latin American favorites.
Hugo says; “It’s a point of pride for me as a one-man-band to get my sound completely Live, using my BeatBuddy drum machine and my looper – cooking it up fresh on the spot as opposed to “something I prepared earlier” I use No recordings, everything is Live. I let the Music take me where it wants to, it’s never let me down “You can find Hugo entertaining in many local venues around the Green & Dane County areas.
JENNIFER HENDRICKSON
Jennifer (Deprez) Hendrickson grew up in Monroe WI. While in high school, she was active in Musical Theater and Swing Choir, When she graduated, she took her show on the road, joining the music and dance group, The Kids From Wisconsin. She later toured the midwest with Clix, a top 40’s band. After getting fired from that band (yes it’s true), she re-evaluated, and began her career in Nursing-but the music kept calling to her. While Nursing full-time, she became the lead vocalist for a blues rock band, The Crashers, with her husband Gary. When their kids were in high school, her attention was directed there. Now, she lives a relatively quiet life, continuing as a full-time nurse at the Madison VA, indulging herself with an occasional show. She is honored to be invited to sing with such a talented and experienced group of performers.
DON MARKESE
Don Markese has a decades-long music legacy that is built on a reputation of melodic beauty, technical perfection, dedication to those he works for, and respect for all. He has a style that is all his own, full of soul, fluidity, and meaning that transcends words. Though he is one of the best multi-instrumentalists in the world, he is humble and kind.
Don enjoyed a lengthy career with the one and only Neil Diamond and has also worked with many other well-known artists in the entertainment business, such as Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, and Liza Minelli, to name just a few.
He is highly sought after for recording, arranging, composing, and producing, and has received a Platinum Record for his work on the songs and soundtrack of the blockbuster movie, “That Thing You Do”.
Don enjoys composing and producing his own music, which can be heard on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, and many other online music platforms.
PEG MILLER
Peg Miller is a multi-instrumentalist who gets great joy from playing with many of the wonderful musicians around this area. She is absolutely thrilled for the opportunity to play at the MAC with her uncle Don Markese who has been her music mentor since she was little. It all started when he brought home from college an old upright piano for her family. Piano lessons started shortly after, and the music has never stopped. Peg will be forever grateful for the support and encouragement she received from her parents and her uncle Don which fostered her life-long love of music.
MATT PETERS
Matt Peters has been performing as a marimbaist, percussionist and drummer for more than 20 years. He is at home in classical, jazz, rock, ragtime and world music, as well as musical theater and the American Songbook. He served as first marimbaist with the Madison Marimba Quartet from 1995 to 2004.
Matt teaches privately in Janesville, and he presents lectures, workshops and master classes throughout the Midwest. He holds a Master’s degree in Percussion Pedagogy from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago and a BA in Percussion Performance.
All proceeds of Music After Dark program will benefit MAC Programming.
