The Coe College Marquis Series has a long tradition of bringing high quality entertainment and outstanding lecturers to the Cedar Rapids community. The 2007-2008 Coe College Marquis Series features three diverse and dynamic events, including the Cajun folk band Feufollet, Terry Gross, the award-winning host of National Public Radio's "Fresh Air," and Langston Hughes' Ask Your Mama: Twelve Moods for Jazz featuring the Ron McCurdy Quartet.

Marquis Series patrons can purchase series tickets and reserve seats to all events for $30, $20 for students and seniors. Individual event ticket prices are $15 for the general public, $10 for students and seniors. For ticket information, call the Coe College Box Office at 319-399-8600, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (summer hours).

The Coe College Lecture and Performance Series is funded in part by a gift from the estate of Sarah Marquis in honor of her father, Dr. John A. Marquis, who was president of Coe College from 1909-1920. The purpose of the series is to bring entertainment and educational experiences to the Coe campus for the benefit of the entire community.

2007-08 Marquis Series

Feufollet
Friday, September 28, 2007
8:00 p.m.
Sinclair Auditorium

Formed in 1995, this Cajun folk band quickly became known as one of the most exciting Cajun bands in Acadiana because of their obvious musical ability and the vivacity with which the group approached the traditional music of the area. Since Feufollet has been performing, they have built upon a regional popularity, becoming an attraction at folk festivals and performance venues not only in the South, but throughout the United States and French Canada. This band of extremely talented musicians continues to explore the vital music of their culture, with perhaps more excitement and ability than ever before.

Terry Gross
Thursday, November 1, 2007
8:00 p.m.
Sinclair Auditorium

As the host of National Public Radio's "Fresh Air," Terry Gross is heard by more than 4.7 million people on more than 450 public radio stations. Her guests have included many of the most celebrated artists, writers, actors, and musicians of our time. Gross is known for her thoughtful, probing interview style, not shying away from controversy, and asking challenging questions. Gross will play sound bites from interviews that went especially well and especially bad, to illustrate her interviewing techniques. Then she does something she never does on her program - talk about her own life, giving the audience a chance to interview her.

Langston Hughes' Ask Your Mama:
Twelve Moods for Jazz featuring the Ron McCurdy Quartet
Friday, February 29, 2008
8:00 p.m.
Sinclair Auditorium

A masterwork written as a 12-part poetic suite by Hughes in the early 60s is brought to life as a multimedia production. The audience will experience the mood of the Harlem Renaissance as illustrated by the spoken word, accompanied by a live jazz quartet and large-as-life visual illustrations on screen. African-American artists and photographers including Jacob Lawrence, Gordon Parks and Romare Bearden link words and music to a kaleidoscopic collection of images that present Hughes' vision of the global struggle for freedom in the 1960s. Music director and composer Ron McCurdy works in collaboration with Eli James Brueggemann to create a performance that will appeal to children and adults of all ages.