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Travel back in time with Five by Design at Miller

April 1, 2008

KALAMAZOO--Five by Design goes back to World War II era Americana entertainment and the golden days of radio at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 20, in Miller Auditorium at Western Michigan University.

Five by Design's "Radio Days" is among the No. 1 pop-symphony attractions throughout the United States and Canada, having booked some 500 performances with 162 of the nation's leading symphony orchestras. According to Symphony magazine, trade journal of the American Symphony Orchestra League, Five by Design's shows are "meticulous, well-crafted productions."

Five by Design's "Radio Days" pays tribute to the men and women who defended the home front during World War II, a time when radio and music were deeply woven into the fabric of American pop-culture. Then, the console radio was the sole source of immediate information and big band remotes turned living rooms into make-believe-ballrooms with streamlined imagery of skyscrapers and nightclubs.

Combining musical selections with celebrity appearances, Five by Design recreates a poignant time capsule of American life during the war years, taking an affectionate look at the children's programming, soap operas, game shows, adventure serials, commercials and songs that were etched into our nation's psyche. As "Sentimental Journey" opens the production, the audience is transported to a seemingly simpler time, when an evening's entertainment emanated from the amber glow of vacuum tubes in a wooden cabinet. The show reaches its climax as a soldier and his bride embrace for a farewell dance to "I'll Be Seeing You." Climb aboard the "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" as Five by Design takes the audience on a ride over radio's historic airwaves.

Tickets for Five by Design in "Radio Days" at Miller Auditorium are on sale now and range from $10 to $35. They are available at (269) 387-2300 or (800) 228-9858, online at millerauditorium.com, or by visiting the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office or Epic Center Box Office in downtown Kalamazoo. Groups of 20 or more should call (269) 387-2312 for special discounts.

Media contact: Tracey Lawie (269) 387-2309, tracey.lawie@wmich.edu

WMU News
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