APPlause! K-12 Performing Arts 2026/2027 Season Brochure

COMMITMENT TO OUR EDUCATORS AND AUDIENCES

The APPlause! K-12 Performing Arts series is committed to helping educators receive high quality professional development at no cost. Certificates of completion can be obtained upon request for a wide variety of workshops offered by the Office of Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources.

We are committed to providing our audience members with the best experiences at each of our events. Please reach out to request and discuss any accommodations.

chenauskyc@appstate.edu | 828.262.2948

TheSchaeferCenter.org/applause

2026/2027 SEASON

DAN + CLAUDIA ZANES WITH TYREE AUSTIN

Thursday, October 15, 2026

JAKE SHIMABUKURO

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

MOMIX: BOTANICA

Thursday, November 12, 2026

THANK YOU TO OUR 2026/2027 SPONSORS

Individual Leadership Support from Sue and Steve Chase and Nancy and Neil Schaffel

Sustaining support is generously provided by the Christine Petti Opportunity Fund.

CIRQUE MECHANICS: TILT!

Friday, March 19, 2027

NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY: WHAT MAKES MUSIC, MUSIC?

Thursday, April 15, 2027

APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY’S CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS AND OTHER STORIES

Friday, April 23, 2027

SUPPORT APPLAUSE!

APPlause! is sustained by annual donors at every level who ensure cost is never a barrier to arts education for K–12 students across our region. Contributions of all sizes directly fund student tickets and school participation. To make a gift, scan the QR code.

ENRICHING LIVES, SPARKING IMAGINATIONS, INSPIRING A LOVE OF LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS!

TheSchaeferCenter.org/Applause Appalachian State University, Boone NC

2026/2027 SEASON

APPLAUSE! K-12

PERFORMING ARTS

ENRICHING LIVES

SPARKING IMAGINATIONS

INSPIRING A LOVE OF LEARNING

Every school season, APPlause! brings together K-12 students and teachers from across the region to experience affordable music, dance, film and theatre programming. Featuring local, regional, and world-renowned artists — from high-flying acrobatics and genre-spanning live music to international dance and literary classics brought to life — APPlause! educates and inspires through the magic of live performance. Presented by Appalachian State University’s Office of Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources, APPlause! shares university arts resources with public, private, and home school networks across our region. Study guide materials connect every performance to the classroom curriculum.

FALL 2026 SPRING 2027

DAN + CLAUDIA ZANES WITH TYREE AUSTIN

Thursday, October 15, 2026

10am • Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts • $3/$5 • ~60 minutes • Recommended for Grades K-5

The Dan + Claudia Zanes with Tyree Austin show is a social music celebration, a front row seat to a front porch dream. This highly interactive concert is a party! You and your students will revel in the sounds of a 12-string guitar, flute, trombone, saxophone, beatboxing, and percussion blending together to support and uplift the main event: vocal harmonies!

JAKE SHIMABUKURO

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

10am • Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts • $5 • ~60 minutes • Recommended for Grades K-12

Jake Shimabukuro is a world-renowned ukulele virtuoso whose groundbreaking artistry has redefined the instrument for the 21st century. Hailed as the “Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele,” Shimabukuro has captivated audiences across the globe with his masterful technique, innovative spirit, and deeply expressive performances that seamlessly blend elements of jazz, rock, classical, blues, folk, and traditional Hawaiian music.

CIRQUE MECHANICS: TILT!

Friday, March 19, 2027

10am • Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts • $5 • ~60 minutes • Recommended for Grades 4-12

Journey back to the 1980s in this high-flying homage to America’s iconic amusement parks. Bursting with acrobatics, aerial feats, juggling, and nostalgic charm, this theatrical circus adventure brings the era to life. A giant human-powered Ferris wheel anchors the spectacle, surrounded by inventive creations inspired by classic rides and games. Note: A full-length version of this performance takes place at 7:30pm the same evening.

Registration opens Monday, August 31 at 9am. Reserving space is easy! But reserve early, as seats fill up quickly.

Contact: Christy Chenausky chenauskyc@appstate.edu | 828.262.2948.

MOMIX: BOTANICA

Thursday, November 12, 2026

10am • Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts • $5 • ~60 minutes • Recommended for Grades K-12

Homeschool groups and small groups pay $5 per person for all performances.

Embark on a dreamlike journey through nature’s changing imagery in this visually stunning experience inspired by the changing seasons and the rhythms of a single day. Set to an eclectic soundtrack featuring everything from birdsong to Vivaldi, the piece blends athletic movement with larger-than-life spectacle. Note: A full-length version of this performance takes place at 7:30pm the same evening.

NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY: WHAT MAKES MUSIC, MUSIC?

Thursday, April 15, 2027

10am • Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts • $5 • ~60 minutes • Recommended for Grades 3-5

For more than 75 years, the North Carolina Symphony has inspired generations of students through one of the nation’s most extensive symphony education programs. Centered on the theme “What Makes Music, Music?,” this engaging concert explores melody, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, and texture. Note: A special 7:30pm performance features Hayes School of Music musicians.

APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY’S

CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS AND OTHER STORIES

Friday, April 23, 2027

10am • Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts • $1/$5 • ~60 minutes • Recommended for Grades K-6

Music, dance, and visual storytelling unite in this performance featuring the Hayes School of Music’s Appalachian Symphony Orchestra and the Department of Theatre and Dance. Enjoy Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals with its musical menagerie brought to life through dance, and Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite where fairy tales unfold through orchestral music and animation.