Woodlawn Arts Academy dancers and musicians will take the stage in late May for their spring 2026 recitals.

Private music students will perform in three recitals in late May.

• The instrumental students of Nadine Appel and Nicole Oberg will perform at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Sterling.
• Vocal music students of Mardi Huffstutler will perform at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 22, at Woodlawn Arts Academy.
• The guitar and ukulele students of James Miller will perform at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28, at Woodlawn Arts Academy.

Each recital will feature a different group of students. All are free to attend, but donations are welcomed.

Woodlawn’s private music lesson program runs year-round and is open to children and adults. Ages and tuition vary per instructor.

Woodlawn Dance Academy dancers age 3 to adult will perform three recitals with the theme “In the Name of Dance.” The events are set for May 29 and 30 at Centennial Auditorium in Sterling, and mark the Academy’s 18th annual dance recitals.

Tickets are $14 each and are available at centennialauditorium.org. A processing fee will be applied to all debit and credit card ticket purchases. Tickets also are available at the door. The performances will be at 6 p.m. Friday, May 29, and 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, May 30.

Woodlawn Dance Academy’s summer programs start the week of June 1, and registration is available now in person at the Academy or by calling 815-626-4278.

While dance class and private music registration are not available online, registration for most other programs is available at woodlawnartsacademy.com. The academy offers classes, workshops and day camps for all ages in music and dance, along with visual arts, theater and culinary arts. Some programs already are full.

In addition to the academy’s regular programming, in honor of the Academy’s 20th anniversary, Theatre in the Park 2026 features the return of a fan favorite, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Roles are available for ages 17 and up. More information and audition registration is available at woodlawnartsacademy.com/theatre-in-the-park.

Auditions are scheduled for May 19, with shows July 9 to 11. Theatre in the Park is a production of the Sauk Valley Theatre Alliance, which is a partnership among Centennial Auditorium, Sauk Valley Community College and Woodlawn Arts Academy.

Woodlawn Arts Academy is an agency of United Way of Whiteside and Lee counties, and financial assistance is available to those who qualify. Details on the Academy’s programming and financial assistance applications are available in the Academy office or on the website at www.woodlawnartsacademy.com. The Academy’s programs are partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.