UND presents 31st annual Madrigal Dinner The UND 31st annual Madrigal Dinner, a festive winter holiday event that’s become a community tradition, takes place Friday, Dec. 4 and Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom. The Madrigal Dinner features food, music, and entertainment presented in the style of Elizabethan England, a time of castles and Shakespeare. The UND Concert Choir, the Varsity Bards, and the Allegro Women’s Choir lead a tour of the traditional English holiday feast through song, food, and theater. “This is an interactive event for the entire family that’s at times serious, frequently funny, and occasionally wacky,” said Joshua Bronfman, assistant professor and director of choral studies at UND. Tickets are on sale at the Chester Fritz Auditorium Box Office 777-4090. General seating is $40 per person; a limited number of front-row seats are available for $45 each. Groups of 10 will receive a discount of $5 per ticket. The Old English-style dinner includes a five-course meal with a choice of beef, chicken, or vegetarian. Special meal accommodations are also available. The Madrigal Dinner is a combination of theater, a musical, and a holiday choral music concert. “The performers dress up in Elizabethan costumes and speak in English accents,” Bronfman said. “They joke with the audience while the king, queen and court jester run the show. In a segment called sack theater, a few audience members are brought on stage to act out a small scene described by the jester.” The primary roles in the performance are played by UND Concert Choir members. “The Varsity Bards and Allegro choral groups bring a youthful energy to the show,” Bronfman said. "The annual Madrigal Dinner is a very robust tradition at UND, and easily tens of thousands of people have seen it.” In addition to being fun and entertaining, the event serves as a fundraiser for a good cause. “All the money goes to fund trips, music, and infrastructure for UND choir students,” Bronfman said. The Madrigal Dinner is held in the ballroom on the second floor of the UND Memorial Union at 2901 University Ave. Parking on the street around the Union is free, although spaces are limited. For a fee, parking is also available in the UND Parking Garage on the corner of University and Columbia. For information on group rates, contact Janice Hoffarth, UND Music department, at 777-2646. Also see http://undmadrigaldinner.wordpress.com/ for more detailed information about this year’s event. For more information about UND’s choral program, including the Concert Choir, the Varsity Bards, and Allegro Women’s Choir, visit http://www.und.edu/dept/choirs/html/ensembles.htm -- Juan Pedraza, Writer/Editor, University Relations, juan.pedraza@und.edu, 777-6571