Wisconsin Public Television has chosen an Eau Claire venue to kick off its brand new "Jewel Box Concert Series."

The State Theatre, 316 Eau Claire St., will host the WPT crews as they tape Five By Design's "Club Swing" performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The "Jewel Box Series," which is the result of a grant that bought a new production truck and allowed the station to film around the state, showcases historic theaters in Wisconsin with a focus on homegrown entertainment.

A group that originated at UW-Eau Claire in the 1980s, Five By Design will perform its "Club Swing" musical revue of swing and big band tunes of the 1940s and '50s.

Vocalist Lorie Carpenter-Niska said audiences can expect a wide variety of music, including standards of the era such as "In the Mood" and "Sing, Sing, Sing."

"We try to choose a lot of the really well-known, popular ones, as well as a few that maybe a diehard or someone from the era might remember, but that might not be the most recognizable," she said.

Carpenter-Niska said the group originally was called Hot Jazz and had a rotating cast of vocalists as some graduated and moved away. However, the group of Carpenter-Niska, her husband Kurt Niska, his brother Terrence Niska and Michael Swedberg took things a litte more seriously.

With all of its members sharing a passion for vocal harmony and a newfound interest in music of the '40s and '50s, a concept for continuing the group was formulated.

"We were doing a lot of Manhatten Transfer (the a capella group) music, and loved the harmony," Carpenter-Niska said. "We realized a lot of the music they were doing actually harkened back to the early days of the '40s and the '50s and some of those great early groups.

"So as we researched that more, we realized the wealth of music back in the '40s and were just falling in love with it."

From those beginnings the idea of having themed shows was born. Focusing mostly on music from those decades, Five By Design has toured nationally with a variety of shows from "Club Swing" to its tribute to the golden age of radio "Radio Days" and "Ultra Lounge Show."

Over the years the group also has performed with various orchestras and collaborated with alto saxophone jazz legend Richie Cole in 2010.

"It's just been a growing process that we are just loving," Carpenter-Niska said. "We first started out as singers, but we've had to become so much more.

"We've had to be costumers, we've had to be set designers ... my husband and I are the truck drivers that drive our sound equipment and props around the country."

For Friday's performance, Five By Design will be backed by The Robert Baca Jazz Orchestra. Baca is the director of the jazz studies program at UW-Eau Claire.

Because of the taping, fans might notice a few changes Friday at The State Theatre.

Executive director Ben Richgruber said certain sections of seating will be blocked off to accommodate WPT's five cameras. In addition, more light will shine on the stage and audience for the cameras.

Richgruber said the filming is great opportunity for Eau Claire to show off its facilities and the talent it has produced.

"It will be really cool to be featured statewide," Richgruber said. "I've talked to a few other theater administrators and it's been great for the theaters that have been able to participate.

"It's great for the community. We pack this theater full of people that yell and cheer for Eau Claire, so it gives us a chance to be proud of something, and it gives the rest of the state a chance to see what we're up to."

In addition to the concert, the "Jewel Box" program will have a five-minute segment highlighting the history and renovations of The State.

Richgruber said details on when the episode will be broadcast aren't yet available, but it could be as early as this winter.

Hanson can be reached at 715-833-9206 or rob.hanson@ecpc.com.

If You Go

What: Wisconsin Public Television live taping of Five By Design's "Club Swing."

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Where: The State Theatre, 316 Eau Claire St.

Cost: $29 for adults, $10 for students.

Info: 715-832-2787 or eauclairearts.com.

Contributed photo