The Greater Decatur Chorale is feeling the love so much that they wanted to share the spotlight with other local singers.

The Greater Decatur Chorale performs "Romantic Interlude" starting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Decatur Civic Center Theater. The chorale will also perform Feb. 8-10 and Valentine's Day, which will feature the opportunity for a special Valentine's dinner at the Scovill Banquet Facility.

The concert program goes through the varying degrees of love.

"The Star Spangled Banner" and "Hopelessly Devoted to You," a Beatles song, songs from the Broadway productions of "Grease" and a medley of tunes from "West Side Story" make up the bill.

Chorale producer Marie Jagger-Taylor said the chorale will have a different special guest each performance night.

Appearing with the group will be Warrensburg-Latham High School Concert Choir on Thursday; Millikin University's Concert Youth Choir on Friday; Millikin's One Voice ensemble on Saturday; the Servant Quartet on Sunday; and ENCORE!, Illinois State University's vocal jazz ensemble, along with Julie McClarey on Valentine's Day.

"The hope is to share the talent of the chorale with people who may not have seen them perform" while giving the audience a taste of other choral groups in the community, Jagger-Taylor said. "It supports our goal of keeping choral music alive."

The chorale is under the direction of Jonathan Saeger, whose first performance with the chorale is Thursday.

"It's been a long process," he said, "and I think everyone's anxious to perform."

Saeger teaches at Warrensburg-Latham High School and directs the school's concert choir.

He said he was excited to have his students sing with the chorale, "especially with the venue," since they often perform in the school's gymnasium. "Performing in a theater is a great experience for them."

"Choral singing is a lost art," Jagger-Taylor said. "We hope the audience enjoys it as we take them on a journey of love and how it affects us."

WHAT: Greater Decatur Chorale.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7 to 9; 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10; and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14.

WHERE: Decatur Civic Center Theater.

TICKETS: $10 at Decatur Park District, 422-5911, or at the door an hour before each performance.

EXTRA: For Valentine's Day, a dinner package that includes a candlelight buffet at Scovill Banquet Facility and the Greater Decatur Chorale performance will be available. The cost is $23 for dinner and the show or $15 for just dinner. Reservations are due Friday, Feb. 8. For more information, call 422-5911.

Alicia Spates can be reached at aspates@herald-review.com or 421-6986.