NORMAL - After more than a half-century, Illinois State University's annual madrigal dinners had begun to seem medieval in more ways than one.

The dinner fare remained pretty much constant.

The entertainment followed a set pattern.

The evening's pace had begun to atrophy a bit … still merrie, but a bit too olde for comfort.

As a result, the dinners began to experience a gradual falloff in attendance after peaking back in the mid-to-late '80s, when around 6,000 Twin Citians would dig into their wild game entrée and figgy pudding with limited utensils.

A la the makeover of last summer's Illinois Shakespeare Festival, the decision was made to reinvent the event - "reinvigorate it … rock the boat a little bit," says ISU School of Theatre honcho John Poole, who is directing the theatrical end of things, alongside School of Music vocal specialist Karyl Carlson, who's overseeing the all-important musical component.

"It's time to update and spruce it up, while keeping the very best of what has made it successful," says Poole.

When the tradition resumes for its 53rd year at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (and six more evenings thereafter, through Dec. 13), he and Carlson are betting that both old-timers and newcomers will appreciate the infusion of new blood.

And new food.

And new music.

And new attitude.

Not to mention a very new space: the classy new ISU Alumni Center, housed in the old Eagle grocery store on North Main Street in Normal.

Don't be put off by that past existence, says Poole, noting that "the space has been totally redesigned - they've only kept the shell, and now it's an amazing building, incredible. And we're taking full advantage of it."

When the event was being rethought, one of the first suggestions, says Poole, was Carlson's idea for an Italian-themed family feast "instead of the typical squab and wild game."

At the same time, this wouldn't be a stereotypical "lasagna-type" dinner; rather, the goal was to render it a feast in slightly more upscale terms.

Hence, the menu offerings of full-utensil goodies like butternut squash, sage ravioli, lamb rolls and prosciutto parmesan pasta.

A two-hour sit-down tasting session was hosted by ISU's Food Services so the right balance of offerings would be selected.

Poole and Carlson also have retooled the event in other ways.

Like he did as managing director of the Shakespeare Festival, Poole has edited and tightened up the evening, hoping a richer mesh of food and music is the result.

Each evening begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails, cash bar and brass ensemble in the new venue's "great hall," then moves at 7 p.m. into the dining room for the mix of meal and traditionally costumed madrigals (of which there are more than ever - 16 performers vs. the average of 10 in years past).

The program makeover kicks in especially noticeably with the post-dinner entertainment, which will move the music into what Poole describes as "a more relaxed, urban twist - we'll still be singing traditional songs, but also infusing the program with more contemporary offerings."

The attire, with a contemporary Tom Ford-style designer flourish, will follow suit, he adds.

In keeping with the tighter pacing, Poole promises everyone will be headed out the door around 8:45 p.m.

As the longest-running madrigal dinner event in the country, says Poole, "the comfort level of doing it for so long had thrown it into automatic and, frankly, people had gotten a little tired of essentially the same thing year in and year out."

With the new look, tastes and sounds, he adds, "this is our opportunity to make sure the madrigal tradition survives here and continues another 50 years."

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Changing tastes

For the first time in its 53-year history, ISU's madrigal dinners have revamped the menu to reflect an "Italian family-style feast" instead of a Renaissance-style chow-down:

• Butternut squash and sage ravioli

• Field of greens salad

• Lamb rolls and herbed potatoes

• Prosciutto parmesan pasta

• Spumone

• Spicy wassail

• Champagne toast

• Coffee/tea

• Full cash bar

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At a glance

What: "A Madrigals Holiday Celebration"

When: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13

Where: Illinois State University's new Alumni Center (former Eagle store on North Main Street, Normal)

Tickets: General, $40; students and seniors, $30

Ticket number: (309) 438-2535