Acrobats, dancers and Broadway musicals will take to the IU Auditorium stage this semester. IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said he hopes the season stuns and excites audiences throughout Bloomington and Indiana.\n"We are very proud of this semester's line-up," he said. "It represents the highest possible quality in touring shows and it offers an opportunity for people to see some phenomenal strong artistry."\nThis season is a season oriented for everybody and it gives a chance for the community to come together and become acquainted with the diverse aspects of the arts, said Senior Box Office Clerk Bridget Krull. The season includes family-oriented shows and productions for IU students. \nBooher said the auditorium conducts an annual survey of past audience members to determine which shows are to appear for the upcoming season.\nThe first show to be featured is "Contact" at 8 p.m. Sunday. "Contact," a Tony Award-winning musical, displays three sensual shows through movements of dance, which the dancers perform to a wide range of music. \n"This show is not a typical dance recital and if you like dance; it is a great
show to see and it is great to see how they make dance work," Krull said.\nSophomore Caitlin Griffey said her mother saw "Contact" in New York and raved about the production.\n"With the opinion of my mother and being a dancer, I would definitely go see this production, mainly because it has dancing that sparks my interest," Griffey said. \nThe next show allows the family to watch Blue celebrate his birthday in "Blue's Clues Live! Blue's Birthday Party."\n"Blue's Birthday" is a chance for families to take their children to a family-friendly performance. Tickets are selling fast, Krull said. \nThird to appear is the Tony Award-winning musical "42nd Street," which takes the stage Feb. 1 to 3. The story is about a small-town girl trying to make it as a Broadway star in the big city.\nBooher said he believes that among the shows being featured, this musical will be one of the most popular.\nOn Feb. 26, IU Auditorium presents the vocal ensemble The Soweto Gospel Choir. They combine earthy rhythms, rich harmonies, dancers and drummers to involve the soul and give audience members a taste of the spirit of South Africa. Then, The National Acrobats of Taiwan come back to IU Feb. 28. \nFrom March 9 through 13, IU presents the musical adaptation of Victor Hugh's novel "Les Miserables." It is a story of the fugitive Jean Valjean's escape from Inspector Javert.\n"We expect to have very strong attendance for the weeklong production of 'Les Miserables,'" Booher said. "This is the same production as you might witness on Broadway, and some of the cast members have formerly played these roles in New York." \nBringing up the spirits of audience members at the end of March is the musical production of "Smokey Joe's Café" March 29 and 30 with music from some of the greatest hits of the 1950s and 1960s. This musical theater is a production of love won and lost blended with funny set pieces and displays of everyday emotional trials. \n"Even though there is no true plot, it has a compilation of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller songs from the 50's like 'Hound Dog' and 'Stand By Me' and it is to be a fun show to see," Krull said.\nNext, making a one-night appearance at the IU Auditorium, is the best-selling author and radio commentator David Sedaris. Called the "master of satire," he uses humor and social critique against the euphemisms and political correctness of everyday life according to IU Auditorium literature. At the IU Auditorium, Sedaris' show is a very popular season-ticket seller with seats still to spare, Krull said. She said college students in particular would delight in the show.\nThe last event to bring the season to a close is for all ages to enjoy -- the classic Rodger's and Hammerstein's musical, "Oklahoma!" to be performed April 26 through 28. Set in the Oklahoma territory, it is a story about a local farm girl torn between the cowboy and the farmhand, both fighting for her affection, according to IU Auditorium literature. \n"One of the things I love about the IU Auditorium is that you get a diverse amount of shows for those who have not had much experience with the arts." Krull said "I believe people should take the advantage of having such a facility so close by and should take their friends and families to come see the shows the IU Auditorium has to offer." \n-- Contact Staff Writer Rose Mary Forte at rforte@indiana.edu.
