Three professionals bring ‘The Performance Experience’ to IU

Eager students, writers and performers alike will flock to the Indiana Memorial Union today as three influential individuals give a lecture at Whittenberger Auditorium. Dubbed “The Actor, Director, and Writer: The Performance Experience,” the lecture will be held by six-time Emmy nominee and playwright Glen Berger, IU alumnus and actor Rob Johansen and current stage director Randy White. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m.\nPerforming Arts Director Alexa Lopez said the Indiana Memorial Union Board is proud to present the lecture.\n“We wanted someone in the professional business to come and speak, and Glen is great,” she said. “We think he would be a unique person for the student body to see.”\n“The Performance Experience” will be followed by a reception during which students can network with the speakers, who are all influential in their fields. \nBerger is writing the book for the upcoming Broadway musical, “Spider-Man: The Musical” that will feature new music from U2’s Bono. He was also nominated for six Emmy Awards for his work on the children’s cartoon, “Arthur;” and had a Broadway hit, “Underneath the Lintel” that won an Ovation Award, the Sterling Award, the Garland Award for Best Playwriting and was named one of Time Out New York’s Ten Best Plays of 2001.\n“This is a very unique opportunity. At the lecture, students interested can learn how to go right out of college and into the field,” said Nathan Click, director of public relations for the Union Board. Union Board and Cardinal Stage Company, located in Bloomington, are co-sponsoring the event. \nCaroline Dowd-Higgins, director of career services at the School of Law and member Cardinal Stage Company’s board of directors, is excited about the upcoming lecture. \n“This is a classic opportunity to meet town and gown,” she said. “We (Cardinal Stage Company) don’t want to be exclusively for Bloomington or exclusively for Indiana University. We want to be for everyone.” \nToday’s lecture will give students the insight into three different career perspectives. After attending the event, students will have the opportunity to see Berger, Johansen and White put their words to the test.\nCardinal Stage Company and the Union Board will work together, once again, to bring the production “O Lovely Glowworm” to Bloomington, which won the Portland Drammy Award for Best Script in 2005. All three speakers will be involved: Berger wrote the production, White will be direct and Johansen will act. The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater and will run through March 1.\nThe Union Board puts on several different events throughout the school year. Starting Valentine’s Day, the Whittenberger Auditorium will host “The Vagina Monologues.” More information will be given at a later time, Lopez said.\n“This is going to appeal to a lot of people ... people interested in telecommunications, English majors interested in script writing, actors, etc.,” Click said.