IU Auditorium announces line-up

The IU Auditorium will host a variety of Broadway hits next year according to the schedule it released Friday for its 2004-2005 season. Students and IU Auditorium subscribers will not only have the opportunity to see modern sensations like "Contact," the musical version of "The Full Monty," "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Les Miserables," but can also watch musicals that have become Broadway classics -- "42nd Street," "Oklahoma!," "Smokey Joe's Café" and "Crazy for You."\nAccording to IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher, the venue books its seasons based on what its patrons want. Each October, patrons receive a survey listing potential shows for the next year. Based on this list, students and subscribers vote on what types of shows they want to see.\n"I'm really proud of the season and the way it's come out." Booher said. "There's something for everyone."\nIn addition to the musicals scheduled for next year, the IU Auditorium booked a variety of other acts including "Blue's Clues Live!," classical pianist Lang Lang, The National Acrobats of Taiwan, violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman and The Hubbard Street Dance Company.\nBooher said he was looking forward to the night The Four Tops perform. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, The Four Tops have sung hits like "Baby, I Need Your Lovin'" and "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" since the 1950's. \n"I think people are going to be dancing and singing along," Booher said. "I can't wait for that night. I think it's going to be really entertaining."\nGraduate student Sara Beanblossom said she was excited to hear that National Public Radio personality David Sedaris will appear. Sedaris is the author of "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and "Naked" and the winner of the third Thurber Prize for American Humor and Time magazine's title for "Humorist of the Year" in 2001.\nBooher said Sedaris will read from his collection of essays and take questions from the audience.\n"His work is so entertaining and performance-based," Booher said. "He's likened to Mark Twain. It will be an excellent opportunity for everyone in Bloomington to come and hear someone at the beginning of his career who I think will become a literary giant. People will be able to say 'I saw him when … '"\nBooher said past productions of "Les Miserables" at the IU Auditorium were so successful that the "Les Mis" people contacted the theater wanting to do another show.\n"'Les Mis' is one of the most highly regarded musicals out there right now," Booher said. "It really speaks highly of how much the Bloomington community has supported it in the past."\nBooher said the IU Auditorium implemented a new online ticket purchasing system this year. Students can visit www.IUauditorium.com to reserve the best seats for the upcoming season and bill the tickets to their bursar accounts. Students who purchase five tickets or more become automatic subscribers. When a subscriber realizes it is impossible to attend a show for which tickets were purchased, the tickets can be exchanged for that of another show in the season.\nBenda said the online ticket system may encourage her to attend more events because of its convenience.\n"When I was coming to campus this year, I planned on going to more productions, and I didn't quite make it to all the ones I wanted to," Benda said. "It seems like they've got things for all of the age groups next year. They have 'Blues Clues' and the old Broadway musicals and the newer stuff like David Sedaris. There's something for everybody."\n-- Contact staff writer Jenica Schultz at jwschult@indiana.edu.