Auditorium says goodbye to students, professional employees

The IU Auditorium might appear to host its events effortlessly, but a massive amount of student and professional work goes into making the performances so successful. Last Saturday, the auditorium said goodbye to both student and professional staff in a ceremony honoring their efforts.\nGraduating seniors Bridget Krull, who has served as assistant box office manager, and Matt Mindrum, who has been customer relations manager, spoke about their time working for the Auditorium and how these experiences have shaped them. Krull started working as a volunteer usher, then was hired in her current position after the Auditorium renovation created more staff openings. Mindrum missed the first usher callout, but still wanted to become involved, so he was hired as a customer relations assistant and was promoted from there.\n"One of the things I love the most and that I'll miss the most is the small staff here," Krull said. "Everyone is so close, and that outweighs any work-related tensions."\nMindrum agreed, saying, "Work here has been a lot of fun, but we definitely get things done, too. We have a blast doing them."\nMindrum also said that work at the Auditorium helped him develop personally, giving him just as much as the classroom experience.\n"The Auditorium is a great place to develop areas where you're lacking," he said. "You push yourself and have the support of everyone on staff."\nMindrum's experiences at the auditorium are helping him in his post-graduation plans. Mindrum will be pursuing his MBA at Harvard, after which he plans to use it in arts and entertainment management and consulting or another related field.\n"To be accepted in the program, I needed four to six years of full-time work experience, which is hard for any college student to have. Working at the Auditorium gave me that experience and allowed me to have this opportunity."\nKrull also is going to directly use her experience at the Auditorium -- she is going to work for Ticketmaster.\n"I definitely got real work experience from (the Auditorium)," she said. "If it weren't for this job I probably would be living at home after graduation."\nAside from students, the Auditorium is also saying goodbye to a longtime professional staff member. Cherri DuPree, who has served as the head ticket taker since 1988, is going to be leaving her position after 17 years.\nDuPree started working for the Auditorium in only a part-time capacity until she was asked to take charge. In her years, she has worked a variety of shows ranging from controversial speakers to showtunes, and has met a variety of celebrities including Jay Leno, Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Bob Newhart, Winton Marsalis and Johnnie Cochran.\n"I tried to go in to every show and meet the act. It's a lot harder nowadays than when I first started because security is tighter," DuPree said.\nDuPree also advised her student staff to meet the opening acts.\n"You never know when an opening act that no one's heard of takes off and soon becomes the main act," she said.\nDuPree hasn't always worked alongside the students. When she first started, the ticket takers and student managers were separate. Current Auditorium director Doug Booher put the two together several years ago, and since then, DuPree has had a special relationship with the student employees.\n"I've been kind of like a mother to them," she said, "but I've always been seen as an equal, too. (Students) have invited me to parties and I still maintain contact with several former students. I really love that."\nDuPree said that she is getting too old to continue to be seen as an equal, and that the time was right for her to leave. Her days at the Auditorium are not finished, however. DuPree plans to continue volunteering at shows.\n"It hasn't quite hit me yet, though. It just seems like I've ended a regular season. I'm sure I'm going to miss working here," she said.\nThe students also feel the same endearment for DuPree.\nMindrum said, "She's been here longer than anyone, even the directors, and she knows everyone. She's a wonderful woman and everyone will miss her."\nKrull added that DuPree knew exactly how to deal with the different audiences that the Auditorium's shows attract.\n"It won't be the same here without Cherri," Krull said.\n-- Contact Arts Editor Adam Sedia at asedia@indiana.edu.\nand meet the act. It's a lot harder nowadays than when I first started because security is tighter," DuPree said.\nDuPree also advised her student staff to meet the opening acts.\n"You never know when an opening act that no one's heard of takes off and soon becomes the main act," she said.\nDuPree hasn't always worked alongside the students. When she first started, the ticket takers and student managers were separate. Current Auditorium director Doug Booher put the two together several years ago, and since then, DuPree has had a special relationship with the student employees.\n"I've been kind of like a mother to them," she said, "but I've always been seen as an equal, too. (Students) have invited me to parties and I still maintain contact with several former students. I really love that."\nDuPree said that she is getting too old to continue to be seen as an equal, and that the time was right for her to leave. Her days at the Auditorium are not finished, however. DuPree plans to continue volunteering at shows.\n"It hasn't quite hit me yet, though. It just seems like I've ended a regular season. I'm sure I'm going to miss working here," she said.\nThe students also feel the same endearment for DuPree.\nMindrum said, "She's been here longer than anyone, even the directors, and she knows everyone. She's a wonderful woman and everyone will miss her."\nKrull added that DuPree knew exactly how to deal with the different audiences that the Auditorium's shows attract.\n"It won't be the same here without Cherri," Krull said.\n-- Contact Arts Editor Adam Sedia at asedia@indiana.edu.