IU Auditorium announces 2012-13 season lineup

Though the current school year is ending, another year of entertainment has yet to begin. The IU Auditorium has announced its upcoming 2012-13 season.

The Auditorium will feature classic and contemporary Broadway musicals, comedy acts, holiday traditions and other renowned performances.

“We are excited to present acts never before seen in Bloomington, including Bill Maher and the Silk Road Ensemble featuring Yo-Yo Ma, alongside well-known favorites like smash-hit Broadway musical ‘Chicago’ and ‘Peter Pan,’ starring Cathy Rigby,” IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said in a press release. “Each year, we ask our patrons what they would like to see and then carefully select shows that resonate with their refined and eclectic tastes.”

The first act to be featured is the musical “American Idiot.” Directed by Tony Award-winning Michael Mayer and inspired by the alternative-rock band Green Day, the musical “challenges shallow, media-saturated culture and inspires youth to explore life outside of suburbia,” according to a press release.

Following “American Idiot” will be “Chicago,” a musical that has won six Tony Awards, two Laurence Olivier Awards and one Drama Desk Award.

“Chicago” will make its appearance on stage in October, featuring songs such as “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango” and “We Both Reached for the Gun.”

Comedian and TV show host Maher will also perform in October. Maher started out his career as a stand-up comedian in 1979, was the host for “Politically Incorrect” on ABC’s Comedy Central from 1993-2002 and has anchored his own show, “Real Time With Bill Maher,” for the past seven years. He has been nominated for 23 Emmy Awards and ranked No. 38 on Comedy Central’s “100 Greatest Standups of All Time.”

Some of IU’s own will perform in the fall, as well. The professional a cappella group Straight No Chaser plans to return to IU, its birthplace, in November to perform songs from artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson.

Springing forward to March, King Arthur will make his way to the stage on a quest for the Holy Grail in Monty Python’s “Spamalot.”

Taken from the classic film comedy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the musical “spoofs famous historical events and pokes fun at classic Broadway musicals,”  according to a press release.

After receiving three Tony Awards and 14 nominations, “Spamalot” promises to be a musical full of hilarity and charm.

Other performances including dance, world music, orchestras and more top Broadway shows and musicals have been sewn into the tapestry of the 2012-13 season.

“We know audience members of all ages will relish the opportunity to witness the excellence of the artist and entertainers on the upcoming season,” Booher said in a press release.

The new season begins in September 2012 and continues through April 2013. Ticket price information, ticket ordering, dates and times for all events can be found at  IUAuditorium.com.