As students make their way back to Bloomington for the start of spring classes, the IU Auditorium will also kick off its spring season.
The auditorium has arranged a lineup of productions this semester. An array of musicians, musicals, dance troupes and even a circus group will make their way to Bloomington.
The Cleveland Orchestra
To start off the spring season, the Cleveland Orchestra will be paying a visit to IU. The musicians are to perform at 8 p.m., Jan. 23 as a part of the orchestra's centennial year celebration tour. The Jacobs School of Music Oratorio Chorus will join Joélle Harvey, Sasha Cooke and the Cleveland Orchestra in performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 2.
'Rent'
The following week, the rock musical, "Rent," will perform two shows in Bloomington. "Rent" follows the lives of young artists in New York City's Greenwich village neighborhood as they struggle to survive while HIV and AIDS ravages the community. The musical, which won four Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1996, is back on tour and will perform as a part of their 20th anniversary tour at 8 p.m., Jan. 28 and 29.
Mariachi Los Camperos
Mariachi Los Camperos, a Grammy Award-winning mariachi ensemble founded in 1961, will perform at 7 p.m., Feb. 9 at the IU Auditorium. The group's performance is part of the the Arts and Humanities Council’s Spring 2019 Mexico Remixed festival.
'Something Rotten!'
In February, Broadway is back in Bloomington with two performances of "Something Rotten!" The musical is set in 16th century England and tells the tale of two brother playwrights who set out to write the first musical in history as they compete with the far more popular William Shakespeare. The comedy will hit the stage at 7 p.m., Feb. 27 and 28.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
After spring break, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will make a stop at the auditorium to perform at 8 p.m., March 19. The group of modern dancers was born during the heart of the Civil Rights Movement and continues to grace the stage in an effort to exhibit African-American heritage and unite people of all ages, races and backgrounds.
'Reversible'
In April, Montreal-based circus company 7 Fingers will perform its show, "Reversible." The contemporary circus will put on two shows at 7:30 p.m., April 2 and 3. The performance exhibits the histories of families and how the past helps shape the future through a mix of theater, circus, dance, music and acrobatics.
An Evening with Branford Marsalis
Later in the week, the Branford Marsalis Quartet will visit for a Saturday night show. The group known as the standard for jazz quartets will perform at 8 p.m., April 6. The ensemble is led by three-time Grammy Award winner Branford Marsalis who previously worked as the musical director for "The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno."
'Finding Neverland'
The two performances of "Finding Neverland" at 7:30 p.m., April 23 and 24 will mark the end of the IU Auditorium spring season. The family-friendly musical tells the tale of how the iconic character, Peter Pan, came to be. The show is not only directed by Tony Award winner, Diane Paulus, but is also the recipient of Broadway.com’s Audience Choice Award for Best Musical.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said the Cleveland Orchestra is celebrating its centennial season. The Cleveland Orchestra's centennial season was 2017-2018, and it is currently in its 101st season. This IDS regrets this error.
