From classic musicals like “Chicago” to transformative music performances like the Silkroad Ensemble, I have gotten the chance to see many of the shows that made their way to the IU Auditorium. And, as a longtime lover of theatre, music and live entertainment, I have greatly enjoyed getting to experience the wide array of shows part of this semester’s lineup.
So, with the semester coming to a close, here are my five favorite shows I saw this spring.
This musical, which came to the IU Auditorium from March 5-6, follows the life of Tina Turner and the music that defined her career. I didn’t know much about Turner’s life before seeing this musical, and it was inspiring to see her story play out in front of my eyes. Turner certainly has a life worth telling, teaching important lessons about resilience, staying true to one’s self and the power of music.
Though I was initially skeptical about how her rather upbeat discography would work in telling such a harrowing story, this musical might have actually been the best way to tell her story. The dichotomy between the joy Turner had to exude on stage while dealing with so many internal struggles, like an abusive marriage and estranged relationship with her mother, was perfectly represented in the performance of her upbeat songs and power ballads.
Darilyn Burtley did a brilliant job of bringing Turner to life on stage, capturing her aura and energy perfectly and ending with an unforgettable mini concert of Turner’s songs that truly felt like I got a glimpse into what a her real concert would have been like.
4. “Mrs. Doubtfire”
This is definitely the event that surprised me the most. The musical, which performed at IU on Feb. 28, is a modern adaptation of the 1993 movie of the same name that follows an unemployed divorced voice actor who pretends to be a Scottish nanny in order to spend more time with his kids.
I went into this musical with low expectations because I’ve found that musical adaptations of popular movies are often a hit or miss, for example, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the “Beetlejuice” musical adaptation. Before seeing “Mrs. Doubtfire,” I had heard it was pretty forgettable. However, I was happily surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this musical.
I’m not someone who laughs out loud at shows very easily, but “Mrs. Doubtfire” had me laughing during every scene. While the songs were not the most memorable – and I probably could not tell you what a single one sounds like now – the numbers were all incredibly fun and lively, adding entertainment to the plot rather than slowing it down. I was also shocked at how impressive the Mrs. Doubtfire on-stage transformations were, and it definitely made the show something that was worth seeing live instead of just on my screen.
While this may not be the most memorable or life changing show ever, it is incredibly entertaining to watch and gave me a reason to laugh, which is something I think we are all in desperate need of these days.
3. “Chicago”
“Chicago” tells the story of Roxie Hart as she tries to use her celebrity status to claim innocence to a murder she committed. The show came to IU on Jan. 23. This musical has been regarded as a very important and prominent part of musical theater history as it set the foundation for a lot of musicals to come after it and created many pop culture moments, like the “Vigilante Shit” dance number in Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour.”
I was pretty familiar with “Chicago” going into it, but I had never actually seen a professional production of it live, so as a longtime theater kid, I was geeking out every couple minutes. The highlight of the show was definitely when they performed “We Both Reached for the Gun,” because I had seen so many edits on social media using audio from the song. I was happy to finally cross “Chicago” off the list of musicals I need to see and am glad to say it lived up to my expectations.
Established in 2000, Silkroad Ensemble is a collection of musicians from all around the world who come together and interweave the instruments and melodies from their individual cultures together. The ensemble performed at the IU Auditorium on March 12.
Music has always been a big part of my life. I got the chance to study music theory from non-western cultures in high school and since then I’ve loved any opportunity to see different kinds of music performed live.
When I heard about Silkroad Ensemble, it sounded like it would be a beautiful and enticing night of music, and it definitely lived up to my expectations. The music was at once powerful and calming, showcasing music from India, Italy, Japan, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to name a few. Through the collaboration the musicians had with the audience, it genuinely felt like we were all a harmonious collective, despite being strangers.
Grammy and Tony winning performer Leslie Odom Jr. performed at IU alongside the IU Philharmonic Orchestra on Feb. 15. I had heard of Odom before this concert, mainly through his performance as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton,” but seeing him perform live garnered a whole new level of appreciation and admiration for him.
His voice was beautiful and, paired with the addition of an orchestra, it genuinely sounded heavenly and made me cry. I also fully geeked out when he sang both “Wait for it” and “Alexander Hamilton” from “Hamilton,” which added to this experience that I will never forget.
The auditorium is expected to announce its 2026-27 lineup of shows in late May. I am very excited to see what all will be coming to Bloomington next semester and am looking forward to getting the chance to discover and experience even more shows.
