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(10/24/13 4:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Get ready to “come on down” to the IU Auditorium tonight, because “The Price Is Right” is live, it’s on tour and it’s here.Daniel Hampel, who was instrumental in bringing “The Price Is Right” to the Auditorium, said the event is exactly like you’d see it on television, sans Drew Carey as the host. It’s the same Hollywood producers creating the same game show atmosphere, Hampel said.“They actually make you feel like you’re on a TV show,” Hampel said.He said before the show begins, a video is shown and comical instructions are given on things like how not to walk down the aisle as if the contestants were really going to be taped for live television.Anyone who holds a ticket and registers for the show can possibly be drawn as a contestant, Hampel said.The only qualifications for registration are that you hold a ticket and are 18 or older. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. today.Of the audience members who register, 50 names will be drawn for possible prizes during the show. Some will be consolation prizes, Hampel said, but six or seven others will be given opportunities to win big cash prizes, vacations, electronics and “maybe even a car.” “I’ve never seen anybody, even if they didn’t win anything, leave the show who didn’t have a smile on their face,” Hampel said.Pat Finn, who “Seinfeld” fans will recognize as secondary character Joe Mayo, will host the show.Hampel said the live stage tour will be an experience to remember.“It’s as crazy as it is on TV,” he said.Follow reporter Anicka Slachta on Twitter @ajslachta.
(10/22/13 4:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Tuesday night, the IU Auditorium gets naked.The Barenaked Ladies, famous for hit songs like “One Week,” “Pinch Me” and “If I Had $1,000,000,” is playing at 8 p.m. at the IU Auditorium with opener Whitehorse. The Canadian band is slated to play its past hits as well as new music from its new album, “Grinning Streak,” which debuted in June.Tickets for the show start at $25 for students and $35 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday and until the time of the show at the IU Auditorium Box Office or at iuauditorium.com.Members of the Barenaked Ladies include Ed Robertson on guitar and vocals; Jim Creeggan on bass as well as vocals; Kevin Hearn on keyboard, guitar and vocals; and Tyler Stewart on drums and vocals.Maria Talbert, associate director of the IU Auditorium, said this is an exciting time to see the Barenaked Ladies.“First, the Barenaked Ladies is celebrating a new album and their 25th anniversary,” Talbert said. “They just came off of a great summer tour, and this fall is a great opportunity to bring them to Bloomington and the Auditorium, a venue they have never played.“Most importantly, though, the show is simply going to be a lot of fun for our campus and Bloomington community.”— Janica Kaneshiro
(10/21/13 3:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Banjo player Béla Fleck has been added to the IU Auditorium fall performance schedule, according to an IU press release.Fleck will perform solos and duets with his wife, clawhammer banjo player and singer Abigail Washburn, at 8 p.m. Oct. 30 at the IU Auditorium. Though Fleck has experimented in musical styles ranging from pop to world beat, this program will feature classical and bluegrass styles.Because of his varied approach to music, Fleck has been nominated in more musical categories than anyone else in Grammy history, according to his personal website.He has been nominated for a Grammy 30 times and has won 15 times. Tickets are now on sale at iuauditorium.com, the IU Auditorium Box Office and Ticketmaster.com.Prices range between $23 to $49 for IU students with a valid student ID and $44 to $59 for non-students. — Amanda Arnold
(10/11/13 4:45am)
'Ghost Brothers of Darkland County' premiered at the IU Auditorium Thursday.
(10/11/13 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Light fog filled the auditorium last night, adding a vintage look to the classic red space. Indistinct accordion music and a man’s crooning voice completed the atmosphere with a southern flair. IU Auditorium opened to a full house Thursday night for the debut of “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County.” Created by trio John Mellencamp, Stephen King and T Bone Burnett, the show offered the audience a blend of blues, blood and boisterous laughter.Before the show, the auditorium’s crimson curtains welcomed the awaiting audience to an empty stage populated solely by a silver-blue spotlight. “Ghost Brothers” is King’s debut in playwriting. Audience members Melanie Malone and Sherry Haynes bought their tickets well in advance for the show. They said they were eager to see King’s work. “We can’t hardly wait,” Malone said.Gesturing to the King book in her handbag, she said, “Got it in my purse just in case I meet him.”King’s success could be heard in the audience’s laughs. While the show is listed as a thriller, the show could be considered more of a supernatural comedy. The story revolves around a triple death that occurred 40 years prior to the start of the performance. Father and brother of two of the deceased, Joe McCandless is scared of seeing history repeat itself in the form of his own two sons. Aside from that malignant topic, the plot featured heaps of perverted and childish humor. A Bloomington local, Mellencamp created the music and lyrics for the production. His work reverberated throughout the auditorium. Not to be confused with a musical, Mellencamp prefers to call “Ghost Brothers” a “play with music,” according to the show’s website. Thirteen years in the making, the show unfolded in great detail, all according to the inspiration of a true story that happened in Indiana. Malone heard about the show’s muse in an edition of the Bloomington Herald-Times. Apparently, the deaths occurred in a “cabin out on Lake Monroe,” she said.The true story eventually became the inspiration behind last night’s piece. Mellencamp is quoted on his website regarding the inspiration.“Two brothers were there late one night with a girl,” Mellencamp said. “They got into an argument; they’d been drinking. One of the brothers hit the other brother with a poker. You know, he didn’t mean to kill him, but he did. And as the girl and the younger brother were driving into town, they lost control of the car on the gravel road, went into the lake — they drowned.”This plot line translated into a play with a rather intimate setting. Rather than focus on an excessive production to match the high profile creators, the play transformed into a low profile show with all cast members on stage, taking turns walking up to the spotlight.This production style suited King’s lyrical style, as well as that of Mellencamp and Burnett. By taking the focus away from the actors’ movement, more focus was put on what was heard. In fact, no one left stage after stepping on in the first scene.Maria Talbert, IU Auditorium’s associate director, is proud of the work that went into last night’s production.“It has been simply amazing to witness everyone,” she said in an email. “From our own local stagehands to the show’s cast, crew, and creative staff — work together to build and rehearse this show.”Cast and crew arrived last Friday to begin the vast set up required to give life to the production. Along with the three names listed above, there was also an all-star cast. Among the 15-member cast is film and TV actor Bruce Greenwood and Tony Award nominee Emily Akinner. They played the older generation of actors on stage.Returning back to the avid fans in the lobby, Haynes said she was seen as a makeshift reviewer by her friends. She said they hope to watch “Ghost Brothers” on its return to IU Auditorium later this month. Tickets are still available for the Oct. 23 show.“They want my feedback,” she said with a laugh.Talbert said she is proud of what she has heard on stage in the last few days. After the success of Thursday’s performance, she said she is excited to welcome an entirely new audience to the second show.“The show has drawn a very wide audience,” Talbert said. “People have been very intrigued by the collaboration of these three incomparable artists.”
(10/11/13 4:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Organist Dennis James will accompany an upcoming showing of silent film “Aelita: Queen of Mars” as part of “Dennis James Hosts Halloween” Oct. 26 at the IU Auditorium.James will be joined by experimental percussionist Mark Goldstein. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $8 for students and $16 for the general public and can be purchased through the IU Auditorium box office or ticketmaster.com. James’ accompaniment with the science fiction film has become a tradition at IU. IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said in a press release the Auditorium always looks forward to having James.“It is always a special treat to have Dennis James host Halloween,” Booher said. “This family-friendly event is a fun and unique experience all audiences can enjoy. It is theatrical, exciting, playfully spooky, and nostalgic.”James and Goldstein make up the Filmharmonia Duo. Filmharmonia was started by James as a way to utilize musicians from all different genres and instruments. Originally released in 1924, “Aelita: Queen of Mars” tells the story of Los, who is suspected of killing his wife and escapes to Mars in a vessel he invented. There, he falls in love with Aelita, the planet’s ruler who proceeds to imprison and enslave him.James said in a press release the combination of the film and Filmharmonia’s music creates the perfect mood for the spooky holiday. “With the project being a glorious pioneering example of the Sci-Fi film genre, it will work quite well for a Halloween crowd,” he said. “With rockets, space travel, Martians ... who could ask for anything more?”— Carolyn Crowcroft
(09/23/13 3:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Giant multi-colored beach balls, toilet paper and confetti flew through the air. People were on their feet, waving their arms to a heavy bass beat. It was “the ultimate dance party,” led by three bald, blue men.On Saturday and Sunday, Blue Man Group returned to the IU Auditorium. The show marked the beginning of the auditorium’s 2013-14 season.Bloomington resident Barry Milbourn said he was supposed to be at the 2011 show, but when an ice storm hit, he was called into work at the city water plant. He said members of his family went in his place and bought him a Blue Man Group “Rock Concert Movements” T-shirt.On Saturday, Milbourn, wearing the shirt his family gave him, finally got his chance to see Blue Man Group. “I know they put on a good show,” he said. “I’m excited about all the things they will do.”During the show, the trio performed many acts, including painting with gumballs caught in their mouths, drumming on pipes and painted drums and playing with giant smartphones. The acts received laughter and applause from the audience.Much of the performance emphasized audience interaction. Whether the blue men were throwing marshmallows into the crowd, handing out paintings or climbing through the orchestra section, the audience was an active part of the show. For freshman Lexi Hall, she said it was her first IU Auditorium show and her first time seeing Blue Man Group. She shared the experience with her mother, Jodi Craney. “I’ve heard about Blue Man Group, and I just wanted to take my mom,” Hall said. “This is the only chance I’ve ever had to see them. I look forward to all the neat tricks that they do.” Jennifer Davis, an employee at the Maurer School of Law, came with her 7-year-old son, Camron Cole. “I’ve always wanted to see Blue Man Group, and I thought it would be cool to take my little boy,” Davis said. “Everyone we talked to said it would be the perfect show for a little kid. He laughed the whole time.”Cole said his favorite part of the show was when TV commercials played on the giant smartphones. “It didn’t have anything to do with the show,” he said. Davis said her favorite part was when a man arrived late and the blue men stopped the show and shined a spotlight on him as he walked in. “I thought it was hilarious,” she said. “It was an awesome show. I liked it a lot.” Follow reporter Alyssa Schor on Twitter @schoralyssa.
(09/20/13 3:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>They're bald, they're blue and they're back.Choreographed with drums and colorful paint, more than 17 million people have seen Blue Man Group perform. Following a performance in February 2011, the trio is making a comeback at the IU Auditorium this weekend.Combining comedy, music and technology, the group will perform at the Auditorium 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Students can buy tickets starting at $20. Tickets for the general public start at $38.“The paint on the drums for us is a visual representation of the music,” Puck Quinn, creative director of character development and appearances, said in a press release. “We want to create a visceral experience. We want you to feel it in your gut. That’s why we have as big a drum as we can find. Because that drum will literally vibrate your viscera, your guts will resonate.”Paint and vibration aside, what matters most to the trio is audience engagement, according to the release. People in the front rows will be given jackets to protect their clothes from paint and other splatterings.“It’s all about the connection,” Blue Man Group Co-Founder Phil Stanton said in the release. “And we also wanted to make a statement about how important the live experience is. Even though technology has made it so that we don’t have to have that live experience, there’s something about our humanity that will always need it.”When Matt Goldman, Stanton and Chris Wink came up with the idea for Blue Man Group in New York, they said in a press release they never thought it would be as popular as it is now.The idea for Blue Man Group came from a doodle Wink drew when he was a child. “I had a thing in my wallet for years with a blue tribe in South America,” Goldman said in the release. “I don’t know why it was there. I never put pictures in my wallet. We think the Blue Man has always been here. The best answer is that we found each other.”Even though the show is performed consistently in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Boston, the group has toured other cities as well. The group has even performed in Tokyo, Toronto and several cities in Europe.“Blue Man Group has been one of our most highly-requested performances since its first appearance at IU Auditorium,” Doug Booher, IU Auditorium director, said in the release. “Blue Man Group is a form of entertainment like no other. It is guaranteed to be a theatrical experience you will never forget.”Follow reporter Alexis Benveniste on Twitter @apbenven.
(08/30/13 3:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington theater fans no longer have to wait to order tickets for the upcoming shows at the IU Auditorium.Starting Friday, single tickets for the Auditorium’s 2013-2014 season will go on sale.The season kicks off with the Blue Man Group, which will perform at the Auditorium for two nights on Sept. 21 and 22.Other acts and shows scheduled to appear at the Auditorium include satirist David Sedaris, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Broadway musical “West Side Story.”This season, the IU Auditorium will also show “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” an original musical by John Mellencamp that will make its touring debut this year.Theatergoers can view a list of upcoming performances and dates on the IU Auditorium’s website. In addition to basic performance information and an interactive map of the Auditorium’s seating chart can now be viewed on the website.Tickets can be purchased beginning at 10 a.m., either through the Auditorium’s website or at the IU Auditorium Box Office. —Carolyn Crowcroft
(08/27/13 1:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Canadian rock quartet Barenaked Ladies, is scheduled to perform with Whitehorse at 8 p.m. on Oct. 22, the IU Auditorium announced Monday.Presale tickets can be purchased at iuauditorium.com. beginning at 10 a.m. today. Tickets for the general public go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.Since their formation in 1988, the Barenaked Ladies have sold more than 14 million albums and have been nominated for two Grammy Awards. They are best known for their singles “One Week,” “Brian Wilson,” “Pinch Me” and “If I Had $1,000,000,” among others. They also composed the theme song of the popular CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.The Barenaked Ladies’ performance at IU follows the June release of their latest album, “Grinning Streak,” and their recently-wrapped 2013 Last Summer On Earth Tour with Ben Folds Five and Guster, which saw them perform nearly 30 shows across North America.“They just came off of a great summer tour and this fall is a great opportunity to bring them to Bloomington and the Auditorium — a venue they have never played,” said Maria Talbert, IU Auditorium associate director. “Most importantly, though, the show is simply going to be a lot of fun not only for our community members who grew up listening to their music, but also for students who may not be quite as familiar with their music but who are looking for a great night out with friends and other music fans.”— Rachel Osman
(05/10/13 6:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When it comes to horror, Bloomington is King."Ghost Brothers of Darkland County," a southern gothic supernatural
musical written by Stephen King, will take the IU Auditorium stage
October 10, the IU Auditorium announced Friday afternoon."Darkland County" also features music by Bloomington music legend John Mellencamp and touring icon T-Bone Burnett. The IU Auditorium will show the first runs of "Darkland County" before the production leaves for a 20-city nationwide tour. "It is an amazing opportunity to host the cast and creative staff of 'Ghost Brothers' as they rehearse and debut this new musical," IU Auditorium director Doug Booher said in a press release. "This is a rare chance for our audiences to witness a premiere of this scope, and it coming from such a locally (and globally) beloved artist like John Mellencamp makes the experience even more special for Bloomington and IU."The musical combines eerie, suspenseful plot with blues and folk music styles, as the storyline centers around a dysfunctional family living in 1967 Mississippi, according to the press release.Where artists in their golden years often settle for contentment, Stephen King said this musical keeps him and Mellencamp working hard."John can make rock & roll records and I can write books for the rest of our lives," King said. "But that's the safe way to do it, and that's no way to live if you want to stay creative. We were willing to be educated, and at our age, that's an accomplishment." Director Susan Booth said in a press release the musical is "a kind of new age traveling medicine show."“This is a gothic story-driven rock concert,” Booth said. “I want the emphasis to be on this fantastic score and our great singers and how the story advances us from song to song. In most musicals, the songs advance the narrative. With 'Ghost Brothers,' the story will advance the songs.”For more information, visit iuauditorium.com.
(04/29/13 12:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU Auditorium pulled back the curtain on its 2013-14 season schedule on Sunday, unveiling a list of crowd favorites while keeping one show top-secret.Prominent additions to the Auditorium’s schedule include the Nashville Symphony, Ballet Hispanico, “Mamma Mia!,” Million Dollar Quartet, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, violinist Itzhak Perlman and “West Side Story.”The limestone venue will also feature the international super-trio Blue Man Group and humorist David Sedaris as returning shows.“As always, we strive to put together a selection of events as diverse and interesting as our audiences, and we are thrilled to be able to announce this amazing list of entertainers, Tony Award-winning Broadway hits and awe-inspiring cultural dance and music,” IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said in a press release. “We’re proud to present yet another season of the highest quality performances.”The Auditorium is also keeping something under wraps for two weeks. According to a press release, the Auditorium will premiere the performance of a brand new musical tour to be announced nationwide May 10. That performance is described as a musical and theatrical collaboration, twisting an eerie and suspenseful plot from past to future, set to an Americana soundtrack with acoustic guitars taking the place of the traditional orchestra.The IU Auditorium will also maintain its holiday staples for next year, billing “Dennis James Hosts Halloween” on Oct. 26, and “Chimes of Christmas” on Dec. 11.For more information regarding shows or ticket prices, visit iuauditorium.com— Jeff LaFave
(04/26/13 4:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It wasn’t until doctors found a tumor the size of a melon in her uterus that Eve Ensler, decades into her career, connected with her body.Having been raped by her father from age 5 to 10, the award-winning author of “The Vagina Monologues” spent most of her life in what she describes as a half-sleep, rejecting any relationship with her body at all. She described the journey of finally connecting with herself in a talk Thursday night at the IU Auditorium as part of the Ralph L. Collins Lecture Series.It was also the first stop on her tour to promote her new book, “In the Body of the World,” in which she tells the story of her emotional and physical healing.“My life has been very extreme,” Ensler said. “For years it’s been nothing but a place of pain, violence and badness. I feel like my body wrote this book so I could get all that out and own my body again.”Writing the book, she said, saved her sanity.“I wrote myself out of madness,” she said.With her many bracelets jingling as she waved her hands with enthusiasm, an audience that took up the entire ground floor of the auditorium listened to her describe how cancer was an unlikely gift that reconnected her with family and taught her about love. She said while she was in the hospital and suffering through chemotherapy, it was the kindness of nurses, doctors, friends and family that made her appreciate life in a way she never had before.“Contrary to what I spent so much of my life believing, love has nothing to do with marriage or ownership,” she said. “It’s much bigger than that. The dedication that my friends and nurses showed me by rubbing my feet or cooking me eggs at five in the morning, now that’s how I came to know love.”Audience members showed their own love toward Ensler by giving personal thanks, and sharing experiences and gifts. One member wrote her a card “on behalf of the whole audience” that read: “Eve, goddess incarnate, Bloomington loves you.”Ensler explained how acts of kindness like that can be powerful — on very large scales.“I have, firsthand, seen it change and make laws,” she said. “My advice to you is to stop pleasing and start defying. We can do so much more than we think we can.”Maria Talbert, associate director of the auditorium, said she’s thankful for Ensler’s message.“I’m glad that a female figure of this caliber came to us,” Talbert said. “You could feel her energy as soon as you walked in the house. It was huge.”Jennifer Weiss, an audience member and Bloomington resident, said she agreed.“It was off-the-charts amazing,” Weiss said. “I’d like to think it’s a dawning of a new era in Bloomington. I want to believe there won’t be one more attack on women on campus.”After her tumor was removed, Ensler said she had more energy than ever to act. As creator of the anti-violence movement called “V-Day,” she has traveled all over the world to try to stop violence against women.An audience member asked if she’s ever been to a country where women weren’t being abused.She said no.“It’s all over the world,” she said. “No matter what country I’m in, I can close my eyes and hear the same story. It happens in homes, offices, schools. It’s patriarchy and it’s everywhere. And it needs to stop.”
(04/24/13 4:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The award-winning Broadway musical “Dreamgirls” opened at the IU Auditorium 8 p.m. Tuesday. The elaborate show focuses on the American music industry in mid 1960s to early 70s — the era of Motown. Big wigged hair, gold glitter jackets and brass-heavy music all recall elements of actual Motown performers like the Marvelettes, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. “Dreamgirls” especially recalls famous all-girl group the Supremes, and with good reason, said African American history and Motown scholar Charles Sykes before Tuesday’s performance. Sykes said the show’s protagonist girl group, the “Dreamettes,” is modeled after the Supremes. “It’s clear to me that somebody listened to records, read books written about the lives and careers of the Supremes. Yes, ‘Dreamgirls’ is definitely based on the Supremes,” Sykes said.In his speech, Sykes demonstrated the parallels between the fictitious Dreamettes and the Supremes.“Both groups started out ‘cleaning up’ for other groups,” Sykes said. “Cleaning up" meant singing or clapping or sometimes stomping in the background of other artists songs, “whenever they needed a fuller sound.”Once the girl groups starting becoming successful, they also both changed their names. The show’s Dreamettes became the “Dreams,” just as the relatively unknown Primettes became the Supremes in real life, Sykes said.The Dreamettes face a similar struggle in “Dreamgirls” as the Supremes faced back in the 1960s, Sykes said. “The show deals with the segregation of the actual times.” In order to reach mainstream white audiences in the 1960’s, the Dreamettes must come up with a softer, smoother sound. So the group switches its focus: from the sexy, powerful voice of lead singer Effie to the more marketable voice of chorus girl Deena. This switch occurred in the Supremes when former lead singer Flo Ballard was replaced by Diana Ross, who had previously only sang backup, Sykes said. “The Supremes replaced Florence with Diana because Diana had a softer, sweeter voice that would translate better with the white audience.”Sykes said there is a clear parallel between the Dreamettes of “Dreamgirls” and the real Motown Supremes. But whether you believe him or not, Sykes said, the point of the show is the portrayal of the real struggles and triumphs of the African American music industry.“When you go watch the show, I hope what I’ve shared will make you more in tune,” Sykes said. “Musicals like ‘Dreamgirls’ tell an important story about history and the issues that African Americans in music had to go through.”Some audience members said they agreed with Sykes.“I’m sure that’s the way it went, with segregation and the times,” said Suzanne Vonwahlde, a member of Tuesday’s audience.And above all else, a top-notch musical comes down to the music.“I love it,” Suzanne Vonwahlde said. “They are all so good.”“Fantastic,” her husband Scott Vonwahlde said. “The woman who plays Effie (Charity Dawson) really can sing.”“Dreamgirls” will show again tonight as the last performance in the IU Auditorium’s 2012-13 season.
(04/23/13 4:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Long-running Broadway musical “Dreamgirls” will close the IU Auditorium’s 2012-13 season with a two-night run Tuesday and Wednesday.The show, with the backdrop of the 1960s R&B scene, follows the Dreamettes, an up-and-coming girl group that catches a big break after being discovered by an influential talent agent. Tensions flare among the women as their image and organization evolve. The show chronicles the struggles the women face individually and as a group. “Dreamgirls” won numerous awards upon its original 1981 run on Broadway and was nominated for 11 awards at the 1982 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The musical was later adapted into a motion picture starring Beyonce Knowles, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Hudson, who won an Academy Award for her role as Effie White. The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy in 2007.Cast member Krystal Simpson said she just joined the cast recently as an ensemble member and understudy for Dreamettes members Deena and Lorrell, but she has really enjoyed her time with the cast and crew thus far.“I think the traveling is nice as far as the tour is concerned,” Simpson said. “I really like the glamour of the show. The costumes and makeup are top notch.”Simpson is a junior studying musical theater at Otterbein University in Westminster, Ohio. She said her experience working on “Dreamgirls” has been very different from her college shows, and it’s cool to be involved with a show that’s been popular for so many years.“I think the storyline and music are what make it so timeless,” she said. “As far as the music, there are a lot of songs that people know or are familiar with.”Tickets start at $20 for students and $38 for the general public and can be purchased at the auditorium’s box office or through its website, iuauditorium.com.Simpson said audience members can expect a magical, magnificent theater experience.“It’s a really incredible show,” she said. “Some shows have down moments, but every moment is big with this show. It’s visually captivating, the singing is incredible and the music is really groovy.”
(04/07/13 6:34pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Country singer-songwriter Willie Nelson returned to the IU Auditorium stage for the first time since 2004 for a one-night set Saturday, opened by Pegi Young and the Survivors.The show began at 7:30 p.m. with Young and her band. Their set included songs such as “Love Like Water” and “Number Nine Train,” featuring a harmonica solo from Nelson’s harmonica player, Mickey Rafael. Young also performed “Feel Just Like a Memory,” which her group recently performed on the Late Show with David Letterman. Nelson and his band, the Family, took the stage at 8:30 p.m. and were greeted by a standing ovation from the nearly full auditorium. “Hello, there,” Nelson said to the crowd. “It’s been a long, long time.”The set opened with “Whiskey River,” and as Nelson and his band began the song, a Texas flag dropped behind them, eliciting cheers and applause from the audience.One of Nelson’s most popular songs from the crowd’s standpoint was “Beer for My Horses.” Nelson dropped out of the chorus of the song, “whiskey for my men, beer for my horses,” to allow the audience to shout it back at him. Nelson followed that song with an uninterrupted three-song set, featuring “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Crazy” and his collaboration with blues legend B.B. King, “Night Life.” Nelson’s seamless transitions between each song merited cheers from audience members.One of the more surprising moments of the night was Nelson’s cover of Ray Charles’ hit, “Georgia On My Mind.” The nearly acoustic song, with minimal percussion, featured dim lighting and set a peaceful ambiance throughout the auditorium. Nelson and his group kicked the energy back up with another cover, this time of country singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall’s “I’m a Show Shine Man.” During the song, Nelson took his red bandana from his head and threw it at an audience member in the first few rows. Nelson’s career has spanned more than six decades and has earned him respect from music lovers of all genres. Bloomington resident Rachel Kearney said she has been a fan of Nelson’s for years, even though her taste in music is not entirely in line with Nelson’s style. “I adore music, especially opera and classical music,” Kearney said. “But I love Willie Nelson. His music is from the heart. It tells about his rough life and disappointments. It speaks directly to the heart.”Opportunities to see Nelson in Bloomington are rare, as Nelson’s last performance here was nine years ago. Kearney said she jumped on the opportunity to see Nelson as soon as she found out he would be playing in the Bloomington area.“I’ve followed him for 35 years, and there aren’t many opportunities to see him live here,” she said. “I didn’t want to pass up seeing a legend.”
(04/05/13 3:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson returns to the IU Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Fellow singer-songwriter Pegi Young and her band, the Survivors, will open for Nelson.With a career that spans more than 60 years, Nelson has released more than 200 albums and won 37 music industry awards, seven of which are Grammys. Nelson’s performance Saturday night will feature fan favorites as well as new music from his album “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” played alongside his touring and recording group, the Family. The album is scheduled to be released April 16.Maria Talbert, associate director of the IU Auditorium, said the venue has been working with Nelson’s concert promoter, New Covenant Productions, since summer 2012 to bring Nelson to Bloomington.“We were thrilled that we were able to find a date that would work,” Talbert said. “Willie Nelson is a legendary performer who we were certain our audience would love to see again on our stage.”After performances at the IU Auditorium in 2001 and 2004, Talbert said Nelson’s reputation among the Bloomington community will draw a sizable turnout.“The combined talent on the stage on Saturday will truly make for an unforgettable, nostalgic and inspiring evening of incredible music,” she said.Talbert said Nelson is a true talent whose music has withstood the test of time, and that alone should allow for an enjoyable evening of entertainment for all.“In addition to his incredible talent for writing and performing music that has spanned across generations starting in the ’60s, I believe people really embrace the multifaceted life he has led as not only a musician but also as an author, poet, actor and activist,” she said. “He is truly a living legend.”As of April 4, tickets are still available through the IU Auditorium, and prices start at $39. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office. — Carolyn Crowcroft
(03/21/13 3:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The spring season of the IU Auditorium will come to a climax April 25.Eve Ensler, author of the international hit “The Vagina Monologues,” will speak at the auditorium as part of the Ralph L. Collins Memorial Lecture Series.“We are thrilled to welcome Eve Ensler to the IU campus,” Department of Theatre and Drama chair Jonathan Michaelsen said. “In choosing her to be the 2013 Ralph Collins Lecturer, we are committed not only to providing theater and drama students the opportunity to interact and learn from an outstanding playwright, but also Ensler will have much to offer many other disciplines at IU. Her record of social activism is remarkable, and she is internationally known for her work. She will also speak meaningfully to many in the Bloomington community, making this a wonderful town and gown event.” Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues” adaptations have experienced sold-out runs in Broadway, London, Mexico City and Paris. Current versions exist in 48 languages and are performed in 140 countries.Since releasing “Monologues” in 1996, Ensler has become an activist. Her primary activist creation is “V-Day,” a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. “We are proud to partner with the School of Theatre and Drama to present such an important voice in the fight for women’s rights worldwide,” IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said. “Ms. Ensler’s role as a playwright, artist and activist has been uniquely influential, and we look forward to sharing her experiences and insights with our students and the Bloomington community.”Following her lecture, Ensler will participate in a 60-minute meet-and-greet and book signing opportunity in recognition of her upcoming publication “In the Body of the World: A Memoir,” set for widespread release April 30. Audience members will be able to purchase the book before it is released to the general public.The event will be free and open to the public.
(03/19/13 3:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and members of The Silk Road Ensemble took to the stage at the IU Auditorium and were welcomed by the auditorium’s sold-out crowd Monday night. The ensemble, founded by Ma in 2000, performed six classical pieces that reflected the musical and cultural diversity of the ensemble’s 16 members. The group opened with “Side In Side Out,” composed by Japanese musician Kojiro Umezaki, who plays the shakuachi, a Japanese flute, in the orchestra. The number featured Umezaki as well as other members of the group and provided an energetic start to the night. A fun-loving energy translated to the performance while the members addressed the audience. Cellist Eric Jacobsen playfully referred to himself as “the other cellist” in the group and expressed how happy the ensemble was to be back in Bloomington. The second piece, “Atashgah,” was written by another ensemble member, violinist Colin Jacobsen. The piece was inspired by Jacobsen’s visit to Iran in 2004, when he heard Iranian kamancheh player and Silk Road member Kayhan Kalhor play. The piece was written to feature the kamancheh as well as Western strings.The next musical performance followed with “Silk Road Suite,” which featured four movements: “Rustem,” “Rajasthani Traditional,” “Kali Sara” and “Turceasca.” The piece featured a number of composers, and ensemble member Sandeep Das acted as arranger on “Rajasthani Traditional.”The ensemble’s fourth piece, “Playlist for an Extreme Occasion,” was written for them in 2012 by New York composer and jazz pianist Vijay Iyer. In keeping with the group’s mission to promote the appreciation of culture and the arts across the world, the Silk Road Ensemble performed a Japanese piece, “Tsuru no Ongaeshi.” Meaning “Repayment from a Crane,” the song was composed by Umezaki and inspired by a classic Japanese story of the same name. The performance ended with “Suite from Book of Angels,” a compilation of various short pieces by American composer John Zorn that the group put its own spin on by arranging them itself. Kalhor’s arrangement made its debut during the recent concert tour. The Silk Road Ensemble features members from 20 countries all over the world, including Asia, Europe and the Americas. The group, under Ma’s artistic direction, strives to explore contemporary music from each other’s countries and celebrate both the similarities and differences that encompass world music. Together, The Silk Road Ensemble has toured around the world and recorded and released five albums. The 2011 record “Off the Map” received a Grammy nomination for Best Classical Crossover Album. The attraction of Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble was enough to get people from outside Indiana to turn up to the IU Auditorium.Christine Kim, a student at the University of Minnesota, said she decided to come after her friend, who goes to IU, offered her tickets.“I like Yo-Yo Ma,” Kim said. “He’s an enthusiastic musician. I really want to hear his music.”The auditorium’s full house also held music lovers who shared the ensemble’s appreciation for world music. Junior Elizabeth McClary is an India studies and East Asian languages and cultures major at IU. She said she is fascinated by world cultures, which in part drew her to the show Monday night.“An event like this is right up my alley,” McClary said. “I like fusion music, and I think projects like this are really interesting.”
(03/07/13 4:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Monty Python’s Broadway musical comedy “Spamalot” made its return to the IU Auditorium on Wednesday night to a nearly full house of students and Bloomington residents.The show, created by original Monty Python member Eric Idle, advertises itself as being “lovingly ripped off” from the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” The show follows the misadventures of King Arthur, played by Arthur Rowan. Throughout the course of the musical, Arthur hastily assembles his Knights of the Round Table, travels to Camelot and searches for the Holy Grail. Many characters from the film, including the Knights of the Round Table — Sir Lancelot, Patsy, Sir Robin and Sir Dennis Galahad — return in the musical adaptation. The show also introduces new characters into the Monty Python world, like the Lady of the Lake, who presents Arthur with the sword Excalibur that, according to Arthur, makes him king of Britain.New songs by Idle and John Du Prez were written for the musical to go along with the familiar plot line. Songs like “I Am Not Dead Yet,” “The Song That Goes Like This” and “Knights of the Round Table” received many laughs from audience members. Bloomington resident Doug Crandell said he’s been a fan of Monty Python’s work for a long time, yet Wednesday’s performance was the first time he had ever seen “Spamalot.”“I’ve enjoyed Monty Python and their films,” Crandell said. “I’ve never seen ‘Spamalot,’ but members of my family have. I’m hoping it’s going to be a funny, good time.”IU freshman Cori Leader said she was a big fan of Monty Python as well and that she liked “Spamalot” so much the first time she saw it, she decided to see it again.“I love Eric Idle,” Leader said. “He is Monty Python. I also really like the songs. My favorite song is the song with the knights. It’s a silly song, and it’s stuck out in my mind from the first time I saw it.”The traveling cast of “Spamalot” will continue performing throughout the United States through April. Stops for the musical include Minneapolis, Denver and Austin, Texas. Tickets can be purchased through the show’s website, montypythonsspamalot.com.
