A&E

IU alumnus returns with 'Mamma Mia!' tour

Two days after arriving in New York City, 2005 IU graduate Colin Donnell auditioned for the national tour of "Mamma Mia!" Donnell said he read from a couple of scenes in the show for the part of Sky. In the meantime, he was cast in an off-broadway production called "Almost Heaven: Songs of John Denver," a tribute to Denver's life and music. "The day after they announced my other show was ending -- that Monday, I got a call from 'Mamma Mia!' asking me to come in one week," Donnell said. Donnell is a chorus member and the understudy for Sky in the musical's national tour, which happens to be making a stop at his alma mater. "Mamma Mia" will open at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the IU Auditorium and continue through April 16. Performances begin at 8 p.m., with two additional performances April 15 and 16 at 2 p.m. "It's really fun," Donnell said. "It's one of the first of that genre of taking pop music and putting it into a show."

Cultural knowledge, entertainment focuses of first ever Korea Night

When junior Josh Kim walked down Kirkwood Avenue with a camera crew, he asked Bloomington residents and IU students Korean trivia. He was surprised when most had no answers.

Hard to imagine

Twenty-five years ago today, then-IU graduate student Glenn Gass sat in front of his television when a friend called and told him to switch to ABC. The friend, who was watching Monday Night Football, heard from Howard Cosell in mid-broadcast that rock 'n' roll icon John Lennon was shot. "There was so much confusion and shock," said Gass, adding that news reports were conflicted as to whether Lennon was dead. "My friends and I were such big (Beatles) fans that it really hit us hard. It's hard to imagine the death of a pop star seeming so much like the death of a family member, but that was how closely we related to John and his music."

Around the Arts

'Tranny Roadshow' extravaganza tonight in IMUG As part of the National Day of Silence, the Union Board is holding the Tranny Roadshow at 7 p.m. tonight in the IMUG at the Indiana Memorial Union. Admission is free.

Local band Forever in Effigy releases album, contends for 2006 Warped Tour

While most people soaked up the rays on warm, sunny beaches during spring break, members from the band Forever in Effigy found themselves in Bloomington all week, recording. If everything goes as planned, the result of their efforts will be a 12-track album titled "From Sleep and Shadows."

WAX STAR

A sculpture of the late rap star Tupac Shakur is seen during its unveiling Wednesday, at the Madame Tussaud Museum, in The Venetian hotel-casino in Las Vegas, as Shakur's aunt Gloria "Glo" Cox, left, and sister Sekyiwa "Set" Shakur stand next to the clay and wax figure.

'Rent' star to perform solo act tonight at Buskirk-Chumley

He has released two albums, starred in three major Broadway productions, appeared in the movies "SLC Punk!" and "School of Rock" and played the role of Roger Davis in the hit movie "Rent." But tonight could prove his biggest challenge yet.

Music instructor, mentor takes final bow

James E. Mumford has brought joy and hope to his students at IU for the past 23 years, but Sunday will be their last performance with him. The African American Choral Ensemble will celebrate its 30th anniversary and Mumford's retirement with a black-tie gala beginning at 6 p.m. at the Bloomington Convention Center on Saturday night.

Mozart Marathon: The complete Mozart sonatas for piano and violin

As part of a celebration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 250th birthday, more than 30 students in the Jacobs School of Music have been studying all 17 of his sonatas for violin and piano in a graduate seminar and will be performing the complete cycle in one marathon event, according to a news release.

Real sizes, real bodies

By her measurements in the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe was a size 12. In 2006 sizes, she would be a size 6. People large, small, tall and short worry about their sizes, but it seems that women worry more than men. When men shop for a pair of jeans, they walk up to the Target "Wall" of Levi's, find their favorite fit (loose vs. tight), find their measurements (e.g. 30x30), and purchase them.

WIUX concert to rock Dunn Meadow Saturday

Concerts can be an expensive proposition for many students, but IU's student-run radio station WIUX is bringing free live music to campus. WIUX is holding its annual Culture Shock music festival from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday in Dunn Meadow. "Bloomington has a very storied music scene," said Brian Kerr, WIUX special events director. "A lot of good bands are coming out of Bloomington, but it's sometimes hard to find out about them. Culture Shock is one way to expose these bands to everyone."

Local orchesta holds 'Celebration' of 17th annual concert

On April 9, 1989, at 3 p.m., Bloomington's Camerata Orchestra performed its first concert. Seventeen years later to the exact hour, it will perform again in "celebration." The group started as a 35-piece orchestra and has grown into a full-size symphony, with 75 to 85 members, said Lenore Hatfield, violinist and orchestra founder. The concert is at 3 p.m. Sunday at Bloomington High School South's auditorium. All Bloomington-area music lovers are invited to come to the performance, titled "Celebration." Tickets are available at the door for $12 for adults and $4 for students. According to a press release, the orchestra is made up of IU music faculty, music students and Bloomington residents, and was organized to offer a professional setting separate from the University. The orchestra also includes many guest conductors and soloists from around the world.

Digital Images

Digital Images --Children look at drawings from Bug's Life on a huge screen called 'Artscape' which shows how artists are inspired to moving images from the 2D art process, at the Science Museum, London, Thursday March 30, 2006.

Local live music highlights Union Board's Annual Club Night at Rhino's Youth Center

Live music seems to come with a high price. It is not unheard of for students to spend at least $50 on concert tickets to hear their favorite band. Luckily, IU students have a chance to hear 10 local bands live Thursday night, spend no more than $5 and help feed the hungry.

Foster Student Government invites students to block party with food, music

If a break from studying from exams is necessary this weekend, the Foster/McNutt Spring Block Party can be a scapegoat.

Nice girls don't wear little black dresses

Where's the artist in the art?

A urinal with Marcel Duchamp's signature painted on the side started it all. He wanted to challenge the assumption that art required an artist, so in 1917, Duchamp submitted the otherwise untouched bathroom fixture for exhibition and revolutionized art.

Booked solid

Throughout his career, the English poet W.H. Auden held the belief that "some books are undeservedly forgotten; none are undeservedly remembered."

Is it l33t or is it Shakespeare?

Fan fiction, I condemn thee to hell! That was the fire and brimstone message of last week's column. But surely there must be some soothing balm of sweet salvation for aspiring writers desperate to waste the sum of their waking hours on the Internet.

New film series explores nationality, race

Lovers of unique and controversial cinema will be happily surprised if they wander into The Cinemat any Thursday night in April, as they will find the first-ever German and Turkish series in Bloomington.