A&E

Bringing back the main act

With the Little 500 approaching its 55th year as the "World's Greatest College Weekend," students and administration are preparing for the race and, to some more importantly, the concert. This year, The Roots are joining the ranks of Nelly, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Jackson Five, Pat Boone, Petula Clark and Bob Hope, who all performed as main acts during past Little 500 concerts.

Singing Hoosiers celebrate 55 years of tradition

IU musicians are not confined to classical repertoires. The Singing Hoosiers vocal ensemble at the School of Music specializes in popular and Broadway styles, and have been belting tunes for 55 years.

Hans Christian Andersen honored in Denmark

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- In the past months, Danes have lived in a true Hans Christian Andersen frenzy, which some say has been no fairy tale. As his countrymen get ready to celebrate his bicentennial, the image of Andersen, who wrote such classics as "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "The Little Mermaid," can be seen everywhere -- on coins, in post offices, on beer labels, on posters announcing shows celebrating the Dane, on dinnerware and on baby clothes and accessories especially designed for the jubilee.

Students aim to bring modern dance to IU

Jamie Dowd and Ricardo Alvarez are preparing for their finals. The culmination of their studies at IU comes in the shape of a dance production; produced by them, danced by them, financed by them and designed by them. While most students might study countless hours for exams, Dowd and Alvarez said they have each spent more than 500 hours on this production, hoping to bring modern dance back to the IU community in this free venue.

Cinema pubs drawing crowds with movies, food, drink

WESTERLY, R.I. -- When Emily Steffian and Daniel Kamil moved from California with thoughts of opening their own movie theater, they wanted to show films that were off the beaten path, but they didn't expect to land there themselves.

Dedication fuels motivation for crew

Adam Carroll and David Mickler grew up across the Ohio River from each other on the border of Indiana and Kentucky. They both came to IU in 2001, and they lived on the same hall in Wright Quad as freshmen.

'Smokey Joe's Cafe' serves up rock history

Smokey Joe's Café," which will run today and Wednesday at the IU Auditorium, is Broadway's longest-running musical review offering everything from classic oldies of the '50s and '60s to drama, comedy and real-life scenarios on stage.

Coffee and French academia

I had been hoping to get over my budding caffeine addiction by relaxing on the French Riviera, getting a gorgeous tan, sampling local wine and of course calling my friends back home to let them know how much fun I've been having. Unfortunately this year, the long vacation into exotic far away lands happens to include one major inconvenience: class.

Director will focus on career at Public Theater in talk

George C. Wolfe, one of the most influential directors in American theater, will focus on his career in a talk for IU students Tuesday. The Ralph L. Collins Memorial Lecture Series brings Wolfe to IU at 5 p.m. in the Ruth N. Halls Theatre. Afterward, Theatre & Drama Department Chair Jonathan Michaelsen will interview Wolfe in the Ruth N. Halls Theatre about his career, specifically the work he has done while at the Public Theater in Manhattan.

Legendary director opens last play

NEW YORK -- In concluding the stammering, convoluted preamble to Neil LaBute's new play, "This Is How It Goes," which opened Sunday at off-Broadway's Public Theater, Ben Stiller offers an apologetic warning: "I think I might end up being an unreliable narrator."

Benefit showcases female artists

The electrical hum of Bob Stright's monitor can be heard every time the clarinet hits a high note during the performance of his band, The Moonlighters. The slow, easy sound of the instrument floats through the room as glasses of red wine are poured and couples dance slowly around the wooden floor. They are gathered to celebrate the accomplishment of women, and patronize Middle Way House, an organization that supports women.

Around The Arts

Jordan Bisch, a 23-year-old bass singer from Vancouver, Wash., and IU alum, was one of four grand-prize winners in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Bisch was one of nine finalists selected from more than 1,500 competitors between the ages of 20 and 30.

Bloomington Playwrights Project forms an 'Ensemble of Artists'

They range from undergraduates to middle-aged, and in clothing from professional to jeans and a sweatshirt, but they have one goal: theater collaboration.

Turkish films attract art lovers

The first Turkish Film Festival for Bloomington was the idea of Abbas Karakaya, a doctoral student at IU. Karakaya said he wanted to focus on sharing a mutual interest in cinema and working together to produce free public entertainment as a way to promote art on the campus.

The dress of a classical musician

Composers compromise to survive

The classical music industry is facing more problems than ever, and the talk of new music is usually greeted by musicians' confused and reluctant responses rather than a sense of excitement.

Senior's fashion design project inspired by Brazil

Crystals, corsets and color are three words that perfectly describe the theme of fashion design student Ana Carol Coelho's senior collection. Coelho will present her collection, titled "Birds in Paradise," at 5 p.m. Saturday in the Fountain Square Ballroom. The show is open to the general public.

Around The Arts

Women's History Month will be honored this weekend with a dance from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday at the John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut St.

'The ScArlet Letter'

When a director puts up a casting call about forbidden love and religion gone too far, theater students come running.

The paintings on the wall

Queen Latifah and Louis Armstrong are there. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are also present. Even Flava Flav, a former member of the rap group Public Enemy, and his famous gold teeth are on hand. People from the past and present with careers in the arts and politics, as well as those with less recognizable faces, meet on the walls of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. The result is an array of colorful paintings and drawings that reflect a spirit of history and diversity.