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News Release

Last modified: Friday, April 26, 2013

Itzhak Perlman, Blue Man Group and top-secret premiere headline IU Auditorium's 2013-14 season

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2013

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University Auditorium has announced its 2013-14 season, a diverse lineup that includes touring Broadway shows, classical and contemporary musical performances, dance, comedy and beloved holiday traditions. The season begins in September and continues through April 2014.

Featuring violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman in a rare solo performance; the highly requested return of Blue Man Group; Bernstein's iconic musical "West Side Story;" America's leading modern dance ensemble Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; and a top-secret musical premiere set to be announced May 10, the 2013-14 season represents a wide range of performance genres, artists and culturally significant creative ensembles that celebrate myriad tastes, histories and heritages.

"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. "We're proud to present yet another season of the highest quality performances."

The 2013-14 season features:

Blue Man Group
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22
Cost: General public: $38 to $62; IU Bloomington students: $20 to $41

Synopsis: The Blue Man Group theatrical tour features brand new content and classic favorites. A new sound, set and video design centering on a proscenium-sized LED curtain and high-resolution screen creates an entirely new, high-impact visual experience for Broadway houses across the nation.

Best known for multimedia performances that feature three bald and blue characters who take the audience on a journey that is funny, intelligent and visually stunning, the group is accompanied by a live band whose haunting tribal rhythms help drive the show to its climax.

"Our theatrical productions take a humorous look at what we like to call 2.5-D space," Blue Man Group co-founder Philip Stanton said. "An example of what we mean by this would be emailing or texting the person in the next office rather than walking over to talk to them face to face. We say that no matter how high-tech things get, there's still something human there. We'll always need others, always need to collaborate. People still need to come together and look each other in the eye.

"Through the Blue Man's connection with the audience, we hope to encourage this human-to-human interaction, while helping people reconnect with their own sense of wonder and discovery, with their own sense of what is possible in their lives."

TBA: New tour to be announced May 10
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10
Cost: General public: $38 to $62; IU Bloomington students: $20 to $41

Synopsis: On Oct. 10, IU Auditorium will host the premiere performance of a brand new musical tour scheduled to be announced nationwide May 10. The musical and theatrical collaboration twists an eerie and suspenseful plot from past to future, and is set to an Americana soundtrack with acoustic guitars taking the place of the traditional orchestra.

Dennis James Hosts Halloween
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
Cost: General public: $16 to $21; IU Bloomington students and children 12 and under: $8 to $16
Note: Family friendly

Synopsis: IU alumnus Dennis James returns to Bloomington as part of the Filmharmonia Duo to perform his annual organ accompaniment to a classic Halloween-themed silent film.

This year, James will be joined by experimental percussionist Mark Goldstein to perform their original accompaniment to the science fiction silent film and cult classic "Aelita: Queen of Mars." A futurist fantasy of space travel and a Soviet revolution on Mars, "Aelita" launched the duo's career accompanying silent films in 1991.

Filmharmonia's celebrated combination of traditional silent film scoring and authentic period instrumental textures has consistently received critical praise and standing ovations at "Aelita" screenings worldwide. James will play the organ and the theremin, an eerie-sounding electronica instrument. Goldstein enhances the performance with the Buchla Lightning Wands, an electronic musical device that emphasizes the outer-space elements of the film.

Nashville Symphony with Béla Fleck
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30
Cost: General public: $44 to $59; IU Bloomington students: $23 to $49

Synopsis: The Nashville Symphony will be joined by internationally renowned banjoist Béla Fleck to present "Fleck's Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra," one of the first orchestral works written for the instrument.

The concerto marks a significant new departure for Fleck, who calls the piece "a liberating experience for my efforts as a composer and hopefully for the banjo as well." Commissioned by the Nashville Symphony, "Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra" will be the centerpiece of the orchestra's performance, which will also include other selections from their eclectic repertoire, such as Joseph Schwantner's "Chasing Light" and Dvorák's Symphony #9 "From the New World."

Led by music director Giancarlo Guerrero, the Nashville Symphony has established an international profile with innovative programming and a steadily expanding discography. With Guerrero's arrival in 2008, the 14-time Grammy-nominated and seven-time Grammy Award-winning ensemble has continued its rise to prominence with an ambitious schedule of recordings, commissions and world premieres. Guerrero is also no stranger to Bloomington or IU, having lent his talents as conductor of the IU Festival Orchestra three of the past four seasons.

David Sedaris
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7
Cost: General public: $35 to $45; IU Bloomington students: $25 to $39
Note: Mature content

Synopsis: Master humor writer David Sedaris will bring his signature social satire back to IU Auditorium this fall. Known for his self-deprecating comedy, Sedaris uses his words to paint pictures of situations both familiar and ridiculous, mining everything from his upbringing in an eccentric Greek family to his odd jobs in the years before he started getting paid to write.

This performance comes on the heels of his newest book release: "Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls," a collection of essays and other works released this month that follows in a long line of irreverent, self-deprecating and highly regarded literary releases, including the national bestsellers "Naked," "Me Talk Pretty One Day," "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim," "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" and "Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk."

His performance will be followed by an interactive question-and-answer session and book signing. Sedaris is a frequent contributor to The New Yorker and can be heard reading his original radio pieces on NPR's "This American Life." He was Time magazine's "Humorist of the Year" in 2001 and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album.

Ballet Hispanico
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16
Cost: General public: $20 to $35; IU Bloomington students: $10 to $30

Synopsis: Ballet Hispanico's mission is to explore, preserve and celebrate Latino cultures through dance. Its professional company, school, and education and outreach programs celebrate the dynamic aesthetics of the Hispanic diaspora, building new avenues of cultural dialogue while sharing the joy of dance with all communities.

The company performs a diverse repertory by the foremost choreographers of our time as well as emerging artists, fusing Latin dance with classical and contemporary techniques to create a new style of concert dance in which theatricality and passion propel every move.

Ballet Hispanico's choreographers represent a multitude of nationalities, including Venezuela, Cuba, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. The company has given more than 3,350 performances to millions of people across 11 countries and three continents.

"Mamma Mia!"
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6 and 7
Cost: General public: $38 to $62; IU Bloomington students: $20 to $41

Synopsis: Inspired by the story-telling magic of Swedish pop group ABBA's timeless songs, writer Catherine Johnson's tale of family and friendship unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years before.

Celebrating its 10th year at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre, its 13th anniversary on London's West End and multiple international tours, "Mamma Mia!" has already been seen by more than 40 million people in nearly 200 cities across North America, Australia, Europe and Asia.

Chimes of Christmas
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11
Cost: General public: $14 to 20; IU Bloomington students and children 12 and under: $11 to $15
Note: Family friendly

Synopsis: This favorite holiday tradition returns with a makeover for the 21st century. Led by Steve Zegree, who came to IU as the new director of the Grammy-nominated Singing Hoosiers in 2012, this celebration of music and merriment features an assortment of Bloomington's favorite IU Jacobs School of Music ensembles performing classic holiday tunes, unique arrangements of seasonal songs from around the globe and festive favorites presented with a whole new twist.

A family-friendly event, Chimes showcases the talent of students and professors throughout Indiana University. This year's show will feature the Singing Hoosiers and an expanded set of special guests.

"Million Dollar Quartet"
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 28 and 29
Cost: General public: $38 to $62; IU Bloomington students: $20 to $41

Synopsis: The international Tony Award-winning musical "Million Dollar Quartet" is set on Dec. 4, 1956, when an auspicious twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together.

Sam Phillips -- the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll" who was responsible for launching the careers of each man -- brought the four legendary musicians together at the Sun Records storefront studio in Memphis for the first and only time. The resulting evening became known as one of the greatest rock 'n' roll jam sessions in history.

"Million Dollar Quartet" brings that legendary night to life with an eclectic score of rock, gospel, R&B and country hits, including "Blue Suede Shoes," "Fever," "Sixteen Tons," "Who Do You Love?," "Great Balls of Fire," "Matchbox," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Hound Dog" and more.

The show won a 2009 Tony Award for best performance by a featured actor in a musical and received Tony nominations for both best musical and best book of a musical, as well as myriad other awards.

"Disney's Beauty and the Beast"
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 6 and 7
Cost: General public: $38 to $62; IU Bloomington students and children 12 and under: $20 to $41
Note: Family friendly

Synopsis: "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" has become an international sensation that has played to more than 35 million people worldwide in 21 countries. The musical tells the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 12
Cost: General public: $44 to $59; IU Bloomington students: $23 to $49

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will feature what is widely considered to be one of the most revered pieces in the history of American dance: "Revelations." Born from a now-fabled performance in March 1958, the Ailey company has since become one of the foremost modern dance companies in the world.

Now led by choreographer Robert Battle with influence by emeritus director Judith Jameson, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater continues its legacy of highlighting the multicultural beauty of the American experience through works that celebrate the struggle, elation, joy and pain of its citizens' past, present and future.

Itzhak Perlman
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, April 3
Cost: General public: $38 to $65; IU Bloomington students: $20 to $51

Synopsis: A violinist of legendary renown, Itzhak Perlman comes to Bloomington for a rarely witnessed solo performance. Perlman is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry but also to his irrepressible joy of making music. From his film collaborations with composer John Williams and director Steven Spielberg to his performances with the Israel Philharmonic in history-making concerts in the Eastern Bloc, Perlman occupies a unique place in society's artistic and social fabric.

"West Side Story"
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, April 22 and 23
Cost: General public: $38 to $62; IU Bloomington students: $20 to $41

The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of "West Side Story" will close the IU Auditorium's season. The musical tells the story of star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria as they struggle to rise above the hatred and intolerance that surrounds them. Widely regarded as one of the greatest love stories of all time, it remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The Bernstein and Sondheim score features American musical theater classics including "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere."

The IU Auditorium 2013-14 season is presented by Curry Auto Center, B97, the Herald-Times and Indiana University Residential Programs and Services.

To get the best seats, patrons may become subscribers by choosing one or more events between now and the end of August, and can purchase these using a variety of payment options, including payroll deduction for IU employees and bursar billing for IU students. Subscribing at this time allows patrons to get the best seats available before single tickets go on sale to the general public in September.

For more information about subscriber benefits or to purchase tickets, visit IUauditorium.com; visit the IU Auditorium box office, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; or call 812-855-1103.

The IU Auditorium's website also features video clips and a selection of songs from next season's performances, and a direct link to the auditorium's Facebook fan page, Twitter page and email club, whose followers receive exclusive benefits throughout the year.

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