Purdue News
Purdue News
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April 21, 2000 New Convos director announces first seasonWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Convocations today (Friday, April 21) announced a 2000-2001 season that includes more shows and extra performances.
"Along with everyone at Convocations, I couldn't be more pleased to show off the first new season since my appointment," said Todd Wetzel, who became director of Convos in October. "If you sense an infusion of energy and excitement throughout the performances we've chosen, you won't be alone. We're bringing an incredibly varied group of artists to the Greater Lafayette community in the coming year." Although he has made some changes and additions, Wetzel assured patrons that Convocations remains steadfast in its long-standing mission to present the highest quality of performances with a strong commitment to the classical repertoire. "The changes we've made have all been in response to what our patrons and audience members have told us," he said. "My predecessors have laid a foundation of artistic quality that I am honored to continue." New this season: • A new Family Adventures Series featuring three shows targeted at families with young children. • Two performances, instead of one, of two of the Broadway shows. • Six performances, instead of five, in the Lively Arts Package and the Loeb Music Collection. • Weeknight performances at 7:30 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday shows will remain at 8 p.m. Sunday matinees will remain at 3 p.m. Highlights from the 2000-2001 season include national tours of the Broadway musicals "Jekyll and Hyde," "Chicago" and "Show Boat." An international flavor will be provided by the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra; Veriovka: the Ukrainian National Dance Company; the Jose Greco II Flamenco Dance Company; AEROS (dance by 15 Olympic medal-winning Romanian gymnasts); and the Berlin Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet. Musical performances will range from bluegrass by Ricky Skaggs to classical by the Emerson String Quartet, from classical violin by Corey Cerovsek to jazz violin by the Regina Carter Quintet. Opera will be represented by Western Opera Theatre in Strauss' "Die Fledermaus," and ballet by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in "Dracula." The changes Wetzel has instituted mean that the Lively Arts Package now includes all three offered Broadway musicals, instead of two. "In the case of the Loeb Music Collection, there were so many wonderful artists and ensembles to choose from, I decided to include an additional concert in this series this season," he said. The Patron's Choice series now will be sold as a "pick-five" package. Previously, ticket buyers could purchase three of the six Patron's Choice events and receive a 10 percent discount. "So many individuals would opt to buy more than three that we've changed the offer to a 'pick-five' for a discount of 29 percent," Wetzel said. "This series is full of diverse performances – from world music to dance to gospel." The new Family Adventures Series also offers a bonus to those who buy the three-show package: a coupon good for one free child's admission to either AEROS or Veriovka with the purchase of an adult admission. "We've received so much feedback about our great school group matinees – parents have wanted to bring their kids to these same performances," Wetzel explained. "We got the message loud and clear, and we're launching this new Family Adventure Series in response. These full-fledged performances are definitely not 'just for kids.' We've worked hard to bring compelling performances of the highest artistic quality that entertain both 'little people' and us bigger folks." Season brochures detailing the performances, packages and ordering information were mailed this week to Friends of Convocations. Renewing subscribers should submit their orders by June 9 to retain the seats they've held for the past season. Tickets to individual performances are also available through the order form in the brochure. After June 9, ticket orders will be processed according to Friends donation level. Series ticket purchasers will be processed before individual ticket orders. All tickets will be mailed in August, but ticket purchasers will receive a postcard confirming the receipt of their order within 10 business days. Series ticket prices range from $21 for the Family Adventures to $138 for the Lively Arts Package. Discounted prices on series subscriptions are available to Purdue retirees and their spouses, as well as other senior citizens and all students. Subscriber benefits include: • Savings over single ticket prices – for example, $34 (29 percent) in the case of the Patron's Choice Series, $66 (32 percent) for the Lively Arts Package. • Priority seating and the option to retain the same seats from season to season. Purdue students can also purchase The Big Deal Card, which gives them one admission to any five performances during the season for $50. The card can be redeemed at any time during the season. Prices on many individual performance tickets will increase Sept. 13. To order a season brochure that has complete ticket prices and details on all performances, call the box office at (765) 494-3933 or (800) 914-SHOW. Patrons may also charge series or single tickets by phone. Complete information can also be found at the Convocations Web site. Visitors to the Web site can enter contests to win tickets, and they can give feedback on programming. Here's the full season lineup (dates and performances are subject to change): The Lively Arts Package (all in Elliott Hall of Music) "Jekyll and Hyde," the Broadway musical. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, and 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22. "Die Fledermaus" by the Western Opera Theatre. 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21. "Dracula" by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4. "Show Boat," the Broadway musical. 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17. Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra, Mark Ermler, music director, Irina Dolzhenko, mezzo-soprano. 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25. "Chicago," the Broadway musical. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 22. Patron's Choice Series Veriovka: Ukrainian National Dance Company. 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14. Elliott Hall of Music. "Vincent," one-man play about Vincent Van Gogh starring Jim Jarrett and written by Leonard Nimoy. 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. Make a Joyful Noise: Sacred blues and soulful gospel by The Mighty Clouds of Joy & The Campbell Brothers with Katie Jackson. 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. NewGrange, six acoustic music veterans including Darol Anger and Mike Marshall. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. Jose Greco II Flamenco Dance Company. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. AEROS, 15 Olympic medal-winning Romanian gymnasts in an evening of dance that challenges the law of gravity. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 3. Elliott Hall of Music. Se·n Curran Dance, choreographed by a former member of STOMP. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 29. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. Loeb Music Collection (all in Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center) Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29. Berlin Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet with Jon Nakamatsu, piano. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11. Corey Cerovsek, violin – a program of Beethoven, Ravel, Debussy and Wieniawski. 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12. ObliviUn: Maya Beiser, cello, Anthony de Mare, piano – an evening of Tango-infused music. 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. The Clerks' Group, a cappella Renaissance music. 3 p.m. Sunday, March 4. Emerson String Quartet. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5. The Jazz Set (all in Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center) Dave Holland Quintet (featured on the cover of the April issue of Jazz Times magazine).8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3. Nicholas Payton's Louis Armstrong Tribute. 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19. Regina Carter Quintet. 8 p.m. Friday, March 24. Family Adventures Faustwork Mask Theater. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. "Lyle the Crocodile," by The Children's Theatre Company. 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. "Gold Rush!" by Theatreworks/USA. 2 p.m. Saturday, April 7. Long Center for the Performing Arts, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette. Discovery Concerts Mariko Anraku, harp. 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. Corigliano String Quartet. 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4. Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. The Jacques Thibaud String Trio. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13. Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. Special Events Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7. Long Center for the Performing Arts, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette. Leo Kottke, guitarist. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. Source: Todd Wetzel, (765)494-9712, tewetzel@purdue.edu Writer: Sue Stevens, Convocations' publicist, (765)494-5045, snsteven@purdue.edu PHOTO CAPTION: The Royal Winnipeg Ballet will dance "Dracula" at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in Elliott Hall of Music as part of the Lively Arts Package presented by Purdue Convocations. (Photo by David Cooper) A publication-quality photograph is available at the News Service Web site and at the ftp site. Photo ID: Convos.winnipeg
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