August 6, 2008

Comedian Robin Williams to perform at Purdue's Elliott Hall

Robin Williams
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This is Williams' second performance at Elliott Hall of Music. His first performance was June 29, 2002, to a sold-out house.

Purdue Convocations is presenting the performance in cooperation with Jam Productions.

This fall, award-winning actor and comedian Williams will embark on his first U.S. stand-up comedy tour since his critically acclaimed 26-date tour in 2002. Titled Weapons of Self-Destruction, the show will highlight Williams' trademark free associations and riffs on social and political absurdities.

"It's an election year, which is basically Christmas for stand-up comics," Williams said. "A lot has happened in the world and in my life since I last did this six years ago, and there's no better thrill and no better therapy than getting on that high-wire in front of a live audience."

Williams last toured in 2002 when he returned to the stand-up scene after a 16-year hiatus. The sold-out tour earned the distinction of being one of the highest-grossing comedy tours in history and culminated in a final performance filmed by HBO and broadcast live from New York City. The resulting July 2002 HBO broadcast, "Robin Williams: Live on Broadway," was nominated for five Emmy awards.

With four Golden Globe awards, four Grammy awards and an Oscar to his credit, Williams has become one of the most successful and beloved figures in entertainment history, said Abby Eddy, director of marketing for Purdue Convocations. In addition to his upcoming tour, Williams will soon be seen starring in the Disney comedy "Old Dogs" opposite John Travolta and will reprise his role as Teddy Roosevelt in the sequel "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian."

Tickets are $85, $65, $49.50; prices include a facilities fee. Tickets go on sale to Purdue and Ivy Tech Lafayette students, and Purdue faculty, staff and retirees with a current identification card at 10 a.m. Aug. 22 at the Elliott Hall of Music and Stewart Center box offices. No phone orders will be accepted. General public tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster beginning at 10 a.m. Aug. 23 at (765) 743-5151 or online at https://www.ticketmaster.com. Friends of Convocations may order advance tickets today through noon Aug. 18 by calling (765) 494-9712.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Abby Eddy, (765) 494-5045, aeeddy@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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