University Arts Series 2005-06
Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.”42nd Street”
Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m.Diavolo
Oct. 14, 8:30 p.m.Al Green
Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m.Blast!
Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m.Emmylou Harris
Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m.”Miss Saigon”
Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.”Miss Saigon”
Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m.”The Great Russian Nutcracker”
Jan. 11, 7:30 p.m.Smokey Robinson
Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m.Patti LuPone
March 7, 7:30 p.m.Lord of the Dance
March 20, 7:30 p.m.The Will Rogers Follies
April 1, 7:30 p.m.The Ten Tenors
April 25, 7:30 p.m.”Rent”
April 26, 7:30 p.m.”Rent”
WVU Arts&Entertainment announces the 2005-06 season of the University Arts Series. This season promises another exceptional line-up of entertainment, including dynamic concerts by consummate performers Al Green, Smokey Robinson, Patti LuPone and Emmylou Harris. If you love a good musical, mark your calendar for the national tours of 42nd Street, Miss Saigon and Rent. And thats not all.
The season opens on Oct. 3 with the national tour of 42nd Street. Winner of the 2001 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, audiences will love the timeless and inspirational tale of the young ingénue who rises from the chorus to become a Broadway star. And of course, youll love those songs:Lullaby of Broadway,Were in the Moneyand the spectacular title number42nd Street.The Washington Post proclaims,This is the sunny side of the American Dream in tap shoes, hoofing its way with gusto into your heart.
The thrilling and dynamic movements of Diavolo are set for Oct. 9. The ordinary becomes the extraordinary as company members push the limits of contemporary dance with their volatile, dangerous and outrageously acrobatic movement vocabulary. If you enjoyed last seasons Cirque Dreams, this is the show for you! In fact, Diavolos artistic director/founder Jacques Heim also choreographed Cirque De Soleils newest Las Vegas production. This is a show the whole family can enjoy.
Quintessential soul man Al Green will wow audiences with his breathtaking falsetto and impassioned whispers in the intimate setting of the Creative Arts Center Oct. 14. An eight-time Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Greens extraordinary sound is a perfect blend of Memphis soul, gospel, blues, and early rock and roll. His legendary hits include such classics asTired of Being Alone,Lets Stay Together,I Cant Get Next to YouandSha-La-La (Make Me Happy)�€just to name a few. Greens innate sensitivity comes through in his love songs that are as conversational as they are blatantly seductive.
Also in October: Maestro Marvin Hamlisch and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Pops present Bravo Broadway Oct. 26; and Blast presents its award-winning brand of explosive musical celebration Oct. 28. If youre favorite part of the football game is when the marching band takes the field, then youre going to love Blast!
November brings 11-time Grammy winner Emmylou Harris to the Creative Arts Center stage. Though Harris is the most admired and influential woman in contemporary country music, her scope extends far beyond it. Her contributions to country-rock, the bluegrass revival, folk music and the Americana movement are widely lauded. Harrisconcert is set for Nov. 5.
Miss Saigon is one of the greatest stage successes ever and the seventh-longest running show in Broadway history. The national tour will make a stop in Morgantown for two shows Dec. 1 and 2. The New York Times calls this productiongripping entertainment.
The Moscow Ballet will usher in the holiday season with its breathtaking performance of The Great Russian Nutcracker Dec. 13. The Moscow Ballet is a pure classical ballet company that brings the grand tradition of a century of Russian ballet to audiences throughout the world. The critics rave,Even those of you who know the Nutcracker inside out have probably never seen an interpretation as colorful and uniquely flavored�€not to mention expertly executed�€as a performance by the Moscow Ballet.
The series continues Jan. 11 with an unforgettable performance by Smokey Robinson. His songs�€Tears of a Clown,Just to See Her,Shop Around,etc.�€have placed many groups and soloists on the charts, including The Miracles, Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops and The Supremes. Robinson helped define the musical profile of a great American city, and he has earned every award that can be bestowed upon an artist/songwriter: a Grammy Living Legend Award; berths in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame; and the list goes on.
On Feb. 14, Broadway diva and Tony Award-winner (Best Actress in a Musical for her title role in Evita) Patti LuPone will treat audiences to a Valentines Day concert entitled Matters of the Heart. In this intimate cabaret concert she will sing about love in all of its dramatic and comic permutations: first love, lost love, unrequited love and the tenderness of maternal affection.
March welcomes Michael Flatleys Lord of the Dance back to the Creative Arts Center. Experience the international sensation that has broken box office records in more than 30 countries�€including ours! Last seasons performance sold out within hours of going on sale.
March also celebrates the life and career of Americas favorite son in the all-singing, all-dancing Broadway extravaganza The Will Rogers Follies. Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score, this dazzling spectacle is set onstage during one of the legendary Ziegfeld Follies and comes to life with magnificent sets and luscious costumes.
The internationally-acclaimed Australian singing phenomenon The Ten Tenors will bring their unmistakable charm to Morgantown April 1. The series concludes April 25 and 26 with the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning landmark American musical Rent.
Series subscription packages are available now at the Mountainlair Box Office or by calling 304-293-SHOW (7469). All performances are held in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre of the WVU Creative Arts Center. Packages begin with a minimum of four events. Season subscribers can expect their season brochure to arrive any day and must subscribe by Sept. 1 to keep their seats from last season. Brochures are available at 293-SHOW and order forms may be downloaded fromevents.wvu.edu.
The University Arts Series is produced by WVU Arts&Entertainment.