The Centre Offers Series of Broadway Shows

By Roger McBain

Touring productions of classic musicals, familiar revues and a 2006 Tony-winner will play Evansville in the 2008-2009 Broadway at The Centre series.

“Oliver!,”"Bye Bye Birdie,”"Cats,”"The Drowsy Chaperone” and three revues – Irving Berlin’s “I Love a Piano,”"Rain – The Beatles Experience” and a production of “Ain’t Misbehavin,’” featuring American Idol personalities singing Fats Waller’s standards, will fill the lineup.

The season will open Oct. 21 with “I Love a Piano,” a six-person revue of more than 60 Berlin songs, spanning seven decades of the 20th century.

Ruben Studdard, the 2003 “American Idol” winner, and another “Idol” contestant, Frenchie Davis, will perform together in “Ain’t Misbehavin,’” a revue of Fats Waller songs playing at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10.

Next comes “Oliver!,” Lionel Bart’s musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist,” playing Jan. 16, 2009.

“Bye Bye Birdie,” Michael Stewart, Lee Adams and Charles Strouse’s musical romantic comedy revolving around a smalltown publicity event featuring Conrad Birdie, an Elvis Presley caricature, will play Feb. 20.

Next comes “Rain – The Beatles Experience,” a revue of Fab Four’s faves, including “Yesterday,”"Hey Jude,” and “Revolution,” will play March 25.

On April 3, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Bob Martin, Don McKellar, Lisa Lambert and Greg Morisson’s 2006 Tony-winning show about a die- hard Broadway musical fan’s fantastic journey into the past, plays one performance.

The lineup concludes with an April 22 performance of “Cats,” Trevor Nunn and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical adaptation of T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.” The show, perhaps best known for the song “Memory,” set a Broadway record for longevity.

All of the performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. in The Centre.

Series ticket prices will range from $99 to $275, depending upon seating location and the choice of subscriptions, available for either five or six shows.

Neither series includes “Cats,” which may be added to either subscription for an additional price. Tickets for individual shows will go on sale at a date before each performance.

For series tickets or information, visit The Centre box office or call the subscription hotline at 435-5544.

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Music

n The Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra serves up both classics and pops at The Victory. Call 425-5050

n Evansville Symphonic Band offers free patriotic band concerts each Sunday in June at the Coliseum. Call 424-5879

n Classical Guitar Society of Evansville presents a series of guitar concerts each year at Wheeler Concert Hall on the University of Evansville campus. Call 455-5249

n University of Evansville Symphony Orchestra presents concerts throughout the year. The university’s music department also presents concerts throughout the year, including performances by the men’s and women’s choruses, jazz ensemble and orchestra, as well as student-produced operas and faculty and student recitals. Call 479- 2754

n SMG Evansville (www.smgevansville.com) books shows for Roberts Stadium and Mesker Amphitheatre (call 476-1383); for The Centre (435- 5770); and for The Victory (435-6287)

Poetry

n Poet House and Art Emporium, readings presented by William Sovern, 105 Adams Ave. Call 598-4573 or send e-mail to wdsovern@insightbb.net

Theater companies

n Evansville Civic Theatre, 717 N. Fulton Ave., the city’s oldest community theater company, stages professionally directed and designed dramas, comedies and musicals using community performers. Call 425-2800 or 423-2616 or visit www.civic.evansville.net

n New Harmony Theatre, at Murphy Auditorium, 419 Tavern St., New Harmony, Ind. Call 682-3115, toll free (877) 648-7469 or visit www.usi.edu/nht/

n Tales & Scales is a nationally recognized touring company whose members blend music, stories, movement and theater, creating a special art form it calls musictelling. Call 425-8741 or visit www.talesandscales.org

n University of Evansville Theatre, one of the country’s most distinguished undergraduate stage programs, presents main stage and studio student productions during the school year in Shanklin Theatre and the May Studio Theatre on UE’s campus, 1800 Lincoln Ave. Call 479-2031

n University of Southern Indiana Theatre, a growing theater program, presents student plays and musicals during the school year in campus theaters 8600 University Blvd. at the Lloyd Expressway, and at its off-campus theater at 3001 Igleheart Ave. Call 465-1668 or visit www.usi.edu/libarts/arts/Theatre

Theater locations

n The Centre, 715 Locust St., call 435-5770, fax 435-5500 or visit

www.smgevansville.com

n Civic Theatre, 717 Fulton Ave.,

call 425-2800 or visit

www.civic.evansville.net

n Henderson Fine Arts Center,

2660 S. Green St., Henderson, Ky.,

call Henderson Community College

at (270) 831-9801,

www.henderson.kctcs.edu/arts/

n Mesker Amphitheatre, 1551 Mesker Park Drive., call 425-4586 or visit www.smgevansville.com

n Murphy Auditorium, 419 Tavern St., New Harmony, Ind., call 682- 3115 or (877) 648-7469

n Owensboro RiverPark Center,

101 Daviess St., Owensboro, Ky., call (270) 687-2787 or visit www.riverparkcenter.org

n Roberts Stadium, 2600 Division St. (Lloyd Expressway at Boeke Road), call 476-1383, fax 476-1881 or visit www.smgevansville.com

n Thrall’s Opera House, 612 E. Church St., New Harmony, Ind., call 682-3115, toll free (877) 648-7469 or visit www.usi.edu/nht/

n University of Evansville’s Shanklin Theatre and May Studio, 1800 Lincoln Ave., call 488-2031 or visit theatre.evansville.edu

n University of Southern Indiana’s Helen Mallette Studio Theatre,

8600 University Blvd., and USI Theatre at 3001 Igleheart Ave., call 465-1668 or visit www.usi.edu/libarts/arts/Theatre

n The Victory, call 435-6287, fax 435-6299 or visit www.smgevansville.com

Cinema

n “Friday Night in the Forum” is a series of independent and foreign films screened in Forum 1 at the University of Southern Indiana, 8600 University Blvd. There is no charge for admission, and a discussion follows each film. For more information and to find out dates of the films, contact Eric Braysmith at 464-1740 or e-mail him at ebraysmi@usi.edu

n Henderson Community College Film Series of Independent and Foreign Films at the Student Center Auditorium in Henderson, Ky.

Admission is free. For a schedule, visit www.hencc.kctcs.edu/ life/film.asp

n Stadium Art, art films are shown as available at Kerasotes Stadium 16, call 423-7566

Dance

n Evansville Dance Theatre stages fall, winter and spring ballet performances, including “The Nutcracker,”

in Evansville and around the

Tri-State. Call 473-8937or

visit www.edtdance.org

n Children’s Center for Dance Education, studios in Evansville, Newburgh, Princeton, Ind., New Harmony, Ind., and Henderson, Ky., presents performances in the Tri-State. Call Deena Laska, 421-8066 or

(800) 411-9990, or visit

www.childdance.org online

For listings of current events, check “Diversions” in The Evansville Courier & Press on Thursday and Sunday.

(c) 2008 Evansville Courier & Press. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.