Lied Center’s ^ picks I
aim for audience appeal I
66
I wanted to get
acquainted with the
community; it’s
kind of my
welcoming season.”
Charles Bethea
Lied Center director
By Ann Stack
Senior Reporter
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry; it may even be better than “Cats.”
The Lied Center for Performing Arts has announced its
1997-98 season, and its new director, Charles Bethea, thinks
there’s something for everyone on the bill.
Bethea, who came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
midway through the process of planning the new season,
said he and interim director Larry Lusk worked to find acts
that would appeal to a diverse audience.
“We agreed that since I’m coming into a new place it was
important to keep a broad spectrum to be as accessible to a
broad audience base,” he said. “We wanted to meet the usual
mandates of the program — music and dance with an em
phasis on family programming. We wanted a few things that
would be recognizable while still maintaining artistic con
tent.”
Some of those recognizable things include performances *
of the Broadway musical “Les Miserables,” “Joseph and the m
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” *
Peter, Paul and Mary and the Canadian Brass.
“Les Miserables,” Victor Hugo s classic tale of revolu
tion and redemption, will probably be one of the Lied’s more A
popular shows next season, Bethea said. Eight performances
of the musical will be given Sept. 23-28.
Tickets for “Les Miserables” and the Lied’s first per
former, Grammy-award winner and violinist Itzhak Perlman
will be sold singularly. From the time the 1997-98 season
brochure is mailed to subscribers until July 14, tickets will m
be sold by mail orders. f
After July 14, they can be purchased by phone or at the 0
Lied Center box office, 11 am. to 5:30 pm. Tickets for all
other events will be sold beginning Aug. 25.
New to the Lied’s program is the family series. Three
performances are being targeted to families, Bethea said. The
three events selected are: The Magic School Bus—Live! with
“Arnold’s Favorite Field Trip,” Theatre Sans Fil, a giant
puppet troupe, and Cirque Eloize, an acrobatic trio.
“They’re all highly artistic and priced in such a way that
families can afford,” he said.
And, with the Lied Center’s new director still getting L
adjusted to Lincoln, the season should be as exciting for 9
Bethea as it is for audiences.
“I wanted to get acquainted with the community; it’s kind
of my welcoming season,” he said. “It’s a good basis for
building the future on. Good art should be entertaining, and
the best entertainment should be good art.”
Coming Attractions
The 1997-98 season for the Lied Center for the Performing Arts is scheduled as follows.
• Itzhak Perlman and the Omaha Symphony Sept. 14
“Les Miserables" Sept. 23-28
The James Sewell Ballet Oct. 2
The Magic School Bus - Live! Oct. 10-11
“Carmen" Oct. 15
Peter, Paul and Mary Oct. 17
CELLO Oct. 21-22
Marilyn Horne Nov. 2
Duetsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin Nov. 9
Mingus Big Band Nov. 18
The Candaian Brass Dec. 5-6
"Oklahoma!" Dec. 11-14
Garrick Ohlsson Jan. 20
Theatre Sans Fil Jan 23-24
Evelyn Glennie * Jan. 29
Tito Puente Latin Jazz Ensamble Jan. 31
Oakland Ballet' Feb. 5
The Black Watch Feb. 7
Poetry in Motion Feb. 10
"Smokey Joe’s Cafe" - Feb. 13
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Feb. 20
Sergio and Odair Assad March 3
Todd Palmer March 13
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Winner March 19
Australian Chamber Orchestra March 27
The Acting Company Presents "Romeo and Juliet" and "Fresh Numbers" April2-3
Street Sounds April 17-18
Hal Holbrook, "Mark Twain Tonight" April21
"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" May 1-3
Aaron Steckelberg/DN
Aakon Sieckelbkbg/DN
“JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNCOLOR DREAMCOAT,” a musical-comedy that iMks
at bblleal history thna|h the eyes eff 20th-ceatury pep caltare, will clese set the Lied
Ceater’s 1907-90 seasea.