Wharton Center has Broadway bonanza for 2015-16 season

Wharton Center for the Performing Arts will bring Broadway to East Lansing in a big way for its 2015-16 season.

The new season unveiled Monday night features nine Broadway shows, including Rodgers' and Hammerstein's "Sound of Music and "Cinderella," hot off Broadway shows "Matilda the Musical" and "The Bridges of Madison County" and the return of previously popular shows.

"We look at this year as a Broadway bonanza," said Wharton's Executive Director Mike Brand. "It's a unique year for us."

But the rich and diverse schedule also includes world renown singers, musicians, dancers, fantasy stories for kids and a nostalgic tale of broadcaster Ernie Harwell's love affair with baseball in Mitch Albom's, "Ernie, the Play."

The performing arts series includes such big names as Kristin Chenoweth, Lang Lang, Twyla Tharp and Bobby McFerrin along with dance, theater and music.

For young children there are four Act One Family Series with literature-based performances. And the world view lecture series will welcome Clifton R. Wharton Jr., the building's namesake for the first time.

"A lot of things are really important to our audience," Brand said. "We don't try to shape people — we let people in. We have a really good audience here that has its own sophistication. It likes what it likes, so we make sure we are on the route for these artists."

Wharton does Broadway

"It's all in response to our audience," said Brand. "The audience here just loves Broadway, and a lot of the national touring producers like coming here because they like our audience and they like the center. We were on everyone's list, and we just couldn't turn some of the toys away."

While they aren't back to pre-recession levels yet, this year marks an increase in the Broadway season, with some shows getting full runs at the encouragement of producers rather than being run as one- or two-night specials.

The Broadway season has the following shows:

• Rodgers' and Hammerstein's "Cinderella"

• "Dirty Dancing"

• "The Sound of Music"

• "Motown the Musical"

• "Matilda the Musical"

• "The Bridges of Madison County"

• "Jersey Boys" (special event)

• "Riverdance" (special event)

• "The Book of Mormon" (special event)

It was after the season was mostly set that the Wharton was contacted about "The Sound of Music," a new production going on the road, and the Wharton Center would be on the first part of the tour.

"We wondered, how are we going to do nine shows," said Brand. "Then we said, how can we not do this one? It hasn't gone out on a big class show since the '90s and Rodgers and Hammerstein are overseeing this whole production. It is expensive — and it is big."

Brand also said producers of shows such as "The Sound of Music" want to come to Wharton because of its market is growing. This season should have a special appeal to families with such shows as "Matilda," "Cinderella," and "The Sound of Music."

"This is an exciting art form for young people. This is where it is happening," said Brand. "Outside of the big concert venues where Taylor Swift may have millions of kids, Broadway is where kids see themselves on stage. It's got everything, dance, music, theater, set designs. It's a compilation of all kinds of different art forms and it's very exciting for young people."

When they first started talking about the season to their sponsors, the shows that generated the most excitement were "Cinderella," because of the film, "Jersey Boys," and "The Book of Mormon," both shows that have toured through Wharton in recent years.

"'Book of Mormon' is one of the biggest hits in the history of the world, and when we first booked dates, they wanted to come back and they wanted their slot," said Brand. "'Jersey Boys' has that kind of American cultural music that is such a vibrant part of our donors' lives. Some venues have people into opera, our market is definitely American cultural pop music from the 60s through the 80s.

"('Jersey Boys') was the first show I'd ever seen in my life up to that time where there was a standing ovation at intermission."

It's that sort of interest that also inspired Wharton Center to book "Motown the Musical," said Wharton's communication and marketing director, Diane Willcox.

"Motown is inseparable from the headlines of the time," said Willcox. "It takes that familiarity of having a great time, but really places it in the context of what is happening at the time. It follows Barry Gordy's life and Motown as a record label. It is so much fun. People go crazy. When a young Michael Jackson goes on stage for the first time, the whole audience just goes nuts. He doesn't even have to open his mouth."

Classics on stage

Classics at Wharton for the next season include:

• Pianist Lang Lang

• The Hollywood Concert Orchestra: "A Night at the Oscars"

• Orpheus Chamber Orchestra: Pinchas Zukerman, violin

• Metropolitan Opera Rising Stars Concert

Brand said Lang Lang is the last of the classical superstars who haven't yet come to East Lansing. He also said the Metropolitan Opera concert is a chance for audience members to see the next Renee Fleming.

"We're experimenting with the Met Opera," said Brand. "They're bringing four young stars here. and they're going to put together a program that is accessible for our audience."

Dancing through East Lansing

The dance season includes the following performances:

• "Cirque Dreams Holidaze"

• Twyla Tharp Dance: "50th Anniversary in Dance"

• Moscow Festival Ballet: "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Sleeping Beauty"

• "Complexions Contemporary Dance: Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson"

• "An Evening with Savion Glover and Jack Dejohnette"

"There are very few people on Twyla Tharp's 50th anniversary tour," said Brand, noting that Wharton Center is working with her on a two-day project. One day will be teaching and the other night will be a show.

And all that jazz

The jazz concerts coming to Wharton include:

• Mack Avenue Superband, including Gary Burton, Tia Fuller, Christian McBride, Sean Jones, Carl Allen and Christian Sands

• Hugh Masekela & Larry Willis: "Friends"

• Bria Skonberg

Brand said that Skonberg is another one of those up and coming artists who will impress audiences.

"She's one of the hottest jazz musicians," he said. "She's amazing. She's got a beautiful voice and a great trumpet. She plays everywhere."

He and Willcox also said the Mack Avenue Superband brings in lots of Detroit artists who specialize in Detroit Jazz and noted that MSU's own Rodney Whitaker is a Mack Avenue artist.

Playing up the variety

The variety numbers, ones that don't fit into any neat category, include:

• "An Evening With Kristin Chenoweth"

• Bobby McFerrin: "Bobby Meets Michigan!"

• Morgan James

• Chic Gamine

• Vocalosity: "The Aca-Perfect Musical Experience"

Brand said Chenoweth and McFerrin are of particular note because they have been trendsetters for their categories of music.

"They've set a whole new platform for their art forms," Brand said. "McFerrin has set up acapella type groups with his vocal sounding like instruments and machines. He's doing a show here, and we're going to bring in some local musicians. With Kristin Chenoweth on Broadway, you either sound like Julie Andrews or Kristin Chenoweth. She is just a total star. We're very excited about those two—they represent so much in how music has been shaped."

Willcox said James is another amazing offering that will wow audiences.

"She is amazing," Willcox said. "She's got this tremendous strong voice, she sings Broadway to jazz and has huge flexibility with her instrument. She's opera trained, but does a lot of post-modern jukebox. She is a rising star."

Around the world

Shows in the World Music and Dance series include:

• The National Circus and Acrobats of the People's Republic of China: "Peking Dreams"

• Band of the Royal Marines With the Pipes, Drums of The Scots Guards

• The Chieftains

• Zakir Hussain

From the podium

The World View Lecture Series brings in:

• Clifton R. Wharton, Jr.

• Eugene Jarecki

• Elisabeth L. Rosenthal

• Naomi Klein

This year will mark the first time that former MSU president Wharton has spoken as part of the lecture series in the building named after him.

"MSU Press will be putting out his autobiography," said Willcox. "He will be here to talk about his groundbreaking experiences as an African-American university president. It is absolutely wonderful to have him here in his namesake building.

Behind the Fourth Wall

The theater series includes:

• "Ernie – The Play"

• Valentijin Dhaenens: "Bigmouth"

• Broadway's "Next H!t Musical"

"Ernie," a show about longtime Tigers baseball announcer Ernie Harwell has MSU Department of theater connections with designs done by Kirk Domer and playwright Mitch Albom will be coming to the Wharton Center as part of the production.

"We have such a great relationship with the theater department, this was a good fit," said Brand.

For young ones

The Act One Children's series contains:

• "The Stinky Cheese Man"

• "The Monster Who Ate My Peas"

• "Peter Rabbit Tales"

• "Skippyjon Jones's Snow What"

These shows are designed to integrate families with children who aren't quite ready for Broadway yet.

"It is the entry level for the youngest of the young, the first opportunity for them to see something on a professional stage," said Willcox, noting it gives parents with four year olds something to bring their children to. "We want them to have a good experience. They are shorter programs and relate directly to really popular kids books. They come in the door and are excited because they know the title and they get over the qualms of going to theater and learn it is fun."

Ticket prices

Ticket prices vary for each show depending on what it is and the category it belongs to. Wharton will start accepting subscriptions this week and seating will depend on such things as size of donations, longevity of donations, longevity of subscription and how soon they receive your order.

Wharton is extending its 30th anniversary special; if you order six Broadway shows or five performing arts events, you get up to a 30 percent discount.

According to Bob Hoffman, public relations manager, a subscriber can get six Broadway shows for less than the price of purchasing five shows individually.

Willcox explained that other discounts of 20 percent and 10 percent are available for fewer shows. Your discount level applies to all other tickets in any series.