Staff picks for Create-Your-Own

Now is the perfect time to purchase your very own, made-just-for-you "Create Your Own" Series package.  In this unique package, you choose any four events from among those in our 2013-2014 Performing Arts Season brochure.  You get early access to Broadway tickets by purchasing this package, and you get a discount on many of the tickets in your package.

I asked our staff to choose their own "Create Your Own" Series package, and here are the choices from ten of our staff.  For anyone keeping score, Alvin Ailey is the big winner with seven staff selections; Blue Man Group a close runner-up with six staff selections, and Million Dollar Quartet in third place with four staff selections.

Jen Tibbs, Coordinator of Public Information and Marketing
Foreigner
Blue Man Group
Jersey Boys
Alvin Ailey

Mindy McCaffrey, Volunteer Coordinator:
Masters of the Fiddle
The Ten Tenors
Million Dollar Quartet
Alvin Ailey

Sarah Brust, administrative office student worker
Cyrille Aimee
Blue Man Group
Judy Carmichael
Alvin Ailey

Alice Bettis, Administrative Aide
Blue Man Group
Mannheim Steamroller
Jersey Boys
Million Dollar Quartet

Nafia Khan, Marketing Graduate Assistant
The Ten Tenors
Foreigner
Alvin Ailey
Jersey Boys

Bob Vaughn, Auditorium Director
Iris DeMent
Cyrille Aimee
SFJAZZ Collective
Alvin Ailey

Elise Robertson, Event Administrator
Marty Balin
Foreigner
Blue Man Group
Million Dollar Quartet

Brandy Stabler, Development Assistant
Blue Man Group
Million Dollar Quartet
Foreigner
Junie B. Jones

Amy Zepp, Audience Development Coordinator
Blue Man Group
Hungarian State Folk Ensemble
H.M.S. Pinafore
Alvin Ailey

Carly Shank, Director of Audience Development
Hello, Dolly!
Alvin Ailey
We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Cyrille Aimee

What are *your* four choices?

Create Your Own Series Packages available today!

Beginning today, you may purchase your Create Your Own Series tickets.  Quite simply, here's how Create Your Own Series works:

1. Select four or more events from our Performing Arts Season.  This includes all event in our Broadway, Visiting Artists, Family, and Kitchen Sink Series.  
2. Select the number of tickets you want to each event.  In other words, you may select varying numbers of tickets to each event and still qualify each ticket as part of the Create Your Own Series package.

Here's how you benefit from purchasing a Create Your Own Series purchase rather than purchasing individual tickets to the shows you want to see:

1. Receive up to a 15% discount on many of the tickets you purchase.  
2. Enjoy early access to UIS Broadway Series tickets.  Individual tickets to UIS Broadway Series events are not yet on sale. 

Purchase your Create Your Own Series tickets by calling the Ticket Office at 217.206.6160 Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Why Subscribe to the UIS Broadway Series?

Jersey Boys

Here are some reasons why a subscription to the UIS Broadway Series might be a great choice for you:

1. SAVE $$$
   Benefit from the ticket discount available to subscribers.
2. SPEND TIME WITH SOMEONE
   Make plans now to treat yourself and someone special to a few fun evenings at the theater.
3. SEE THE BEST
   See the best of Broadway ranging from classics like Hello, Dolly! to exciting new shows like Memphis.
4. ENJOY EARLY ACCESS
   Get access to prime seats before they go on sale to the public.
5. SAVE TRAVEL COSTS
   See great professional productions without the expense of traveling to Chicago or St. Louis.
6. BE BROADWAY "HIP"
   Stay up-to-date with the newest Broadway shows coming to Springfield for the first time.
7. SECURE THE SAME SEATS
   Enjoy the same great seats at every performance and renew those same seats year after year.
8. BUY LOCAL
   Show your support for the local economy and for the local presentation of professional theater. 
9. ACCESS ADDITIONAL EVENTS
   Take advantage of your pre-purchase opportunity to keep your same seats if shows are added to the series.
10. ENJOY!
    Experience the magic that only happens during a live performance. 

To subscribe to the UIS Broadway Series, visit www.SangamonAuditorium.org or call the Sangamon Auditorium Ticket Office at 217.206.6160 or 800.207.6960, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a ticket seller will help you put together your subscription package.  Packages start at as little as $197!

Visit http://www.uis.edu/sangamonauditorium/tickets/subscriptions.html for more information about packages available. For best seating options, NOW is the time to purchase your 2013-2014 Broadway subscription!  

Willie Nelson is coming!

We're pleased to announce that music legend Willie Nelson is coming back to Sangamon Auditorium on Friday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets will go on sale on Friday, July 26 at 10 a.m.

Read the State-Journal Register announcement here.

All about choices

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre

It's a fine line: giving patrons the choices they want without overwhelming them with too many options.

We've made the same basic package options available for the past seven seasons, but we could always provide an additional explanation to help patrons understand their choices.  Here's the nitty-gritty of what we offer:

SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Subscriptions offer patrons a same-seat opportunity and the very best value for their money.  Subscriptions are series-driven, and they work slightly differently in each series:

BROADWAY - Fixed packages are available.  Choose any one of these configurations this year:

• Package 1 - All six Broadway events
• Package 2 - Memphis, Hello, Dolly!, Jersey Boys, Million Dollar Quartet, The Addams Family
• Package 3 - Blue Man Group, Memphis, Hello, Dolly, Million Dollar Quartet, The Addams Family
• Package 4 - Memphis, Hello, Dolly!, Million Dollar Quartet, The Addams Family

FAMILY - Our Family Series includes three events this year.  The Family subscription includes these three events.

VISITING ARTISTS / KITCHEN SINK - To subscribe to our Visiting Artists / Kitchen Sink series, select at least a total of six events from among the ten Visiting Artists events and six Kitchen Sink (Studio Theatre) events.  This subscription offers a lot of choice and value.

CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES 

As an alternative to a true traditional subscription, patrons may elect the Create Your Own Series option.  Create Your Own buyers select at least four events from among any of our series events and receive a savings by making this advance series purchase.  Create Your Own series buyers are not guaranteed the same seat.  

For the full listing of our season events, visit our website.

Why subscribe to the Family Series?

Masked Marvels & Wonder Tales

Sangamon Auditorium has lined up a fantastic UIS Family Series for 2013-2014.  As with all of our series, there are many good reasons to subscribe.  As subscribers, you and your family can enjoy a substantial discount on tickets and you guarantee your same seats across the series.  Think of your kids enjoying knowing where their seats are located each time you come into the theater for an event.  It's a VIP-kind of feeling!

This year's Family Series will be enjoyed by kids from toddlers through upper elementary school and those who love them.  Subscriptions are only $45 for adults and $30 for kids/youth high school age and younger.  That's THREE SHOWS for a total of only $45 for adults and $40 for kids!

Junie B. Jones

The series begins Sunday, November 10 at 3 p.m. with Masked Marvels and Wonder Tales.  Mask maker and storyteller Michael Cooper weaves tales that involve colorful characters, beautiful masks, and large-scale costume puppetry.  This is a great event for kids who have a creative spark of interest in visual art.  The things Cooper brings to life are amazing!

Next up on the Family Series is one of our longtime favorites, Junie B. Jones, making her third appearance on the Family Series on Friday, January 24 at 7 p.m.   The place was packed for each of the previous performances of this musical adventure of this popular children's book character.  We welcomed Junie in 2007 and 2010, so she is overdue for a return visit!

We conclude the season with We're Going on a Bear Hunt on

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m.  Bear Hunt appeared on our school series, Class Acts, last season and the students, teachers, and Sangamon Auditorium staff had such a marvelous time taking the well-loved bear hunt journey with this troupe of playful performers, we decided they simply *had* to come back for this year's Family Series.

All of this year's Family Series events are only one hour in length.  Each performance is preceded by an hour of family-friendly activities and displays in the lobby.  We hope you and your family will join us for these three memorable events in 2013-2014!

Information about subscribing to the UIS Family Series.

The 2013-2014 Performing Arts Season is here!

We are pleased to be able to announce our 2013-2014 Performing Arts Season!  We are delighted to offer up a varied season of events that offers something for everyone.  Check out our website for more information or download our free phone app for all of the up-to-the-minute information.

Subscriptions are available for purchase now.  Why not give yourself the gift of live events in the coming year?  Commit to select events in the series of your choice and guarantee your same seat across the year! More information is available here and will be posted to this blog in the coming days.