The Lively Arts at IUP’s Ovations Series will kick off the holidays with two favorites—the Tony
Award-winning Best Musical, Monty Python’s Spamalot on Monday, December 3, at 8:00
p.m.; and a special presentation of Handel’s “Messiah” with the Johnstown
Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, December 9, at 3:00 p.m.
Both performances take place in Fisher
Auditorium and offer a special coupon code to help raise money for the Indiana
County Community Action Program. Patrons
are invited to enter the discount code “ICCAP4” online or mention it when
purchasing the tickets over the phone or in person to save $4 per ticket (up to four
tickets per event) for these events.
For each ticket purchased using this special
discount code, IUP Lively Arts will donate $2 to the Indiana County Community
Action Program. Discount code must be applied at the time of purchase.
Patrons are also invited to bring
nonperishable food items to leave in the collection box in the Fisher
Auditorium lobby near the box office for ICCAP’s food bank when attending upcoming performances or picking up tickets.
The outrageous musical comedy Spamalot is lovingly ripped
off from the film classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Monty Python’s Spamalot
tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and
their quest for the Holy Grail. Monty Python’s Spamalot features a chorus
line of dancing divas, flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen, and
show-stopping musical numbers!
Directed and choreographed by Sam Viverito, Monty Python’s Spamalot
features a book by Eric Idle, based on the screenplay of Monty Python and the
Holy Grail by Monty Python creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam,
Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin; with music and lyrics by the Grammy
Award-winning team of Idle and John Du Prez.
The season will continue with a performance of Handel’s “Messiah,”
performed by the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro
James Blachley. This performance will
also feature world-renowned soloists Kathryn Mueller (soprano), Meg Bragle
(alto), Oliver Mercer (tenor), and John Brancy (bass). Adding to the excitement
will be the University Chorale from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, under
the direction of Ryan Beeken, and the Johnstown Symphony Chorus.
In 1741, this oratorio was composed by the German composer
George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from
the King James Bible, and from the version of the Psalms included with the Book
of Common Prayer. Originally composed for Easter, Handel’s “Messiah” had its
premiere in Dublin on the stage of Musick Hall on April 13, 1742, and received
its London premiere nearly a year later. Handel’s “Messiah” remains his
best-known work, with its famous “Hallelujah Chorus” performed by choirs all
over the world.
Tickets for these events are available for purchase online
through the Lively Arts website or by calling the ticket hotline at 724-357-1313. They can also be purchased at
the Performing Arts Center Ticket Office in Fisher Auditorium. Any seats
remaining will be sold at the door starting one hour prior to the performance.
Tickets for Spamalot are priced at $48 for regular admission, $43 for seniors
and groups, $28 for I-Card and military, and $24 for students and children. Tickets for Handel’s “Messiah” are priced at
$24 for regular admission, $21 for seniors and groups, $15 for I-Card and
military, and $12 for students and children. Online tickets are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The ticket hotline and ticket office in
Fisher Auditorium are open from noon to 5:00 p.m. weekdays. The ticket office is closed for university
holidays. Tickets are not
available at the Hadley Union Building.
For more information on this and other
events as well as group tickets within the Lively Arts, call 724-357-2787
(ARTS) or email lively-arts@iup.edu.
The
Ovations! series is funded, in part, by donations through the Premiere Club,
business sponsorships, grants, and the IUP Student Cooperative Association. The
Lively Arts, a program of the College of Fine Arts, presents nearly 200
performances, programs, and exhibits annually.