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A spirit that is not afraid

'Rent,' The Beach Boys, Postmodern Jukebox, Wynton Marsalis among Gogue Center inaugural performances

Singer, songwriter and Broadway actress Morgan James performs at a reveal party for the Gogue Performing Arts Center's inaugural season on March 6, 2019.
Singer, songwriter and Broadway actress Morgan James performs at a reveal party for the Gogue Performing Arts Center's inaugural season on March 6, 2019.

Broadway shows and musical artists ranging from "Rent" and "Waitress" to Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, The Beach Boys and soprano Reneé Fleming will appear on stage at the new Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center during its inaugural season starting in fall 2019.

The performances, announced Wednesday night at a glamorous reveal party, include acts and performances from the nine genres of Americana roots, Broadway, celebrity concerts, chamber arts, dance, family entertainment, global acts, jazz and vocal performances.

Other Broadway performances will include the comedy "Escape to Margaritaville," which features Jimmy Buffett's classic hits "Margaritaville," "Volcano" and "Fins." The Buffet-inspired play, the first Broadway on the Center's calendar, will be in town for two nights, Dec. 4 and 5.

Singer, songwriter and Broadway actress Morgan James performs "Seasons of Love" from "Rent" at a reveal party for the Gogue Performing Arts Center's inaugural season on March 6, 2019.

Executive Director Chris Heacox announced the schedule of the premier season.

Singer, songwriter and Broadway actress Morgan James performed several songs from some the schedules performers at the party Wednesday.

More than 27 different headlining acts will grace the stage of the new performing arts center, where construction is set to conclude this summer.

"We're thrilled to present such a diverse and dynamic inaugural season," Heacox said. "We've put a great deal of thought into our lineup and have selected acts from around the world that will inspire, engage and entertain audiences."

The $70 million performing arts center is named for former Auburn President Jay Gogue and First Lady Susie Gogue, who were present at the reveal party Wednesday. The crowd gave them a standing ovation.

The party Wednesday night featured heavy hors d'oeuvres, wine and other treats inspired by the broadway performances. When Heacox unveiled the "Margaritaville" performance, attendees were treated to margaritas.

Gogue Performing Arts Center Executive Director Christopher Heacox announces performances scheduled for the center's inaugural season at a reveal party on March 6, 2019.

Other world-famous performances include Sutton Foster, banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, soprano Reneé Fleming, dancer and choreographer Camille A. Brown and Grammy Award-winning gospel trio The Gatlin Brothers.

The center is Alabama's first land-grant performing arts center. It will provide entertainment, education and community engagement.

Several of the inaugural season artists will present school show performances for Auburn area students as part of the center's K-12 education program.

"These performances are opportunities for thousands of schoolchildren to gain exposure to American music, circus arts, dance and more," Heacox said.

Many of the visiting artists will interact directly with Auburn University students and faculty through artist talks, master classes and lecture demonstrations.

Jazz legen Wynton Marsalis is one of those. He will hold an on-campus talk on jazz and democracy in addition to his performance at the center.

Performances will begin with a four-day Grand Opening Festival from Aug. 22 to Aug. 25, 2019. A different act is planned for each day, which include a free concert for students on Thursday, a Grammy Award-winning artist on Friday and a black-tie grand opening performance inside the performing arts center's main hall on Saturday.

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The grand opening performance will feature Santiago Ballerini and Michael Feinstein and Friends on Saturday. A community day will follow on Sunday with regional performers.

The artist who will perform at the student concert and the Grammy-Award winning artist for the Friday performance haven't been announced yet.

Series subscriptions are now available to all Gogue Center sponsors and donors.

Season subscriptions include tickets to all 27 performances.

Schedule 2019

  • Sept. 25 — Reneé Fleming (Vocal Songbook)
  • Sept. 27 — An Evening with Sutton Foster (Celebrity Concerts)
  • Sept. 29 — Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox (Vocal Songbook)
  • Oct.3 — DIAVOLO: Architecture in Motion (Dance)
  • Oct. 12 — The Gatlin Brothers (Celebrity Concerts)
  • Oct. 18 — The State of Jazz featuring Kandace Springs, James Carter Organ Trio and James Francies (Jazz)
  • Oct. 30-31 — Cirque Mechanics (Family)
  • Nov. 1 — Allman Bretts Band (Americana Roots)
  • Nov. 21 — Béla Fleck and The Flecktones (Americana Roots)
  • Dec. 3 — Montrose Trio (Chamber Arts)
  • Dec. 4-5 — "Escape to Margaritaville" (Broadway)
  • Dec. 17 — VOCES8 (Vocal Songbook)

Schedule 2020

  • Jan. 17 — "Dino-Light" by Lightwire Theater (Family)
  • Jan. 31 — Dorrance Dance (Dance)
  • Feb. 13 — The Beach Boys (Celebrity Concerts)
  • Feb. 18-19 — "Rent: 20th Anniversary Tour" (Broadway)
  • Feb. 21 — Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience (Global Stage)
  • Feb. 25-26 — "Waitress" (Broadway)
  • March 1 — Pablo Sáinz Villegas: Americana Trio (Global Stage)
  • March 3 — Matt Haimovitz and Simone Dinnerstein (Chamber Arts)
  • March 20 — Sierra Hull Band (Americana Roots)
  • March 24 — Dover Quartet and Bridget Kibbey (Chamber Arts)
  • March 26 — Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (Jazz)
  • April 7 — Alfredo Rodríguez and Pedrito Martinez Duo (Jazz)
  • April 18 — Camille A. Brown and Dancers (Dance)
  • April 21 — Zakir Hussain and Friends featuring Kala Ramnath and Jayanthi Kumaresh (Global Stage)
  • May 8 — "Air Play" by Acrobuffos (Family)

Chip Brownlee | Editor-in-chief

Chip Brownlee, senior in journalism and political science, is the editor-in-chief of The Auburn Plainsman.


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