LETTERS FROM THE DIRECTORS

What a year it has been. Although our 2019–2020 season was cut short due to the pandemic, we were still able to welcome thousands through our doors (and break a couple box office records along the way!) and remain committed to staying connected with our audiences through a variety of virtual engagement opportunities that we continue to build and enhance through this current, and unique, 2020–2021 season.

Before the shut-down, we were well on our way to having one of the most successful seasons yet, both through ticket sales as well as through the variety of outreach programs that we were able to facilitate alongside our campus and artist partners. The Book of Mormon and Les Misérables now rank as the first and second-best selling Broadway shows, respectively, in IU Auditorium history. And thanks to our wonderful donors and sponsors, we were able to reach over 5,500 participants through 61 engagement activities this past year. Whether a masterclass, pre-show talk, or artist Q&A for students, we are in constant pursuit of new and exciting ways in which we can positively interact with the community and spread the joys of theatre and the arts.

The staff of IU Auditorium continues to work hard to find new ways to exceed expectations and provide exceptional and unique opportunities to our community. Simply put, we are a team of passionate and dedicated individuals focused on one mission: to create engaging world-class arts and event experiences at IU.

MARIA TALBERT

MANAGING DIRECTOR

As we are in the midst of an unprecedented 2020–2021 academic year, we have focused on upholding our high standard of quality in the events that we select, in the services that we provide, and in the interactions that we have with every person. Since we opened our doors in 1941, we have strived to provide all IU and Bloomington community members with a place to enrich their lives through the performing arts.

Although it was unfortunately cut short, our 2019–2020 season and IU Bicentennial celebration was one full of world-class entertainment. The season included four Broadway productions, two of which were our two best-selling Broadway shows in the history of IU Auditorium, along with music, dance, comedy, and orchestral performances. Over this past year, IU Auditorium was able to host 64,721 ticketed patrons within our facility and 93,525 total guests were served among all the venues we manage.

This past season would not have been possible without the generous support we receive from patrons, sponsors, donors, and the university. Thank you for another fantastic season, and we look forward to seeing you in person soon as we work towards safely providing live arts experiences once again.