2012-2013 Season at Clemson's Brooks Center

Each day takes a person from one place to another. While there may be a few unique stops on the way, the average journey of the daily routine takes you to the same places over and over again. The Brooks Center wants to take you to a place that you’ve never been before during its 2012-2013 season. 

Whether it’s to a different country, a different city, or just a different state of mind, the performances set to don the Brooks Center stage this year are sure to entertain and inspire while expanding your creative experience.

The Boni Belle Brooks season starts off strong as Tony Award-winner Barbara Cook (Sept. 6) takes you straight to “the great white way” in New York City as she presents her latest cabaret offerings of Broadway and jazz tunes and shares an intimate look at her amazing and extensive career. The Broadway samplings of the Big Apple continue as television icon Cindy Williams stars in the latest installment of Dan Goggin’s Nunsense franchise in Nunset Boulevard (Nov. 26). 

Staying in the empire city state of mind, do not miss the Birdland Big Band directed by Tommy Igoe (Feb. 12) as they present “Live at Birdland” hailing straight from the Birdland Jazz Club in the heart of the city’s jazz mecca. In addition, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (Oct. 8) comes to you on the Lillian and Robert Utsey Chamber Music Series, and The Flying Karamazov Brothers (Nov. 5) soar in straight from the big city armed with comedy, music, acrobatics and so much more to entertain all ages on our Family Series. 

Don’t forget your passport, as several groups will bring the flavor of their home country to Clemson. The Royal Drummers & Dancers of Burundi (Sept. 20) share the important role the drums play in their tiny country in Central Africa on our Family Series and the Creole Choir of Cuba (March 7) continues the excellence of the Boni Belle Brooks offerings as one of the foremost groups of contemporary Haiti. 

Make sure to don your green as Danú (March 14), one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles, gets you in the St. Patrick’s Day spirit while Brazilian-born brother Sérgio and Odair Assad (Nov. 12) share their high standard of guitar innovation and expression that earned them a Latin Grammy on the Utsey Chamber Series.

Hopefully, you aren’t experiencing any jet-lag as the remainder of the season takes you beyond any physical location and to a completely different state of mind. Let the visual presentation and electronic music of Amon Tobin (Sept. 19) expand your creative horizons, while the velvet voice of young bassist/vocalist/composer Esperanza Spalding (Oct. 17) makes you feel like a true member of her “Radio Music Society. ” Explore the animated world of nature and the unique qualities of earth, light, darkness and airy space through dance with MOMIX’s (Jan. 31) production of Botanica. 

The remainder of the Utsey Chamber Music Series presents award-winning groups that will take your senses to new musical heights. Violinist Elena Urioste (Sept. 27) along with accompanist Michael Brown offers her lush tone and lyrical sensitivity while mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves (Feb. 8) continues to gather unparalled popular and critical acclaim as one of the world’s most exciting vocalists. The Pacifica Quartet (Jan. 29) shares their excellent musicianship that won a grammy for “Best Chamber Music Performance” in 2009, while The Tempest Trio (April 4) combines technical mastery, expressive depth, and performance experience for an exciting evening of music. Imani Winds (March 11) returns to the Brooks Center as North America’s premier wind quintet and one of the most successful chamber music ensembles in the United States.

Let your imagination soar as the high tech wizardry of ArcAttack (Feb. 7) presents a truly “electrifying” performance on our Family Series as the creators of the original singling Tesla coils and let Dailey and Vincent (Oct. 1) start your journey back home with the uncanny harmony of their vocal trios and quartets as the 2008 “Bluegrass Music Entertainers of the Year” and “Vocal Group of the Year.” Finally, arrive back in the theatre as the acclaimed Aquila Theatre Company presents the funny, poignant, and often heart-wrenching story of Cyrano de Bergerac (Feb. 5).

Amidst all of the outstanding professional offerings of this season, make sure to take advantage of one of Clemson University’s greatest treasures – its students. The 2012-2013 season is full of opportunities to enjoy performances from student instrumental groups, choral ensembles, and the orchestra, all under the direction of Clemson University music faculty. Varying styles of music such as jazz, sacred, classical, popular, marching band, and more can all be enjoyed at these performances from September through April.

The Clemson Players, the university’s premier theatre group, presents a season full of unique performances. The array of smaller stage productions starts off with a lengthy run of the fun-filled musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Oct. 1-5, 7, 8-10), followed by an original and emotional play, Ensemble (Nov. 12-16, 18), and concludes with a One-Act Play Festival (April 16-21) by our most advanced majors. Also, audiences can take in the timeless Greek classic, Medea (Feb. 28 - March 3) as a larger production in our Brooks Theatre.

Come join the Brooks Center this 2012-2013 season as we take our audience to places far and wide with entertainment that is both energetic and inspired. 

Show information and tickets are available online at www.clemson.edu/Brooks or by calling the box office Monday-Friday, 1-5 p.m. at (864) 656-7787.