Broadway. The West End. Stephens.

What’s Stephens? C.Y. Stephens Auditorium, Iowa State’s answer to the best the world of performing arts has to offer. This year is no exception. With song, dance and theatrics taking stage, this year’s theme, “So Glad You’re Here,” seems a fitting welcome to the world of performing arts.

The 1996-97 season kicks off with a nod toward Broadway when 42nd Street opens on Sept. 21. This musical comedy is flashy, but is no flash in the pan. When it opened on Broadway, it ran for 3,486 consecutive performances.

It features such hummable tunes as the title song, “42nd Street”,,”Lullaby of Broadway,” and every college student’s theme song, “We’re in the Money.”

October ushers in a cool breeze, but hot performances, at Stephens. The Pittsburgh Symphony, with Sir Andre Previn conducting, gives students a chance to hang up those Iowa State sweatshirts and put on their Sunday best.

The evening of Mozart and Strauss promises to be one of absolute precision and power. Previn is one of America’s best known and most versatile musicians. He is an award-winning composer of orchestra music and a renowned pianist of chamber and jazz music.

Things start to sizzle under the harvest moon when Ballet Hispanico comes to Stephens Oct. 15. Artistic director Tina Ramirez creates a theatrical, contemporary vision of dance anyone can enjoy. And remember, this is the culture that gave us Antonio Banderos.

From move to grooves, October draws to a close with critics’ darling, Ain’t Misbehavin’. Winner of three Tony awards, among others, Misbehavin’ features more than 30 songs by the immortal Fats Waller. Motown legends Martha Reeves and the Vandellas star.

November delivers attitude when jazz musicians Christian McBride and Joe Lovano perform. No doubt about it, 23-year-old bassist McBride and 43-year-old saxophonist Lovano have earned their status as “cool cats.”

McBride has emerged as the hottest and most-sought-after young jazz musician playing today. Lovano, who was voted 1995 Jazz Artist of the Year, has built a strong reputation as an intuitive and versatile musician who excels in spontaneous performance.

Merry Christmas, eh? Your friends to the north, The Canadian Brass, along with the Iowa State Singers, bring the holiday spirit to CY on Dec. 6. This is probably one of the few shows where you’ll know every song, and no one will be moshing, hopefully.

Ebony and ivory will be the colors of January when solo pianist Awadagin Pratt kicks off the new year at Stephens. The flashy, dreadlocked musician is anything but the tuxedo-sporting ivory ticklers you’re used to, though.

The 29-year-old Pratt demonstrates with sheer physicality and technical mastery why he has been hailed as a remarkable new talent.

From the inner city of New York comes the Boys Choir of Harlem to warm hearts during Iowa’s most frigid month, February. Founded as a small church choir in 1968, the Boys Choir has grown into a major performing arts institution. The boys in Vienna got nothing on them!

Puccini’s La Boheme, the inspiration for Broadway’s current hit musical Rent, is presented to Stephens’ audiences March 2.

Performed by the New York City Opera National Company, La Boheme is the tragic love story of the lives and loves of four impoverished artists living in Paris’ Left Bank in the early nineteenth century.

Don’t worry if cappuccino is the only Italian you know. Although the musical is performed in Italian, the performance includes the new Wonder Bread of international opera, “supertitles.” Screens suspended above the stage translate the songs into English.

No need for translation when the undisputed diva of opera, Kathleen Battle, sings. It’s all good. Battle will dazzle the crowd with her eclectic mix of opera, jazz and spirituals. Here, the soprano shows just why she’s unsinkable.

Everybody’s favorite nanny— with the possible exception of Fran Drescher—Maria will make Stephens come alive with The Sound of Music to round out the month of March.

The classic by Rodgers and Hammerstein will provide the right family atmosphere for Easter weekend. In case you didn’t know, The Sound of Music spins the tale of Maria, a young novice, who is sent by her Mother Superior into the home of Captain Von Trapp and his seven singing children.

April brings a doctor to the house—Doc Severinsen that is. Best known for his days with Johnny Carson on the “Tonight Show,” Severinsen is a multi-dimensional musician whose work includes a repertoire of symphonic, jazz and big band songs.

Joining the ranks of baby-boomers nationwide, the Juilliard String Quartet celebrates 50 years with Ames music lovers. First violinist Robert Mann, second violinist Joel Smirnoff, violist Samuel Rhodes and cellist Joel Krosnick will pick, pluck and strum their passionate works for all to enjoy.

Two of television’s most beloved characters, “Felix” and “Oscar,” are brought to life by two of television’s most remembered actors. William Christopher (Fr. Mulcahy) and Jamie Farr (Klinger) of “MASH” fame, close out the season at Stephens with Neil Simon’s classic comedy The Odd Couple.

The Odd Couple is about two men, one divorced man living in a spacious eight-room apartment, and one man about to be separated from his wife of 12 years. In short, it’s about good friends and why they shouldn’t live together. This mega-hit inspired both a hit movie and a long-running television series.

“Coming off two successful years where our attendance is up 46 percent, we expect another outstanding year,” Paul Ferrone, director of performing arts programming, said in a press release. “We encourage patrons to purchase their tickets early because we are sure they don’t want to miss any of the great shows.”

For times, dates and ticket prices, call the Iowa State Center Box Office at 294-3347.

Note: as of Aug. 1, a new policy for first-day performance ticket sales was implemented. On the first day of sales only, tickets purchased at the ticket office must be paid for by cash or check. Credit cards can be used only for phone orders on the first day of sales. Patrons who want to use a credit card to buy tickets on the first day must use Ticketmaster, 233-1888.