BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – IU Auditorium announced that it will present free pre-show talks prior to every season show taking place as part of the 2025–2026 schedule. These public events will be led by experts in various fields speaking on topics that correlate with that day’s performance including themes, content, production, and more.

 

For years, IU Auditorium has provided pre-show talks for some shows as speakers and topics were available, but now for the first time, every season show will include this experience. Each pre-show talk will begin one hour prior to the show start time and conclude at least 15 minutes prior to curtain time to allow attendees to get to their seats before the performance begins.

 

For the fall semester, all talks will take place directly next door to IU Auditorium in the Fine Arts Building in room 015. This building is located on the north side of Showalter Fountain just steps from the entrance into the Auditorium. Tickets are not required to attend these talks, and each one is open and free to the public.

 

The first pre-show talk of the season will take place on October 3 and 4 prior to all three performances of The Book of Mormon at IU Auditorium. The talk will be led by Richard Roland, an Assistant Professor in IU’s Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance. The engaging talk will explore the artistic, cultural, and comedic context behind The Book of Mormon, the hit satirical musical by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone.

 

This first talk, and all pre-show talks throughout the season will provide invaluable insight into the productions and artists that make up IU Auditorium’s amazing 2025–2026 season lineup while enhancing the theatre-going experience.

 

For upcoming talks and topics, visit the season event pages on IUauditorium.com as well as upcoming events on IU Auditorium’s Facebook page.