The Center for the Performing Arts will be bringing revolutionaries, musketeers, gypsies, Argentines with a flair for passion, high-flying Romanian gymnasts and chorus girls with a tendency for murder to Eisenhower Auditorium for the Spring 2001 Semester.

Students and residents of State College will be able to experience shows like Les Misérables, Phantom: An American Musical Sensation, Tango Pasión, Aeros, The Three Musketeers, Carmen and Chicago. For many of these shows, this will be their first stop in State College, while some of the musical theatre productions will be making a repeat stop.

One show that will make its second appearance at Eisenhower Auditorium is Les Misérables, a musical set during three turbulent decades in the 19th century that follows the life of one man who struggles to avoid capture and raises a little girl in the process.

"If they (students) should see any musical theatre, they should see Les Misérables," said Peter Wray, press and public relations manager of the CPA.

Phantom: An American Musical Sensation will also be coming to Eisenhower Auditorium. This is the version by Tony-award winners Arthur Kopit and Maury Yeston. The musical is based upon the novel by Gaston Leroux, and it tells the heart-wrenching story of the Phantom, a horribly disfigured music teacher who develops an infatuation with a young opera singer.

Another great musical theatre piece students can attend this spring is Chicago. It tells the tale of a chorus girl who manages to murder her husband, get away with it and use the trial to build her fame.

"It is one hot, passionate sexy musical," said Wray. He added that another highlight of the show is the choreography of Bob Fosse — who is famous for sensuality, passion and power.

Fosse began his career studying dance in Chicago and later went on to direct and choreograph many other shows, such as Pippin, Sweet Charity and Cabaret.

Another hot show that is gracing the stage and setting hearts ablaze is Tango Pasión, an Argentine dance musical. This show includes several steamy versions of the tango and exceptional musicians like the Sextet Mayo.

The musical is set in a dance club in Buenos Aires with tons of tango dancing. In fact, there is no dialogue and the entire story of the musical is expressed through tango dancing and music.

If shows like Chicago and Tango Pasión are a bit too steamy, then spectators can attend more traditional classic pieces like Carmen or The Three Musketeers.

If students love opera, then Wray recommends seeing Carmen. In the world of Seville, a gypsy named Carmen dwells with an obsessed officer. Carmen is a public enemy, a threat to law and order and is able to conjure up ghosts.

This opera was written by Georges Bizet and made its first appearance on a stage in 1875. It has managed to last for more than 100 years and is still one of the most acclaimed operas of all time.

The Three Musketeers will be performed by the Royal Ballet of Flanders. This group of dancers is traveling all the way from Flanders, Belgium to provide State College residents with a story full of romance, drama and humor. The full-length ballet has been adapted from the novel of Alexandre Dumas and features the music of Guiseppe Verdi.

Another act making its way across the Atlantic is former members of the Romanian Gymnastic Team. They have joined forces with movement choreographers to create a unique new dance style.

The group has come up with a show named Aeros that combines dance movements with tumbling. Wray believes this show will help others recognize dance as sport.

"Dance is sport and this is just the thing to show them (dancers) as athletic as a football game and just as graceful," said Wray.

For parents who are looking for a production to take their children to, the CPA offers programs like Come Back, Amelia Bedelia or Lyle, Lyle Crocodile. Lyle is, in fact, playing at 2 p.m. Sunday.

There will also be several musical groups coming to perform such as Ju-Young Baek and Paavali Jumppanen. These two musicians are fairly new to the music scene but are quickly moving up in the world. Baek will play the violin and Jumppanen will play the piano. They will be performing on Feb. 10.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will make its second appearance in State College and is back by popular demand. They will be led by their world acclaimed conductor Mariss Jansons and will perform on March 24.

Two jazz acts will also be a part of this semester's performances. The first to perform will be Maureen McGovern and John Pizzarelli. McGovern has an impressive multi-octave voice and Pizzarelli has a versatility of ranges on his guitar.

The second jazz group to come will be the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. The ensemble will be performing their program, 100 Years of Jazz, and they will cover several jazz legends like Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington.

Susan Stockton, director of the CPA, believes this semester will be a wonderful time to see a number of great shows, because the bulk of the center's programming falls in the Spring Semester.

"We are very excited, many of the highlights this year are in the spring," said Stockton.