Wednesday afternoon, in the Green Room of Eisenhower Auditorium, Susan Stockton, the director for the Center for the Performing Arts announced the upcoming 2001-2002 season.

The season will showcase 29 varying artists, who all have amazing talent and skills.

The artists will perform a variety of pieces, which will include ballet, high theatre, tap dancing, jazz, classical music, percussionists and musical theatre. There seems to be a bit of something for everyone.

"My challenge is to try to find ways to engage the students. We try to get in students who wouldn't normally have Eisenhower (Auditorium) on their path," Stockton said.

On Sept. 15, the season will open with Gregory Hines performing.

He is well known for his television, stage and movie performances.

In 1992 he won a Tony Award for his portrayal of jazz great, "Jelly Roll" Morton.

"Gregorgy Hines — what a great way to start the year," Stockton said. "We are all thrilled."

Another highly anticipated highlight of the season is the show Rent, which will be in town for three performances in December.

The show is based on Puccini's classic La Bohème, and tells a story of loss and love, while dealing with the issue of an AIDS epidemic.

Stockton became the new director of the Center for the Performing Arts just seven months ago and has attempted to bring a dynamic new season to the patrons of the Centre region.

"We are trying to look at what we, the center, need to be in order to be the life blood of the community," Stockton said.

One of the main concerns of the Center for the Performing Arts is to be an integral part of the education process in the surrounding area.

The center wants to build educational programs in conjunction with the university as well as with the surrounding school districts.

The CPA is going to implement a new program in the fall, titled "Informances," which will allow grade school ages student to interact more closely with the artists.

Eight out of the 29 programs will be used for the "Informances" workshops and most of them will last from one hour to an hour and 15 minutes.

The students who will participate in this program will be from Centre and Mifflin county districts.

All will have the opportunity to be involved with music, dance or theatre.

Promise of a Love Song is another educational program, which will take place in November and travel to many areas of the community.

Three theatre companies will perform together to give varying perspectives and a look into hatred, violence, racism and discrimination.

They are Teatro Pregones, Junebug Productions and Roadside Theater.

Teatro Pregones is a Puerto Rican group from New York City, Junebug Productions is an African American company from New Orleans and Roadside Theater is an ensmble from the central Appalachians.

These groups will come to State College for a week and go out to the neighboring school districts to engage students in discussion over the controversial topics.

"We (the CPA) want to approach hard, difficult topics in an artistic way."

Stockton added, "We're looking at art as a catalyst for social change."