What goes up must not necessarily come down. Just ask the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, where both attendance and numbers of events have been on the upswing since the venue's opening in the fall of 2006.

So far, gravity has yet to win out.

And instead of coming down, the venue is proposing we "Come Together at the BCPA," the official theme for 2008-9.

For the newly unveiled third season (see accompanying story), a record number of events is expected to attract a related number of patrons.

With brand names like Los Lobos, Manhattan Transfer, "Footloose," Craig Morgan, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, "Movin' Out" and Paul Rodriguez on board, that goal would seem to be within easy reach.

According to Bloomington Cultural District executive director, Bruce Marquis, each season has improved markedly upon the preceding one.

"The first year," he says, "we sold 23,000 tickets. This year, we've just passed 30,000 for the second season, which is a 30 percent increase in sales. That's rare in new performing arts centers, and we're gratified at the response from our regional audience."

In the beginning, the number of events hovered in the low 20s; for the season ahead, there are 32 events in place, with the expectation that two or three more events will be added as the season progresses.

That's an increase in the 30 percent range, too.

"The new season is really a season that builds on the success we had the first two years," says Marquis. "We learned what the community wants to see and how to respond to that in the programming."

He says that communication was abetted by patrons responding to a survey that asked them what they wanted in the future.

"That's been a very effective tool," Marquis says.

Adds marketing and communications director Joel Aalberts, "The first year, we came up with a list that we thought would be of interest to the community. The second year, we learned from what worked the first year, and made choices that brought more people into the center - we refined things. When I look at next year, I see that we've really kind of learned some more lessons."

What, for example?

"What we've learned is that people enjoy Broadway comedies and musicals," Marquis says, a fact that was brought home by the surprise success last fall of a one-night stand for "Cats."

It was a show that was feared to be played out in this market. Instead, the public pounced, and it sold out in two weeks.

Consequently, there are three big touring shows on the new BCPA schedule: "Footloose," "Movin' Out" and a 25th-anniversary edition of "Nunsense" starring veteran "All in the Family" actress Sally Struthers.

Also successful over the first two seasons was comedy, with acts like Kathy Griffin, Second City and The Capitol Steps leaving the BCPA laughing all the way to the box office.

Hence, the encore returns of Second City and Capitol Steps in 2008-9, as well as a first-time showing for "Latin King of Comedy" Paul Rodriguez.

"We're also expanding on our family programming, thanks to the wonderful response to shows like 'The Velveteen Rabbit" and "Seussical," and we're also expanding our pop music lineup."

For example, for the first time, the BCPA has booked a bona fide country singer in Craig Morgan, and added a healthy dose of bluegrass with the Nitty Gritty Dirty Band.

With Ailey II, the venue will host its first visit by a well-known modern dance troupe.

Another new trend in the third season is a flurry of "tribute" events, including Bjorn Again (ABBA tribute), the Fab Four (Beatles) and Buddy Holly's Winter Dance Party.

And never underestimate the power, says Marquis, of nostalgia acts, with two of the big success stories from season one ("In the Mood") and two (Glenn Miller Orchestra) paving the way for the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, the Pied Pipers and The Lettermen next season.

And so it goes, and goes, with a season that is beginning earlier than ever (Aug. 8) and moving closer to Christmas than ever (Dec. 20). It is also starting up again after Christmas earlier than ever (Jan. 17).

"Our goal is to have every weekend filled from September to May, and we're pretty close to doing that with this schedule," Marquis notes.

In addition to the touring events, the venue also hosts community events by 20 community organizations, from the Illinois Symphony Orchestra to the American Passion Play.

And it has left enough room on the slate to grab some late bookings of acts who won't be available until later in the year.

Finally, the venue is planning to initiate a new contemporary music series for cutting-edge indie rock bands that will be held in the BCPA's Ballroom, which seats around 500, and would be aimed at audiences in the college and young adult range.

The success of guitarist Tim Reynolds earlier this year has motivated the move into this realm, says Aalberts, who will be programming that series in the year ahead and looking for acts "from the MySpace crowd - young, up-and-coming artist with great talent who will bust out one day and are still running a little under the radar."

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Audience says gimme more

By Dan Craft | dcraft@pantagraph.com

Following is a complete preview of the 2008-9 season at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.

Stand-alone additions to the lineup will be made as the season progresses.

In addition, a new contemporary music series, to be staged in the BCPA Ballroom, will be announced by late summer or early fall.

August

• 8: Missoula Children's Theatre's Red Riding Hood, who return in the wake of their hit 2007 presentation of "The Little Mermaid" to enlist the acting talents of more than 50 local children in an updated retelling of the storybook classic (the twist: RRH is "now firmly in her teens").

September

• 6: The Fab Four, the first of the season's tribute acts, pays homage to - yeah, yeah, yeah, you know.

• 13: Craig Morgan, the Tennessee native who scored a No. 1 country hit in 2005 with "That's What I Love About Sunday."

• 27: The Capitol Steps, the comedy troupe founded by a pack of ex-Congressional staffers that was a smash hit in the BCPA's first season, and is returning by popular edict for an election-year encore.

• 28: James and the Giant Peach, a touring production of Roald Dahl's children's classic.

October

• 3: Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway, a touring revue featuring the composer of the hit Broadway musical, "The Prince and the Pauper," and a cast of five Broadway veterans (their identities will be announced at a later date).

• 10: Sones de Mexico, the recent Latin Grammy nominees for best folk album, re-create a Mexican fandango (dance fiesta) via dance, vocals and more than 25 authentic folk instruments.

• 11: Mike Super, the master illusionist-mentalist who recently was the winner on NBC's reality series, "Phenomenon." FYI: He promises to make a locally manufactured Mitsubishi car disappear from the BCPA stage.

• 24: The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and The Pied Pipers, a pairing of swing era icons whose originators may be long gone but whose heritages are being maintained into the 21st century.

• 25: Los Lobos, the greatest Tex-Mex rockers of all time, lately noted for their remake of Bob Dylan's "Billy 1" for the "I'm Not There" soundtrack.

• 26: Theatreworks' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in which the producers of this weekend's "Seussical" take on the C.S. Lewis family classic.

November

• 1: Paul Rodriguez, the original Latin King of Comedy, currently ranked at No. 74 on Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Comedians of All Time.

• 7: Sally Struthers in Nunsense, a 25th anniversary tour of the habit-forming classic, this time starring "All in the Family's" favorite daughter.

• 22: Bjorn Again, another pop tribute group, this one celebrating ABBA and the only such tribute group personally endorsed by the original Bjorn and Benny of ABBA.

December

• 6: Movin' Out, the national touring edition of the Billy Joel songfest.

• 12: Franklin's Family Christmas, in which the turtle of storybook repute comes out of his shell for this touring holiday vehicle.

• 13: Cherish the Ladies' A Celtic Christmas, in which another hit act from the BCPA's season returns by popular demand, this time around in full holiday regalia.

• 20: Rockapella: A Rockapella Holiday, the rock-leaning a cappella quintet of Folgers Coffee commercial renown and "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?"

January

• 17: the subdudes, the New Orleans-based rock band, noted for merging rock, blues, gospel and whatever else that fits.

• 30: Ailey II, an offshoot of dance legend Alvin Ailey's main troupe.

February

• 7: Buddy Holly's Winter Dance Party, in which, on the 50th anniversary of Holly's last concert, we're presented with a song-for-song re-creation of that farewell gig.

• 21: Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Big Easy's premier upholders of the classic jazz tradition.

• 27: African Children's Choir, composed entirely of African kids, all blessed with amazing vocal powers.

March

• 7: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the long-running (40 years) country-bluegrass-rock band par excellence.

• 12: The Second City, the Chicago improv masters, who've been summoned back for, er, seconds after their smash showing this season.

• 20: The Lettermen, the sweater-favoring pop trio, who'll join voices on "Hurt So Bad," "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" and other close-harmony standards.

• 27: Carolina Chocolate Drops, the offbeat African-American string band who made off with their scenes in the recent Denzel Washington movie, "The Great Debaters."

April

• 16: The Manhattan Transfer, the 10-time Grammy-winning masters of exceedingly stylish two-guy-two-girl harmony.

• 19: Footloose, in which the hit stage treatment of the 1984 Kevin Bacon movie musical finally steps lightly onto a B-N stage.

May

• 2: Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show, the "Carol Burnett Show's" scene-stealing second banana recreates her most famous character, Thelma Harper, and trades personas with herself on stage.

• 3: Pinkalicious: The Musical, a touring version of the popular children's tome.

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Today's the day

Tickets for the 2008-9 Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts season go on sale beginning at 10 a.m. today. Here are some things worth knowing:

• Prices for the 32 shows range anywhere from $18.50 to $52.50, depending on show and seating zone.

• A 15 percent discount is available on regular-priced tickets when ordering four or more shows on the season schedule.

• Additional discounts are available for groups of 15 or more.

• Box office hours at 110 E. Mulberry St. are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and two hours before each show.

• Tickets are available by phone at (309) 434-2777 or (866) 686-9541.

• Tickets are available online at www.artsblooming.org

• Tickets are available via fax, with order forms faxed to (309) 434-2791.

• Tickets are available via snail mail by mailing order forms to BCPA Box Office, 110 E. Mulberry St., Bloomington, IL 61701.

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High fives

Following are the top five shows from the BCPA's first two seasons:

2006-07

1. Kathy Griffin, comedian

2. "In the Mood," big band/swing music revue

3. Capitol Steps, comedy troupe

4. Aaron Neville, pop-R&B singer

5. Beau Soleil avec Michael Doucet, Cajun band

2007-08

1. Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

2. "Cats," touring musical

3. "Mark Twain Tonight," Hal Holbrook one-man show

4. Indigo Girls, folk duo

5. Gaelic Storm, Irish band