James W. Miller Auditorium is a performance venue at

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers ...

in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It opened on January 12, 1968, with a ceremony that included WMU's third president, James W. Miller, for whom the auditorium was later renamed. With a

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

of 3,497, Miller Auditorium is the fifth-largest auditorium in

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

, after the Fox Theatre, Masonic Temple,

Hill Auditorium Hill Auditorium is the largest performance venue on the University of Michigan campus, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The auditorium was named in honor of Arthur Hill (1847-1909), who served as a regent of the university from 1901 to 1909. He bequeath ...

and MSU Concert Auditorium. Miller Auditorium has three separate seating sections, the Orchestra level, the Grand Tier level and the Balcony level. Each seating level is divided into two seating areas: left and right. Miller Auditorium employs students from the University, some as part of Work Study. The performances are also staffed in large part by volunteers from the community known as the Usher Corps. Miller Auditorium is host to several kinds of performances. A Western Michigan University student organization known as the Campus Activities Board (CAB) brings in several performances each year, usually offering a discounted price for students. The CAB events run the gamut from Miller Movies (newer movies, generally costing $1 with student ID) to comedians and other speakers. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra routinely plays shows throughout the year at Miller. Several

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

shows come through Miller's doors every year, the likes of which have included: ''

The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pier ...

'', ''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

'', ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...

'', ''

Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...

'' and ''

Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...

''. Miller has also hosted

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

, Bruce Springsteen,

Jeff Corwin Jeffrey Corwin (born July 11, 1967) is an American biologist and wildlife conservationist, known for hosting Disney Channel's '' Going Wild with Jeff Corwin'', ''The Jeff Corwin Experience'' on Animal Planet, ABC's ''Ocean Mysteries with J ...

, Dave Chappelle, Colin Mochrie and

Brad Sherwood Bradley Sherwood is an American actor, singer, comedian, game show host and writer. Career His first acting job was a recurring role on '' L.A. Law'' as Ned Barron, which lasted for six episodes from 1991 to 1992. Sherwood was introduced to i ...

. Every year, Miller Auditorium is also host to the three Western Michigan University commencement ceremonies, in addition to hosting ceremonies for the local community college and various secondary schools in the area. The auditorium is available for rent by community groups.

References

External links

Official web site
Western Michigan University Buildings and structures in Kalamazoo, Michigan Tourist attractions in Kalamazoo, Michigan Concert halls in Michigan {{US-theat-struct-stub