Yay and Meh, But Get Tickets Now
ATTPAC Broadway Series Announced
by Jayne Herring
The AT&T Performing Arts Center announced last night the 2014-2015 Broadway Series of shows coming to our city from the Great White Way. Booker T. Washington High School students dressed as late 19th-century newsboys were a conspicuous clue upon arrival. If that doesn't ring a bell, it’s the 1992 Disney film Newsies, about the 1899 New York City newsboys strike that was FINALLY turned into a Broadway musical in 2012 and garnered eight Tony Award nominations. The movie version starred a pre-Batman, pre- The Prestige, pre-American Psycho Christian Bale as Jack "Cowboy" Kelly, who has had my heart ever since. Now that I think about it, maybe that's why I ended up marrying a Texan? Newsies, winner of the 2012 Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Choreography (even without Christian), will be here April 29th-May 10th, 2015.
Seize the day, Dallasites. But what else are we getting? ATTPAC President & CEO Doug Curtis and CBS11's Teresa Frosini filled us in:
- Motown the Musical is the celebration of music that transformed America." Coming July 21- August 9, 2015. The crowd was pleased. Newsies! Ok we knew that. More applause
- Annie. As a mother of a little girl, this is exciting. We watch the Carol Burnett/Bernadette Peters/Ann Reinking/Albert Finey/Tim Curry, etc. version weekly, and who doesn't love that? I'm in. And so was the audience. Look for it June 23- July 5, 2015
- ONCE. Gasps. Ok, this is the one that got ME, the jaded New Yorker, excited. Like, tears in my eyes can't wait to book my tickets because I wanted to see it on Broadway and tried to see it on Broadway and it never worked out but now it's coming to my new home city excited. NOBODY GET YOUR TICKETS YET until I buy mine. Consider yourself warned. Based on a 2006 Irish musical film of the same name that won the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song. The cast IS the orchestra in this one; I'm just sayin'. So yeah, I'm good at this point. On stage December 17-28, 2014
- The Book Of Mormon is coming back. If you have never seen this you should. You will be insulted at some point, but so will everyone around you. It is offensive in all of the best ways, and it will sell out. (This announcement was greeted with huge applause because they/we all know that.) And I will most likely pay whatever it takes to see it again because my abs still hurt from the last time I saw it. Just go ahead and skip your workout that day
- Matilda the Musical has already been announced for 2015-2016. It’s still running in New York and London, and was named the Time Magazine #1 Show of the Year. Very cool.
Annie will take the stage June 23- July 5, 2015
The Book of Mormon will be a non-subscription special, so that meant there was one more show to be announced. It was a big moment with a lot of build up; what was the big surprise? Suddenly the chandelier above us in the Winspear turned bright red, and that all-too-familiar organ music started…
- The Phantom of the Opera. Some of you might be really excited about this because you haven't contributed to the FIVE POINT SIX BILLION DOLLARS that Phantom has grossed worldwide since 1986. For myself, the announcement was a big ho hum. It’s the show the tourists who don’t know any better go to see when they visit New York for the first time and certainly wasn’t worth the gasping and cheering around me. Was it? Well apparently this production will feature a NEW scenic design, and many new "exciting special effects including the show's legendary chandelier.” Two performers and the resident director were on stage to give us a preview and a panel discussion of what to expect, and color me intrigued. It may warrant another view. And for goodness sake if you haven't seen the show yet, here is your chance. After this I have no pity. It's theater HISTORY for gawd’s sake.
So there you have it. What do I recommend, honestly? Don't miss Book of Mormon if you haven't seen it yet. Our great grandchildren will still be talking about it, and I've never met anyone who hasn't enjoyed it after getting over being offended. After that, definitely Once, the winner of eight Tony Awards including best musical. If you have kids, particularly little girls, you can't miss the classic Annie. Newsies might be headed in that direction too, so I'd give that a shot, particularly if you have little boys or if you're into choreography. I've heard great things about Motown the Musical and if you love that genre of music then go for it. Phantom I'm on the fence about; but as I said if you've never seen it then by all means. I have a feeling there will be enough ticket buyers to keep the rest of us away regardless, and seeing it in our Winspear Opera House will be a special experience. Doug Curtis said, "There's something for everyone," and I completely agree.
To recap:
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, August 6 – 24, 2014
ONCE, December 17 – 28, 2014
NEWSIES, April 29 – May 10, 2015
ANNIE, June 23 – July 5, 2015
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, July 21 – August 9, 2015
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND, THE BOOK OF MORMON, February 10 – 22, 2015
MATILDA THE MUSCIAL Coming in the 2015/2016 Season – dates to be announced
For more information, to get tickets, or to make a donation to the AT&T Performing Arts Center, visit www.attpac.org.