News
Posted: February 20, 2012
FROM THE VISIONARY CREATOR OF
THE TONY AWARD-WINNING
MOVIN' OUT
COMES THE NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
COME FLY AWAY
Conceived, Choreographed and Directed
by
TWYLA THARP
Vocals
by
FRANK SINATRA
The new Broadway musical, COME FLY AWAY, conceived, choreographed, and directed by Tony Award-winner Twyla Tharp and by special arrangement with the Frank Sinatra Family and Frank Sinatra Enterprises, will open at the Lexington Opera House for five performances on Friday, March 9 through Sunday, March 11.
Co-Presented by Broadway Live and Blue Grass Airport, tickets range from $25 - $80 and are on sale now at the Lexington Center Ticket Office (859) 233-3535 and all Ticketmaster Outlets.
COME FLY AWAY follows four couples as they fall in and out of love during one song and dance filled evening at a crowded nightclub. Blending the legendary vocals of Frank Sinatra with a live on-stage big band and 14 of the world's finest dancers, COME FLY AWAY weaves an unparalleled hit parade of classics, including "Fly Me To The Moon," "My Way," and "That's Life," into a soaring musical fantasy of romance and seduction.
Charles Isherwood of The New York Times calls COME FLY AWAY, "SPECTACULAR and DAZZLING! This is a MAJOR new work, with a stage full of BRILLIANT performers. Twyla Tharp's ELECTRIFYING celebration of the music of Frank Sinatra will sweep you up in a complete spell." Linda Winer of Newsday calls the show "A DANGEROUSLY GORGEOUS DANCE ADVENTURE," while Michael Kuchwara of the Associated Press calls the show "ASTONISHING -- A love letter to romance, not to mention the man and his music, with eight MARVELOUS leads and an orchestra of STERLING musicians." And Richard Zoglin of Time Magazine states simply, "COME FLY AWAY delivers the PUREST JOLT OF PLEASURE to be found on a Broadway stage."
The show's score combines classic and newly discovered vocal performances from the Sinatra archives, along with Sinatra's signature arrangements by Nelson Riddle, Billy May and Quincy Jones, among others, and brand new charts, for this fresh innovative musical.
COME FLY AWAY, which premiered at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA in September 2009 and opened on Broadway in March 2010, is the next and most elaborate chapter in one of the most fruitful collaborations in contemporary dance. Twyla Tharp's creative relationship with the music of Frank Sinatra began in 1976 with the premiere of Once More Frank, a duet created for the American Ballet Theatre, performed by Ms. Tharp and Mikhail Baryshnikov. The collaboration continued with Nine Sinatra Songs, Ms. Tharp's acclaimed piece for fourteen dancers, which had its world premiere with Twyla Tharp Dance in 1982, and was followed by Sinatra Suite, a duet featuring Mr. Baryshnikov and Elaine Kudo, which had its world premiere in 1984 with American Ballet Theatre at the Kennedy Center. Mr. Sinatra requested that Sinatra Suite be performed when he received his Kennedy Center Honors Award, citing it as one of the purest expressions of his body of work.
COME FLY AWAY features scenic design by James Youmans, costume design by Katherine Roth, lighting design by Donald Holder, and sound design by Peter McBoyle. Additional arrangements and orchestrations are by Dave Pierce and Don Sebesky. Music supervision is by Dave Pierce.
COME FLY AWAY is produced on tour by Nederlander Presentations, Inc., by special arrangement with the Frank Sinatra Family and Frank Sinatra Enterprises.
BIOGRAPHIES
One of the most accomplished and versatile artists working today, TWYLA THARP has created groundbreaking work in ballet, modern dance and on Broadway, in addition to her successes in film and television. She is also the author of three books. Since graduating from Barnard College in 1963, Ms. Tharp has choreographed more than 135 dances, five Hollywood movies and directed and choreographed four Broadway shows. She received one Tony Award, two Emmy Awards, 19 honorary doctorates, the Vietnam Veterans of America President's Award, the 2004 National Medal of the Arts, the 2008 Jerome Robbins Prize, and a 2008 Kennedy Center Honor. Her many grants include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1965 Ms. Tharp founded her dance company Twyla Tharp Dance. In addition to choreographing for her own company, she has created dances for the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the Paris Opera Ballet, the Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, Boston Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance, the Martha Graham Dance Company, Miami City Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Ms. Tharp's work first appeared on Broadway in 1980 with When We Were Very Young, followed in 1981 by her collaboration with David Byrne on The Catherine Wheel at the Winter Garden. Her 1985 production of Singin' in the Rain played at the Gershwin and was followed by an extensive national tour. In 2002, Ms. Tharp's award-winning dance musical Movin' Out, set to the music and lyrics of Billy Joel, premiered at the Richard Rodgers, where it ran for three years. A national tour opened in 2004 and also ran for three years. For Movin' Out Ms. Tharp received the 2003 Tony Award, the 2003 Astaire Award, the Drama League Award for Sustained Achievement in Musical Theatre and both the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Choreography. For the London production Ms. Tharp won the Best Choreography (Musical Theatre) Award of the UK's Critics Circle National Dance Awards 2006. In 2006 Ms. Tharp worked with Bob Dylan's music and lyrics to create The Times They Are A-Changin' which played at the Brooks Atkinson. In film Ms. Tharp has collaborated with director Milos Forman on Hair in 1978, Ragtime in 1980 and Amadeus in 1984; with Taylor Hackford on White Nights in 1985; and with James Brooks on I'll Do Anything in 1994. Her television credits include choreographing Sue's Leg for the inaugural episode of PBS' "Dance in America"; co-producing and directing "Making Television Dance," which won the Chicago International Film Festival Award; and directing "The Catherine Wheel" for BBC Television. Ms. Tharp co-directed the television special "Baryshnikov by Tharp," which won two Emmy Awards as well as the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Director Achievement. In 1992 Ms. Tharp wrote her autobiography, Push Comes to Shove. In 2003 she wrote The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life and in 2009 The Collaborative Habit: Life Lessons for Working Together, both of which were published by Simon and Schuster. Today Ms. Tharp continues to create.
FRANK SINATRA is one of the world's most recognizable, admired and influential artists of all time, with a vast catalogue of music that is a soundtrack for our lives. Long acclaimed as the world's greatest performer of popular music, he is the artist who set the standard for all others to follow. More than a singer, he was an actor, recording artist, nightclub and concert star, radio and television personality and, on occasion, producer, director and conductor. A beloved entertainer for six decades, Sinatra earned three Oscars, three Golden Globes (including the Cecil B. DeMille Award), ten personal Grammys (and a total of 20 for his albums), an Emmy, a Peabody and the Kennedy Center Honors Award. A generous charitable contributor, he was honored with the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In addition, Sinatra was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor and the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress' highest civilian award. Besides recording nearly 1,500 songs, he starred in some 60 motion pictures. Frank Sinatra has been called the most popular entertainer of the 20th century. His popularity and legions of fans around the world span all ages and demographic groups.
COME FLY AWAY will be performed at the Lexington Opera House on the following schedule: Friday, March 9 at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, March 10 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 11 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.. Tickets can be purchased at the Lexington Cetner Ticket Office, (859) 233-3535 or Ticketmaster.com
For additional information, please visit www.comeflyaway.com or www.lexingtonoperahouse.com
Posted: January 26, 2012
LEXINGTON IS GETTING A MAKE-OGRE!
Broadway Live and Saint Joseph Health System
Present:
SHREK THE MUSICAL
TO PLAY FOR FIVE PERFORMANCES,
Family Friendly Start Times 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY 17th – 19th AT THE LEXINGTON OPERA HOUSE
DreamWorks Theatricals and NETworks Presentations, LLC are pleased to announce that SHREK THE MUSICAL with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori, will play the Lexington Opera House, for 5 performances February 17 – 19, 2012. Tickets are on sale now, available at the Lexington Center Ticket Office (859) 233-3535 or Ticketmaster.com
Presented by Broadway Live and Saint Joseph Health System, SHREK THE MUSICAL is an entirely new musical, which opened on Broadway December, 2009. SHREK THE MUSICAL is based on the story and characters from William Steig's book Shrek!, as well as the DreamWorks Animation film Shrek, the first chapter of the Shrek movie series.
SHREK THE MUSICAL tells the story of a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure to reclaim the deed to his land. Joined by a wise-cracking donkey, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon, rescues a feisty princess, and learns that real friendship and true love aren't only found in fairy tales.
The role of everyone's favorite ogre, Shrek will be played by Lukas Poost. Liz Shivener will play the feisty Princess Fiona. André Jordan is Shrek's lovably annoying best friend Donkey and Merritt David Janes plays the vertically challenged villain Lord Farquaad.
Rounding out the cast of misfit fairy tale characters, the peoples of Duloc and Far, Far Away are: Willie Dee, Annie Fitch, Susan Leilani Gearou, Kelly Teal Goyette, Alexa Kerner, Rachel Khutorsky, Schuyler Midgett, Lyonel Reneau, Adam Steiner, Erin Sullivan, Chase Todd, Sarah Tranchina, Nadia Vynnytsky, Ryan Everett Wood, Chris Woods, Luke Yellin, Ian Frazier, Mara Gabrielle, Ryan Rubek and Laura Smith.
"We are thrilled to send SHREK THE MUSICAL to theatres across the country," said Bill Damaschke, President of DreamWorks Theatricals, "and for American families to experience their favorite ogre and fairy tale creatures live on stage."
SHREK THE MUSICAL features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize® winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Good People), music by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Caroline, or Change). SHREK THE MUSICAL is directed by Stephen Sposito who recently served as Associated Director of the current Broadway revival How To Succeed In Business starring Daniel Radcliff. Sets and costumes are based on the Tony Award® winner designs by Tim Hatley (Private Lives, Spamalot) and Chris Bailey will recreate the originalow To Succeed In Business starddd choreography by Josh Prince (The Bridge Project, The Jerry Springer Opera).
SHREK THE MUSICAL was initiated when Sam Mendes, a big fan of the first Shrek film, suggested the idea of creating a musical to DreamWorks Animation's Jeffrey Katzenberg around the time the second film was in production. The musical is produced by NETworks Presentations, LLC.
NETworks Presentations, LLC (Producer) was founded in 1995 by Kenneth Gentry, Seth Wenig and Scott Jackson. NETworks has produced and managed over 80 national and international touring productions. Previous productions: Little Women starring Maureen McGovern; Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt and Deborah Gibson; Fosse starring Ben Vereen and Ruthie Henshall; The Light in the Piazza; My Fair Lady co-produced with Cameron Mackintosh; Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!; Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake; Annie; Hairspray; The Wizard of Oz, Handel's Messiah Rocks, Spring Awakening, A Chorus Line and many others. Joining returning productions of Disney's Beauty and the Beast; Young Frankenstein; Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, based on Lincoln Center Theater Production; Blue Man Group National Tour and The New 25th Anniversary Tour of Les Misérables this season are Shrek The Musical, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins and Lincoln Center Theater production of War Horse touring the U.S.
SHREK THE MUSICAL will open on Friday, February 17 at 7 p.m, with four additional performances on Saturday, February 18 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 19 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The Sunday evening performance will kick off the new Broadway Buddies program which introduces professional theater to underserved youth groups in the community by providing free tickets, an educational program which includes a theater etiquette class and back stage tour of the Opera House.
Tickets to SHREK THE MUSICAL range from $25 - $85, are on sale now and available at the Lexington Center Ticket Office (859) 233-3535, Ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster Outlets. Groups of 10 or more should call (859) 233-4567 ext.3292.
The chart-topping original Broadway cast album for SHREK THE MUSICAL is available on Decca Broadway.
Posted: December 5, 2011
Broadway Live Announces New Initiative: BROADWAY BUDDIES To Launch with SHREK THE MUSICAL in February 2012
A new charitable arts and education program to introduce musical theatre to underserved youth in Lexington and surrounding counties was announced today by Broadway Live at the Opera House. "Broadway Buddies is a program designed to expose young audiences, who otherwise might not have the opportunity, to experience the art and magic of professional live theatre", explained Opera House Program Director Luanne Franklin. "Bringing youth to the Opera House helps to fulfill a long-term goal of Broadway Live," explained Franklin. Opera House Fund Board Member Linda Carey recently donated tickets to an upcoming Broadway Live production, which served as the inspiration to develop this new program. Broadway Live subscribers and corporate sponsors were invited to purchase or donate additional tickets for the cause. We are pleased to announce that we will be offering the first Broadway Buddies theatre experience to Shrek the Musical on Sunday, February 19th!
In addition to show tickets, selected youth groups and their chaperones will be offered a backstage tour of the Opera House, theatre etiquette education and study guides when available. "It is our hope to select one production each season for the Broadway Buddies program," Franklin said. Donations are still being accepted and additional sponsorships remain available. Representatives from youth groups interested in applying for participation in the Broadway Buddies program should contact Luanne Franklin at (859) 233-4567 ext.3286 or lfranklin@lexingtoncenter.com.
Posted: November 16, 2011
IN THE HEIGHTS COMES TO BROADWAY LIVE
AT THE LEXINGTON OPERA HOUSE
JANUARY 20 – 22!
GRAMMY® AWARD WINNER
TONY AWARD® WINNER:
BEST MUSICAL, BEST MUSIC AND LYRICS,
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY, BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
IN THE HEIGHTS, winner of four 2008 Tony Awards® and the 2008 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album, is coming to the Lexington Opera House in Lexington, KY from January 20 – 22 for five performances. Tickets are on-sale now and are available at the Lexington Center Ticket Office (859) 233-3535, ticketmaster.com or any Tickemaster Outlet.
Sponsored by Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky and Smiley Pete Publishing, IN THE HEIGHTS tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York's Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It's a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.
The Washington Post said IN THE HEIGHTS is "PURE BROADWAY. AN EVENING OF OLD-STYLE, INNOCENT PLEASURE" and Ben Brantley of The New York Times enthused IN THE HEIGHTS is "AN EXUBERANT, ANIMATED SHRINE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY TIES AND BEING FAITHFUL TO WHERE YOU COME FROM."
In addition to winning the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show's creator, won the Tony Award for Best Music and Lyrics, Andy Blankenbuehler won for Best Choreography, and Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman won for Best Orchestrations. The original cast recording won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
With a book by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominee Quiara Alegría Hudes and conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda, IN THE HEIGHTS is directed by Joseph A. Callaway Award-winner and Tony Award nominee Thomas Kail. The music arrangements are by Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman. IN THE HEIGHTS also features Tony nominated scenic design (Anna Louizos), costumes (Paul Tazewell), lighting (Howell Binkley), and sound (Acme Sound Partners).
IN THE HEIGHTS is produced by Work Light Productions.
For more information about IN THE HEIGHTS visit: www.InTheHeightsOnTour.com.
Posted: July 14, 2011
Lexington Opera House Seeks to Expand
Volunteer Usher and "Specialty of the House" Staff
Orientation and Training Session Scheduled For New Ushers on August 29
"Specialty of the House" Information Session Scheduled For August 24 and 29
Volunteers are needed to support a treasured community asset! The Lexington Opera House, located at 401 W. Short Street, is expanding its volunteer usher and "Specialty of the House" staff for the 2011-12 season.
Responsibilities for ushers include working at events produced by local arts groups as well as Broadway Live and Variety Live performances held at The Opera House.
No prior experience is necessary and training will be provided through an orientation session being offered on Monday, August 29 at 6:30 p.m. Please contact Tom Habermann to register: Thabermann@lexingtoncenter.com or call (859) 233-4567 ext.3289.
"Specialty of the House" volunteers prepare and serve meals to Broadway Live casts & crews, offering friendly, Southern hospitality and great home-cooked meals to the touring companies. Two information sessions to learn about the program will be held on Wednesday, August 24th and Monday, August 29th from 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at the Opera House. For more information, contact coordinator Patty Doyle: Patty_doyle2000@yahoo.com
Posted: June 30, 2011
ELVIS LIVES - "THE ULTIMATE ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST EVENT"
On Stage Touring, LLC, in association with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., announced today the performance dates and venues for the new theatrical concert experience ELVIS LIVES "The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Event." Capitalizing on the rave reviews of its initial debut as "The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Tour" in 2010, the touring production has been enhanced to capture the imaginations and interests of all types of fans including Broadway, concert and Elvis aficionados. The nationwide tour will kick off in Morganton, N.C., on January 14 and continue to more than 20 additional cities. Subscription tickets in select markets are currently on sale. Single ticket on sale dates for multiple markets will be announced soon.
ELVIS LIVES is an unforgettable multi-media and live musical journey across Elvis' life. His iconic style embraced by many of today's artists, continues to entertain audiences of all generations. Featuring finalists from Elvis Presley Enterprises' annual worldwide Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, these performers deliver a moving musical presentation of the greatest entertainer that ever lived. The Elvis tribute artists will be joined by a live band, back-up singers, dancers, and an Ann-Margret tribute artist, as well as iconic imagery made available from the Graceland archives.
"The partnership between On Stage Touring and Elvis Presley Enterprises provides the only authentic touring showcase of Elvis tribute artists for fans who want to experience the music and live performance charisma of one of the most popular recording artists in history," said Brian Brigner, Chief Operating Officer of On Stage. "The production showcases each performer portraying Elvis in one of four eras: the 1950s, 1960s, his movie career and his concert years, so it is the complete musical package."
"It's been exciting to see The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest spotlight some of the most talented Elvis tribute artists in the world," said Scott Williams, Vice President of Marketing for Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. "This tour will give even more Elvis fans around the nation an opportunity to see these talented entertainers and to experience what it was like to see Elvis on stage."
The Booking Group is the exclusive booking agency for ELVIS LIVES in North America. For more information regarding booking ELVIS LIVES, please contact Tracey McFarland at tmcfarland@thebookinggroup.com.
Posted: May 27, 2011
IT'S A 'MONSTER' 35TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON FOR BROADWAY LIVE AT THE OPERA HOUSE!
2011-2012 SEASON
BRINGS SIX GIANT TITLES TO LIFE!
Broadway Live's 35th Anniversary season was unveiled last night at the Opera House during the annual Season Announcement event. It's a Monster of a Season for 2011-12 with six GIANT shows! The new season features one classic family favorite and five titles direct from Broadway that should attract "theater-ogres" of all ages. Most of the season's offerings are multi-Tony nominated productions representing the highest quality that national touring musical theater companies have to offer.
"Every new season of Broadway Live is an opportunity to enjoy New York's finest Broadway shows - right here at the Lexington Opera House. The 2011-12 season is a thrilling array of celebrities and celebrated titles, brought together to celebrate our 35th year!" said Program Director Luanne Franklin.
In consideration of current economic conditions, subscription prices will remain the same and the popular 3-show Mini-Series will be available again with prices starting as low as $139 - a savings of $7 per ticket. Full Season Subscriptions, starting at $260, afford the highest discount with $10 off each ticket. Full and Mini Season Subscribers enjoy the first opportunity to purchase great seats before they go on sale to the general public.
Support for the season from the Lexington corporate community has also been very strong. Seven Co-presenters have been identified for the six Broadway Live presentations. They include: Clark Distributing/Miller/Coors, Saint Joseph Health System, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, KY, Blue Grass Airport, Smiley Pete Publishing, Central Bank, and Powell, Walton, Milward Insurance. Season Media sponsors for 2011-12 will include the Lexington Herald Leader, WKYT-TV and Clear Channel Broadcasting.
Broadway Live at the Opera House is one of the longest continuous running Broadway series in the country. In addition, the Lexington Opera House is celebrating its 125th anniversary. The Opera House is one of only fourteen historic theatres around the country, built before 1900 that is still being used as a theatrical venue.
Lexington Center CEO and President Bill Owen said, "The Lexington Opera House, built in 1886, has been in service for 125 years and continues to go strong. The Opera House Fund and the Lexington business community are to be commended for providing the necessary sponsorship dollars so that we may continue to offer fine facilities for intimate live stage performances presented by both national touring companies and the local performing arts community alike."
The 2011- 2012 Season
Peter Pan
September 23 - 25, 2011
Sponsored by: Central Bank
Tony Award nominee Cathy Rigby takes flight in an all-new production of Peter Pan! Discover the magic all over again of this two-time Emmy award winning and two-time Tony award nominated production. The New York Times says "Rigby still carries off the flights, fights and acrobatics that make Peter Pan audiences mesmerized." Peter Pan is filled with timeless magical moments and a captivating hook. The legend you thought you know, is now the adventure you never dreamed possible… Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan!
"Peter Pan sparkles with fairy dust! Rigby has mastered the boy who wouldn't grow up." - Washington Post
Young Frankenstein
November 4 - 6, 2011
Sponsored by: Clark Distributing/Miller/Coors
The classic Mel Brooks movie is ALIVE...and it's headed here. This wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Frankenstein legend follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein (that's Fronkensteen) as he attempts to create a monster--but not without scary and hilarious complications. The brains behind the laughter is mad genius and three- time Tony(r) winner Mel Brooks himself--who wrote the music and lyrics and co-wrote the book- along with his record-breaking team from The Producers: five-time Tony-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman and three-time Tony-winning writer, Thomas Meehan.
In The Heights
January 20 - 22, 2012
Sponsored by: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky & Smiley Pete Publishing
This 2008 Tony Award-winning Best Musical is a moving, funny, and uplifting new show about a community of hard-working immigrants seeking a better life and trying to find their place - their home - in their new country. With a remarkable young cast, thrilling Tony® Award-winning dancing and a dynamic Tony® Award-winning score, In the Heights is an exhilarating journey into a vibrant Manhattan community - a place where the coffee is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. Experience the next chapter of the classic American story at the most joyous and exciting musical on Broadway.
Shrek the Musical
February 17 - 19, 2012
Sponsored by: Saint Joseph Health System
SHREK THE MUSICAL, based on the Oscar® -winning DreamWorks film that started it all, brings the hilarious story of everyone's favorite ogre to life on stage. In a faraway kingdom turned upside down, things get ugly when an unseemly ogre - not a handsome prince - shows up to rescue a feisty princess. Throw in a donkey who won't shut up, a villain with a SHORT temper, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you've got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there's one on hand… and his name is Shrek. Featuring a terrific score of 19 all-new songs, big laughs, great dancing and breathtaking scenery, WWOR-TV proclaims SHREK THE MUSICAL, "FAR, FAR AND AWAY THE FUNNIEST NEW MUSICAL ON BROADWAY!"
Come Fly Away
March 9 - 11, 2012
Sponsored by: Blue Grass Airport
Come Fly Away is the new Broadway musical that brings together the legendary vocals of FRANK SINATRA and the creative vision of Tony Award-winner TWYLA THARP (Movin' Out).
This one-of-a-kind experience combines the seductive vocals of "Ol' Blue Eyes" with the sizzling sound of a live on-stage big band and the visceral thrill of Tharp's choreography. As 14 of the world's best dancers tell the story of four couples falling in and out of love, you will experience the exhilaration of a first kiss, the excitement of a first dance, and the bittersweet moments of a first good-bye in a world of sparkling romance and astonishing beauty.
Come Fly Away features a host of beloved Sinatra classics, including "Fly Me to the Moon," "My Way," "New York, New York" and "Witchcraft."
The Midtown Men
April 27 - 29, 2012
Sponsored by: Powell, Walton, Milward Insurance
THE MIDTOWN MEN are Tony Award Winner Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard, and Tony nominee J. Robert Spencer - four stars from the original cast of the Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys.
The group's jump-to-your-feet show features top hits from a who's who of the '60s including The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, and The Four Seasons, whose story they brought to life every night on Broadway in Jersey Boys. "The 60s produced some of the greatest songs ever written," says THE MIDTOWN MEN'S Christian Hoff, who won the Tony Award for his portrayal of Four Seasons bad boy Tommy DeVito, "so we're having a ball adding our own style to those great songs everyone loves." Their fans agree-in one week last summer over 45,000 people of all ages came out to enjoy their incredible vocal style and legendary onstage chemistry.
Posted: May 18, 2011
IT'S A 'MONSTER' OF A SEASON FOR THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF BROADWAY LIVE AT THE OPERA HOUSE!
2011-2012 SEASON TO BE ANNOUNCED ON THURSDAY, MAY 26!
Broadway Live's 35th Anniversary season will be unveiled on Thursday, May 26, 7:30 p.m. at the Opera House during its annual Season Announcement Event.
According to Opera House Program Director Luanne Franklin, "It's a 'Monster' of a Season that will celebrate and commemorate two BIG anniversaries: 35 years of Broadway Live at the Opera House and the 125th birthday of the Lexington Opera House."
The evening will feature advance previews of the upcoming national touring shows performed on the Opera House stage by local Lexington talent: Vocalists from UK Opera Theatre, dancers from Kentucky Ballet Theatre, Town and Village School of Dance and Broadway stage and national tour veterans Lyndy Franklin and Jeromy Smith. Visiting hometown guest artists Kristen Owen and Business Lexington Editor Tom Martin will emcee the event. After the show, the audience will be invited on stage for a dessert reception sponsored by South Van Catering and Equus Run Winery.
Dancing to the music of BAJA (Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors) will complete the evening.
According to Franklin, "This event is designed to present the new Broadway Live season to the community in a fun and festive way. We are so honored to have Kristen Owen make a special trip home to help us kick off the new season… It's a very exciting lineup of new shows to unveil."
The evening is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about the new season. For more information about this event contact the Lexington Center at (859) 233-4567, or call (859) 233-4567 ext.3287 to make a reservation.
Posted: April 25, 2011
AMERICA'S FAVORITE COWBOYS
RIDERS IN THE SKY
COMING TO THE LEXINGTON OPERA HOUSE, JUNE 3
TICKETS ON-SALE FRIDAY, APRIL 29TH
For thirty years Riders In The Sky have been keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, reviving and revitalizing the genre. And while remaining true to the integrity of Western music, they have themselves become modern-day icons by branding the genre with their own legendary wacky humor and way-out Western wit, and all along encouraging buckaroos and buckarettes to live life "The Cowboy Way!" Riders In The Sky are exceptional not just in the sense that their music is of superlative standards (they are the ONLY exclusively Western artist to have won a Grammy, and Riders have won two), but by the fact that their accomplishments are an exception to the rule as well.
As a classic cowboy quartet, the trail has led them to heights they could have never predicted. Riders have chalked up over 5400 concert appearances in all 50 states and 10 countries, appearing in venues everywhere from the Nashville National Guard Armory to Carnegie Hall, and from county fairs to the Hollywood Bowl. Their cowboy charisma and comedic flair made them naturals for TV, and landed them their own weekly show on TNN, as well as a Saturday morning series on CBS. They have been guests on countless TV specials, documentaries and variety shows, appearing with everyone from Barney to Penn & Teller. And their animated likenesses have shared the screen with Daffy Duck on the Cartoon Network, and the Disney Channel's Stanley. If you consider their compositional credits, one might call them "Writers In The Sky!" In addition to penning award winning songs for their own albums, they wrote the score for Pixar Animation's 2002 Academy Award-winning short "For the Birds." They composed the theme song for the internet cartoon show "Thomas Timberwolf" by renowned Bugs Bunny creator Chuck Jones. But the animated character that history will most certainly link to Riders In The Sky is the loveable cowboy Woody, as Riders performed "Woody's Round Up" in "Toy Story 2," with the album of the same name garnering Riders their first Grammy Award in 2001 for "Best Musical Album for Children." Two years later, Riders roped their second Grammy in the same category, for "Monsters Inc. - Scream Factory Favorites," the companion CD to Pixar's award-winning movie.
Exceptional artists also appeal to a diverse and broad-based cross section of their adoring public. Riders In The Sky's music and comedy delights cowboys and cowgirls of all ages, and from all walks of life. Riders are equally at ease amusing a theatre full of children as they are enthralling a symphony audience accompanied by 50 or 60 classically trained instrumentalists, or even an NCO club full of servicemen during a USO Tour. Riders have performed at the White House for both Democratic and Republican administrations, and at Major League Baseball's winter meetings for both American and National Leagues (although with an admitted bias for the Detroit Tigers). With their ability to persuade cowpokes on both sides of the fence to set aside their differences for a brief escape from day-to-day tribulations, is it any wonder that Riders have a virtual home called "Harmony Ranch?"
Ultimately, exceptional careers do not go unnoticed, and throughout theirs, Riders In The Sky have been honored regularly. In addition to being inducted into the Grand Ol' Opry, Riders are in the Western Music Association's Hall of Fame, the Country Music Foundation's Walkway of Stars, and the Walk of Western Stars (in Newhall, CA near Melody Ranch Studios) along with Gene, Roy, John Wayne and other cowboy legends. No less important than their two Grammies, Riders have been the Western Music Association's "Entertainers Of the Year" six times, and won "Traditional Group of the Year" and "Traditional Album of the Year" multiple times. The Academy of Western Artists has named them "Western Music Group of the Year" twice in 5 years, and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum has bestowed Riders with their Wrangler Award statuette three times. It comes as no surprise then that Billboard magazine's Jim Bessman counts them as one of "the most historically significant acts in the history of American music."
Yes, it would be "The Easy Way" to call it a career after 30 years, but it wouldn't be "The Cowboy Way!" And so, the never-ending trail drive continues. The ponies are rested and watered, and America's Favorite Cowboys are ready to saddle up and ride, bringing good beef to hungry people wherever they may be. Yes, Riders In The Sky are truly an exception to the rule.
RIDERS IN THE SKY
With special guests
CHRIS HILLMAND & HERB PEDERSEN
LEXINGTON OPERA HOUSE
FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2011 | 7:30PM
Ticket locations
LEXINGTON CENTER BOX OFFICE & ALL TICKETMASTER LOCATIONS, TICKETMASTER.COM , OR BY PHONE AT 800-745-3000
Ticket prices
$28.50 advance / $30 day of show (plus applicable fees)
Children 12 and under receive $10 discount (available in person at Lexington Center box office only)
More information
ridersinthesky.com | lexingtonoperahouse.com | nationalshows2.com
Posted: April 22, 2011
PARAGON MUSIC THEATRE BIDS FAREWELL WITH ITS PRODUCTION OF GYPSY
Paragon Music Theatre, Lexington's own music theatre production company, is pleased to announce its production of Gypsy, "A Musical Fable," and a jazz extravaganza! Performances will be held at the Lexington Opera House, May 13 and 14 at 8 PM and May 14 and 15 at 3 PM.
Tickets can be purchased at the Rupp Arena box office or at any other ticketmaster location; or by calling (859) 233-3535 or 233-3565.
$28 Adults, $22 Senior Citizens and Groups, $15 Students, and $10 Children.
This production will have special meaning for Paragon's cast, crew, and patrons as Ryan Shirar, Paragon's Executive Director and Music Director, has announced he will be leaving Lexington at the end of the summer. He was offered, and has accepted a full scholarship in graduate studies at
The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. As such, Gypsy will be Paragon's final huge show for now, and future plans for Paragon are uncertain. As a fitting farewell to Ryan, Gypsy will showcase the largest Paragon pit orchestra of any Paragon production to date along with featuring some of Central Kentucky's best talent on stage. We hope you will join us as our way of showing our appreciation to Ryan for providing an opportunity for all of these talents to shine over the past years.
Gypsy romanticizes life in musical theater's earliest roots: vaudeville and burlesque. The overture to Gypsy is considered to be the best in all Broadway history, and the credit must go to the orchestrators, Sid Ramin (West Side Story) and Robert Gintzler (Bye Bye Birdie), who by this point were working at the top of their game. They turned "sound of [Broadway] music" away from Rodgers and Hammerstein and instead entered the bold and brassy world of jazz!
Gypsy provides us with fun, multidimensional characters who all want something desperately. . . and that provides the show with an immense dramatic drive yielding one of the most heartfelt, truthful musicals of all time. Stir in what many consider to be the finest Broadway score ever written, and you get one rousing show that is as humorous as the best musical comedy ever written and as dramatic as anything in grand opera.
Robyn Peterman-Zahn, Paragon's artistic director, leads this stellar cast in this production and will be assisted by choreographer Diana Evans Pulliam and music director Ryan Shirar. It will certainly be an artistic event you will not want to miss! "May we entertain you!"
Visit www.paragonmusictheatre.org for more information.
Posted: February 16, 2011
LEXINGTON GOES BLONDE!
LEGALLY BLONDE WILL DEBUT AT THE LEXINGTON OPERA HOUSE ON APRIL 15 - 17
THE NATIONAL TOUR OF LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL, sponsored by Powell, Walton, Milward Insurance and presented by Broadway Live and The Opera House Fund, will open at The Lexington Opera House on April 15 and will play through April 17 for five performances.
Sorority star Elle Woods doesn't take "no" for an answer. So when her boyfriend dumps her for someone more "serious," Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law. Along the way, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style.
In its first year on Broadway, LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL earned seven 2007 Tony Award nominations, ten 2007 Drama Desk Award Nominations, and a 2007 Outer Critics Circle Award. The musical also ranked in the top ten list of the most requested Ticketmaster "Arts & Theatre Events" for 2007. LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL received three 2009 Touring Broadway Awards in New York City on May 4, 2009. The show won awards for Best New Musical, Best Production Design and Best Choreography of a Touring Production.
In the fall of 2007, MTV aired LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL in its entirety to stellar ratings and was subsequently nominated for two 2007-2008 Daytime Emmy Awards.
As on Broadway, Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell is the director and choreographer. Music and lyrics are by both Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, and the book is by Heather Hach.
LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL will take you from the sorority house to the halls of justice with Broadway's brightest new heroine (and of course, her chihuahua, Bruiser). The verdict? This much fun shouldn't be legal!
Tickets range from $25 - $80 and are on sale at the Lexington Center Ticket Office (859) 233-3535, Ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster Outlets. Performances are Friday, April 15 at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 17 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. For more information visit www.lexingtonoperahouse.com
Posted: January 10, 2011
DIRECT FROM BROADWAY!
MAKES ITS DEBUT AT THE LEXINGTON OPERA HOUSE
MARCH 5 & 6 - TWO SHOWS ONLY!
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Direct from their phenomenally successful Broadway engagement, the internationally acclaimed Beatles concert, RAIN - A Tribute To The Beatles, makes its debut at the Lexington Opera House for two shows only March 5 & 6.
As "the next best thing to seeing The Beatles!" (Associated Press), RAIN performs the full range of The Beatles' discography live onstage, including the most complex and challenging songs that The Beatles themselves recorded in the studio but never performed for an audience. Together longer than The Beatles, RAIN has mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance that's as infectious as it is transporting. From the early hits to later classics (I Want To Hold Your Hand, Hard Day's Night, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Let It Be, Come Together, Hey Jude and more), this adoring tribute will take you back to a time when all you needed was love, and a little help from your friends!
"The Beatles are back!" -Variety
"The audience is enraptured. They get a chance to sing along, twist and shout!" -The New York Times
"Just turn off your mind, relax and float downstream for a quick fix of nostalgic cheer!" -Entertainment Weekly
"A fun-filled family crowd-pleaser!" -Toronto Star
"A two-hour homage to pop music's most brilliant gem." -Los Angeles Times
"On their feet, with arms raised high above their heads, all in the audience were swaying and singing along in blissed-out, nostalgia-powered unison! -Chicago Sun-Times
"The enraptured audience relives the soundtrack of its life!" -Chicago Tribune
"RAIN creates musical nirvana…makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up! A thrilling bit of time-warping nostalgia...Boomer Heaven!" -Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"Uncanny! RAIN are a quartet of fine musicians in their own right… as The Beatles, they triumph!" -The Boston Herald
"An adoring Valentine to The Beatles!" -The Washington Post
"RAIN is a spectacular extravaganza…did the audience love it? Yeah, yeah, yeah!" -The Philadelphia Inquirer.
"Parents (and grandparents) and kids were on their feet bopping like crazy!" -The Courier Post
Like The Beatles, the onstage members of RAIN are not only supreme musicians, but electrifying performers in their own right.
Tickets range from $45 - $65 and can be purchased at the Lexington Center Ticket Office, (859) 233-3535 or any Ticketmaster Outlet. Discounts for groups of 10+, contact Jana Curd (859) 233-4567 ext.3292.
Become a fan of RAIN on Facebook and follow RAIN on Twitter @raintribute
Posted: January 10, 2011
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Kicks Up Its Heels at the Lexington Opera House!
5th Title of Broadway Live 2010-11 Season Runs February 11 - 13
"Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as...as a FIDDLER ON THE ROOF," announces Tevye, a humble milkman from the Russian village of Anatevka. And so begins a tale of love and laughter, devotion and defiance...and changing traditions.
Broadway Live and Blue Grass Airport present FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, the Tony Award® winning musical that has captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal, February 11 -13 for five performances at the Lexington Opera House. In what is a huge theatrical feat, audiences will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Jerome Robbins' original Broadway direction and choreography, starring veteran actor John Preece.
Tevye's wrestling with the new customs of a younger generation is punctuated by an unforgettable score that weaves the haunting strains of "Sunrise, Sunset" and the rousing "If I Were A Rich Man" with the exuberant "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" and triumphant "Tradition." When his daughters choose suitors who defy his idea of a proper match, Tevye comes to realize, through a series of incidents that are at once comic and bittersweet, that his children will begin traditions of their own. At the story's close, the villagers of Anatevka are forced to leave their homes and even the sturdy mores that have guided everyday life begin to crumble. Paradoxically, it is the enforced loss of the rigid traditions and home life that Tevye has tried so tenaciously to preserve that leads the family to reconcile and draw closer still.
A perennial hit since it first opened in 1964, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF has enjoyed critical acclaim for bringing to the stage a poignant story about the enduring bonds of the family. Now, the National Touring production of this timeless musical brings the wit and wisdom of Tevye and his family to audiences throughout the United States.
Mr. Preece has performed in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF over 3,100 times, 1,500 of which were in the role of Tevye the milkman, this production marks Mr. Preece's 9th national tour of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will be at the Lexington Opera House for five performances February 11 - 13. Tickets range from $25 - $80 and are available by calling the Lexington Center Ticket Office and all Ticketmaster locations. Discounts are available for groups of 10+ by calling Jana Curd (859) 233-4567 ext.3292.
Posted: January 7, 2011
CATS: AMERICA'S FAVORITE FAMILY MUSICAL
THE ONLY PRODUCTION IN NORTH AMERICA RETURNS TO THE OPERA HOUSE FOR THE 2010-2011 SEASON
The show that revolutionized musical theatre is coming to the Lexington Opera House in Lexington, KY for three performances March 18 and 19, 2011. Presented by Variety Live, tickets go on sale on Monday, January 10 at the Lexington Center Ticket Office and all Ticketmaster locations or call (859) 233-3535 for more details.
Produced by CATS-Eye, LLC, the national tour of CATS is the only production in North America sanctioned by Andrew Lloyd Webber. With original direction by Trevor Nunn and choreography by Gillian Lynne this is the CATS credited with the British invasion of Broadway. The national tour of CATS is closing in on its 30th anniversary, holding its place as the longest continuously touring Broadway musical in history.
On May 11, 1981, CATS opened at the New London Theatre in the West End. Eight years later it celebrated its first important milestone: after 3,358 performances CATS became the longest running musical in the history of British theatre. CATS played its final performance on its 21st birthday, May 11, 2002.
CATS opened on Broadway October 7, 1982 at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City and continued to live up to its motto "Now and Forever." On June 19, 1997, CATS became the longest running musical on Broadway. It ended its 18 year run on September 10, 2000 with 7,485 performances. That record was broken by The Phantom of the Opera on January 9, 2006 when Phantom celebrated its 7,486th curtain.
Based on T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS won seven 1983 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting and Best Costumes.
In October of 1991 CATS became the longest continuously touring show in American theatre history. Five continents, 26 countries, over eight and a half million audience members and almost 30 years later, CATS is still America's most loved family musical. Celebrating not only its Broadway touring legacy but the birth of the musical spectacular, CATS is still revolutionary and awe inspiring.
Now that it was been seen by millions of audience members worldwide, it is time to celebrate with the whole family the magic, the mystery, the wonder of CATS.
Create a special 'memory' one more time.
