Revivals – Better the Second Time Around

Producing a Broadway musical is risky business. Producers have spent and lost millions of dollars trying to create the next big sensation. Mounting a full-stage musical is no easy task and trying to guess what audiences will want is daunting at best. Shows like DIRTY DANCING, XANADU and LEGALLY BLONDE succeed by tapping into an existing audience—fans of the film version—without jeopardizing the creative spirit necessary to pull together a brand new musical. Standing alongside the next new sensation on Broadway is the revival. Surprisingly, a well thought-out revival, re staged for a new generation of theatergoers, can on occasion eclipse the success of the original and out-live and out-gross many brand new musicals.

The musical CHICAGO, based on the 1926 play by Chicago Tribune reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, opened on Broadway June 3, 1975, and ran for a total of 936 performances before closing in August of 1977. Conceived by the legendary Bob Fosse, the show played to mixed reviews. Fosse reinvented the contemporary Broadway musical, adding vaudevillian flair. This interpretation pulled down the “fourth wall” between performers and the audience. This made audiences accustomed to more typical staging’s uncomfortable. Fosse was impeded further by the sudden illness of his star, Gwen Verdon, and by a new musical--A CHORUS LINE--which opened the same year.

In 1996, a stripped-down version of CHICAGO opened on Broadway to critical acclaim. Audiences were no longer shocked by the theme of criminal as celebrity and were more accustomed to the concert style of the show. In 1996, CHICAGO The Musical won 6 Tony Awards®, more than any revival in the history of Broadway at the time. It is the eighth-longest running musical of all time and is the longest running revival ever mounted. Since its opening in 1996, the show has had more than 5000 performances and is considered the most successful revival in Broadway history.

Some musicals see new life in revival in very unique ways; one such show is JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Created by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber as a double album, the show was first staged in 1971 at Southold High School in New York. At the same time “unauthorized” versions of the show were being produced, prompting Rice and Webber to work through the courts to shut down nearly 100 different productions before the show premiered on Broadway later that same year.

SUPERSTAR ran on Broadway until June of 1973, a total of 711 performances, and received five Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Featured Actor. It was revived in 1977 and again in 2000 with an updated look targeted toward a new generation. Neither revival achieved the same level of success as the original production. A National tour in 1972 featured Ted Neely in the role of Jesus. Neely went on to recreate the role in a 1973 film version and has since become synonymous with not only the show, but the role of Jesus. A total of five National tours have been hugely successful. SUPERSTAR enjoys a following many producers dream of and its story continues to be as relevant and thought-provoking now as it was nearly four decades ago.
A show that seems to be more successful with each revival is SWEENEY TODD. The story of SWEENEY TODD began as a Victorian melodrama entitled String of Pearls, but the modern take on the story is based on the 1973 play by British Playwright Christopher Bond. The well-known musical adaptation of the original play was created by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler. It opened on Broadway in March of 1979 starring Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou in the title roles of Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd. This incarnation of the story ran for a total of 557 performances winning nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Original Score.

A National tour in 1980 introduced the show to a larger audience, as did a filmed broadcast for PBS in 1982. SWEENEY TODD was revived on Broadway in 1989 and then again in 2005 starring Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris in the lead roles. Re staged by director John Doyle, the 2005 version was notable in that the actors were also the orchestra, playing their own instruments on stage. Doyle’s 2005 revival won six Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Direction and Best Orchestration.

The golden age of Broadway saw shows produced by Rogers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, Lerner and Lowe and Irving Berlin. In recent history, blockbusters like LES MISERABLES, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, THE LION KING and THE COLOR PURPLE have ushered in a new age of creativity and imagery, but the revival is still king. Currently revivals of GYPSY, GREASE, GUYS AND DOLLS and SOUTH PACIFIC treat audiences to a taste of what made Broadway great and play to sold out houses. Many look at the Broadway revival as a visit from an old trusted friend and sometimes, what was old can be new again.

Broadway Buzz - Billy Takes On Broadway

BILLY ELLIOT The Musical opened to rave reviews at the Imperial Theatre in New York November 13 after breaking box office records in London and Sydney. The show is based on the 2000 film and features music by Elton John, with the book and lyrics by the films writer Lee Hall.

Set against the backdrop of the coal miner’s strikes of Northern England in the eighties, the new musical tells the story of young Billy Elliot who discovers a talent and love of dance and follows his struggle for happiness and self-acceptance. But this version of the story has as much to do with the problems facing Elliot’s community as it does about his journey. The musical is more than just a carbon copy of the film, it is a reinterpretation and the producers, while hopeful fans of the film will come to the musical, aren’t counting on their attendance. Unlike many adaptations of film to musical, the creative team behind BILLY ELLIOT believes the musical stands on its own.

Living in Wichita and Looking For Something Cool To Do Before Thanksgiving?

Meet and interact with cast members of STOMP when they make a very special FREE pre-show appearance at Exploration Place Wednesday, November 26 at 1:00 p.m. Make sure and catch the "OUR BODY: The Universe Within at Exploration Place" exhibit and Save $5 on your ticket purchase for STOMP when you present your ticket stub from Exploration Place at the Century II Box Office!

Cynical 'Chicago' is my kind of town

Lawrence Toppman
From charlotteobserver.com
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008

A new national tour begins at the PAC, with Tom Wopat headlining and the terrific ensemble dominating the show.

When “Chicago” premiered on Broadway in 1975, Richard Nixon had recently made his humiliating exit from Washington.

During the 1996 revival, Bill Clinton was turning the White House into a hot-pillow motel.
A fresh national tour began Tuesday night in Charlotte, exactly one week after the last sleazy exchanges of the nastiest political season in recent memory.

Whatever the bizarre link between “Chicago” and politics may be, the musical’s sardonic outlook always seems to be timely. The new touring version, which is shiny and hard as a diamond, seems even colder and less sentimental than the New York productions I’ve seen.

Maybe the bleak world view of composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb (who wrote the book with original director Bob Fosse) applies even more to the 21st century, where we seek tawdrier titillation in the media to avoid the harsh realities of life. The show seems more than ever about us, the gullible and easily diverted public, than the connivers who are misleading us rubes.

If you, too, have long been familiar with the show, what will surprise you about the Charlotte run is the importance of the ensemble. Glittering stars Chita Rivera, Gwen Verdon and Jerry Orbach dominated the ’70s production. But strong as the leads are in this show, it’s the crackling precision of the chorus that immediately shifts you to the edge of the seat. Fosse’s hip-thrusting, pelvic-locking, derby-snapping choreography, now in its third generation, comes at us with the fast, clean sweep of a slicing razor.

That praise also applies to the crisp, robust, 13-piece orchestra, mounted on a stage platform like a band in a 1920s speakeasy. (And how satisfying it is to hear a stage orchestra with no synthesizer in it!) The musicians cluster around a set of steps that lead down and out of sight, possibly to a smoky basement where all illicit desires will be fulfilled.

From out of that darkness come Velma Kelly (throaty Terra MacLeod), the veteran murderess expecting to claim the attention of the Windy City with her upcoming trial; Roxie Hart (pert Bianca Marroquín), the newcomer who steals the attention of the press; Mama Morton (growly Roz Ryan), the warden who manages publicity campaigns for inmates; and Billy Flynn (genial Tom Wopat), the attorney who can’t be a shyster because there’s nothing shy about him. Oops – I almost forgot Amos, Roxie’s forgettable husband (played by Ben Elledge, who’s worth remembering for his one big number, “Mr. Cellophane”).

Old elements of the show still look fresh. Rock Hill native William Ivey Long got one of his 11 Tony nominations for the sexy costumes, and they always knock the eyes out. John Lee Beatty’s simple set, surrounded at the proscenium by a frame – justice is all a frame-up, right? – still raises a smile.

The tour needs tweaking in small ways. That fine orchestra occasionally covers the singers; the women cut through it, but Wopat’s agreeable baritone can get lost. The interaction between the stars and the conductor onstage seems a bit hokey, like something added to bring extra smiles to the provinces. (On the other hand, Ryan’s confident ogling of the audience in “When You’re Good to Mama” seems right.)

Overall, though, the show seems tuned up and ready to charge around America for many a year. Both sides of the political divide may have voted with fresh hope in this month’s election, but the nation’s deep-rooted vein of cynicism should survive for decades to come.

Click Here to Buy Tickets to Chicago in Mesa OR
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All That Jazz

Sarah Aarthun

From charlotteobserver.com
Wednesday, November 12, 2008

I'd be lying if I said I came home from "Chicago" (the musical, not the city) last night and went to bed.

In fact, I put on a pair of tights and Mary Janes and tap-danced my way around my apartment -- much to the dismay of my dog and my neighbor below me.

But that's what the infectious music of "Chicago" does to you.

The show -- the first in the new national tour -- opened last night at the Belk Theater, bringing a wide range of ages to the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. I saw one man in his 60s snorting with laughter at the show's bawdy humor while another young woman was singing along to all of the songs and excitedly telling her husband when her favorite parts were coming up.

An audible murmur went through the ladies in the audience when the female castmembers started "Cell Block Tango." "This is my favorite song!" they all whispered to their dates for the evening. (Perhaps the dates should have been worried: the song is about women who murdered their husbands/boyfriends with the catchy chorus "He had it comin'.")

I had previously seen only the movie version of "Chicago," which, while entertaining, seemed to drag in spots. I was happy to find that the stage version moves along at a nice pace, and I wasn't ready for it to end.

Scarvey review of 'Chicago': 'A show so splendiferous...'

Salisbury Post (Charlotte, NC)
Thursday, November 13, 2008

"You've got to razzle dazzle them." So goes a classic line from the musical "Chicago," which opened Tuesday night at the Belk Theater — the very first performance of the show's new national tour.

A black comedy set in the 1920s that debuted on Broadway in 1975 , the show shows no signs of becoming irrelevant.

The opening night audience in Charlotte — many of whom had probably seen the touring production two years ago — gave the cast a standing ovation.

"Chicago" follows the fortunes of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, both in the pokey awaiting trial for separate murders. With unrealized dreams of stardom, Roxie is basking in the white hot attention of the media, while Velma is conniving to regain the spotlight. Billy Flynn is the lawyer whose job it is to deflect attention from the women's obvious guilt.

During "Razzle Dazzle," which celebrates trial as tawdry theatre, a row of lights drops down on stage, so glaringly bright they have the effect of temporarily blinding the audience, i.e., the gullible public.

It's symbolic, of course, and stunningly effective — in a show that consistently entertains.
Tony-nominated actor Tom Wopat is the slick, cynical Billy Flynn, who knows a bit about flim-flamming a jury so it won't convict the cold-blooded trollops he's representing. Dukes of Hazzard fans may remember Wopat as Luke, the dark-haired Duke brother.

The set is simple and effective, dominated by the 13-piece orchestra that performs on the stage as though it's a smoke-filled speakeasy. The jazz music is fabulous, although at times the orchestra threatens to overwhelm Wopat's pleasant but less than muscular voice. Since Tuesday was the opening night of the tour, one assumes this is a sound glitch that can be remedied.

Roxie Hart is played by Bianca Marroquin. In such a big, electric cast, the petite actress manages to turn in a surprisingly nuanced performance, never overplaying her part. Her gift for physical comedy is immense, and she's particularly fun to watch as she flops around as a ventriloquist's dummy controlled by Flynn.

Terra MacLeod is appealing as the brassy Velma. She shines in "The Cell Block Tango," which features the incarcerated femmes fatale singing about how their male victims "had it coming" — for such unpardonable offenses as snapping gum after being asked to stop.

MacLeod wields her voice like a dominatrix brandishing a whip in this crowd-pleasing number.
Mama Morton, played by Roz Ryan (Queen Latifah in the movie version), is the warden who advises her inmates on how to parlay their sexy notoriousness to their advantage — for a profit, of course. Morton's performance of "When You're Good to Mama" is deliciously lascivious.
Ben Elledge is well-cast as Amos, Roxie's "cellophane" husband — who's so invisible that when he asks the orchestra leader to play his exit music, he's met with thunderous silence.

The chorus is crucial to the success of this show, and it's hard to take your eyes off these lean, sultry dancers, all thrusting pelvises and serpentine grace. They are remarkably in sync with one another, and the Fosse-inspired choreography is anything but stale.

"Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it/And the reaction will be passionate," sings Billy Flynn.
It's true — and fortunately, there's more than just flash in this production.

Sometimes You Gotta Dance!

In 1984, a film opened that would ultimately capture the feel of a decade and catapult its star, Kevin Bacon, to superstardom. Footloose, directed by Herbert Ross, was seen as a cross between James Dean's Rebel Without A Cause and the classic Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland musicals of the 40s and 50s.

The film is based on the true story of a small Oklahoma town's struggle against a 19th Century law that prohibited dancing within the city limits. The teenagers in town wanted a prom, but a local minister thought that dancing was a tool of the devil. This story of one person fighting against the system spoke to teens and adults alike, making Footloose one of the highest grossing films of 1984. Richard Corliss of Time Magazine, wrote that the film included "motifs on book burning, mid-life crisis, AWOL parents, fatal car crashes, drug enforcement and Bible Belt vigilantism," themes that spoke to a generation.

Even though Kevin Bacon is completely identified with the role, he was not the first choice for Ren McCormick. Producers originally considered Tom Cruise, but felt he was wrong physically. Rob Lowe auditioned but had to bow out due to a knee injury. Bacon ultimately secured the role, but not before he was asked to screen test in a fully filmed scene set to music. The role of Ariel, Reverend Moore's red-boot-wearing daughter, was offered to Lori Singer, who beat out Madonna. Rounding out the cast was Diane Wiest, John Lithgow, Chris Penn and a virtually unknown Sarah Jessica Parker.

Filmed entirely in Utah, Bacon researched his role by enrolling in Payson High School (where the school scenes were shot) as a transfer student, where he studied the kids in their natural habitat. For a week, he went to school like any other student and was treated in much the same way as his character in the film--as an outcast.

The soundtrack, featuring hits by Kenny Loggins, Ann Wilson, Sammy Hagar, Bonnie Tyler and Denise Williams was released the same year. Interestingly, none of the music, with the exception of the title track, was complete at the time of filming. All of the dance scenes were filmed with different music and the soundtrack was added during the editing process. The soundtrack went on to sell 9 million copies in the United States producing three top 10 hits.

The film takes a simple concept that could have come across as just another cheesy teen angst movie and combines it with great music to create one of the best-loved films of the genre. Its popularity helped spawn FOOTLOOSE the musical as well as, a film version of the musical, starring Zac Efron in 2010. Footloose has become a reflection of a generation that grew up in the 80s; it speaks to anyone who believes there is no sin in being young, having fun and getting to dance.



Check out our Web site to Buy Tickets Now for Footloose!

There is More to Broadway Than Just Musicals

The word Broadway conjures up images of musicals like OKLAHOMA!, LES MISERABLES or RENT. All are different forms of the same genre and all share common characteristics. By definition, a musical has a book, music and lyrics, but in the last several years, another form of musical theater has shared the spotlight--the special theatrical event.

The special theatrical event contains some of the traits found in a more traditional Broadway-style musical. It has music, sometimes lyrics but most don't have a book. Examples include the musical review, shows that feature performers like Dame Edna, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and non-traditional shows like the Blue Man Group, BLAST! and STOMP. Each has taken its turn on the Great White Way and has played to sold-out houses across the country.

Theatrical events have been around for years, but have never achieved the same level of notoriety as more classic forms of the musical. In 2001, the Tony Awards ® created a special event category in response to criticism to CONTACT winning the best musical award in 2000. Considered a "dance play", CONTACT featured no cast vocals, used recorded music and songs and minimal dialog. The show lacked all the ingredients found in a standard Broadway production. The theater world was not ready to classify the show as a musical, so the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing created a new award category, Best Special Theatrical Event.

The first winner in the new category was BLAST! in 2001. The show further stretched the boundaries of the genre by bringing the artistry and energy of the drumline to the stage. Since then, Broadway legends Elaine Stritch, Bea Arthur and Barbara Cook have shared the new category with Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam, Bill Maher and ventriloquist Jay Johnson giving credibility to this new genre.

The theater world has taken notice and now productions like CIRQUE DREAMS JUNGLE FANTASY, MOVIN' OUT and STOMP receive the well-deserved critical acclaim their traditional counterparts have enjoyed for decades.

Visit our Web site to Buy Tickets Now to catch STOMP in your city!

Can you use the word in a sentence?

In 1925, Frank Neuhauser correctly spelled the word "gladiolus." Since that first championship, the National Spelling Bee has become a large part of American culture. From Charlie Brown specials to The Simpsons, the "bee" has been spoofed and its participants characterized as over-zealous, over-achieving children who stop at nothing to succeed. The public has had an ongoing fascination with all things "bee" for more than 83 years. So, it seemed natural to a group of improv actors and writers in New York to create a show with the bee as a central "character."

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is based on an original improvised play called C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E. The original work was created by Rebecca Feldman and performed by The Farm, a New York-based improv troupe. Writer and playwright, Wendy Wasserstein, saw the original and was so enamored by the show that she suggested that her friend, songwriter and lyricist William Finn, see it. He almost immediately contacted the shows creator and began transforming this work of improvisational comedy into a full-length musical.

The new musical was work-shopped from February through July of 2004 and moved Off-Broadway the following year to the Second Stage Theatre garnering box-office and critical success. The show moved to Broadway in 2005 and ran for more than 1000 performances!
The show features six adolescents who compete in a spelling bee, which takes place in the fictional Putnam Valley Middle School. The "kids" are all portrayed by adults who capture the awkwardness and craziness of being a teenager in the throes of puberty. While scripted, the show hasn't lost its improv roots. Each night, a few audience members are selected to make their musical theater debut as featured "spellers" on stage with the cast.

Over the years, many guest spellers have tried to beat the cast in the bee. In 2006, National Scripps Spelling Bee Champion, Katharine Close, survived 14 rounds and was the last audience member to be eliminated. The show has also had its share of celebrity spellers. Last year, Julie Andrews, who was on hand for a Broadway production promoting Kids Night on Broadway, was eliminated when she misspelled "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" during the competition.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE speaks to the best and the worst of what it means to be an adolescent. The characters share the need to win and run the gamut from the girl whose best friend is a dictionary, to the Boy Scout who hits puberty at the most inopportune moment. In this Tony ® Award-winning musical comedy, the audience will relive their teenage years...at a very safe distance.

Visit our Web site to BUY TICKETS NOW for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee!

Post from the Prez: NINE TO FIVE

Theater League president, Mark Edelman, talks about NINE TO FIVE The Musical:

Recently, I saw the new Broadway musical NINE TO FIVE, trying out at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. This one is a real winner. Allison Janney (from TV's The West Wing) stars in this stage adaptation of the movie with two WICKED veterans Megan Hilty (who plays the Dolly Parton role) and Stephanie Block (Lily Tomlin's part) co-starring.

It's very funny, and Dolly Parton has written a wonderful, warm, winning score. Speaking of WICKED, Joe Mantello directs the show just right. The choreography is very inventive; set is really cool and the rest of the cast-- including stand-out Kathy Fitzgerald from THE PRODUCERS-- is amazing.

I counted twelve Tony nominations without breaking a sweat. This is the one to see on Broadway (opens in the Spring, I think).

- Mark Edelman, Theater League President
http://www.theaterleague.com/

NINE TO FIVE is one of the new musicals Theater League has invested in as part of our mission to encourage and support the arts nationwide.

The Dickens You Say!

Oliver Twist, the second novel by Charles Dickens, was originally written as a monthly serial for a publication called Bentley's Miscellany in London. It was published from February 1837 through April 1839 and proved to be highly successful, not just as a novel, but as a way to address the issues surrounding the poor and lower classes of English Victorian society. The novel contains some of the most well-known characters in literature, many of which were based on people Dickens came into contact with throughout his childhood.

Far from idyllic, Dickens' family dealt with poverty throughout his younger years. At 12, Dickens was forced to work 10 hour days placing labels on jars of shoe polish in order to support his family. He lived with friends of the family for many years and grew resentful of a system that, for all intents and purposes, took his childhood away. The character Oliver Twist may have been based on his own experiences. Or perhaps was influenced by the life of Robert Blincoe, whose own childhood in the workhouses of London was widely known in the early 1830s.

At the time of its publication, Oliver Twist shocked and surprised readers with its depiction of life in the workhouses and slums of London. The novel is credited with "the clearing" of the slum that was the basis of Jacob's Island in the story. Dickens' characterization of Oliver as above reproach, a young boy whose soul could not be tarnished by the world around him, became a way for the writer to highlight his "goal of social commentary." He was able to show the extremes of life in a way that could reach the masses in society. These were not just simple plot devices, but an aspect of humanism in which good always triumphed in very unexpected ways.

Dickens' style of writing and vivid descriptions of life in 19th Century London made his novels popular among dramatists who longed for material to produce for the stage. To date, more than 100 adaptations of his work have been created for stage and screen. Many of his works were adapted as plays during his lifetime as Dickens had a keen respect and fascination for theater.
Dickens' picturesque descriptions and memorable characters have lived on in productions ranging from A CHRISTMAS CAROL to THE PICKWICK PAPERS and some of his most well-known characters will come to life again in Toledo as Theater League presents the Broadway classic OLIVER! November 13-16.

Visit our website to BUY TICKETS NOW for OLIVER!

Broadway Buzz... Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy

Last season, you had a chance to experience the magic of CIRQUE DREAMS JUNGLE FANTASY before it made its debut on Broadway!

CIRQUE DREAMS JUNGLE FANTASY, after an extensive US Tour, made its debut at the Broadway Theatre in New York on June 26th for an exclusive 10-week engagement. After a highly successful nation-wide run, the producers approached several presenters involved in the tour and asked them for help in bringing the show to Broadway.

Theater League invested in making the producers' goal a reality. "If you go to the Broadway Theatre-next door to where David Letterman is taped-you will see Theater League above the title as one of the shows presenters," says Theater League President Mark Edelman. CIRQUE DREAMS JUNGLE FANTASY is just one of many shows Theater League has supported. 9 To 5 The Musical, NOVEMBER starring Nathan Lane and THE COLOR PURPLE are just a few of the productions Edelman and Theater League have chosen to support.

CIRQUE DREAMS JUNGLE FANTASY has been well received in New York. Audiences have been as entranced by the spectacle as the audiences in Theater League's cities. So much so that the production, after closing on Broadway this month, will mount a new national tour. There may even be an award in the shows future. "I think it has a good chance to win a Tony Award® for best special event-like BLAST received several years ago," says Edelman. The best part is Theater League members got to see this show first!

Be on the look out for even more exciting shows in the coming years as Theater League works to bring you the best and the brightest BEFORE they go to Broadway!

Visit Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy's Official Website

A Closer Look...The Tango

The Tango, as we know it today, symbolizes glamor and class, with women in glittering gowns and men in starched tuxedos. However, the origins of the tango are much less glamorous. This popular and respected form of dance comes from the brothels of Argentina, the underbelly of society, and was popular with immigrants who gravitated to the poorer sections of Argentina in the late 1800s.

These immigrants helped create the music that would underscore the dance. This mingling of styles was created to ease the feelings of despair and loneliness felt by the outcasts of society. In reality, it defined them. The tango "speaks of more than frustrated love. It speaks of fatality, of destinies engulfed in pain." The tango is the dance of sorrow.

As its popularity grew, it came to be accepted by the upper crust of Argentinean society and made its way to Europe and the United States. The dance lost much of its original aggressiveness, but its structure remained the same, although some of the more gentile ladies of America wore "bumpers"(padding) to keep a "safe" and respectable distance from their male partners.

After taking Paris by storm, the dance and its music became mainstays in popular Argentinean culture. It wasn't until the death of Eva Peron in 1952 that the tango lost its popularity, replaced by American rock-n-roll. Competitive ballroom dance helped bring this purely South American art form to the forefront and now, the Tango is more popular than ever. From its beginnings in low class brothels, to the glitter of the Broadway stage, the tango and its music have come to epitomize passion and fire of love lost.

Theater League is proud to present FOREVER TANGO dancing on to the stage at Century II Concert Hall in Wichita, October 13-14. This internationally acclaimed production has played to audiences from Italy to Los Angeles and is the longest running tango production in Broadway history. FOREVER TANGO brings the heat and rich history of Argentina to Wichita and is a not-to-be-missed theatrical event.

Visit our website to BUY TICKETS NOW for Forever Tango

Single Show Tickets On Sale

Single show tickets are now available in Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara, South Bend, Wichita and Toledo. Phoenix and Mesa single show tickets will go on sale Monday, September 29th. Purchase early to get the best available seats!

Season tickets are still on sale in all markets and are your passport to the best seats at the best prices. Visit our website, http://www.theaterleague.com/, and choose your city at the left to purchase season tickets now!

About Theater League

For over 30 years, Theater League - a not-for-profit, community-based organization - has been dedicated to presenting professional Broadway series in the cities we serve. Theater League enriches the lives of more than 300,000 theatergoers annually, made possible by the support of the our 27,000+ members, who subscribe to Theater League's Broadway Series nationwide.

Theater League produces and presents professional theater series in the following communities (click to read about the series in that city on our website):

Mesa, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Santa Barbara, CA
South Bend, IN
Thousand Oaks, CA
Toledo, OH
Wichita, KS

Feel free to call or email any questions, feedback or requests at

1.800.776.SHOW (7469) or info@theaterleague.org.

Theater League, Inc.

P.O. Box 140206

Kansas City, MO 64114