With members of the arts and media communities in attendance at a press conference held onstage at The Colonial Theatre, Broadway Across America – Boston unveiled its upcoming 2007-2008 Season, set to include eleven theatrical productions.   The event was hosted by Drew Murphy, President of Broadway Across America – Boston.

The full schedule is detailed below, however Boston theatre fans can look forward to Cameron Mackintosh's new production of "My Fair Lady" straight from London, John Doyle's innovative re-thinking of "Sweeney Todd" where the actors double as the show's musicians, the thoroughly original new musical "The Drowsy Chaperone," Tony Award-winning "Avenue Q" and the return of the mega-musical "Wicked" following its record-breaking engagement at The Opera House this past year. 

Also look for the return of "Spamalot," "Mamma Mia!" and illusionist David Copperfield. 

As in the past, the powers-that-be invited several special guests to provide added previews of the shows in store.  Tony Award winning Judy Kaye, who  will star as Mrs. Lovett in the upcoming national tour of "Sweeney Todd" performed “The Worst Pies in London.” Also on hand was Kevin McCollum,  producer of "Avenue Q" and "Drowsy Chaperone." who introduced "Avenue Q" cast member Rob McClure who sang the show's “I Wish I Could Go Back To College.”

Broadway Across America – Boston is also inaugurating a Family Series set to include new productions of "Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage in Thomas Saves the Day," "Arthur Live! “Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy” based on the award-winning book series by Marc Brown, and "The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley."

Murphy also announced that for the fifth straight year, Lexus Boston Area Dealers will continue as the official title sponsor of the Broadway Across America - Boston Series.

The season line-up includes, in date order:
                                  
"Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage in Thomas Saves the Day"
July 14 – 15, 2007
The Opera House
Beloved by children around the world, Thomas makes his international stage debut in the new musical "Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage."  Audiences will see how Thomas and his engine friends pull together after a terrible storm to help get the railroad ready for Sodor’s Magic Lantern Festival.  "Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage" invites preschoolers and their families to enter a world of imagination and adventure through engaging story-telling and exciting songs that encourage discovery, friendship and cooperation. 

"Wicked"
Performances begin September 12, 2007
The Opera House
The New York Times calls "Wicked" "Broadway's biggest blockbuster." Winner of 15 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards, "Wicked" broke box office records and sold out in record time when it first played Boston in 2006.  Long before the girl from Kansas arrived in Munchkinland, two girls met in the land of Oz.  The one born with emerald green skin is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch makes for a spellbinding experience.

 

"Arthur Live!  -- Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy”
October 3 – 7, 2007
The Colonial Theatre
This all new Arthur Live production based on the award-winning book series by Marc Brown and top-rated PBS TV series "Arthur Live!" comes to Boston's Colonial Theatre as part of a 60 city national tour.  "Arthur Live! Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy” finds D.W. jealous when her big brother Arthur loses a tooth and gets a visit from the Tooth Fairy. Arthur explains that the Tooth Fairy comes only when you lose a tooth and put it under your pillow at night, so D.W. dreams up some hilarious (but unsuccessful) plans to trick the Tooth Fairy into coming. Finally, Arthur decides to reward D.W.'s efforts by playing Tooth Fairy himself!

"Sweeney Todd" starring Tony Award-winner Judy Kaye
October 23 – November 4, 2007
The Colonial Theatre
Innovative, intimate and ingenious, this revolutionary new production of "Sweeney Todd," which launches its national tour at Boston's Colonial Theatre, “is an event theatergoers will be talking about for years." (The Wall Street Journal) The legendary demon barber, hell-bent on revenge, takes up with his enterprising neighbor in a delicious plot to slice their way through London's upper crust. Justice will be served -- along with lush melody, audacious humor and bloody good thrills. Directed by Tony Award-winner John Doyle, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, this dazzling reinvention of a magnificent musical thriller is set to stun.

 

"Mamma Mia!"
November 27 – December 16, 2007
The Colonial Theatre
"Mamma Mia!" has audiences returning again and again to relive the excitement of ABBA’s greatest hits, including “Dancing Queen,” “S.O.S.,” “Super Trouper,” “Take A Chance on Me” and “The Winner Takes It All.”  Get  your disco boots ready.

2005 Tony Award-winner "Monty Python’s Spamalot"
January 15 – 27, 2008
The Opera House
The silly, irreverent musical returns to taunt Boston for a second time!  Winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best Musical, the musical comedy sensation lovingly ripped off from the film classic “Monty Python and The Holy Grail,” is ready to spread laughter and cheer throughout the kingdom. Directed by Tony Award-winner Mike Nichols, "Spamalot" tells the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on their quest for the illusive Holy Grail.  (Turns out,  they're taking a side-trip to the fair city of Boston.)

"My Fair Lady"
February 5 – 17, 2008
The Opera House
London Daily Telegraph calls it “Probably the greatest musical of all time."
"My Fair Lady," Lerner & Loewe’s legendary musical, premieres in the United States direct from its 50th Anniversary London production and United Kingdom national tour.  Starring are acclaimed British theatre actors Christopher Cazenove and Lisa O’Hare who earned rave reviews for their dynamic performances as Professor Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle.  Based on the Cameron Mackintosh/National Theatre of Great Britain's award-winning London sensation, and hailed as “the revival against which all others will be measured,” this new production reunites the original U.K. artistic team with direction by four time Tony winner Trevor Nunn ("Les Misérables"), choreography and musical staging by two time Tony winner Matthew Bourne ("Mary Poppins") and production design by Anthony Ward ("Gypsy"). 

"The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley"
March 7 – 9, 2008
The Colonial Theatre
Stanley Lambchop is your ordinary, every day, run-of-the-mill ten-year-old: normal mom and dad, normal little brother, normal life. That's just the problem.  For Stanley, life is too normal. He wants to travel the world, do something amazing, see something no one's ever seen before. Careful what you wish for, Stanley! One night, the bulletin board on the wall above Stanley's bed comes loose and falls. Right on top of Stanley! The next morning, Stanley Lambchop wakes up flat. Not just a little flat… really, really flat. At first it’s not so bad. He can slide under locked doors, roll up like a mat or become a trampoline. But he can't stay flat forever – someone has to do something. And that someone is Stanley! Stanley puts himself in a big envelope and travels the world – a human letter! His adventure begins as Stanley – the ultimate pen pal – scours the globe for a solution to his unusual problem in a whirlwind musical travelogue! And whether he's rapping with the Declaration of Independence, thwarting robberies at the Louvre Museum in Paris, or learning about different cultures through song and dance, Stanley is closing in on his goal of being a three-dimensional boy once more. 

2004 Tony Award-winner "Avenue Q"
March 11 – 23, 2008
The Colonial Theatre
"Avenue Q" is Broadway's smash-hit 2004 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. Full of heart and hummable tunes, "Avenue Q" is about trying to make it in NYC with big dreams and a tiny bank account.  Called "one of the funniest shows you're ever likely to see" by Entertainment Weekly, "Avenue Q" features a cast of people and puppets who tell their quirky story in a smart, risque and downright entertaining way. The New Yorker called it "Subversive and uproarious!"

"The Drowsy Chaperone"
April 22 – May 4, 2008
The Opera House
In this 2006 Tony Award-winner, it all begins when a die-hard musical fan plays his favorite cast album, a 1928 smash hit called "The Drowsy Chaperone" for us, and the show magically bursts to life right in his tiny apartment. We are instantly immersed in the glamorous yet hilarious tale of a celebrity bride and her uproarious wedding day, complete with sassy butlers, dippy dowagers, self-righteous stars, gangster bakers and several surprises that take both the cast (literally) and the audience (metaphorically) soaring into the rafters. "The Drowsy Chaperone" received the most 2006 Tony Awards of any musical on Broadway, where it continues to pack 'em in at the Marquee Theatre!

David Copperfield: An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion
May 9 – 11, 2008
The Opera House
True to its title, “Grand Illusion” is the logical and incredible evolution of this conjurer’s art.  Copperfield’s goal in “Grand Illusion” is to take one’s dreams (and maybe a few nightmares) and make them become reality using his state of the art wizardry.

Season Ticket Information

Series Tickets are now on sale for the (4) Show Series that includes: "Sweeney Todd," "Avenue Q," "The Drowsy Chaperone" and "My Fair Lady."  To order Season Tickets call 866-523-7469 or visit broadwayacrossamerica.com.

Season Specials (currently only available with the purchase of Season Tickets) include: "Wicked," "Mamma Mia!," "Monty Python's Spamalot," David Copperfield: An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion, "The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley," "Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage in Thomas Saves the Day" and "Arthur Live! -- Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy".   

Member tickets and single ticket sales will be announced at a later time. For information on Group Sales. call 866-633-0194.  

-- OnStage Boston