Official Release – DSM Kicks Off Year-Long Celebration of our 75th Year!
Posted on June 19th, 2014
DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS KICKS OFF YEAR-LONG CELEBRATION
OF THEIR 75TH YEAR WITH SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT EVENT JUNE 12
DALLAS, TX…Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM) announced their 2014/2015 season of shows at Fair Park Thursday June 12. Heavy rain forecasts moved the 75-Year kickoff event from the Fair Park Band Shell where DSM first performed their shows to the nearby Centennial Building. DSM has been bringing the Best of Broadway to North Texas audiences with the finest in professional live theatrical entertainment since 1941.
Michael A. Jenkins, President and Managing Director of Dallas Summer Musicals, said, “We believe in creating memories that will last a lifetime, so our 75th year will be filled with musicals offering an unforgettable experience for everyone in the family. We will kick off the 2015 season with a hilarious musical straight from Broadway, A CHRISTMAS STORY, in December of 2014. Three of our 2015 shows are still playing on Broadway, and one has never been seen outside of Australia.”
In addition to the 2014/2015 shows, Jenkins also announced that DSM’s collaboration with Performing Arts Fort Worth (PAFW) would be extended to include four touring Broadway shows that will be presented by DSM and PAFW at their separate venues. KINKY BOOTS, DIRTY DANCING, RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA, and PIPPIN will be presented by DSM at the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas and by PAFW at Bass Hall in Fort Worth.
“This is a partnership that has worked well in the past,” Jenkins said, “and we are looking forward to working closely with President and CEO Dione Kennedy and our colleagues at PAFW as we plan future seasons. We will also produce our own version of RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S THE KING & I, as we did with our 2014 production of Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID. Our efforts to reach new audiences, and to bring the latest Broadway shows to North Texas, include investing in and producing shows on Broadway and expanding our DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards, which last year brought 56 Texas schools together to compete for recognition and scholarships. Our DSM Academy of Performing Arts also provides valuable training to students of music, dance and acting with locations across the Metroplex.”
DSM 2014/2015 SEASON–PERFORMANCES AT THE MUSIC HALL AT FAIR PARK
A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL, December 2-14, 2014.
A sparkling new stage musical adaptation based on the popular 1983 family classic film featuring Ralphie Parker. He longs to find an official Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle under the Christmas tree. Direct from Broadway, where it won three 2013 Tony Award® nominations for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score, A CHRISTMAS STORY is directed by Tony Award-winner John Rando and choreographed by Warren Carlyle.
KINKY BOOTS, February 24-March 8, 2015.
Winner of the 2013 Tony® Award for Best Musical and five other Tony Awards, it’s an exhilarating Broadway musical still playing to packed audiences on Broadway, that lifts spirits to new high-heeled heights. Inspired by a true story that follows a struggling shoe factory owner who works to turn his business around with help from an entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos, KINKY BOOTS features a joyous, Tony-Award winning score by Cyndi Lauper, direction and Tony-winning choreography by Jerry Mitchell, and a hilarious , uplifting book by four-time Tony winner Harvey Feinstein. ABC News called it “The Hottest Broadway Show of the Year.”
THE KING AND I, March 20-April 5, 2015.
East versus West makes for a dramatic, richly textured and ultimately uplifting tale of enormous fascination. It is 1862 in Siam when an English widow, Anna Leonowens, and her young son arrive at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, having been summoned by the King to serve as tutor to his many children and wives. The King is largely considered to be a barbarian by those in the West, and he seeks Anna’s assistance in changing his image, if not his ways. With both keeping a firm grip on their respective traditions and values, Anna and the King grow to understand and eventually respect one another in a truly unique love story. Along with the dazzling score, the comparable Jerome Robbins ballet, “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” is one of the all-time marvels of the musical stage. DSM will produce the musical.
THE ILLUSIONISTS, April 7-19, 2015.
Coming to Broadway in the fall, the world’s best-selling magic show showcases mind-blowing, spectacular talents of seven of the most incredible illusionist on earth. Shattering box office records across the globe, THE ILLUSIONISTS dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA, June 9-21, 2015
The Tony-Award winning Broadway musical from the creators of The Sound of Music and South Pacific, CINDERELLA is still delighting audiences on Broadway with its contemporary take on the classic tale. This lush production features an incredible orchestra, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you love—the pumpkin, the glass slipper, the masked ball, and more—plus some surprising new twists. Be transported back to childhood and rediscover some of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s most beloved songs, such as “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible,” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” in this romantic Broadway experience for anyone who’s ever had a wish, a dream, or a really great pair of shoes. Associated Press said, “Pure Magic! Broadway’s new Cinderella crackles with sweetness and freshness.”
DIRTY DANCING, June 23-July 5, 2015.
The classic story on stage is an unprecedented live experience, exploding with heart-pounding music, passionate romance, and sensational dancing. Seen by millions across the globe, this smash hit musical tells the classic story of two fiercely independent young spirits from difference worlds who come together for the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives. Featuring the hit songs “Hungry Eyes,” “Hey Baby,” “Do You Love Me?” and the heart stopping “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” this record-breaking live theatre sensation offers audiences the time of their lives.
PIPPIN, July 7-19, 2015.
The 2013 Tony Award winner for Best Musical Revival, PIPPIN is a magical, unforgettable production The New York Times declared “Astonishing! A PIPPIN for the 21st Century.” Direct from Broadway and back for the first time since it thrilled audiences 40 years ago, with a beloved score by Tony nominee Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked), PIPPIN tells the story of a young prince on a death-defying journey to find meaning in his existence. Will he choose a happy but simple life? Or will he risk everything for a singular flash of glory? This captivating new production is directed by Tony winner Diane Paulua (Hair and The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess). PIPPIN features sizzling choreography in the style of Bob Fosse, and breathtaking acrobatics by Les 7 Doigts de la Main, the creative force behind the nationwide sensation Traces.
Season tickets, priced from $140-$775, go on sale Thursday, June 12 at 9 p.m. online at www.dallassummermusicals.org, and Friday, June 13 at The Box Office, 5959 Royal Lane, Suite 542 in Dallas. Subscribers may order by mail or in person at The Box Office, by phoning 214-346-3300, by faxing 214-691-7386, or purchase online at www.dallassummermusicals.org. For groups of 10 or more, please call 214-426-GROUP.
Season subscribers enjoy such benefits as first opportunity to get the best seats available for the season, plus huge savings over single ticket prices and easy payment plans, lost ticket replacement, ticket exchange privileges and a 20% discount on all DSM logo merchandise. Plus, season subscribers have first option on their seats for the following season, and can save up to $97 over the cost of single tickets.
Season sponsors and partners for Dallas Summer Musicals are The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, The Original Cupcakery, and Texas Instruments.
Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM) is the preeminent non-profit presenter of Broadway theatre in North Texas. DSM produces, presents and promotes excellence in live musical theatre with year-round performances for diverse audiences of all ages, impacting the lives of children and families through community outreach and education, and enriching the cultural landscape of Dallas/Fort Worth, North Texas and the Southwest Region.
DSM is the largest producer and presenter of live theatrical entertainment in the Southwest, the second oldest summer theatre organization in the United States, and the fourth largest non-profit theatre company. In addition to presenting national Broadway tours, DSM also produces shows on Broadway, presents and tours productions, and is involved in developing new works. Dallas Summer Musicals’ affiliates include DSM Management Group, Inc. (DSMMGI), which manages the Music Hall at Fair Park.
As a nonprofit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to bring the Best of Broadway to Dallas at affordable ticket prices, as well as to preserve the beautiful historic theater, educate young audiences and create important community programs.DSM’s Seats for Kids program provides a meaningful arts education experience to thousands of low income, at-risk and special needs children. DSM provides positive incentives for youth that are at risk for gang membership through the Stage Right program. In addition, the Dallas Summer Musicals Academy of Performing Arts offers professional theater arts training and scholarships to talented students in need. Ticket sales alone do not sustain these endeavors. Only support from committed businesses, foundations and individuals make these programs possible.
For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call 214-421-5678 or visit the website at www.dallassummermusicals.org.
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For media information about any of the individual shows or the Dallas Summer Musicals, and for videotape, photos, or reviewer’s passes, please call Jo Ann Holt at 469-363-7371, or email joannholt@gmail.com.
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