Dallas Summer Musicals Awarded 6 Major Theatrical Awards. Achievement by a southwest regional non-profit theatre group is unprecedented

Posted on November 5th, 2008

 

 

(November 1, 2008 – Dallas) It all began in June 2007 when Michael Jenkins, President and Managing Director, Dallas Summer Musicals and Dallas Summer Musicals (DSM) were bestowed with the incredible honor of winning the 2007 Tony Award® for Best Special Theatrical Event for Jay Johnson: The Two and Only. He joined the esteemed group of Broadway and Hollywood stars on stage to bring two medallions back to Big D, accepting a Tony Award® both on behalf of DSM and himself as a producer of the award-winning show. The DSM medallion is proudly showcased in the lobby of its rightful home at The Music Hall at Fair Park.

The news for 2008 is even better! Boeing-Boeing, produced in part by Dallas Summer Musicals and Michael Jenkins, won two Tony Awards®, one for Best Revival of a Play and one for Best Performance of a Leading Actor in a Play, Mark Rylance. Both Dallas Summer Musicals and Michael Jenkins played a huge part in producing this hilarious play revival on Broadway, resulting in Jenkins bringing home two more Tony Awards® to Dallas.

Boeing-Boeing continued to win awards, most recently being named the winner of two 2007 – 2008 Drama Desk Awards® for Outstanding Revival of a Play: Boeing-Boeing by Marc Camoletti and Outstanding Actor in a Play: Mark Rylance, resulting in two Drama Desk Awards brought home to Dallas, one for Dallas Summer Musicals as a producer and one for Michael Jenkins as a producer.

Most recently, The Drowsy Chaperone and Jersey Boys each earned a Dallas Fort Worth Theatre Critics Forum Award in the Touring Production category, resulting in six major theatrical awards to DSM and Jenkins in the past few months.

A visionary leader in Dallas’ entertainment community, Michael A. Jenkins consistently brings the “Best of Broadway” to Dallas Summer Musicals. This season is no different with a sensational line-up featuring 16 Broadway hits beginning November 11th with The Second City on Tour at the Majestic Theatre. “We guarantee our Dallas audience always has the most current shows,” Jenkins said. “DSM is committed to bringing 71 productions, plays and musicals, to Dallas between 2009 and 2012 to the historic Majestic Theatre and the Music Hall at Fair Park.

Dallas Summer Musicals is a producer or major investor in many musicals and plays on stage now in London, such as the recent production of Gone with the Wind and Lord of the Rings and on Broadway, including A Catered Affair (nominated for two Tony Awards®) and Gypsy, in which Patti LuPone won a Tony Award® for Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Musical; Boyd Gaines, won a Tony Award® for Best Performance By a Featured Actor in a Musical and Laura Benanti won a Tony Award® for Best Performance By a Featured Actress in a Musical.

“DSM also has major interests in many other future shows, including 9 to 5, First Wive’s Club, Happy Days and Walt Disney’s Tarzan,” Jenkins added. “The newest show, Vanities, is one of the most successful plays of all time. It’s been made into a musical and will open on Broadway this fall.” Dallas Summer Musicals presented by Comerica Bank gratefully acknowledges the support of sponsors American Airlines, The Dallas Morning News and WFAA.Visit the website for photos from the Tony Awards® , videos and more: http://www.dallassummermusicals.org/

About Dallas Summer Musicals

Winner of 4 Tony Awards®, 2 Drama Desk Awards® and 2 Dallas Fort Worth Theatre Critics Forum Awards, Dallas Summer Musicals is now celebrating its 69th season. DSM is the largest producer of live theatrical entertainment in the Southwest, the second oldest summer theatre organization in the United States and the sixth largest non-profit theatre company. DSM has been entertaining North Texas audiences with the finest in live, musical theatre since 1941. In addition to presenting national Broadway tours, DSM also produces shows on Broadway, presents and tours local 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, the historical Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas and the remodeled historical Texas Theater, scheduled to open in 2009. As a non-profit 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 theatres, educate young audiences and create important community programs.Visit the website at http://www.dallassummermusicals.org/

About The Tony Awards®

The Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards are bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television. The Tonys are presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

About The Drama Desk Awards®

The Drama Desk was founded in 1949 to explore key issues in the theater and to bring together critics and writers in an organization to support the ongoing development of theater in New York. The organization began presenting its awards in 1955, and it is the only critics organization to honor achievement in the theater with competition between Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions in the same categoriesParticipating members of Dallas-Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum: Glenn Arbery, People Newspapers and D Magazine; Martha Heimberg, Turtle Creek News; Arnold Wayne Jones, Dallas Voice; Elaine Liner, Dallas Observer; Mark Lowry and Perry Stewart, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Lawson Taitte, The Dallas Morning News.

 

 

The article is located here: http://www.guidelive.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/columnists/ltaitte/stories/DN-forumawards0910gl.State.Edition1.14d7579.html

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