Well, it’s Tony Awards time! This Sunday at 7pm our time, we get to see the awards show us Broadway fans wait for all year long! AND we want to reward you for watching too!

On Twitter during one of the commercial breaks, use our hash tag #SisterActDSM and let us know you saw the Sister Act TV commercial during the Tony Awards! By doing so, you register to win 2 tickets to see Sister Act on Tuesday, June 11^th at 7:30pm at the Music Hall at Fair Park! I’ll announce the winner about 15-20 minutes afterwards, so be sure you let me know right away so you can get your name in the hat.

Can’t watch it this Sunday? No problem! I’ll be live tweeting through the entire awards show! Just check us out @dsmusicals on Twitter!

Now it’s time to get ready for the Tonys! Check out the video below highlighting all of the shows nominated this year!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcT5xsKeG0E]

So, don’t forget to watch the Tonys on Sunday at 7pm and look out for our SISTER ACT TV spot for your chance to win 2 tickets to see SISTER ACT on Tuesday!

Have a great weekend! –DSM Amanda

How Whoopi Got the Habit
by Matt Wolf

One simple gesture said it all: there it was, August, 2010, and Whoopi Goldberg had walked on stage for the press performance of her limited run as the Mother Superior in Sister Act, as a capacity crowd at the London Palladium cheered and hollered in a most gratifyingly un‐ English way. Taking in the applause, the star put a finger to her lips in order to silence the crowd. The show, as they say, must go on, and it was time to do so.

That outpouring of affection wasn’t lost on a woman who has been wowing audiences in all art forms since the legendary New York director Mike Nichols first brought Whoopi to attention, presenting the then little‐known performer’s Broadway debut in 1984 at the Lyceum Theatre. Since that time, she was nominated for an Academy Award® for her screen debut in The Color Purple; went on to win an Oscar® five years later for her
indelible supporting turn in Ghost; fronted various awards shows (including the Oscars, where one will never forget the sight of Whoopi abseiling down on to the stage like some madcap Mary Poppins only to announce herself as “the African Queen”); and has become a daytime TV personality in America courtesy her co‐hosting duties on The View.

But Sister Act occupies a special place in the Whoopi canon, and not just because the source films that inspired the stage musical made a lot of money – more than $230 million in the case of the first one – and were also lots of fun. As that Palladium vignette served to indicate, here was a screen phenomenon returning to her theatre roots in front of an adoring crowd: Whoopi’s connection to the material remains undeniable and strong. Let’s
just say that even when not in the production Whoopi hovers over the stage musical as more than a coproducer: a sort of beneficent, and inspirational, patron saint.

Sister Act, of course, tells the story of Deloris van Cartier, the nightclub singer‐turned‐nun who has become one of those characters that audiences know without needing to be reminded of the title of the film itself; Celie from The Color Purple is another. But when talk turned to fashioning the movie anew for the stage, Whoopi had no intention of ever appearing in it; instead, she was there to preside over something, in her view, “brand new,
fresh and exciting,” that could mint a young leading lady‐turned‐star ‐ just as Whoopi had herself been catapulted to attention thanks to her theatre work a quarter‐century or more before.

Her intuition must have worked, given that Sister Act in London played more than 600 performances over 18 months, breaking box office records twice at the Palladium, and on Broadway was nominated for five Tony® Awards including Best Musical. In fact, the show has now been seen by over 3 million audience members across the globe, including productions in Hamburg, Vienna, Milan, and on tour throughout the UK, with upcoming
productions scheduled to begin in Paris, Stuttgart, Scheveningen, Moscow, Madrid, Prague, Sao Paolo, Korea, and Japan. Expect a stage convention of Deloris‐es someday soon.

The films, of course, are drenched in the music of the times, and Sister Act on stage could have gone the jukebox musical route. Instead, Alan Menken, a composer who has himself won more Oscars than most of us have had cups of coffee, offers up an original score in the best pastiche tradition, which is to say that an entire era of disco, gospel, and blues pours forth from the stage, contributing to a score that, says Whoopi, “works just as
well as the film, if not better.” Whoopi in any case knows first‐hand the virtues of music‐making when it comes to musical theatre: she was the unexpected choice to take over for Nathan Lane in the hit Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, directed by Jerry Zaks, and it is Zaks who directed Sister Act on Broadway – a vivid example of the sort of small‐world department on which
Broadway thrives. An African‐American woman as the male roman slave, Pseudolus? We told you there wasn’t much this singular talent couldn’t do.

And it’s surely not coincidental that Sondheim’s peerless lyrics for Forum’s uproarious opening number include the immortal line, “tragedy tomorrow/ comedy tonight.” That mantra could well apply equally to the hapless Deloris, a singer seeking refuge from the gun‐toting Curtis, who finds both a safe home and the chance to send
some women’s voices soaring within a convent that clearly didn’t realize all it needed was this feisty, winning outsider to wake them up. Sister Act may take its opening cues from the cries of a chanteuse in danger, but it builds toward a celebration not just of the sisterhood but of the power of soul, both musical and otherwise. In retrospect, small wonder Whoopi was keen to still her appreciative public in order to get the show on the road. You came to cheer, she seemed to be telling the sold‐out house. Now stay to listen.

Matt Wolf is the London theatre critic for The International Herald Tribune and theatre editor at www.theartsdesk.com.

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SISTER ACT singing praises in Dallas NOW thru June 16 at the Music Hall at Fair Park and to Fort Worth June 18-23 at Bass Performance Hall.

Single tickets for the Dallas run, priced from $15-$85, are on sale now at The Box Office, 5959 Preston Royal Shopping Center in Dallas, or any Ticketmaster location; or online at www.ticketmaster.com.  For groups of 10 or more, call 214-426-GROUP (4768). For full press release, click here.

Single tickets for the Fort Worth run are on sale now! Visit www.basshall.com.

Bless Thy (Philly) Soul

By Douglas Carter Beane

So I am at a very la‐di‐da cocktail party and the topic of conversation finds itself landing on Machiavelli commissioning both Leonardo Di Vinci and Michelangelo to do paintings on a wall. The “oohing” and “aahing” soon gives way to the “can you imagine being on earth in that golden era?” Well, I try not to be too smug about it, but I tell them “Yes I can because was lucky enough to be in Philadelphia in the Seventies.” That was the harmonic convergent time when the funky bass, the overproduced strings that glockenspiel all blended together to create the sound that is now lovingly referred to as “Philly Soul.” It was a shiny snappy “Diamond in the Back” disco ball of a time when the world was shaking its collective bootie to the music that was coming out of our little Lebanon Bologna and scrapple town. We really didn’t know how magical it was at the time; frankly we were too busy dancing. But it someone how seemed just common place to go out and see Phyllis Hyman, Patti LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass, the Ojays, out dancing to their own music in clubs. A girl would come into some disco at midnight sing a new song, the next thing you knew it was a song called “Hot Shot” and climbing the dance charts. And wow, I held her Mylar fan when she introduced it at the Club “Equus”.

But let’s start at the beginning of the musical “Sister Act” and how it came to inhabit this luscious world. First there was a movie. Man was it great. The germ of the idea was the creation of great American Humorist Paul Rudnick and super genius producer Scott Rudin. According to Paul’s hilarious essay on the topic for the New Yorker, just about everyone in the Los Angeles phone book did a draft of the screenplay. Casting excelled with Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy and Mary Wickes, and Whoopi Goldberg simply cemented her reputation as one of the screen’s great comedic actresses. Catch it again and watch how that smile just melts your heart. A sequel was made, the DVD’s of both found themselves on the floor of a nation’s minivan. It was just a part of American culture now. A friend to turn to when things are not going well or you want to celebrate someone’s graduation or you’re stuck with nothing to do on a rainy afternoon.

But it somehow just seemed to want to continue to happen. A group of visionaries decided to dream big and turn this iconic piece into a living breathing theater piece. To do so, it certainly could not be a re‐creation of what was on the film. Creativity wouldn’t let that happen. It had to be something that was worthy of a live theater event. Our group? Multi‐Emmy winning TV writers Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, multi Oscar winning composer Alan Menken and Broadway rising star Glen Slater. Pretty classy outfit.

The first choice made by our group was the story of Deloris’s life. Whoopi was so convincing and heartbreaking as a singer whose life has chosen not to shower her with love. It happens to performers. You just sensed that her world of Reno and her Motown medleys in the lounge were about as good as she was ever going to get. But for the musical, what if the Deloris could sing – I mean REALLY let go and, as we used to say back in the seventies, just pee. And what if she was on the brink of a career, not looking back on one that didn’t happen?

The second choice was the music. The film used Deloris’s versions of old Motown and Brill building tunes. For this idea there was one immediate conflict for composer Alan Menken – he had already done the 60’s music to a fare‐thee‐well with his tremendous “Little Shop of Horrors.” Whoever came up with the idea of setting it in Philadelphia in the seventies and take advantage of the Philly soul sound deserves a complimentary cheesesteak. With onions. The music is up there with the most joyful and optimistic tunes ever created. (I know I can’t go to a birthday party for one of the kids in my daughter’s kindergarten class without hearing “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now.”)

Lyricist Glen Slater knew this world inside and out. The gangster boyfriend is doing songs that a witty Lou Rawls would have done in the wink of an eye. And when the bad guys sing about breaking into the convent, it’s pure Stylistics.

The third choice was the addition of the love story. What if Eddie the cop and Deloris had the hint of a little romance going?

When I was called on board by director Jerry Zaks I re‐watched the movie and then was sent the recording of the score. It hit me hard. Here was a show with a big Philly soul. That great sound of funky bases, symphonic strings and lyrics so optimistic they make you smile. How well I remembered those those happy times with the city of Philly coming into a new life. Discos and eateries and cabarets suddenly appeared, made from old buildings finding new life. In the show you’ll see the fretting of Mother Superior that her church is becoming a disco. This was more than imaginary. The number one club in Philly at the time was called Second Story and was actually a converted church, complete with light and sound systems and popcorn in the baptismal font.

There was also a remarkable success to be had, which would energize and frustrate Deloris even more. Evelyn Champagne King, was cleaning out the ladies room at Philadelphia International records, when she was overheard singing. They put her on the album “Shame” and it was number nine on the US charts. Karen Young (she of the “Hot Shot” and the Mylar fan) was working at a McDonalds. It was a remarkable time. I hope you enjoy the show and its story of people who have no business liking one another just giving way and doing so. A little comedy about the inevitability of acceptance.

As I sat there on opening night, I looked across the aisle and there was Patti LaBelle. The first time I had seen her in person was dancing at the Second Story ‐the disco made from a church. The minute Deloris gave way with Raise you voice, Miss Patti shook it like she shook it in the seventies. I felt like I was home.

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SISTER ACT is singing its way to Dallas June 4-16 at the Music Hall at Fair Park and to Fort Worth June 18-23 at Bass Performance Hall.

Single tickets for the Dallas run, priced from $15-$85, are on sale now at The Box Office, 5959 Preston Royal Shopping Center in Dallas, or any Ticketmaster location; or online at www.ticketmaster.com.  For groups of 10 or more, call 214-426-GROUP (4768). For full press release, click here.

Single tickets for the Fort Worth run are on sale now! Visit www.basshall.com.

For immediate release
Press Contact:  Jo Ann Holt
joannholt@gmail.com/469.363.7371

ANNOUNCING THE CAST OF THE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR OFPRESENTED BY DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS AT THE MUSIC HALL AT FAIR PARK JUNE 4-16

Dallas, TX…The North American Tour of SISTER ACT will star Ta’Rea Campbell (Book of Mormon, The Lion King) as Deloris Van Cartier, Hollis Resnik (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Les Miserables) as Mother Superior, Kingsley Leggs (Sister Act, The Color Purple) as Curtis Jackson, E. Clayton Cornelious (Wonderland, The Scottsboro Boys) as Eddie Souther, Lael Van Keuren (Sister Act) as Mary Robert, Florrie Bagel as Mary Patrick, Diane J. Findlay (42^nd Street, Promises, Promises) as Mary Lazarus, Todd A. Horman (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as Joey, Ernie Pruneda (Sister Act) as Pablo, Charles Barksdale (Fat Camp) as TJ, and Richard Pruitt (42nd Street, White Christmas) as Monsignor O’Hara.

The company will also include Melvin Abston, Brian Calì, Alysha Deslorieux, Karen Elliott, Danny George, Blair Goldberg, Erin Henry, Wendy James, Trisha Jeffrey, Mary Jo McConnell, Ashley Moniz, Michelle Rombola, Jason Simon, Angie Marie Smith, Tricia Tanguy, Kelly E. Waters, and Dashaun Young.

Single tickets, priced from $15-$85, are on sale now at The Box Office, 5959 Preston Royal Shopping Center in Dallas, or any Ticketmaster location; or online at www.ticketmaster.com.  For groups of 10 or more, call 214-426-GROUP (4768).

“To hear people laugh and cheer the way they do at SISTER ACT — a show people think they know but are pleasantly surprised to discover is not what they were expecting — is a magical experience for a producer,” says Producer Whoopi Goldberg.  “Happily, audiences across the country will be able to get in on the fun when Deloris and her fabulous sisters start spreading the love nationwide.”

SISTER ACT received five 2011 Tony® Award nominations: BEST MUSICAL, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Alan Menken (music)/ Glenn Slater (lyrics), BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Cheri & Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane), BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (Patina Miller) and BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (Victoria Clark).

SISTER ACT features an original score with music by multi-Academy, Grammy, Tony and Golden Globe Award-winning composer Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Enchanted), lyrics by Tony and Academy Award-nominee Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid), and a book by multi-Emmy Award winners Cheri and Bill Steinkellner (“Cheers”) with additional book material by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, The Little Dog Laughed). Directed on Broadway by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks (Guys and Dolls, A Funny Thing…Forum, Smokey Joe’s Café), the production features choreography by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Anthony Van Laast (Mamma Mia, Bombay Dreams) and is based on the Touchstone Pictures motion picture Sister Act written by Joseph Howard.

SISTER ACT opened on April 20, 2011 at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway) to rave reviews.  Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Post calls SISTER ACT, “One of the season’s happiest surprises! Off the charts and packed with goodies, to which we say: Amen!” Joe Dziemianowicz of The New York Daily News raves “A blessed event has landed on Broadway. Sister Act is a feel-good crowd pleaser worth celebrating. It keeps on purring from one happy moment to the next.”  Charles Isherwood of The New York Times says, “When the wimples start quivering and the nuns start rocking to raise the Gothic rafters, all’s right in the kingdom of musical comedy!” and Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press calls SISTER ACT, “In a word, divine. This is a musical that hits all the right spots, achieving something close to Broadway grace. It will convert you.”

When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place cops are sure she won’t be found – a convent!  Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and an uptight Mother Superior.  Using her fabulous disco-ness and killer voice to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church, but in doing so blows her cover.  Soon it’s nun-on-the-run time but she finds salvation in the heavenly power of her newly found sisterhood.  Based on the mega-hit feature film, SISTER ACT features an original Alan Menken/Glenn Slater score with a vast inspiration of musical styles from Motown, soul and funk to great big disco anthems and Barry White inspired musical comedy.

SISTER ACT features scenery by Klara Zieglerova, costumes by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Natasha Katz, sound by Ken Travis and hair/wig designs by David Brian Brown.  The music department includes Musical Supervisor Michael Kosarin, Music Director Brent-Alan Huffman, and orchestrations by Doug Besterman. Casting is by Telsey + Company, Craig Burns CSA.  For more information, visit www.sisteractontour.com.

Next up for Dallas Summer Musicals: FLASHDANCE, THE MUSICAL, opens June 25-July 7. The pop-culture phenomenon and runaway international success is now live on stage.  It all started with a dream.  To be bigger.  To burn brighter. To dance harder.  Directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis, The Addams Family), this new musical features a score of smash hits including The Academy Award® winning title track “Flashdance – What a Feeling,” “Maniac,” “I Love Rock & Roll,” and 16 new original songs.

Disney presents THE LION KING, October 2-20, 2013. Experience the phenomenon of Disney’s THE LION KING, Broadway’s Landmark Musical.  Marvel at the breathtaking spectacle of animals brought to life by award-winning director Julie Taymor, whose visual images for this show you’ll remember forever. Thrill to the pulsating rhythms of the African Pridelands and an unforgettable score, including Elton John and Tim Rice’s Oscar-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “Circle of Life.”

DSM will continue its 73-year tradition of setting the standard in musical theatre entertainment as their 2014 season begins in December, 2013, with Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS at the Music Hall.

Season sponsors and partners for Dallas Summer Musicals are The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, The Original Cupcakery, the Frontiers of Flight Museum 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. For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call (214) 421-5678 or visit the website at www.dallassummermusicals.org.

# # #

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 214-413-3977 or 469-363-7371, or email joannholt@gmail.com.

SISTER ACT, coming to Dallas Summer Musicals June 4 – 16, 2013 at Music Hall at Fair Park!

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR LAUNCHES IN TORONTO
PERFORMANCES BEGIN OCTOBER 2, 2012

Producers Whoopi Goldberg, Stage Entertainment and Troika Entertainment announce casting for the North American Tour of five-time Tony Award® nominated musical SISTER ACT.  Called “In a word, DIVINE!”by the Associated Press, SISTER ACT kicks off on October 2, 2012 at Toronto’s Ed Mirvish Theatre.

The North American Tour of SISTER ACT will star Ta’Rea Campbell (Book of Mormon, Lion King) as Deloris Van Cartier, Hollis Resnik (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Les Miserables) as Mother Superior, Kingsley Leggs (Sister Act, The Color Purple) as Curtis Jackson, E. Clayton Cornelious (Wonderland, The Scottsboro Boys) as Eddie Souther, Lael Van Keuren (Sister Act) as Mary Robert, Florrie Bagel as Mary Patrick, Diane J. Findlay (42^nd Street, Promises, Promises) as Mary Lazarus, Todd A. Horman (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as Joey, Ernie Pruneda (Sister Act)as Pablo, Charles Barksdale (Fat Camp) as TJ, and Richard Pruitt (42nd Street, White Christmas) as Monsignor O’Hara.

The company will also include Melvin Abston, Brian Calì, Alysha Deslorieux, Karen Elliott, Danny George, Blair Goldberg, Erin Henry, Wendy James, Trisha Jeffrey, Mary Jo McConnell, Ashley Moniz, Michelle Rombola, Jason Simon, Angie Marie Smith, Tricia Tanguy, Kelly E. Waters, and Dashaun Young.

“To hear people laugh and cheer the way they do at SISTER ACT — a show people think they know but are pleasantly surprised to discover is not what they were expecting — is a magical experience for a producer,” says Producer Whoopi Goldberg.  “Happily, audiences across the country will be able to get in on the fun this fall when Deloris and her fabulous sisters start spreading the love nationwide.”

“I couldn’t be more proud of the creative team and cast members that have made SISTER ACT such a critically-acclaimed and crowd-pleasing success on Broadway,” said Stage Entertainment U.S. CEO Bill Taylor.  “Our New York audiences have been absolutely amazing and I look forward to this fall’s tour and the next chapter in SISTER ACT’s wonderfully successful life.”

The North American touring production of SISTER ACT will kick off on October 2, 2012 in Toronto, ON where it will play through November 4.  Other venues for the tour include Chicago, IL (November 13-December 2, 2012); Orlando, FL (December 4-9, 2012); Tampa Bay, FL (December 11-16, 2012); Fort Lauderdale, FL (December 18-30, 2012); Naples, FL (January 1-6, 2013); Charlotte, NC (January 8-13, 2013); Greenville, SC (January 15-20, 2013); Boston, MA (January 22-February 3, 2013); Pittsburgh, PA (February 5-10, 2013); East Lansing, MI (February 12-17, 2013); Milwaukee, WI (February 19-24, 2013); Indianapolis, IN (February 26-March 3, 2013); Cleveland, OH (March 5-17, 2013); Buffalo, NY (March 19-24, 2013); Philadelphia, PA (April 2-7, 2013); Providence, RI (April 9-14, 2013); Hartford, CT (April 16-21, 2013); Atlanta, GA (April 23-28, 2013); Cincinnati, OH (April 30-May 12, 2013); Durham, NC (May 14-19, 2013); Houston, TX (May 28-June 2, 2013); Dallas, TX (June 4-16, 2013); Fort Worth, TX (June 18-23, 2013); Tempe, AZ (June 25-30, 2013); Los Angeles, CA (July 9-28, 2013); San Diego, CA (July 30-August 4, 2013); Costa Mesa, CA (August 6-18, 2013); Seattle, WA (August 20-25); Denver, CO (September 24-October 6, 2013) and more soon to be announced.

SISTER ACT received five 2011 Tony® Award nominations: BEST MUSICAL, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Alan Menken (music)/ Glenn Slater (lyrics), BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Cheri & Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane), BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (Patina Miller) and BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (Victoria Clark).

SISTER ACT features an original score with music by multi-Academy, Grammy, Tony and Golden Globe Award-winning composer Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Enchanted), lyrics by Tony and Academy Award-nominee Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid), and a book by multi-Emmy Award winners Cheri and Bill Steinkellner (“Cheers”) with additional book material by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, The Little Dog Laughed). Directed on Broadway by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks (Guys and Dolls, A Funny Thing…Forum, Smokey Joe’s Café), the production features choreography by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Anthony Van Laast (Mamma Mia, Bombay Dreams) and is based on the Touchstone Pictures motion picture Sister Act written by Joseph Howard.

SISTER ACT opened on April 20, 2011 at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway) to rave reviews.  Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Post calls SISTER ACT, “One of the season’s happiest surprises! Off the charts and packed with goodies, to which we say: Amen!” Joe Dziemianowicz of The New York Daily News raves “A blessed event has landed on Broadway. Sister Act is a feel-good crowd pleaser worth celebrating. It keeps on purring from one happy moment to the next.”  Charles Isherwood of The New York Times says, “When the wimples start quivering and the nuns start rocking to raise the Gothic rafters, all’s right in the kingdom of musical comedy!” and Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press calls SISTER ACT, “In a word, divine. This is a musical that hits all the right spots, achieving something close to Broadway grace. It will convert you.”

When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place cops are sure she won’t be found – a convent!  Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and an uptight Mother Superior.  Using her fabulous disco-ness and killer voice to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church, but in doing so blows her cover.  Soon it’s nun-on-the-run time but she finds salvation in the heavenly power of her newly found sisterhood.  Based on the mega-hit feature film, SISTER ACT features an original Alan Menken/Glenn Slater score with a vast inspiration of musical styles from Motown, soul and funk to great big disco anthems and Barry White inspired musical comedy.

SISTER ACT features scenery by Klara Zieglerova, costumes by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Natasha Katz, sound by Ken Travis and hair/wig designs by David Brian Brown.  The music department includes Musical Supervisor Michael Kosarin, Music Director Brent-Alan Huffman, and orchestrations by Doug Besterman. Casting is by Telsey + Company, Craig Burns CSA.

www.sisteractontour.com

#   #   #

WHOOPI GOLDBERG (Producer) is among the most well-known performers around the world. She shot to international fame with her Oscar-nominated performance in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, before embarking on a prolific Hollywood career with films such as Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Soapdish, The Lion King, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and, of course, Sister Act and its sequel. She has had success in virtually every area of entertainment, from film and television, to stage and recording, to radio host and best-selling author. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ghost in 1991 and is one of a very elite group of artists who has also won the Grammy, the Golden Globe, the Emmy and, as Producer of the original Broadway production of Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2002, a Tony Award. She is currently moderator of the award-winning daytime talk show The View on ABC.

STAGE ENTERTAINMENT USA Inc. (Producer) Founded in 1998 by Joop van den Ende, Stage Entertainment is one of the world’s largest theatrical producers with bases in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France, Russia, Italy and the USA, and the owner of thirty venues across those countries.  Stage Entertainment employs over 4,000 people worldwide and over 10 million people visit a Stage Entertainment production or performance space each year.

Headed by Bill Taylor, Stage Entertainment’s US team recently produced the hit musical, SISTER ACT, on Broadway.  SISTER ACT received five 2011 Tony® Award nominations and rave reviews.  Stage Entertainment US is currently producing SISTER ACT on tour in the US and has several other new projects in development for Broadway and the road.

TROIKA ENTERTAINMENT (Producer) has been the innovator in touring musical theater productions for over two decades, producing shows throughout North America and the world. Each season, Troika tours to hundreds of cities across the U.S. and Canada. In addition, Troika produced in European markets including Russia, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Central/South American and Caribbean credits include touring CATS in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico.  As the first U.S. production company to tour a musical in Mainland China, Troika has toured extensively across the Pacific Rim in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, with productions of The Sound of Music, Swing!, 42nd Street and Chicago. The company is experienced in casino and leisure markets having produced for The Wynn, Caesars, Grand Casino, Hilton, Eldorado and Harrah’s (Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Biloxi, Lake Tahoe and Branson). Current and upcoming productions include West Side Story, Catch Me if You Can, Sister Act, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Shear Madness and The Wizard of Oz. With strong ties to the Broadway community, Troika prides itself on delivering top quality productions to audiences worldwide.

DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS ANNOUNCES 2013 SEASON
OF THE BEST OF BROADWAY AT THE MUSIC HALL AT FAIR PARK

Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM) has announced their 73rd season of shows, with seven touring Broadway productions coming to the Music Hall at Fair Park.  DSM has been entertaining North Texas audiences with the finest in professional live theatrical entertainment since 1941.

In announcing the new season, Michael A. Jenkins, President and Managing Director of Dallas Summer Musicals, said, “Our 73^rd season provides a Destination to unparalleled entertainment with the unprecedented number of three Blockbuster hit shows within the season schedule, in which all shows are direct from Broadway.  With DSM’s affordable prices, this means our subscribers will enjoy an unbeatable entertainment value in 2013.”

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.

DSM 2013 SEASON AT THE MUSIC HALL AT FAIR PARK

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, February 12-24, 2013. Based on the hit Dreamworks Film and the incredible true story that inspired it, Catch Me If You Can is the high-flying, splashy new Broadway musical that tells the story of Frank W. Abagnale, Jr., a teenager who runs away from home in search of the glamorous life.  With nothing more than his boyish charm, a big imagination and millions of dollars in forged checks, Frank successfully poses as a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer—living the high life and winning the girl of his dreams.  But when Frank’s lies catch the attention of FBI agent Carl Hanratty, Carl chases Frank to the end—and finds something he never expected.  A big-hearted musical adventure based on an astonishing real-life story of being young, in love, and in deep, deep trouble.

Disney and CAMERON MACKINTOSH present MARY POPPINS, March 20-30, 2013. Returning to Dallas for two weeks only, the “roof-raising, toe-tapping, high-flying extravaganza!” as proclaimed by the New York Daily News, features an irresistible story and unforgettable songs from one of the most popular Disney films of all time.  With brand-new breathtaking dance numbers and spectacular stage-craft, MARY POPPINS is everything you could ever want in a hit Broadway show.  Get swept up in the fun of this high-flying musical the New York Post gave four out of four stars, calling it “a certifiable super hit!”

WICKED, THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE WITCHES OF OZ, April 10-May 5, 2013. So much happened before Dorothy dropped in!  Variety calls WICKED “a cultural phenomenon,” and it has broken box office records and sold out every time it has played Dallas.  Winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy® and three Tony® Awards, WICKED is “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster,” according to The New York Times.  Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. 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 “the most complete—and completely satisfying—new musical in a long time.”  (USA Today).

PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, THE MUSICAL, May 14-26, 2013. Presenting the most outrageously fun Broadway musical, a spectacular show that tells the uplifting story of a trio of friends on a road trip of a lifetime.  Hopping aboard a battered old bus in search of love and friendship in the middle of the Australian Outback, they end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed.  An international hit with over 500 dazzling, Tony® Award-winning costumes, PRISCILLA features a hit parade of dance-floor favorites including “It’s Raining Men,” “Finally” and “I Will Survive.”  The Hollywood Reporter calls PRISCILLA “funny and fabulous!  Joyous entertainment with eye-popping visuals and unexpected heart!”

SISTER ACT, A DIVINE MUSICAL COMEDY, June 4-16, 2013. Broadway’s feel-amazing musical comedy smash, called by The New York Post “Ridiculously Fun,” has audiences jumping to their feet in total agreement.  Featuring original music by 8-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors), SISTER ACT tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a wannabe diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a crime and the cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look—a convent.  Under the suspicious watch of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own.  A sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, SISTER ACT is reason to rejoice.

FLASHDANCE, THE MUSICAL, June 25-July 7, 2013. The pop-culture phenomenon and runaway international success is now live on stage.  It all started with a dream.  To be bigger.  To burn brighter. To dance harder.  Directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis, The Addams Family), this new musical features a score of smash hits including The Academy Award® winning title track “Flashdance – What a Feeling,” “Maniac,” “I Love Rock & Roll,” and 16 new original songs.  Experience the magic all over again, as FLASHDANCE leaves you begging for more.

Disney presents THE LION KING, October 2-20, 2013. Experience the phenomenon of Disney’s  THE LION KING, Broadway’s Landmark Musical.  Marvel at the breathtaking spectacle of animals brought to life by award-winning director Julie Taymor, whose visual images for this show you’ll remember forever. Thrill to the pulsating rhythms of the African Pridelands and an unforgettable score, including Elton John and Tim Rice’s Oscar-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “Circle of Life.”  Let your imagination run wild at the Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation Newsweek calls “a landmark event in entertainment.”  THE LION KING will be the 2013 State Fair of Texas musical.

Season tickets, priced from $125-$710, go on sale Tuesday, August 28 at The Box Office, 5959 Royal Lane, #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 online at www.dallassummermusicals.org. For groups, 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 significant amounts over the cost of single tickets.

DSM will continue its 73-year tradition of bringing the Best of Broadway to North Texas, setting the standard in musical theatre entertainment. DSM’s 2014 season will begin in December, 2013, with  Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS at the Music Hall.

Season sponsors for Dallas Summer Musicals are The Dallas Morning News, Metro PCS, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, and Texas Instruments.

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 214-413-3977, or email joannholt@gmail.com.

Dallas Summer Musicals is pleased to announce our 73^rd Season!

Let the 2013 Season at Dallas Summer Musicals be Your Passport to Broadway as we take you on a journey!

Now announcing the 2013 DSM Season! CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, MARY POPPINS, WICKED, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, SISTER ACT, FLASHDANCE, and THE LION KING

2013 Season Tickets are ON SALE NOW! Join us for the season and enjoy the best Broadway shows, in the best seats, at the best price! See 7 shows for as low as $125 and save $85 on single ticket prices!

The 2013 DSM Season is 7 Broadway touring shows:

Catch Me If You Can – February 12 – 24, 2013 – Music Hall at Fair Park

Mary Poppins – March 20 – 30, 2013 – Music Hall at Fair Park

Wicked – April 10 – May 5, 2013 – Music Hall at Fair Park

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – May 14 – 26, 2013 – Music Hall at Fair Park

Sister Act – June 4 – 16, 2013 – Music Hall at Fair Park

Flashdance – June 25 – July 7, 2013 – Music Hall at Fair Park

The Lion King – October 2 – 20, 2013 – Music Hall at Fair Park

Check out this video to get a sneak peek of the 2013 Season:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itS3v-N9zfc?rel=0]

Season tickets are only available for purchase for a limited time before the season starts and seats are assigned based on the date you place your order. Don’t miss the opportunity to purchase DSM season tickets! Click here to get more info and to buy now!

Make sure you like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on this blog (at the top on the right – just enter your e-mail address) to get the latest news on our 2013 Season, behind the scenes facts, special contests, and more throughout the season!

Feel free to leave your comments below!

We look forward to seeing you soon at the 2013 DSM Season!

-DSM Amanda