BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY to Play Civic Arts Plaza, 3/12-15

The worldwide smash-hit musical BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY will be rocking the Civic Arts Plaza March 12-15. February 3rd marks the 56th anniversary of "the Day the Music Died", as Don McLean called the death of Buddy Holly in the song 'American Pie.' But this musical proves that the music, like Buddy's legacy, lives on.

BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY plays Thursday-Sunday, March 12-15 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Tickets are on sale now and are available online at theaterleague.com and Ticketmaster.com, by visiting the Civic Arts Plaza box office, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd, by calling Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000 or by visiting any Ticketmaster outlet. Groups of 10 or more call 1.866.31.GROUP. Military members receive a 50% discount throughout the theater and students receive a 50% discount on all balcony seating (excluding Saturday 8 p.m. and Gallery seating).

Buddy Holly first gained international recognition in the UK on his 1958 tour of England. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Elton John, have all spoken about how they took Buddy - the tall, lanky kid with glasses - to heart, and connected with his image as the 'everyman' of rock & roll. Paul McCartney once said at least the first 40 songs the Beatles wrote were Buddy Holly-influenced.

A smash hit in the West End, on Broadway, throughout North America and around the world for the past 25 years, BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY has helped to introduce Buddy's music to new generations. Buddy's single-minded determination to push musical boundaries is clear for all to see in the show. "Buddy was not afraid of trying new things and if you listen to all of his songs no two are alike. He was a 22-year-old starting his career but his mentality was different. Who would've ever thought of a rock 'n' roller putting violins in anything?" Maria Elena, Buddy's widow enthuses.

Over the years, there have been numerous actors presented with the task of filling Buddy's shoes on stage. "I love to come and see the show," says Maria Elena. "Each Buddy has done a tremendous job in the way they portray him - I'm sure Buddy would've approved."

New Yorker Todd Meredith will don the signature glasses on the 2015 US tour. Something he is by no means unfamiliar with, having played the lead in a number of regional productions of the show.

"As I researched the role I found out who Buddy was as a person and how much he accomplished in such a short period of time. That is what is truly inspiring. All the odds were stacked against him but he persisted, and his music reached the entire world," Meredith says. "No other show I have been a part of gets quite the same crazy reaction from the crowd at the end. It really is a special thing to witness."

BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY plays Thursday-Sunday, March 12-15 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Tickets are on sale now and are available online at theaterleague.com and Ticketmaster.com, by visiting the Civic Arts Plaza box office, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd, by calling Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000 or by visiting any Ticketmaster outlet. Groups of 10 or more call 1.866.31.GROUP. Military members receive a 50% discount throughout the theater and students receive a 50% discount on all balcony seating (excluding Saturday 8 p.m. and Gallery seating).

Please Note: Theaterleague.com, Ticketmaster and the Civic Arts Plaza Box Office are the only official sources for tickets to BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY and all of the shows in the 2014-2015 Broadway in Thousand Oaks Series. If you purchase tickets through another source, you may pay over-inflated prices and your tickets will not be guaranteed.