JERSEY BOYS Comes To Civic Center Of Greater Des Moines In 2010

Today the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, Central Iowa's premier not-for-profit performing arts center, announced its upcoming 2009-2010 season including the Willis Broadway Series sponsored by the Willis Auto Campus and the new Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Family Series. JERSEY BOYS, direct from Broadway, will headline the Willis Broadway Series and makes its Iowa premiere in July 2010. Current Willis Broadway Series season ticket holders may begin renewing their season tickets immediately online at CivicCenter.org.

The 2009-2010 Willis Broadway Series five show season ticket package features:

RENT - Nov. 10-15, 2009

CIRQUE DREAMS ILLUMINATION - Dec. 1-6, 2009

Steppenwolf's AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY - Feb. 23-28, 2010

Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC - MAY 18-23, 2010

JERSEY BOYS - July 7-25, 2010

The 2009-2010 Willis Broadway Series also includes a non-package special presentation of:

DISNEY'S THE LION KING - Jan. 6-24, 2010

Civic Center Special Attractions are:

Judy Garland IN CONCERT - March 6, 2010

SAN JOSE TAIKO - April 11, 2010

Jeff Chelesvig, Civic Center President & CEO, says the upcoming season is a stellar combination of new titles and returning favorites. "This season really does bring the best of Broadway to Des Moines." The 2009-2010 Willis Broadway series boasts an impressive 26 Tony Awards® with all the major awards represented including Best Musical, Best Play, Best Book, Best Original Score, Best Direction, Best Choreography, Best Actor in a Musical and Best Actress in a Play.

The Civic Center also announced that Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield has signed on as the title sponsor for the Civic Center's new Family Series which begins with the upcoming 2009-2010 Civic Center season. Chris Verlengia, Wellmark corporate communications consultant, said "We chose to partner with the Civic Center because it unquestionably offers an experience that enriches the quality of life, both here in Central Iowa and beyond." Chelesvig added, "The Family Series continues to expand our programming for young audiences while making a commitment to be financially accessible to all."

The 2009-2010 Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Family Series lineup consists of:

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD - Feb. 20, 2010

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR - March 27, 2010

CREOLE FOR KIDS AND THE HISTORY OF ZYDECO - May 15, 2010

Said Chelesvig, "We are very proud to have Wellmark as our title sponsor for the Family Series. Like the Civic Center, Wellmark shares our passion for excellence and contributing to the community in meaningful ways. We're eager to deliver a year-long season of cultural experiences for theater-goers of all ages making the Civic Center Central Iowa's home for performing arts."

WILLIS BROADWAY SERIES (FIVE SHOW PACKAGE):

• JERSEY BOYS (July 7-25, 2010) - JERSEY BOYS, winner of the 2006 Best Musical Tony Award®, the 2006 Grammy Award® for Best Musical Show Album, and the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, tells the story of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons, and how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. JERSEY BOYS concludes the 2009-2010 season when it rocks and rolls its way to Des Moines for its Civic Center debut in a limited three week engagement.

• Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC (May 18-23, 2010) - SOUTH PACIFIC comes to Des Moines with a stunning reinvention produced by Lincoln Center Theater which won seven 2008 Tony Awards® including Best Musical Revival and Best Director Bartlett Sher. Set on a tropical island during World War II, the musical tells the sweeping romantic story of two couples and how their happiness is threatened by the realities of war and by their own prejudices with beloved songs "Some Enchanted Evening" and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair."

• RENT (Nov. 10-15, 2009) - This 1996 Tony Award® and Pulitzer Prize winner returns to the Civic Center with original Broadway cast members Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal reprising the roles they made famous in this exciting new tour! Don't miss the show that transformed how a generation feels about musicals, changed Broadway forever, and inspired a major motion picture. Whether it's your first time or your 100th time, it's time you checked out RENT!

• AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (Feb. 23-28, 2010) - The Civic Center is proud to present AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, winner of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Play, in the first year of its national tour. AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY stars Tony and Academy Award-winner Estelle Parsons as Violet Weston, a Midwestern mom caught in the grip of addiction. When her husband mysteriously disappears, the Weston clan reunites for a big, juicy family showdown that's as hilarious as it is shocking.

• CIRQUE DREAMS ILLUMINATION (Dec. 1-6, 2009) - The Civic Center is excited to present this brand new spectacle. From the creators of the Broadway hit Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy comes a journey of city dwellers who reinvent the risks of flight in an array of astounding occurrences that transform the ordinary into extraordinary.

WILLIS BROADWAY SERIES (SPECIAL PRESENTATION):

• DISNEY'S THE LION KING (Jan. 6-24, 2010) - Winner of six 1998 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Best Choreography and Best Direction, DISNEY'S THE LION KING returns to the Civic Center. With an unforgettable score by Elton John and Tim Rice, THE LION KING is a visually stunning phenomenon.

WELLMARK BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD FAMILY SERIES (THREE SHOW PACKAGE):

• A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD (Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010 at 1 p.m.) Arnold Lobel's beloved characters hop off the page and onto the stage in this new musical that follows two great friends.

• THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR AND OTHER ERIC CARLE FAVOURITES (Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 11 a.m.) Follow the amazing and brave journeys of three of Eric Carle's most beloved stories coming to life on stage using black-light and larger-than-life puppets.

• CREOLE FOR KIDZ AND THE HISTORY OF ZYDECO (Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 1 p.m.) Powerful. Emotional. Grammy-award winning artist Terrance Simien uses Zydeco music-the indigenous music of the French-speaking Creoles of south Louisiana-to share his Creole culture and history.

Tickets to the Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Family Series are $10 per show. The three-show package can be purchased for only $24.

CIVIC CENTER SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS:

• Judy Garland IN CONCERT (Saturday, March 6, 2010) - Hear the legendary vocals of Judy Garland accompanied live in perfect synchronization by the Des Moines Symphony.

• SAN JOSE TAIKO (Sunday, April 11, 2010) - Powerful. Emotional. Spellbinding. SAN JOSE TAIKO turns Japanese taiko drumming into entrancing movement and dance.

The best way to ensure the best seats in the house is to become a Willis Broadway Series season ticket holder. For current Willis Broadway Series season ticket holders, renewals orders may be placed beginning June 3 online at CivicCenter.org, in person at the Civic Center ticket window Monday through Friday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and by mail or fax. First-time season ticket holders may place orders beginning in July 2009. The Civic Center is encouraging customers to renew online by offering a $10 discount for internet orders. More information can be obtained by visiting the Civic Center Web site at CivicCenter.org.

The Willis Broadway Series Season Ticket package includes a ticket to each of the five shows in the package. Season ticket holders enjoy exclusive benefits such as "Swap-A-Show," discounted prices, and the same great seats for each show. Season ticket holders may now pay for the Willis Broadway Series season ticket package in two easy installments

At this time, the Willis Broadway Series special presentation of Disney's THE LION KING, the Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Family Series season ticket package and Civic Center special attractions may only be purchased with a Willis Broadway Series Season Ticket package. The lineup for the Prairie Meadows Temple Theater Series will be announced at a later date.