Atlanta Lyric Theatre Sets 35th Season: CATS, BARNUM, CHICAGO & More

Atlanta Lyric Theatre, now in its 35th year as the metro area's only professional musical theatre company, has announced its upcoming 2014-15 season of musicals at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre in Marietta. With five fantastic shows - Andrew Lloyd Webber's international hit Cats, the Broadway blockbuster Chicago, the regional premiere Catch Me If You Can, baseball's greatest hit Damn Yankees, and the big top circus musical Barnum! -- we look forward to continuing to deliver unforgettable theatrical experiences to our patrons!

Current subscribers have the first chance to renew and lock-in their preferred dates and seating - but only for a limited time. Season subscriptions and individual tickets will go on sale to the general public on May 1, 2014. For information and sales, contact 404-377-9948 or visit www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com.

CATS (AUG 8 - 24, 2014) Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Based on "Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats" by T. S. Eliot - The show that revolutionized musical theatre is opening The Lyric's 35th anniversary season! Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats is inspired by the universally popular poetry of T.S. Eliot. Cats tells the story, in song and dance, of the annual gathering of Jellicle cats, at which time one special cat is selected to ascend to the Heaviside Layer. A true musical theatre phenomenon, Cats opened at London's New London Theatre in 1981 and ran for a record-setting 21 years. Cats' London success was nearly matched on Broadway where it ran for just over 18 years. This enchanting musical features the immortal ballad "Memory," as well as a collection of other whimsical tunes enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

CHICAGO (OCT 24 - NOV 9, 2014) Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb; Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse - Murder. Greed. Corruption. Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media, and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago's slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids. No wonder Chicago has been honored with six Tony Awards, six Academy Awards, a Grammy, and thousands of standing ovations. *Not suitable for young children.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (FEB 13 - MAR 1, 2015) Music by Marc Shaiman, Lyrics by Scott Wittman; Book by Terrence McNally - Based on the hit DreamWorks film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, and the incredible true story that inspired it, Catch Me If You Can is the high-flying, splashy 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. Nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical, Catch Me If You Can will make its regional premiere at The Lyric!

DAMN YANKEES (APR 10 - 26, 2015) Music and Lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross; Book by George Abbott and Douglas Wallop - The Lyric welcome the Atlanta Braves to Cobb County with the classic baseball musical Damn Yankees! Winner of eleven Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Choreography, Damn Yankees is sure to be a homerun hit. Based on Douglas Wallop's "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant," Damn Yankees gives a new twist to the legend of Faust when a devilish dealmaker offers middle-aged baseball fan Joe Boyd the chance to take his beloved Washington Senators to victory over the"damn Yankees" in return for his soul, Joe takes it. But as the Senators' stats soar, Joe realizes he's losing his wife and looks for a loophole. Enter sizzling-hot temptress Lola, a charter member of the Home-wreckers Hall of Fame. Who will win? We're not telling! This classic musical will have fans on the edge of their seats enjoying hit favorites like "Whatever Lola Wants," "Heart," and "Six Months Out of Every Year."

BARNUM (JUNE 12 - 28, 2015) Music by Cy Coleman, Lyrics by Michael Stewart; Book by Mark Bramble - The Lyric presents this exhilarating musical following the irrepressible imagination and dreams of Phineas T. Barnum, America's greatest showman. The story of his life and his marriage to Chairy reveals a couple who looked at the world from opposite sides of the spectrum, and also reveals that she was the practical one who made Barnum's dreams come true. The production follows the legendary showman's life under the big top as he finally teamed up with J. A. Bailey to create Barnum and Bailey's Circus - the Greatest Show on Earth! Cy Coleman's wonderfully exuberant score includes the hits "Come Follow The Band," "The Colors Of My Life," and "There's A Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute." Barnum was a smash hit when it opened on Broadway in 1980. Starring Glenn Close and Jim Dale, it won three Tony Awards and a Drama Desk Award.