Drury Lane Oakbrook Announces 2010 Season, Includes Chicago Premiere Of SPAMLOT & More

Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook Terrace, 100 Drury Lane, known for producing acclaimed, innovative and classic musicals, announces its exciting 2010 season, featuring five smash hit productions. Following a successful 2009 season, Drury Lane Oakbrook has given five well known and highly creative theatrical directors the ability to choose their favorite Broadway musicals, and has given them the license to go beyond the expected and introduce audiences to their vision. These musicals include the Tony-award winning classic Ragtime, directed by Rachel Rockwell, previewing March 18, opening March 24 and running through May 23; the 1959 Marilyn Monroe film-turned-musical Sugar, which originally debuted as the widely known film Some Like it Hot, directed by Jim Corti, previewing June 3, opening June 9 and running through August 1; the timeless comedy Hot Mikado, directed by David H. Bell, previewing August 12, opening August 18, and running through October 3; the exhilarating production Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, directed by Bill Jenkins, previewing October 14, opening October 20, and running through December 19. The season's much anticipated grand finale will be the Chicago regional premiere of the Monty Python-inspired farce Spamalot, directed by Drury Lane Oakbrook Artistic Director William Osetek and previewing December 31, opening January 6, and running through March 13, 2011.

A nostalgic and powerful portrait of life in turn of the century America, Ragtime is based on E.L. Doctorow's distinguished novel. The musical intertwines the stories of a Harlem musician, a wealthy New York family and a Latvian Jewish immigrant. Ragtime poignantly explores history's timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, and love and hate. Featuring a Tony Award winning book by Terrence McNally, and a Tony Award-winning score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, Ragtime combines diverse fictional characters with several famous figures of the era to create a stirring musical portrayal of turn-of-the 20th century America. Directed by Rachel Rockwell, director of last season's smash hit production of Miss Saigon, Ragtime will preview March 18, open March 24, and run through May 23.

Previewing June 3, opening June 9 and running through August 1, Drury Lane Oakbrook will produce Sugar, directed by Jeff-award winning director Jim Corti. Corti directed Drury Lane Oakbrook's sensational production of Sweet Charity, which earned him a Jeff Award and Meet Me in St. Louis, which was also nominated for a Jeff Award. Corti is also currently directing Drury Lane Oakbrook's production of the Tony Award winning musical Cabaret. Sugar originally debuted as the widely known film Some Like it Hot, starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and the blonde goddess, Marilyn Monroe. The film then was transformed into the musical Sugar, which opened at the Majestic Theater in 1972, running for 505 performances and earning four Tony Award nominations. In this side-splitting musical, two struggling musicians witness what appears to be the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and try to find a way out of the city under the threat of the mob. Unfortunately, they are in no position to finance such a move. Desperate times call for desperate measure and the pair take on the only job available-as an all-female band heading to Florida. The cross-dressing frauds board a train and ride right into a world of trouble.

Since its opening, thousands of audiences have enjoyed the hilarious Broadway musical Hot Mikado, which is an adaptation of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan tale, The Mikado set in the 1940s. This production will be directed by the writer of the book and lyrics himself, multi-Jeff Award winner and Helen Hayes Award winner David H. Bell. In Hot Mikado, previewing August 12, opening August 18 and running through October 3, Nanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado, disguises himself and seeks out the lovely Yum-Yum, only to discover that she is to marry Koko, the Lord High executioner. Koko is required by the Mikado to execute one person within the month, and Nanki-Poo offers himself up as long as he can spend one month married to Yum-Yum. What ensues is a highly amusing web of discoveries and circumstances that make the comedic performance one for the whole family to enjoy.

Tony Award winning musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, will preview October 14, open October 20 and run through December 19. The production will be directed by Bill Jenkins, who has directed multiple productions throughout Chicago and is currently the Chair of Ball State University's Department of Theatre and Dance. Set in Oregon in 1850, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is the story of Adam Pontipee, a man who simply goes to town looking for a bride. He finds Milly working in a restaurant and convinces her to marry him. Milly's ecstasy quickly sours when she finds she is to also take care of Adam's six unkempt, burly brothers. Deciding to make the marriage work, Milly sets a plan into motion to marry off the brothers, including teaching them how to court women. This plan turns out to be much more difficult than originally anticipated and leads to a series of madcap events. A delightfully funny love story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers received a Tony Award for Best Original Score and began its life as a beloved 1954 MGM movie musical that has only improved in its stage adaptation.

The Chicago regional premiere of Spamalot, the side-splitting musical comedy "lovingly ripped off " from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, will preview December 31, open January 6, and run through March 13, 2011. With a book and lyrics by Eric Idle and an entirely new score created by Idle and John Du Prez, Spamalot will be directed by Drury Lane Oakbrook's Artistic Director William Osetek. Osetek has directed numerous productions at Drury Lane Oakbrook including the annual holiday favorite, A Christmas Carol. The multi-Tony Award winning Spamalot debuted on Broadway in 2005 and recently made its final appearance after 1,574 hysterical performances. Telling the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail, Spamalot features a chorus line of dancing divas and knights, flatulent Frenchmen, killer rabbits and one legless knight.

The remainder of Drury Lane Oakbrook's 2009 season features the Tony Award-winning Cabaret, directed by Jim Corti, previewing August 13, opening August 19 and running through October 11. The delightful Jazz Age musical Thoroughly Modern Millie, directed by Artistic Director William Osetek, previews October 22, opens October 28 and runs through December 20, and the beloved musical Funny Girl, directed by Gary Griffin, previews December 31, opens January 6 and runs through March 7, 2010.

The performance schedule is as follows: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. ($29), Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. ($29) and 8 p.m. ($33), Fridays at 8:30 p.m. ($38), Saturdays at 5 p.m. ($38) and 8:30 p.m. ($38) and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. ($38) and 6 p.m. ($36). Lunch and dinner theater packages range from $43.75 to $61 depending on the day of the week. Subscriptions for the 5 show season start at $131. For reservations, phone (630) 530-0111 or call TicketMaster at 312.559.1212. You may also visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.drurylaneoakbrook.com.