Thomas B McGrath News

Tickets to Wicked, a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Academy Award winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (?My So Called Life,? ?Once And Again? and ?thirtysomething?), based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, will go on sale Friday, March 6, beginning at 7:00 a.m. Tickets will be exclusively available and must be purchased in person at the Ticket Omaha Box Office inside the Holland Performing Arts Center, 13th and Douglas streets, Omaha, Neb. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., remaining tickets will not only be available at the Ticket Omaha Box Office, but will also be available online at TicketOmaha.org or by calling 402-345-0606. There is an eight-ticket limit per person. For group sales, call 402-661-8516, or toll-free 866-434-8587, and ask for Group Sales.

Annie, the beloved tale of Little Orphan Annie, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre Thursday, Feb. 12 through Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 for a limited engagement of four performances. This timeless story is back in its 30th anniversary tour, offering a new generation the opportunity to experience this heartwarming musical about never giving up hope. Individual tickets are on sale now. Annie is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as a special addition to its 2008-09 M&I Bank Broadway Across America-Minneapolis season. Visit www.HennepinTheatreDistrict.org or call 1-800-982-2787 to purchase tickets or for more information. The Chicago Sun Times says, 'Ageless Annie is as engaging as ever.' Annie, with music by Charles Strouse and book by Thomas Meehan, is directed by its lyricist, Martin Charnin, who brought the original production of Annie to Broadway in 1977. Tony Award-winning set designer, Ming Cho Lee, also has created a fresh look for this tour. The cast features Madison Kerth as Annie; and Minnesota natives Jeffrey Duncan from Eagan as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Cheryl Hoffmann from Sleepy Eye as Lily St. Regis. Mikey, a mixed-breed dog rescued from an animal shelter by trainer William Berloni, plays Sandy. The original Broadway production of Annie won seven 1977 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Book and Score. It ran for 2,377 performances and has subsequently been produced all over the world. The original production is one of the top 20 longest running shows in Broadway history, and Annie continues to be one of the most successful musicals ever. It boasts one of Broadway's most memorable scores, including 'It's the Hard-Knock Life,' 'Easy Street,' 'N.Y.C' and the ever optimistic 'Tomorrow.' In addition to Charnin, Meehan, Strouse and Lee, Annie's creative team includes original Broadway musical staging by Peter Gennaro, choreography by Liza Gennaro, lighting design by Ken Billington, costume design by Theoni Aldridge and sound design by Peter Hylenski. Annie is produced by Networks Presentations, LLC. For more information, visit www.annieontour.com.

Casting is announced today for the Seattle engagement of Disney's THE LION KING. Seattle's most eagerly awaited stage production ever will leap onto the Paramount Theatre stage from Wednesday, February 11 through Sunday, March 15. The media opening night is Friday, February 13 at 8 pm. This Seattle engagement is one of seven current productions running worldwide along with New York, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Paris and Fukuoka.

Fiddler on the Roof, the poignant Tony Award-winning musical starring Chaim Topol as Tevye in his farewell performance of the role he made famous, will play Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre Tuesday through Sunday Feb. 24-March 1, 2009. In this new national tour, Twin Cities audiences will have a rare opportunity to see Jerome Robbins' original Broadway direction and choreography, complete with Topol, the star of the original West End production and 1971 film. Individual tickets are on sale now. Fiddler on the Roof is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as part of its 2008-09 M&I Bank Broadway Across America-Minneapolis season.

Annie, the beloved tale of Little Orphan Annie, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre Thursday, Feb. 12 through Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 for a limited engagement of four performances. This timeless story is back in its 30th anniversary tour, offering a new generation the opportunity to experience this heartwarming musical about never giving up hope. Individual tickets are on sale now. Annie is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as a special addition to its 2008-09 M&I Bank Broadway Across America-Minneapolis season. Visit www.HennepinTheatreDistrict.org or call 1-800-982-2787 to purchase tickets or for more information. The Chicago Sun Times says, 'Ageless Annie is as engaging as ever.' Annie, with music by Charles Strouse and book by Thomas Meehan, is directed by its lyricist, Martin Charnin, who brought the original production of Annie to Broadway in 1977. Tony Award-winning set designer, Ming Cho Lee, also has created a fresh look for this tour. The cast features Madison Kerth as Annie; and Minnesota natives Jeffrey Duncan from Eagan as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Cheryl Hoffmann from Sleepy Eye as Lily St. Regis. Mikey, a mixed-breed dog rescued from an animal shelter by trainer William Berloni, plays Sandy. The original Broadway production of Annie won seven 1977 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Book and Score. It ran for 2,377 performances and has subsequently been produced all over the world. The original production is one of the top 20 longest running shows in Broadway history, and Annie continues to be one of the most successful musicals ever. It boasts one of Broadway's most memorable scores, including 'It's the Hard-Knock Life,' 'Easy Street,' 'N.Y.C' and the ever optimistic 'Tomorrow.' In addition to Charnin, Meehan, Strouse and Lee, Annie's creative team includes original Broadway musical staging by Peter Gennaro, choreography by Liza Gennaro, lighting design by Ken Billington, costume design by Theoni Aldridge and sound design by Peter Hylenski. Annie is produced by Networks Presentations, LLC. For more information, visit www.annieontour.com.

Nickelodeon and Broadway Across America are teaming up to bring 'Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys,' starring the world's most famous Latina explorer, to Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium from February 20-22.

Casting is announced today for the Seattle engagement of Disney's THE LION KING. Seattle's most eagerly awaited stage production ever will leap onto the Paramount Theatre stage from Wednesday, February 11 through Sunday, March 15. The media opening night is Friday, February 13 at 8 pm. This Seattle engagement is one of seven current productions running worldwide along with New York, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Paris and Fukuoka.

Daily Variety is reporting that the international stage hit Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage could be making itself a home on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre after current resident Hairspray takes its final bow. While no official plans have been confirmed, inside word is that 'Dancing' looks to be eyeing the space for it's Rialto bow. There is no word on an exact date for a Broadway opening, but insiders predict a Fall 2009 start for the film to stage tuner.

The international stage hit Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage will make its Pre-Broadway East Coast premiere at the Boston Opera House for a limited engagement February 7 through March 15, 2009. Tickets go on sale to the public Sunday, October 5th at 10AM. For full ticketing information please go to the end of this release. Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage is part of the Lexus Boston Area Dealers Broadway Across America - Boston Series.

The international stage hit Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage will make its Pre-Broadway East Coast premiere at the Boston Opera House for a limited engagement February 7 through March 15, 2009. Tickets go on sale to the public Sunday, October 5th at 10AM. For full ticketing information please go to the end of this release. Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage is part of the Lexus Boston Area Dealers Broadway Across America - Boston Series.

Nickelodeon and Broadway Across America are teaming up to bring 'Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys,' starring the world's most famous Latina explorer, to cities across the U.S. in 2009.

Key Brand Entertainment CEO John Gore announced today the sale of two major Toronto theatres to Mirvish Productions: the 2,300-seat Canon Theatre and the 700-seat Panasonic Theatre.