ASSASSINS, IN THE HEIGHTS and More Set for Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma's 2017 Season

By: Jan. 12, 2017
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Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma's 2017 season will take patrons on a whirlwind adventure, from a Disney musical revue and a classic New York City love story to favorite hair bands of the 1980s and presidential assassinations.

The season includes three intimate productions at Lyric at the Plaza, 1725 NW 16 St., -- ASSASSINS (Feb. 8-26), I AM MY OWN WIFE (March 29-April 9) and ROCK OF AGES (Oct. 11-29) - and four large-scale productions at the Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker Ave., -- MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET (June 27-July 1), DISNEY'S WHEN YOU WISH (July 11-15), WEST SIDE STORY (July 25-29) and IN THE HEIGHTS (Aug. 8-12).

Additionally, the theatre company will produce two season add-on shows - the children's favorite JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (March 29-April 9) and the holiday classic LYRIC'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Nov. 29-Dec. 24), both at the Plaza Theatre.

Starting Lyric's 2017 season is ASSASSINS, a ground-breaking production with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Winner of five Tony Awards, the show examines the mindset of individuals who have either attempted or successfully assassinated U.S. presidents and explores what drove them to commit horrific crimes that still affect Americans today. The show features Mateja Govich as John Wilkes Booth, Lyn Cramer as Sara Jane Moore, Greg White as Leon Czologosz and D. Lance Marsh as Samuel Byck.

In late March, Lyric favorite Matthew Alvin Brown returns to the stage in I AM MY OWN WIFE, a one-man show, which has won both the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award. The production is an examination of the life of German antiquarian Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, born Lother Berfelde, who survived the Nazi and Communist regimes in East Berlin as a transvestite.

Also at the Plaza Theatre in late March is the Theatre for Young Audiences production of JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH by Golden Globe winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. This colorful musical, based on the classic Roald Dahl story, follows a young boy who enters a gigantic peach and sets out on a cross-world adventure with several magically-altered garden bugs. Lyric will produce two sensory-friendly performances specifically designed for children with autism, Asperger's Syndrome or other sensory-processing disorders and special needs. JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH is a co-production with Adventure Theatre in Washington, D.C.

In June, Lyric returns to the Civic Center Music Hall for the first of four grand-scale, musical productions, when it opens MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. Inspired by the unforgettable night where Sam Phillips brought together Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley, this smash hit will include crowd-favorites such as "Great Balls of Fire," "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Walk the Line." A co-production with ZACH Theatre of Austin, Texas, it will be guest directed by Dave Steakley.

Up next at the Civic Center, Lyric presents DISNEY'S WHEN YOU WISH, which brings the best of Disney's movies and stage musicals to life in a new theatrical adventure. The show travels into the imagination of a young girl as she dreams her way through classic Disney musicals. Songs and characters from SNOW WHITE, THE JUNGLE BOOK, POCAHONTAS, THE LITTLE MERMAID, MULAN, HERCULES and more will be featured. Lyric's own Producing Artistic Director Michael Baron will direct.

The Civic season continues with the classic WEST SIDE STORY. Based on Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET, the show explores love in a time of hate between the Sharks and the Jets in New York City's Upper West Side during the 1950s. Fresh from his critically acclaimed sold-out production at Washington, D.C.'s Signature Theatre, Matthew Gardiner will guest direct this classic American musical.

From Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the Broadway hit HAMILTON, the Civic season concludes with IN THE HEIGHTS, guest directed by Michael Balderrama. This spirited show features a contemporary Latin-flavored score and high-energy, hip-hop dance moves. Experience the close-knit neighborhood of Washington Heights, where the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music.

The season returns to the Plaza Theatre in the fall for the high-energy rock musical, ROCK OF AGES. The show will take patrons back to the 1980s, where they'll experience big bands with big egos playing big guitars and sporting even bigger hair. Lyric's own Associate Artistic Director Ashley Wells will direct.

Closing the year, Oklahoma's favorite holiday tradition, LYRIC'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, returns for its seventh year. The show invites patrons to go on a magical journey with Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Relive the cherished tale of Jacob Marley, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and a host of unforgettable characters as they touch your heart.

Season tickets are available for performances at both venues and start at just $102. For additional information, call (405) 524-9312 or visit www.LyricTheatreOKC.com.

Founded in 1963, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma is the state's leading professional theatre company. Lyric produces classic and contemporary musicals and plays created by artists from Oklahoma and around the nation. Shows are presented at two Oklahoma City venues -- the intimate, 279-seat Plaza Theatre and the grand, 2,477-seat Civic Center Music Hall. Lyric is a nonprofit member theatre of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and Allied Arts. For more information, visit www.LyricTheatreOKC.com.

 

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