BAT OUT OF HELL, FALSETTOS, and More Headed to Ordway Center for 2018/19 Season

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts revealed today its 2018-19 Broadway Series sponsored by Bremer Bank, featuring an exciting mix of Ordway Originals, popular touring productions and an international hit show visiting the Twin Cities as a part of its North American premiere tour.

"We're thrilled to share the announcement of our new season. The 2018-2019 Ordway Broadway Series, formerly our Musical Theater Series, is full of awesome shows, with a little bit of something for everyone," said Ordway President and CEO Jamie Grant. "Our newest team member, Producing Artistic Director Rod Kaats, put the finishing touches on this incredible Broadway season, just the beginning of a new way at the Ordway and a wonderful year of programming."

Opening the Ordway Broadway Series on July 17 is an Ordway Original production of Mamma Mia! More than 60 million people around the world have had the night of their lives experiencing ABBA's timeless songs telling the light-hearted tale of family and friendship. Propelled by laughter and lots of heart, this fresh Ordway Original features a plethora of local talent and new sets and costumes, enchanting as the ultimate feel-good, summer show.

The Ordway holiday show is always highly anticipated, and this year is no exception with Elf The Musical making a return visit from December 5-30. In this hilarious musical, a young orphan is raised under Santa's watch until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. Buddy ventures to New York to find his family, learn his true identity and discover the real meaning of Christmas.

As a bonus performance, the Ordway will present a limited engagement of the world premiere concert version of Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol. This special event on November 17-18, 2018, based on the Charles Dickens' classic, is currently available as an exclusive add-on for subscribers.

The national tour of the Tony-nominated, Lincoln Center Theater production of Falsettos will be on stage in February 2019, providing a riotous and achingly poignant look at the infinite possibilities that make up a modern family.

Back by popular demand from April 2-7, 2019 is everyone's favorite parody musical, Monty Python's Spamalot. King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on an outrageous and laugh-filled quest for the Holy Grail. Flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen, and show-stopping musical numbers that encourages audiences to "always look on the bright side of life."

As a part of its North American premiere tour, Bat Out of Hell will thrill audiences in this "jaw-dropping spectacle" (Evening Standard) from June 12-23, 2019. Jim Steinman's international smash-hit celebrates Meat Loaf's most iconic album like it's never been heard before.

To conclude the 2018-2019 Broadway season, the performing arts center will produce another Ordway Original, a 21st century take on 42nd Street. This re-imagined classic about a wide-eyed ingenue dreaming of tapping her way to Broadway will introduce a 42nd Street with a brand-new beat from July 23-August 11, 2019.

"We hope audiences will be as excited as we are to embrace this new way at the Ordway," said new Producing Artistic Director Rod Kaats. "I have been blown away by the talent in my first couple of months here. I've always had a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for the work that comes out of the Twin Cities and it is my honor to discover my new part in it. I absolutely can't wait to share these Ordway Original productions, re-imagined classics and new productions with the Twin Cities."

Subscriptions only are available now and can be purchased online at www.ordway.org, by phone at 651-224-4222 or in person at the Ordway ticket office. Announcements about single ticket on sale dates will be released at a later time.

2018-2019 Ordway Broadway Series, Sponsored by Bremer Bank

July 17-August 5, 2018

MAMMA MIA!

An Ordway Original

A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle audiences will never forget. Sixty million people around the world have had the night of their lives experiencing writer Catherine Johnson's light-hearted tale of family and friendship, told through ABBA's timeless songs such as "Take a Chance on Me," "Dancing Queen," and "SOS." This fresh, all-new version of Mamma Mia! will enchant as the ultimate feel-good summer musical! Sponsored by Travelers.

November 17-18, 2018

Dolly Parton'S SMOKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS CAROL

World Premiere -Priority tickets available to subscribers

Charles Dickens' holiday classic. A "sneak-peek" staged reading of the world premiere of this new musical featuring an all-new original score by Dolly Parton. Set in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, mining company boss Ebenezer Scrooge meets the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, rekindling a spark of humanity in his hardened heart. A live acoustic band brings Parton's original score to life in this "concert style" presentation of a heartwarming, musical reimagining of a holiday classic.

December 5-30, 2018

ELF THE MUSICAL

Elf The Musical is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy's enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa's permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

February 19-24, 2019

The Lincoln Center Theater Production of

FALSETTOS

Love makes a family. Falsettos revolves around the life of a charming, intelligent, neurotic gay man named Marvin, his wife, lover, about-to-be-Bar-Mitzvahed son, their psychiatrist, and the lesbians next door. It's a hilarious and achingly poignant look at the infinite possibilities that make up a modern family.

April 2-7, 2019

MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

Always look on the bright side of life. Tony®Award-winner for Best Musical, Monty Python's Spamalot lovingly winks at the film classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail. King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on an outrageous and laugh-filled quest for the Holy Grail. Flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen, and show-stopping musical numbers are just a few reasons why audiences worldwide are eating up Spamalot!

June 12-23, 2019

BAT OUT OF HELL: THE MUSICAL

Rock 'n' Roll musical hit in London and Toronto

So hot it heats up the streets. A young, rebellious hero falls in love with the beautiful daughter of the most powerful man in post-apocalyptic Obsidian. Stunning stagecraft and multi-media light up the stage in this boundary-pushing musical-an exciting fusion of music, opera, and theater. Featuring the music of Meat Loaf such as "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and "I Would Do Anything for Love," Bat Out of Hell is not to be missed.

July 23-August 11, 2019

42nd STREET

An Ordway Original

Come and hear the brand new beat. This classic tale of wide-eyed Peggy Sawyer dreaming of tapping her way to Broadway will knock audiences off their feet. Re-imagined for a 21st century audience, this all-new production features local talent, masterful dancing and funk-jazz orchestrations of hit songs like "We're in the Money," "Lullaby of Broadway," and of course, its title track.

The Ordway's 2018-19 Broadway Series is sponsored by Bremer Bank. Generous support for Ordway Originals is provided by Marcia L. Morris. Mamma Mia! is sponsored by Travelers. For tickets and more information, visit www.ordway.org.

ABOUT ORDWAY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

For over 30 years, Ordway Center for Performing Arts has been telling stories that exemplify the human experience. Our stages have been a dramatic canvas for artists to create worlds of love and loss, hope and despair, war and peace, victory and defeat. Audiences have been transported to exotic locations, met iconic characters, and embarked on exhilarating adventures. Recognized as one of the U.S.'s leading not-for-profit performing arts centers, the Ordway presents and produces a wide variety of performances throughout the year that encompass the finest in musical theater, concerts, dance and vocal artists. In addition, each year the Ordway presents its Flint Hills Family Festival and serves over 62,000 children through its education programs. The performing arts center houses a 1,900 seat Music Theater, a 1,100 seat Concert Hall, two large rehearsal halls and magnificent lobbies. The Ordway is a proud member of the Arts Partnership, a collaboration comprising the Minnesota Opera, the Ordway, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Schubert Club. For more information, visit ordway.org.