Atlanta Lyric Theatre Announces Their 31st Season of Musicals

Atlanta Lyric Theatre is pleased to announce its 2010-2011 season! With five incredible shows - the all-American classic The Music Man, the dance extravaganza 42nd Street, the hit revue of doo-wop songs Leader of the Pack, Gilbert & Sullivan's favorite The Mikado, and the edgy blockbuster hit Rent - we look forward to delivering an unforgettable theatre experience to our audience.

The Music Man (September 17 - October 3, 2010) Book, Music and Lyrics by MerEdith Wilson
An affectionate paean to Smalltown, U.S.A. of a bygone era, Meredith Willson's The Music Man follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys' band he vows to organize - this despite the fact he doesn't know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian the librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain's fall. This Tony Award-winning, critically acclaimed Broadway classic is an all-American institution, thanks to its one-of-a-kind, nostalgic score of rousing marches ("Seventy-Six Trombones"), barbershop quartets ("Lida Rose") and sentimental ballads ("Till There Was You") which have become popular standards.

42nd Street (December 3 - 19, 2010) Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Al Dubin; Book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble
The Tony Award-winning 42nd Street is an all singing, all dancing extravaganza inspired by the 1933 Busby Berkeley film of the same name. Fresh off the bus from Allentown and ready to take Broadway by storm at the height of the Great Depression, Peggy Sawyer catches the eye of veteran producer Julian Marsh. When the leading lady of his new production falls ill, Peggy gets her big break and becomes a big star. Featuring a score of standards such as "We're in the Money," "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," "Lullaby of Broadway," and "42nd Street," this splashy Broadway musical will have you tapping in the aisles and humming right along!

Leader of the Pack (February 18 - March 6, 2011) Music and Lyric by Ellie Greenwich & Friends
This hit Broadway musical revue celebrates the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the sixties charts. The story of Ellie's rise to fame and fortune is punctuated with the virtual Hit Parade of her music: "Chapel of Love," "Da Do Ron Ron," "Be My Baby," "Hanky Panky," Do Wah Diddy," "And Then He Kissed Me," "River Deep. Mountain High" and, of course, the title song. In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time included six by Ellie and her husband and writing partner, Jeff Barry - more than by any other songwriting team. A member of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, Ellie Greenwich's songs have earned more than 25 gold and platinum records, sales in the tens of millions, and 33 BMI Awards.

The Mikado (April 15 - May 1, 2011) Music by Arthur Sullivan; Lyrics by W.S. Gilbert
Gilbert and Sullivan are the undisputed masters of comic operetta and the proud parents of the modern musical. That their works are more in demand today than when they were created over a century ago is ample proof of their lasting brilliance. The hapless lovers in The Mikado are mercilessly buffeted by social restrictions, legal inconsistencies, judicial inequities, government stupidities, and that's just the first act! Poor dears - it would be absolutely tragic if it weren't so hysterically funny.

Rent (June 10 - 26, 2011) Book, Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson
Rent is a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Broadway musical based loosely on Puccini's opera "La Bohème." The musical follows a year in the lives of seven friends living in the disappearing Bohemian lifestyle in New York's Alphabet City located in the East Village. As the impoverished artists deal with their daily struggles, tragedy hits, and the love they share embodies their lives. The music, characters and story of Rent celebrate love, diversity and the power of friendship, as shown through the musical's signature song, "Seasons of Love." This blockbuster show will truly inspire and move any audience. (Mature themes, not recommended for children)

Season Tickets go on sale July 1st with season packages available for as low as $100 through The Lyric box office at (404) 377-9948 or www.atlantalyrictheatre.com along with a detailed schedule.

All performances are held at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre: Home of Atlanta Lyric Theatre,
117 North Park Square, Marietta, Georgia 30060.

About Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Atlanta Lyric Theatre, Atlanta's only local professional musical theatre company, was formed in 1980 as the Southeastern Savoyards, a repertory theatre company dedicated to presenting the works of Gilbert & Sullivan. Since then, the company has grown into a highly regarded regional musical theatre company, and the company changed its name to Atlanta Lyric Theatre. In August 2008, Atlanta Lyric Theatre announced its partnership with the Friends of the Strand, Inc. to relocate to the historic and newly renovated Strand Theatre located on the Square in Marietta, Georgia, as the new performance home of Atlanta Lyric Theatre. In October 2009, the Atlanta Lyric Theatre was nominated for 19 Suzi Awards (Atlanta's equivalent of the Tony Awards), the most of any professional Atlanta arts organization. The Atlanta Lyric Theatre was awarded three Suzis, including the inaugural Audience Choice Award for most outstanding season. For more information, visit www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com.