Photo Flash: KC Rep's A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL!

Ticket sales continue to soar for Kansas City Rep's world premiere of A Christmas Story, The Musical!, which begins previews today.

A Christmas Story, The Musical! has sold out more than one third of its performances. While still in rehearsals, the show had already far outpaced sales for every other Rep show for comparable weeks, and it continues to rapidly close the gap on all-time ticket sales at the theatre.

When tickets for A Christmas Story, The Musical! went on sale to the public on October 1, more than $22,000 in sales came in during the first hour and by the close of that day, the theatre had a record-breaking $47,000 in single tickets sales. First-day sales for the Rep's previous holiday show, Dickens' A Christmas Carol, a perennial audience favorite for more than 29 years, averaged about $34,000.

From the beginning, the Rep's artistic director Eric Rosen and the show's producing partners Gerald Goehring, Michael F. Mitri and Bartner/Jenkins Entertainment have had high expectations for their new holiday musical. "We couldn't be happier with our partnership with Kansas City Rep," said Goehring. "It's exciting to follow the record-breaking box office reports, which are extraordinary given this challenging economic climate. Total sales for the week of November 2-8 very nearly doubled the previous week's sales and they continue to climb. This phenomenal success speaks not only to the popularity of the 1983 film on which the show is based, but to Kansas City's high regard for Eric Rosen and the Rep. People know that this beloved holiday story is in excellent hands. I predict sales will leap off the charts after the show opens."

A Christmas Story, The Musical! runs November 20 through December 27 at Spencer Theatre in the James C. Olson Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Tickets prices are $15-$70 and may be purchased by calling the Rep's box office, 816-235-2700, or by visiting the website, www.KCRep.org.

ABOUT KANSAS CITY REPERTORY THEATRE
Now in its 45th season, Kansas City Repertory Theatre is its region's only member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and serves as the professional theatre in residence at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). The Rep produces mainstage plays and special events at Spencer Theatre on the UMKC campus and Copaken Stage located in downtown Kansas City. Kansas City Rep employs more than 250 professional artists, technicians and administrators, and serves more than 100,000 patrons annually.