New Miami Performing Arts Center-First Shows On Sale Now!

MIAMI PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ANNOUNCES 12 EXTRAORDINARY SHOWS NOW ON SALE FOR ITS INAUGURAL 2006-2007 SEASON.  MPAC launches online box office on April 18 with an exciting array of performances that include dance, theater, world music, jazz and more.

Beginning Tuesday April 18, Miami Performing Arts Center (MPAC) will offer patrons the first opportunity to purchase tickets online for its inaugural 2006-2007 season of Center-presented shows, which will feature an exciting and varied lineup of major stars and emerging artists, traditional and multidisciplinary performances, and new work as well as classics.

Members of the Alliance for MPAC can purchase tickets beginning on Tuesday, April 18 at 10 a.m. Sale to the general public begins on Friday, April 28. Offering just a taste of MPAC's full season, the performances to go on sale include award-winning flamenco choreographer Eva Yerbabuena and her troupe, Latin pop star Christian Castro, Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band, jazz master Arturo Sandoval, Israeli singing sensation Idan Raichel, the Miami debut of The Classical Theatre of Harlem, the world premiere of a new work from Tamango's Urban Tap, and holiday specials that include the Spanish-language musical Navidad Gitana and a one-night-only concert by the sultry and soulful Grammy-Award winner Dianne Reeves.

Tickets for every show either presented or produced by MPAC start at $15 and can be purchased online at www.miamipac.org or by calling the Box Office at (305) 949-MPAC (6722). Members of the Alliance for MPAC receive first choice of seats at performances presented by MPAC, first notification of news about MPAC programming and special events, the first chance to reserve on-site dining, and early invitations to special events. Membership in the Alliance for MPAC begins at $50 and can be purchased by calling 1 (866) 799-MPAC (6722) or visiting www.miamipac.org and clicking on "Membership and Support."

Additional shows for the 2006-2007 MPAC season, to be announced soon, will include many more presentations, including jazz from around the world; theater works both intimate and spectacular; shows for children and their families; the latest in contemporary dance; experimental multimedia shows and beloved classics; popular entertainment spanning top-selling recording stars, acclaimed cabaret artists, favorite comedians, and much more.

Shows now on sale include the following:

world music and dance

Tamango's Urban Tap Bay Mo Dilo (Give Me Water)—World Premiere! Tamango's Urban Tap brings to Miami a major new work, Bay Mo Dilo, based on the rhythms and culture of Tamango's Kreole heritage in French Guiana.A fusion of international dance and music, psychedelic projections, and poetry, "Urban Tap…is as much a jazz concert, folk festival and party as it is a dance show (Newsday)." Funded in part by the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation of the Arts, with lead funding from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Additional funding provided by The Ford Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Oct. 11, 12, 13, 14; 8 p.m. Studio Theater

latin pop

Christian Castro Recording and television star Christian Castro is the international pop favorite whose many hits include "No Podras," "Nunca Voy A Olvidarte," "Mañana," "Vuelveme A Querer," "Lo Mejor De Mi," "Lloran Las Rosas," and "Volver A Amar." October 14; 8 p.m. Carnival Concert Hall

cabaret

Andrea Marcovicci Andrea Sings Astaire By arrangement with Arthur Shafman International, LTD One of the finest cabaret artists of our time—smart, elegant, flirtatious and theatrical—has created an enchanting valentine to one of the greatest musical stars of the silver screen, Fred Astaire. Andrea sings "The Way You Look Tonight," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," "Cheek to Cheek," "'S Wonderful," "One for My Baby," "Change Partners," "Top Hat"/"Stepping Out," "Let's Face the Music and Dance," "Night and Day," "Something's Gotta Give," "A Foggy Day, " and many more famous and lesser-known gems. Andrea Sings Astaire is an A+ journey through the Great American Songbook. Nov. 7, 8, 9, 10; 8 p.m. Nov. 11; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Nov. 12; 3 p.m. Studio Theater

theater

The Classical Theatre of Harlem King Lear A dynamic and unique theater company dedicated to producing the classics for a new, young, and culturally diverse audience, The Classical Theatre of Harlem makes its Miami debut in Shakespeare's devastating tragedy about filial love and ingratitude, loyalty and betrayal, the downfall of an ancient king, and the moral and social collapse of the kingdom he once ruled. Nov. 15, 16; 8 p.m. Nov. 17, 18; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Studio Theater

dance

Eva Yerbabuena Ballet Flamenco Eva Presented in collaboration with Fundación Autor. Eva Yerbabuena leads her contemporary company in two performances of Eva, a full-evening work that creates richly varied portraits of women through the language of flamenco dance and music. Considered one of the best bailaoras on the stage today and the recipient of every major Spanish award for choreography, Yerbabuena redefines flamenco while remaining true to the art form's pure rhythms and soulful roots. Dec. 2, 3; 8 p.m. Ziff Ballet Opera House

theater

Greig Coetzee in The Actors Co-Operative Production of White Men with Weapons and The Blue Period of Milton Van der Spuy The acclaimed South African actor and playwright brings two riveting, utterly different one-person, multicharacter plays. A hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and critically acclaimed on five continents, White Men with Weapons is a hysterical, historical and sometimes harrowing farce about the South African army just before the end of apartheid. An acting tour de force in which Coetzee performs 13 characters, ranging from a foul-mouthed Corporal from hell to a horny cook who dishes with the boys, White Men is a very funny yet stinging critique of the absurdity of military life. The Blue Period of Milton Van der Spuy is a bittersweet tale of a would-be Renaissance man who hopes his head won't explode before he's able to complete his life's work. The problem: Milton is far more ambitious than he is talented. White Men with Weapons: Dec. 13, 15 at 8 p.m.; Dec. 16, 17 at 6:30 p.m. The Blue Period of Milton Van der Spuy:Dec. 14 at 8 p.m.; Dec. 16 at 9 p.m.; Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. Studio Theater

jazz

Arturo Sandoval The Trumpet's Journey Through Cuban Rhythms A Chivas Regal Presentation A brilliant trumpeter and bandleader, "Arturo Sandoval is the sort of virtuoso artist who comes along only once or twice in a generation (The Guardian.)" Sandoval's playing is spectacular, whether in an Afro-Cuban groove or tearing up a bebop tune. This Miami native's explosive mixture of jazz, classical, rock and traditional Cuban music is simply sensational. Dec. 16; 8 p.m. Carnival Concert Hall

holiday jazz

Dianne Reeves Christmas Time Is Here-A Chivas Regal Presentation.  The Grammy-Award winner, whose sexy and sophisticated singing in Good Night and Good Luck seduced moviegoers everywhere, sings the beloved songs of the holidays from her latest recording triumph, Christmas Time Is Here. Imbuing her unique jazz interpretations with a soulful touch of R&B, "Dianne's the legitimate extension of all of the good things that have gone on before, from Ethel Waters to Ella Fitzgerald (Down Beat)." Dec. 22; 8 p.m. Carnival Concert Hall

holiday musical theater for the whole family…

en español with English subtitles Navidad Gitana Direct from Colombia's beloved Misi Compañía de Teatro Musical comes a holiday musical for kids and their families. With a cast of more than 60 actors, singers and dancers, Navidad Gitana is a colorful fantasy about medieval gypsies, fearless adventurers, ocean storms and sunken treasures, daring rescues, spectacular special effects and Christmas dreams that come true. Dec. 21, 22, 23; 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Ziff Ballet Opera House

jazz

Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band A Chivas Regal Presentation Because being one of the world's most acclaimed filmmakers just isn't enough, Woody Allen is also a consummate jazz musician who's been thrilling audiences in New York for nearly a quarter-of-a-century with cool clarinet playing and a really hot band. Dec. 29; 8 p.m. Carnival Concert Hall

multimedia theater

The End Of Cinematics Conceived, written, and directed by Mikel Rouse Drawing on the richness of the good old days of cinema with live music and a thoroughly modern, "hyper-real" film experience, The End Of Cinematics examines the 21st-century phenomenon of viewing media content in fragmented form, mixing a hip-hop-flavored electronica soundtrack with multiple video screens, six live musician/actors, and a very cool set. Commissioning support for Mikel Rouse's The End Of Cinematics has been provided in part by the University of Illinois Swanlund Initiative for the Performing Arts in the College of Fine and Applied Arts with support from the Office of the Provost; Krannert Center for the Performing Arts; Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008; Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts/University of California, Davis; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; University of Florida, Gainesville; Miami Performing Arts Center; UCLA Live; the Brooklyn Academy of Music with funds provided by the Mary Flagler Charitable Trust; and the Rockefeller Foundation Multi-Arts Production (MAP) Fund. Additional support provided by St. Ann's Warehouse. Dec. 29; 8 p.m. Ziff Ballet Opera House

world music

Idan Raichel Israel's hottest singer, songwriter, and world music artist, platinum recording star Idan Raichel mixes his country's multicultural pop and ethnic Ethiopian music into an irresistible fusion of raw energy, ambient hymns and touching love songs. January 28; 8 p.m. Carnival Concert Hall

Opening in fall 2006, Miami Performing Arts Center, Miami-Dade County's largest ever public/private-sector partnership, is funded by private gifts from the Miami Performing Arts Center Foundation, corporate support, Miami-Dade County, Florida Department of State, City of Miami, and the City of Miami Community Redevelopment Agency. Greatly enhancing the artistic and educational opportunities in South Florida, Miami Performing Arts Center also will have significant and long-term economic benefits for the city and the region. Designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, MPAC will include the 2,400-seat Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House, the 2,200-seat Carnival Concert Hall, a 200-seat black box Studio Theater, the Peacock Education Center, a restored Art Deco Tower, and an outdoor Plaza for the Arts.

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