LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE Premieres at Ordway, 10/13

"Little House on the Prairie," a new musical based on the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series of classic American books, will arrive on October 13, 2009 at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minn. Melissa Gilbert, who rose to fame as a child playing "Laura" in the hugely successful NBC television series "Little House on the Prairie" during the 1970's, now continues her legacy "on the prairie" by taking on the role of Ma. "Little House on the Prairie" will also star Steve Blanchard as Pa and Kara Lindsay as Laura. Tickets for the Saint Paul, Minn. engagement of "Little House on the Prairie" are on sale now.

"Little House on the Prairie" with Gilbert, Blanchard and Lindsay, had its world premiere production in August, 2008 at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, where it shattered all Box Office records and sold-out for 12 consecutive weeks. Initiated for the stage by Adrianne Lobel ("Frog and Toad") and Francesca Zambello, the show is directed by Zambello ("Disney's The Little Mermaid"), with music by Academy Award-winner Rachel Portman ("Emma"), lyrics by Donna di Novelli and a book by Tony Award-winner Rachel Sheinkin ("The 25TH Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"). The producers of "Little House on the Prairie" are Ben Sprecher, Amy Sprecher, Louise Forlenza, Bob Boyett, Jay H. Harris, William Franzblau, Tony Fusco, Larry Feinman, Peter Bezemes, Friendly Theatrical LLC, Wendy Federman, Michael Filerman, Karl Sydow and Nelle Nugent, in association with Bob Reich and Marc Schwartz. The design team includes sets by Adrianne Lobel, lighting by Mark McCullough, and costumes by Tony Award-winner, Jess Goldstein.

"Little House on the Prairie" is the uplifting story of an American family forging a new life amidst the mighty challenges, heartbreaks, joys and triumphs that face them in the newly-settled heartland. It is also the story of young Laura Ingalls, as she begins her life as a young woman, finding purpose and finding love. Above all, it is the celebration of the pioneering spirit and the core values on which this country was founded - a spirit that still resonates today.

Melissa Gilbert (Caroline "Ma" Ingalls) starred as "Laura" in the beloved television series, "Little House on the Prairie", and originated the role of "Ma" in the Guthrie world premiere of "Little House on the Prairie The Musical." Gilbert performed in the Off-Broadway production of A "Shayna Maidel," for which she won the Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards. Her additional theater credits include: "Love Letters" (Los Angeles' Canon Theater); "The Glass Menagerie" (Chautauqua Theater Company); "The Miracle Worker" (Royal Poinciana Playhouse, Palm Beach); "Bus Stop," and "Love Letters" (University of Tennessee, Knoxville). Among her many television credits, Gilbert starred in the 1979 Emmy Award®-winning television movie "The Miracle Worker," and the television series "Nip/Tuck and "Sweet Justice." Also an author, Gilbert's memoir "Prairie Tale" debuted on The New York Times best-seller list.

Steve Blanchard (Charles "Pa" Ingalls). Broadway: "Beauty and the Beast," "Camelot," "A Christmas Carol," "The Three Musketeers;" Off-Broadway: "Frankenstein," "Johnny Guitar," "An Oak Tree;" National tours: "Camelot," "Phantom of the Opera," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum;" Repertory Theatre of St. Louis: "Esmeralda;" Baltimore's CenterStage: "Sleep of Reason;" Charles Playhouse, Boston: "The Threepenny Opera;" Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C.: "Hot Mikado," "Godspell;" Guthrie: "Little House on the Prairie The Musical;" Paper Mill Playhouse: "Chess;" Theatre Under The Stars, Houston: "Chess." Film/Television: "Law at Randado," "Rapmaser Ronnie," "Warlords 3000," "Third Watch," "Law and Order," "Ed," "Police Story," "Sunset Beat," "One Life to Live," "Guiding Light," "Another World" Original cast recordings "Johnny Guitar," "Sundown," "Frankenstein;" debut solo CD "Northbound Train."

Kara Lindsay (Laura Ingalls). Theater: Denver Center for the Performing Arts: "Quilters;" Guthrie: "Little House on the Prairie The Musical;" 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle: "Lone Star Love;" West Virginia Public Theatre: "Thoroughly Modern Millie," "Beauty and the Beast," "Cats," "Hello, Dolly!;" Carnegie Mellon University: "Side Show," "After Miss Julie," "Hello Again, Oresteia." Training: B.F.A., Acting/Musical Theater, Carnegie Mellon University.

Francesca Zambello (Director). Theater Broadway: "Disney's The Little Mermaid;" London: Royal Albert Hall: "Showboat;" West End: "Napoleon;" Raimund Theater, "Vienna: a new musical based on; " Seattle Children's Theatre: "Tibet Through the Red Box;" Bregenz's floating stage: "West Side Story;" Guthrie: "Little House on the Prairie The Musical." Old Globe: "First Wives Club," Skylight Music Theater: artistic director, 1984-91; Opera: Metropolitan Opera: "An American Tragedy" (world premiere), "Cyrano de Bergerac" (with Placido Domingo), "Les Troyens;" Teatro alla Scala: "Cyrano; Washington National and San Francisco Operas: "The Ring," San Francisco Opera: artistic advisor; Royal Albert Hall: "La Bohème;" The Bolshoi: "Fiery Angel;" Chicago Lyric Opera: "Salome;" Royal Opera House: Carmen, Don Giovanni; Paris Opera: Boris Godunov, "War and Peace," "Billy Budd," "William Tell;" Film "War and Peace" (ORF), "Amahl and the Night Visitors" (BBC), "The Little Prince" (BBC/PBS). Awards: Three Olivier Awards; two Evening Standard Awards for best musical and best opera; two French Grand Prix des Critiques; Japanese Golden Prize; Helpmann Award; Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres; Russian Federation's medal for ServIce To Culture; the Palme d'Or in Germany; the Golden Mask in Russia. Education: Colgate University; Moscow University. www.francescazambello.com.

Rachel Portman (Music). Theater: "Little House on the Prairie The Musical." Film: "Grey Gardens," "The Duchess," "Emma," "The Cider House Rules," "Chocolat," "Infamous," "The Manchurian Candidate," "Oliver Twist," "The Lake House," "Nicholas Nickleby," "Hart's War," "The Human Stain," "Life is Sweet," "The Legend of Bagger Vance," "Beloved," "Home Fries," "Addicted to Love," "Marvin's Room," "Only You," "The Road to Wellville," "Sirens," "Benny & Joon," "The Joy Luck Club," "Used People, Smoke," "To Wong Foo," "Thanks for Everything," "Julie Newmar," "Where Angels Fear to Tread." Opera/concert: "The Little Prince," "The Water Diviner's Tale." Awards: Academy Award for Best Original Score for Emma; Academy Award nominations for "The Cider House Rules" and "Chocolat;" British Film Institute's Young Composer of the Year Award.

DONNA DI NOVELLI (Lyrics). Musical Theater/Opera: "Little House on the Prairie The Musical" (lyrics); "Florida" (book and lyrics) Lyric Opera Cleveland, Public Theater's New Work Now, New York City Opera's VOX; "No God but Yearning" (book and lyrics) Public Theater's New Work Now, Joe's Pub. Theater: "The First Eff" (stage play) Mark Taper Forum, Duende Arts. Dance: "Twelve Dancing Princesses" (text) Los Angeles Modern Dance and Ballet. Commissions: San Francisco Opera; Chanticleer; BBC. Publications "New Monologues For Women by Women" (Heinemann Press), "NuMuse," Brown University. Awards: Manhattan Theatre Club Fellowship, Rockefeller Foundation residency in Bellagio, Italy; National Musical Theater Conference residency, the Mac Dowell Colony and the Atlantic Center for the Arts. Professional Affiliations: ASCAP, Dramatists Guild. Teaching: Bookwriting, Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts; Playwriting, National Theater Institute, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center; Visiting professor, Brown University. Training: M.F.A., Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts (Ira Gershwin Fellow); A.M., Brown University.

Rachel Sheinkin (Book) Recent work includes Broadway: "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" (Tony, Drama Desk awards); Off Broadway: "Striking 12" (Lucille Lortel nomination), off-off: "Serenade." Regional: Guthrie, "Little House on the Prairie The Musical;" Center Theater Group, "Sleeping Beauty Wakes" (Los Angeles Ovation Award); London: "Blood Drive." Residencies, fellowships, commissions include: Eugene O'Neill National Theater Center, Baryshnikov Dance Foundation, MacDowell Colony, Manhattan Theatre Club, Deaf West, McCarter Theatre, Playwrights Horizons. Rachel is a volunteer mentor for TDF's Open Doors program, a visiting instructor at Yale School of Drama, and adjunct faculty member of NYU's Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program.

The Ordway celebrates its 25th anniversary season as one of the nation's leading not-for-profit performing arts centers and Saint Paul's most elegant and inviting performance space. The Ordway's Main Hall and McKnight Theatre stages attract diverse audiences with an array of productions showcasing the finest in American musical theater, world music, jazz, dance, and vocal performance. Education and community engagement are integral to the Ordway's mission, with major initiatives including the annual Flint Hills International Children's Festival and Ordway Education programs that serve over 50,000 students annually. The Ordway also sponsors the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, a professionally guided academic and artistic environment that trains aspiring pre-professional performing artists. Together with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera and Schubert Club, the Ordway is a member of the Arts Partnership and serves as the principal venue for their performances.

"Little House on the Prairie The Musical" runs from October 13th - 25th, 2009.  Times may vary.  "Little House" is playing at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts.  Tickets range from $44.50 - $80.50.  For tickets, call 651.282.3111 or visit orday.org for more information, including Ordway Extras.

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