Palace Theatre Announces 2012-2013 Season

The Palace Theatre announces its 2012-2013 Citizens Bank Performing Arts Series with a season packed with Broadway favorites, captivating music, grand dance numbers, laughs, and Christmas favorites. The season kicks off September 14, 2012 with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and runs through June 22, 2013.

“The Palace Theatre is thrilled to announce the upcoming season of our successful and popular Citizens Bank Performing Arts Series, which has enabled us to bring award-winning performances to our stage for the entire community to enjoy,” said Peter Ramsey, president of The Palace Theatre. “I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Citizens Bank for its generous support of the theatre. Citizens Bank’s willingness to support the Palace more than a decade ago not only has ensured the long-term financial stability of the Palace, but it also vastly extends our ability to promote the performing and cultural arts in New Hampshire.”

Citizens Bank’s sponsorship includes direct funding by Citizens Bank to the Palace Theatre, as well as in-kind services. Citizens Bank’s sponsorship of the Performing Arts Series includes all of the Professional productions; the events that are produced entirely by Palace staff and are the theatre’s signature events. Among other sponsorship benefits, Citizens Bank customers will be given a minimum 10 percent discount to shows in the series and community groups will receive complimentary tickets for select performances.

“At Citizens Bank, we believe that our company succeeds when the community prospers,” said Joe Carelli, President of Citizens Bank for New Hampshire. “The Palace Theatre is an essential part of Manchester’s thriving downtown, bringing audiences together to experience the finest entertainment. We are proud to celebrate our thirteenth season as the sponsor of the Citizens Bank Performing Art Series.”

The shows in the Citizens Bank Performing Arts Series scheduled for the 2012-2013 season are:

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (September 14 – September 29) – Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. This show is a hilarious tale of overachievers’ angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show’s Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Footloose (October 26 – November 10) – When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, Ren is prepared for the adjustment to his new high school. What he isn't prepared for are the local laws - including a ban on dancing - which are the brainchild of a local preacher bent on exercising control over the town's youths. When the Reverend's rebellious daughter sets her heart on Ren, her boyfriend tries to sabotage Ren's reputation and many of the locals are eager to believe the worst about the new kid. With its Oscar'-nominated hit score (the film soundtrack album has sold over 15 million copies world-wide) the celebrated film musical now bursts explosively onto the stage!

Nutcracker (November 23 – 25) – Don’t miss this magical holiday tradition with the Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater and live orchestra!

A Christmas Carol (November 30 – December 23) – The Annual Palace Theatre tradition continues with Charles Dickens’ classic story of Scrooge and Tiny Tim with lively song and dance featuring over fifty actors. Scrooge, known for his penny pinching ways, is visited by three ghosts on a snowy Christmas Eve. Voted “Best Theatre Event of the Year” in Manchester by the Hippo Press readers, this show has fast become an audience favorite at the Palace.

The Great American Trailer Park Musical (January 11 – 26) – There's a new tenant at Armadillo Acres—and she's wreaking havoc all over Florida's most exclusive trailer park. When Pippi, the stripper on the run, comes between the Dr. Phil–loving, agoraphobic Jeannie and her tollbooth collector husband—the storms begin to brew.

Divas Through the Decades (February 15 – March 2) – An original musical production by Artistic Director Carl Rajotte, Divas Through the Decades celebrates the divas of our time featuring singers and dancers straight from New York City! Often today “diva” is used to describe any extremely independent and wildly talented woman, naturally the term still applies. The Palace Theatre will transport you to another place and time period with every song! For this production The Palace Theatre will be creating lavish costumes, stunning lights, world-class, show stopping vocals and jaw dropping visual effects.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (March 22 – April 6) – Any Dream Will Do! Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's entertaining family musical retelling of the biblical story of Joseph, his devoted father, his jealous brothers, and his incredible series of adventures. Filled with spectacular costumes and high energy dance numbers, the story is told through a variety of musical styles!

Grease (April 26 – May 18) – After spending a hopelessly devoted summer with Sandy Dumbrowski, the new girl in town, Danny Zuko's world is thrown upside down when Sandy appears at Rydell High on the first day of school. What follows is a rock n' roll celebration of growing up, cruising with friends and going steady. Grease features songs from the smash hit 1978 motion picture, including: “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “Grease” and “You’re the One That I Want” “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’” and “We Go Together.” Be There or Be Square!

British Invasion (June 7 – 22) – An original musical production by Artistic Director Carl Rajotte, British Invasion pays tribute to the best musical influences and singers from across the pond! Featuring live singers and dancers, this show will honor the legends that invaded the United States in the 60s straight through to the performers they have influenced and have had success in the United States today!

For more information contact the Palace Theatre box office at 603-668-5588. Subscription forms can be found at www.palacetheatre.org or by visiting the Palace Theatre in downtown Manchester.