SOPHISTICATED LADIES Becomes Best Selling Show In Arena History

Arena Stage announced today that at 9:00 a.m. EST, Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and starring and choreographed by Maurice Hines, officially became the best selling show in company history based upon gross sales. The previous record was held by Molly Smith's 2002 production of South Pacific. This news comes a week after Arena Stage announced six additional performances to be added for Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, which extended the run through June 6 at the historic Lincoln Theatre.

"Charles and I have had a friendly rivalry for the past many years about breaking box office records," shares Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith. "I couldn't be more thrilled that it's happening on Sophisticated Ladies, but of course we had to have a bigger theater to do it."

When Smith's South Pacific set the sales record in 2002, it did so by surpassing the gross sales of Charles Randolph-Wright's 1999 production of Guys and Dolls, also starring Maurice Hines.

"I've been teasing Molly for the past years that I had to break her record, and I am ecstatic that it happened with this production," states Randolph-Wright. "I feel that Duke Ellington is looking down on us smiling, and this is his way of saying, ‘I Love You Madly.' I love this production madly!"

Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies is a musical revue based on the music of Duke Ellington and was conceived by Donald McKayle (Broadway's and Arena's Raisin), with music, dance and vocal arrangements by Lloyd Mayers, additional vocal arrangements by Malcolm Dodd and original music direction by Mercer Ellington. It explores the legacy of local jazz hero Duke Ellington and follows his journey from the beginnings in D.C. through his time in New York City to his national and international stardom. The show travels through a history of song and dance with an "authentic, jazzy, brassy sound and dancing of high voltage and precision" (The New York Times). Big band music, from the roaring ‘20s through the swing era, serves as the show's soundtrack with hits like "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" and "Take the ‘A' Train" while dance styles range from Charleston to swing to virtuosic tap.

TICKETS: Tickets for Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies start at $25. Discount tickets are available for patrons purchasing tickets for multiple shows, students and groups. A limited number of $10 tickets for patrons ages 30 and under go on sale beginning each Monday for performances that week (All patrons must present valid ID). HOTTIX, a limited number of half-price, day-of-performance tickets, are available 90 to 30 minutes before curtain prior to every performance. Tickets may be purchased online at www.arenastage.org, by phone at (202) 488-3300 or at the Arena Stage Sales Office at 1800 S. Bell Street, Arlington, VA 22202.

Show times:
Tuesday, Wednesday & Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.

Newly Added Shows include:
Thursday, June 3 at 8:00 p.m.
Friday, June 4 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 5 at 2:00pm and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 6 at 2:00pm and 7:30 p.m.

Upcoming Duke Ellinton's Sophisticated Ladies Events

So You Think You Can Dance:
The Casting Process behind Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies
Monday, May 24th at 7:00 p.m.
Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St, NW)
Curious about how the cast for Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies was assembled? Join Arena Stage's Casting Director Daniel Pruksarnukul and Casting Fellow Jamil Jude for an in-depth discussion about the casting process for the production, ranging from the local auditions in DC to the New York auditions and everything in between. Learn more about how the Manzari brothers were first discovered and just what it takes to be a sophisticated man or lady. The event is free and open to the public. Please call the Arena Stage Sales Office at (202) 488-3300 to make a reservation.

Lunchtime Tap Jam with Arena Stage's Sophisticated Ladies
May 25, 2010 at 12:00 p.m.
Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St, NW)
Bring your shoes, style and swing as we commemorate National Tap Dance Day with the cast of Arena Stage's Sophisticated Ladies. In honor of the late Gregory Hines, Sophisticated Ladies star Maurice Hines invites you to come jam with cast members including John and Leo Manzari as well as other D.C. dancers at the Lincoln Theatre On historic U Street. Learn some of the choreography from this smash-hit production, show off some of your best time steps or simply tap your toes to the rhythm of Duke Ellington's jazzy beats. The event is free and open to the public. No reservation necessary.

The Arena Stage musical theater season is sponsored by JayLee Mead.

Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies is sponsored by Hank and Charlotte Schlosberg and the Family of H. Max and Josephine F. Ammerman and Andrew Ammerman.

ABOUT Arena Stage
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith and Managing Director Edgar Dobie, Washington, D.C.-based Arena Stage is the largest theater in the country dedicated to American plays and playwrights. Founded in 1950 by Zelda Fichandler, Thomas Fichandler and Edward Mangum, Arena Stage was one of the nation's original resident theaters and has a distinguished record of leadership and innovation in the field. With the opening of the new Mead Center for American Theater in 2010, Arena Stage will be a leading center for the production, presentation, development and study of American theater. Now in its sixth decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 200,000. For more information please visit www.arenastage.org.