“Beautiful,” “Something Rotten,” “The Little Mermaid” headed to Dayton

Hundreds of theater enthusiasts — season ticket holders, sponsors and VTA friends — gathered at the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center on Feb. 27 in anticipation of the announcement made by VTA staff and three talented Wright State University students — Eli Davis, Lauren Everett and Alejandria Solis. There were surprise appearances as well: Sarah Bockel, understudy for the Carole King role in “Beautiful” on Broadway and Nick Rashad Burroughs, currently touring with “Something Rotten!”

Some of Broadway’s hottest musicals will be coming to town. In addition to “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” “Something Rotten!” and a new production of ” Phantom of the Opera,” the line-up includes the dance sensation “An American in Paris,” a new revival of “The Sound of Music,” and “In the Heights,” the musical that earned “Hamilton’s” Lin-Manuel Miranda his first Tony award. A clip from the show — featuring Miranda — was screened.

"I haven't seen 'Hamilton' but I know the music and this sounded very similar," said Kathy Lindahl of Kettering. "The new season looks like a good combination of old and new."

In addition to the Premier Health Broadway Series, other VTA attractions were also announced including the Projects Unlimited Star Attractions, Morris Furniture Company Family Series, the Discovery Series and National Geographic Live Series. Martha Shaker, chair of the VTA Board of Trustees, took the stage with her daughter, Sophia, to share news that “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” will be a Star Attraction in August, 2017.

RELATED: Photos of upcoming Broadway shows coming soon to Dayton

Making the announcements

Ken Neufeld, CEO and president of the VTA, got an immediate laugh when he called for the first video to kick off the proceedings and it took a moment to start. "We put this program together today but after the Academy Awards last night the bar is incredibly low," he quipped, referring to the Oscar faux pas when Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway mistakenly announced an incorrect Best Picture winner.

Accompanying Neufeld on stage to announce one of the shows in the Family Series — “The Olate Dogs Variety Show” — was his own dog, Riley.

Before flinging T-shirts into the audience, Nick Rashad Burroughs of “Something Rotten!” talked about the show that garnered 10 Tony nominations. Set in the 1590s, it’s a tale of two brothers who set out to write the world’s very first musical. The show spoofs dozens of familiar Broadway musicals.

Interesting tidbits

“Step Afrika!” is the first professional dance company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping. The interactive performancepart of the Family Series, also teaches about the history, culture and physicality of stepping.

DeMarcus Suggs, Education & Engagement Coordinator, announced that the VTA’s educational live performances — the Discovery Series — reaches over 26,000 students from 19 different counties and 32 different school districts in the Dayton region. The supplemental resource guides meet and exceed State and National learning standards.

“Mystic India,” part of the Star Attractions Series, is a Bollywood dance spectacle that features musicians, dancers, aerialists, and 750 lavish costumes.

Neufeld said the response to the National Geographic Live Series! has been so strong that in addition to the Monday night presentations, a Sunday afternoon matinee is being added. In the works is also a school day matinee. The schedule will be announced at a later time.

RELATED: A look at the National Geographic Live! series

Special guests

Sarah Bockel, who has also understudied the role of Carole King for the national tour of the show, chatted about the famous singer/songwriter she portrays and sang “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”

“I love connecting with an audience because every night it’s different and you feed off the audience’s energy,” she said. “Everyone knowns and loves Carole King’s music. This is my favorite jukebox musical because it takes you through the story of her life and its all true.

Her favorite Carole King song? “It’s Too Late.”

“Carole has a lot of the everyday problems we all go through — she’s a mother, daughter, wife, she goes through a divorce,” Bockel said. “But she’s also fantastically successful. Did you know she was only 16 years old when she sold her first song? And that she performed at Carnegie Hall at 28?”

Burroughs, who plays the narrator in the role of “Minstrel” in “Something Rotten!” calls the show “a night of laughs.” And though it takes place in Shakespeare’s time, he says you don’t need to know anything about Shakespeare to enjoy it.

“It’s a love letter to musical theater,” he explained. “It makes references to 45 different musicals. Our motto is ‘Make America Laugh Again.’ We want people to come and have a reason to smile.”

HERE’S A RUN-DOWN OF WHAT’S COMING:

2017-2018 Premier Health Broadway Series

2017-2018 Projects Unlimited Star Attractions

2016-2017 Morris Furniture Company Family Series

HOW TO GO: