HOW TO BUY:
Season Tickets for the 2016-2017 Premier Health Broadway Series are on sale now through Ticket Center Stage. New Season Ticket Holders will be seated once current Season Ticket Holders’ renewals are fulfilled.
Renewal packets for all of current Premier Health Broadway Series Season Ticket Holders were mailed Feb. 22. The deadline for current Season Ticket Holders to request changes to Broadway Season Ticket packages is March 14. The deadline to renew 2016-2017 Broadway Season Ticket packages is March 28.
Season Ticket sales for the Morris Furniture Company Family Series and National Geographic Live Series begin later in the spring, as well as new packages for the Projects Unlimited Star Attractions.
For more information about the 2016-2017 Season and the remainder of the 2015-2016 Season, visit www.victoriatheatre.com.
A festive gathering of 400 subscribers, donors and sponsors filled the Schuster Center’s Wintergarten Monday evening in anticipation of the the Victoria Theatre Association announcement of the 2016-2017 theatrical season.
The big news is "Kinky Boots" — the popular Broadway musical that garnered 13 Tony-awards nominations when it opened on Broadway in 2013 and won the award for Best Musical. Pop icon Cyndi Lauper wrote the score; the book is by Tony winner actor/playwright Harvey Fierstein. After announcing that the show will come to town May 23-28, 2017, VTA's normally staid president & CEO Ken Neufeld donned red stiletto boots and danced with the Rubi Girls, Dayton's comedic drag troupe. The audience howled.
Other New York productions that will come to Dayton for the first time include "Dirty Dancing," "Motown the Musical" and a new extravaganza entitled "Circus 1903" that's being created by the producers of "The Illusionists" and the talented puppeteers responsible for "War Horse." The animals in the circus production will be played by puppets.
Returning to town are "Jersey Boys," (previously here in 2012) and "42nd Street," which was on last on stage at the Victoria in 1996.
Making the announcements
Meteorologist Tara Hastings of WDTN-TV was the emcee for the evening. A number of community and business leaders took the stage to announce the Premier Health Broadway Series; Projects Unlimited Star Attractions; the Morris Furniture Company Family Series; National Geographic Live, sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, and The Frank M. Tait Foundation Discovery Series.
“The arts inspire us, foster creativity, help us build bridges between cultures, spark creativity and innovation and improve the academic performance of our students,” said Julie Liss-Katz, Premier’s vice president and chief government affairs officer, who introduced the Broadway series. Premier has has sponsored the touring productions for the past eight years.
When announcing “Dirty Dancing,” Cathy Ponitz of CareSource and Michelle Kaye of PNC brought a laugh with: “Nobody puts Baby in a Corner,” the most famous line of the film.
The highlight of the event was the medley of songs from upcoming shows sung by talented performers from Central State University, Magnolia Theatre Company, Wright State University Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures and The Deron Bell Band. The performance quickly became a sing-along with audience members joining in.
Booking the shows
Stage productions on tap range from hilarious and romantic to nostalgic and whimsical with an emphasis on the dancing.
Neufeld says the process of putting a season together is a huge leap of faith with a goal of ending up with the perfect mix. He likes to use a metaphor of a theatrical buffet where there is entry point for all kinds of theater-goers— those who prefer family shows; those who love singing and dancing, and those who want their theater to include an inspirational message.
“We’ve chosen traditional Broadway shows with contemporary themes,” Neufeld said of this upcoming season.
Judging from the response of the audience, these shows will be crowd-pleasers. Excited sisters Lynn Acton of Carlisle and Gwen Miles of Greenville have been subscribing to the Broadway series for the past 18 years and enjoy coming to the “sneak preview” dessert party each year.
“We started out at the Victoria in the top row and worked our way down over the years,” sad Miles. Her sister said the shows offer a great opportunity to see things they’ve heard about on television. “We got out to dinner and have a great time together,” said Acton. Both were enthusiastic about the shows that will come to Dayton and were especially looking forward to “Motown” and “Circus.”
The biggest reaction came with the final announcement of the night: “Kinky Boots.” Based on a true story and a 2005 film of the same name, the plot revolves around a failing shoe factory in north England that has traditionally made proper British brogues but decides to make kinky boots for transvestites in order to save the business.
Folks in the Miami Valley may recall that the original New York cast of “Kinky Boots” included Tory Ross, a Muse Machine graduate who grew up in Springfield and Washington Twp. and returned to Dayton in 2012 to star in the world premiere of “Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Story.” That show’s important message, according to Ross, is “just be who you wanna be. Never let ‘em tell you who you ought to be.”
In an interview before her Tony performance at the Radio City Tony telecast, Ross said she thought the message of “Kinky Boots” resonates particularly these days “because no matter who you are or how you were raised, you have had a moment where you have been made to feel like you don’t belong. Our show is for people who refuse to be categorized.”
Here’s a summary of what you can expect:
Premier Health Broadway Series
Jersey Boys
Oct. 18 – 23, 2016, Schuster Center
The story of The Four Seasons and how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. The group sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were 30!
42nd Street
JAN. 10 – 15, 2017, Schuster Center
You’ll recognize the tunes in this classic backstage musical comedy —“We’re In The Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Shuffle Off To Buffalo,” “Dames,” “I Only Have Eyes For You” and “42nd Street.” It’s the story of a starry-eyed young dancer who leaves her Allentown home and comes to New York to audition for a new Broadway musical. When the leading lady breaks her ankle, the heroine takes over and becomes a star.
Dirty Dancing
March 14 – 19, 2017, Schuster Center
It’s the romantic tale based on the popular film. Baby and Johnny come from different worlds but spend a special summer together. The sexy show features songs such as “Hungry Eyes,” “Hey Baby,” “Do You Love Me?,” and the “The Time of My Life.” When announcing the show, Cathy Ponitz of CareSource
Motown the Musical
April 11 – 16, 2017, Schuster Center
Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and others. Songs include “My Girl” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” A local connection: Dayton Ballet’s former resident costume designer, Lowell Mathwich, is enjoying a third career as a “star dresser” for the show.
Kinky Boots
May 23 – 28, 2017, Schuster Center
The theme: you can change the world when you change your mind. Inspired by true events, “Kinky Boots” is directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchel . It won six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Choreography.
Circus1903
June 13 - 18, 2017, Schuster Center
A turn-of-the-century circus extravaganza, this family-friendly show features performers from around the world and puppets playing the animals.
Projects Unlimited Star Attractions
Elf the Musical
Nov. 22 – 27, 2016, Schuster Center
This Thanksgiving week production is based on the movie classic of the same name, with a score by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin. In this version, the story is narrated by Santa.
Morris Furniture Company Family Series
Mutts Gone Nuts
Oct. 29, 2016, Victoria Theatre
High-flying Frisbee dogs, tight-wire dogs, dancing dogs, magic dogs and, the one and only Sammie the Talking Dog!
A Year with Frog & Toad
Based on the books by Arnold Lobel
Jan. 21, 2017, Victoria Theatre
Pinkalicious the Musical
Based on the books by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann
Feb. 25, 2017, Victoria Theatre
The Cat in the Hat
Based on the book by Dr. Seuss
April 8 & 9, 2017, Victoria Theatre
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters
Based on the book by John Steptoe
April 22, 2017, Victoria Theatre
National Geographic Live Series sponsored by Fifth Third Bank
Hilaree O’Neill, Mountaineer: Down to Nothing
January 31, 2017, Victoria Theatre
Steve Winter, wildlife photojournalist: On the Trail of Big Cats
March 6, 2017, Victoria Theatre
Pete McBride, adventurer/photographer: Chasing Rivers
April 24, 2017, Victoria Theatre
The Frank M. Tait Foundation Discovery Series
The Frank M. Tait Discovery Series brings more than 18,000 students to downtown Dayton’s Victoria Theatre for a live theatre experience.
We the People
Nov. 7, 2016
The Wright Brothers
Nov. 15-16, 2016
Edward Tulane
Nov. 17, 2016
Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Feb. 1, 2017
I have a Dream
Feb. 16, 2017
The Lightning Thief
Feb. 28, 2017
Anne of Green Gables
April 4, 2017
The Cat in the Hat
April 7, 2017
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters
April 21, 2017
The Mayhem Poets
May, 1, 2017
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