Box office and pop-friendly titles, familiar and new, are on the horizon from the Victoria Theatre Association for its 2016-2017 season.
The VTA’s Premier Health Broadway Series, Projects Unlimited Star Attractions, Morris Company Family Series, National Geographic Live! Series, and Frank M. Tait Foundation Discovery Series were announced Monday, Feb. 22 in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center. Emceed by Meteorologist Tara Hastings of WDTN, the ceremony was attended by more than 400 people and incorporated business/community leaders, media personalities, and Victoria subscribers, donors and friends.
The nostalgia-driven, six-show Broadway Series, to be held solely at the Schuster Center, consists of the return engagements of “42nd Street” (last seen at the Victoria Theatre over a decade ago) and “Jersey Boys” (last seen in 2012) along with the local premieres of “Dirty Dancing” (based on the 1987 film of the same name), “Motown the Musical”(one of the most highly entertaining musicals conceived in recent years), the 2013 Tony Award-winning Best Musical “Kinky Boots” (featuring a terrific score by Cyndi Lauper), and the in-development magic/puppetry spectacular “Circus 1903” (from the creators of “The Illusionists” and “War Horse”). The local premiere of the family-friendly “Elf the Musical,” based on the 2003 film of the same name and the only production announced thus far on the Star Attractions slate, will arrive Thanksgiving week at the Schuster Center.
The cast of “Kinky Boots” (contributed photo)
“Broadway is very good at balancing the traditional with the new,” said VTA President and CEO Ken Neufeld who humorously wore a pair of kinky boots during the event’s climax to accent his enthusiasm for the hit musical. “I think our season offers a balance that will appeal to everyone. ‘Circus 1903’ is a particular leap of faith for us because it is still being developed in Australia, but we are fortunate to be among only about a dozen organizations in America to have the chance to present it.”
Additionally, musical selections were notably offered by the Deron Bell Band, Gina Handy of Magnolia Theatre Company, and students from Wright State University’s musical theater department.
Premier Health Broadway Series
(all shows at Schuster Center)
Jersey Boys (Oct. 18-23, 2016)
42nd Street (Jan. 10-15, 2017)
Dirty Dancing (March 14-19, 2017)
Motown the Musical (April 11-16, 2017)
Kinky Boots (May 23-28, 2017)
Circus 1903 (June 13-18, 2017)
Projects Unlimited Star Attractions
Elf the Musical (Nov. 22-27, 2016 – Schuster Center)
Frank M. Tait Foundation Discovery Series
(all shows at Victoria Theatre)
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)
Morris Furniture Company Family Series
(all shows at Victoria Theatre)
Muts Gone Nuts (Oct. 29, 2016)
A Year with Frog and Toad (Jan. 21, 2017)
Pinkalicious The Musical (Feb. 25, 2017)
The Cat in the Hat (April 8-9, 2017)
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters (April 22, 2017)
National Geographic Live! Series
(all lectures at Victoria Theatre)
Hilaree O’Neill, mountaineer: Down to Nothing (Jan. 31, 2017)
Steve Winter, wildlife photojournalist: On the Trail of Big Cats (March 6, 2017)
Pete McBride, adventurer/photographer: Chasing Rivers (April 24, 2017)
Season tickets are on sale for the Premier Health Broadway Series. New season ticket holders will be seated once current season ticket holders’ renewals are fulfilled. Renewal packets for all current Premier Health Broadway Series season ticket holders were mailed the morning of 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. Additional Star Attractions will be announced at a later date. For more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com or www.victoriaheatre.com
