North Charleston Performing Arts Center Best of Broadway Series announces shows for 2012-2013 Season

The North Charleston Performing Arts Center Best of Broadway series announced today that LES MISÉRABLES will anchor their 2012-2013 season.  Cameron Mackintosh’s brand new 25th anniversary production of Boublil & Schönberg’s legendary musical, LES MISÉRABLES, with glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo will run February 19-24, 2013 for eight performances.  This new production has been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is breaking box office records wherever it goes.

The Best of Broadway series also announced four other productions for 2012-2013:  ROCK OF AGES (October 4-5, 2012); SHREK THE MUSICAL (November 23-24, 2012); WEST SIDE STORY (December 18-19, 2012); BLUE MAN GROUP (January 11-12, 2013).  Best of Broadway will also present a one night only special performance by Mannheim Steamroller on December 1, 2012. All performances will be held at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center.

“The Best of Broadway series keeps getting better and better!” said Dave Holscher, General Manager of the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. “With great shows like LES MISÉRABLES, ROCK OF AGES, SHREK THE MUSICAL, WEST SIDE STORY and BLUE MAN GROUP, there is something for everyone to enjoy.”

“It’s hard to believe that the Performing Arts Center and the Best of Broadway series are entering their fourteenth year of presenting world class entertainment to the Lowcountry. This season’s line-up features both new and classic shows that audiences will love.” said North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey.

“We’re entering the ninth year of an outstanding partnership with the good people at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. We are committed to bringing the very best of Broadway to the Lowcountry and it doesn’t get any better than this season’s line-up!” said Nick Scandalios, Executive Vice President of Nederlander Producing Company of America.

Season ticket packages are now available and prices start at only $190.50. Tickets are available at the Coliseum Advance Ticket Office, by calling the Best of Broadway hotline (843) 202-ARTS (2787) or online at www.northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com. Individual show tickets will go on sale at a later date.

In addition to having the same seat for all performances, Best of Broadway season ticket holders enjoy many other benefits such as free parking, priority access to tickets for Coliseum & Performing Arts Center events before they go on public sale and special discounts & offers not available to the general public.

The Best of Broadway series features the best in national touring Broadway shows and is presented by the North Charleston Performing Arts Center and the Nederlander Producing Company of America.

...and in case you want it, here's even more information!

ROCK OF AGES
October 4-5, 2012
7:30 PM
The worldwide party musical ROCK OF AGES features a mix of 28 rockin’ 80’s tunes including DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’, WE BUILT THIS CITY, THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, HERE I GO AGAIN, CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING and I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS. In 1987 on the Sunset Strip, a small town girl met a big city rocker and in LA’s most famous rock club, they fell in love to the greatest songs of the 80’s. It’s five time 2009 Tony® nominee ROCK OF AGES, an arena-rock love story told through the mind blowing, face-melting hits of JOURNEY, NIGHT RANGER, STYX, REO SPEEDWAGON, PAT BENATAR, TWISTED SISTER, POISON, ASIA, WHITESNAKE and many more. Don’t miss this awesomely good time about dreaming big, playing loud and partying on!

"Impossible to resist!”
- Charles Isherwood, New York Times

"Rock and comedy in perfect proportion!"
- David Cote, Time Out

SHREK THE MUSICAL
November 23-24, 2012
November 23 at 7:30 PM, November 24 at 2:00 PM
SHREK THE MUSICAL, based on the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks film that started it all, brings the hilarious story of everyone’s favorite ogre to life on stage.

In a faraway kingdom turned upside down, things get ugly when an unseemly ogre – not a handsome prince – shows up to rescue a feisty princess. Throw in a donkey who won’t shut up, a villain with a SHORT temper, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand… and his name is Shrek.

Featuring a terrific score of 19 all-new songs, big laughs, great dancing and breathtaking scenery, WWOR-TV proclaims SHREK THE MUSICAL, “FAR, FAR AND AWAY THE FUNNIEST NEW MUSICAL ON BROADWAY!”

SHREK THE MUSICAL is part romance, part twisted fairy tale and all irreverent fun for everyone!

WEST SIDE STORY
December 18-19, 2012
7:30 PM

More than fifty years ago one musical changed theater forever. Now it's back and mesmerizing audiences once again. From the first note to the final breath, WEST SIDE STORY soars as the greatest love story of all time and remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway's finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere." As the Associated Press says, “WEST SIDE STORY remains Broadway’s best dance-driven musical. Five decades have not dimmed the extraordinary choreography or the score that pulsates throughout.”

BLUE MAN GROUP
January 11-12, 2013
January 11 at 7:30 PM, January 12 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM

Experience the Phenomenon. BLUE MAN GROUP is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine comedy, music, and technology to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The New York Times heralds the show as “One of the most delightful performance pieces ever staged.” E! Entertainment News exclaims, “BLUE MAN GROUP is what every live performance aspires to be.” The Baltimore Sun raves, “Blue Man Group packs a wallop. It’s a big, loud, funny, silly, visually arresting production!”

Although it is impossible to describe, people of all ages agree that BLUE MAN GROUP is an intensely exciting and wildly outrageous show that leaves the entire audience in a blissful, euphoric state. With no spoken language, BLUE MAN GROUP is perfect for people of all ages, languages, and cultures. BLUE MAN GROUP is now on the road for its first U.S. theatrical tour. This unique experience is a form of entertainment like nothing else; guaranteed to be an outing you will never forget.

LES MISERABLES
February 19-24, 2013
February 19-22 at 7:30 PM
February 23 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM
February 24 at 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

DREAM THE DREAM

Cameron Mackintosh presents a brand new 25th anniversary production of Boublil & Schönberg’s legendary musical, LES MISÉRABLES, with glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. This new production has been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is breaking box office records wherever it goes.

The New York Times calls this LES MISÉRABLES “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful.” The Star-Ledger says "a dynamically re-imagined hit. This 'LES MISÉRABLES’ has improved with age” and NY1-TV proclaims “this new production actually exceeds the original. The storytelling is clearer, the perspective grittier and the motivations more honest. Musical theatre fans can rejoice: ‘Les Miz’ is born again.”

Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, LES MISÉRABLES is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. The magnificent score of LES MISÉRABLES includes the classic songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “One Day More,” “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” “Master Of The House” and many more.

Season tickets for the BEST OF BROADWAY shows are on sale now at the Coliseum Advance Ticket Window or call the season ticket hotline (843) 202-ARTS (2787). For more information or an online order form, visit www.NorthCharlestonColiseumPAC.com.