MARY POPPINS Opens The Bushnell's 2012-2013 Broadway Series Season

The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts announced today its 2012-2013 Broadway Series. The diverse season includes touring productions of Broadway hits MARY POPPINS, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, Green Day’s AMERICAN IDIOT, SISTER ACT, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN and BILLY ELLIOT, and one additional production still to be chosen. Also announced was the off-subscription offering of the live stage version of the beloved holiday classic Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS.

Bushnell President and CEO David Fay said of the lineup, “I thrilled that the staff at The Bushnell has again put together an exciting and well-rounded season of high-quality entertainment from Broadway and beyond. There is much to appeal to families, Broadway traditionalists, and those who enjoy contemporary theatrical offerings. I think our subscribers will be very happy with these selections, and I’m extremely pleased to welcome Webster Bank back as sponsor of the Broadway Series.”

Current subscribers will receive their renewal packages in March; new subscriptions will be available in early summer. Patrons interested in new subscriptions may call the Box Office today to have their name placed on a waiting list. Single tickets will go on sale this summer.

The 2012-2013 Broadway Series

MARY POPPINS, September 14-23, 2012

The consummate Disney production features the irresistible story and unforgettable songs from one of the most popular Disney films of all time, plus brand-new breathtaking dance numbers and astonishing stage-craft to make it everything audiences could ever want in a hit Broadway show. This spectacular hit has astonished over seven million people worldwide with its pure Broadway magic.

DR SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, November 20-25, 2012

Off-subscription, not part of the Broadway Series

Celebrate the holidays with a heart-warming and time-honored Dr. Seuss tale – live on stage. Max the Dog narrates as Dr. Seuss’ mean and scheming curmudgeon, whose heart is "two sizes too small", decides to steal Christmas away from the Whos, an endlessly cheerful bunch. But The Grinch soon discovers there's more to Christmas then he bargained for. Bursting with holiday spirit, this cheerful romp is 75 minutes long and features hit songs from the classic animated film. It’s a perfect holiday gift for the whole family.

TBD, likely December 18 - 23, 2012

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, January 8-13, 2013

The hit Broadway musical inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock ‘n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. On December 4, 1956, these four young musicians gathered at Sun Records in Memphis, for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions ever. This thrilling musical brings that legendary night to life, and takes you inside the recording studio with four major talents who came together as a red-hot rock ‘n’ roll band for one unforgettable night.

AMERICAN IDIOT, February 26 – March 3, 1013

AMERICAN IDIOT opened on Broadway in 2010 and was an instant smash-hit. The production tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Their quest for true meaning in a post 9/11 world leads them on an exhilarating theatrical journey. Based on a Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum album of the same name, AMERICAN IDIOT boldly takes the American musical where it's never gone before. Featuring the hits of the global sensation punk rock band Green Day, and the lyrics of its lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong, this show is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer, (Spring Awakening); and musical orchestrations and arrangements by Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt (Next to Normal).

SISTER ACT, April 16-21, 2013
Featuring original music by 8-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors), SISTER ACT tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a wannabe diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a crime and the cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look—a convent! Under the suspicious watch of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own. A sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, SISTER ACT is reason to rejoice!

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, May 28 – June 3, 2013

The high-flying new musical comedy based on the hit DreamWorks film and the incredible true story that inspired it! Frank W. Abagnale, Jr. is a teenager who runs away from home in search of the glamorous life. With nothing more than boyish charm, a big imagination and millions of dollars in forgEd Checks, Frank successfully poses as a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer - living the high life and winning the girl of his dreams, all the while dogged by an FBI agent who chases him to the end. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN features a Tony Award-winning "dream team," with a book by Terrence McNally, an irresistible score by Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman, choreography by Jerry Mitchell, and direction by Jack O’Brien.

BILLY ELLIOT, June 18-23, 2013

Based on the international smash-hit film and featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, BILLY ELLIOT has earned critical acclaim on Broadway including 10 Tony Awards. BILLY ELLIOT is the joyous celebration of one boy’s journey to make his dreams come true. Set in a small town, the story follows Billy as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, discovering a surprising talent that inspires his family and his whole community and changes his life forever. 

Ticket Information

· Current subscribers will receive their renewal packages in the mail in March.
· If you’re not currently a subscriber and are interested in a subscription, please call The Bushnell Box Office at 860-987-5900. In early summer, new subscription orders will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis after all renewing subscribers have been accommodated.
· On-sale dates for individual tickets will be announced soon.

About The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts

The Bushnell is Connecticut’s premier performing arts center, hosting more than 350 events yearly, including major Broadway tours, symphony orchestras, family presentations, local arts and community events. The Bushnell is home to two theaters- the historic 2,800-seat Mortensen Hall, and the 907-seat Belding Theater, a state-of-the-art performance hall that opened in 2001. The Bushnell’s nationally recognized, award-winning, arts-in-education program, PARTNERS® (Partners in Arts and Education Revitalizing Schools), now in its 19th year, continues to provide quality arts-in-education programs for schools and communities across Connecticut. The Bushnell opened in January 1930 and is a not-for-profit organization that is proud to serve Connecticut and its citizens. For more information, call The Bushnell at (860) 987-6000, The Bushnell Box Office at (860) 987-5900 or visit our website at www.bushnell.org.