Kimmel Center & Shubert Org Announces 2009-10 Lineup

The Kimmel Center and Shubert Organization are thrilled to announce a top-notch lineup of Broadway theater as part of the new 2009-2010 Broadway Series at the Academy of Music and the Forrest Theatre.

The new Broadway Series subscription season will feature: Grease starring American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks (July 7 - 12, 2009); White Christmas (Nov. 24 - 29, 2009); Dreamgirls (June 22 - 27, 2010) all at the Academy of Music; and August: Osage County (April 27 - May 2, 2010) at the Forrest Theatre.

Additional '09 - '10 shows will include: Mamma Mia! (Nov. 3 - 8, 2009); Wicked (Jan. 6 - 24, 2010); Disney's The Lion King (March 30 - April 4, 2010); and Avenue Q (June 18 - 20, 2010).

Subscription packages are on sale now by calling 215-893-1955 or online at www.kimmelcenter.org/bway0910. Single tickets will go on sale August 2009.

"Every year we strive to provide a high-quality blend of the very best in Broadway entertainment," said Kimmel Center President and CEO Anne Ewers. "The response we receive from our subscribers and the musical theater community is always amazing. We are grateful for the continued support and enthusiasm from musical theater fans throughout the Philadelphia area, and we look forward to launching another incredible season of spectacular Broadway touring productions."

"The continued popularity and success of our Broadway Series, and the overwhelmingly positive response to all of our productions is a credit to the Philadelphia theater-buying public," said Philip J. Smith, Chairman of the Shubert Organization, Inc. "We are ecstatic to once again offer our patrons a stellar variety of musicals and award-winning productions at both the Forrest Theatre and the Academy of Music."

For nearly 40 years, Grease (July 7 - 12, 2009) has remained one of the world's most popular musicals. Now Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and the gang from Rydell High hand-jive their way to Philadelphia's Academy of Music to launch the new Broadway subscription season with this new production direct from Broadway. This unique production, born out of NBC's landmark reality show, "Grease: You're The One That I Want," will star American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel. Hicks achieved widespread fame in 2006 as a contestant on the hugely successful FOX singing competition "American Idol." On May 24, 2006, Hicks was named the winner of the fifth season of "Idol" with over 63.4 million votes in total during the live finale, which aired to a worldwide audience of over 200 million viewers.

TIME magazine's 2007 pick for "#1 musical of the year" is directed and choreographed by two-time Tony® Award-winner Kathleen Marshall (The Pajama Game). This updated version of the show features songs from the smash hit 1978 movie including "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Grease" and "You're the One That I Want," in addition to the songs made famous by the original stage production, including "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightnin'" and "We Go Together."

Get ready to discover a delightful new show that's as fresh and rare as newly fallen snow! The classic holiday tradition White Christmas has come to the stage at last, as a brand new Irving Berlin musical opening at the Academy of Music for the holiday season. Brimming with such Berlin hits as "Blue Skies," "How Deep is the Ocean" and of course the unforgettable title song, Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Nov. 24 - 29, 2009) tells the story of two showbiz buddies putting on a show in a magical Vermont inn, and finding their perfect mates in the bargain. Full of dancing, laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written, Irving Berlin's White Christmas promises to be a merry and bright theatrical experience for the whole family.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas made its stage debut during the 2004 holiday season in San Francisco, garnering rave reviews and establishing its status as a don't-miss holiday show. Irving Berlin's White Christmas makes you feel like "you've stepped into a Technicolor movie musical," said the Oakland Tribune. The show has since dazzled audiences across the country. "A holiday juggernaut. There's plenty to ooh and aah over. One well-loved Berlin tune after another," said the Los Angeles Times. "Plenty of razzmatazz, including snow!" said the Boston Globe. The Detroit Free Press declared the show "Highly entertaining holiday fare!" and the Star Tribune called it "A dazzling, sweet work that deserves plenty of praise."

Steppenwolf's August: Osage County (Apr. 27 - May 2, 2010), making its Philadelphia premiere at the Forrest Theatre, is a grand, gripping new play that tells the story of the Westons, a large extended clan that comes together at their rural Oklahoma homestead when the alcoholic patriarch disappears. Forced to confront unspoken truths and astonishing secrets, the family must also contend with matriarch Violet, a pill-popping, deeply unsettled woman at the center of this storm. August: Osage County is a rare theatrical event - a large-scale work filled with unforgettable characters, a powerful tale told with unflinching honesty.

Academy Award-winner Estelle Parsons stars as the family matriarch Violet, a role she is currently playing on Broadway where the New York Times raved, "Estelle Parsons gives a superb performance...sends chills down your spine. It may prove to be a crowning moment in an illustrious career."

Winner of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony® Award for Best Play, August: Osage County is written by Tracy Letts and directed by Anna D. Shapiro.

Direct from the world famous Apollo Theatre in New York City, a brand new, sensational stage production of Dreamgirls (Jun 22 - 27, 2010) comes to the Academy of Music.

Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, Dreamgirls tells the rags-to-riches story of a 1960's Motown girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. With music by Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tony® and Grammy®-winning Tom Eyen, Dreamgirls features the unforgettable hits: "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," "One Night Only," and "Listen." Broadway director and choreographer Robert Longbottom and co-choreographer Shane Sparks (TV's So You Think You Can Dance), along with some of Broadway's top designers, re-envision this Tony® and Academy Award-winning musical so it sparkles like never before!

Additional shows available to subscribers will include:

A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you'll never forget! Over 32 million people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that make Mamma Mia! (Nov. 3 - 8, 2009), returning to the Academy of Music, the ultimate feel-good show! Writer Catherine Johnson's sunny, funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

The story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, and every night everyone's having the time of their lives! With more productions playing internationally than any other musical, Mamma Mia! is a global smash hit!

Back by "popular demand," the New York Times calls Wicked (Jan. 6 - 24, 2010) "Broadway's biggest blockbuster," and when it played Philadelphia's Academy of Music in 2006 and 2007, it broke box office records and sold out in record time. Winner of 20 major awards, including a Grammy® and three Tony® Awards, "Wicked has every piece of the Great American Musical, and even defines the genre" (Philadelphia Inquirer).

Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One - born with emerald green skin - is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch makes for "the most complete and completely satisfying new musical in a long time" (USA Today).

Experience the phenomenon of Disney's The Lion King (Mar. 30 - Apr. 4, 2010). Marvel at the breathtaking spectacle of animals brought to life by award-winning director Julie Taymor, whose visual images for this show you'll remember forever. Thrill to the pulsating rhythms of the African Pridelands and an unforgettable score including Elton John and Tim Rice's Oscar-winning song "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "Circle of Life." Let your imagination run wild at the Tony® Award-winning Broadway sensation Newsweek calls "a landmark event in entertainment." Disney's The Lion King will leap onto the Academy of Music stage for the new season.

Now in its second sold-out decade in New York, The Lion King is the winner of six Tony® Awards including Best Musical, eight Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, the New York Drama Critics award for Best Musical, the Evening Standard Award for the Theatrical Event of the Year, two Olivier Awards, a Theatre World Award, the Astaire Award for Outstanding Choreography, two Drama League Awards and a Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album.

Avenue Q (June 18 - 20, 2010) is Broadway's smash-hit Tony® Award winner for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. A hilarious show full of heart and hummable tunes, Avenue Q is about trying to make it in NYC with big dreams and a tiny bank account. Called "one of the funniest shows you're ever likely to see" by Entertainment Weekly, Avenue Q features a cast of people and puppets who tell the story in a smart, risque and downright entertaining way. The New Yorker calls it "Subversive and Uproarious!"

Subscription ticket prices for the 2009-2010 Broadway Series season range from $70.50 to $390.25. To order tickets or for more information on subscription packages call 215-893-1955 or visit www.kimmelcenter.org/bway0910. Groups of 15 or more call 215-790-5883 or 866-276-2947. Visit online at www.kimmelcenter.org/groupsales or www.telecharge.com/groups.

Broadway Series subscribers are offered a variety of exclusive privileges including the first opportunity to select the best seats in the house and the option to renew these seats every year. Subscribers are also entitled to discounts of up to 33% on additional Broadway Series shows and Kimmel Center Presents performances, along with up to 50% savings for both senior citizens and students. A special 50/50 payment plan, along with restaurant and retail discounts are also available to subscribers. A convenient flexible ticket exchange program allows subscribers to exchange tickets for another performance of the same show.

All performances of the 2009-2010 Broadway Series are supported by CITI. American Airlines is the Official Airline of the Broadway Series.