2011- 2012 National Tours

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/26/10 at 7:29pm

Dallas Summer Musicals have a 2012 season preview on their website. They have La Cage Aux Folles, Memphis, Million Dollar Quartet, and Addams Family listed. There are no dates listed. I guess this means all four of these shows will be touring during the 2011-2012 season.


2012 Season Preview

Updated On: 1/1/11 at 07:29 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/26/10 at 8:18pm

I can see all four doing well on tour. wonder why they've been announced so early??

[DWalk]

Posted: 12/26/10 at 8:40pm

Last year a competing presenter setup shop in Dallas and got some of the bigger shows to include Billy Elliott, South Pacific, and Young Frankenstein.

When Dallas Summer Musicals announced their 2011 season it was the smallest (and in my opinion, weakest) season they've had in the 14 years I've lived in DFW.

I think they had to preview these shows in the 2012 season to keep subscribers interested. Many subscribers, myself included, wondered if the weak 2011 season meant that DSM was going to cease operation and we wondered if we weren't better off saving our money instead of paying for our subscriptions and then losing the money if DSM went bankrupt.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/26/10 at 8:52pm

^ That's exactly what I was thinking. The Music Hall is such a great venue in a big city so there's no reason why it should not get bigger shows. This season is extremely weak and they need something to keep their subscribers interested.

[littlebro2]

Posted: 12/26/10 at 9:05pm

Well, Memphis and The Addams Family have been announced to come to Toronto by Dancap Productions on tour, so that's pretty good. Interesting how DSM used Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge to advertise the show, yet they "will not be performing during the Dallas performances of La Cage Aux Folles."
Huh.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/26/10 at 11:13pm

I was very excited to hear that the DSM season was announced, then when I looked at the titles I thought that some of the shows didn't fit into place when compared to previous seasons. They ususally have bigger shows than this year. I am looking forward to 9 to 5, Tommy Tune, West Side Story, and (maybe) Guys & Dolls. After looking at my mailer for the new season, I noticed that they listed the shows that would be coming soon... I am excited for some of those shows more than this year's picks to be honest. I will definitely be seeing Memphis and The Addams Family!!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/26/10 at 11:57pm

I remember one season they had Jersey Boys, The Color Purple, and High School Musical all in the same season! Then last season they had Shrek and Mary Poppins. It's surprising what a bad selection they have this season. I know they are limited to what is available, but there is Billy Elliot, In The Heights, Lion King, etc. that they could have brought this season.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 12:39am

Those were the exact same shows I thought that they would have booked this season. Well, there's nothing much we can do but see what they are offering and enjoy them. haha. But Guys & Dolls is not a tour, correct?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 12:55am

I believe it is the same production of the revival. I read (on one of these boards actually) that it will be a tryout of the revival to see whether or not it will tour. I don't know if that's true or not though!

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 1:32am

Just read my DSM mailer again... it says:

"Big League Productions is proud to announce a sparkling new production of the timeless classic, GUYS AND DOLLS."

I don't think they produced the recent revival, but they used the 1992 revival artwork instead of the more recent one that SpotCo made.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 1:37am

Good! Sounds like an all new production which is good! I wish more cities would offer previews into the future seasons. Considering the shows are booked well in advance I don't see why they wait until Spring to announce it!

[dragonlp86]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 1:41am

I wish New Orleans would have things like this posted. Then I'd know whether or not I could see shows close to home, or whether I'd have to travel to Texas to catch tours!

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 1:41am

Well, they're smart because they probably want and/or get more subscribers to their season tickets which help get the better shows. They may also need to finalize dates so the show can better route their tour.

Bass Hall in Fort Worth announced their season around the same time DSM did... Spring Awakening (last month), Mamma Mia!, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line, Beauty and the Beast, and 9 to 5.

As did Casa... Sound of Music (September), Best Little Whorehouse (October, I believe), Evita, and Hairspray.

And some of these aren't even tours...

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 10:14am

I hope "In the Heights" will be added to the 2012 season.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 10:43am

A) Casa and Performing Arts Ft. Worth announced their season a hell of a long time before DSM did. Casa is no longer presenting tours with Performing Arts Ft. Worth. The two split starting this season, hence the move for Casa back to the Old Dome on Lancaster.

B) DSM needs to go back to doing self produced shows with "big" names, like they did in the 60s and 70s. That's how they earned the title "America's foremost summer theatre."

C) The new competitor mentioned actually has done pretty poor business. Everything they do ends up discounted, because nobody wants to pay $65 for a sunday matinee, for the last two rows of a fourth balcony, and then the additional fees plus $15 for parking. South Pacific barely sold, Avenue Q certainly didn't (hell, Bass Hall, which is smaller, had to sell the first 10 rows of the orchestra for $10 and still didn't sell out) and the Grinch didn't sell very well either. (No one could afford it)

[DWalk]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 6:29pm

I had also heard that the new Lexus series wasn't doing very well. According to an interview I had read earlier, they snatched South Pacific just as DSM was getting ready to sign a contract and South Pacific bombed for them.

Next season, they were able to grab Billy Eliiott which, no doubt, DSM would have liked to have as a State Fair show. They also got Young Frankenstein and Rock of Ages.

I seriously doubt we'll be able to sustain both presenters. DSM won't even have any shows at the Majestic next year.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/27/10 at 10:56pm

The Lexus series is just too damn expensive. And I do NOT think Billy Elliot will do remotely well in that huge theatre.

I've said it before in this thread, but if they would go back to the crowd pleasing hits, with a name or two in the lead roles, they'd do just fine. Leave the edgier things to WaterTower, Theatre3 and DTC.

[fanadu1996]

Posted: 12/28/10 at 1:22am

fair park is a horrendous venue, and I don't care for ATTPAC either. Bass Hall in Fort Worth is a far better venue!

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/28/10 at 1:30am

^ And that isn't saying much.

Currently, the best space is the Wyly.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/28/10 at 1:43am

I saw Jersey Boys at Fair Park and loved the venue from a performance point of view. The sound was great and even though I was on the mezzanine I did not feel like I was far away from the action. It's better than most venues on tour that are cavernous barns of theatres that just swallow the show. However, parking was impossible and expensive.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/28/10 at 2:00am

^Unless you were there during the State Fair, the Music Hall has free parking.

And, it's pretty cavernous. Some shows are easily swallowed (Little Shop and Rent stick out the most), although it does a lot better than Bass (it has better acoustics) or the Winspear (which is a total cavern)

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/28/10 at 2:12am

Now that I think about it I remember we did the valet parking and the problem was that it was understaffed and took forever. I only saw one show there when I was in Dallas seeing a relative. There was a lot of construction going on down by the music hall too. I just looked it up and I am shocked the Music Hall seats 3,420. It seemed a lot smaller when I was there, but that may be because of where I was sitting and the layout of the seating. The venue where I see touring shows seats 3,017 and has a balcony in addition to a mezzanine which makes the space much bigger. When shows like The Graduate, Golda's Balcony, 12 Angry Men, Frost Nixon, and August: Osage County came through, the shows were completely lost in the space.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/1/11 at 8:29pm

San Diego just announced their 2011-2012 season and Come Fly Away is part of it. Looks like this will be touring as well.

http://www.broadwaysd.com/

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/1/11 at 10:41pm

I wonder if the ACL tour will continue for another year? It's only scheduled until May 1(Newark, NJ).

[christian_drake]

Posted: 2/13/11 at 2:05am

Wichita just announced their 2011-2012 season.
Rock of Ages, Young Frakenstein, Mamma Mia, Blue Man Group, and Lion King. It's unknown what dates Lion King will be here because the venue has to be renovated to accommodate the show.

http://www.theaterleague.com/theaters/?id=8