Broadway's Booth Family to Take the Stage in COME BLOW YOUR HORN at Alhambra

If there is a "leading family" of Jacksonville theater, it may very well be the Booth family. Marking their first time ever on stage together, Tod Booth, Lisa Valdini Booth and Jessica Booth will team up for the Alhambra's production of the Neil Simon comedy, Come Blow Your Horn.

Come Blow Your Horn, the first show ever performed at The Alhambra when it opened in 1967 will open for three weeks on January 4.

Tod Booth was, of course, the most recent prior owner of the Alhambra, the nation's longest-running professional dinner theater. Mr. Booth has directed nearly every show at the Alhambra for the past 20-plus years and is currently the Creative Director for the theater. During his early tenure, Booth starred in many shows, but has not taken the Alhambra stage since his 2011 role in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Lisa Valdini Booth has taken the Alhambra stage on many occasions, starring in countless roles. She has also been the advertising "the voice" of Winn-Dixie supermarkets and runs the Alhambra's summer theater camps.

Their daughter, Jessica Booth, now a University of Central Florida graduate working on Broadway, started her acting career at the Alhambra at nine years old. She, too, has been in countless Alhambra shows, including Shrek the Musical and Cinderella.

But this is the first time the three of them have acted together at the Alhambra (or anywhere), making it a historic evening and another page for the Alhambra's scrap book.

Said Managing Partner, Craig Smith, "We want to continue to surprise our guests, this year especially. Having the Booth family together is something we've always wanted to do, but needed the right vehicle. There is no better timing or show than for our first show of our 50th anniversary." Smith continued, "With their collective career from ownership to directing to acting, the Booths might be as close to acting royalty as we have in Jacksonville. This is a tribute to them and to the theater, and I think our fans will love seeing them together. I know the Booth family is excited."

Come Blow Your Horn was the first show ever produced at the Alhambra when it opened in 1967, so its reprisal is a fitting title with which to open the Alhambra's 50th anniversary. A limited run of only three weeks, tickets will be offered at a 50th anniversary price, just $50 for two seats.

Opened in 1967 as The Alhambra Dinner Theater, it is the longest-running dinner theater in the country. The Alhambra has hosted legends such as Tony Curtis, Claude Aiken, Sid Cesar and Cesar Romero, and, recently the likes of Loretta Swit, Barry Williams, Jamie Farr, Sally Struthers, Joyce Dewitt, Michael Learned, Barbara Eden, Lisa Whelchel and Mike Farrell. The Alhambra was the place of Betty Grable's final acting role, and is featured in her biography. The Alhambra is also home to former Miss America, Orange Park (FL) native Leanza Cornett, who started at the Alhambra when she was 15. This season, the Alhambra will feature Morgan Fairchild in Dixie Swim Club and Dawn Wells in Steel Magnolias, both actors performed at the Alhambra some 30 years ago. In November 2009, the Alhambra was purchased by Theatre Partners, LLC, headed by Jacksonville entrepreneur and Alhambra patron, Craig Smith as a way to give back to Jacksonville and preserve what he believes is one of its cultural jewels.

When on the verge of the being shuttered in 2009 the Alhambra's season subscriber base had eroded from it's peak at about 4500 subscribers to less than 500, and it struggled to reach even 50% capacity at discounted prices. Today, the Alhambra boasts a run-rate of 80-90% capacity, including several completely sold out shows in recent years, and, re-branded as Season Partners, a subscriber base of nearly 5,000. The theater employs more than 70 full-time staff, and donates tens of thousands of dollars and tickets annually to area charities. "Our job isn't just to sell seats to a great show and serve wonderful meals, it's to be part of this community and supportive of things that are meaningful to our guests," said Smith. "We can only take credit for putting a good product together. I give all the credit to the Jacksonville community for rallying around this old girl and putting her back on the map. It's a journey that isn't finished, but we're off to a good start...that's more than 50 years in the making."

Tickets start at $35 for and range to $53. Ticket price includes dinner, show and parking. Season Partnership start at $267 for a six-show series. Call the box office at 904.641.1212 or at www.alhambrajax.com.