HAMILTON Anchors Hobby Center's 2017-18 Season, Featuring New Jimmy Buffett Musical, SCHOOL OF ROCK and More!

Today, BBVA Compass Broadway at the Hobby Center announced its line-up of shows for the new 2017-2018 season.

HAMILTON will play its Houston engagement April 24-May 20, 2018, and anchor the BBVA Compass Broadway Season with five other shows, all of which will be Houston premieres.

Along with one special option, the new season of seven productions represents a wide range of Tony Award winners and song-and-dance favorites for Houston audiences to enjoy.

The season begins on Halloween night with a week of ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE, a brand-new, pre-Broadway production and ode to Jimmy Buffett's laid back lifestyle and timeless tunes, as well as brand new songs by Buffett. Next, the award-winning story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, ON YOUR FEET!, will arrive in late November.

Beginning the new year in January 2018 is the revival of THE COLOR PURPLE whose re-imaged staging and stellar vocal performances won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. At the end of January and into February 2018, Andrew Lloyd Webber's hilarious SCHOOL OF ROCK lands at the Hobby Center complete with an all-Kid Rock band.

Then in late April, HAMILTON, with book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, arrives for a four-week run April 24-May 20, 2018. Fans of Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera will delight in the "beautiful and haunting" presentation of its sequel LOVE NEVER DIES in July 2018.

The solo season option pays tribute to the remarkable production RIVERDANCE which celebrates its 20th anniversary with a brand-new tour, coming to Houston in March 2018.

"We are so thrilled to be bringing HAMILTON to Houston," said Fran Macferran, President of the Hobby Center Foundation. "The theater scene is on fire these days with so many incredible stories and performances to present. We are delighted to bring the best in live entertainment to our enthusiastic and supportive Houston audiences."

"Houston's star has never been brighter," said BBVA Compass Houston CEO Mark Montgomery. "We are thrilled to be part of our city's bright future by supporting the Hobby Center Foundation and furthering their extraordinary work. The 2017-2018 shows run the gamut of all Broadway has to offer, and we couldn't be more excited to help bring them to our community."

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About the 2017-18 Season:

PRE-BROADWAY

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE

October 31-November 5, 2017

Featuring both original songs and your most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics, the producers of ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE are bringing the production to Houston as part of a limited pre-Broadway engagement.

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE will include brand new music, specifically written for the musical by Buffett, along with many of his hits songs that are near-and-dear to fans' hearts. The original story is by co-book writers Greg Garcia ("My Name is Earl") and Mike O'Malley ("Survivor's Remorse," "Shameless"). Two-time Tony Award nominee Christopher Ashley will direct, and the creative team will also include Tony-nominated Choreographer Kelly Devine, Scenic Designer Walt Spangler, Tony Award-winning Costume Designer Paul Tazewell, two-time Tony Award-winning Lighting Designer Howell Binkley, two-time Tony Award-winning Sound Designer Brian Ronan, Tony Award-nominee Christopher Jahnke as Music Supervisor and 101 Productions, Ltd. as General Management.

Imagine a place where the sun is hot, the ocean's warm, and the drinks are as cold as they are plentiful. Welcome to Margaritaville, the island paradise where city folk get away from it all and the locals get into the kind of trouble you can almost always sweet talk your way out of. This new musical is the story of a part-time bartender, part-time singer, and full-time charmer named Tully who thinks he's got life all figured out. Until a beautiful career-minded tourist steals his heart and makes him question everything.

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE

More than a musical. It's a way of life.

ON YOUR FEET!

November 21-26, 2017

From their humble beginnings in Cuba, Emilio and Gloria Estefan came to America and broke through all barriers to become a crossover sensation at the very top of the pop music world. But just when they thought they had it all, they almost lost everything.

From international superstardom to life-threatening tragedy, ON YOUR FEET! takes you behind the music and inside the real story of this record-making and groundbreaking couple who, in the face of adversity, found a way to end up on their feet.

Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots), with choreography by Olivier Award winner Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys) and an original book by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman), ON YOUR FEET! features some of the most iconic songs of the past quarter-century - and one of the most inspiring stories in music history.

Houston premiere of the Tony Award-winning national tour

THE COLOR PURPLE

January 9-14, 2018

THE COLOR PURPLE is the 2016 Tony Award winner for Best Musical Revival!

Hailed as "a direct hit to the heart" (The Hollywood Reporter), this joyous American classic has conquered Broadway in an all-new "ravishingly reconceived production that is a glory to behold" (The New York Times) directed by Tony winner John Doyle.

With a soul-raising score of jazz, gospel, ragtime and blues, THE COLOR PURPLE gives an exhilarating new spirit to this Pulitzer Prize-winning story.

Don't miss this stunning re-imagining of an epic story about a young woman's journey to love and triumph in the American South. The musical sensation that New York Magazine calls "one of the greatest revivals ever." Experience the exhilarating power of this Tony-winning triumph!

SCHOOL OF ROCK

January 30-February 4, 2018

SCHOOL OF ROCK is a New York Times Critics' Pick

Based on the hit film, this hilarious new musical follows Dewey Finn, a wannabe rock star posing as a substitute teacher who turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. This high-octane smash features 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber, all the original songs from the movie and musical theater's first-ever kids rock band playing their instruments live on stage.

HAMILTON

April 24-May 20, 2018

With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow's biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

HAMILTON is the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation's first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now.

HAMILTON's creative team previously collaborated on the 2008 Tony Award Winning Best Musical IN THE HEIGHTS.

HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, and casting by Telsey + Company, Bethany Knox, CSA.

The musical is produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and The Public Theater.

The HAMILTON Original Broadway Cast Recording is available everywhere nationwide. The HAMILTON recording received a 2016 Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.

For information on HAMILTON, visit www.HamiltonOnBroadway.com, www.Facebook.com/HamiltonMusical, www.Instagram.com/HamiltonMusical and www.Twitter.com/HamiltonMusical.

LOVE NEVER DIES

July 17-22, 2018

The greatest love story ever lives on in a new musical from Andrew Lloyd Webber set against the spellbinding backdrop of Coney Island. LOVE NEVER DIES makes its U.S. premiere on this North American tour.

The year is 1907. It is 10 years after his disappearance from the Paris Opera House and the Phantom has escaped to a new life in New York where he lives amongst the screaming joy rides and freak shows of Coney Island. In this new, electrically charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar, but he has never stopped yearning for his one true love and musical protégée, Christine Daaé.

Now one of the world's finest sopranos, Christine accepts an invitation to travel from Paris to New York to perform at a renowned opera house. Christine's marriage to Raoul is suffering at the hands of his drinking and gambling and they desperately need the financial rewards that America can give them.

In a final bid to win back Christine's love, the Phantom lures her, Raoul, and their young son Gustave, from Manhattan to the glittering and glorious world of Coney Island - not knowing what is in store for them.

RIVERDANCE

(Season Option - Add To Your Season Package)

March 9-11, 2018

The international Irish dance phenomenon is back by popular demand in RIVERDANCE - The 20th Anniversary World Tour. Drawing on Irish traditions, The Combined talents of the performers propel Irish dancing and music into the present day, capturing the imagination of audiences across all ages and cultures in an innovative and exciting blend of dance, music and song. Of all the performances to emerge from Ireland - in rock, music, theatre and film - nothing has carried the energy, the sensuality and the spectacle of RIVERDANCE.

RIVERDANCE - The 20th Anniversary World Tour is composed by Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan, and comes directly to North America from a sold out run across Europe and Asia. www.riverdance.com

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SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES ON SALE NOW!

Guarantee your tickets for HAMILTON by purchasing season tickets for the 2017-2018 series. Packages are on sale now and can be purchased...

- By shopping online at www.BroadwayAtTheHobbyCenter.com 24 hours a day

- By calling (800) 952-6560, Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. CST through the February 3 renewal deadline

- By visiting the Hobby Center Box Office at 800 Bagby Street; 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday

Prices begin at $210. Current Subscribers will receive renewal materials via email TODAY followed by a mailing after the announcement. Broadway at the Hobby Center offers an array of subscriber benefits including: best seats at the best prices, priority purchase opportunities, flexible payment plans, exchange privileges, and replacements on lost or stolen tickets. In addition, Season Subscribers can take advantage of special offers plus membership and privileges to Broadway Across America, a national network of over 40 North American cities where Broadway is presented.

GROUPS AND INDIVIDUAL TICKETS

Individual tickets on-sale dates will be announced throughout the year. For more information about groups of 10 or more, visit us on-line at Houston.broadway.com/groups, call (888) 451-5986 or e-mail houston.groups@broadwayacrossamerica.com.

The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts is operated by the Hobby Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its mission is to expand Houston's reputation as a world-class cultural center by providing a premier performing arts facility, fostering accessibility to the performing arts and promoting arts education, with an emphasis on musical theater. The complex houses two performance chambers, an award-winning restaurant, and an 800 car capacity on- premise parking garage. Please visit TheHobbyCenter.org.

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