THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, SEUSSICAL, HARVEY, ANYTHING GOES and More Set for Alhambra Theatre & Dining's 2015 Season

The 48th season for the Alhambra Theatre & Dining promises a diverse nine-show slate with seven shows never before seen at the Alhambra. It will also feature three Broadway and pop culture veterans: Lisa Whelchel, who starred as Blair in NBC's "Facts of Life," 80's pop icon Debbie Gibson, and Charles Shaughnessy, who rose to prominence on the CBS hit, "The Nanny." Season Packages and individual-show tickets went on sale to the general public on October 1, said Managing Partner Craig Smith. Smith also announced the Alhambra's new website, making access to the Alhambra simpler and more dynamic.

"This is the fifth anniversary for our ownership group at the Alhambra, and we couldn't be happier with the way things keep progressing," said Smith. He added, "Everything about the Alhambra experience continues to evolve. The 2015 show schedule is an evolution based on what our patrons and Season Partners tell us they want to see. They want new shows mixed in with some classics, and they love seeing our guest stars on stage and meeting them after the show. Our website was already pretty good, but it was five years old and getting a little stale to us. So we refreshed that, too, making it easier to see what's happening."

"This has been an amazing journey at which I still marvel," commented Smith. "From a product perspective and a sales perspective, we somehow manage to keep doing more things right than we do wrong and that seems to be showing in our growing popularity. The 2014 season was the fourth straight season that enjoyed a double-digit percentage increase in Season Partnership sales from the season before and we had more sold out shows than ever. It speaks volumes of the team behind me," said Smith. "From the culinary team to the theatrical staff to the hostesses, if we weren't putting out an exceptional product then people wouldn't be coming."

Smith also commented the Alhambra will continue its $35 Proscenium seating and its $38 Preview Night Seating. "The Alhambra has always been the best entertainment value in town," stated Smith commenting that most people tell him it's impossible to offer a great meal, a Broadway quality show and parking for as little as $35. "But, at least in a limited fashion, we manage to do it. We want to make sure that the folks who want to come to the Alhambra are able to come, even if it's just one night per year." Smith elaborated that he feels a sense of community stewardship to provide affordable theater, but also suggested that it makes good business sense. "While there really isn't a bad seat in the house, there are a few tables that do not sell as well as others. If we can sell those seats to guests who have never been here before, perhaps they come back again and want to upgrade their seating. I'm hoping to make some new fans of the Alhambra and of live theater in general.

By popular demand, the Alhambra will open its season with The Buddy Holly Story. Its next show will star Lisa Whelchel in 2 Across, a very funny romantic comedy written by Jerry Mayer who was a head writer for hits like M*A*S*H, The Bob Newhart Show, All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Facts of Life. Debbie Gibson, who had some of the biggest pop music hits of the 80's, and went on to star in several Broadway shows and movies will star in They're playing Our Song, a show for which Marvin Hamlisch and Neil Simon won a number of Tony awards. The Alhambra will follow that with the musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The summer show, which has become a sell-out family tradition, will be Seussical the Musical, a Dr. Seuss extravaganza. Charles Shaughnessy, from the hit television sitcom, The Nanny, will star in the Tony award Winning, Harvey, which will be followed by Nine to Five, a big musical brought to fame on stage and film by Dolly Parton. The Alhambra will follow that with another great musical, Cole Porter's Anything Goes, and wrap up with Bruce Allen Scudder's Christmas Carole.

The Complete 2015 Season Schedule:

The Buddy Holly Story December 30, 2014 - February 8, 2015

2 Across starring Lisa Whelchel February 18 - March 22

They're Playing our Song starring Debbie Gibson April 1 - May 3

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee May 13 - June 14

Seussical the Musical June 24 - August 2

Harvey starring Charles Shaughnessy August 12 - September 8

Nine to Five September 16 - October 18

Cole Porter's Anything Goes October 21 - November 22

Bruce Allen Scudder's Christmas Carole November 24 - December 24

Tod Booth will return as Creative Director and Producer for his 30h season. Executive Chef DeJuan Roy will be return for his fourth season in the kitchen, continuing the Alhambra's plated, seated dinner service. "DeJuan and his team continue to add a level of culinary magic to the Alhambra that seems to improve with every show," said Smith. He added, "2014 continued our momentum on what we were able to accomplish on stage and in the kitchen. We won our second "Best of Jacksonville" award from Jacksonville Magazine and received Trip Advisors highest honors for our second year in a row. We are excited about our momentum."

The Alhambra will continue its Alhambra After Dark music series, however the schedule is not yet complete. Said Smith, "Veteran Alhambra guests will notice the gap between shows and shorter runs. We had sold out every single ticket for each of our music shows in 2014 and we are excited to bring that back for 2015. Stay tuned for our music schedule announcement."

About the new Alhambra Theatre & Dining - The Alhambra Theatre is the nation's longest continually operating professional dinner theatre and the only professional resident theatre between Atlanta and Miami. Opened in 1967, The Alhambra has hosted legends such as Tony Curtis, Claude Aiken, Sid Cesar and Cesar Romero, and, recently, Loretta Swit, Barry Williams, Jamie Farr, Sally Struthers, Joyce DeWitt, Michael Learned and Barbara Eden. The Alhambra was the place of Betty Grable's final acting role. The Alhambra is also home to former Miss America, Orange Park native Leanza Cornett who started at the Alhambra when she was 15. In November 2009, the Alhambra was purchased by Theatre Partners, LLC, headed by Jacksonville entrepreneur and Alhambra patron, Craig Smith as way to give back to Jacksonville and preserve what he believes is one of its cultural jewels.

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