A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL!, Which Debuted at KC Rep, Earns 2013 Tony Nominations

Christmas arrived early this year for Kansas City Repertory Theatre. A Christmas Story, The Musical!, which had its world premiere at the Rep in 2009, today was nominated for three Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

"As a producing partner of the Broadway production, all of us at the Rep are elated for the success and national visibility that A Christmas Story, The Musical! has brought us," said the Rep's artistic director Eric Rosen, who directed show's 2009 premiere and a 2010 production in Seattle.

The additional Tony nominations are for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. The 67^th Annual Tony Awards will be announced Sunday, June 9 on CBS.

"When I announced in 2009 that the Rep would depart from its annual tradition of A Christmas Carol To do the special world premiere of A Christmas Story, The Musical most of our city thought I had lost my mind," continued Rosen. "A Christmas Story became the largest hit in Rep history, and then went on to capture the hearts of audiences across the country before landing on Broadway in 2012 for a record-breaking run. I never would have dreamed that the Rep's world premiere would go on to be honored with three Tony nominations, including Best Musical."

The Rep's 2009 world premiere of the holiday show was wildly popular with Kansas City audiences of all ages, and became the highest-grossing show in the theatre's history. Since then, A Christmas Story, The Musical! has received a 2010 staging at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, also directed by Rosen; a 2011 five-city holiday tour; and its premiere on Broadway during the 2012 holiday season, where it was one of Broadway's highest-grossing holiday shows ever.

"Under Eric's leadership and vision, the Rep gave birth to A Christmas Story, the Musical! and started the creative and business trajectory that got us to Broadway," commented one of the show's producers Gerald Goehring. "I can easily trace what I saw on stage at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre [on Broadway] to those magical nights at the Rep. The love, care and integrity that the entire Kansas City Rep organization infused the show with, remained with the production. Kansas City Rep has been a terrific producing partner as we journeyed from Cherry Street in Kansas City, MO to 45th Street in New York City."

A Christmas Story, The Musical! is produced by Peter Billingsley (the former child actor who created the role of Ralphie Parker in the film), Gerald Goehring (Frankenstein: The Musical), the late Roy Miller (West Side Story revival, The Drowsy Chaperone), Michael F. Mitri (Frankenstein: The Musical), Pat Flicker Addiss (Promises, Promises; Spring Awakening), Mariano Tolentino, Louise H. Beard, Michael Filerman, Scott Hart, Timothy Laczynski, Bartner/Jenkins Entertainment, Angela Milonas and Bradford W. Smith.

Just shy of its 50th anniversary, Kansas City Repertory Theatre is one of the nation's oldest and most respected regional theaters. Lauded by The Wall Street Journal, TIME magazine, Variety and the Toronto Sun, the Rep produces mainstage plays and special events at Spencer Theatre, where it serves as the professional theatre in residence at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), and Copaken Stage located in downtown Kansas City. Kansas City Rep employs more than 250 professional artists, technicians and administrators, and serves more than 100,000 patrons and 10,000 school children annually. Kansas City Repertory Theatre is led by Artistic Director Eric Rosen, and Producing Director Jerry Genochio.

Pictured: John Bolton as The Old Man in KC Rep's 2009 world premiere productin of A Christmas Story, The Musical!. Bolton originated the role in Kansas City and also performed in Seattle, on a 5-city tour and on Broadway. Photo by Don Ipock.

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