Omaha Performing Arts Center Presents BILLY ELLIOT, SAVION GLOVER, & More Dance, Broadway, and Concert Shows 2012-2013

Omaha Performing Arts recently announced its 2012/2013 Season, which includes Blockbuster Broadway hits, critically acclaimed dance companies, family-friendly entertainment, comedians and world-class musicians. With five great series – Broadway, Dance, Family, Jazz and Showcase (formerly Popular) – as well as a broad selection of Season Extras, Omaha Performing Arts offers a variety of world-renowned artists and ensembles with more than 100 performance dates. Season ticket holders save money, get the best seats in the house and enjoy exclusive perks, including:

Best seats at the best price; five great series from which to choose: Broadway, Dance, Family, Jazz and Showcase; priority purchasing and special offers to buy tickets before the general public for shows that are likely to sell out such as Disney's THE LION KING; free and easy ticket exchanges; savings of at least 15% when adding performances to season ticket orders, such as comedian Wayne Brady or the tap dance sensation Savion Glover; and 50% off ticket fees when adding shows to season ticket orders.

New this year: a "Print-at-Home" option for season tickets. To celebrate, patrons may receive $5 off each season ticket package using that perk. Plus, patrons can save an additional $5 when they renew or buy season tickets online at www.OmahaPerformingArts.org/SeasonTickets. Season ticket packages include at least three performances and start as low as $50-often less than the price of a single ticket. Those who are renewing your Season Tickets should receive your packets in the mail very soon and may renew right away online at www.OmahaPerformingArts.org/SeasonTickets and select RENEW. New season ticket holders will be able to purchase online starting May 8, 2012 at www.OmahaPerformingArts.org/SeasonTickets and select NEW.

The 2012/2013 Broadway season includes several smash-hit productions coming to Omaha for the first time, as well as a returning Blockbuster hit. And, this season you get five great shows in your Season Ticket package. Here's a glimpse into the 2012/2013 Broadway season:

SHREK THE MUSICAL – October 23-28, 2012: Based on the Oscar®-winning film, this hilarious story brings everyone's favorite ogre to life on stage.

Billy Elliot the Musical– November 27 – December 2, 2012: This show, with music by Elton John, depicts the joyous celebration of a young boy's journey as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class to discover a surprising passion. (Parental Advisory: Offensive Language)

MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL – January 15 – January 20, 2013: The 2010 Tony® winner for Best Musical is inspired by actual events and tells the story of a white radio DJ who falls in love with a black singer in racially charged 1950s Memphis, Tennessee. (Parental Advisory: Adult Content)

Disney's THE LION KING – March 12 – April 7, 2013: This breathtaking spectacle and Tony Award® winner makes its triumphant return to Omaha for a four-week run next Spring.

The Addams Family – May 14 – 19, 2013: A smash-hit musical comedy that brings the darkly delirious world of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Wednesday, Pugsley and Lurch to spooky and spectacular life.

*BROADWAY SPECIAL: Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – December 14 – 16, 2012: This romantic and enchanting production filled with unforgettable characters and lavish costumes returns to Omaha's Orpheum Theater for a limited-run engagement.

*This show is not part of the Season Ticket Package but can be added on to any Season Ticket order at a savings of 15%.

New this year, all season ticket price levels for Broadway performances are now available on the main floor of the Orpheum Theater.

Omaha Performing Arts's 2012/2013 Broadway Season Tickets start as low as $148 for seats to these five great shows.

Omaha Performing Arts takes a new look at the Dance series in the 2012/2013 Season. To truly capture the range present in quintessential American dance, the array of dance forms in the 2012/2013 Dance series will include everything from traditional ballet to tap. Here's a taste of what you can expect this season:

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet The Nutcracker – December 7-9, 2012: This cherished holiday classic returns to the Orpheum for a third year in a row with its magnificent sets, dazzling special effects and cirque-style aerialists. This production includes the continued tradition of giving young, local dancers the opportunity to dance with a world-famous ballet troupe.

Savion Glover's SoLe Sanctuary – January 31, 2013: Award-winning dancer and choreographer of the film Happy Feet, Savion Glover, considered to be the world's finest tap dancer, performs his homage to many tap greats, including Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis, Jr. in his SoLe Sanctuary.

The Joffrey Ballet The Rite of Spring – March 3, 2013: This internationally acclaimed contemporary ballet company presents a program featuring The Rite of Spring in honor of the work's 100th anniversary, which still stands as one of the most magnificent dance masterpieces of the 20th century.

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo – April 28, 2013: This all-male company presents a playful view of classical ballet en pointe and en travesti (a term or the portrayal of a character by a performer of the opposite sex.) The dancers portray both male and female roles in a humorous style that combines parodies of ballet, posing and physical comedy with "straighter" pieces intended to show off the performers' technical skills, all while dancing a fine line between high art and high camp.

Renew Dance Season Tickets, starting at $99, now online at www.OmahaPerformingArts.org/SeasonTickets or by calling 402.345.0606.

Omaha Performing Arts' 2012/2013 Season is packed with well-known arts and entertainment names, including world-renowned jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis in our Jazz series; iconic comedienne and actress Joan Rivers and traditional Irish group The Chieftains with Paddy Moloney in the Showcase series; world-renowned The Joffrey Ballet in our Dance series and the family favorite Clifford The Big Red Dog™ – Live! in our Family series.

Some other highlights include:

Jazz bassist and singer, Esperanza Spalding, who won the 2010 Grammy Award® for Best New Artist, brings her soulful and jazzy sound back to the Holland Center in September after previously appearing in the opening season of the 1200 CLUB. The unique and entertaining Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, a group of singers and ukulele players,will amuse audiences with their versions of familiar songs, such as the theme song from Shaft and The Who's "Pinball Wizard."A treat for the kids and adults will be Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience, which condenses all seven Harry Potter books into 70 hilarious minutes, performed by two Olivier Award-nominated actors.

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