Neil DeGrasse Tyson, THE MAGIC FLUTE, and WEST SIDE STORY On Sale at Dr. Phillips Center This Friday

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is on sale this Friday, August 12, with new shows including an illustrated talk with Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, a presentation of Mozart's The Magic Flute by Opera Orlando and West Side Story from Celebration Theatre Co.

Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. ET. Guests can visit for more information.

Celebration Theatre Co. Presents

West Side Story

September 15-19 & 22-25, 2022 | Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater | 8 p.m., 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Celebration Theatre Co. presents its final Main Stage Performance for the 2022 Season with West Side Story, the epochal musical by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents and Jerome Robbins. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is transported to 1950s New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence and prejudice is one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching and relevant musical dramas of today's time. From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is as powerful, poignant and timely as ever.

Celebration Theatre Co. is funded in part by United Arts of Central Florida, home of OrlandoAtPlay.com and UAArtsEd.com; the City of Orlando; and Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs.

Opera Orlando Presents

The Magic Flute

Friday & Sunday, October 28 & 30, 2022 | Steinmetz Hall | 7:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.

Opera Orlando presents one of the greatest operas ever written, Mozart's The Magic Flute. Bring the family to this enchanting and whimsical fairy tale about love and light, sacrifice and darkness, and finding one's place in the world. In this sumptuous, spectacular production, journey along with Prince Tamino as he navigates a treacherous brave new world in his quest of self-discovery.

Mozart's comedic and mystical singspiel (a predecessor to musical theater) centers around gods and heroes and transports the audience to the mythical realm of Ozymandia where Tamino is pursued by a terrifying dragon. He is reduced by three ominous and seductive women, who kill the monster and task Tamino with rescuing Pamina, daughter of the awe-inspiring sorceress The Queen of the Night, from the clutches of the "evil" Sarastro. With the gift of a magic flute and magic bells, Tamino sets off on his hero's journey accompanied by his new friend and reluctant comrade-in-arms Papageno, the bird catcher, only to quickly realize that nothing, not even night and day, is quite what it appears to be.

The story unfolds in frames like a graphic novel bringing all of the arts together to tell this fantastical tale. Artistic director Grant Preisser directs this all new production inspired by the fine art anime Yoshitaka Amana, with dance choreographed by Maxine Montilus, puppetry by MicheLee Puppets and music conducted by Chaowen Ting, making her Company debut. She will take the podium and lead the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, along with a stellar cast including Metropolitan Opera soprano Kathryn Bowden as The Queen of the Night, acclaimed tenor Tyler Nelson as Prince Tamino, the stunning, up-and-coming soprano Magdalena Kuźma as Pamina and renowned baritone Brian James Myer as Papageno.

This production will be sung in German with new English dialogue by Grant Pressier and English supertitles. The cast also includes members of the Opera Orlando Chorus and Youth Company, and the show will run approximately two hours and thirty minutes with one intermission.

Dr. Phillips Presents in Association with Bill Blumenreich Presents

Neil deGrasse Tyson: The Search for Life in the Universe

Sunday, January 8, 2023 | Walt Disney Theater | 7 p.m.

In this illustrated talk, it all begins with Mars. Neil reviews the ongoing effort to search for habitable planets, liquid water and life in the cosmos, culminating in the search for intelligent life and whether or not it already exists on Earth.

VIP packages are available for purchase.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist and the author of the best-selling "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry," among other books. He is the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, where he has served since 1996. Dr. Tyson is also the host of the Emmy-nominated popular podcast "StarTalk," which combines science, humor and pop culture, and the spinoff "StarTalk Sports Edition." He is a recipient of 21 honorary doctorates and the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences and the Distinguished Public Service Medal from NASA. He lives in New York City. Dr. Tyson's latest, much-anticipated work, "Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization" will be released September 20, 2022.

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