Academy of Music Welcomes LES MISERABLES Tour, 1/4-15

Tickets for Cameron Mackintosh's new 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables are now on sale for the premiere Philadelphia engagement at the Academy of Music beginning Jan. 4 - 15. The Philadelphia engagement will mark the first official stop on the multi-city national tour. The all new production of Les Misérables features glorious new staging and spectacular reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. The press opening is Wednesday, Jan. 5 at 7:30 pm.
 
Tickets starting at $20 are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 215-731-3333, online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway, at the Kimmel Center box office, Broad & Spruce Sts. (open daily 10 am to 6 pm) or at the Academy of Music box office (open during performances only). Groups of 10 or more will receive discounts for select performances by calling 215-790-5883 or 866-276-2947.  Performances include: Tuesday - Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm; Friday & Saturday evening at 8:00 pm; Sunday evening at 6:30 pm; matinees Saturday at 2:00 pm, and Sunday at 1:00 pm.  Additional  performances are scheduled  for Monday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 pm & Thursday, Jan. 13 at 2:00 pm..For more information on the production, and for a video preview, please visit www.LesMis.com.
 
Lawrence Clayton will portray the fugitive Jean Valjean.  He will be joined by Andrew Varela as Javert, Michael Kostroff as Thénardier, Shawna Hamic as Madame Thénardier, Betsy Morgan as Fantine, Jeremy Hays as Enjolras, Chasten Harmon as Eponine, Justin Scott Brown as Marius and Jenny Latimer as Cosette.                                                
The London Times hails the new production "a five star hit, astonishingly powerful and as good as the original."  The Guardian proclaims "a rousing, entertaining evening of spectacular theatre." Musical Stages says "the new orchestrations, direction, staging and lighting tell the story in a stimulating and refreshing new way that enables us all to dream a new dream and take us on a new adventure that we cannot fail to enjoy." The Daily Telegraph says, "sheer passion, pace, overwhelmingly moving, with many moments that send shivers of excitement racing down the spine.  You emerge feeling stirred and exhilarated." The Daily Express says "Victor Hugo's novel is spellbindingly brought back to life" and the London Evening Standard says "a handsome and moving new staging."
 
"I'm delighted that 25 years after Les Miz originally opened in London the audience for this marvelous show is bigger and younger than ever before," said producer Cameron Mackintosh. "Over the years I have seen many successful but visually different productions, so it has been exciting to draw inspiration from the brilliant drawings and paintings of Victor Hugo himself, integrated with spectacular projections.  The new Les Miz is a magnificent mix of dazzling images and epic staging, driving one of the greatest musical stories ever told."
 
Based on Victor Hugo's classic novel, Les Misérables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit.  The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the classic songs "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," "Stars," "Bring Him Home," "Do You Hear the People Sing?," "One Day More," "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," "Master Of The House" and many more.
 
Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Boublil and Schönberg's Les Misérables has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer from the original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton.  The production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo with costumes by Andreane Neofitou and additional costumes by Christine Rowlands, lighting by Paule Constable and sound by Mick Potter.
 
Les Misérables originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on October 8, 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on December 4, 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen's Theatre on April 3, 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When Les Misérables celebrated its 21st London birthday on October 8, 2006, it became the World's Longest-Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by Cats in London's West End. 
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the legendary musical Les Misérables made theatrical history with an international first - three different productions in London at the same time. The Original Production (still playing to packed houses at the Queen's Theatre), the acclaimed New 25th Anniversary Production at the Barbican (where the show originally premiered) and a celebratory concert at The O2 Arena.  The O2 Concert will be presented in cinemas throughout the United States on November 17, 2010. 
The Broadway production of Les Misérables originally opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987 and transferred to the Imperial Theatre on October 17, 1990 running for 6,680 performances.  The US National Tour began in November 1987 and visited over 150 cities before closing in St. Louis, MO in 2006.  Broadway audiences welcomed Les Miz back to New York on November 9, 2006 where the show played the Broadhurst Theatre until its final performance on January 6, 2008. To date, Les Misérables remains the 3rd longest-running Broadway production of all time.
 
Seen by nearly 60 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world's most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe, with seven more currently scheduled. There have been 36 cast recordings of Les Misérables, including the multi-platinum London cast recording, the Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums and the soon to be released live recording of the New 25th Anniversary Production. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold millions of copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,500 productions of the Les Misérables School's Edition scheduled or being performed by over 125,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools. Cameron Mackintosh is currently developing a film of Les Misérables with Working Title and Universal.
 
The Broadway Season is presented by the Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization. In addition to Les Misérables, the 2010 - 2011 Broadway Season productions at the Academy of Music, Forrest Theatre and Merriam Theater includes: Jersey Boys (now  - Dec. 12) at the Forrest Theatre; South Pacific (Nov. 23 - 28); In The Heights ( Jan. 18 - 23); Mary Poppins (Mar. 26 - Apr. 17); Next To Normal (June 21 - 26) all at the Academy of Music. Additional shows will include: Burn The Floor (Nov. 12 - 14) also at the Academy of Music; Blue Man Group (Dec. 22 - Jan. 2) and Stomp (Feb. 15 - 20), both at the Merriam Theater.
 
KIMMEL CENTER, INC., a charitable, not-for-profit organization, owns, manages, supports and maintains The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center.  Kimmel Center, Inc. also manages the Academy of Music, owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, and the University of the Arts Merriam Theater. Our mission is to operate a world class performing arts center that engages and serves  a broad audience which includes providing arts in education, community outreach and a rich diversity of programming.  The 2010/2011 season is sponsored by Citi, and the Broadway 2010/2011 season is sponsored by Verizon, and American Airlines.  For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.
 
The Shubert Organization is responsible for the ownership and/or operation of 21 theatres in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC and continues its involvement in the presentation of distinguished theatrical productions. They include Cats, Sunday in the Park with George, Dreamgirls, Little Shop of Horrors, The Heidi Chronicles, Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Lettice & Lovage, Dancin', Amadeus, The Gin Game, Passion and Indiscretions.  The Shubert Organization's activities include the revitalization of the American theatre, participation in civic and community affairs, the introduction of phone and charge ticket sales and a computerized ticketing system.  This wide range of operation has proven highly effective in New York and throughout the country.