PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT to Arrive at Philly Academy of Music, 2/26

The first national tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical is coming to Philadelphia at the Academy of Music from February 26 through March 3. Part of the Broadway Season presented by the Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization, the press opening is scheduled for Tues. Feb. 26 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets ranging in price from $20 to $100 are on sale now. Tickets 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, Broad & Locust Sts. (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 evening 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.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical will star Wade McCollum ("Tick/Mitzi"), Scott Willis ("Bernadette") and BRyan West ("Adam/Felicia") as the trio of friends, on a road trip of a lifetime, who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed. Joe Hart stars as "Bob."

With over 500 dazzling 2011 Tony Award-winning costumes, Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical features a hit parade of over 20 dance-floor favorites including "It's Raining Men," "Finally" and "I Will Survive."

The new musical opened on Broadway to critical acclaim on March 20, 2011 at the Palace Theatre. The Hollywood Reporter called Priscilla "funny and fabulous! Joyous entertainment with eye-popping visuals and unexpected heart!" NY-1 News raved "Beneath all that glitz beats a great big sequined heart!" WOR Radio sang "All the songs you've loved for years will blow you out of your seat!"

Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical won a 2011 Tony Award for Best Costume Design for Academy Award winners Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner's designs. The new hit musical received three Best Musical award nominations from the Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Award organizations. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner were also honored with 2011 Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Costume Design.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical, the most successful Australian musical of all time, had its world premiere in Sydney in 2006. Adapted from the 1994 Academy Award winning film
The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Direction: Simon Phillips, choreography: Ross Coleman, musical supervision and arrangements: STEPHEN 'SPUD' MURPHY, set design: Brian Thomson, costume design: Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner, lighting design: Nick Schlieper, sound design: Jonathan Deans & Peter Fitzgerald, make up design: Cassie Hanlon.

For more information, visit: www.priscillaontour.com.

BIOGRAPHIES

Wade McCollum (Tick/Mitzi). Jersey Boys (Chicago/San Fran), Velociraptor of Faith in Triassic Parq the Musical (Off Broadway), Emcee in Cabaret (Dallas Theatre Center), Dracula in Steven Dietz's Dracula (GEVA/IRT), Prior in Angels in America (Portland Playhouse), Woody in Toy Story the Musical (Disney/Pixar Workshop), The Narrator in Fly By Night, a new musical (TheatreWorks Palo Alto), Crumpet in The Santaland Diaries, Charlotte in I Am My Own Wife (Portland Center Stage), Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Los Angeles Celebration Theatre, Garland Award and LA Critic's Circle Award: Best Actor). TV: Nolan Grigsby in season 2 of Broadway's favorite sitcom: "Submissions Only" www.submissionsonly.com. www.wadesong.com

Scott Willis (Bernadette). Who would have guessed twenty six years ago when Scott was backpacking through the Outback of Australia that he would now be making the very same trip to Ayers Rock in a bus named PRISCILLA? Scott has performed in numerous Broadway and National Touring productions including the 30th Anniversary production of Annie as "Rooster Hannigan," Rodgers and Hammerstein's State Fair, the Tony Award-winning Crazy For You, David Merrick's 42nd Street and the 50th Anniversary production of The Fantasticks in New York. Annually, he stars as "Santa Claus" with the Radio City Rockettes in their Christmas Spectacular across America.

BRyan West (Adam/Felicia) is thrilled to join the Priscilla tour direct from its fabulous Broadway run. Other Broadway credits include Hairspray, Wicked and Legally Blonde. First national tours of Hairspray and Wicked and Wicked's Los Angeles company. Recording artist BMG Records Europe. To all the youth out there doubting themselves... It Gets Better!! Proud member of Actors Equity.

Joe Hart (Bob). Original Broadway Companies: Bonnie & Clyde, Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public. National Tours: Annie Get Your Gun, Best Little Whorehouse In Texas with Alexis Smith, reprising his Aggie role in the film with Dolly Parton. Ovation Award: Best Supporting Actor, Angels Of Lemnos; Ovation Nomination: Best Actor, Woman In Black (both Road Theater). Other award winning shows: Bouncers (LA Drama Critics Circle), Anything Goes (Ovation), Napoli Milionaria (Ovation). Film, TV, Commercials available IMDB. Proud member of MTG and AEA.

The 2012-2013 Broadway Season is presented by The Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization with productions at the Academy of Music, Forrest Theatre and Merriam Theater. Season ticket packages are still available by calling 215-893-1955 or online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway1213.

In addition to PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT , the 2012-13 Broadway Season includes: THE ADDAMS FAMILY (March 19 - 24); and SISTER ACT (April 2 - 7) at the Academy of Music.

The season will also feature additional shows including Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT (Feb. 12 - 17); BLUE MAN GROUP (March 5 - 10), ROCK OF AGES (June 14 - 16), all at the Merriam Theater; and the return of WICKED (June 26 - Aug. 4) for an extended summer engagment at the Academy of Music.

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 2012/2013 season is sponsored by Citi. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.

The Shubert Organization owns and operates 21 theatres in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC and continues its involvement in the presentation of distinguished theatrical productions. Under the leadership of Philip J. Smith, Chairman and Robert E. Wankel, President, the firm continues its tradition of producing distinguished theatrical attractions. These include Hugh Jackman Back on Broadway, Sister Act, That Championship Season, Passing Strange, Equus (w/Daniel Radcliffe), A Steady Rain, God of Carnage, Cats, Sunday in the Park with George, Dreamgirls, Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Lettice & Lovage, Passion, the original production of Amadeus and many others. The Shubert Organization is dedicated to the revitalization of the American theatre. Its activities include the restoration and modernization of its theatres and participation in civic and community affairs. Shubert Ticketing provides superior box office, call center and marketing services, as well as online products for live entertainment venues across the country.

Pictured: Wade McCollum (center) and Company in "MacArthur Park"

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