Marlene Smith, Original Canadian Producer of 'CATS' Announces Programming for the Elgin/Winter Garden Theatres

Nu Musical Productions (NuMu) announced today they will move their operations into the century-old Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre complex, and launch a new series of musical theatre presentations.

Marlene Smith, Nu Musical Productions' chairperson, was instrumental over 30 years ago in the refurbishment of the then closed building, restoring it to its former glory. Today, it is the world's last operating double-decker theatre. The building re-opened in 1985 with the first commercial Canadian production of CATS, produced by Smith.

NuMu was formed last summer by Marlene Smith, Geoffrey Smith, David Galpern and Charles Roy to remount a new Canadian production of CATS, the show that originally unleashed a commercial musical theatre scene in Toronto that at times rivaled New York and London's West End.

The inaugural presentation of "Live at the Winter Garden," set to open in October 2014, will be a new Canadian Production of BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, directed by Charles Roy. Roy is a co-founder of Classical Theatre Projects (CTP), with David Galpern, and his productions have toured across North America, garnered multiple Dora nominations, and played to an audience of more than 1 million.

BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY tells the true story of Buddy Holly's meteoric rise to fame, from the moment in 1957 when 'That'll Be The Day' hit the airwaves until his tragic death less than two years later on "the day the music died." The show features over 20 of Buddy Holly's greatest hits including 'That'll Be The Day', 'Peggy Sue', 'Everyday', 'Oh Boy', 'Not Fade Away', 'Rave On' and 'Raining In My Heart', plus Ritchie Valens' 'La Bamba' and The Big Bopper's 'Chantilly Lace.'

The incredible legacy of the young man with glasses, whose musical career spanned an all-too-brief period during the golden days of rock & roll, continues to live on with 2014 marking the 25th anniversary of the original production of BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, now seen by over 22 million people around the world.

Casting details, performance schedule and ticket prices to be announced shortly.