Arts

Disney’s musical “The Lion King” returns to Tempe’s Gammage Auditorium in the 2008-’09 season, announced this week. The show played a sold-out, seven-week stint in 2005. (Get Out file photo)

Hits ‘Lion King,’ ‘Wicked’ return in ‘08-’09 Gammage season

By Chris Page, Get Out

March 20, 2008

Comments

E-Mail

Save

License

Related Links

Local Entertainment News
Arts

Stage musical versions of television’s “Happy Days” and Disney’s “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” plus returns of hit musicals “The Lion King,” “Rent,” “Cats” and “Wicked,” headline the 2008-’09 Broadway Across America season at Tempe’s Gammage Auditorium.

The season, announced by promoters this week, begins with a revival of “A Chorus Line” (Sept. 2-7), followed by a British import, “The Rat Pack — Live at the Sands” (Oct. 14-19), which had success on London’s West End before touring the United States, recreating a concert evening with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin.

November 18-23 sees “Happy Days — A New Musical,” based on the beloved TV sitcom. (Like “The Rat Pack,” “Happy Days” never played on Broadway, and reviews of American tour dates have often been middling to brutal.) The rock musical “Spring Awakening” (Dec. 9-14), with score by singer/songwriter Duncan Sheik, comes on the heels of winning eight Tony Awards in 2007.

But local audiences are most likely to clamor for tickets to two musicals that played to sold-out Gammage crowds not too long ago: “The Lion King” (Jan. 2-Feb. 8), a lavish spectacle that played seven weeks in early 2005, and “Wicked” (July 1-26), which wowed audiences and critics alike in summer 2006.

“

'Rent's' Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp will reprise roles they originated on Broadway and in the 2005 movie adaptation.

”

“Wicked,” though, is not part of the regular, seven-show season. It joins runs of “Rent” (March 17-22, starring Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, reprising roles they originated on Broadway and in the 2005 movie adaptation), Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” (April 7-12) and the percussion party “Stomp” (May 5-10) as a la carte “special engagements,” requiring additional purchase.

Subscription packages, starting at $118, go on sale April 20 to July 20. Single tickets go on sale July 21. For more information, call (480) 965-3434 or visit asugammage.com.

THE 2008-’09 SEASON

Sept. 2-7: “A Chorus Line”
Oct. 14-19: “The Rat Pack — Live at The Sands”
Nov. 18-23: “Happy Days”
Dec. 9-14: “Spring Awakening”
Jan. 2-Feb. 8: “The Lion King”
March 31-April 5: “Frost/Nixon,” with Stacy Keach
June 16-21: “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS
Not part of the regular season. Additional purchase required.
March 17-22: “Rent,” with Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal
April 7-12: “Cats”
May 5-10: “Stomp”
July 1-26: “Wicked”

Contact Chris Page by email, or phone (480) 898-5656

Rate this article

Currently 1.00/5
1
2
3
4
5

Rating: 1.0/5.0 (2 votes cast)

Reader comments (0)

This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below. Responsibility lies solely with the comment author.

Add your comment