If you're lamenting the end of the Lexington Opera House's Broadway LIVE season, don't fret. The 2008-09 season has just been announced and, along with the new lineup, a new look will greet audience members in the fall. On June 16, the historic opera house that has been serving Lexington and its art community for over 120 years will officially begin renovating and will be ready to reopen on Oct. 31.
"It's exciting because by the time the new season debuts on Oct. 31, the renovation of the Opera House will be complete from the $1.5 Million capital campaign," said Sheila Kenny, director of marketing at the Lexington Center, which handles venues such as Rupp Arena and the Opera House.
Though the theater, which was first built in 1886 after a fire destroyed the original theater, is elegant in its design, the renovated theater will be aesthetically and functionally improved with new seats, new lighting and new furniture for the lobby. The renovated theater will also offer a new sound system.
"It's interesting, too, as we do this work in a historic building, we have to be careful," Luanne Franklin, opera house program director, said. "For example, the seats will be replaced, but none of the aisles have been movedÖ And we also have to deal with (handicap) accessibility issues and making it more available, which is a big deal for historic theaters."
In fact, there will be fewer seats in the renovated theater so patrons can watch the shows more comfortably. Because of the smaller number of seats, the theater is adding a fifth Sunday evening show.
Season ticket holders will, as in years past, have the opportunity to purchase subscriptions before they are made available to the general public, with slight changes to the seating arrangements. The general public can also submit orders for subscriptions, though they are processed after current patrons'.
Those who subscribe before the final performance of the first show will be entered in a grand prize drawing to win round trip airline tickets to and from New York City, along with Broadway theatre tickets and a one night hotel stay, all for two, courtesy of Blue Grass Airport.
Sneak Peek
Each of the six plays that will be performed during the upcoming Broadway LIVE season fit into a different niche category. Beginning with the high-energy romp "The Pajama Game" and ending with the more solemn, yet hopeful, "To Kill a Mockingbird," there will be something for everyone this season.
"We want to be providing shows for all parts of the demographic map we cover," Franklin said. Just to tempt your theatrical palate, here are a few tidbits on the shows to come:
"The Pajama Game": Oct. 31-Nov.23. Harry Connick revived this show, which many know as a Doris Day hit, on Broadway to rave reviews. "It's a very fun show," said Franklin. And, it's a great show for the whole family.
"Sweeney Todd": Nov. 21-23. Most recently, you've probably seen Sweeney Todd on the big screen with Kentuckian Jonny Depp in the lead role, but don't expect to see Burton-esque blood-and-guts. Instead look for an out-of-the-theatrical-box presentation, says Franklin. "There's going to be a lot of imagery, and another thing that's unique about this show is that the participants will act, sing, dance and provide the instrumentation. That was a major part of this revival."
"Ain't Misbehavin'": Jan. 23-25. "This show features (American Idol contestant) Ruben Studdard and when I saw him live...the TV doesn't do him justice."
"Mamma Mia!": Feb. 27-March 1. "It's finally coming to Lexington. This is the first time this show will be in a market for fewer than two weeks and it's also the first time it will be in a market the size of Lexington." Don't miss this Broadway mega-hit.
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee": April 3-5. Broadway's not only for the Rodgers and Hammerstein crew. If you're looking for something irreverent and unusual, mark your calendars for this one. "It's campy and offbeat and incorporates improvisation like a Second City or Saturday Night Live," Franklin says. "It also features audience participation...a few people from the audience will be asked to be in the spelling bee."
"To Kill a Mockingbird": May 15-17. "It's a classic that really addresses our values and the freedoms we have here and what we do with them."
More information on tickets and subscriptions can be found at www.lexingtonoperahouse.com.