New season, new blockbuster

The Tampa Bay Performing Arts center gets The Producers for its next Broadway series. But a shorter run means the show won't challenge the box office record of this season's Lion King.

By JOHN FLEMING, Times Performing Arts Critic
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 16, 2003

TAMPA -- The Lion King will be a tough act to follow. The Disney musical was the biggest hit in the Broadway series at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, playing to virtually sold-out houses during a six-weeks-plus run in December and January, racking up gross sales of $8.5-million.

Now another blockbuster is in the pipeline.

The Producers tops the 2003-04 Broadway series, released today. But even though the Mel Brooks musical was initially as big a hit as The Lion King on Broadway, winning a record 12 Tony Awards, it is not being counted on to do nearly as much business. The tour, which went out last year, will play TBPAC for two weeks in April and May 2004.

"The Producers decided to do that," TBPAC president Judi Lisi said. "Instead of having long runs that would prevent it from getting around the country as fast, they thought it was important to get to all the major markets and then return."

In New York, once original leads Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick left the show, demand for tickets loosened, but Lisi still would have preferred a longer run even without big names in the cast. "I wanted it for a lot more weeks because I felt we could do the business," she said.

The longest-running show in the season is the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, which will be at the center for almost four weeks during the holidays. "It's been a huge seller in the markets it's played," Lisi said.

The subscription series also will include one of the most improbable hits in Broadway history, Urinetown, whose horrible title is part of its elaborate parody of the conventions of musical theater. Set in a city where a 20-year drought has led to the banning of private toilets, "the central conceit of the show," a character explains, is that everyone must pay for "the privilege to pee."

"I thought about that one," Lisi said. "Is Tampa ready for the title? I think once you get past the title, it'll be fine, and I think it will be a little cool to bring a show like that in on subscription. I think most people will get it."

Urinetown, with music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, is more than just a goof. It has a serious point to make and is reminiscent of politically charged musicals by Kurt Weill in his collaborations with Bertolt Brecht, such as The Threepenny Opera.

Next season has a pair of new productions of old Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, Starlight Express and Jesus Christ Superstar. Say Goodnight, Gracie, Frank Gorshin's one-man show about George Burns now playing on Broadway, is also on the agenda. Subscriptions include a Center Theater Company cabaret show, Soul City, USA, performed in the Jaeb Theater.

Les Miserables is set to close on Broadway in May after a 16-year run (with Largo native Terrence Mann, the original Inspector Javert, reprising the role in the final months), but the show lives on. It plays for two weeks as a nonsubscription special in May 2004 at TBPAC.

The Broadway series, co-presented by TBPAC and Clear Channel Communications, has 11,800 subscribers this season, and Lisi expect renewals to be strong, even without The Lion King.

"We've been hovering between 11,000 and 12,000 for a while now," she said. "It wasn't that much more with The Lion King than the previous year, so I'm not too worried about it slipping."

Here is the 2003-04 Broadway in Tampa Bay season at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Subscription prices are to be announced. Current Broadway season ticket holders will have the first opportunity to renew their seats for next season. Renewal order forms will be mailed at the end of the month. To purchase a new subscription, call the center ticket office at (813) 229-7827 or toll-free 1-800-955-1045.

Starlight Express, Oct. 28-Nov. 2.

Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes, December-January.

Jesus Christ, Superstar, dates to be announced.

Urinetown, March 23-28, 2004.

The Producers, April 20-May 2.

Say Goodnight, Gracie, dates TBA.

Soul City, USA, a Center Theater Company production in TBPAC's Jaeb Theater, dates TBA.

Les Miserables, May 18-30.

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