Here’s great news for Broadway fans. This morning we’ve added four new shows to ShowBusTours.com and we think there’s sure to be one that you won’t want to miss. Ok, maybe more than one!
Green Day’s American Idiot
American Idiot tells the exhilarating story of a new generation of young Americans as they struggle to find meaning in a post-9/11 world. With an 8 member onstage band and a cast of 19, this high-octane musical includes every song from Green Day’s acclaimed album American Idiot, plus several new songs as well.
Come Fly Away
This one-of-a-kind experience combines the seductive vocals of Frank Sinatra with the sizzling sound of a live 19-piece big band, and the visceral thrill of Tony Award winning choreographer, Twyla Tharp.
Promises, Promises
It’s Manhattan in the ’60s. And the city is back in full swing in Broadway’s first-ever revival of Promises, Promises – starring Emmy Award winner Sean Hayes (Will and Grace) and Tony® and Emmy® Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked).
Looped
Based on a real event, Looped, starring Valerie Harper (from Rhoda), takes place in the summer of 1965, when an inebriated Tallulah Bankhead stumbles into a sound studio to rerecord (or ‘loop’) one line of dialogue for her last movie – Die, Die, My Darling.
It’s easy to see any or all of these shows with us – just click the title for complete details.
And that’s today’s ShowBus Buzz. We’ll be back early next week with our next blog update. Please join us then.
Twelve year old Jacob Clemente is set to take on the starring role in the Broadway smash hit musical Billy Elliot. Clemente is the youngest of nine actors who have taken on the starring spot. He will rotate in the lead with Michael Dameski, Alex Ko, Liam Redhead and Dayton Tavares.
Billy Elliot is the funny, heartwarming tale of a young boy with a dream of dancing, and a feel-good celebration of his triumph against all odds.
Now mind you, this is not the first trip to Broadway for this talented pre-teen. Clemente previously played the role of a Newsboy in the Patti LuPone revival of Gypsy. What’s more, it’s not even his first trip to Billy Elliot,since he previously appeared in the show as Tall Boy.
While his first performance date in this role has yet to be announced, you can bet that all eyes will be on this talented young actor when he makes his starring debut.
We at ShowBus are pleased to announce that you can now find us on both Twitter and Facebook. That’s where we’ll post our most up-to-date information on new shows, Hot Deals, Red Sox and Yankees specials and pretty much anything else that will entertain you and save you money.
To follow us on Twitter, simply click here. To become a fan of our Facebook page, click here. Either way, you’re sure to get the first word about special deals and discounts that others may not find out about at all.
And of course, if you’re not already on our VIP Mailing List, it’s easy to join – and it’s SPAM-free! Just click here to sign up.
We’re looking forward to bringing you Broadway… and beyond!
It’s the first-ever revival of the 60s smash hit, Promises, Promises. And it’s coming to Broadway in just a matter of weeks! Kristen Chenoweth, the original star of Wicked, unites with Sean Hayes, of TV’s Will & Grace fame, in this classic musical.
Based on the Billy Wilder film, The Apartment,Promises, Promises tells the story of Chuck Baxter, an up-and-coming employee at Consolidated Life Insurance. Seeking to advance his fortunes with the company, the young Baxter lends his apartment to executives so they can carry out their extra-marital affairs. The scheme takes an unexpected turn when his lover Fran becomes the mistress to one of the executives.
Written by Neil Simon, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Promises, Promises features such timeless Bacharach/David tunes as “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” and the title song. Watch for previews to begin on March 27th, with opening night set for April 25th at the Broadway Theatre.
American Idiot Get ready theatre fans, because Green Day’s rock musical American Idiot is coming to The Great White Way. American Idiot tells the exhilarating story of a new generation of young Americans as they struggle to find meaning in a post-9/11 world, borne along by Green Day’s electrifying score. With an 8 member onstage band and a cast of 19 led by Tony Award-winner John Gallagher, Jr., this high-octane musical includes every song from the acclaimed album American Idiot, as well as several songs from the band’s Grammy Award-winning new release, 21st Century Breakdown.
Directed by Michael Mayer, previews for American Idiot begin at the St. James Theatre on March 24th. Opening night is scheduled for April 20th.
South Pacific Closing… Eventually
It’s the longest running revival of a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical in Broadway history. But after 37 previews and 1000 regular performances, South Pacific will end it’s run at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on August 22nd of this year. And while no one is welcoming this announcement, the good news is that there’s still time for you to see this 8-time Tony Award winning musical with us. To book your tour to South Pacific, simply click here.
And that’s today’s ShowBus Buzz. Check back soon for our next blog update.
Good news for Bronx Bombers fans! This morning we have released tickets for 4 New York Yankees games this summer at Yankee Stadium. These tickets are for Grandstand seating in Sections 406 and 434. As always, our tours to see the Yanks include your ticket plus deluxe roundtrip motorcoach transportation. So forget the hassle and expense of driving and parking. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the games with us!
Just a quick reminder that tomorrow, Saturday, February 20th, is the start of our annual Red Sox Big Sale. Starting at 9 a.m. sharp – on our websiteONLY – regular season Red Sox tickets will go on sale.
These tickets always go very quickly! So if you’d like the best selection, you’ll want to visit our site as close to 9 a.m. as possible on Saturday.
The Big Sale runs through Sunday afternoon, February 21st, at 5 p.m. At that time, the tickets will be removed from the site until later in the season.
Don’t miss this opportunity to get your Red Sox tickets – complete with deluxe roundtrip motorcoach transportation to Fenway – during the ShowBus Tours Big Sale!
What’s Hot On Broadway?
We don’t usually cover the business aspect of Broadway on this blog. But a list of the best selling shows of late gives you some idea of the productions that fans are loving. And we thought that might help you make your plans. Here, in order, is a list of the highest grossing shows for the first week of February:
Also worth noting is a show that, while not in the top 5, packed fans in at more than 99% of theatre capacity. That show is A View From The Bridge.
To see any of these popular productions, just click on the name to book your tour with us.
Fantasia’s Back American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino is on the comeback trail after a difficult stint on Broadway in the role of Celie in The Color Purple. The songstress held down that role from April 2007 until January 2008. And while she received rave reviews for her performance, Barrino missed some 60 performances during her run. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey earlier this month, Fantasia blamed tumors on her vocal cord for her frequent absences. Some say that those missed shows played a role in the shows eventual closing.
On the comeback trail now, Barrino has her own reality show on VH1 – Fantasia: For Real. She has also released a new single, Even Angels, which she performed during her appearance with Oprah.
Red Sox Tickets!
For those Broadway enthusiasts who are also Sox fans, here’s good news! Regular season Red Sox tickets will be going on sale this Saturday morning, February 20th, at 9 a.m. sharp – online only at our website. The annual Red Sox Big Sale will run from Saturday morning at 9 through Sunday afternoon the 21st at 5 p.m. These tickets go very quickly! For the best selection of games and dates, be there early on Saturday morning.
And that’s today’s ShowBus Buzz. Check back soon for our next blog update.
Elton John Joins Next Fall Team
We’ve been seeing a lot of celebrities on Broadway over the last several months. That trend continues now with the announcement that Elton John, along with his partner, David Furnish, will be lending their talents to the producing team for the upcoming production of Next Fall. The show, which portrays the ups and downs of a gay couple’s five year relationship, is scheduled to begin previews at Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theatre on February 16th, with opening night set for March 11th. Watch our website for tickets very soon.
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis on Broadway?
He’s 84 years old, but he may soon be Broadway bound! Reports are that legendary comedian and charity fundraiser Jerry Lewis may be bringing his musical adaptation of The Nutty Professor to The Great White Way as soon as this Fall. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Lewis would direct the show, which features music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Rupert Holmes. The paper quotes Lewis as saying the production could be on Broadway as soon as October or November of this year, though no theatre has been named. You can bet that the ShowBus Blog will have updates on this story as they develop.
A Streetcar Named Desire
The classic Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire may be returning to Broadway in the Spring of 2011. That’s the word from Stephen C. Byrd who controls the rights to the show. Byrd, you may remember, produced the 2008 revival of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, which featured an all black cast including Phylicia Rashad, James Earl Jones and Terrence Howard. This proposed revival of Streetcar will have a multiracial cast yet to be announced.
New Shows!
We’ve added a couple of new shows to the ShowBus website this week. Tickets are now available for The Miracle Worker and for A Behanding In Spokane, the latter starring Christopher Walken. To book your tour, simply click the show names here or visit our website.
And that’s today’s ShowBus Buzz. Check back soon for our next blog update.
Denzel Coming To Broadway It’s official. Two time Oscar winning actor Denzel Washington is headed for The Great White Way this spring. Washington will co-star with Viola Davis in the upcoming revival of August Wilson’s Fences.
Set in the 1950s, Fences is the sixth in Wilson’s ten-part Pittsburgh Cycle. Like all of the Pittsburgh plays, this one explores the evolving African-American experience and examines race relations, among other themes. The play earned Wilson the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Actor for James Earl Jones.
The Fences revival will be a 13-week limited engagement at Broadway’s Cort Theatre. Previews are set for April 14th with opening night planned for April 26th. You can be sure that ShowBus Tours will have your tickets!
Michelle Williams Joins Chicago Songstress Michelle Williams will be assuming the role of Roxie Hart in the Broadway production of Chicago. Music fans know Williams as part of the female musical trio, Destiny’s Child, that also included Beyonce. Theatre fans will remember Williams for playing the title role in the Broadway production of Aida.
Williams steps in to replace Ashley Simpson who took over the Hart role in early December 2009. She’ll be on the stage for a limited engagement from February 8th through March 28th. And if you’d like to catch her performance, you can book your tour with us by clicking here.
Good News from Andrew Lloyd Webber
You may recall that last year we brought you the sobering news that famed composer Andrew Lloyd Webber had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. In an article for London’s Daily Mail last week, Webber says he underwent surgery to remove the prostate and now considers himself “fighting fit,” assuring concerned fans that the cancer had not spread beyond his prostate. While regular check-ups will certainly be in the 61 year old’s future, he describes the result of his surgery as “the best possible outcome.”
And that’s today’s ShowBus Buzz. Check back soon for our next blog update.
Wicked Long Run!
The giant theatre hit, Wicked, made history on December 15th when it entered the list of the 20 longest running shows in Broadway history. The 15th marked its 2,535th performance at the Gershwin Theatre, surpassing Avenue Q which previously held down the 20th spot on the list of long running productions. Wicked opened on October 30th, 2003 and since that time it has garnered a Grammy award and three Tony awards.
Here’s a little behind-the-scenes look at why Wicked has had such tremendous success:
If you haven’t seen Wicked yet, what are you waiting for? See it with us by clicking here.
LaPaglia and Shalhoub Broadway Bound
Veteran actors Anthony LaPaglia and Tony Shalhoub are coming to Broadway this Spring to star in Ken Ludwig’s upcoming revival of the comedy Lend Me A Tenor. The show is is a farce about an Italian opera star who goes missing while in Cleveland making his debut with the local opera company. The opera’s presenter must juggle irate fans, the tenor’s wife and more as opening night approaches.
LaPaglia is a Tony and Emmy award winner actor who starred in CBS TV’s Without A Trace. Shalhoub, a Lebanese American who has done several stints on The Great White Way, is best known for his work on USA Network’s Monk.
Lend Me A Tenor originally debuted on Broadway in 1989 when it earned seven Tony nominations, including one for best play. This revival is scheduled to begin previews on March 11th with opening night set for April 4th at the Music Box Theatre.
So Long Old Friends
December 2009 and early January 2010 mark the closing of several popular Broadway shows that will be making room for new productions. Among the shows recently closed, or closing this month, are Hamlet, Burn The Floor, Bye Bye Birdie, Shrek The Musical, Superior Donuts, The 39 Steps and Finian’s Rainbow.
If you missed any of these – and wish you hadn’t – why not visit our site today and make plans to see one or more of Broadway’s current crop of hits. Traveling in the comfort of a deluxe ShowBus motorcoach makes your trip to the Big Apple comfortable, relaxed and hassle free!
And that’s today’s ShowBus Buzz. Check back soon for our next blog update.
