Tickets go on sale for shows in the 2008-2009 Bushnell Season on Monday, August 25!

August 13, 2008 – HARTFORD , CT – The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to announce its line-up for the 2008-2009 season featuring some of Broadway’s biggest blockbusters, side-splitting comedy, family entertainment, and much more. 

Tickets for previously announced shows – Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Hot Chocolate Soul (September and October), B.B. King, Girls Night The Musical, The Jimmies, At This Performance…, Jersey Boys and 2008-2009 Broadway Series subscription packages -- are on sale now.

Single tickets to the shows listed below will go on sale Monday, August 25, 2008 at 10 a.m.

Tickets can be purchased in-person at The Bushnell Box Office, located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford , by calling The Bushnell Box Office at 860-987-5900 or online at www.bushnell.org.  Group leaders may order tickets by calling 860-987-5959 or by emailing groups@bushnell.org.

THE HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP BROADWAY SERIES

Avenue Q
January 13 – 18, 2009
Mortensen Hall 

Avenue Q is Broadway’s smash-hit 2004 Tony Award® winner for BEST MUSICAL, BEST SCORE and BEST BOOK. A hilarious show full of heart and hummable tunes, Avenue Q is about trying to make it in NYC with big dreams and a tiny bank account. Called “one of the funniest shows you’re ever likely to see” by Entertainment Weekly, Avenue Q features a cast of people and puppets who tell the story in a smart, risqué and downright entertaining way. The New Yorker calls it “SUBVERSIVE and UPROARIOUS!” Recommended for ages 13 and up.

Avenue Q has not been authorized or approved by The Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which has no responsibility for its content.

Tickets: Tues./Wed./Thurs./Sun. eve: $60.00, $35.00, $30.00, $20.00
Fri. & Sat. eve, Sat. & Sun. mat: $65.00, $40.00, $35.00, $20.00  

A Chorus Line
March 24 – 29, 2009
Mortensen Hall

In an empty theatre, on a bare stage, casting for a new Broadway musical is almost complete. For 17 dancers, this audition is the chance of a lifetime. It’s what they’ve worked for - with every drop of sweat, every hour of training, every day of their lives.  It’s the one opportunity to do what they’ve always dreamed — to have the chance to dance. This is A Chorus Line, the musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all on the line. Winner of nine Tony Awards®, including “Best Musical” and the Pulitzer Prize for drama, this singular sensation is the longest-running American Broadway musical ever. Now A Chorus Line returns. Come meet the new generation of Broadway’s best.

“A Chorus Line is back, and it’s thrilling!” - John Lahr, The New Yorker. www.AChorusLine.com

Tickets: Tues./Wed./Thurs./Sun. eve: $60.00, $37.00, $30.00, $20.00 
Fri. & Sat. eve, Sat. & Sun. mat: $65.00, $42.00, $35.00, $20.00

The Color Purple
June 9 – 14, 2009
Mortensen Hall

Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple, a soul-stirring musical based on the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the Oscar-nominated film by Steven Spielberg. It is the unforgettable and inspiring story of a woman named Celie, who triumphs over tremendous odds to find joy in life, and her true inner beauty. Nominated for eleven Tony® Awards, The Color Purple is a landmark theatrical event. With a joyous GRAMMY®-nominated score featuring jazz, gospel and blues, The Color Purple is capturing the hearts of young and old, and uniting audiences in a celebration of love.

Tickets: Tues./Wed./Thurs./Sun eve: $70.00, $40.00, $34.00, $25.00. 
Fri. & Sat. eve., Sat. & Sun. mat: $75.00, $45.00, $39.00, $25.00

EDWARDS ANGELL PALMER & DODGE MARQUEE PERFORMANCES

Steve Solomon’s My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish & I’m in Therapy
April 4, 2009
Belding Theater

“HYSTERICALLY FUNNY” touts WOR Radio

Twice the holidays! Twice the hollering! Twice the guilt! It’s one part lasagna, one part kreplach and two parts Prozac! Variety says “Steve is Alan King, Billy Crystal, a smidgen of Don Rickles and George Carlin all thrown in!” Steve’s stories relate to the wacky side of the human condition, combining comic voices, sound effects and astounding characters —- thirty in all. The multi-award-winning Off-Broadway show has toured in over 50 cities around the United States , Canada and Bermuda , playing to sold out audiences with return engagements in most venues. This is a don’t-miss evening of hilarious fun for all.

Tickets: $35.00

ROBINSON & COLE FAMILY SERIES

The Nutmeg Ballet’s Nutcracker
December 13 & 14, 2008
Belding Theater

Enjoy yourself this yuletide season as you travel with young Clara to the enchanted Land of Sweets .  Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts/Nutmeg Ballet brings Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker back to The Bushnell, delighting audiences young and old.  This holiday favorite brings to life toy soldiers and dueling mice, princesses and sugarplums – a delicious treat for the child in all of us.

Tickets:  $49.50, $37.50
Magic Tree House®: The Musical
February 28, 2009
Mortensen Hall

What happens when an entire Kingdom’s fate depends on the courage and imagination of two kids? Based on Mary Pope Osborne’s beloved series of children’s books, Magic Tree House®: The Musical transports Jack and Annie’s adventures onto the stage to create a theatrical event for the entire family. Rising to each new challenge with courage, humor, and resourcefulness, Jack and Annie discover that memory and imagination are gifts we can all use to fill our lives with magic.  An enchanting blend of song, story, and stagecraft, Magic Tree House®: The Musical is a breathtaking spectacle that will keep kids (and grownups!) on the edge of their seats.

Tickets: $50.00 VIP (includes meet & greet with member of creative staff), $25.00, $20.00, $15.00

BANK OF AMERICA  SHOWCASE SERIES

Jim Brickman Holiday Homecoming Concert
December 21, 2008
Mortensen Hall

Back by Popular Demand!    Jim Brickman revolutionized the sound of Adult Contemporary music with his pop-style solo piano.   Some of his best-known compositions include the chart-toppers “Valentine,” “The Gift,” “Love of My Life,” and “Peace.” Jim’s remarkable career includes six Gold and Platinum selling albums, three #1 and twelve Top 10 Adult Contemporary radio hits, a 2003 Grammy nomination and a Dove Award presented by the Gospel Music Association for “The Gift.”

Tickets:   $55.00, $45.00, $35.00

Irish Homecoming Featuring Cherish the Ladies
April 10, 2009
Mortensen Hall

When describing Cherish the Ladies – the critics say it best…“It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do,” The Boston Globe, “An astonishing array of virtuosity,” The Washington Post, “Expands the annals of Irish music in America…the music is passionate, tender and rambunctious,” The New York Times - and for over two decades, Cherish the Ladies have proven themselves worthy to live up to these accolades and in doing so have become one of the most engaging ensembles in the history of Irish music.

Tickets:   $45.00, $35.00, $25.00

RAIN® A Tribute to The Beatles
June 7, 2009
Mortensen Hall

FROM ED SULLIVAN TO ABBEY ROAD ! They look like them and they sound just like them! "The next best thing to seeing The Beatles," raves The Denver Post. All the music and vocals are performed totally live!  RAIN covers the Fab Four from the earliest beginnings through the psychedelic late 60s and their long-haired hippie, hard-rocking rooftop days. RAIN is a multi-media, multi-dimensional experience...a fusion of footage and commercials from the 1960s lights up video screens and live cameras zoom in for close-ups.  “A thrilling bit of time-warping nostalgia…Boomer Heaven!” raves The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.   “Uncanny! RAIN are a quartet of fine musicians in their own right…as The Beatles, they triumph!” cheers the Boston Herald.  “An adoring Valentine to The Beatles,” declares the Washington Post.  Sing along with your family and friends to such Beatlemaniac favorites as “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Come Together” and “Can’t Buy Me Love."

Tickets:   $45.00, $35.00, $25.00

SPECIAL EVENTS

Hot Chocolate Soul
September 12, 2008; October 10, 2008; November 14, 2008; January 9, 2009; February 13, 2009; March 13, 2009; April 10, 2009; May 8, 2009; June 12, 2009
Autorino Great Hall

A co-presentation of June Archer, Eleven 28 Entertainment Group and The Bushnell, Hot Chocolate Soul is a delicate balance between music, comedy and poetry – the ultimate performance showcase. Doors open at 8:00pm. Performances are in the Autorino Great Hall.

Tickets: $25.00

Peter, Paul & Mary
Sponsored by Wachovia
September 28, 2008
Mortensen Hall

Peter, Paul and Mary remain the most popular folk-singing group ever, just as it was when they first emerged in 1962.  But few at the time could have realized how passionately the group’s message of humanity, hope and activism would be embraced. Inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999, they continue to reach audiences with their message of love.

Tickets: $65.00, $55.00, $45.00, $30.00

Great Joy: A Gospel Christmas
Sponsored by Wachovia
December 15, 2008
Mortensen Hall

Great Joy: A Gospel Christmas Concert, an evening of holiday music with Broadway Inspirational Voices. Mixing popular holiday carols, Christmas songs and hymns, with songs from their Grammy-nominated CD, Great Joy: A Gospel Christmas, Broadway Inspirational Voices present a night of joy and celebration of the holiday season through the music.

Tickets:  $40.00, $35.00, $25.00, $18.00

An Evening with Kevin Smith
January 24, 2009
Mortensen Hall

One of the great filmmakers and writers of this generation, Kevin made his mark on the film world with his hilarious look at counter-culture in the award winning “Clerks”. He has continued to capture audiences with his films (“Mallrats,” “Chasing Amy,” “Dogma,” “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back,” and “Jersey Girl”) and his now infamous Q&A sessions, which sell out all over the globe!

This event is for mature audiences only and will contain adult language.

Tickets:  $42.50, $36.50

Pilobolus
Sponsored by United Technologies Corporation
February 20 & 21, 2009
Belding Theater

Pilobolus was born out of a Dartmouth College dance class in 1971.  What emerged was a collaborative choreographic process and a unique weight-sharing approach to partnering that gave the young company a non-traditional but powerful new set of skills with which to make dances. The group was immediately acclaimed for its startling mix of humor and invention and Pilobolus soon became a self-sufficient organization, its members choreographing, dancing, managing, and publicizing their own programs. Today Pilobolus is recognized as a major American dance company of international influence.  Its many decades of consistent artistic activity now stand as a testament to the group’s remarkable fruitfulness and longevity.

Tickets:  $46.00, $29.00

HA! HA! HARTFORD ! SERIES sponsored by United Technologies Corporation
November 21, 2008; January 23, 2009; March 20, 2009; May 1, 2009
Belding Theater

Ha! Ha! Hartford ! returns for another great season of comedy!  He’s back! 96.5 TIC-FM’s irrepressible Damon Scott is back for his seventh season as host of The Bushnell’s homegrown comedy series. Comedians to be announced.  Check www.bushnell.org for updates. 

May contain adult subject matter.

Tickets: $25.00, $18.00

LITERATURE TO LIFE sponsored by SBM Charitable Fund

Imagine seeing one of your favorite books brought to life!  This program presents professionally staged verbatim theatrical adaptations of significant American literary works.  Performances include comments by a local scholar and pre- and post-show discussions.

Teacher Man
October 6, 2008
Autorino Great Hall

From the memoir by Frank McCourt (author of “Angela’s Ashes”). McCourt and his students take us on a journey laced with humor and fueled by a heart of unlimited circumference.  Newsweek calls McCourt’s book “…the best self-portrait of a public school teacher ever written.”

Flight
November 3, 2008
Autorino Great Hall

From the novel by Sherman Alexie. Rejected by his Native American father at birth, orphaned by his Irish mother at six, a troubled teen is tossed from one foster home to another searching for his identity. Seconds from committing a massive violent act, he is thrust back into time where he learns the meaning of terror, of why humans hate, and of the redemptive power of love.

The Beautiful Struggle
December 1, 2008
Autorino Great Hall

Against all odds, Lemon Andersen found passion and purpose. A critically acclaimed poet (Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam), Andersen brings his jarring coming-of-age memoir to life amidst the most influential and prevalent cultural movement of our time – hip hop.

Warriors Don’t Cry
April 6, 2009
Autorino Great Hall

From the memoir by Melba Pattillo Beals.  One of the “Little Rock Nine,” sixteen-year-old Melba Pattillo Beals tells the story of violence and discrimination as she and eight other African-American students integrated Central High School in 1957.

Fahrenheit 451
May 4, 2009
Autorino Great Hall

From the novel by Ray Bradbury. Set in a futuristic American city where literature is believed to be dangerous, fireman Guy Montag’s job is to burn books. 

Tickets for all shows are $30.00 each or $130.00 for the series.

Ticket Information

Individual tickets for all of the above performances go on sale to the public on Monday, August 25, 2008 at 10:00 a.m.   Tickets may be purchased by visiting The Bushnell Box Office, located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford , or by calling 860-987-5900.   Tickets will also be available online at www.bushnell.org.

Subscriptions to The Hartford Financial Services Group Broadway Series are available now.  The 2008-2009 series includes Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Legally Blonde The Musical, Avenue Q, Jersey Boys, A Chorus Line, Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple, and one more show to be announced.

For information on group sales, please call 860-987-5959 or email groups@bushnell.org.

About The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts

The Bushnell is Connecticut ’s premier performing arts center, hosting more than 350 events yearly, including major Broadway tours, symphony orchestras, family presentations, local arts and community events.  The Bushnell is home to two theaters- the historic 2,800-seat Mortensen Hall, and the 907-seat Belding Theater, a state-of-the-art performance hall that opened in 2001.  The Bushnell’s nationally-recognized arts-in-education program, PARTNERS (Partners in Arts and Education Revitalizing Schools ), now in its 16th year, is a cross-community educational effort serving 15 schools in 6 districts throughout the Greater Hartford area.  The Bushnell opened in January 1930 and is a non-profit organization.  For more information, call The Bushnell at (860) 987-6000, The Bushnell Box Office at (860) 987-5900 or visit our website at www.bushnell.org.

 

 

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