Tickets for The Bushnell's Fun-Filled 2010-2011 Season Go on Sale Monday, August 23 at 10:00 a.m.
From Broadway and Comedy to Dance and Children’s Theater The Bushnell has something for the whole family!
August 6, 2010 – HARTFORD, CT – The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to announce its line-up for the 2010-2011 season featuring some timeless Broadway classics, side-splitting comedy, family entertainment, and more.
Tickets to the shows listed below will go on sale Monday, August 23, 2010 at 10:00 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
Blue Man Group
October 26-31, 2010
Mortensen Hall
Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine comedy, music, and technology to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The New York Times heralds the show as “One of the most delightful performance pieces ever staged.” E! Entertainment News exclaims, “Blue Man Group is what every live performance aspires to be.” Although it is impossible to describe, people of all ages agree that Blue Man Group is an intensely exciting and wildly outrageous show that leaves the entire audience in a blissful, euphoric state. With no spoken language, Blue Man Group is perfect for people of all ages, languages, and cultures. This Fall, Blue Man Group takes to the road on its first U.S. theatrical tour. This unique experience is a form of entertainment like nothing else; guaranteed to be an outing you will never forget!
Tickets starting at: $17.00
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
November 16-21, 2010
Mortensen Hall
The classic holiday tradition White Christmas comes to the stage at last, as a brand new Irving Berlin musical direct from Broadway. Brimming with such Berlin hits as “Blue Skies,” “How Deep is the Ocean?” and, of course, the unforgettable title song, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas tells the story of two showbiz buddies putting on a show in a magical Vermont inn and finding their perfect mates in the bargain. Full of dancing, laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas promises to be a merry and bright theatrical experience for the whole family!
Tickets starting at: $17.00
The Wizard of Oz
January 18-23, 2011
Mortensen Hall
There truly is no place like home as the greatest family musical of all time, the wonderful Wizard of Oz, twists its way across the country into Hartford! The entire family will be captivated as they travel down the Yellow Brick Road and beyond with Dorothy, Toto and their friends the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow in this lavish stage production, featuring breathtaking special effects, dazzling choreography and classic songs. A spectacular celebration of the iconic 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz will blow you away from the moment the tornado touches down and transports you to a dazzling art deco Oz, complete with munchkins and flying monkeys. Don’t miss the chance to travel Over the Rainbow and experience this national treasure on stage.
Tickets starting at: $17.00
Shrek The Musical
February 15-20, 2011
Mortensen Hall
Based on the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks film that started it all, Shrek The Musical brings the hilarious story of everyone’s favorite ogre to life on the stage. In a faraway kingdom turned upside down, things get ugly when an unseemly ogre – not a handsome prince – shows up to rescue a feisty princess. Throw in a donkey who won’t shut up, a villain with a SHORT temper, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand… and his name is Shrek. Featuring a terrific score of 19 all-new songs, big laughs, great dancing and breathtaking scenery, USA Today proclaims Shrek The Musical, “ALTOGETHER IRRESISTIBLE. A BIG FAT HIT!” Shrek The Musical is part romance, part twisted fairy tale and all irreverent fun for everyone!
Tickets starting at: $17.00
Next to Normal
March 29-April 3, 2011
Mortensen Hall
From the director of Rent comes the most talked about new show on Broadway, Next to Normal, winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three 2009 Tony Awards including Best Score. Alice Ripley, who received the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, will reprise her acclaimed performance in Hartford. Having recently been chosen as “one of the year’s ten best” by major critics around the country, Next to Normal is an emotional powerhouse of a musical with a thrilling contemporary score about a family trying to take care of themselves and each other. The New York Times calls Next to Normal “a brave, breathtaking musical. A work of muscular grace and power. It is much more than a feel-good musical; it is a feel-everything musical.” Rolling Stone raves, “It is the best musical of the season – by a mile. It’ll pin you to your seat.”
May be inappropriate for audiences 13 and under.
Tickets starting at: $17.00
HAIR
April 26-May 1, 2011
Mortensen Hall
The Public Theater’s new Tony®-winning production of HAIR is the most electric celebration on Broadway! This exuberant musical about a group of young Americans searching for peace and love in a turbulent time has struck a resonant chord with audiences young and old. HAIR features an extraordinary cast and dozens of unforgettable songs, including “Aquarius,” “Let the Sun Shine In,” "Good Morning, Starshine" and “Easy To Be Hard.” Its relevance is UNDENIABLE. Its energy is UNBRIDLED. Its truth is UNWAVERING. It's HAIR, and IT'S TIME.
While many find this show suitable for young adults (13 and older), parental discretion is advised. There is a dimly lit 20-second scene with nudity that is non-sexual in nature.
Tickets starting at: $17.00
West Side Story
May 24-29, 2011
Mortensen Hall
More than fifty years ago one musical changed theater forever. Now it’s back on Broadway mesmerizing audiences once again. From the first note to the final breath, West Side Story soars as the greatest love story of all time. Directed by its two-time Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents, West Side Story remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The new Broadway cast album of West Side Story recently won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway's finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere." “So exciting IT MAKES YOU ACHE WITH PLEASURE.” –John Lahr, The New Yorker
Tickets starting at: $17.00
ROBINSON & COLE FAMILY SERIES
Breakfast with Santa
December 4, 2010
Seatings at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 10:30 a.m.
Autorino Great Hall
Gather your family for an unforgettable morning at The Bushnell! Take a photo with Santa and visit with Santa’s elves and Mrs. Claus. Enjoy breakfast, storytelling, carolers, crafts and more. Christmas lists accepted!
Tickets: $19.00 for children, $22.00 for adults (Reservations required)
The Nutmeg Ballet’s Nutcracker
December 18 & 19, 2010
11:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
Belding Theater
The Nutmeg Ballet’s Nutcracker returns to The Bushnell with family friendly times and prices! Enjoy yourself this yuletide season as you travel with young Clara to the enchanted Land of Sweets. 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 starting at: $33.00
Mad Science presents Star Trek Live!
February 5, 2011
2:00 p.m.
Mortensen Hall
Captain James T. Kirk and Vulcan science officer Spock address a group of new cadets on their first day at the Academy when the Enterprise and the Earth itself come under attack from alien forces. The fate of the Federation falls into the hands of the cadets – chosen from the audience.
Tickets starting at: $15.00
Family Fun Day featuring Dragon Scales and Fairy Tales
April 2, 2011
Bring the whole family for a day of FREE fun and creativity. A beautiful fairy helps a baby dragon hatch from a golden egg, a really big golden egg. Together, the fairy and the audience welcome the dragon, name it, feed it, and teach it to talk. They tell the dragon a bedtime story so he won’t be afraid of the children, who all look so different to him. Follow the Enchanted Gypsy Wagon that sets on the back of a turtle, a really big turtle, driven by a really big hedgehog. Come dressed as your favorite fairy tale character. Bring your fairy wings, your magic wand, and most of all, your imagination.
Tickets: FREE
Springtime Celebration with the Bushnell Bunny!
April 16, 2011
Breakfast buffet, 9:00 a.m.; Egg hunt, 10:30 a.m.
Autorino Great Hall
Springtime celebration with the Bushnell Bunny! Bring your basket and enjoy a breakfast buffet followed by an egg hunt. Spring themed activities include photos with Peter Cottontail, crafts and a jelly bean guessing contest.
Tickets: $19.00 for children, $22.00 for adults (Reservations required)
LITERATURE TO LIFE sponsored by Aetna
Warriors Don’t Cry
October 4, 2010
7:00 p.m.
Autorino Great Hall
From the Civil Rights memoir by Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals. One of the “Little Rock Nine,” 15-year-old Melba Pattillo tells the story of violence and discrimination as she and eight other African-American students integrated Central High School in 1957.
Dr. Beals will speak at The Bushnell on Thursday, October 7 at 7:30pm. Please call The Bushnell Box Office to purchase tickets.
Adapted by Scott Galbraith and Zita Christian
Performed by Almeria Campbell
Directed by Richard Aven
Please be aware the performance of Warriors Don’t Cry includes historically accurate language.
Three Cups of Tea
December 7, 2010
7:00 p.m.
Autorino Great Hall
Following a failed attempt to ascend K2, an exhausted American mountaineer is found wandering emaciated and lost through Pakistan’s Karakoram Himalaya. After being rescued and nursed back to health, he promises to return one day and build them a school. From that rash, earnest promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our time.
By Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Performed by Curtis Nielsen
Adapted and directed by Wynn Handman
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
April 4, 2011
7:00 p.m.
Autorino Great Hall
Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Juno Diaz. The folklore, politics, and diaspora of the Dominican Republic chart one family’s journey from Santo Domingo to Paterson, New Jersey, creating a multigenerational story of epic proportions. At its heart is an overweight “ghetto nerd” who loves comic books, sword-and-sorcery novels, and role-playing games.
Adapted and directed by Elise Thoron
Tickets: Tickets for all three shows start at $33.00 each or $90.00 for the series.
BUSHNELL ADVENTURE THEATRE sponsored by Dominion and People’s United Community Foundation
Warriors Don’t Cry
October 4-7, 2010
10:00 a.m.
Autorino Great Hall
From the Civil Rights memoir by Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals. One of the “Little Rock Nine,” fifteen-year-old Melba Pattillo endures violence and discrimination as she and eight other African-American students integrate Central High School in 1957.
Dr. Beals will speak at The Bushnell on Thursday, October 7 at 7:30pm. Please call The Bushnell Box Office to purchase tickets.
Appropriate for: Grades 6 – 12
Curriculum connections: Social studies, character education, language arts
Please be aware the performance of Warriors Don’t Cry includes historically accurate language.
Three Cups of Tea
December 7, 2010
10:00 a.m.
Autorino Great Hall
Following a failed attempt to ascend K2, an exhausted American mountaineer is found wandering emaciated and lost through Pakistan’s Karakoram Himalaya. After being rescued and nursed back to health, he promises to return one day and build them a school. From that rash, earnest promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our time.
Appropriate for: Grades 6 – 12
Curriculum connections: Social studies, character education, language arts
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
April 5, 2011
10:00 a.m.
Autorino Great Hall
Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Juno Diaz. The folklore, politics, and diaspora of the Dominican Republic chart one family’s journey from Santo Domingo to Paterson, New Jersey, creating a multigenerational story of epic proportions. At its heart is an overweight “ghetto nerd” who loves comic books, sword-and-sorcery novels, and role-playing games.
Appropriate for: Grades 9 and up
Curriculum connections: Social studies, politics, character education, language arts
Tickets: Single tickets for all Bushnell Adventure Theatre performances are $12.00 each.
BUSHNELL CHILDREN’S THEATRE sponsored by Dominion and People’s United Community Foundation
Jason and the Argonauts
November 3, 2010
10:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.
Belding Theater
Based on the Greek classic. Jason and his crew must sail to the other side of the world to find the Golden Fleece. Only then can he claim the kingdom stolen from his late father. But first, he must conquer a monster, a dragon, and his own fear. This production uses humor and a clever set to convey a classic tale. Educational and highly entertaining.
Appropriate for: Grades 3-12
Curriculum connections: Literature, character, community values, language arts
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake
January 25, 2011
10:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m.
Belding Theater
Based on the series by Laura Numeroff. When the Cat spills the sprinkles intended for his cupcake, he and his friend Laura begin a world-wind tour of hi-jinks. With audience participation, the play takes the silliness and exaggeration of the book even further.
Appropriate for: Pre-K to Grade 2
Curriculum connections: Storytelling, physical theater, geography, communication with an emphasis on persuasive rhetoric
Mad Science presents Star Trek Live!
February 4, 2011
10:00 a.m.
Mortensen Hall
Captain James T. Kirk and Vulcan science officer Spock address a group of new cadets on their first day at the Academy when the Enterprise and the Earth itself come under attack from alien forces. The fate of the Federation falls into the hands of the cadets – chosen from the audience.
Appropriate for: Grades 4 – 6
Curriculum connections: Science and technology, science as a human endeavor, earth and space science, life science, physical science
The Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences on Tour Presents Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical
February 28, 2011
10:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m.
Belding Theater
Based on the book by Mo Willems. A quick trip to the Laundromat with Daddy, Trixie, and her beloved Knuffle Bunny goes horribly, hilariously wrong. Six-time Emmy Award winner Mo Willems joins Grammy Award-winning composer Michael Silversher to lovingly celebrate the heart and heartache that can only come from a family visit to the local Laundromat. Directed by Rosemary Newcott.
Appropriate for: Pre-K to Grade 2
Curriculum connections: Literature, interpersonal relationships, problem-solving, and non-verbal communication
Barrio GRRRL!
April 12, 2011
10:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m.
Belding Theater
Reality is sneaking up on spunky 9-year-old Ana who lives with her abuelo (grandfather). With her mother in Iraq, Ana must choose her identity. Is she Barrio GRRRL! protector of the neighborhood? Or the girl who works little miracles in real life? Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominee Quiara Alegria Hudes (In the Heights) and Grammy-winning music director for PBS’s new Electric Company, Bill Sherman, give audiences a funny and warmly truthful play that will make hearts sing.
Appropriate for: Grades 4-8
Curriculum connections: Cultural studies, teamwork, language studies, interpersonal relationships
The Man Who Planted Trees
May 3, 2011
10:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m.
Belding Theater
Set against the backdrop of two world wars, a French shepherd decides to “put things right.” He sets out with his dog to plant a forest and transform a barren wasteland. He receives no fame, payment, or recognition. Yet his life of dedication brings him extraordinary health and happiness. Educational, humorous, and poignant, this show has something to say to audiences of all ages. This show incorporates fragrance. Also part of the Bushnell Adventure Theatre series.
Appropriate for: Grades 2-12
Curriculum connections: Character, unsung heroes, science, history
Tickets: Single tickets for all Bushnell Children’s Theatre performances are $12.00 each.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Capitol Steps
September 30, 2010
8:00 p.m.
Belding Theater
Supported by Bank of America
The Capitol Steps- the group that puts the “MOCK” in Democracy! They began as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them. Since they began, the Capitol Steps have recorded 30 albums, including their latest, Liberal Shop of Horrors. They’ve been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, and National Public Radio.
Tickets starting at: $38.00
An Evening with Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals
October 7, 2010
7:30 p.m.
Mortensen Hall
Sponsored by Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge
1957, Little Rock, Arkansas -- Melba Pattillo was fifteen when she and eight other black students integrated the prestigious Central High School. She wanted access – to the lunch counter at the five-and-dime, to the “whites only” ladies’ rooms, to public water fountains, to the auditorium so she could see Elvis Presley, and, most of all, to a good education. As a group, they were the “Little Rock Nine.” Her memoir, “Warriors Don’t Cry,” is a chilling account of the tumultuous year that changed her life and our nation’s history. Join us for an evening of inspired and inspiring conversation.
Tickets starting at: $18.00 for students, $25.00 for all others
VARIETY sponsored by United Technologies Corporation
Ha! Ha! Hartford!
Friday nights at 8:30 p.m.
October 8, 2010 (Gary Gulman, headlining); November 19, 2010 (Ladies Night! Jessica Kirson, headlining); January 21, 2011 (Comedians TBA); March 11, 2011 (St. Patty’s Day! Tom Cotter, headlining)
Belding Theater
He’s back! 96.5 TIC-FM’s irrepressible Damon Scott is back for his eighth season as host of Ha! Ha! Hartford!...and this year is better than ever! Come join us for a revamped, reinvigorated version of our popular homegrown comedy series. There will be drink specials, giveaways, contests and more! Check www.bushnell.org for updates. May contain adult subject matter.
Comedians have been booked with the assistance of Treehouse Comedy Productions.
Tickets starting at: $25.00
Pilobolus
October 22 & 23, 2010
8:00 p.m.
Belding Theater
Pilobolus is 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 has been widely acclaimed for its startling mix of humor and invention and Pilobolus has become a self-sufficient organization, its members choreographing, dancing, managing, and publicizing their own programs. Recognized as a major American dance company of international influence, Pilobolus remains a deeply collaborative effort with an executive director, three artistic directors and seven dancers contributing to one of the most popular and varied repertoires in the field.
Tickets starting at: $28.00
Ticket Information
- Single tickets for all of the above performances go on sale to the public on Monday, August 23, 2010 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 2010-2011 series includes Blue Man Group, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Wizard of Oz, Shrek The Musical, Next to Normal, HAIR, and West Side Story.
- For information on group sales, please call 860-987-5959 or email groups@bushnell.org.
- Ticket prices do not include applicable fees.
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, award-winning, arts-in-education program, PARTNERS® (Partners in Arts and Education Revitalizing Schools), now in its 17th year, is a cross-community educational effort serving 21 schools and educational organizations in eight districts across Connecticut. The Bushnell opened in January 1930 and is a not-for-profit organization that is proud to serve Connecticut and its citizens. 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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With support from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism