Dallas Summer Musicals will celebrate its 70^th season of live theatrical entertainment by presenting 12 touring Broadway productions, 10 at the Music Hall at Fair Park, and 2 shows at The Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas.  

The Color Purple will lead off the celebration for the year 2010, opening its two-week run Jan. 19 at the Music Hall at Fair Park. Other Broadway hits included in this year’s anniversary season will be The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, The Color Purple, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, and last year’s surprise hit, Rain, A Tribute to the Beatles.  New musical offerings will include The 101 Dalmatians, starring Rachel York, and Little House on the Prairie, the Musical, starring Melissa Gilbert as Ma, plus straight-from-Broadway shows such as The 39 Steps, Xanadu and Dreamgirls. Shrek The Musical will be highlight the three weeks that the 2010 State Fair of Texas is in operation.

Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM) is the largest producer of live theatrical entertainment in the Southwest, the second oldest summer theater organization in the United States and the sixth largest non-profit theater company.  DSM has been entertaining North Texas audiences with the finest in live musical theatre entertainment since 1941.  In addition to presenting national Broadway tours, DSM also produces shows on Broadway, presents and tours local productions, and is involved in developing new works.  Dallas Summer Musicals’ affiliates include DSM Management Group, Inc. (DSMMGI), which manages the Music Hall at Fair Park and the historic Majestic Theatre.  

DSM SEASONS AT A GLANCE

THE STAGE LEFT SERIES:

 ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S THE 39 STEPS, Jan. 26-31 at The Majestic Theatre.

 RAIN, A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES, March 16-21at the Music Hall at Fair Park.   

STAGE RIGHT SERIES:

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Feb. 17-March 14 at the Music Hall at Fair Park.   

XANADU, April 6-18 at the Music Hall at Fair Park.  

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL, starring Melissa Gilbert as Ma, May 11-23at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

WICKED, May 26-June 27 at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

DREAMGIRLS, June 30-July 18at the Music Hall at Fair Park.nal material by Willy Reale.

SHREK THE MUSICAL, Sept. 28-Oct. 17at the Music Hall at Fair Park.  SEASON SPECIALS: 

Oprah Winfrey Presents THE COLOR PURPLE, Jan. 19-24 at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER , April 20-25 at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

Season tickets are on sale now at The Box Office, 542 Preston Royal Shopping Center, with Stage Left Series priced from $48 to $264, and Stage Right Series from $115 to $457.  Single tickets for the subscribers’ specials range from $12-$85.  For more information about the DSM season, or to purchase tickets online, visit www.dallassummermusicals.org.  There is a handling fee for orders placed by phone or internet.  For groups of 20 or more please call 214-426-GROUP.

For those preferring the flexibility of picking their own shows, custom packages of at least four shows from the entire season are available for as little as $48 a package.  There is no deadline for custom orders.

Season sponsors for Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, are The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, and American Airlines.

As a non-profit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to bring the Best of Broadway to Dallas at affordable ticket prices, as well as to preserve the beautiful historic theatres, educate young audiences and create important community programs.  DSM’s Seats for Kids program provides a meaningful arts education experience to thousands of low income, at-risk and special needs children. DSM and the Dallas Police Department partner together to provide positive incentives for youth that are at risk for gang membership through the Stage Right program. In addition, The Dallas Summer Musicals Academy of Performing Arts offers professional theatre arts training and scholarships to talented students in need.  Ticket sales alone do not sustain these endeavors.  Only support from committed businesses, foundations and individuals make these programs possible. For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica, visit their website at www.dallassummermusicals.org or call (214) 421-5678.

This last Sunday, my family and I braved the horrid Dallas Fair Traffic in order to see the matinee performance of the musical Mary Poppins.  I mention the traffic because lately Mother Nature has been in a bit of a snit, causing torrential downpours which inevitably cause massive traffic accidents! Getting to the fair in foul weather was a challenge, and fighting the crowds was even worse!  So after traversing the bumper to bumper cars heading out to the Texas State Fair, I then had to find a parking space in an unmarked alley lot where I worried not only would my car still be there when I returned, but also its contents and license plate would still be intact!  After parking and walking to the fairgrounds with a thousand other people, I was beginning to wonder exactly why I had agreed that this musical was worth seeing.  I still have very fond memories of seeing the movie and although the stage production is a bit different, attending this show was honestly a gift from my mother to my daughter (which meant that we were all going…period…end of story!). 

Of course, I am a huge fan of the theater, especially musicals, so it wasn’t like I had to be dragged there, but as my frustrations were growing stronger as we waded through the rain soaked streets and into the theater. Before entering the building, I was still questioning my decision to come, until I stepped inside and the magic began!

Let me tell you, I am glad I didn’t miss this because…Mary Poppins was truly spectacular!  The music was fantastic and the performers sang every note of it beautifully.   Then there was the dancing!  Simply amazing!   Most musicals have dancers on a stage but this one has one of the main characters dancing on the walls and on the ceiling!  Top that!  Oh, and did I mention that Mary Poppins flew over the entire audience (yep, including up to the balcony!).  This is the show that every family should see. 

If you haven’t secured your tickets to this show, go to http://www.dallassummermusicals.org/ and order them now!   The show runs through October 18^th and there are still seats available. 

As for my daughter’s take on this, she is ready for Mary Poppins to drop by our home anytime to teach her how to be “practically perfect in every way!” Unfortunately, the “Mary Poppins” umbrella I bought her will have to do!