The national tour of the worldwide hit Mamma Mia! will stop at the Georgia venue June 10-15. With a book and direction by Catherine Johnson, Mamma Mia! incorporates ABBA hits into the tale of a young girl's search for her real father on the eve of her wedding.
An all-new production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic Oklahoma! is up next. Running June 24-29, the Theater of the Stars staging will us the original Agnes de Mille choreography. The 1920's Oklahoma territory-set musical boasts a score including "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'," "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top," "People Will Say We're In Love" and the title song.
The Color Purple makes its way back to Atlanta when the national tour arrives July 15-Aug. 3. The Broadway musical based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker features a score by pop writers Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray with a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman. The touring production currently stars Jeannette Bayardelle as Celie and Tony nominee Felicia P. Fields as Sofia – a role she originated in the Broadway production. Former Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams plays soul-singer Shug Avery, while "American Idol"'s LaToya London portrays Nettie.
Les Miserables will be presented in a new original staging Sept. 19-28. The award-winning musical based on the classic Victor Hugo novel features a book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg with music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer.
The Theater of the Stars season will conclude with two Disney musical productions. The professional stage premiere of Disney's High School Musical 2 will entertain teen audiences Nov. 7-16, while an original staging of Disney's Tarzan is presented in its regional theatre debut Jan. 16-25, 2009. Directed by Tony nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Disney's Tarzan is a co-production with The American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Dallas Summer Musicals and The North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh. The musical features a book by David Henry Hwang — based on both the Disney film and the original Edgar Rice Burroughs story "Tarzan of the Apes" – and a score by Phil Collins that includes the Academy Award-winning song "You'll Be in My Heart."
Currently assembled for the newly revised Disney's Tarzan mini-tour are scenic designer Kenneth Foy, aerial designer Paul Rubin and lighting designer Ken Billington.
Season tickets for the Theater of the Stars season are available by calling (404) 252-8960, or by visiting www.theaterofthestars.com. All productions are staged at Atlanta's Fox Theatre, located at 660 Peachtree Street.
