The Broadway at the Paramount Series is offering some pretty big guns for its '98-'99 season, headed by Ragtime, and the launch of the national tour of Jekyll & Hyde. Although Ragtime will have its Seattle premiere, Jekyll and Hyde was seen by Seattle audiences in the pre-Broadway tour of March 1995, starring Broadway leads Linda Eder and Robert Cuccioli at the 5th Avenue Theatre.
The full schedule is as follows:
Ragtime-the widely praised musical adaptation by playwright Terrence McNally from E. L. Doctorow's panoramic turn-of-the-century saga, which interweaves the lives and fates of an affluent white family, an African-American couple and their child, and a Jewish immigrant and his daughter. Set to stirring anthem-like music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, choreographed by Graciela Daniele and directed by Frank Galati (Dec. 2-Jan. 9, 1999).
Annie-The sun will come out again for America's favorite orphan, as musicalized by composer Charles Strouse and lyricist ( and director) Martin Charnin, with a book by Thomas Meehan. This is the national tour of the 20th anniversary Broadway production (Jan. 26-Feb. 7, 1999).
Jekyll and Hyde-The Frank Wildhorn/Leslie Bricusse adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's immortal tale of good vs. evil defied the critics on Broadway, and kicks-off its national tour in Seattle (Mar. 14-Mar. 27, 1999)
Red, White and Tuna-A third visit to the fictional town of Tuna, Texas, previously popularized in Greater Tuna and A Tuna Christmas. A slew of zany, eccentric small-town folk, written and portrayed by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard celebrate Independence Day in their own unique way (April 20-May 2, 1998). Evita- A new 20th anniversary touring version of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's late 70's smash hit about the rise and fall of Argentine First Lady, Eva Peron (May 11-23, 1999).
Sunset Boulevard-Petula Clark (one of the London Norma's) plays the aging silent screen star Norma Desmond whose sanity unravels through her liaison with ambitious screenwriter Joe Gillis. A new production of the recent Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, with book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, directed by Susan H. Schulman, director of Broadway (Aug. 3-Aug, 15).
Lloyd Webber's long-run Broadway champ Cats returns (Sept. 15- 20, 1998), though it is not a part of the subscriber season.
Current Paramount subscriber's receive their renewal information in the next few weeks. New subscriptions are on sale effective May 1. For further information call (206) 292-ARTS.
