2011- 2012 National Tours

Dallas Summer Musicals have a 2012 season preview on their website. They have La Cage Aux Folles, Memphis, Million Dollar Quartet, and Addams Family listed. There are no dates listed. I guess this means all four of these shows will be touring during the 2011-2012 season.


2012 Season Preview

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Updated On: 1/1/11 at 07:29 PM

Last year a competing presenter setup shop in Dallas and got some of the bigger shows to include Billy Elliott, South Pacific, and Young Frankenstein.

When Dallas Summer Musicals announced their 2011 season it was the smallest (and in my opinion, weakest) season they've had in the 14 years I've lived in DFW.

I think they had to preview these shows in the 2012 season to keep subscribers interested. Many subscribers, myself included, wondered if the weak 2011 season meant that DSM was going to cease operation and we wondered if we weren't better off saving our money instead of paying for our subscriptions and then losing the money if DSM went bankrupt.

Well, Memphis and The Addams Family have been announced to come to Toronto by Dancap Productions on tour, so that's pretty good. Interesting how DSM used Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge to advertise the show, yet they "will not be performing during the Dallas performances of La Cage Aux Folles."
Huh.

I remember one season they had Jersey Boys, The Color Purple, and High School Musical all in the same season! Then last season they had Shrek and Mary Poppins. It's surprising what a bad selection they have this season. I know they are limited to what is available, but there is Billy Elliot, In The Heights, Lion King, etc. that they could have brought this season.

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I believe it is the same production of the revival. I read (on one of these boards actually) that it will be a tryout of the revival to see whether or not it will tour. I don't know if that's true or not though!

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Good! Sounds like an all new production which is good! I wish more cities would offer previews into the future seasons. Considering the shows are booked well in advance I don't see why they wait until Spring to announce it!

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Well, they're smart because they probably want and/or get more subscribers to their season tickets which help get the better shows. They may also need to finalize dates so the show can better route their tour.

Bass Hall in Fort Worth announced their season around the same time DSM did... Spring Awakening (last month), Mamma Mia!, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line, Beauty and the Beast, and 9 to 5.

As did Casa... Sound of Music (September), Best Little Whorehouse (October, I believe), Evita, and Hairspray.

And some of these aren't even tours...

A) Casa and Performing Arts Ft. Worth announced their season a hell of a long time before DSM did. Casa is no longer presenting tours with Performing Arts Ft. Worth. The two split starting this season, hence the move for Casa back to the Old Dome on Lancaster.

B) DSM needs to go back to doing self produced shows with "big" names, like they did in the 60s and 70s. That's how they earned the title "America's foremost summer theatre."

C) The new competitor mentioned actually has done pretty poor business. Everything they do ends up discounted, because nobody wants to pay $65 for a sunday matinee, for the last two rows of a fourth balcony, and then the additional fees plus $15 for parking. South Pacific barely sold, Avenue Q certainly didn't (hell, Bass Hall, which is smaller, had to sell the first 10 rows of the orchestra for $10 and still didn't sell out) and the Grinch didn't sell very well either. (No one could afford it)

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The Lexus series is just too damn expensive. And I do NOT think Billy Elliot will do remotely well in that huge theatre.

I've said it before in this thread, but if they would go back to the crowd pleasing hits, with a name or two in the lead roles, they'd do just fine. Leave the edgier things to WaterTower, Theatre3 and DTC.

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^ And that isn't saying much.

Currently, the best space is the Wyly.

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^Unless you were there during the State Fair, the Music Hall has free parking.

And, it's pretty cavernous. Some shows are easily swallowed (Little Shop and Rent stick out the most), although it does a lot better than Bass (it has better acoustics) or the Winspear (which is a total cavern)

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San Diego just announced their 2011-2012 season and Come Fly Away is part of it. Looks like this will be touring as well.

http://www.broadwaysd.com/

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Wichita just announced their 2011-2012 season.
Rock of Ages, Young Frakenstein, Mamma Mia, Blue Man Group, and Lion King. It's unknown what dates Lion King will be here because the venue has to be renovated to accommodate the show.

http://www.theaterleague.com/theaters/?id=8