DALLAS, July 27, 2009 – Uptown Players, a professional theatre group located in the Uptown/Oak Lawn area of Dallas, has announced its 2010 season, which will feature the United States premiere of Closer to Heaven, regional premieres of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Regrets Only, as well as the recent Broadway hit Equus and the hysterical musical revue Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits. Uptown Players will also present its annual fundraising performance – Broadway Our Way in January. In addition, Uptown Players is pleased to announce the next phase of its Dream Theatre Capital Campaign.
2010 SEASON OVERVIEW
Uptown Players’ fundraiser, this year entitled Broadway Our Way: Legally Divas, light-heartedly pits the men against the women to determine who the true Divas of the Dallas stage really are. The evening features selections from your favorite Broadway shows both past and present, done with an Uptown Players twist! For the past seven years, this show has been a complete sell-out and is sure to be a hot ticket for January 2010. The show’s dates are January 15-24, 2010.
Uptown Players kicks off its ninth season with Equus by the Academy Award-winning author Peter Shaffer, running February 26 – March 21, 2010 at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, former home of Dallas Theater Center. Equus chronicles the disturbing journey of a young man who seems to be a normal teenager with a passion for horses, but is harbouring darker desires. A provocative story exploring difficult issues, Equus opened at London’s National Theatre in 1973 and became a worldwide sensation. The subsequent Broadway production enjoyed a record-breaking run and won the 1975 Tony Award for Best Play. The 2007 London revival was one of the biggest hits ever seen in the West End. The show transferred to New York where it became one of the most successful dramas of the 2008-2009 Broadway season.
Running April 23 – May 16, 2010 at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, Uptown Players continues its season with the hit musical comedy that was nominated for eleven 2005 Tony Awards, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Based on the popular 1988 MGM film, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels centers on two con men living on the French Riviera – the suave and sophisticated Lawrence Jameson, who makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money; and a small-time crook named Freddy Benson, who, more humbly, swindles women by waking their compassion with fabricated stories about his grandmother’s failing health. After meeting on a train, they unsuccessfully attempt to work together only to find that this small French town isn’t big enough for the two of them. A hilarious battle of cons ensues, that will keep audiences laughing, humming and guessing to the end.
From June 11 – June 27, 2010 Uptown Players will present the regional premiere of Regrets Only by Paul Rudnick at the KD Studio Theatre. Debuting in 2006 at Manhattan Theatre Club, Regrets Only is set in the glittery realm of Manhattan society where Rudnick creates a delicious recipe for hilarity. He takes one high-powered Manhattan attorney and his fashionista wife and blends them with their closest friend, a world famous gay designer. He adds a “bridezilla” daughter whose wedding plans are tanking and mixes that with a wacky maid, a cocktail-fueled mother and the President of the United States. Now shake vigorously with laughter. The New York Sun called Regrets Only a saucy, sharp-tongued comedy of uncivil disobedience.
Playing August 6 – August 29, Uptown Players will present the long-running Off-Broadway hit musical revue, Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits. Broadway’s greatest musical legends meet Broadway’s greatest satirist in this hilarious, loving and endlessly entertaining tribute to some of the theatre’s greatest stars and songwriters. Created and written by Gerard Alessandrini, the production offers amazingly funny takes on some of your favorite shows. Annie, West Side Story, Les Misérables, Rent, Fiddler on the Roof and Mamma Mia! are just a few of the shows hilariously skewered in this tongue-in-cheek tribute to some of the biggest shows to ever grace the “Great White Way”. No show is safe, and there’s nothing standard about this Broadway revue! Since its first performance in 1982, Forbidden Broadway has played thousands of shows and has become nothing short of an Off-Broadway institution. Even if you’ve never been within 1000 miles of Broadway you’ll still love Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits!
Uptown Players will close its 2010 season at the KD Studio Theatre with the USA Premiere of The Pet Shop Boys’ musical Closer to Heaven running October 1 – October 24, 2010. Set amid the hedonistic gay culture of London’s club-land, Closer to Heaven tells the story of Dave – young, sexy and fresh from Ireland and seeking the big time in London. Meanwhile, the outrageous Bob Saunders, pop manager extraordinaire, has his own plans for Dave. As fame and fortune beckon, Dave quickly learns that things aren’t always as straightforward as they seem.
The book Closer to Heaven is by Jonathan Harvey whose plays include Beautiful Thing, Guiding Star and Out in the Open. The music and lyrics are by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, better known as the Pet Shop Boys, the most successful pop duo in British chart history who have sold over 28 million albums worldwide. Their number one hits include “West End Girls” and “It’s a Sin”.
Tickets for all shows, except Broadway Our Way are $25 – $35. Performances at the KD Studio Theatre, 2600 Stemmons Freeway, I-35 at Medical District Street will be at 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Performances at the Kalita Humphreys Theater will run at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday evenings and 2 p.m. on Sunday with an added Thursday show on March 18 (Equus) and May 13 (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). Season Ticket Flex Packages are also available and include great discounts and reserved seats. Individual and season tickets can be purchased online at http://www.uptownplayers.org or by phone at (214) 219-2718.
Now in its ninth season, Uptown Players has gathered a dedicated following with an annual audience base of over 12,000 patrons, including almost 1000 season subscribers. The response from the community and critics has been remarkable, including over 25 Leon Rabin Awards from the Dallas Theatre League, several hundred “The Column” Awards and 18 Theater Critics Forum Awards in its first seven seasons. Uptown Players has also been named the best theatre company by the Dallas Voice Readers in 2006 and 2007 and by the Dallas Observer in 2004 and 2005.
Uptown Players is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, presenting plays and musicals that challenge audiences artistically, build cultural bridges, and strive to create greater positive public awareness and acceptance through the performing arts. There is no other theater group with this unique mission in the Dallas area.
UPTOWN PLAYERS 2010 SEASON:
Broadway Our Way – January 15 – 24, 2010
Equus – February 16 – March 21, 2010
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – April 23 – May 16, 2010
Regrets Only – June 11 – June 27, 2010
Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits, Volume – August 6 – August 29, 2010
Closer to Heaven – October 1 – October 24, 2010
DREAM THEATRE CAMPAIGN
In 2008, with an eye to the future, Uptown Players realized their current facilities would not suit their needs and began to explore options for moving to a new site. The Dream Theatre campaign’s goals are to identify the best venue for the future and secure the funding needed to allow Uptown Players to grow and continue to serve our diverse community. A special campaign board, formed in 2009, has worked with local realtors, fundraising consultants, and other area experts to scope the theater’s needs, identify the best financial options and seek properties.
Uptown Players is pleased to announce the next phase in its Dream Theatre Campaign. During the 2010 season, several productions will be performed at the historic Kalita Humphreys Theater. This move will allow Uptown Players to continue their tradition of high quality, innovative and challenging theater while maximizing the facilities offered by the Kalita Humphreys. Jeff Rane, Uptown Players’ Co-Founder stated, “In many ways, the Kalita Humphreys is an ideal venue for Uptown Players. We will remain close to our community and hopefully attract new patrons. The increased space, both on stage and in the audience, allows us to expand our offerings and welcome more theater-goers to each performance.” Craig Lynch, Uptown Players Co-Founder, adds, “The economic challenges of 2008 – 2009 presented us with harsh realities as we embarked on our search for a new venue. By utilizing the amazing space available at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, we can meet our artistic goals while continuing our Dream Theatre Campaign on a slightly longer timeline.”
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Media Contact: Cooper Smith
cooper@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191