On Stage: A season fit for a king

Broadway's best will soon be headed our way once again: The Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall has a great lineup for the upcoming season, featuring some of the hottest national touring productions. The 2006-2007 Broadway Series will feature seven productions. Their season spans from December through June.

The Mann's first offering of the series is "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." This new musical is based on the movie comedy of the same name, which starred Steve Martin and Michael Cain. This production follows the same plot as the film, where two professional con artists are battling for territory and ill-gotten gains in the French Riviera. They go head to head after the same woman and her money, with the winner taking all and the loser getting lost. Performances are scheduled Dec. 12 to 17, 2006.

"Man of La Mancha" will follow, playing from Jan. 2 to Jan. 7, 2007. This classic musical features many popular songs. In the perennial favorite, author Miguel de Cervantes relays the adventurous tale of Don Quixote while imprisoned during the Spanish Inquisition.

The next production will have audiences roaring. Disney's "The Lion King" will be performed Jan. 18 to Feb. 25, 2007. This Tony Award-winning musical is the magical stage version of the popular animated film. It is a heartwarming story and a truly amazing theatrical spectacle. Audiences will surely be wowed by the elaborate and imaginative costume and technical elements in this production. This will definitely be one of the hottest tickets of the season.

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is the next production in the Barbara B.'s season playing April 3 to 8, 2007. It's a new show, which charmed its way from off-Broadway to the Great White Way. It is a fun and edgy look at the world of spelling bees and overachievers, while at the same time lampooning a lot of societal topics. The cast of adults play an eclectic group of adolescent spellers. The show has lots of grown-up humor and has garnered a great deal of acclaim for its originality.

Next up in the series is "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life." Rivera is a Broadway legend, originating roles in such great musicals as "Bye Bye Birdie," "Chicago" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman." Her personality and amazing dancing talents enabled her to work with some of the theater world's biggest and best, like Fosse, Bernstein and Sondheim. In this production, she and a cast of wonderful dancers sing and strut through some of the high points of her illustrious career. This production runs April 10 to 15, 2007.

The play "Legends" stars 1980's television icons Linda Evans and Joan Collins of "Dynasty" fame and is scheduled April 24 to April 29, 2007. This comedy centers around two Hollywood grand dames being wooed to star in a stage production. The play and the producer they are to work with are both of questionable merit and backstage backbiting and chaos ensues.

Last, but not least, is a return engagement of "The Producers." This is a hilarious musical version of the famous Mel Brooks' masterpiece. It is a multiple Tony winner and chock-full of comedy and fun. The story centers around two Broadway producers bent on mounting a colossal flop so that they can swindle away all the investment capital, but despite their best effort they hit a string of good luck. Those who missed it last time can catch "The Producers" June 19 to 24, 2007.

These productions bring Broadway to our backyard. Tickets for these exciting touring shows at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall are currently available. Tickets can be purchased at their box office, by phone at (239) 481-4849 or via the Internet at www.bbmannpah.com.