River Campus touring season tickets go on sale today

Tickets go on sale today for the 2011-2012 Southeast Missouri State University River Campus season. This year's program offers a variety of productions, including new Broadway hits and classic favorites.

Season tickets may be purchased starting today through July 8, with sales for individual performances beginning July 13.

River Campus box office manager Ellen Farrow said she expects the upcoming season to be successful.

"I fully expect that we will come close to matching our ticket sales for last season, if not beating them," Farrow said.

Tickets are sold by the season, by the series and for individual shows. Last year there were 312 season ticket purchases for the touring series, 266 for the theater and dance series and 287 for the symphony series. Farrow said renewal requests for those tickets have been high this year.

More variety this year

River Campus assistant director Bob Cerchio said the upcoming season offers something for everyone.

"This season has a lot more variety than seasons past," Cerchio said. "It's not just touring shows. Theatre and dance is doing 'Into the Woods,' which is a very witty and very funny musical, and 'Hamlet,' which is a Shakespearean tragedy."

In addition to the Department of Theatre and Dance productions, this season includes touring hits such as "Blast!," "Young Frankenstein" and the Moscow Festival Ballet's production of "Don Quixote."

The Tony and Emmy award-winning "Blast!" is slated for Oct. 19. The performance was a hit with London and New York audiences and brings together 35 brass, percussion and visual artists on one stage for a night of jazz, classical, techno-pop and rock 'n' roll music.

Cerchio said "Blast!" is like "a marching band on steroids" and that every child in a marching band should see the show.

"When 'Blast!' appeared on Broadway, the Tony Awards had to create a new category for this show, and that was Special Theatrical Event," Cerchio said. "It's brass, percussion and production to the highest degree and audiences will go away completely amazed by this performance."

As a Broadway fan, Cerchio is looking forward to "Young Frankenstein" on April 22, and said anyone familiar with the Mel Brooks film will enjoy the musical version. With choreography by Susan Stroman, "Young Frankenstein" was popular with Broadway audiences and won the Outer Critics Circle Award in 2008 for best musical.

A Christmas version of the popular "Late Nite Catechism" will be performed Dec. 11. Cerchio said he received so many requests from audience members who saw last year's production that "Sister's Christmas Catechism" has been added to this year's schedule.

For audiences who enjoy the classics, the Moscow Festival Ballet will present a fresh take on an old Spanish story April 27 with "Don Quixote."

In addition to the touring shows, the River Campus season will feature musical, theatrical and dance performances by students and faculty of Southeast Missouri State University.

For more information, visit rivercampusevents.com. To purchase tickets call 651-2265, or visit the River Campus box office. Tickets may be purchased online at metrotix.com.

ssemmler@semissourian.com

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