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2015-2016 Broadway on Hennepin Season Showcases New Tony Award-Winning Shows, Minnesota Premieres an

February 11, 2015

**2015-2016 Broadway on Hennepin Season Showcases New Tony Award-Winning Shows,**

Minnesota Premieres and Returning Blockbusters

Season Ticket Packages On Sale at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10

Season Highlights Include: 2014 Tony Award Winners A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Bridges of Madison County

and the Return of Disneys The Lion King. Back by Popular Demand, The Book of Mormon

MINNEAPOLISHennepin Theatre Trust today revealed its stellar 2015-2016 Broadway on Hennepin Season, featuring Broadways hottest Tony Award®-winning shows, seven Minnesota premieres and returning favorites. Making their local debuts are A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder, winner of four 2014 Tony Awards including Best Musical; Beautiful The Carole King Musical, the 2014 Tony Award-winning inspiring true story, and The Bridges of Madison County, the romantic 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Score and Best Orchestrations.

Appearing for the first time in Minneapolis are the eagerly awaited 2013 Tony Award winner Rodgers + Hammersteins Cinderella from the creators of The Sound of Music and South Pacific, the 2012 Tony Award-winning Disneys Newsies and the hugely entertaining and deeply moving new musical If/Then direct from Broadway. Disneys The Little Mermaid also makes its Orpheum debut and everythings coming up roses for the showstopping Gypsy, the fourth production in the innovative Broadway Re-Imagined series, produced by Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust.

Making a triumphant return is a Minneapolis favorite, Disneys The Lion King. Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, this landmark event made its world premiere at the Orpheum Theatre in 1997. The coat of many colors still dazzles in Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webbers enduring Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Blue Man Group returns for a high-octane theatrical experience.

Back by popular demand after its 2014 Minneapolis run, The Book of Mormon, the nine time Tony Award-winning musical from the creators of South Park, will return for a limited three week engagement.

Broadway on Hennepin season subscribers, Hennepin Theatre Trust Donors and groups have first priority to purchase tickets when season packages go on sale at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015. The 2015-2016 Season opens in September 2015 and runs through August 2016 at the historic Orpheum, State and Pantages Theatres. Individual tickets will be made available at a later date. Visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org for more information.

Minnesotans value high quality live theatre which makes it possible for the 2015-2016 Broadway on Hennepin Season to feature the best of the newest Broadway productions as well as returning classics, commented Tom Hoch, President/CEO of Hennepin Theatre Trust. Were proud to deliver a year-long season of cultural experiences making the downtown Minneapolis Cultural District a destination for audiences of all ages.

The season begins with the timeless Rodgers + Hammersteins Cinderella making its Orpheum Theatre debut September 8-13 with such beloved songs as In My Own Little Corner and Impossible/Its Possible. Audiences will be enchanted by its contemporary take on the classic tale. Theatre Under The Stars production of Disneys The Little Mermaid, based on the Disney animated film, will make a splash at the Orpheum Theatre for two weeks October 8-18.

The Tony Award-winning Beautiful The Carole King Musical debuts at the Orpheum Theatre for two weeks November 18-29. This is the inspiring true story of Kings remarkable rise to stardom from songwriter to one of the most successful solo acts in popular music. The multimedia extravaganza Blue Man Group returns to the Orpheum Theatre December 18-20 with an intoxicating blend of music, comedy and technology.

A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder is the hilarious knock em dead 2014 Tony Award-winning Best Musical running January 5-10, 2016 at the State Theatre. The lovable Monty Navarro is hardly the next in line to inherit the family fortune but he cant wait to slay his way to the top. The eagerly awaited arrival of the smash-hit Disneys Newsies will make headlines February 9-14, 2016 at the Orpheum Theatre. This high-energy musical took home the 2012 Tony Awards for Best Choreography and Best Original Score.

Gypsy will be the newest Broadway Re-Imagined showstopper developed through Hennepin Theatre Trust and Theater Latté Das partnership. Running at the historic Pantages Theatre, February 17-March 13, 2016, Gypsy features such classic songs such as Everythings Coming up Roses and Together (Wherever We Go). Nationally acclaimed director Peter Rothstein takes a new look at this Arthur Laurents, Julie Styne and Stephen Sondheim musical about a stage mother who will stop at nothing to make her daughters Vaudeville headliners. The completely original If/Then arrives at the Orpheum Theatre March 8-13, 2016. If/Then is a contemporary, touching musical from the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning creators of Next to Normal that reveals the possibilities of tomorrow through the choices we make today.

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webbers irresistible Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat returns to the Orpheum Theatre, March 29-April 3, 2016, with its unforgettable songs including, Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door. Following its Minneapolis run in 2014, the nine time Tony Award-winning The Book of Mormon returns to the Orpheum Theatre for a limited three week engagement May 10-29, 2016. The New York Times calls it the best musical of this century.

Summer brings one of the most romantic stories ever told with The Bridges of Madison County, at the Orpheum Theatre June 21-26, 2016. Based on Robert James Wallers best-selling novel and shown through the eyes of an Iowa farmwife who must choose between duty and desire, this winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations features an unforgettable score by Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown. The 2015-2016 Broadway on Hennepin Season concludes July 5-August 7, 2016 with Disneys The Lion King at the Orpheum Theatre. This phenomenon dazzled audiences during its 1997 Minneapolis world premiere and continues to amaze with a breathtaking spectacle of animals brought to life by more than 40 actors and unforgettable music by Elton John and Tim Rice.

SEASON TICKET INFORMATION

Season Ticket Packages for new and renewing subscribers go on sale at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb., 10, 2015. The eight show package includes A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Bridges of Madison County, If/Then, Rodgers + Hammersteins Cinderella, Disneys Newsies, Disneys The Little Mermaid and Broadway Re-Imagineds Gypsy. Package prices start at $298. For the seven show package (not including Gypsy) prices start at $269. Both packages include applicable season ticket discounts, theatre restoration and handling fees. Additional season specials are The Book of Mormon, Disneys The Lion King, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Blue Man Group. Tickets for season specials can be added to season packages. Information is available 24 hours a day at HennepinTheatreTrust.org. Season Ticket Packages can be purchased in person at the State Theatre Box Office (805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis) online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org or by phone by calling the Broadway Across America Season Ticket Hotline at 1.800.859.SHOW (7469).

Current Season Ticket Holders are urged to respond to renewal notices immediately to keep their season seats or to request an upgrade. The renewal deadline is Tuesday, March 17. Group tickets, with discounts available for many performances, are also on sale now and provide a great way to celebrate many family, office or social occasions. Group minimums and discounts vary; please call 612.373.5665 for more information or to make group reservations.

Hennepin Theatre Trust Donors can also purchase Season Ticket Packages, enjoy concierge ticketing, buy tickets to individual shows and gain special benefits. To become a Donor, call 612.455.9513. Single tickets for individual productions will go on sale to the general public at a later date. Prices, shows, artists, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Further information will be posted as it becomes available at HennepinTheatreTrust.org. Patrons can also sign up to get email notifications of the latest updates.

SEASON TICKET HOLDER BENEFITS

Season Ticket Holders get the best access to guaranteed seats for the years hottest shows and enjoy many benefits including:

Priority PRE-SALE opportunities to buy additional tickets before public on-sale dates
EASY PAYMENT PLANpay in seven monthly installments at no additional charge
FREE TICKET EXCHANGE and replacement services
GUARANTEED premium seat locations
SPECIAL EVENT INVITATIONS to private parties, backstage tours and other opportunities

2015-16 BROADWAY SEASONAdditional Information

Rodgers + Hammersteins Cinderella, September 8-13, 2015, Orpheum Theatre

Rodgers + Hammersteins Cinderella is the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical from the creators of The Sound of Music and South Pacific thats delighting audiences with its contemporary take on the classic tale. This lush production features an incredible orchestra, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you lovethe pumpkin, the glass slipper, the masked ball and moreplus some surprising new twists! Be transported back to your childhood as you rediscover some of Rodgers and Hammersteins most beloved songs, including In My Own Little Corner, Impossible/Its Possible and Ten Minutes Ago in this hilarious and romantic Broadway experience for anyone whos ever had a wish, a dreamor a really great pair of shoes.

Theatre Under The Stars Production of Disneys The Little Mermaid
October 8-18, 2015, Orpheum Theatre

In a magical kingdom fathoms below, we meet Ariel, the little mermaid who is tired of flipping her fins and longs to be part of the fascinating world on dry land. Joining her are Sebastian, Ariels crabby sidekick; Ursula, the evil sea witch; Triton, King of the Sea and the handsome and human Prince Eric. Based on the Disney animated film and hit Broadway musical, The Little Mermaid is coming to Minneapolis. So dive on in! Life is the bubbles, under the sea!

Beautiful The Carole King Musical, November 1829, 2015, Orpheum Theatre
Beautiful The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of Kings remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation. Featuring a stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil, including I Feel The Earth Move, One Fine Day, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, and Youve Got A Friend, Beautiful has a book by Tony Award-nominee and Academy® Award-nominated writer Douglas McGrath and choreography by Josh Prince. Beautiful is the winner of two 2014 Tony Awards.

Blue Man Group, December 18-20, 2015, Orpheum Theatre (Season Special)

Experience the phenomenon! Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine comedy, music and technology to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The New York Times heralds the show as One of the most delightful performance pieces ever staged. E! Entertainment News exclaims, Blue Man Group is what every live performance aspires to be. People of all ages agree that Blue Man Group is an intensely exciting and wildly outrageous show that leaves the entire audience in a blissful, euphoric state. With no spoken words, Blue Man Group is perfect for people of all ages, languages and cultures.

A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder, January 5-10, 2016, State Theatre
Coming direct from New York, where a most gentlemanly NPR critic said hed never laughed so hard at a Broadway musical," A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder tells the uproarious story of Monty Navarro, a distant heir to a family fortune who sets out to jump the line of succession, by any means necessary. All the while, hes got to juggle his mistress (shes after more than just love), his fiancée (shes his cousin, but whos keeping track?) and the constant threat of landing behind bars! Of course, it will all be worth it if he can slay his way to his inheritanceand be done in time for tea. The Hollywood Reporter raves, Gentlemans Guide restores our faith in musical comedy. The New York Times cheers, it will lift the hearts of all those whove been pining for what sometimes seems a lost art form. Kindly get your tickets now for the new musical that will have you dying with laughter!

Disneys Newsies, February 9-14, 2016, Orpheum Theatre

They delivered the papers, until they made the headlines. Direct from Broadway comes Newsies, the smash-hit, crowd-pleasing new musical from Disney. Winner of the 2012 Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Choreography, Newsies has audiences and critics alike calling it a musical worth singing about! (The New York Times). Filled with one heart-pounding number after another, its a high-energy explosion of song and dance you just dont want to miss. Based on true events, Newsies tells the captivating story of a band of underdogs who become unlikely heroes when they stand up to the most powerful men in New York. Its a rousing tale about fighting for whats rightand staying true to who you are. Newsies was brought to the stage by an award-winning creative team. It features a score by Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and Jack Feldman (The Lion King II: Simbas Pride) and a book by Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots, La Cage Aux Folles), with choreography by Christopher Gattelli (South Pacific) and direction by Jeff Calhoun (Big River).

Gypsy, February 17-March 13, 2016, Pantages Theatre, Broadway Re-Imagined Series

Presented by Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust

Strippers! Showstoppers! Stage Mothers! Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust return for the fourth year of Broadway Re-Imagined with the great American musical Gypsy. Set during the fading vaudeville circuit of the 1920s and the birth of burlesque, Gypsy portrays the rise of famed performer Gypsy Rose Lee, and Momma Rose, the stage mother, who steamrolls everyone in her way to propel her daughter to stardom. Nationally acclaimed director Peter Rothstein stages this iconic, Tony Award-winning musical in an all new production at the historic Pantages Theatre. Gypsy features a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, including the legendary songs Everythings Coming up Roses, Together (Wherever We Go), Small World, Some People, Let Me Entertain You and, of course, Roses Turn.

If/Then, March 8-13, 2016, Orpheum Theatre

If/Then is a contemporary Broadway musical about living in New York today and all the possibilities of tomorrow. With unforgettable songs and a deeply moving story by the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning creators of Next to Normal, this fascinating, ambitious, and original new musical (New York Post) simultaneously follows one womans two possible life paths, painting a deeply moving portrait of the lives we lead, as well as the lives we might have led.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, March 29-April 3, 2016 (Season Special)

One of the most enduring shows of all time, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webbers Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the irresistible family musical about the trials and triumphs of Joseph, Israels favorite son. Directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Andy Blankenbuehler, this new production is a reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers and the coat of many colors. The magical musical is full of unforgettable songs, including Go Go Go Joseph, Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door.

The Book of Mormon, May 10-29, 2016, Orpheum Theatre (Season Special)

Hailed by The New York Times as "the best musical of this century" and the winner of nine Tony Awards, The Book of Mormon is the blockbuster Broadway smash from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and the Oscar-winning composer of Disney's Frozen and Avenue Q, Bobby Lopez. This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. Now with standing room only productions in London, on Broadway and across North America, The Book of Mormon has truly become an international sensation. Contains explicit language.

The Bridges of Madison County, June 21-26, 2016, Orpheum Theatre

The Bridges of Madison County, one of the most romantic stories ever written, first captured the nations attention as a best-selling novel and became an irresistible, two-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. This stunning new production features gorgeous, soulful music by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years) that the Daily News hails as one of Broadways best scores in the last decade. With a book by Pulitzer Prize Winner Marsha Norman (The Secret Garden, The Color Purple) and direction by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza), The Bridges of Madison County is the unforgettable story of two people caught between decision and desire, as a chance encounter becomes a second chance at so much more.

Disneys The Lion King, July 5August 7, 2016, Orpheum Theatre (Season Special)
More than 70 million people around the world have experienced the phenomenon of Disneys The Lion King, and now you can, too, when Minneapolis best-loved musical returns to the Orpheum Theatre. Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, this landmark musical event brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway. Tony Award-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. The Lion King also features some of Broadways most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice. There is simply nothing else like The Lion King.

HENNEPIN THEATRE TRUST, owner of the historic Orpheum, State, Pantages and New Century Theatres, is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to arts-inspired community cultural development. We achieve our mission by presenting a rich mix of live performances, creating inspiring arts education experiences and advancing a thriving Cultural District in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Trusts activities include presenting Broadway touring productions and the related Broadway Confidential series, concerts, comedy, speakers and other variety entertainment, plus educational initiatives including our SpotLight Musical Theatre and SpotLight Critical Review programs for high schools, Teen Ushers, the Access Program and Family Day on Hennepin events.

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA is part of the Key Brand Entertainment family of companies which includes Broadway.com, under the supervision of John Gore (Owner & CEO). BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 38 markets. Currently represented on Broadway by Beautiful, and past productions include Pippin, Million Dollar Quartet, Hairspray, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Memphis, Promises, Promises, and The Producers. BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com; Broadway.com.

THEATER LATTÉ DA is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new connections between story, music, artists and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.