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Twelve incredible events headline the Lutcher Theater 2016-17 Season! The Lutcher’s 37^th Season begins in the fall with a festive outdoor concert followed by a diverse lineup of spectacular shows that promise something special for everyone:

Symphony at Shangri La – Sun., Oct. 16

The Symphony at Shangri La, Directed by Maestro, Chelsea Tipton, returns to Shangri La Gardens at the peak of Scarecrow Festival for a festive evening of seasonal nature and magnificent music! Bring lawn chairs and picnic baskets and soak up the alluring sights and sounds of autumn, the art of sunset, and a beautiful evening of Broadway hits!

ELF The Musical – Sat., Nov. 12

ELF The Musical is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern day Christmas classic is sure to make all embrace their inner ELF.

Dirty Dancing – Tues., Nov. 22, 2016 & Wed., Nov. 23

Dirty Dancing – The classic story on stage is an unprecedented live experience, exploding with heart-pounding music, passionate romance and sensational dancing.

Seen by millions across the globe, this worldwide smash hit tells the classic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives. Dirty Dancing features the hit songs, “Hungry Eyes,” “Hey Baby,” “Do You Love Me?” and the heart-stopping “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”

Chrhis Botti and the Symphony of Southeast Texas– Tues., Nov. 29

Grammy Winner, Chris Botti teams up with The Symphony of Southeast Texas for a grand evening of great Jazz and Symphonic hits. Having performed with Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and Sting, Chris Botti is now a major artist in his own right, performing worldwide and selling more than three million albums. His creative expression begins in Jazz and expands beyond the limits of any single genre. In 2013, Botti won the Grammy Award in the Best Pop Instrumental Album category.

Broadway Christmas Wonderland– Thur., Dec. 22

Get ready to celebrate the holidays with Santa and his special elves on a Christmas cheer journey. Broadway Christmas Wonderland Is by far one of the most enchanting and delightful holiday shows ever! The sounds of holiday classics like ‘White Christmas, ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Winter Wonderland’, ‘Deck the Halls’, ‘Rocking around the Christmas Tree’ and more are beautifully sung by the highest kicking chorus girls this side of the North Pole has seen! The magic of the holidays is sure to unfold and paint the evening full of magical and colorful Winter Wonderland memories for the whole family.

Pippin – Sun., Jan. 29, 2017

Pippin is a high-flying, death-defying hit Broadway musical! Full of extraordinary acrobatics, wondrous magical feats and soaring songs from the composer of Wicked, Pippin will lift you up and leave you smiling. Featuring sizzling choreography in the style of Bob Fosse and breathtaking acrobatics by Les 7 Doigts de la Main, this unforgettable new production is the winner of four 2013 Tony Awards® including Best Musical revival. Hailed as "an eye-popping, jaw-dropping extravaganza" (NY1), it's unlike anything you have ever seen! Come experience PIPPIN, one young man's journey to be extraordinary.

Into the Woods – Tues., Feb. 21 and Wed., Feb. 22

Venture back Into the Woods as the Dodgers (Jersey Boys, Matilda) team up with

Networks (Phantom, War Horse, South Pacific) to present the acclaimed Fiasco Theater production that became New York’s surprise hit of this season. Unanimously acclaimed, extended twice at the Roundabout’s Laura Pels Theater, the Tony Award-winning musical classic by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine has been mounted with boundless imagination. This witty and wildly theatrical re-invention is Into the Woods like you’ve never seen it before!

Barefoot in the Park – Fri., Mar. 3

Montana Repertory Theatre celebrates its fiftieth anniversary season with the play that put Neil Simon on the map over fifty years ago. Through comedy, Mr. Simon explores love, relationship, marriage, and family––the pangs of loss and the joy of reunion.

Corie and Paul Bratter are a newlywed couple. For their first home, they live in an apartment on the top floor of a brownstone in New York City. During the course of four days, the couple learns to live together while facing the usual daily ups-and-downs. Corrie wants Paul to become more easy-going: for example, to run "barefoot in the park."

The Illusionists^TM – Live from Broadway^TM – Fri., Mar. 10

Direct from Broadway, this mind blowing spectacular showcases the jaw dropping talents of seven of the most incredible Illusionists on earth. The Illusionists^TM – Live From Broadway^TM has shattered box office records across the globe and dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever to be seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.

42^nd Street– Thurs., Mar. 16, 2017 & Fri., Mar. 17, 2017

The quintessential backstage musical comedy classic, 42^nd Street is the song and dance fable of Broadway with an American Dream story and includes some of the greatest songs ever written, such as “We’re In The Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Shuffle Off To Buffalo,” “Dames,” “I Only Have Eyes For You” and of course “42^nd Street.”

Based on a novel by Bradford Ropes and Busby Berkeley’s 1933 movie, 42^nd Street tells the story of a starry-eyed young dancer named Peggy Sawyer who leaves her Allentown home and comes to New York to audition for the new Broadway musical Pretty Lady. When the leading lady breaks her ankle, Peggy takes over and becomes a star.

Greater Tuna – Tues., Apr. 4

Greater Tuna is the hilarious comedy about Texas' third smallest town, where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. The eclectic band of citizens that make up this town are portrayed by only two performers, making this satire on life in rural America even more delightful as they depict all of the inhabitants of Tuna -- men, women, children and animals.

The show began as a simple party skit based on a political cartoon more than 25 years ago in Austin, Texas. Talented creators Joe Sears, Jaston Williams and Ed Howard were the imaginative authors that parlayed the sketch into a critically acclaimed production which has entertained audiences across the country ever since.

Once – Sat., Apr. 15

Winner of 8 2012 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Once is a truly original Broadway experience.

Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, Once tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who’s about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs.

As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights… but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance.

Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, Once draws you in from the very first note and never lets go.

It’s an unforgettable story about going for your dreams and the power of music to connect us all.

Six of these twelve events are scheduled for two performances, several of which offer matinee options.

The 2016-17 Season Brochure is in production and will likely mail to the Lutcher mailing list in early summer 2016.

Those wishing to be added to the Lutcher Theater mailing list can contact the Lutcher Theater Box Office at [email protected] or call 409.886.5535.

Season ticket renewals will begin in early summer followed by new season ticket orders.

Individual tickets will go on sale in late summer 2016.

Visit lutcher.org or the Lutcher Facebook page for updates.

Each year the Lutcher Theater also presents a daytime kids series of national and international touring productions. The 2016-17 Lutcher Incredible Kids Events Series will include:

A Year With Frog and Toad – Tues., Nov. 1, 2016

A hit on Broadway, this whimsical musical follows two great friends -- the cheerful, popular Frog and the curmudgeonly Toad -- through four, fun-filled seasons. The two best friends celebrate and rejoice in their differences that make them unique and special. Part vaudeville, part make believe, all charm, A Year With Frog And Toad tells the story of a friendship that endures, weathering all seasons.

The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and the Hare – Fri., Feb. 10, 2017

America’s Got Talent finalists, Lightwire Theater returns with two classic stories told with spectacular glow-in-the-dark electroluminescent wire puppets, dazzling visual, poignant choreography and creative use of music ranging from classical to jazz to pop.

Away from the pond and on his own, the Ugly Duckling’s adventures lead him on a search for others who will love him for who he is.

The famous story of the race between the Tortoise and the Hare is best known today for teaching the moral that "slow and steady wins the race."

Rock the Presidents – Fri., Feb. 17, 2017

Childsplay’s smash-hit musical about the presidents of the United States is back by popular demand! Gearing up for the election season, this high-energy multi-media extravaganza takes a non-partisan look at what it means to be president. The 44 men who rose to the highest office in the land are brought to life through rock, pop and folk music.

Lights! Camera! Math! – Mon., Mar. 27, 2017

Meet Danny Carmo - It’s not so long ago that he thought school, and in particular math, wasn’t for him. He was more interested in dreaming about a future on the stage and perhaps the big screen - all he ever wanted to be was a famous magician! But when he knuckled down to learn all the tricks of the trade he realized that Math was not only essential...but was the SECRET to a whole load of magic!!!!

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters – Mon., Apr. 10, 2017

When a great African king desires a wife, only the most perfect maidens in the land are invited to meet him. Mufaro’s pride and joy, his two daughters of very different dispositions, travel through a mystical jungle and across a deep river to be presented to the king. Along the way, the two girls encounter a number of mysterious situations that unknowingly test their courage, kindness and strength of spirit.

Lutcher Incredible Kids Events is one of the largest performing arts series of national and international touring companies for children in a four-state area comprising Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. The performances meet Texas and Louisiana-state learning criteria, appropriate for field trips, although open to the public as well.

Tickets for groups of 10 or more are $5 each. Individual adult tickets are $10. All student tickets are $5. Tickets for Lutcher Incredible Kids Events are not sold online and will only be available by calling the Lutcher Theater box office at 409-886-5535.

About the Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts:

The Lutcher Theater is a 1450-seat, state-of-the-art, world-class performing arts facility and the prominent presenter of Broadway, national and international tours, award-winning stars, renowned dance and acclaimed children’s performances for Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. The Lutcher presents the largest performing arts series between Houston, TX and New Orleans, LA.

The Frances Ann Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts is located at 707 Main, Orange, Texas.