A night to remember: 2012-2013 Segerstrom Center for the Arts Broadway and Curtain Call series preview night

I had the amazing opportunity to be invited to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts preview of their 2012-2013 Broadway and Curtain Call series. This upcoming season is one to thrill some of the most hardcore theater fans. It definitely includes something for everyone with some unique theater experience as The Addams Family, and of course the all time biggest Broadway show Wicked coming back to the center. The evening started with a video of all shows introduced by Broadway America's Bob Bucci, who seemed just as excited to see these previews as the audience was!



After the video was shown, Bob Bucci then introduced our first live performance by two cast members from the 2010 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Memphis. While I wasn't so familiar with Memphis before tonight, I knew it had to be good since it won the Tony, and it has a great story behind it as well. And after hearing Bryan Fenkhart, and Crystal Joy sing their lungs out, this show is one I'm not going to miss this season. After the song, Tim Kashani (producer for Memphis), and Bob discussed a little bit about the show with Crystal and Bryan.



After the live performance from Memphis, the audience was shown a video from the upcoming production of the Addams Family, with Gomez playing the piano and giving a personal message to the audience for the preview night. This show is sure to be fun for the whole family.

Billy Elliot was the next production to be showcased. Unfortunately, this was also just a video clip showcasing the production from casts around the world. It also showed the extensive process of finding the boys that would play Billy in each production. This is one of my favorite films, and I look forward to seeing how they adapted this to the stage.

Also just getting video previews were Flashdance, Catch Me If You Can, and Sister Act. These three were probably the least interesting to the audience, and also both Catch Me If You Can, and Sister Act just ending their runs on Broadway. I was told by my friend who came with me to the preview that Catch Me If You Can will be going through a complete overhaul for the National Touring production, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what is done with the show.

Besides Wicked and War Horse, Sister Act is probably the show I am most looking forward to seeing. I have been blasting the London Soundtrack since it had been released, and know it will be a hit at Segrestrom. Hopefully they will add my favorite song back into the tour!

And of course Wicked probably got the biggest reaction out of the audience. Before Angel Reda sang "Wizard and I" we were shown a clip of the popular show, and the audience went crazy. And of course when Angel sang, I immediately fell in love with the show again, and wanted to her to sing "Defying Gravity." If Angel is our Elphaba for the run, people will not be disappointed, she can certainly belt like Eden!



We were then told that this would probably be the one time in theater to take out our phones and cameras because we were in for a treat. Bob then introduced Joey, which of course is the main character in War Horse. While not a musical, this play based on the book, and of course Academy Award winner movie, is something I have been waiting to see for awhile now. I missed the productions previous run, so when I heard it was going to be at Segrestrom, I knew I have to go see it.

Joey and some of his cast mates from War Horse had flown from South Africa just to be at this preview. We were given a special look at how Joey, this amazing puppet actually works. Tim Lewis (Captain Nicholls), Tommy Luther (Joey Head), Stuart Angell (Joey Heart) and Ian Piears (Joey Hind) from War Horse, showed us with and without Joey how they react to certain situations during the play. You almost forget you are watching a puppet with people controlling him. War Horse is a production people shouldn't miss.



Overall, this preview was a great treat. And the 2012-2013 Segrestrom Center for the Arts Broadway and Curtain Call series certainly packs a punch, and is a must see for any new and avid theater goer.