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``The Color Purple'' Highlights Huge First Season of Broadway Carolina

Posted on: Thursday, 28 February 2008, 15:00 CST

"Bruiser" is comin' to the Triangle. So is Broadway's best-loved musical in an exclusive North Carolina premiere. Nederlander/PFM, the world-class partnership that operates the Durham Performing Arts Center, today announced its inaugural season of Broadway Carolina. The highlight of the show-stopping first season is "The Color Purple," with a May 2009 premiere in North Carolina at the Durham Performing Arts Center. Also included among the huge hits for this first season is "Legally Blonde The Musical," which is currently on Broadway and will launch a National Tour later this fall. The show will make an exclusive Triangle appearance in April 2009. Tickets for the Broadway Carolina series are now on sale at http://www.DPACnc.com.

"This region is growing at a rapid pace and is more than ready for the hottest shows on Broadway. With the launch of Broadway Carolina, the Durham Performing Arts Center is going to be a special place for exclusive performances," said Nick Scandalios, executive vice president of the Nederlander Organization, Inc.

With today's announcement, the 2008-2009 premiere season of Broadway Carolina has the following confirmed schedule for shows at the Durham Performing Arts Center:

"Rent" - January 20-25, 2009

"Fiddler On The Roof" - March 17-22, 2009

"Legally Blonde The Musical" - April 14-19, 2009

"The Color Purple" - May 12-17, 2009

Other shows and special performances will be added as they are confirmed. Audiences from Raleigh to Greensboro and everywhere in between can expect a Wicked second season in 2009-2010, when many more of Broadway's biggest blockbusters come to the Durham Performing Arts Center.

"Audiences can expect national touring acts and Broadway direct from the source," said J.L. "Lynn" Singleton, president of PFM. "We manage theater venues in markets of similar size to the Research Triangle region. Combine that with the fact that the Nederlander Organization is a Broadway institution, and we think the Broadway Carolina series will provide audiences with great experiences that they'll remember for a lifetime."

The first North American Tour of "The Color Purple" means North Carolina audiences will see a Broadway darling, nominated for 11 Tony Awards(R), including Best Musical. "The Color Purple" opened on December 1, 2006 at the Broadway Theatre where it ran for over two record-breaking years. It is based on the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the moving film by Steven Spielberg.

Tickets for the 2008-2009 Premiere Season of Broadway Carolina are now on sale. Buy tickets online at www.DPACnc.com. Order tickets via phone at 919.680.ARTS (2787). The on-site box office opens later this year. For questions about availability, on-sale dates and schedules, please e-mail: Tickets@DPACnc.com.

The Durham Performing Arts Center (www.DPACnc.com) is a 2,800 seat multi-use theater currently under construction downtown in the American Tobacco Historic District, adjacent to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Spearheaded by the City of Durham, the $44 million facility is the creation of Chapel Hill architect Phil Szostak and Dallas-based developer Garfield-Traub.

On track for completion in December 2008, the venue will soon become the largest of its kind in North and South Carolina, featuring top Broadway performances, concerts, family shows and other events. This spectacular cultural landmark will draw audiences from around the state to more than 100 shows each year.

Founded in 1912, the Nederlander Organization presents legitimate Broadway theatre from nine company-owned theatres on Broadway in New York City, while also owning or managing 15 venues in London, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, and elsewhere. Professional Facilities Management (known industry-wide as PFM) specializes in managing public and private performing arts venues, presently operating nine facilities in eight states. The Nederlander/PFM partnership manages operations, programming and performance booking at the Durham Performing Arts Center, which means audiences will experience authentic Broadway and musical performances unmatched in the Southeast. For background: www.nederlander.com and www.pfmcorp.com.

Note To Editors: For requests related to the Durham Performing Arts Center and Broadway Carolina, please contact Scott Misner at 919.412.3886. Broadway show photos and background information, and video B-roll of "The Color Purple" is available upon request.

Source: Business Wire

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