Sacramento Music Circus 2012 Season Will Include THE LITTLE MERMAID, GREASE & More

California Musical Theatre Executive Producer Richard Lewis has announced the line-up of shows for the 2012 summer season of Sacramento Music Circus at the Wells Fargo Pavilion. The five-show season will include the Music Circus premiere of Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID and the return of four musical theatre classics that are consistently among the most requested shows by Music Circus patrons, GREASE, THE MUSIC MAN, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and CRAZY FOR YOU. Lewis points out that "with four popular classic musicals—plus a new Disney blockbuster destined to become a classic—the 2012 Music Circus season provides an opportunity for families to introduce children to the wonders of live theater, and an ideal environment for them to enjoy quality time together."

Music Circus is produced under the leadership of Artistic Director Glenn Casale and Associate Producer Scott Klier.

Season ticket holders from 2011 will receive renewal invoices in the mail by February 13, and the Wells Fargo Pavilion Box Office will begin taking paid reservations for new subscribers on that day as well. Five-show season tickets will range from $150 to $240, depending on performance date and seating location. Reservations and renewals are available at 1419 H Street or by phone at (916) 557-1999 beginning Monday, February 13, at 10:00 a.m.

Lewis notes that, in response to feedback from Music Circus patrons, the 2012 season will include just five shows. “Many of our patrons told us that their busy summer schedules made it difficult for them to attend all seven shows in our season—yet they still wanted to enjoy the benefits of being a season subscriber, especially the savings on tickets,” says Lewis. “So we reduced the season to five shows, with a week off between shows, to give patrons more flexibility to engage in their other summer activities and still enjoy the entire Music Circus season.”

In an effort to enable more people to experience Music Circus shows, Lewis says that tickets will be available to all patrons for every show at the special price of $30. And he points to another change that comes with the 2012 season, the elimination of the three show mini-series that has been offered in the past. “Since we now have just five shows, and a $30 ticket that allows patrons to see all five shows for less than the top price of last year’s three-show mini-series, the mini-series just didn’t seem necessary,” Lewis says.

Music Circus season ticket subscribers receive a number of benefits, including a savings of 20% off the cost of single tickets, and the ability to get the best available seats, since their ticket orders are filled before orders for single tickets. Subscribers also have the ability to order single tickets in advance of the general public by requesting them at the same time as they order their season tickets. And they are guaranteed the ability to renew their tickets for the following year, among other valuable benefits.

2012 Music Circus Season:

The 2012 Music Circus season opens with GREASE (June 26 – July 1), where fun, friendship and humor abound in a nostalgic trip to Rydell High in 1959, complete with greasers, sock hops, slumber parties and lots of singing and dancing. The romance between Sandy and Danny sparks hit songs like “Summer Nights” and “You’re the One That I Want.”

Next up is the Sacramento premiere of Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID (July 10 – 22), a family favorite that features Disney storytelling at its best. Unsatisfied with her life in the sea, young mermaid Ariel longs to experience the human world above, so she embarks on a fascinating journey to discover her true self. Featuring the songs “Under the Sea” and “Part of Your World.” Subscription tickets for Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID will be in the first week of performances. $30 tickets will be available in all sections for children ages 4 – 12 for this show only.

THE MUSIC MAN (July 31 – August 5) is the theatre’s musical tribute to the optimism, warmth, stubbornness and innocence of small town America. There’s trouble in River City when traveling salesman Harold Hill comes to town promising to form a children’s marching band. Features “76 Trombones,” “Till There Was You” and “Goodnight My Someone.”

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (August 14 – 19). Like the iconic rooftop musician, playful yet reverent Tevye teeters between his respect for tradition and his love for his daughters, each anxious to follow her heart after a suitor her father finds unsuitable. This beloved musical features “Tradition,” “Matchmaker” and “If I Were A Rich Man.”

CRAZY FOR YOU (August 28 – September 2) is a goofy boy-meets-girl love story featuring a collection of unforgettable Gershwin songs and all the elements of old-fashioned musical comedy—leggy showgirls, rousing dance numbers, a hero in disguise, a buffoonish villain, and an earnest, let’s-put-on-a-show enthusiasm that is intoxicating. Features “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Embraceable You” and “I Got Rhythm.”

Music Circus was founded in 1951 as the first professional musical theatre-in-the-round west of the Mississippi. Until 2002, its first-class productions were presented under a canvas tent, the last of its kind in the country. In 2003, the company introduced the fully-enclosed Wells Fargo Pavilion, which combines the traditional Arena Stage with improved audience comfort. Music Circus is the largest continually operating musical theatre-in-the-round in the country, making it a landmark in the professional theatre community and a living museum of musical theatre history. Music Circus operates under a contract with Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States, and the majority of the principal ensemble cast have extensive Broadway and national tour credits. The Acting Company will be announced in late spring following extensive auditions in New York City, Los Angeles and Sacramento.

Five-show season subscriptions will be available at the Wells Fargo Pavilion box office at 1419 H Street beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, February 13. Last year’s subscribers will receive invitations to renew by mail and have priority to retain their seats or to upgrade. Paid season ticket reservations can also be made by phone at (916) 557-1999.

Discounts are available for groups of 12 or more by calling the group sales department at (916) 557-1198. Groups can reserve five-show, multi-show or single-show packages beginning Monday, March 5.

Single-show tickets will be available for purchase beginning Monday, May 7, at 10 a.m. Single-show tickets range from $30 to $60. All ticket prices include a facility fee and are subject to change.

GREASE, THE MUSIC MAN, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and CRAZY FOR YOU will run for one week, with eight performances a week. Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID will run for two weeks. Evening performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m., and Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Matinee performances are Thursday and Saturday at 2:00 p.m.