A great slate of live entertainment continues this month at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset with a legendary Tony award-winning Broadway show and the final two performances of the season in the popular Children’s Prime Time Theatre series.
Winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the musical comedy, “Damn Yankees,” comes to Center Stage at The Center on Tuesday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m., in a live Broadway-style show filled with iconic hit songs and a sizzling temptress named Lola.
The production of “Damn Yankees,” which is currently on a national tour visiting cities across the United States, and the two remaining Children’s Prime Time Theatre performances in this season’s schedule are presented by Lake Cumberland Performing Arts in partnership with The Center.
Those shows include A.A. Milne’s “House at Pooh Corner,” featuring Winnie-the-Pooh and all his friends, on Friday, March 23, and the enchanting Lewis Carroll classic, “Alice in Wonderland,” which is set to take the stage on Friday, March 30. Both performances begin at 7 p.m. in the theatre.
For tickets to the Center Stage performance of “Damn Yankees,” or these two Children’s Prime Time Theatre performances, contact The Center’s Box Office at 606-677-6000, or stop by The Center, located at 2292 South U.S. 27 (at Traffic Light 15) in Somerset, during normal business hours from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday to purchase tickets.
Don’t forget to follow The Center’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/centercrd for more information on all of the scheduled performances at The Center in March and April.
Back by popular demand, the New Shanghai Circus returns to The Center on Friday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. to close out the Center Stage performing arts season. New shows for both Center Stage and Children’s Prime Time Theatre will be announced in late summer.
“We have a tremendous lineup of entertainment planned for the entire month of March at The Center. We are excited to bring a Tony Award winning Broadway show to our stage, and two children’s performances inspired by some of your favorite storybook characters that are sure to delight audiences of all ages.”
Dianna Winstead, associate director of arts, culture, and events
The Center for Rural Development
The musical comedy, “Damn Yankees,” first appeared on Broadway in the 1950s. Based on a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, the musical tells the story about a middle-aged baseball fanatic who trades his soul to the devil for a chance to lead his favorite team in the pennant race against the New York Yankees only to realize the true worth of the life (and wife) he’s left behind.
The music and lyrics, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, include such Broadway hit songs as “Whatever Lola Wants,” and You Gotta Have Heart.”
At each of the Center Stage and Children’s Prime Time Theatre performances, a Pre-Show Event with entertainment and an optional dinner buffet is held in The Center’s front lobby starting an hour and a half before each performance.
The cost of the meal is $7 for adults and $3.50 for children 12 and younger.
Somerset’s own Tom Taksa Trio will be the featured Pre-Show Event entertainment on March 20 from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. and an optional dinner menu, which includes meat or vegetable lasagna, tossed salad, garlic bread, cookies, and iced tea, will be served prior to the opening of the Center Stage performance of “Damn Yankees.”
The trio, featuring Tom Taksa on saxophone, Brenda Jones on piano, and Maurice Stringer on guitar, will perform a selection of hit songs from Broadway musicals.
Children are invited to dress as their favorite characters at the Pre-Show Events for the Children’s Prime Time Theatre performances of A.A. Milne’s “House at Pooh Corner on March 23 and “Alice in Wonderland” on March 30.
The Pre-Show Event, held from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. for both performances, will include special activities for children and an optional child-friendly dinner with hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and cookies.
Enjoy interactive educational activities with the Lake Cumberland Beekeepers Association and learn about the role of bees in today’s “100 Acre Wood” complete with honey tasting at the Pre-Show Event held prior to the “House at Pooh Corner” performance.
At the “Alice in Wonderland” Pre-Show Event, bring your Easter basket for an indoor Easter Egg Hunt, have your photo taken with the Easter Bunny, and dance to the Bunny Hop.
The Pre-Show Event is sponsored by The Center and Clear Channel Lake Cumberland.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to Lake Cumberland Performing Arts with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
