From Hitchcock to Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet, Columbus audiences will be entertained with all the classics during the 2009-10 performing arts season.

Broadway Across America – Columbus
The 2009-10 season of Broadway Across America – Columbus is full of award-winning productions, including In the Heights, Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Dreamgirls and season specials Wicked and Chicago.

The season opens with the adventurous Cirque Dreams Illumination, Sept. 29-Oct. 4, about a journey of city dwellers who reinvent everyday objects and transform the ordinary into extraordinary. The production features world-class acrobats, athletes and musicians lending itself to the Cirque Dreams brand of notoriety.

The classic Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein will transpire on stage Oct. 27-Nov. 1. In the Heights, winner of the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, about finding your true home in a vibrant Manhattan community, is set for Nov. 24-29.

Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Broadway’s most intriguing comedy hit and winner of two Tony Awards, plays Jan. 19-24. Direct from the Apollo Theatre in New York City, Dreamgirls comes to Columbus Feb. 16-21, with the rags-to-riches story about a 1960s Motown girl group.

The entire family will enjoy the courageous story about good versus bad when 101 Dalmatians: The Musical hits the Palace Theatre March 2-7.

Finally, Broadway Across America – Columbus presents two season specials for its 2009-10 season. From June 8-13, Chicago, winner of six Tony Awards, will be held at the Palace Theatre. And, back by popular demand, Wicked, what The New York Times has called Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, returns to Columbus with the enchanting story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. Visit www.broadwayacrossamerica.com.

BalletMet
BalletMet Columbus features a revival of Swan Lake, in collaboration with the Cincinnati Ballet, Oct. 16-18 at the Ohio Theatre, to open the 2009-10 season.

From April 23-May 1, the “American Legends” program highlights pieces by three choreographers, inspired by legendary singers. Maurice Hines, artistic director of the Lincoln Theatre, has created sets to the music of Stevie Wonder, while James Kudelka’s pieces are set to Johnny Cash and Darrell Grand Moultrie has choreographed sets to Sammy Davis Jr.

From February 5-14, BalletMet presents a revival of A Midsummer Night's Dream, with a world premiere from choreographer Ma Cong. The troupe will also present Nightmoves from Nov. 6-21, the holiday favorite The Nutcracker, Dec. 11-23 and Carmina Burana, March 5-13. Visit www.balletmet.org.

Columbus Jazz Orchestra
The 2009-2010 Columbus Jazz Orchestra Concert Series schedule kicks off Sept. 25-26 with "A Taste of Smooth Jazz," featuring Grammy Award-winning guitarist Earl Klugh. All performances are at the Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St., unless noted. Visit www.jazzartsgroup.org.


The Great American Songbook Series continues with "Spinning Wheel," Jan. 22-23, 2010, featuring the music of Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago and the ‘70s, with Lew Soloff, “Blue” Lou Marini and vocalist Bruce Wermuth; and "A Night In Vegas," May 21-22, 2010 (performances at the Capitol Theatre - Riffe Center), featuring the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas combined with the CJO and the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus.

The Swingin’ At The Southern Series includes "Duke’s Place," Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, with classic Duke Ellington, starring Dwight Lenox and Lew Tabackin; "Home For The Holidays," Dec. 2-6, with UK vocalist Helen Welch and a special surprise guest; "Louis, Ella & Friends," Feb. 24-28, 2010 with Byron Stripling, Carmen Bradford and Dave Powers journeying through the Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald songbooks; "I Loves You Porgy," March 24-28, 2010, celebrating Porgy and Bess with music from Gershwin’s greatest opera with special guests Michael McElroy and Capathia Jenkins; and "Cole & Cole," April 21-25, 2010, a homage to Cole Porter and Nat King Cole.

The Phoenix Theatre for Children
The Phoenix’s 2009-2010 season focuses on popular children’s books, with four stage adaptations. The season opens with a not-so-typical fairytale, The Paper Bag Princess.

In December, Phoenix offers the Columbus premiere of Madeline’s Christmas, a holiday musical featuring the talents of 12 local young actresses. The production centers on the well-loved character Madeline, first introduced in 1939 through her self-titled book and then several subsequent books, an animated television series and a feature film.

The first Phoenix production of 2010 is the Columbus premiere of The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant, which will be performed with live actors in full-body costumes. The story debuted in 1931, and became the first in a series of children’s books about the lovable French elephant, Babar.

The Phoenix season finale will be Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, a comedy based on the first in a series of five children’s books about a curious widow who can help parents cure children of bad habits. Visit www.phoenix4kids.org.

CATCO
CATCO’s 26th season opens Sept. 30-Oct. 18 with Murderers, a black comedy and Central Ohio premiere by Ohio native Jeffrey Hatcher.

Pierce to the Soul, set for April 7-25, 2010, celebrates the life of Pierce, the son of a former Mississippi slave. The one-person play and world premiere, was written by central Ohio playwright and CATCO board member Chiquita Mullins Lee.

Other plays in the 2009-10 season are The Seafarer, Nov. 24-Dec. 13, 2009, a Central Ohio premiere and a suspenseful Irish tale by acclaimed Irish playwright Conor McPherson; Evie’s Waltz, Feb. 17-March 7, 2010, a Central Ohio premiere and an intelligent thriller that explores the simmering tensions between parents and teens; and The Mystery of Irma Vep: A Penny Dreadful, June 2-27, 2010, a two-man, quick-change comedy/mystery featuring Nelson and Associate Artistic Director Jonathan Putnam.

Also during the holidays and as an add-on to the subscription package, CATCO will bring back David Sedaris’ hilarious The Santaland Diaries Dec. 3-27, 2009, to be presented in Studio Three.

All shows will be performed in the Vern Riffe Center Studio Theatres, 77 S. High St. Visit www.catco.org.

ProMusica
The ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus will celebrate its 31st season with guest artists, holiday concerts and a world premiere.

Among the guest stars: child prodigy Tiffany Poon, a 12-year-old pianist who will perform for the opening concert in October.

Other guest artists for the 2009-10 season include fluegelhorn player Sergei Nakariakov, who will perform Haydn's Concerto in C for Fluegelhorn in April; and vocalist Jane Monheit, who will appear at the 2010 gala benefit concert.

Concerts will take place in the Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St., except for “A Baroque Holiday,” “Songs of a Wayfarer,” “An Evening of Brass and Organ” and “Music of J.S. Bach,” which will be held at the Pontifical College Josephinum, 7625 N. High St. Visit www.promusicacolumbus.org.

Opera Columbus
Opera Columbus’ 2009-2010 season, its 29th, includes two grand operas and two concerts. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium hosts the seventh annual Go Wild! for Opera at 8 p.m. July 10. The concert is titled “One Enchanted Evening: The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber.”

Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci will be performed at the Ohio Theatre at 8 p.m. Oct. 23 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 25. The tragic story is about a traveling troupe of actors who perform a play throughout the course of the opera. It will be directed by William Florescu, conducted by William Boggs and accompanied by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

The artistry of singing sensation Mario Lanza will be re-lived with a special tribute concert performed by renowned tenors Eduardo Villa, Randolph Locke and Gerard Powers. Rare performance video of this legendary tenor will also be used to celebrate Mario Lanza’s music at the Palace Theatre at 8 p.m. Dec. 12.

Finally, Gounod’s beautiful music sets the scene for this romantic retelling of Shakespeare’s classic play Romeo and Juliet, which is Feb. 12 and 14, at the Ohio Theatre. The story of two star-crossed lovers, their feuding families and the tragic chain of events that lead to several deaths will be sung in French with English supertitles. It will be directed by John Hoomes, conducted by William Boggs and accompanied by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. For more information, visit www.operacolumbus.org.

Columbus Symphony Orchestra
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s 2009-2010 classical season includes 12 programs, new artists, a variety of programs and 10 guest conductors, all of whom are being considered for the open music director position. For more information, visit www.columbussymphony.com.

The schedule is listed as follows:
Classical #1, Oct. 9-11, Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Choral
Classical #2, Nov. 7-8, Beethoven - Overture to Fidelio; Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor; Dvoák - Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, From The New World
Classical #3, Nov. 20-22, Mahler - Symphony No. 9 in D Major
Classical #4, Jan. 8-9, Mozart - Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504, Prague; Stravinsky - Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments; Sibelius - Symphony No. 5 in E-Flat Major
Classical #5, Jan. 22-23, Sierra – Fandangos;Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Emperor; Brahms - Symphony No. 2 in D Major
Classical #6, Feb. 5-6, Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major; Shostakovich - Symphony No. 10 in E Minor
Classical #7, Feb. 20-21, Adams - The Chairman Dances: Foxtrot for Orchestra; Lalo - Cello Concerto in D Minor; Prokofiev - Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major
Classical #8, March 5-6, Barber - Violin Concerto
Classical #9, March 19-20, Bruckner - Symphony No. 4 in E-flat Major, Romantic
Classical #10, April 10-11, Contemporary Music Festival, in conjunction with the Ohio State University, featuring the compositions of the Augusta Read Thomas
Classical #11, April 16-17, Beethoven - Leonore Overture No.2; Leshnoff - Double Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra (Ohio Premiere); Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Pathetique
Classical #12, May 8-9, Mozart - Overture to Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492; Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor; Bartók - Concerto for Orchestra

Columbus Children’s Theatre
The Columbus Children’s Theatre is off to see the Wizard for its 2009-10 season, which kicks off Sept. 24-Oct. 4 with The Wizard of Oz at the historic Lincoln Theatre. Seussical the Musical, April 15-25, will also be held at the Lincoln.

The remainder of the season’s productions will all be held at Park Street Theatre, 512 Park St., including The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Nov. 27-Dec. 20; Rapunzel, Jan. 7-17; The Boxcar Children, Feb. 4-21; The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood, March 11-28; and Jack and the Beanstalk, May 6-16. Visit www.colschildrenstheatre.org.