TALKING WITH Gina Vernaci

BUZZ EXTRA spoke with Gina VERNACI, Vice President of Theatricals at PlayhouseSquare about the 2009-10 KeyBank Broadway Series.

BUZZ: Tell us about the upcoming season!

VERNACI: We are opening the season with the spookiest musical of them all, Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein October 13th through October 25th.  We all love to be scared, and that’s Halloween month, so it will be perfect; it’s a funny show.

Next, is the Tony Award winning smash hit and worldwide phenomenon that just continues to get bigger every season.  We’ll be celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the revival of Chicago.  It’s hot and sexy and will be here from January 12th through the 24th. 

Then the 2008 Tony Award winning Best Musical In The Heights arrives February 9th through the 21st.  It’s a show with a compelling, engaging, hip-hop/salsa/merengue score and sizzling choreography, that looks into a vibrant Latino community with stories about people coming to the United States, family and tradition.

Then, we skate our way March 2nd thru the 14th into Xanadu, when guys mistook big hair for good taste, women were wearing leg warmers and side ponytails.  This show will make you laugh as you recognize music from the 1980’s like “Have You Ever Been Mellow.”  The choreography is by Dan Knechtges, of Grafton, Ohio.

BUZZ: Sounds like a great lineup of shows. 

VERNACI: Next is the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning play August: Osage County, with Estelle Parsons from April 13th thru the 25th.  It’s a riveting drama, witty, tension-filled, and almost a voyeuristic look at a family.

BUZZ: Two more shows, right?

VERNACI: Right.  This next show is one that has woven its way into our culture.  Grease runs from May 11th thru the 23rd. 

BUZZ:  A whole new audience was introduced to Grease during the TV show You’re The One That I Want when the producers were searching for a Danny and Sandy for the Broadway show. 

VERNACI:  That’s right.  Grease lets you escape to the time of poodle skirts, jukeboxes, and T-Birds with American Idol winner Taylor Hicks starring in the role of Teen Angel.

BUZZ: And the last show?

VERNACI: The worldwide hit Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage opens June 14th and plays through July 3rd.  Cleveland is one of the first cities to see this show on tour.  “Baby” falls for the stud muffin of a dance captain at a resort where she is vacationing with her parents in 1963.  

BUZZ:  Sounds like the time of your life.

VERNACI:  Based on the legendary film, she becomes his dance partner, they rehearse for the big end of season finale show with a famous hot and sizzling dance number.

BUZZ:  It’s a great season!

VERNACI: There’s something new, but there’s also familiarity and affordability, which is very important in these challenging times.  We have tickets starting at $10, so anyone can enjoy these shows.  The best way to see Broadway is to see it frequently….at least seven times next season!

For more information on the 2009-10 KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare go to playhousesquare.org/broadway.