The award-winning theatrical company TADA Productions, Inc. will celebrate its 20th Anniversary starting in 2020 with one of its best seasons to date full of musicals, comedy and regional premieres.
Beginning as an outreach theatre company, TADA (The Arts Deserve Attention) has been an instrumental part of the performing arts in the city of Lincoln. It’s a recipient of a Proclamation for Theatre Excellence from the State of Nebraska, a Mayor’s Arts Award from the City of Lincoln, and the building of The TADA Theatre received an Impact Award for downtown development from the Downtown Lincoln Association.
TADA also received national recognition working with show creators on the Midwest premiere of Jekyll & Hyde the musical and was the first independent theatrical company to be granted rights to perform the New York block-buster Forbidden Broadway and also produced the regional premieres of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Happy Days A New Musical, The Spidey Project and Gilligan’s Island the musical. TADA has also received direct permission to perform songs from such theatre composers and lyricists as Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Schwartz.
The 20th anniversary season begins in February with a collaboration with one of the most famous composers of all time, Andrew Lloyd Webber. The Oscar, Grammy and Tony-winning legend Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music is showcased in this special celebration granted to TADA from the representatives of Lloyd Webber himself. THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER will host an array of talented vocalists and feature songs from shows such as Evita, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar. This show is sponsored by Ameritas.
In April and May, PUMPBOYS AND DINETTES returns by popular demand! After selling out its entire run last season and with countless patrons on the waiting list, this musical is back and ready to serve you! On Highway 57, somewhere between Frog Level and Smyrna, stands a gas station. Across the blacktop is a roadside eatery called the Double Cupp Diner. After hours the Pump Boys and Dinettes serve up some tunes that will have audiences’ toes tapping and a smile on their face. Pull on in and join this fun-filled musical tribute to life by the roadside! This show is sponsored by Home Real Estate and Woods Brothers Realty.
In July, patrons can enjoy the THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES! This delightful musical takes audiences to 1958, where they will meet four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts. Between belting favorites, such as “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover” and “Stupid Cupid,” the girls trade gossip about high school hijinks and teenage romance. Later, The Wonderettes reunite to take the stage and perform at their ten-year reunion and discover no matter what life throws their way, they will conquer it together. This show is sponsored by Farmer’s Mutual Insurance, Union Bank and Legacy Retirement Communities.
In September, patrons will be treated to the Lincoln premiere of SISTER ROBERT ANNE’S CABARET CLASS. Beloved by fans of the Nunsense musical series and newbies alike, Sister Robert Anne’s journey to stardom continues as she “teaches” this class to the entire audience. With humorous stories and audience interaction, this street-smart, not-so-typical nun instructs audiences in how to put together their own cabaret act, all the while leading a musical journey of some of the most memorable numbers by award-winning composer Dan Goggin. This show is sponsored by Schaefer’s.
In October, fans of the musical RENT will love TICK, TICK BOOM! From the creator of Rent, this autobiographical musical by the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning Jonathan Larson, is the story of an aspiring composer questioning his life choices on the eve of his thirtieth birthday. His girlfriend wants to get married and move out of the city, his best friend is making big bucks on Madison Avenue, but Jon is still waiting on tables and trying to write the great American musical. This exhilarating, funny, and moving work by the late Larson will speak to anyone who’s ever gotten lost on their way to finding their dreams This show is sponsored by The Waffleman.
THIS IS THE MOMENT WITH VOCALIST STEVEN C. RICH AND GUESTS will take place in November. Guest vocalist Steven C. Rich, who starred in TADA’s first production, the regional premiere of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical, returns for a celebration of TADA’s 20th Anniversary Season. Singing songs from TADA’s past productions along with special guests, Mr. Rich has toured in international companies of CATS and Miss Saigon as well as professional productions of Sweeney Todd, Parade, Les Miserables and Five Guys Named Moe. A founding member of TADA, he has acted in their productions of Big River, 8 Track, Suds, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at The Lied Center.
In December, David Sedaris’ comical adult play THE SANTALAND DIARIES comes to the stage. When a down-on-his luck wannabe actor arrives in New York City at the end of the year, the only employment he can find is at Macy’s department store — working in Santaland for the holiday season as a reluctant but relentlessly cheerful elf. Newly christened “Crumpet” shares his comical journey with the audience. This twisted tale, based on the essay by the award-winning humorist David Sedaris, is the cure for the holiday blues and the perfect excuse to take a break from it all. This show is sponsored by The Mill, Liberty Lawn & Landscape, Inc. and Nebraska Lottery.
The 20th anniversary season continues into February 2021, with the musical SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. Inspired by George Seurat’s famous painting, this dazzling and award-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine merges past and present into a poignant and entertaining production of what it takes to be an artist. George is an obsessive painter who risks it all, including his relationship with his lover Dot, to complete his latest masterpiece. A century later, George’s great-grandson soon discovers that the answer to his future is painted clearly in his past. This show is sponsored by Liberty Lawn & Landscape, Inc.
In April 2021, the season will conclude with MIDLIFE THE CRISIS MUSICAL 2. This is the follow up to one of the most successful musicals in TADA’s history, the hilarious MID-LIFE! The Crisis Musical. MID-LIFE 2! #WhatDidIComeInHereFor? takes us back into the middle ages once again with a hilariously tuneful look at the aches, pains, and joys of getting older. From ever increasing trips to the doctor’s office, to the horrifying moment when one qualifies for a senior discount, the ever-growing legion of aging Baby Boomers and beyond are sure to see their lives reflected in this brand new, witty musical. This show is sponsored by Green’s Furnace and Plumbing.
All shows this season will take place inside the award-winning TADA Theatre in The Historic Haymarket District 701 P Street Lincoln, NE. 68508. More information can be found at www.tadatheatre.info.