Drury Lane Theatre

Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace Theatre, known for bringing timeless classics into the Chicagoland spotlight, has announced its 2008 season.  The charming musical comedy Sweet Charity, previews March 13, opens March 16 and runs through May 18, the fun musical celebration of America’s rock n’ roll icon, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, previews May 22, opens May 29 and runs through July 27, David Bell’s new take on the hilarious 1937 musical comedy The Boys from Syracuse, previews August 7, opens August 14 and runs through September 28, the Tony Award-winning musical Mame, previews October 9, opens October 16 and runs through December 21, and the touching Broadway musical and international sensation Miss Saigon, previews December 31, opens January 8 and runs through March 8, 2009.

The new season continues the excitement of the acclaimed 2007 line-up, including the charming classic Meet Me In St. Louis, directed by Jim Corti, previewing October 18, 2007, opening October 25, 2007, and running through December 16, 2007 and Gary Griffin’s much anticipated revival of The Goodbye Girl, a musical tale of love and commitment, previewing December 27, 2007, opening January 3, 2008 and running through March 2, 2008.

The 2008 season kicks off with the charming musical comedy Sweet Charity, previewing March 13, opening March 16 and running through May 18 under the direction of Jim Corti.  Originally directed and choreographed by the renowned Bob Fosse, the show, produced three times on Broadway, is based on the book by Neil Simon with lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Music by Cy Coleman and has won five Tony Awards, including Best Choreography (Fosse) and Best Revival.  Sweet Charity tells the story of an optimistic, but unlucky-in-love young woman, Charity, who not only wears her heart on her sleeve, but also has it tattooed to her arm.  After several experiences with the ups and downs of love, fate brings Charity together with another unexpected potential Mr. Right.

One of the most successful rock ‘n’ roll musicals worldwide, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, previews May 22, opens May 29 and runs through July 27.  Buddy is a Tony Award-nominated musical celebration of the legendary singer/songwriter Buddy Holly, who shot to stardom in 1957, only to be tragically killed in a plane crash two years later on the day legend says “the music died.”  Featuring a score full of over twenty classic toe-tappin’ tunes from Buddy Holly,the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, including “Peggy Sue,” “That’ll Be the Day,” “Johnny B. Goode” and “Chantilly Lace,” the musical chronicles the life of one of America’s biggest music icons, from his first recording contract and move to New York to his fatal tour of Midwest America, and explains how, in just three short years, he changed the face of popular music forever.

The season continues with David Bell’s adaptation of the classic musical comedy The Boys from Syracuse, previewing August 7, opening August 14 and running through September 28.  Based on Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, The Boys From Syracuse revolves around the escapades and romantic mix-ups of long-separated identical twins Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse, whose servants, the two Dromios, are also long-separated identical twins. Complications arise when the wives of the Ephesians, Adriana and her servant Luce, mistake the two strangers for their husbands. Featuring a score full of swing music and rhythms from the 1930’s with music by Richard Rodgers (The King & I, South Pacific, The Sound of Music) and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, the ironic tale of these separated brothers is a hilarious take on the classic Shakespearean story.

Mame, the award-winning musical comedy, previews October 9, opens October 16 and closes December 21.  In the era of the Great Depression to World War II, the larger-than-life, forward-thinking socialite Mame Dennis becomes responsible for her nephew, Patrick, as his only living relative. She becomes surprisingly overjoyed by his presence and her ability to raise him as unconventionally as possible.  When the stock-market crashes and squabbles over raising Patrick arise, Mame is forced to fight for her love.  Her life takes several turns in a financial and personal roller-coaster that will have audiences laughing out loud.  Based on the book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, Mame features music and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Jerry Herman (Hello, Dolly!, La Cage aux Folles).

The season closes with the touching Broadway musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil (Les Miserables), Miss Saigon, previewing December 31, opening January 8 and running through March 8.  Nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 1991 and winning several, Miss Saigon is the story of a romance between Chris, an American Marine serving as an Embassy guard in Saigon on the eve of the city's fall to the Communist forces in May 1975, and Kim, a young Vietnamese woman orphaned by the war and forced to work in a Saigon night club/brothel. In this modern adaptation of Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, the two have a reluctant encounter, but end up falling in love despite their initial apprehension. During their next three years of separation, the two struggle to deal with the emotional aftermath of their affair while moving on with new lives, including Chris’ discovery of his young son with Kim, Tam, complicating his now happily married existence with wife Ellen.

Season subscriptions start as low as $95 for 5 shows. Show prices range from $22 to $41.50. For reservations, phone (630) 530-0111 or call TicketMaster at 312-599-1212. You may also visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.drurylaneoakbrook.com.