Theatre News Wire

The National Theatre's epic WAR HORSE, winner of five 2011 Tony Awards including Best Play, will come to Chicago this December for a limited three-week engagement from Dec. 18, 2012 - Jan. 5, 2013 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.).

Michael Morpurgo's novel, War Horse, is also the inspiration for Steven Spielberg's feature film of the same name, which has garnered six Oscar nominations including Best Picture.

Hailed by The New York Times as "theatrical magic," WAR HORSE is the powerful story of young Albert's beloved horse, Joey, who has been enlisted to fight for the English in World War I. In a tale the New York Daily News calls "spellbinding, by turns epic and intimate," Joey is caught in enemy crossfire and ends up serving both sides of the war before landing in no man's land. Albert, not old enough to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home. What follows is a remarkable tale of courage, loyalty and friendship, filled with stirring music and songs and told with the some of the most innovative stagecraft of our time.

The tour of WAR HORSE, based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo and adapted by Nick Stafford, will be directed by Bijan Sheibani based on the original Tony Award-winning direction by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, and presented in association with Handspring Puppet Company. At the heart of the show are life-sized puppets which bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage.

In addition to Best Play, WAR HORSE received Tony Awards for Best Direction of a Play (Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris), Best Scenic Design of a Play (Rae Smith), Best Lighting Design of a Play (Paule Constable), and Best Sound Design of a Play (Christopher Shutt). A Special Tony Award was given to Handspring Puppet Company for their integral work on the production.

The tour will rehearse and preview at Boise State University's Morrison Center in Idaho before beginning performances at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, June 13 - July 22, 2012. Planned tour stops for the 2012-2013 season include San Francisco, Dallas, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, East Lansing, Tampa and several others to be announced at a later date.

WAR HORSE received its World Premiere in a limited engagement at the National's Olivier Theatre in 2007. The play returned to the National Theatre for a second run playing from in 2008-2009 before transferring to the West End's New London Theatre in Spring 2009 where it continues to play an open-ended run. WAR HORSE has been seen by almost 2 million people worldwide.

The lead producers of the National Tour of WAR HORSE are Bob Boyett and the National Theatre of Great Britain.

Lincoln Center Theater and the National Theatre of Great Britain in association with Bob Boyett, are the producers of the American premiere of WAR HORSE, which opened April 14 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater where it is currently playing an open-ended run. Future productions of WAR HORSE are planned for Australia and South Africa, as well as a UK Tour.

Tickets are available now for groups of 15 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710.  WAR HORSE is part of the 2012 Fall Season. Tickets begin at $30. Single tickets will go on sale at a later date.