As part of its 50th anniversary season, the Alhambra Theater
and Dining, the nation’s longest-running professional dinner theater, will open
its run of “Show Boat” (presented by Fleet Landing), beginning Wednesday, February 22, 2017 for
5 weeks.
The premiere of “Show Boat” on Broadway in 1927 was
an eye-opening moment in the history of American musicals. Compared to the trivial and unrealistic operettas, light musical comedies
and “follies-type musical revues”
that defined Broadway in the 1890s and early 20th century, “Show Boat” was,
according to the Complete Book of Light Opera, “a radical departure in musical
storytelling, marrying spectacle with seriousness.”
The quality of the musical was recognized immediately by the
critics of its day, and Show Boat is frequently revived. Awards for Broadway shows did not exist in
1927 when the original production of the show premiered, nor in 1932, when its
first revival was staged. However Late 20th-century revivals of Show Boat have
won both the1995 Tony
Award for Best Revival of a Musical and London’s equivalent in 1991, the Laurence
Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.
A little about “Show Boat”. It’s based on Edna Ferber's best-selling
novel of the same
name. The musical follows the lives
of the performers, stagehands and dock workers who were on the Cotton Blossom (a
Mississippi River
show boat) from 1887 to
1927. When Julie LaVerne and her husband
Steve Baker are forced to leave the showboat Cotton Blossom (their marriage is
illegal because of Julie's mixed blood), their places are taken by Magnolia
Hawks, the Captain's daughter, and Gaylord Ravenal, a gambler. Magnolia and Ravenal fall in love, marry,
leave the boat and move to Chicago, where they live off Ravenal's earnings from
gambling. After they go broke Gay feels
guilty and leaves Magnolia, not knowing she is pregnant. — IMDb. The musical contributed such classic songs as:
"Ol' Man River," "Make
Believe" and "Can't Help
Lovin' Dat Man.”
Starring in the show as Captain Andy will be Bill
Galarno. Galarno appeared in the
Alhambra’s 1968 production of “The Fantastics.”
Galarno is excited to be back at the Alhambra for “Show Boat.” Bill has also appeared on Broadway in "Abe
Lincoln in Illinois" with Sam Waterston, "The Sound of Music" as Herr Zeller with
Constance Towers, and "Candide" with Alan Arkin. National tours include "110 in
the Shade" with Will Geer, "Move over Mrs. Markham" as Alistair and "The Sound of
Music."
Said Managing Partner, Craig Smith, “Show Boat is a classic
and certainly an important show as we journey through our 50th anniversary
season. We are certainly lucky to have
Bill with us as Captain Andy. Having him
back certainly represents our theme of “50 Years of Memories.”
“Show Boat”
DATES: February 22 — April 2, 2017
SHOW TIMES: Evening shows Tuesday through Sunday start at 7:50 p.m. Doors open at 5:50 p.m., and dinner begins at
6 p.m. Saturday Matinees begin at 1:15
p.m. Doors open at 10:50 a.m. and the
brunch begins at 11 a.m. Sunday Matinees
are at 1:50 p.m. Doors open at 11:50
a.m. and the meal is server starting 12 p.m.
DRESS: “Gala Night” (Friday Feb. 24, 2017) attire is “Dressy/Formal/Black Tie”. All other shows could be “Business Casual” or
“Sunday Best”. To see the menu, Click
HERE.
TICKETS: Prices range from $35 – $62. Ticket prices include: a plated dinner served
to your table, an incredible show and prime parking. Group sales of 20 + are available upon
request.
**Price does NOT include gratuity or orders from the bar**
LOCATION: Alhambra Theater
& Dining
12000 Beach Blvd.
Jacksonville, Florida 32246
(904) 641-1212
“Show Boat”
