Notables Booked for Musicals Season

“The Sound of Music,” starring Richard Chamberlain, and “The Civil War,” a new musical previewing now on Broadway, top the list of offerings for the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s 1999-2000 Broadway season, center officials announced Monday.

Rounding out the season, which begins Aug. 17, will be new road shows of “Footloose,” and “Fame--The Musical,” as well as a national tour of “Titanic,” all based on popular movies. A restaging of “Cabaret,” which is playing in Los Angeles, and “Beauty and the Beast,” previously staged in Los Angeles, round out the seven-production series.

No other casting was announced.

Center president Jerry E. Mandel said they stage seven musicals instead of the usual six when an abundance of superior shows is available.

“There are a lot of good shows out there, and we think this season is going to be one of our best in a long time,” Mandel said. “Our idea with the Broadway series is to appeal to all [kinds of] audiences, and we think we have the opportunity to give people so much variety this time.”

Prices for both season subscriptions and single tickets will rise 5% to 14% for the upcoming season, in line with rising costs on Broadway, Mandel said.

Chamberlain will star as Capt. Georg Von Trapp in a touring production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music,” which was recently revived on Broadway for the first time since it premiered with Mary Martin in 1959.

“The Civil War,” which will open on Broadway on April 22, has a score by Frank Wildhorn, whose musicals include the Broadway and touring hit “Jekyll & Hyde,” which played the center in 1994.

Wildhorn, Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy adapted speeches, diaries, newspaper accounts and correspondence of soldiers, slaves, presidents, generals, wives and mothers. (The musical has no connection to Ken Burns’ award-winning television epic.)

“Cabaret,” currently playing to audiences seated cabaret-style at the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills, will be adapted here for a proscenium stage, a center spokesman said. The hit Broadway version of the show, which opened last year, won four Tony Awards, including best revival.

Mandel expects “Beauty and the Beast,” “Fame--The Musical” and “Footloose,” which opens the season Aug. 17-22, will appeal particularly to families.

“Titanic” won five Tony Awards when it opened in 1997, including best musical and best score.

Season subscriptions will range from $149 to $399. New subscriptions go on sale June 20. Prices for single tickets will range from $18 to $62.50. They will go on sale about six weeks before each show’s opening.

The 1999-2000 Broadway Series as announced Monday:

* Aug. 17-22: “Footloose.”

* Dec. 21-26: “Fame--The Musical.”

* March 21-April 2: “The Sound of Music.”

* June 6-11, 2000: “The Civil War.”

* July 11-23: “Beauty and the Beast.”

* Aug. 8-13: “Cabaret.”

* Aug. 22-27: “Titanic.”

For more information, call the center at (714) 556-2787.