What's New At The Festival

Vacation's over! Festival season is officially underway and our staff and volunteers are hard at work preparing for this year's Broadway In The Park. One of the benefits of our off-season break is that we have time to research new ideas to make the upcoming season even more incredible. Here are just a few things in store for 2012:

Mobile Credit Card Processing -- This year we're introducing mobile credit card processing at the park. Our staff will be equipped with specially-outfitted smartphones, allowing you to use your credit card to buy tickets, concessions and merchandise... right on the field! Just swipe your card, use your finger to sign the screen, and enjoy all that BITP has to offer hassle-free.

Food That Fits -- We heard your suggestions! That's why this summer we're stepping up our food offerings to give you some truly good eats this year. We've been working with some great local vendors to bring you tastier and healthier box dinners for both kids and adults. We are also proud to be offering gourmet hot drinks served right on the field. Featuring Starbucks coffee and Ghirardelli hot chocolate (with marshmallows of course), you can snag a toasty beverage and beat the chill while you enjoy the show.

Festival Atmosphere -- In addition to our red ticket booths and popcorn lights inside the park, we're designing a festive promenade to greet you as you walk in the gate. Stroll past themed booths where you can grab a snack, rent a blanket, and learn more about our festival community. And don't stress if there's a line to get in... our costumed musical performers will serenade you and your loved ones while you wait!

The Dates -- We've bumped the dates this year! That's right guys and gals, Broadway In The Park is now taking place the second week of August (9, 10, 11 & 12). We look forward to presenting our event during a time of the summer that is historically warmer, giving you every opportunity to be cozy and relaxed as you enjoy music and munchies under the stars.

What would you like to see at BITP this year? Check out our new BITP Comment Box and give us your feedback!

Fun Details You Might Not Know About Joseph!

BACKGROUND OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

MUSICAL

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lyrics by Tim Rice.

STAGE PRODUCTIONS
Originally produced in 1968 as a 20-minute oratorio performed by children at a private school in London, an expanded version of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT followed as a record album and was subsequently performed as a full-scale production in London in 1973. JOSEPH was first performed in the United States in 1976 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. It was revived off-Broadway in 1981 in a production starring Bill Hutton and later, David Cassidy and ran for 824 performances. Recent productions have starred Donny Osmond in Toronto and Michael Damian on Broadway. A production for television was filmed in 1999 starring Donny Osmond and Maria Friedman.

(Taken from the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization web site.)
http://www.rnh.com/show_detail.asp?id=JO

AWARDS
1982 Tony Awards *
 7 Nominations including Best Musical, Book and Score

1992 Laurence Olivier Awards (London) *
2 Awards for Best Set Design and Best Costume Design

A word from the Producer

I am so excited to present our third season of Broadway In The Park. What an amazing journey it's been!

Our first year was all about seeing if this over-the-top vision would work. Summer of 2010, running entirely on a wing and a prayer (and an unreasonable amount of coffee), our team managed to put together our very first show in the park. It was a success! We were blown away by the community's response and set out to see if we could do it again.

We did. And the results last year were so much greater than we could have expected. "The Music Man" was presented to over 2,000 people, who came from all over Southern California to enjoy our special brand of theatre under the stars. It was a real treat to see everyone from couples sharing a romantic night out to parents and their young children watching a show together (some for the very first time). Seeing the kids sing and dance their way out of the gates at evening's end, filled with the wonder of live theatre, was a reminder of why we do what we do.

Last season also saw the successful launch of our Charity Partners program, where we assigned each night to a local children's charity and raised money and awareness for their cause. I was giddy on the day that I got to deliver the checks, totaling 10% of our ticket revenue, to four very worthy organizations that are furthering music and education in our local community.

So here we are, year three. And I'm grateful for the possibilities that lie ahead. The last two years have shown that family-friendly summer theatre has a place in the South Bay. This year is all about doing it with excellence. From healthy and tasty box dinners, to higher production values, to warm cocoa on the field at intermission, we want to create an experience for you and your loved ones that will be remembered for a lifetime.

Thank you for taking the journey with us. In the midst of these trying times for arts organizations across the country, we count ourselves blessed to be here with you. I know you'll have a blast at Broadway In The Park this season. After all, good things come in threes!