Van Wezel Announces 2012-2013 Season, Featuring LES MIZ, CHICAGO, et. al

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall announces its Legendary 2012-2013 Season, including some of the biggest and stars in entertainment. Sarasota premieres feature Sheryl Crow, John Legend, Queen Latifah, Celtic Woman and John Lithgow while returning favorites include Diana Krall, Glen Campbell, The Beach Boys, Paul Anka, Johnny Mathis, Dave Koz and Natalie Cole.

The Broadway Season is highlighted by the weeklong engagement of The New 25th Anniversary Production of LES MISERABLES, and features premieres of CATCH ME IF YOU CAN and The Addams Family.

The Great American Orchestra Series includes The Philadelphia Orchestra and The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. The Bravo Dance series offers edgy, new performances from Motionhouse and MOMIX , as well as performances from Parsons Dance and Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance.

The Broadway Series

The 12-13 Broadway Series opens with the Sarasota premiere of Catch Me If You Can (Dec. 6 & 7). Based on the hit DreamWorks film that starred Leonardo DiCaprio and the incredible true story that inspired it, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is the high-flying, splashy new Broadway musical that tells the story of Frank W. Abagnale, Jr., a teenager who runs away from home in search of the glamorous life. With nothing more than his boyish charm, a big imagination and millions of dollars in forgEd Checks, Frank successfully poses as a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer. Don’t miss this big-hearted musical adventure based on an astonishing real-life story of being young, in love…and in deep, deep trouble!

WEST SIDE STORY's  (Dec. 10 & 11) 50th Anniversary Tour brings back the show that changed the face of musical theatre forever, to mesmerize audiences once again. From the first note to the final breath, WEST SIDE STORY soars as the greatest love story of all time and remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The Bernstein and Sondheim score features such classics as "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere."

TRACES (Feb. 6) is a thrilling modern brand of circus infused with the energy of street performance— incorporating everything from music, dance, and illustration, to skateboarding, basketball, and high-risk acrobatics. These incredible performers appear to be nothing more than a group of friends, just as easygoing as the guy next door, until they unleash ninety minutes of heart-stopping acrobatics and unbridled energy that leave audiences exhilarated. Traces is also a Dance Special.

Here to Stay- The Gershwin Experience (Feb. 10) is a multimedia concert event featuring Gershwin interpreter, Kevin Cole, Grammy Award-winning Soprano, Sylvia McNair, and tap dancing sensation, Ryan VanDenBoom, in performances of “Rhapsody in Blue,” “I Got Rhythm,” “Strike Up the Band,” “The Man I Love,” “‘S Wonderful,” and more.

Cathy Rigby is PETER PAN (Feb. 19 & 20). Catch the Tony Award nominee, Cathy Rigby, as she takes flight in an all new production of Peter Pan. Discover the magic of this two-time Emmy Award-winning production, all over again. The legend you thought you knew, is now the adventure you never dreamed possible!

For one week only, LES MISERABLES, the new 25th anniversary production (Mar. 5-10) of Boublil & Schönberg’s legendary musical, will grace the Van Wezel stage. With glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery, inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, it is being called, “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish,”(The New York Times), and “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful” (The London Times).