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Durham, NC Oct.6 - Cct 11, 2009; Durham PAC
Topic Started: Jan 28 2009, 09:12 AM (444 Views)
mouser
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October 6 - Oct. 11, 2009

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Durham PAC
American Tobacco District
123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC 27701
(919) 680-2787


TICKETS:Call 919.680.2787 for tickets

Ticket prices range from $25 to $70.



JUNE 19, 2009 TICKETS GO ON SALE

By Cliff Bellamy, The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C.
Jun. 19--'Grease' tickets go on sale today

Tickets go on sale today at 10 a.m. for the production of the musical "Grease," which will come to the Durham Performing Arts Center Oct. 6-11.
Recording artist and "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks stars in the production as "Teen Angel." Hicks made his Broadway debut in the role of "Teen Angel" and has been on the road with the "Grease" tour since it began in December 2008.

The new production of the musical features songs from the 1978 motion picture for the first time ever in a Broadway production, including "Sandy," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Grease" and "You're the One That I Want." These songs will be heard in addition to the songs made famous by the original stage production, including "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightnin'" and "We Go Together."

Tickets are available at the DPAC box office, by phone at 680-2787, or online at DPACnc.com.


SEATING CAPACITY: 2800

SEATING CHARTS:

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THE VENUE:

Posted Imagecourtesy of prweb.com
The Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) mission is to be your favorite place for live entertainment. We're dedicated to world class hospitality and experiences that will create the memories of a lifetime. We'll be home to the biggest and best Broadway shows, superstar concerts, and fun performances for families and young audiences. Every community needs a great place to gather and we invite you to join us for the most exciting and diverse live events in the region.

With just 135 feet separating the front of the stage and the furthest seat in the house, state-of-the-art sound and lighting, and spacious seating comfort, The Durham Performing Arts Center creates an intimate atmosphere that will allow you to actually experience performances, not just attend them.

The decor is trendy and modern and definitely looks the way you'd expect a new multimillion-dollar venue to look. The seating was comfortable, the sightlines were good and the sound was great. Instead of the seats going farther back away from the stage, they are arranged in tiers - the orchestra on the bottom, the "grand tier" above that, and two balconies above that. For this show, the box office released half-price grand tier and balcony seats an hour before the show started, which was a really good deal.
Brad Cary, NC

DIRECTIONS:

From Chapel Hill via Highway 15 / 501:
1.Take Highway 15 / 501 North toward Downtown Durham / Duke University.
2.Take Exit 108-B onto Highway 147 South / Durham Freeway.
3.Take Exit 13 at Chapel Hill Street.
4.At top of exit ramp turn left onto Chapel Hill Street.
5.Stay on Chapel Hill Street for .3 miles past two stoplights.
6.Turn right at the third stoplight on Pettigrew Street.
7.The American Tobacco North Parking Deck is on your right in .2 miles. Pedestrian directional maps to DPAC can be found next to all elevators.

Directions
From Raleigh, Cary and points East:
1.Take I-40 West.
2.Take Exit 279-B onto 147 North toward Downtown Durham (Durham Freeway).
3.Go 7.4 miles.
4.Take Exit 12-B at Business 15 / 501 and Mangum / Roxboro Street.
5.Exit ramp merges onto Jackie Robinson Drive.
6.Continue on Jackie Robinson Drive past two stoplights (at Roxboro and Mangum Streets). Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) is on the right.
7.At third stoplight turn right on Blackwell Street, go .3 miles and turn left on Pettigrew Street. The American Tobacco North Parking Deck is on your left. Pedestrian directional maps to DPAC can be found next to all elevators.
8.Optional South Parking Deck (closer to restaurants): From Jackie Robinson Drive, drive past DBAP and cross Blackwell Street. The South Deck is on the right.

Directions
From Greensboro, Burlington and points West:
1.Take I-85 North to Durham.
2.Exit 172 onto Durham Freeway / Highway 147 South
3.Take Exit 13 at Chapel Hill Street.
4.At top of exit ramp turn left onto Chapel Hill Street.
5.Stay on Chapel Hill Street for .3 miles past two stoplights.
6.Turn right at the third stoplight on Pettigrew Street.
7.The American Tobacco North Parking Deck is on your right in .2 miles. Pedestrian directional maps to DPAC can be found next to all elevators.

Directions
From points North via I-85:
1.Take I-85 south to Durham.
2.Take Exit 177 at Business 15 / 501 / Roxboro Street / Downtown.
3.At bottom of exit ramp pass through first stoplight and follow Business 15 / 501 signs to Roxboro Street South / Downtown.
4.At second light turn left onto Roxboro Street / Business 15 / 501 South toward Downtown.
5.Go 1.6 miles following Business 15-501 signs on Roxboro Street as it merges onto Mangum Street.
6.Turn right on Pettigrew Street. The American Tobacco North Parking Deck is just past Blackwell Street on the left. Pedestrian directional maps to DPAC can be found next to all elevators.



RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS :

http://www.durham-nc.com/lodging/lodging.php Hotels

Restaurants: The Mellow Mushroom on Peace Street and Glenwood Avenue is also a good spot. It is one of the few chain restaurants that I will eat at! Each Mellow Mushroom is unique though, with its own theme. (Durham's is at the Tobacco Campus near the baseball stadium, so of course everything is themed baseball, for example

Fins at Two Progress Plaza is excellent. A little further away are Mo's Diner and Caffe Luna. Oh and the Duck and Dumpling. mfrank2109
Vics is a little very very casual italian place....in my opinion one of the greatest little known italian places in the triangle. Then Fins, well, it is high, high end, one of the finest of the finest dining places in town. Beautiful restaurant with incredible food. The service can be a little subpar sometimes, however.
VaNC



POINTS OF INTEREST :

1.
Duke Homestead and Tobacco Museum
2828 Duke Homestead Rd
Durham, NC 27705
Phone 919 477-5498

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Since first introduced to early settlers by native peoples, tobacco has been a vital part of the economic heritage of North Carolina. During colonial times, bundles of this "cash crop" were used as currency. Today, over two centuries later, tobacco is still the leading export crop of North Carolina.
When you visit the restored Duke Homestead, you will see an authentic "living museum of tobacco history" offering activities that demonstrate early farming techniques and manufacturing processes which made tobacco such an essential mainstay of the state's economy. Special programs are offered throughout the year, and interpreters are readily available to answer any of your questions




2. Butterfly House at the NC Museum of Life and Science
433 Murray Avenue (one mile north of I-85)
Durham, NC.

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The original name for butterfly was flutterby

The North Carolina Museum of Life & Science unveiled the new "Magic Wings" Butterfly House, with more than 1000 exotic butterflies from all over the world, in its grand opening on the weekend of April 17 & 18th, 1999.
Part of the secret of keeping the butterfly house perfect for the wide array of occupants, is the intermittant misting that goes on all over, in and around a spectacular sampling of rare and exotic tropical plants.


The butterflies are extremely adept at blending in to their surroundings. As you can see, it takes a good eye to spot some of these masqueraders as they rest on the leaves. Butterflies' lifespan is surprisingly short, about 2 weeks. I guess it's all about quality of life.

Butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera (Greek for “scaly wings”) and are found from the arctic tundra to the tropics, from the Alps to the coastal swamps. Numbering about 170,000 species, Lepidoptera are important in nature’s life cycle, feeding on the juice of overripe fruit or sweet nectar from flowering plants. They also take nutrients from mud, dung, dead animals and even sweat. Butterflies distribute pollen, helping to create the next generation of plants. They also serve as choice food for winged predators, songbirds, and spiders. But their beauty is fleeting — most live only two to four weeks as adults.




MEDIA:

1. The New Observer

From 'Idol' to AngelArticle
BY DAVID MENCONI - Staff writer

In the future, every "American Idol" finalist will spend at least 15 minutes on Broadway. Which means Taylor Hicks is ahead of the curve.

Alabama native Hicks won "American Idol" in 2006, beating out a finalist field loaded with North Carolinians, including McLeansville's Chris Daughtry, who has emerged as the top record-seller from that year's "Idol" crop. While Hicks has not sold as well as Daughtry, he's still putting out albums, including this year's "The Distance." And he has a healthy side-career going in musical theater, playing Teen Angel in the musical "Grease."
"Grease" opens Tuesday in Durham. We chatted with Taylor by phone from Houston.

Q: Have you ever acted before this part in "Grease"? No, not really. I think I was Santa Claus in a Christmas play once, and that's been about it. But by now, I've definitely got it. The whole acting thing is new to me, learning how to role-play. But the great thing about it is that I get to build up the character and make it better each night, which is fun to do.

Q: How familiar were you with the movie before this? Oh, I was a big fan. I think every American has seen "Grease" at least once in their lifetime, so I was familiar with it. But I didn't want to borrow too much from that for Teen Angel, which is such a signature role. I wanted to accomplish making it my own signature. ... My entrances are a little bit grander, maybe, and I added some R&B horn lines to the music.

Q: What do you have coming up after "Grease"? I'm definitely gonna make another record. And if the right role comes along in TV, film or Broadway again, I'll look into it. It has to be the right fit. I don't think it'd be "Harry Potter." Maybe a small role in a comedic film. Teen Angel is the perfect role for me; it really is. I couldn't ask for a better way to understudy and get that perspective. Plus I get to integrate my record within the encore. At the end, I perform the single off my record "The Distance." It's like a Broadway show and a mini-concert at the same time.

Q: What advice would you give 2009 "American Idol" winner Kris Allen? Try to work 24 hours a day, because it's an opportunity that doesn't come around but once in a lifetime. So enjoy it. ... Make sure you're singing songs you love, and make sure the parts you take are really you. And have fun.

Q: What would you be doing now if you hadn't won "American Idol"? Well, I don't think I'd be Teen Angel without it. I've always seen myself as a musician, an entertainer. So I would still be entertaining.

Q: What was it like to the subject of a "Weird Al" Yankovic parody? I was probably as much in shock about that as about Broadway calling. But it was cool. When you get parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic, you've arrived.

david.menconi@newsobserver.com, blogs.newsobserver.com/beat or 919-829-4759
http://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/arts/story/119999.html

2. The Times News


Taylor Hicks blends nicely into 'Grease' cast

October 08, 2009 3:00 AM
Reviewed by LINCOLN PENNINGTON/Times-News correspondent
DURHAM — “Grease” is the word spreading through Durham at the moment. The classic musical “Grease” is playing at Durham Performing Arts Center, 123 Vivian St., now through Sunday.

This stage version has been updated to include four songs written for the movie, including “You’re the One that I Want” and the title song. It also manages to stay true to the original show, which does not have a rival gang or the car race. The combination of the movie and classic show creates a very different and fresher telling of the story.

The big-name star in this show, though, is Taylor Hicks, who won season five of American Idol with the help of his following known as the “Soul Patrol.” In the show, Hicks plays Teen Angel, who sings the classic “Grease” song “Beauty School Dropout.”

Hicks’ personal flair shines through in this role, making it seem like an entirely different character than the one Frankie Avalon played in the movie. He even pulled out his harmonica during the song. Hicks also sang during the curtain call and he also promoted a song from his new album. So make sure you stay to hear those two treats at the end of the show. After the show, Hicks even headed lobby to sign autographs for fans.
It’s also a good idea to show up early for the pre-show. DJ Vince Fontaine, played by Dominic Fortuna, warms the audience up with great singing of classic ’50s music, which he (and the audience) dance to while he cracks a few jokes. The pre-show helps put everyone in the mood for the show.

In addition, the lead actors, Danny and Sandy, played by Eric Schneider and Emily Padgett, respectively, have great chemistry and awesome voices, making for an altogether flawless show. They truly “go together.” The elaborate dance numbers they pull off while singing is unbelievable, too. Unlike a lot of other shows, this cast never seems to break a sweat while performing dance routines that even make the audience feel breathless at times.

Whether you go thinking you just want to see Hicks or because you love “Grease,” by the end of the show you’ll be ready to jump into a time machine and head to the ’50s to join in the fun.
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. today, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $25 to $70 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets.

Lincoln Pennington is a sophomore at The Elon School and Teens & 20s writer.
http://www.thetimesnews.com/articles/nicely-28673-blends-taylor.html

3. The Raleigh Telegram

Taylor Hicks And Cast Of 'Grease' Combine To Make Fun Show

20.OCT.09
DURHAM - With American Idol winner Taylor Hicks cast as the Teen Angel in the 1950's-themed musical "Grease," the whole show is a fun and entertaining two hours that leaves you wanting more.

Of course, most people are familiar with the storyline behind "Grease", as it was made popular in the iconic movie by the same name with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

The "Grease" musical is now on tour across the nation and the production stopped in Durham earlier this month and sold out several shows at the new Durham Performing Arts Center in the downtown area. The brand new building is a beautiful addition that is next to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and other renovated areas of the city.

The enjoyable show started out with an effervescent disc jockey from the 1950's radio station WAXX on stage warming up the crowd with some audience interaction, humor, and good fun.

As the story progressed onstage, we felt that the youthful cast of "Grease" exhibited excellent singing talent and their voices were always rang true and were clearly understood even in a large concert hall like the DPAC. We were impressed with the levels of their performance, despite their young ages.

Of course, many in the audience had come to see Taylor Hicks, the popular American Idol winner who has also released a new CD, and during his stage performance as the Teen Angel, he did not disappoint. The scene where Hicks appears is one of the best moments in the musical.

Dressed in a glittering rhinestone suit as he descends from the heavens, Hicks steals the show as his Teen Angel character gives some advice to one of the high schoolers in the form of an elaborate musical number. It's evident that Hicks still has the superb talents that took him to the top of American Idol and his in-person performance on stage was amazing.

We felt that the production values throughout the show were very well done for a traveling musical. For example, the 1957 Thunderbird convertible prop on stage and the re-creation of the drive-in movie theater were audience favorites. Other stage designs that we were very impressed with included the burger joint and high school gym where the dance took place.

Our only small complaint from the musical was that the first part of the show started out a little slow, but after the intermission, it certainly revved up and moved more quickly.

Overall, the "Grease" musical is a great production with memorable songs backed by terrific singing, lots of enjoyable dance moves, high quality stage sets, and to top it all off, some great singing from American Idol favorite Taylor Hicks.

For those who are big fans of Taylor Hicks, they will be pleased to know that at the end of each show, he gives a solo performance that includes one of the songs from his new CD. During the show that we watched, Taylor performed a rousing rendition of one of his songs, complete with a guitar and harmonica solo that were impressive. Fans will also be glad to know that the fan-friendly and outgoing Hicks appears after each show, signing copies of his CD in the lobby as well.

If the fabulous "Grease" musical comes to your town, then we highly recommend it as a fun and entertaining night out at the theater to visit with "old friends" from the familiar "Grease" storyline presented by a new and talented young cast, including many folks' favorite American Idol, Taylor Hicks.

PHOTOS BY THE RALEIGH TELEGRAM
http://www.raleigh3.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=2794&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2724&hn=raleigh3&he=.com

4. Hanging Out With Taylor Hicks Of American Idol

http://www.raleigh3.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=2793&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2724&hn=raleigh3&he=.com

By R. Gregg, Raleigh Telegram 20.OCT.09
DURHAM - The Raleigh Telegram got to talk with the friendly and down to earth American Idol winner Taylor Hicks during his recent visit to the Triangle as part of the "Grease" musical tour.

After one of his excellent "Grease" shows earlier this month at the Durham Performing Arts Center, we caught up with Taylor Hicks at Tyler's Taproom, a restaurant across the street from the arts center in Durham.

Ever the friendly person, we have to say that Taylor Hicks is one of those celebrities who enjoys talking with his fans and he was very approachable and kind enough to pose for pictures with his fans at the restaurant.

He also took time out to talk to a group of folks who had attended the "Grease" performance that night who were sitting nearby. He asked them how they enjoyed the show and talked with them for several minutes. His fans were obviously delighted to chat with him and it became apparent that Hicks was equally delighted to talk to his fans.

Talking with Hicks personally, he said that he is enjoying touring the country with the rest of the cast of "Grease." Hicks plays the role of the "Teen Angel" in the show (see separate Raleigh Telegram article) and also performs a solo musical set at the end of each show, much to the delight of those wanting to see more of the silver-haired singer.

When we mentioned to Taylor that fellow American Idol alumnus and rock and roll singer Daughtry recently bought a house in Oak Ridge, North Carolina, Taylor said that he hasn't even bought a house himself due to his touring dates that have taken him all over the country.

However, Taylor seemed to indicate that he enjoys being part of the cast of "Grease" and is enjoying the fun aspects of touring with a musical before eventually settling down.

The next night, we were able to see Taylor's popularity firsthand as he wowed audiences with his performance, especially in the great set at the end. (See separate article for our rave review). His fans also waited for him after the show to buy copies of his new CD and also to get autographs from their favorite American Idol.

It's easy to see why Hicks won the American Idol competition with his friendly, easy-going attitude and popularity with the fans that's backed up by his great musical talent. After meeting him in person, we can say that Taylor is truly as nice as he seems on television and is a true Southern gentleman as well as a talented musical artist.




SOUL PATROL MEMORIES:


1. avergrl

Oct. 7th performance of Grease at the Durham Performing Arts Center. The DPAC is a relatively new venue in Durham and is quite beautiful and all the staff was very friendly, so the adventure began on a good note. ....The DPAC was not sold out but there was a very sizable crowd there for the performance. I thought Dominic was fantastic. It was hard to wait for the second part of the show knowing Taylor would be on stage. I can only add to what others have been saying for months that he truly is the star of the show. His level of performance is outstanding. He sang in full voice and seem to be having a really good time with the part last night. The crowd loved Taylor and responded with lots of whoops and applause. Many of them seemed to know that Tay would be performing his song at the end, so there were not many who left during his song.


Posted ImageAfter the show

2. catwalkermi

I'm totally loving Grease!!! We're at intermission... Then Taylor Hicks is on!!!


3. Karlie Justus

I have to admit that Hicks, who reprises his Broadway role as a Teen Angel with personal space issues, puts his Silver Fox look to good use and injects a soulful twist and a random harmonica solo into the classic “Beauty School Dropout.”

Posted Imagecourtesy of chrisgilbert

4. tober55

A couple of neat things: the attendant in the parking garage told Lynnelle to tell Taylor Happy Birthday.....she told him to look in the back seat where our beautifully wrapped birthday gift sat. It was nice that the staff there knew that it was Taylor's birthday. We got to speak with Clay and the other merchandise man at intermission, and they were very nice and helpful. It's just another tribute to the kind of man Taylor is that he surrounds himself with genuiely nice people. At the restaurant where we ate, the waiter was asking us where we were from and what brought us to Durham. When we told him it was Taylor, he said he loved Taylor, that he had watched him on AI and he was the only one he liked. He was so happy when Lynnelle gifted him with "The Distance".

Posted Imagecourtesy of Mandy


5. chrisgilbert21

I love Taylor Hicks. I saw him in Grease last night. He was awesome. I got his autograph.



Tyler's Taproom at the American Tobacco complex after the DeckParty were able to meet singing star Taylor Hicks who was in Durham as part of the "Grease" tour.Posted Imagecourtesy of the Raleigh Telegram

6. KarlieJustus

I have to admit that Hicks, who reprises his Broadway role as a Teen Angel with personal space issues, puts his Silver Fox look to good use and injects a soulful twist and a random harmonica solo into the classic “Beauty School Dropout.”


MEDIA BLITZ:


1. color=#9300C4]WRAL FOX 50 10/8/09[/color]

http://www.wral.com/entertainment/video/6163198 Download and pics available on Media



Posted ImageA JOB WELL DONE , TAYLOR

Posted ImageTHE HANDS OF THE MASTER


2. Taylor will participate in a Make-A-Wishathon on Oct. 9 on the DAVE KENT SHOW


http://www.939kissfm.com/pages/DaveKent.html

93.9 KISS FM Hosts 2nd Annual Wish-A-Thon Radiothon to Benefit Local Chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation (Raleigh). The Radiothon Show is between 6 AM EST and 6 PM EST.

The Dave Kent Show is in the morning, Taylor will be appearing at the Radiothon in the 8:00 AM hour.


DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE IN MEDIA VAULT


3. LIVE INTERVIEW AT 8:30 AM EST WEDNESDAY Ready for download on Media : Pictures also

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4. Z104 Interview 10/7/09 Ready for Download



5. INTERVIEW AT 9:00 AM EST WEDNESDAY

http://radiotime.com/station/s_22594/KISS_FM_939.aspx


FOX PIECE , MOST LIKELY TOMORROW.





6. MYNC (nbc 17 ) 10/7/09

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http://news.mync.com/site/news/video/8522/Taylor_Hicks_Stops_By_NBC17/



7. Taylor Hicks Talks About Grease, New Album
Posted by Erica BustamanteOctober 7, 2009
American Idol Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks is set to take the stage as Teen Angel in Broadway’s GREASE as the musical makes its way to Durham.


Taylor Hicks beat out North Carolina’s own Kellie Pickler and Chris Daughtry to win the singing competition.

Taylor stopped by NBC17 to talk about his role and about his new album “The Distance” which was released in March. Scroll down to see the full interview.

“I get to play a little harmonica and add a little R&B style to it, which is fun,” Hicks said about performing the song “Beauty School Dropout”.

GREASE was nominated for 2008 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and was Time Magazine’s 2007 pick for #1 musical of the year.

The stage at Durham’s Performing Arts Center will be filled with poodle skirts, Pink Ladies, and T-birds and of course all of your favorite tunes.

The show will open October 6 and run until October 11. Ticket prices range from $25 to $70.


http://entertainment.myncblogs.com/2009/10/07/grease-featuring-taylor-hicks-coming-to-dpac/





104 News
8.

http://news14.com/charlotte-news-104-content/top_stories/615770/in-depth---grease--and-taylor-hicks

Download on Media







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