LYRIC STAGE PRESENTS
KISMET
in Concert
January 26-29, 2012
at Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Hall

Lyric Stage, Dallas County’s professional musical theater company, presents KISMET in concert, January 26-29, 2012 in the Irving Arts Center’s Carpenter Performance Hall, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. Lyric Stage’s fully staged concert performance will feature the entire 40 piece Lyric Stage Orchestra under the baton of Music Director Jay Dias. Tickets can be Ordered Online by Clicking Here or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787.

KISMET has a book by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis based on the play by Edward Knoblock, music by George Forrest and Robert Wright and Alexander Borodin with lyrics by George Forrest and Robert Wright. The lush score is adapted from the soaring melodies of Alexander Borodin. Quick ears will identify "Stranger in Paradise" as Borodin's "Polovtsian Dances" and hear strains of the D-Major String Quartet in "And This is My Beloved" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads."

Neither Aladdin nor Ali Baba ever had a day like this! In the span of twenty-four hours, The Poet assumes the disguise of Hajj the beggar and manages to escape the clutches of a vengeful bandit, catch the eye of the Wazir's voluptuous wife, serve as Emir of Baghdad, and see his daughter wed to the handsome Caliph.

Len Pfluger returns to Lyric Stage to direct and choreograph KISMET after helming this season’s triumphant production of GYPSY and last season’s MY FAIR LADY. The cast includes Christopher Carl (The Poet), Margaret Shafer (Lalume), Jonathan Bragg (Caliph), Cecily Ellis-Bills (Marsinah), Brian Mathis (Wazir), Kevin Acosta, Alex Altshuler, Miriam Baron, Stephen Bates, Kristin Blair, Mallory Michallann Brophy, John Campion, Brenden Cyrus, Vicki Dean, Peter Di Cesare, Tyler Donohue, Danielle Estes, Michelle Foard, Emily Ford, Doug Fowler, Lindsey Gallegos, Michael Gasparro, Sahara Glasener-Boles, Carlos Gomez, Tom Grugle, Martin Guerra, Amber Nicole Guest, Sarah Harder, Maranda Harrison, Jackie Kemp, Megan Elise McCorkle, Delynda Johnson Moravec, Mark Oristano, Preston Pickett, Diane Powell, Mandy Rausch, Daniel Saroni, Kristen Spires, Shane Strawbridge, Scott Sutton, Vernicia Vernon, Lisa Ward, Akron Watson, Natasha Wells and James Williams.

After trying out in Los Angeles and San Francisco, KISMET moved to Broadway's Ziegfeld Theatre on December 3, 1953. Opening in the midst of the 1953 newspaper strike, there was concern that people wouldn't hear the good reviews and business would plummet. In a stroke of inspiration, the producers decided to implement the relatively new medium of television to plug the show. (Purchased air time wasn't used extensively again until 20 years later, when the teaser spots for PIPPIN turned that show into a hit) Producing television spots with celebrities such as Helen Hayes endorsing the show, audiences now discovered and loved the show. KISMET enjoyed a 583 performance Broadway run.

The original cast starred Alfred Drake (also the original lead of OKLAHOMA! and KISS ME, KATE), soprano Doretta Morrow (Marsinah), diva Joan Diener (Lalume) and '60s leading man Richard Kiley (the original MAN OF LA MANCHA) as Caliph.

Howard Keel and Ann Blyth starred in the 1955 MGM film version. KISMET was revived for a limited run in 1965 at Lincoln Center, with Drake again in the lead. In 1985, it entered the repertoire of the New York City Opera. In 2006, the New York City Center Encores! series presented a staged concert.

Tickets can be Ordered Online by Clicking Here or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787. Performances are Thursday January 26, Friday January 27 and Saturday January 28 @ 8:00 PM and Sunday January 29 @ 2:30 PM in the Irving Arts Center’s Carpenter Performance Hall, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd.