AMERICAN DEBUT OF ARENA SPECTACULAR

 DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING

COMING TO DALLAS

EPIC-SIZED SHOW FEATURES ALL-STAR BROADWAY CAST PERFORMING WITH THE DALLAS POPS ORCHESTRA, 100+ PERSON CHORUS AND MORE

DALLAS, TX – The Dallas Pops and American Airlines Center have announced an epic-size concert event coming to the American Airlines Center March 23, 2012.  The show Do You Hear the People Sing, featuring the music of Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, and more, will be a Broadway-style concert on a scale seldom seen.  The show was created by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, composer and lyricist for Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Pirate Queen, and more.

This arena spectacular show will feature a two level stage with larger-than-life video screens and state-of-the-art sound system.  The show follows the record-setting run of Les Misérables at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Do You Hear the People Sing is a musical celebration of the legendary creative team Boublil and Schönberg.  The concert features songs from Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, The Pirate Queen, Martin Guerre and La Revolution Francise on a grand scale.  An endeavor of this size can only come from a collaboration of the major arts and entertainment organizations in Dallas including Dallas Pops Orchestra, American Airlines Center, and the Turtle Creek Chorale.

The headlining cast includes Lea Salonga, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Terrence Mann and Stephanie J. Block, Peter Lockyer and Marie Zamora, with more stars to be announced.

Lea Salonga, the lead in the 20O2 London production of Les Misérables, Lea Salonga is a Filipina singer/actress best known for originating the role of Kim in the West End production of Miss Saigon and bringing it to Broadway, winning the Tony, the Olivier, and many other awards. She was the first Asian to play Eponine in Les Misérables on Broadway, returned to the show in 2007 as Fantine, and reprised the role for the sold-out 25th anniversary concert at London’s O2 Arena.

Actor and singer Brian Stokes Mitchell has performed in many television and Broadway productions, including Les Miserables, Man of La Mancha and Kiss Me Kate, for which he received a Tony award. Stokes performs around the world with orchestras and theatrical productions year around.  He also has many television and movie credits including a seven year role on the medical drama Trapper John, MD. and a recent appearance on Glee. Although Stokes has been featured in many cast recordings, he released his self-titled debut solo album on RCA in 2006.

Terrance Mann has been seen in such Broadway shows as “Barnum,” “Cats,” “Rags,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” and “Les Miserables.”  For the past 10 years he has switched his focus to directing and TV movies, and is currently working on a rock music version of Shakespeare’s classic “Romeo and Juliet.”  He also directs Paul Green’s outdoor drama “The Lost Colony.”

Stephanie J. Block is one of Broadway’s most versatile leading ladies.  She recently received a Drama Desk nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for 9 to 5: The Musical.  She starred as Elphaba in the Broadway Company of Wicked and recording her debut solo album, This Place I Know. Other Broadway credits include Grace O’Malley in The Pirate Queen and Liza Minnelli in The Boy From Oz (opposite Hugh Jackman). She also starred in the First National Touring Company of Wicked as Elphaba for which she won the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actress and the Carbonell Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

Peter Lockyer’s Broadway credits include: The Phantom of the Opera, Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème (Rodolfo), Les Misérables (Marius, 10th anniversary co.), Miss Saigon (Chris), Cyrano the Musical. His tours include: Phantom, Miss Saigon (Chris, 1st national), Les Misérables (Marius, China premiere), special guest star for Barbra Streisand’s 2007 European concert tour. Other theatre credits include The Glass Menagerie (Tom Wingfield, Ivoryton Playhouse, CT Critics Circle Award nomination) and television, CBS telefilm “Gypsy” (Yonkers).

Marie Zamora’s principal roles have included Cosette in Les Miserables, Kate in Kiss Me Kate and Sina Marnis in Pirandello’s Les Nouvelles De Sicile. She has appeared in concerts such as Hey Mr. Producer at the Lyceum Theater-London with an all-star cast including Julie Andrews, Hugh Jackman, Judi Dench and Bernadette Peters.  Her films have been Une Voice D'escalier directed by Dominique Tabuteau, Cassandra's Dream directed by Woody Allen and Pizza Verdi, directed by Gary Nadeau. Marie is co-author of the book Marguerite (2010 version) in collaboration with Michel LeGrand and Alain Boublil and of a new play with music, Manhattan Parisienne.

 “I am ecstatic about having Do You Hear the People Sing come to Dallas in this larger than life show,” said Alain Boublil, lyricist of Les Misérables.  “We are excited about bringing this great music to the people of Dallas in such an epic fashion.”

“The Dallas Pops Orchestra is thrilled to be partnering with the American Airlines Center to create a show the likes of which Dallas has never seen.  Our goal is to bring this type of music to the masses.  The cast that has been assembled is world-renowned and the music of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon is legendary.  This show will allow North Texans of all ages, demographics, and income levels to be part of something special.” said Stephen Cook, President of the Dallas Pops Orchestra.

 “To be able to bring a show of this magnitude and quality to North Texas is what American Airlines Center is all about. We’ve made a conscious effort to keep ticket prices low in order to make this epic event accessible for everyone,” states Dave Brown, Vice President and General Manager of American Airlines Center.  “Our state-of-the-art sound system and advanced production capabilities will properly showcase an event of this proportion.”

Tickets are on sale now at the American Airlines Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 800-745-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com.  Ticket prices range from $35-$85 with a select number of VIP seats also available.