‘42nd Street’ moves to Mashantucket

MASHANTUCKET » Foxwoods Resort Casino, always on the lookout for a new franchise to exploit in this new era of competition for gaming and entertainment dollars, will trot out three touring musicals in its new Broadway Series, figuring it can bring a different experience to a Broadway musical fan than elsewhere in the state.

After all, it already has plenty of flashing lights and people chasing dreams.

The entertainment behemoth will present three touring musicals starting this coming week with “42nd Street” and running through July 17 with “Pippin” and “Mamma Mia” for four days and several performances each. (A recent concertized version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” at Foxwoods doesn’t count because it was more concert than Broadway-style theater.)

Monique Sebastian, vice president of entertainment and entertainment marketing at Foxwoods, said the Broadway Series is a first for the resort, which has been celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

“When we looked at what we have been doing, what we haven’t been doing, what we’d like to do ... we wanted to embark on several different projects,” said Sebastian. “And the Broadway Series was one of them. We have a fullservice facility, and by that I don’t only mean our theaters, I mean dining, recreational, bars. So you really can get a full and different experience with our Broadway series based on our resort.”

Sebastian said theater-goers can book a room for an overnight, go to a spa during the day and go to the (attached) Tanger shopping

outlet, not to mention dining in a fine restaurant like Cedars or Vue 24 before or after the show.

That will cost a chunk of money, of course, but the show tickets ($20 to $65) are less than other venues in the state since they’re basically subsidized by gambling revenues.

“42nd Street,” the classic backstage musical comedy, will arrive at the roomy Fox Theater for eight performances Saturday through May 18. It’s the story of Peggy Sawyer (played by Clara Cox), starry-eyed dancer who arrives in New York from Allentown, Pennsylvania, and finds herself in position to win a big role and become a star. The show began on Broadway in 1980 and had a revival in 2001; the Foxwoods engagement will be the finale to a tour that began in late December.

The state’s traditional venues for top-quality touring shows — the Bushnell, the Shubert, the Palace in Waterbury and others — have doubtless noticed the incursion of Foxwoods into the market for these touring theater productions. Right now, it’s just an experiment that isn’t hurting the local theaters, but a big positive reaction from theater-goers (especially those in central Connecticut) would be a concern for the state theaters.

Sebastian said the tours book 18-plus months in advance and show operators work to make sure there are no conflicts with the likes of the Shubert or Garde Arts Center in New London.

Sebastian said you expect strong competition in New York or Las Vegas, “but you wouldn’t think that the suburbs of Connecticut would have such competition but we really do. If you take out the gaming component, it’s more than you would realize; there’s the Bushnell, there’s the Webster in Bridgeport, there’s XL (Center), TD Garden (Boston), you have Providence, PPAC (Providence Performing Arts Center), Dunkin Donuts Center (also Providence). And in the summertime, the sheds open up, too.”

“... So it is really a juggling act to know what will fit that will fall during a certain time frame. ... You really have to know your clientele.”

Tickets to “42nd Street,” with familiar tunes such as “We’re in the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway” and the title song, are available at foxwoods.com/broadway.

CONTRIBUTED One of many iconic moments in “42nd Street.”