Joe Bonamassa will be at the Lexington Opera House on April 30 (8:00pm Sharp!) and we have an awesome prize package you could win! We always do our best to bring you exciting and fun giveaways with great prizes and we can truly say this is the best prize package we have ever offered. The winner will receive all the following:

2 Tickets to the Joe Bonamassa Concert
Access to the Meet & Greet Before the Show
Brand New Guitar Signed by Joe Bonamassa

• Click here and “Like” the Lexington Opera House on Facebook (if you haven’t already).
• Then suggest all your friends like the page as well (located underneath the profile picture on the facebook page).
• After doing the above, comment on THIS post (on the Rupp Arena Blog) with what artists you would like to see come to the Lexington Opera House in the future. Be sure to use the email/account you would like for us to use to contact you, should you be chosen as the winner. NOTE: COMMENTING ON FACEBOOK WILL NOT ENTER YOU INTO THE GIVEAWAY. YOU NEED TO LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST.

For those who haven’t heard of Joe Bonamassa before, enjoy this video below of his performance of “Stop” at the Royal Albert Hall. For those who have heard of him, check it out anyways. You won’t be disappointed…

Avenue Q is coming to the Lexington Opera House this weekend as part of the Broadway Live series. We’re doing something fun for this show; choosing a select number of fans who will get a pair of tickets to opening night (Friday at 8:00pm). We’re calling these “Social Seats,” as the winners will be asked to tweet and/or post Facebook updates from their phones throughout the show. It’s a fun way for people to share their experience and to let everyone know how hilarious it is (and it WILL be hilarious). If you’re interested in going to the show and sitting in our Social Seats, read below for the details on how to enter.

• If you skipped over the details, go back and read them before entering (Yeah, I saw your eyes drift down the page).
• Leave a comment on this post using the email address you would like for us to use to contact you.
• In your comment, include your twitter handle and/or a link to your facebook profile.

We will choose and contact the lucky fans this Wednesday (April 7) at 4:00pm. Keep an eye on your inboxes…

Photo Credit: Scott Suchman

The “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” was one of those productions that I will never forget. I arrived to the show without knowing anything about it. So when I heard the characters talking about everything from dreams coming true to embarrassing puberty moments- I knew that I was in for a treat! The 90-minute production had a simple stage setup, but the character’s big personalities were what really made the show!

One of my favorite parts about the show was how each character symbolized kids that we were or knew in school. The show weaved in all the exciting, hilarious, and awkward moments that I think that most people have while growing up!

Photo Credit: Scott Suchman

I had heard from a few people that the show is different every time. This is mostly due to the show recruiting 4 volunteers from the crowd to participate. One of the volunteers from this particular show was news anchor Kristi Runyon. Who actually did quite well in the Spelling Bee! It was hilarious to watch all the volunteers and actors interact with each other on stage, and truly made the show unique!

Bottom line, the show was great and the characters were hilarious! I can’t wait to see it again sometime!

Guest Blogged by: Jessica DiCentes
Photographer: Scott Suchman

The Lexington Opera House was host to an amazing concert last night. Bryan Adams, who you may know from his six platinum albums and 60 hit singles, was in Lexington for his 2009 U.S. acoustic tour. Joined by an excellent pianist (Gary Briet) for some, Brian played all his hit songs, some older selections off his first album, and others that no one expected to hear. This was the first rock concert since the Lexington Opera House renovations and it definitely broke it in. The orchestra levels and balconies were blanketed with eager fans that filled every seat in this sold out show.

The setting of the Lexington Opera House offered a unique experience for fans that have seen his big arena shows in the past. It was a comfortable concert that felt very intimate and relaxed. Between many of his songs (and during others), he would comment to the audience and tell various stories about the songs he was singing and the albums he wrote. In the middle of one of his songs he commented, “This would make a great country song,” and then started singing one of the verses with a country twang you would expect to hear from most country artists. For the song “It’s Only Love” he did a great Tina Turner impression (who recorded the song with him). Between his interactions with the audience, his requested Freebird cover (yes, he played a verse of Freebird when someone requested it) and the emotion he put into each song, Bryan was all smiles and seemed to be having just as much fun as the audience.

The set and venue could not have been better. The Opera House is designed with ideal seating that makes even the furthest seat seem close. The stage had a simple arrangement of lights that helped set the tone while still keeping it simple and casual. They would fade and change colors a couple times during each song and lit the back wall of the stage which provided a nice natural backdrop. As for instruments and amps, they were nowhere to be seen. The new house speakers were used which are on the sides, and the only instruments on stage were Bryan’s acoustic guitar, his harmonica (which he played for some songs), and a beautiful grand piano which Gary played. It was clean, homey and put the emphasis on the music and performers instead of the elaborate things going on behind them.

It truly was a great concert and perfect for the Lexington Opera House. He ended the night with a generous 5 song encore which was topped off with the song he recorded with Sting and Rod Stewart for the Three Musketeers soundtrack, “All For Love.” It had been 26 years since Bryan was here last, which was when he came to Rupp Arena and opened for Journey. We can all hope that he sticks to his word when he said, “I promise that it won’t be another 26 years before I come back!”

Amazing vocal talents meet clever wit and dark themes when the cast of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street hit the stage. The Broadway Live production had it’s opening night at the Lexington Opera House last night. Skeptics’ eyes were opened as the overwhelmingly talented cast simultaneously sang and played their instruments to comprise the score of the musical.

Broadway enthusiasts may have seen or heard the story of Sweeney Todd before, but most people only know the tale of the barber from seeing the trailer of the movie, or the movie itself, when it was in theaters a short time ago. Having seen the movie myself, I have to admit that some things were lost in the film. Of course the story and score are the same, but you lose the intimate environment of the stage. Sure the actors are recognizable, but they aren’t playing the score themselves.

There is something to be said when an actor/actress doesn’t have the elements of movie sets to ease the transition of movie sets. In addition to singing, acting and playing an instrument (or two), the actors were also the grips. They could gracefully move a a set of chairs, a ladder and coffin to assemble the various scenes for the whole production. The simple environment did a great job of placing the emphasis on the players and the story rather than the setting in which it took place. It also provided a clever stagered look of the actors and actresses as they stood at various levels on the different sized set peices.

Underneath the actors, stage and instruments is the rich and dark story which is sure to bring out your emotions. From scene to scene you will find yourself laughing, sympathising and recoiling in fear. From start to finish, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is full of emotion and action. You follow the story of a barber who was was wronged and sent away to prison, leaving his wife and child behind with the corrupt judge who is to blame. Upon his escape from prison, he teams up with a struggling pie maker as they look for ways to improve business and enact revenge for his wrongs.

If you have the chance, I highly recommend catching a showing of Sweeney Todd this weekend while it is at the Lexington Opera House. There are two showings today (Saturday, November 22) at 2:00pm and 8:00pm and two more showings tomorrow at 2:00pm and 7:00pm. It is sure to bring you to your feet for a standing ovation, as it did for the crowd last night. After all, it’s a bloody-good time…

Sweeney Todd is being set up as I write this and will be making it’s Lexington debut tonight as part of Broadway Live at 8:00pm EST at the Lexington Opera House. If you are unable to make it tonight then don’t worry, there are four more showings this weekend. Hit the jump for a link to some photos I took of the load-in and a description of a play. Also, stay tuned for a recap within the day following tonight’s performance.

Saturday’s performances are at 2:00pm and 8:00pm, and Sundays are at 2:00pm and 7:00pm. Also, don’t forget, if you are a student and bring proper ID then you are eligible for a 50% discount at all the performances.

To view photos of the Sweeney Todd Load-In, visit the Flickr album by clicking on the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rupparena/sets/72157609629998165/

Sweeney Todd is based on the 19th century legend of a London barber driven to a life of crime after a malevolent judge takes his wife and child from him. Sweeney’s plan for revenge includes a cutthroat partnership with Mrs. Lovett – an enterprising businesswoman – who is soon producing the tastiest meat pies in London.

Original direction and design by Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards winner John Doyle; recreated by Adam Hunter; Sweeney Todd features the music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, with music supervision by David Loud. The creative team also includes Paul Miller for lighting design, based on original design by Rochard Jones, and Shannon Slaton for sound design.