"Beehive, the 60's Musical" makes stop in Fort Myers

PRATHER Will Prather, Owner and Executive Producer for Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, began the plans for a national touring company almost two years ago. His dream of being the largest operator of dinner theatres across the country while producing a national tour has finally come to fruition.

On Wednesday, Nov. 14, the Prather Entertainment Group comes full circle since opening 14 years ago in Fort Myers. That's when the company will have three Prather shows running simultaneously in Fort Myers: "Beehive, The 60's Musical" comes to the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" is onstage at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre and "Funny, You Don't Look Like a Grandmother" plays in The Off Broadway Palm Theatre.

The first national tour for PEG is "Beehive." It opened on July 24 in Boston for a 20-week tour playing in more than 40 venues across the U.S. Prather approached Scott Saxon, the general manager of Barbara B. Mann about the possibility of co-producing one of the Southwest Florida tour dates. Saxon agreed and Prather said that this could be the start of a new partnership between the two companies.

The national tour is produced by Prather Entertainment Group, owned and operated by William and Andrea Prather of Fort Myers. The company owns and operates three regional theatres in Florida, Pennsylvania and Arizona serving more than 500,000 guests each year. For more information, visit the website at: www.prathertheatres. com.