'Little House' sets big ticket sales record

Minneapolis

June 30, 2008 3:18 PM

Actress Melissa Gilbert will star in this summer's Guthrie debut of "Little House on the Prairie." She will play the role of Ma Ingalls. Gilbert starred in the 1970s and 1980s TV series "Little House on the Prairie" and played the role of Laura Ingalls.
Noel Vasquez/Getty Images

The world premiere production of "Little House on the Prairie" has blown through box office records at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.

On Friday, the first day of sales for the new musical, theatergoers bought 5,461 tickets. That more than triples the Guthrie's previous record, set in 2006 for the annual holiday show, "A Christmas Carol."

Laura Ingalls Wilder's only daughter, novelist Rose Lane, persuaded her mother to write stories about her childhood, and Wilder's "Little House in the Big Woods" was published in 1932.
Photo courtesy of South Dakota State Historical Society

It also tops the Guthrie theater's record one-day ticket sales for a guest production. That was set in 2007, for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of "King Lear," starring Ian McKellen.

Of the more than 5,000 people who purchased tickets on Friday, 58 percent said they never before attended a show at the Guthrie.

"Little House on the Prairie" runs from Aug. 15-Oct. 5, with previews beginning on July 26.

Gallery

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Donate Today

Share

Create a More Connected Minnesota