Broadway on the bayou has returned, bringing live theatre fans in droves.”Cats,” the second longest running musical in Broadway history, arrived at the Mahalia Jackson Theater in New Orleans in October to open the first touring Broadway show season in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina.The attendance and atmosphere at the shows has been “fantastic,” according to David Skinner, the Mahalia Jackson Theater general manager.”The crowds have been very pleased,” Skinner said.While exact numbers regarding ticket sales have not been released, the series expects to exceed its 100,000 patron goal by the time “Avenue Q” leaves town, according to Skinner. This year’s season begins on June 13, 2010.Tickets for “Mamma Mia!,” which opens in February, are on sale now. Tickets for “Wicked” will go on sale Jan. 9, and “Avenue Q” tickets will go on sale in the coming months.The Mahalia Jackson Theater still anticipates “virtual sellouts” for the show’s final productions of the year, according to Skinner.”I haven’t seen any shows there yet,” said Sarah Schaff, animal science junior. “I am excited to see ‘Avenue Q’ and maybe ‘Wicked’.”Besides the Broadway series at the theater, performers like comedian and TV show host Anthony Bourdain will perform throughout the spring and early summer, as well as various orchestras and dance groups.Water damage from 17-foot-high floods led to a $23 million renovation project for the theater with an additional $6 million required to revitalize and restore the surrounding park, according to Skinner.The University’s own theatre is getting a facelift as well as the Union theater undergoes renovations scheduled to be completed in the late spring. The grand opening is scheduled for Fall 2010, according to Michael Derr, Student Union theater manager.Once the $24.5 million project concludes, the theater will feature state-of-the-art sound and lighting equipment, and the common areas like lobby space and restrooms will be expanded, allowing for easier handling of capacity crowds.—-Contact Alex White at [email protected]