A New York touring company will perform “42nd Street” tonight at 8 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second Street in DeKalb.

“42nd Street” opened on Broadway in 1980 and won a Tony Award for Best Musical in 1981.

Steve Duchrow, director of University Programming and Activities, said, “The Jerry Kravat Entertainment Services is a national touring company which is out of New York. In the past, they have done ‘A Chorus Line’ and ‘The Music Man.'”

Duchrow said the “42nd Street” cast includes “up and coming” performers, including Jonathan Beck Reed as Julian Marsh and Mary Lou Barber as Peggy Sawyer. Many of these performers have toured with other productions of Broadway shows.

Duchrow said, “Basically, last year we reviewed thousands of different agencies. Not just theater companies, but also performing artists, dance companies and contemporary musicians. We find out about them through the mail, booklets, and by calling different agencies.”

Duchrow said he attends conferences in which agencies who represent performers and companies attempt to obtain bookings of acts. He said that at the New York conference he will be attending, there will be 250 agencies representing thousands of performers.

“We get most information from literature, calls to agencies, and conferences,” Duchrow said.

He said, “There was a revival (of “42nd Street”) going on at the time, and everything seemed to be good about it and we were satisfied with the company and the quality of Jerry Kravat.”

In considering various acts for NIU, UP&A and the Campus Activities Board Fine Arts Committee communicate with other schools who have had these companies.

Tickets are still available for the performance at the Holmes Student Center’s Carl Sandburg Ticket Booth from noon to 6 p.m., until the night of the performance. Tickets can be bought at the Egyptian Theatre before showtime. Prices are $5 for NIU students, $8 for non-NIU students and senior citizens and $12 for non-students.