War Horse, the hit London and Broadway drama involving a horse, beloved by the young boy Albert and trained to fight in World War I, will be touring to 20 American cities in 2012-2013 — including Dallas, where it will be part of the Lexus Broadway Series at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

War Horse, which features a giant puppet for the horse devised by the Handspring Puppet Company, has become the biggest success of England’s National Theatre.

The Lincoln Center production was recently nominated for five Tony Awards and has already won a special Tony for the innovative puppet design.

The AT&T PAC is currently selling season subscriptions to its 2011-12 season and NOT the 2012-13 season. But 2011 subscribers will be given the first opportunity to renew for the following season.

The full release follows:

WAR HORSE to be part of 2012/2013 Lexus Broadway Series Season at AT&T Performing Arts Center

Five-Time Tony^® Award nominated play currently playing Lincoln Center Theater in New York City

(Photo courtesy Brinkhoff/Mögenburg)

DALLAS (May 11) – The National Theatre’s epic WAR HORSE, now a five-time Tony^® Award nominee currently playing at Lincoln Center Theater and in the West End in London, will embark on a national tour in June 2012, bringing the hit play to 20 U.S. cities during the 2012-2013 season.

WAR HORSE will be part of the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s 2012/2013 Lexus Broadway Series season. Tour stops are also being planned in the following markets for the 2012-2013 season: San Francisco, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, East Lansing and several others to be announced at a later date.

“We are thrilled to be able present War Horse on its first national tour,” said Doug Curtis, interim CEO of the AT&T Performing Arts Center. “This show has generated more excitement and discussion than any I can recall in a long time. War Horse represents the kind of artistic productions we are committed to bringing to our audiences both now and in the future.”

WAR HORSE will be part of the 2012/2013 Lexus Broadway Series season.  The AT&T Performing Arts Center is currently marketing subscriptions to the 2011/2012 Lexus Broadway Series.  Subscribers to the 2011/2012 season will have the first opportunity to renew their subscriptions for the 2012/2013 Lexus Broadway Series season, including the Dallas premiere of WAR HORSE.

“War Horse has become the greatest success in our history by telling an impactful and resonant story with extraordinary creativity,” said Nicholas Hytner, Director of the National Theatre. “We’re looking forward to continuing our journey with War Horse by bringing it to audiences across North America.”

Hailed by The New York Times as “theatrical magic,” WAR HORSE is the powerful story of young Albert’s beloved horse, Joey, who has been enlisted to fight for the English in World War I. In a tale the New York Daily News calls “spellbinding, by turns epic and intimate,” Joey is caught in enemy crossfire and ends up serving both sides of the war before landing in no man’s land. Albert, not old enough to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home. What follows is a remarkable tale of courage, loyalty and friendship, told with the some of the most innovative stagecraft of our time.

Along with WAR HORSE’s five Tony nominations (for Best Play, Best Direction of a Play, Best Set Design for a Play, Best Scenic Design of a Play, Best Lighting Design of a Play, and Best Sound Design of a Play), Handspring Puppet Company received a Special Tony Award^® for their integral puppet design for the production.

WAR HORSE, based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo and adapted by Nick Stafford, directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, and presented in association with Handspring Puppet Company, is filled with stirring music and songs. At the heart of the show are life-sized puppets which bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage.

WAR HORSE received its World Premiere in a limited engagement at the National’s Olivier Theatre in 2007. The play returned to the National Theatre for a second run playing from in 2008-2009 before transferring to the West End’s New London Theatre in Spring 2009 where it continues to play an open-ended run. WAR HORSE has been seen over 1 million people in the UK alone and is the winner of two Olivier Awards (for Set Design and Choreography).

Lincoln Center Theater and the National Theatre of Great Britain in association with Bob Boyett, are the producers of the American premiere of WAR HORSE, which opened April 14 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater where it is currently playing an open-ended run.

The lead producers of the National tour and Toronto productions of WAR HORSE are Bob Boyett and the National Theatre of Great Britain.