Courtesy of Jerry Naunheim

When The Old Globe Theatre announced that its 2006-07 season would highlight a world-premiere play called “The Starry Messenger” starring Matthew Broderick as the lead role, box-office subscription sales reached a record high.

After last year’s sold-out success of the Globe’s premiere of “The Times They are A-Changin'” (directed by Twyla Tharp with music by Bob Dylan) and earlier Broadway-bound hits, such as “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” starring John Lithgow, Globe patrons have grown accustomed to seeing big names at the acclaimed regional theater, which is situated in Balboa Park.

However, “The Starry Messenger” was not meant to be. Because of “unforeseen scheduling delays” with playwright/director Kenneth Lonergan’s film commitments, the Broderick premiere was indefinitely postponed and replaced with “Ace,” this year’s winner of the Mickey Kaplan New American Play Prize. A soaring new musical spanning the lives of three generations of war-time aviator pilots, “Ace” promises to be the ideal union of spirited American classics such as “Oklahoma” with a winning score, and the high-tech stagecraft of today’s extravagant musicals such as “Wicked.”

Launched as a co-production between the Cincinnati Playhouse and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, composer Richard Oberacker favored the “spare approach” with the scenery of “Ace,” wanting the audience to use their imagination instead of expensive effects; however, the sound design and aerial stunts make the production a strong contender against today’s high theatrical expectations.

The Globe’s director of marketing, Dave Henson, said he thinks “Ace” will be an instant hit come January, judging by the three consecutive performances he attended in Cincinnati while considering the musical’s potential for success at the Globe. Standing ovations followed each performance, and many Midwest audience members left the theater in tears.

Henson said “Ace” is the perfect replacement for “Messenger” because it employs the same nostalgia factor that most likely accounted for the surprising popularity and consistently sold-out houses of “George Gershwin Alone,” the Globe’s first play of the 2006-07 season, which showcased the composer’s life and renowned body of work. The Globe’s marketing team is relying on the idea that people want to invest in shows they can relate to, and anyone who was connected to either of the world wars can relate to the content on a personal level.

“‘Ace’ takes an evocative look back at generations of families surviving the crises of World Wars I and II,” marketing assistant Claire Kennelly said. “We are honored to be presenting this touching new musical here in San Diego, and we are very confident that it will be a great success.”

Until the cast is announced for the Jan. 18 opening of “Ace,” the inevitable question on the minds of Globe patrons remains: Is there anyone famous in it?