Broadway In Chicago Announces Next Season

Broadway In Chicago Announces Next Season

Photo: ONCE ON THIS ISLAND On Broadway | Joan Marcus

Broadway In Chicago has announced the productions that will make up its next season, including the previously announced pre-Broadway world premiere of the Britany Spears musical ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME, TimeLine Theatre’s Chicago premiere of OSLO, and the first national tours of MEAN GIRLS, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL and Disney’s FROZEN.

Off-season engagements will include AN EVENING WITH C.S. LEWIS STARRING DAVID PAYNE, IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

Current subscribers can now renew by visiting BroadwayInChicago.com or calling (312) 977-1717. New subscriptions will go on sale to the public on Sunday, April 7.


Broadway In Chicago’s upcoming season (from the press release):

OSLO
Sept. 10 – Oct. 20, 2019
Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut)

Chicago’s award-winning TimeLine Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere of the 2017 Tony Award winner for Best Play, OSLO. When the Israeli prime minister and the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization shook hands on the White House lawn in 1993, the world had no idea what it took to orchestrate that momentous occasion. Behind the scenes, a Norwegian diplomat and her social scientist husband hatched an intricate, top secret, and sometimes comical scheme to gather an unexpected assortment of players at an idyllic estate just outside Oslo. Far from any international glare, mortal enemies were able to face each other not as adversaries, but as fellow human beings. J.T. Rogers’ OSLO is a humorous, surprising, and inspiring true story about the people inside politics, and the incredible progress that is possible when we focus on what makes us human — together.

ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME
Pre-Broadway World Premiere
Oct. 29 – Dec. 1, 2019
James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph)

ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME is a new Broadway-bound musical comedy set to the smash hit music of Grammy Award-winning superstar Britney Spears. The musical features an original book by Jon Hartmere (The Upside, bare), with direction by Tony Award nominee Kristin Hanggi (Rock of Ages) and Choreography by MTV Video Music Award nominees Keone & Mari Madrid (Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself”; “World of Dance”). Once Upon A Time… Cinderella, Snow White, and the other fairytale princesses gather for their book club, when – oh, baby baby! – a rogue fairy godmother drops The Feminine Mystique into their corseted laps, spurring a royal revelation. Could there really be more to life than bird-made dresses and true love’s kiss? Set to the songs of Britney Spears, the Princess of Pop herself, ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME is an uproarious, irreverent look at the towering challenges, charms, and choices involved in finding that most elusive of endings: Happily Ever After.

MEAN GIRLS
Dec. 25, 2019 – Jan. 26, 2020
James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph)

Direct from Broadway, MEAN GIRLS is the hilarious hit musical from book writer TINA FEY (“30 Rock”), composer JEFF RICHMOND (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist NELL BENJAMIN (Legally Blonde) and director CASEY NICHOLAW (The Book of Mormon). The story of a naïve newbie who falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies, MEAN GIRLS “delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor and joyful inside-jokery.” USA Today says, “We’ll let you in on a little secret, because we’re such good friends: GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!”

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND
Jan. 21 – Feb. 2, 2020
Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph)

Winner of the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is the sweeping, universal tale of Ti Moune, a fearless peasant girl in search of her place in the world, and ready to risk it all for love. Guided by the mighty island gods, Ti Moune sets out on a remarkable journey to reunite with the man who has captured her heart. The groundbreaking vision of two-time Tony Award nominated director Michael Arden (Spring Awakening revival) and acclaimed choreographer Camille A. Brown (NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live) conjures up “a place where magic is possible and beauty is apparent for all to see!” (The Huffington Post). With a score that bursts with life from Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning songwriters of Anastasia and Ragtime, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is a timeless testament to theater’s unlimited possibilities.

SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
Feb. 12 – 23, 2020
James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph)

She was a girl from Boston with a voice from heaven, who shot through the stars from gospel choir to dance floor diva. But what the world didn’t know was how Donna Summer risked it all to break through barriers, becoming the icon of an era and the inspiration for every music diva who followed. With a score featuring more than 20 of SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMER MUSICAL’s classic hits including “Love to Love You Baby,” “Bad Girls” and “Hot Stuff,” this electric experience is a moving tribute to the voice of a generation.

Disney’s FROZEN
Oct. 21, 2020 – Jan. 3, 2021
Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph)

From the producers of The Lion King and Aladdin, Disney’s Frozen, the Tony-nominated Best Musical, is melting hearts on Broadway in an all-new production created for the stage by an award-winning team. Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving,” Frozen quickly emerged as the biggest musical hit during last year’s Broadway season, breaking four St. James Theatre house records and placing in the top 10 best-selling shows every week since opening in March 2018. The hit musical features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers.

A mysterious secret. A family torn apart. As one sister struggles with being an outsider and harnessing her powers within, the other sets out on a thrilling adventure to bring her family together once again. Both are searching for love, but they’ll learn that to find it they’ll have to look inside themselves first. An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.

OFF SEASON SPECIALS:

AN EVENING WITH C.S. LEWIS STARRING DAVID PAYNE
Oct. 22 – Nov. 3, 2019
Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut)

The year is 1962 and C.S. Lewis, the famous British author, is hosting a group of American writers at his home near Oxford. They are about to experience a captivating evening with a man whose engaging conversation and spontaneous humor made him one of the great raconteurs of his day. Seated in his living room, he recalls the people and events that inspired his thoughts and shaped his life; of his friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien, why he nearly abandoned the Narnia Chronicles, how he came to embrace Christianity and of the American woman who turned his life upside down. David Payne’s AN EVENING WITH C.S. LEWIS STARRING DAVID PAYNE has proved to be an enthralling theatrical experience, one which has led many thousands to discover, or rediscover, the continuing impact of a man who died over 50 years ago and whose collected works made him one of the literary giants of the 20th Century.

IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS
Dec. 10 – 15, 2019
Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph)

This holiday season discover the perfect gift for everyone on your list! The timeless movie “White Christmas” is adapted for the stage in a lavish production that The New York Times says to “put on your wish list.” IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS tells the story of a song-and-dance team putting on a show in a magical Vermont inn and falling for a stunning sister act in the process. Full of dancing, laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written! Give everyone the gift they’re dreaming of with this merry and bright holiday musical.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Dec. 18, 2019 – Jan. 5, 2020
Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph)

Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA makes a triumphant return to Chicago as part of its North American Tour. Hailed by critics as “bigger and better than ever before,” this production boasts many exciting special effects including the show’s legendary chandelier, new scenic and lighting designs, new staging and choreography. The beloved story and thrilling score will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this PHANTOM one of the largest productions now on tour.

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