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Around The BroadwayWorld: Top News, Reviews, Interviews & More from May 2026

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:03:21 PST

Around the BroadwayWorld is our monthly snapshot of the biggest stories making waves across the global theatre community. In this May 2026 edition, we're bringing you a fresh batch of standout reviews from regional stages across the country - from Brigadoon at Pasadena Playhouse in Los Angeles to The Phantom of the Opera at Seattle's Paramount Theatre and Pippin at Signature Theatre in DC.

Diane Paulus directs an immersive, David Bowie-inspired Life on Mars at American Repertory Theater, the producers of Japan's Gypsy revival walk back a planned title change, and we go behind the scenes with interviews spanning Adam Fields of the Beetlejuice national tour, The Muny's casting director Michael Baxter, Richard Kind on finally taking on Edna in Hairspray, and BWW's Kid Reporters chatting with the touring Von Trapp kids of The Sound of Music. Plus, get a first look at exciting new productions through performance videos and photos, including Anastasia at La Mirada Theatre, Dear Evan Hansen at Arden Theatre, Pippin at Signature Theatre, and the Manila cast of Jesus Christ Superstar - and so much more from across the BroadwayWorld.

Diane Paulus Will Direct Immersive David Bowie Inspired LIFE ON MARS at American Repertory Theater

Joshua Wright | Boston

Diane Paulus will direct Life on Mars, an immersive theatrical production set to David Bowie's music, as the inaugural production at the Goel Center for Creativity & Performance in May.

GYPSY in Japan: Producers Walk Back Title Change Ahead of 2026 Revival

Joshua Wright | Japan

The Japanese revival of GYPSY will retain its original title when it returns to the stage in 2026, reversing an earlier decision to present the production under the name 'Rose.'

Interviews

Interview: Adam Fields of BEETLEJUICE National Tour

Brock Mills | Jacksonville

For Adam Fields, returning to Jacksonville with the national tour of Beetlejuice the Musical isn’t just another stop, it’s a full-circle moment. The production will play in Jacksonville from May 12–17 at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts.

Interview: BWW’s 'Kid Reporters' Chat With THE SOUND OF MUSIC’s Touring Von Trapp Kids

Melissa Heckscher | Los Angeles

BroadwayWorld Los Angeles' kid reporters talk with the young touring cast of THE SOUND OF MUSIC to find out what it's like to be part of one of Broadway’s most iconic shows and what actually happens behind the curtain.

Interview: Chatting with The Muny's Casting Director Michael Baxter

James Lindhorst | St. Louis

Michael Baxter’s work will shine on The Muny stage during all 50 performances this summer. He led the efforts and had a hand in hiring every one of the 194 actors who will fill the principal and ensemble roles.

Interview: Richard Kind Talks Finally Taking on Edna in The Muny's HAIRSPRAY

James Lindhorst | St. Louis

When The Muny opens their production of Hairspray on June 15, 2026, the legendary Richard Kind will don Edna Turnblad’s housecoat and step into her fuzzy house slippers. Kind, star of stage, screen and film, calls it bucket list moments to get to perform at The Muny and play Edna all at the same time.

Reviews

Review: BRIGADOON at Pasadena Playhouse

Andrew Child | Los Angeles

Brava to Alexandra Silber for capturing all the heart and humor of Lerner’s original book with her thoughtful new adaptation and brava to Katie Spelman for dreaming up a Brigadoon that is as ebullient and spirited as it is deeply human.

Review: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at Paramount Theatre

Shelley Dean | Seattle

It’s almost unbelievable for me to admit that this was my first time seeing The Phantom of the Opera. Of course, I knew the iconic songs and had seen countless clips over the years, but experiencing the production live on stage for the first time was entirely different, haunting, and spine-chilling in the best way possible. From the chandelier drop to the monumental set pieces, the show truly lives up to its legendary reputation. The 2026 tour, directed by Harold Prince, serves as a revitalized version of the original production, featuring Maria Björnson’s iconic designs, musical staging, and choreography by Gillian Lynne. It is absolutely ravishing, and Seattle audiences are lining up hours early to witness the spectacle for themselves.

Review: PIPPIN at Signature Theatre

Aidan O'Connor | Washington, DC

Certain facets of the human condition are foundational to our very existence – change, connection, desire. One such particularly toxic universal truth is a constant need to be something more than we currently are. To search for happiness in external achievement rather than within ourselves, in our simple joys. Pippin at Signature Theatre breathes within that precise virulence, relatively orchestrated by a troupe of impeccably costumed and choreographed players. A feast for the eyes in all senses, Matthew Gardiner’s production surpasses even the highest of expectations.

Videos

Video: Watch La Mirada Theatre's ANASTASIA Star Lena Ceja Perform 'Journey to the Past'

Michael Major | Los Angeles

La Mirada Theatre has released new video footage of Lena Ceja rehearsing 'Journey to the Past' from their upcoming production of Anastasia. The production features Dillon Klena as Dmitry, a role first played on Broadway by his brother Derek Klena.

Photos/Video: DEAR EVAN HANSEN At Arden Theatre

A.A. Cristi | Philadelphia

Arden Theatre Company is now presenting DEAR EVAN HANSEN as the final production of its 2025/26 season, with performances continuing through July 5. New production photos and video have been released from the Philadelphia production, including footage of Evan A. Kaushesh performing “Waving Through a Window.”

Video: Watch 'Corner of the Sky' From Signature Theatre's PIPPIN

Michael Major | Washington, DC

Watch a video of Brayden Bambino performing 'Corner of the Sky' in Signature Theatre's production of Pippin. The in-the-round production is now running through July 26 with tickets available now.

Photos

Photos: Get a First Look at JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR in Manila

Oliver Oliveros | Philippines

The 2017 Olivier Award winner for Best Musical Revival, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock opera 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' has officially opened at The Theatre at Solaire.

Review: LOST GIRL at Wichita Community Theatre

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 23:08:17 PST

“Just always be waiting for me.” Does this quote sound romantic or narcissistic to you? Kimberly Belflower’s Lost Girl, running at Wichita Community Theatre through June 14th, explores this very question. A coming of age drama with a female centric take on where the Peter Pan story, by J.M. Barrie, leaves off. Specifically with Wendy Darling. What happens when you take the fictional notions from a 100 year old children’s book and bring it forward into contemporary culture? Lost Girl invites us to put a realistic lens onto this make-believe tale. Get ready for big adventure!

As the classic bedtime story goes, Peter Pan whisks the three Darling children away from their nursery, through the window, in the night, to Neverland. Here they are met with danger, wonderment and no parents around. Wendy Darling, the only girl of the bunch, is left to “cook, clean, tell the Lost Boys bedtime stories,” and is effectively wood by the mercurial Peter Pan. He has a “voice that no woman has ever yet been able to resist.” Spotting any red flags?

Under the Direction and Costume Design of Jessica Heidrick, who’s gathered a passionate group of actors to share this sensitive, creative play that picks up where childhood leaves off. Asking, how do we carry the highs and lows of being little into adulthood?

After being returned home, Wendy, played by Francie Robu, feels abandoned, with no closure from her life changing encounter with Peter. Becoming something of a local celebrity after she and her brothers’ disappearance, the community twitters at her strange behavior post kidnapping. Yet, she sees it differently. She waits for him to come back, year after year. Robu is commanding of the stage and not afraid of the complex emotions that befall a survivor. Confidently questioning authority figures, and obsessively committed to becoming whole again, Robu creates a memorable Wendy.

Flanked by an ensemble of voices and personalities, the community around Wendy is both worried for her and confused by her unsettled mind. A doctor, a therapist, a detective, plus the Lost Boys she brought back from Neverland, everyone has some advise for her.

As comic relief, and heart-to-heart confidants, the Lost Boys are played by Caleb Jamal Manuel, Nathaniel Schmucker, Shane Wilson and Trystan Mitchell. Mitchell is natural and endearing as Slightly, who falls for Wendy, and wants to help her forget her memories by admitting he has feelings for her.

We subconsciously knew that Peter Pan was making grandiose promises that he couldn’t keep, but he wasn’t making those vows to just one little girl! Rachel Criswell, Laura Koerner, Bella Vogt are the chorus of young women both echoing and questioning what Wendy experienced as she works through her distress. Suggesting that what is most important is how we perceive and define what has happened to us.

Grey Thaw brings wonderful energy to the melancholy story. As Nina, who has a great curiosity for Wendy, and interviews her to understand what makes her different. Ashley McCracken as Mother, is thoughtful, measured and painfully patient as Wendy acts out towards those trying to help her. Grayson Williams as “Boy” dates Wendy. His understated portrayal is refreshing.

By the time Justice Murray enters as a charming and relaxed, adult Peter, we are already questioning, is he more master manipulator or perhaps just a selfish egocentric? The boyish playfulness comes off as something different now. We hope Wendy is ready to tell him off!

A simple set, by actor Bella Vogt, highlighting the chemistry of the ensemble, with layered, angular platforms giving dimension to the scenes. Playful shadow puppets are used reminding us of the magic and childhood which have morphed into the stark reality of doctor’s offices and disappointments. The warm and cool tones of Beetle Hatch’s Lighting Design compliment the moods. Sound Design by actor Gray Thaw adds interesting details.

Sitting in the audience on a Sunday afternoon with a full house, I saw how problematic many of the quotes from the original J.M. Barrie story sounded to my 2026 sensibilities. Part memory play, part survivor’s drama, the tone of Lost Girl could get a bit singular. A more energetic pacing could have brought needed variety.

A production full of heart, Lost Girl, running one more week at Wichita Community Theatre, is an inventive look at perspectives taken for granted, male-centered narratives that deserve questioning, and ultimately, redefining. “You need not be sorry for her. She was one of the kind that likes to grow up.” June 4-14th. Thursday-Saturday at 8:00 PM, Sunday at 2:00 PM.

Review: ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN at Kechi Playhouse

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 22:11:16 PST

Kechi Playhouse opened its 44th year with All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten adapted by Ernest Zulia from the book by Robert Fulghum with music by David Caldwell. Misty Maynard has assembled an excellent cast that works together seamlessly.

Fulghum’s book emphasizes the fundamental lessons of kindness, sharing, and responsibility that are often overlooked in adulthood. The book has sold over 7 million copies and has become a cultural touchstone, inspiring various adaptations, including this play and a musical.

The acting ensemble features actors of various ages each taking the lead in the various vignettes. The first act opens with “Yes, Of Course I Can” the play illustrates how as kindergarteners we are open and free willing to take on the various tasks presented to us and how as older students we become closed off and unsure of our abilities. The cast does an exceptional job embodying both ages. We next see how a teacher handles the casting of a grade school version of Cinderella by allowing the class to write and cast the parts. There are the usual characters you would expect, but one young man wants to play Cinderella’s pig. Yes, pig. The standout role was, of course, the pig who steals the show and creates a phenomenon causing the play to travel to various audiences. Em Kerbs is delightful as the pig. An older woman (Laurie Mulford) reflects on the game of hide and seek as she watches the neighborhood children and encourages us not to penalize the child who is so good at hiding causing angst amongst the others. One of the stories is based on a true event of the man who decided to attach weather balloons to his lawn chair that went awry when he flew into the air traffic patterns. As told by three reporters (Tyrone Jackson, Laurie Mulford and Anna Proctor), we see the folly of the real life man played delightfully by Mike Shryock. There are scenes concerning Beethoven, a woman’s encounter with a spider which also includes how the spider responds, and the yucky stuff in the sink drain. Standouts in the first act include Howard Keim’s heartfelt performance in Donny the Leaf Raker; Shryock, Jackson and Keim in Problems and Inconveniences, and Ariana Moore’s recitation of The Bench. Moore and Jackson end the first act with the beautiful song, Reflect the Light.

The second act opening features the entire cast in Uh OH. One of highlights of the play is MOTB (Mother of the Bride). Mulford is hilarious as the wedding she has planned her entire life for her daughter goes sideways at the penultimate moment. Fathers and Sons, as narrated by Keim with Shryock and Jackson as the titled characters is played beautifully, again showing the progression of a relationship. Christmas/Valentine’s Day sweetly tells the story of how a family handles the father’s confusion over holidays caused by dementia. Anna Proctor deftly interprets the age old conundrum of picking a burial plot for the view. The final scene of the act is Are There any Questions? The entire cast is led by Jackson as the Greek Professor calling for reconciliation after WWII. Jackson handles the scene with an understanding that moves the audience. Finally, the entire cast sings the reprise of Reflecting the Light with the audience using small round mirrors to join in.

The cast and director should be commended for this fine production. Audiences will reminisce as scenes from their lives are represented with humor and emotion. The play will run from June 5th to the 28th. Show times are 8:00pm on Friday and Saturday evenings with a Sunday matinee at 2:30pm. Call 316-744-2152 for tickets or take your chances at the door.

Next up for the playhouse will be a new play entitled Noir Comedy running from July 10th through August 2nd.

BroadwayWorld Launches Producer Fantasy Game

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:00:05 PST

Ever watched the weekly Broadway grosses roll in and thought you could pick the winners? Now you can put it to the test. BroadwayWorld has launched the Producer Fantasy Game, a free, season-long competition that lets theatre fans build a roster of Broadway shows and earn points based on how those productions actually perform at the box office. The draft window is open now.

How It Works

The setup is simple. During the draft window, you pick any six Broadway productions that opened this season. Drafting is non-exclusive, so there is no need to race a rival for a hot title. Any number of players can roster the same show.

From there, your shows go to work for you. Every week, each production on your roster earns fantasy points based on its reported box office grosses and capacity percentages. When Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle nominations and wins are announced, your shows bank bonus points on top of that. And each week you can answer our Fantasy Forecast prediction questions for up to five bonus points per correct call.

Weekly Scoring

Each week, a show earns one base point for every $50,000 it grosses, so a $1 million week is worth 20 base points. On top of that, shows can earn bonuses: up to five points for filling seats (based on how close to full capacity the house ran), six points for grossing $2 million or more (or three points for grossing between $1 million and $2 million), and eight points if its gross jumped at least 15 percent from the week before. A show loses four points if its gross dropped at least 15 percent. If a show goes dark and reports no gross for a week, it scores zero for that week with no penalty.

The Fantasy Forecast

The Producer Fantasy Game is really two games in one. The first is the box office game: drafting shows and earning points from their weekly grosses and awards. The second is the Fantasy Forecast, a weekly set of prediction questions about what's happening on Broadway, where each correct answer is worth up to five points. You can play one or both.

We track them separately so you can shine at either. Your Producer score covers the box office game, your Forecast score covers your prediction results, and your Combined score adds the two together for the overall championship ranking. The leaderboard lets you toggle between Overall, Producers, and Forecasters, so a sharp predictor can top the Forecasters board even during a rough season for their roster, and a roster powerhouse can lead the Producers board without answering a single question.

Managing Your Roster

Your lineup stays at six shows all season, and you have plenty of room to maneuver. You get one free drop every week, three additional season drops to use anytime before the trade deadline, and free replacements whenever a show on your roster closes. New productions open throughout the season and become available the moment they start reporting grosses, so it pays to keep a transaction in your pocket for that buzzy new opening.

Join the Game

The Producer Fantasy Game is free for all BroadwayWorld users, and you can join any time the draft window is open. Draft within the first two weeks of the season and your roster is scored from opening week, so the earlier you get in, the more weeks you bank. Build your roster, make your predictions, and start climbing the leaderboard today.

A DRAG QUEEN CHRISTMAS to Return for 12th Year With 39-City National Tour

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:57:07 PST

“A Drag Queen Christmas” will return for its 12th year, launching a 39-city national tour this November - December. The 2026 edition is hosted by returning fan favorite and theatre star Nina West, and features an all-new merry lineup of drag superstars from the Emmy-winning RuPaul's Drag Race franchise.

Artist pre-sale begins Wednesday, June 3 at 10 a.m. (local time) with the code “TWELVE,” and general on sale begins Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m. (local time) at dragfans.com.

This year's cast includes:

Myki Meeks, Winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18 (2026)
Nini Coco, Runner-up, Drag Race Season 18 (2026)
Darlene Mitchell, Drag Race Season 18 (2026)
Juicy Love Dion, Drag Race Season 18 (2026)
Discord Addams, Drag Race Season 18 (2026)
Crystal Methyd, Drag Race All Stars Season 11 (2026) & Drag Race Season 12 (2020)
Silky Ganache, Drag Race All Stars Season 11 (2026), Drag Race All Stars Season 6 (2021), Drag Race Season 11 (2019)

“A Drag Queen Christmas” is the world's premiere holiday drag showcase and a sensational theatrical experience that delivers high camp, over-the-top lip-sync performances, side-splitting comedy, elaborate costumes, Broadway-style staging, and a whole lot of heart—something we all seek during the chaos of the holiday season. With plenty of spectacular surprises in store, the show offers audiences a chance to see drag queens at the top of their game perform showstopping numbers of epic holiday proportions on revered theater stages across America. Each year, “A Drag Queen Christmas” provides an annual tradition for folks from all walks of life to come together and connect, find community, and celebrate the season with joy and laughter.

This dazzling, 18+ holiday extravaganza runs two hours and offers fans the chance to add-on a VIP Meet & Greet Experience—including early access to the venue, photos with the queens on stage, autographs, and exclusive tour merchandise.

A Drag Queen Christmas 2026 Tour Dates:

November 11 - Detroit, MI (Fisher Theatre)

November 12 - Rochester, NY (Kodak Center)

November 13 - Rutland, VT (Paramount Theatre)

November 14 - Portland, ME (Merrill Auditorium)

November 15 - Boston, MA (Emerson Colonial Theatre)

November 17 - Red Bank, NJ (Count Basie Center for the Arts)

November 18 - Morristown, NJ (Mayo Performing Arts Center)

November 19 - Washington, DC (Warner Theatre)

November 20 - Durham, NC (Durham Performing Arts Center)

November 21 - Wilmington, NC (Wilson Center - Cape Fear Community College)

November 22 - Philadelphia, PA (Fillmore)

November 24 - Pittsburgh, PA (Byham Theater)

November 25 - Columbus, OH (Palace Theatre)

November 27 - Chicago, IL (Riviera Theatre)

November 28 - Appleton, WI (Fox Cities Performing Arts Center)

November 29 - Omaha, NE (Orpheum Theater)

November 30 - Oklahoma City, OK (The Criterion)

December 1 - Des Moines, IA (Hoyt Sherman Place)

December 2 - Kansas City, MO (Uptown Theater)

December 4 - Denver, CO (Paramount Theatre)

December 5 - Salt Lake City, UT (Kingsbury Hall)

December 7 - Seattle, WA (Moore Theatre)

December 9 - Sacramento, CA (Channel 24)

December 10 - San Francisco, CA (Golden Gate Theatre)

December 11 - Stockton, CA (Bob Hope Theatre)

December 12 - Los Angeles, CA (The Wiltern)

December 13 - Santa Rosa, CA (Luther Burbank Center)

December 15 - Mesa, AZ (Mesa Arts Center)

December 16 - Tucson, AZ (Fox Tucson Theatre)

December 17 - El Paso, TX (Plaza Theatre)

December 19 - Austin, TX (ACL Live at The Moody Theater)

December 20 - Dallas, TX (Winspear Opera House)

December 21 - Wichita, KS (Orpheum Theatre)

December 22 - St.Louis, MO (The Factory)

December 23 - Knoxville, TN (Tennessee Theatre)

December 26 - Tampa Bay, FL (Straz Center for the Performing Arts)

December 27 - Fort Myers, FL (Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall)

December 28 - West Palm Beach, FL (Kravis Center for the Performing Arts)

December 29 - Jacksonville, FL (Florida Theatre)

SONIC LIVE IN CONCERT to Launch Global Tour With US and UK Premieres

Wed, 27 May 2026 20:59:39 PST

As Sonic the Hedgehog celebrates 35 years as one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time, Senbla and SEGA today announced Sonic Live In Concert (www.sonicliveinconcert.com). This new concert experience brings the music and moments of the beloved video games to the stage.

Featuring iconic moments and music from the very first game in 1991 through today, the production will debut in the U.S. at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on September 26, 2026, before making its European premiere at London's Eventim Apollo on September 30. The U.S. tour will visit more than 30 cities nationwide, and a UK tour will follow in February 2027. More European dates will be announced at a later time. Tickets will go on sale May 29, 2026, with pre-sale tickets going on sale on May 28, 2026.

As part of a global rollout celebrating the franchise's milestone anniversary, Sonic Live In Concert features the most recognizable music from the Sonic universe, performed by a live ensemble alongside rock musicians, vocalists, and electronic elements. The setlist includes fan-favorite tracks and an incredible array of music from the very first game through to today accompanied by synchronized HD footage of iconic levels, moments and boss battles from the franchise. Audiences can expect musical Easter eggs woven into the arrangements, adding an extra layer of discovery that brings Sonic's world vividly to life on stage.

The concert also highlights the creative legacy behind Sonic's music from legendary composers Jun Senoue and Tomoya Ohtani, whose work has helped define Sonic's sound across generations.

"Sonic has some of the most distinct and celebrated music in gaming," says Ollie Rosenblatt, CEO of Senbla. "We wanted to create a live show that stays true to what the fans love about Sonic's music, from the electronic and melodic themes to high-energy rock."

“Music has always been a core part of Sonic's identity, shaping how fans experience this world across generations," said Ivo Gerscovich, Chief Business & Brand Officer at SEGA of America, Inc. "With this concert, we're looking forward to celebrating that legacy in a live setting; bringing together the energy, emotion, and creativity of Sonic's music in a way that both longtime fans and new audiences can enjoy together.”

Since his debut in 1991, Sonic the Hedgehog has become a global entertainment icon spanning video games, film, television, and consumer products. With renewed momentum driven by recent film releases, new game titles, and a global brand campaign tied to the 35th anniversary, the franchise continues to reach new generations of fans worldwide.

The performance schedule includes:

September 20, 2026 – Spokane, Washington – First Interstate Center for the Arts
September 22, 2026 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre (preview)
September 23, 2026 – Portland, OR – Keller Auditorium (preview)
September 25, 2026 – San Diego, CA – San Diego Civic Theatre (preview)
September 26, 2026 – Hollywood, CA – Dolby Theatre
September 27, 2026 – Riverside, CA – Fox Performing Arts Center
September 29, 2026 – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Arts Center - Ikeda Theater
September 30, 2026 – London, U.K. – London Eventim Apollo
October 1, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – Resorts World Theatre
October 2, 2026 – Fresno, CA – Saroyan Theatre
October 3, 2026 – San Jose, CA – San Jose Civic
October 4, 2026 – Reno, NV – Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort & Casino
October 6, 2026 – Denver, CO – Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre
October 8, 2026 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
October 9, 2026 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
October 10, 2026 – San Antonio, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port
October 11, 2026 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion
October 13, 2026 – Wichita, KS – Orpheum Theatre
October 15, 2026 – Omaha, NE – Orpheum Theater
October 16, 2026 – Peoria, IL – Prairie Home Alliance Theater
October 17, 2026 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace Theatre
October 18, 2026 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory
October 19, 2026 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
October 20, 2026 – Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre
October 22, 2026 – Brandon, MS – City Hall Live
October 23, 2026 – Huntsville, AL – VBC Mark C. Smith Concert Hall
October 24, 2026 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
October 25, 2026 – Greensboro, NC – Steven Tanger Center for Performing Arts
October 27, 2026 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
October 28, 2026 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center
October 29, 2026 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre
October 30, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FL – Duke Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater
October 31, 2026 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Broward Center for the Performing Arts - Au Rene Theater
November 1, 2026 – Orlando, FL – Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
February 17, 2027 – Glasgow, UK – Royal Concert Hall
February 18, 2027 – Edinburgh, UK – Usher Hall
February 19, 2027 – Manchester, UK – Bridgewater Hall
February 20, 2027 – Birmingham, UK – Symphony Hall

For more information, tour dates, and tickets, visit www.sonicliveinconcert.com.

Review: THE BOOK OF WILL at Guild Hall Players

Sun, 24 May 2026 22:10:14 PST

THE BOOK OF WILL at Guild Hall

Wichita theatre audiences were treated last week as Guild Hall Players presented Lauren Gunderson’s 2017 witty yet poignant THE BOOK OF WILL for a four-day run. Gunderson’s other notable works include SILENT SKY, THE REVOLUTIONISTS, and MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLY. Under the fine direction of Jeremy Buoy, THE BOOK OF WILL had its audience entertained, engaged, and applauding.

On a personal note, I admit it. I am not a huge Shakespeare fan. Never have been. Even as a student of theatre arts, a director and performer, the Bard’s works really aren’t my cup of tea. But I have come to appreciate his work, and this well-crafted production brings a new insight into the Bard’s work for me.

The storyline is quite simple. The play starts with the Bard’s actor friends, lamenting the state of affairs: the words live on, but mostly in their own memories. After the sudden death of the legendary actor Richard Burbage (played expertly by Dan Schuster), Henry Condell realizes that all of Shakespeare’s works are at risk of being lost. Once the original players are deceased, no one will ever utter another of the Bard’s eloquent phrases again. His passing is the means for the story, and his loss makes the others recognize that if they don’t act quickly, it will be too late. The current pages filtering in and around London are chock-full of errors and half-finished pieces, which motivate Condell and his friend John Heminges to gather and preserve the complete works of their dear friend. Especially PERICLES!

Anthony Larkin-Valdez as Condell and Jonny Kline as Heminges are an incredible duo. Simply put, Larkin-Valdez radiates onstage. His performance is animated and hilarious, and he commands the audience’s attention. Kline brings a softer energy to his character as he is the sometimes-needed voice of reason to his sidekick’s animated outbursts. I was impressed with Kline’s emotionally raw performance. Together, these two are a perfect onstage pair. Their comic timing is unbelievable, and their heartfelt opening of the second act is one of the most moving performances I’ve seen.

The play provides enough historical context without ever being dry or mundane. Through the wild banter of pirated text, copyright laws, and the huge, monumental undertaking of compiling the folio, playwright Gunderson keeps it witty and dramatic. One of the most enjoyable moments comes when the actors burst into the pub, dumping every scrap and partially written line that they’ve found onto the table. Luke Jones’ Ralph Crane then arrives with full archival transcripts of several of the Bard’s plays. It’s an exciting moment that spirals the action forward. Jones' character is quite fun to watch.

Ethan Mowery is wonderful as Ben Jonson, a contemporary of Shakespeare’s and his friend and rival in writing. He gripes and criticizes his way throughout the play. There is complexity to his constant irritation, but he still respects the project even as he pretends not to.

Veteran actor Schuster plays William Jaggard, as well. Jaggard is a crooked London publisher that Condell and Heminges are forced to deal with. Schuster manages to be simultaneously cutthroat yet clueless. He’s a villainous businessman who is looking to make a quick buck.

Director Buoy’s cast also included the fabulous work of Emily Larkin-Valdez, Vonda Schuster, and Chelsie Daniel. These actresses remind us that Shakespeare loved his ladies, and they were no less witty or complex than their male counterparts. Larkin-Valdez is lovely as Alice Heminges, bringing loads of feminine charm and energy. Schuster has double duty as Elizabeth Condell and later as the flirtatious yet slightly resentful Emilia Bassano Lanier, Shakespeare’s Dark Lady. Her performances are always spot-on and captivating. In real life, Lanier has a lot to complain about, as she herself was a masterful and well-published poet who has been given little credit and is often overlooked. Daniel’s stage performance is always a joy to watch as she also has double duty, portraying both Heminges’ wife, Rebecca, and Shakespeare’s wife, Anne.

Others rounding out the superb cast include fine performances by Robert Brining, Braden Labrue-Layman, Owen Balman and Matthew Neises.

Through Buoy’s impressive direction, the show flowed nicely and never became dull or lifeless. His simple set design worked well and didn’t need to be elaborate. I must point out the incredible printing press that was created for the performance by Todd Reifschneider.

Costumes by Christy Railsback and Jane Tanner were marvelously colorful and stylistically diverse. The original music design by Robert Brining was spectacular and moving. I hope we hear more of his creations in the future. The lighting design by Cole Adams was splendid and helped make the show flow smoothly.

During the final moments of the show, line after line of Shakespeare is spoken aloud. It continues for quite a while, and the audience begins to wonder if it's too much. Only to realize that is the point and heart of the story. That’s exactly what our heroes were trying to save. Just when you think it’s over, another famous line drops. And then another. Just beautiful.

Next up at Guild Hall, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic THE SOUND OF MUSIC will run July 16-19 at 7:00 pm nightly.

THE NOTEBOOK North American Tour Adds 26 Cities to 2026-27 Route

Tue, 19 May 2026 08:13:15 PST

The North American Tour of THE NOTEBOOK hasannounced engagements for the 2026-27 season, adding 26 cites to the previously announced route, including stops in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, and Houston. The tour began performances on September 6, 2025, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio, and has welcomed over 500,000 patrons to date.

Read the reviews for the touring production of The Notebook.

Allie and Noah, two people from different worlds, share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart in a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love. Based on the book that has sold millions of copies worldwide and a film that is one of the highest-grossing romantic dramas of all-time, the musical adaptation of THE NOTEBOOK played Broadway at the Schoenfeld Theatre from March 2024 to December 2024 following a critically acclaimed world premiere engagement at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in the fall of 2022.

THE NOTEBOOK features music and lyrics by multi-platinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and a book by playwright Bekah Brunstetter (writer and producer on NBC's “This Is Us,” The Cake). The production is directed by Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, RENT) and Schele Williams (Aida, The Wiz), with choreography by Katie Spelman (Associate Choreographer on Moulin Rouge! The Musical).

The creative team for the tour includes scenic design by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis, costume design by Paloma Young, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Mia Neal, and projection design by Lucy Mackinnon. The production's music supervisor is Carmel Dean, who also collaborated on arrangements with Ingrid Michaelson and on orchestrations with John Clancy, and the music director is Tina Faye. Casting by The Telsey Office, Patrick Goodwin, CSA.

The production was recognized with three 2024 Tony Award nominations (Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical), Drama League Award nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical, two Distinguished Performance Awards and the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical.

2026-2027 Tour Dates:

Detroit, MI — Fisher Theatre
September 22 – October 4, 2026

Dayton, OH — Schuster Center
October 6 – 11, 2026

Grand Rapids, MI — DeVos Performance Hall
October 13 – 18, 2026

East Lansing, MI — Wharton Center
October 27 – November 1, 2026

Richmond, VA — Altria Theater
November 3 – 8, 2026

Pittsburgh, PA — Benedum Center
November 10 – 15, 2026

Schenectady, NY — Proctors
December 1 – 6, 2026

Boston, MA — Emerson Colonial Theatre
December 8 – 20, 2026

Oklahoma City, OK — Civic Center Music Hall
December 29, 2026 – January 3, 2027

Houston, TX — Hobby Center
January 5 – 10, 2027

Dallas, TX — Winspear Opera House
January 12 – 24, 2027

New Orleans, LA — Saenger Theatre
January 26 – 31, 2027

Hershey, PA — Hershey Theatre
February 3 – 7, 2027

Providence, RI — PPAC
February 9 – 14, 2027

Rochester, NY — Auditorium Theatre
February 16 – 21, 2027

Fayetteville, AR — Walton Arts Center
February 24 – 28, 2027

Huntsville, AL — Von Braun Center
March 2 – 7, 2027

Ft. Lauderdale, FL — Broward Center
March 9 – 14, 2027

Ft. Myers, FL — Barbara B. Mann Hall
March 16 – 21, 2027

Naples, FL — Artis—Naples
March 23 – 28, 2027

North Charleston, SC — North Charleston PAC
March 30 – April 4, 2027

Birmingham, AL — BJCC Concert Hall
April 6 – 11, 2027

Atlanta, GA — Fox Theatre
April 13 – 18, 2027

Tucson, AZ — Centennial Hall
April 27 – May 2, 2027

San Jose, CA — Center for the Performing Arts
May 4 – 9, 2027

Sacramento, CA — SAFE Credit Union PAC
May 11 – 16, 2027

SHREK THE MUSICAL Set To Open Season For Theatre In The Park

Sun, 17 May 2026 21:59:25 PST

Theatre in the Park opens its 57th outdoor summer season with Shrek The Musical. Broadway has given audiences tragic revolutions, dancing cats, helicopter witches, and singing founding fathers. But sometimes what you really need is a giant green ogre with emotional baggage.

Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, Shrek The Musical brings the beloved story to life with larger-than-life characters, high-energy musical numbers, outrageous comedy, and an unexpectedly heartfelt story about identity, belonging, and embracing what makes us different.

At the center of the story is Shrek, a grumpy green ogre who prefers solitude in his swamp over the company of, well, anyone. That peaceful existence is quickly disrupted when a parade of displaced fairy tale characters takes up residence on his property after being banished by the hilariously power- hungry Lord Farquaad. Determined to reclaim his swamp, Shrek agrees to rescue Princess Fiona from a dragon-guarded tower in exchange for getting his home back. Along the way, he’s joined by the endlessly chatty Donkey, whose complete disregard for personal boundaries makes him both an immediate nuisance and eventual friend. What follows is a wildly entertaining adventure packed with dragons, giant dance numbers, fairy tale mayhem, awkward romance, and more heart than audiences may expect from a story centered around a green ogre.

Known for its large-scale outdoor productions, Theatre in the Park transforms the story into an immersive theatrical event under the stars, making Shrek a natural fit for the venue.

Performances will run May 22 – May 30 at the outdoor amphitheater in Shawnee Mission Park. Tickets: Adults - $12, Seniors - $10.80, Youth aged 4 – 10 - $7. Children 3 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center Box Office or online at the Theatre In The Park's website.

Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN at Roxy's Downtown

Wed, 13 May 2026 22:38:07 PST

Dear Evan Hansen opened Friday, May 8, at Roxy’s Downtown, and it couldn’t have been a better opening night. The house was full and the cast and crew delivered a rich, hypnotic tapestry of music and emotion. This show is nutritionally dense. If you like your musicals packed with realism, intense emotion and dark humor, coupled with a plot that unfolds slowly and keeps you guessing, this is the musical for you.

With music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and book by Steven Levenson, Dear Evan Hansen is a contemporary musical that dives headlong into sensitive themes of mental health, teenage suicide, social media, and family dysfunction. The show opened on Broadway on December 4th, 2016, and won 6 Tony Awards, a Grammy, and an Olivier Award. It follows a year in the life of Evan Hansen, a lonely high school student with social anxiety who finds himself entangled in a lie after a classmate, Connor Murphy, dies by suicide. The lie snowballs, giving Evan the popularity he never had, and eventually forces him to confront the truth of his actions.

Directed by Rick Bumgardner, with simple staging and choreography by Jenny Mitchell and Rick, the work is very detailed and meticulous, focusing on a more selective realism, characterizations and mannerisms, with very little commercial flash. The result is some exceptional character and ensemble work. Outstanding musical and vocal direction was provided by Simon Hill. The lush strings intertwined with the rich and fluid vocals was outstanding.

Scenic Designer J Branson, a WSU Grad based out of Chicago with National experience, produced a simple set with four flats at the rear for projections. There is a center turntable that rotates between Evan’s bedroom and a public space, a couch at house left that is Heidi and Evan’s home, with a dining table house right to depict the Murphy’s home.

Projections are used across the front of the house at the opening, and during the play, not only onstage, but throughout the house, to provide atmosphere and mood. The gorgeous, colorful lighting is used to set the many moods, with great juxtapositions, creating a vibrant atmosphere. The very visually appealing lighting and projection design is provided by Jason Huffman, Technical Director at Cowley College. Brad Thomison, Sound Designer, kept the vocals and orchestra well balanced. Costume Designer Kalon Kirk, a BA Theatre student at Friends University, provides well thought out clothing to accentuate each character’s personality.

Xavier Huffman, a recent graduate of Cowley College, plays the titular role with a lot of heart, depth, and some great gesture work. He’s got multiple tics, crazy hair, and profound awkwardness, yet it’s very real and never over the top. Jenny Mitchell portrays Evan’s mom, Heidi, a hard working woman torn between being there for her son, working a demanding day job as a nurse in a local hospital, and attending classes for becoming a paralegal. In her final solo, after Evan’s world comes crashing down, Jenny sings So Big/So Small “…I knew I’d come up short a million different ways…” Jenny rips a huge hole in your heart as she exits the stage in darkness, still sobbing deeply. It was one of the most intense and moving parts of the show, and gives insight to the world of working single moms everywhere.

Kirsten Witsman, who has worked nationally at places like the Goodspeed and Fulton Opera Houses, and the Lincoln Center, plays Cynthia Murphy, and Nick Albrecht, the Director of Theatre at Cowley College, plays her husband Larry Murphy. They’re the parents of Connor Murphy, played by local actor Hunter Bartholomew, and WSU Student Hayley Loya, who plays Connor’s sister Zoe Murphy. The Murphy family contributes a layer of dysfunction that fuels the plot of the play.

Witsman’s Cynthia is the perfect picture of the entitled mom and wife, totally supported by her husband Larry, but locked in a fierce battle with him on how to deal with their son Connor. Albrecht’s Larry is clearly grieving from the regret of not being able to connect with Connor in any meaningful way. Albrecht’s deep, rich, resonant voice reveals Larry’s pain in Requiem.

Bartholomew’s Connor is a cold psychopath who is physically abusive to Evan, and a pure monster to his sister. Loya has a smooth, contemporary pop sound which imbues Zoe with a warm, soulful vibe, letting the thoughtfulness of the character shine through.

Rounding out the cast is local actor Lorenz Looney as the mean friend Jared Kleinman, who is constantly insulting Evan. Looney’s Jared can dole out the insults, but eventually gets as good as he gives. The extremely cute and endearing but driven Alana Beck, the overachiever and social media maven is brilliantly played by Olivia Hill, a Friends University Theatre Major.

Roxy’s has partnered with local organizations for mental health resources, and compiled a helpful list which can be accessed by a QR code in the program. It’s quite a compendium of therapists, safe spaces, family counseling, and community centers that are easily accessible to the general public. Even if you don’t think you might need any help, it’s good to know it’s there if you do!

Food is served at this performance, and is not included in the ticket price. I also have it on great authority that the Apple Pie is AMAZING!

Dear Evan Hansen runs until June 13, 2026. Shows on Thursday and Friday begin at 7:30pm. Matinees are every Saturday at 2pm, with two Saturday evening shows on May 16 & 30 at 7:30pm. You can buy tickets online at https://tickets.roxysdowntown.com/event/parade-1e96bv or by calling the box office at 316-265-4400. Roxy’s Downtown is located at 412 1/2 E Douglas Ave #1, Wichita, KS 67202

What’s next for Roxy’s Downtown? Christi Moore will be returning to perform in Disenchanted, which opens on July 17 and runs to August 15, 2026. The 26/27 includes Come From Away 8/28 to 9/26; The Woman in Black 10/9 to 11/7; Avenue Q 11/20 to 12/19/26; Golden Girls 1/8 to 2/13/27; Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party 2/25 to 3/20; Moon Over Buffalo 4/2 to 5/1; In the Heights 5/14 to 6/11.

Photo: Kevin Connelly

StageMag Launches Programmable PDF Editor for Digital Theater Programs

Thu, 21 May 2026 10:04:02 PST

StageMag, the digital show program platform from BroadwayWorld, today launched its new PDF Editor to all producers and stage managers using the service. The tool gives editors granular, real-time control over how their digital program renders as a downloadable or printable PDF - the format most often used in lobby printouts, accessibility packets, and press kits.

Until now, the StageMag-to-PDF path was a one-shot export: whatever fit, fit. The new editor turns the export into a configurable surface. Each section of a program including the cast list, song list, director's note, bios, advertisements, sponsor pages, articles, listings and more — can be individually told how to paginate. Editors choose between three strategies per section:

Flow: natural pagination, sections may split across pages.
Own page: start the section on a fresh page.
Fit one page: start fresh and scale the section to occupy the whole page.

A live preview pane re-renders the PDF on every change, so editors see the final printed result as they work rather than guessing and re-exporting.Beyond the strategy picker, the editor exposes a set of advanced controls familiar to anyone who has hand-tuned a long-form print document: hide-element selectors (drop sponsor strips or vestigial nav from the print version), forced page breaks before or after named elements, a draggable section-order list, custom header/footer/watermark text, and a custom-CSS escape hatch for theaters whose programs follow a house style.

The release also includes paper-level controls including US Letter or A4, portrait or landscape, three margin presets, three type scales, and a "booklet" mode that adds a binding gutter for stapled lobby printouts.

The PDF Editor is available now to all StageMag-enabled productions at no additional cost, under the Share PDF tab in the program editor. Existing programs render with sensible defaults; the new controls are opt-in and per-production.

About StageMag

StageMag is BroadwayWorld's digital playbill platform, used by Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional, university, and community theater productions to publish interactive programs that audiences open on their phones from a QR code in the lobby. StageMag is offered as a free service to participating productions.

About BroadwayWorld

Founded in 2003, BroadwayWorld is the largest theater website in the world, covering Broadway, the West End, and theater news, reviews, interviews, and resources across all 50 US states and 45 countries.

Previews: THE BOOK OF WILL at The Guild Hall Players At St. James Episcopal Church

Fri, 08 May 2026 11:00:58 PST

Guild Hall Players present “The Book of Will” by Lauren Gunderson on May 21-24, 2026. Show times are 8 p.m. from May 21-24 and 7 p.m. on May 24. Guild Hall Players perform at St. James Episcopal Church located at 3750 E. Douglas Ave. in Wichita, KS 67208. Reservations can be made by calling 316-683-5686, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“The Book of Will” takes place seven years after Shakespeare’s death and follows JohnHeminges and Henry Condell, two actors in The King’s Men, putting together the First Folio, the first official collection of Shakespeare’s work. Through many trials and tribulations, the two achieve this goal with the help of people who are just as passionate about the project as them. The show highlights themes of family, friendship, love, loss, leaving a legacy behind and how you honor the important people in your lives.

Directing the production is Jeremy Buoy, a graduate of the Wichita State University Theatre Department. The cast is led by Jonny Kline and Anthony Larkin- Valdez, playing John Heminges and Henry Condell. Playing around 24 other roles are Dan Schuster, Emily Larkin-Valdez, Chelsea Daniel, Vonda Schuster, Owen Balman, Braden LaBrue-Layman, Matt Neises, Ethan Mowery, Luke Jones, and Robert Brining.

Like the First Folio, it takes a village to make this show happen. On the production team are Emily Redfield as the stage manager and fight choreographer, Jane Tanner and Christy Railsback as co-costume designers, Cole Adams as lighting designer and dialect coach, Louise Brinegar as properties designer, Erin Urick as the intimacy coordinator and Todd Reifschneider constructing a printing press.

Several cast members also serve on the production team. Balman is the publicity coordinator, Dan Schuster is the sound designer, and Brining has composed original music featured in the show. Buoy also serves as the set designer, with Randy Harrison serving as the technical director.

Previews: CLUE at Century II Concert Hall

Mon, 04 May 2026 19:03:26 PST

The American Theatre Guild is thrilled to present CLUE, the hilarious murder mystery comedy inspired by the Hasbro board game and adapted from the fan-favorite film. This production will close out the 25–26 BROADWAY IN WICHITA Series at the Century II Concert Hall May 15–17, 2026.

The cast includes Sarah Mackenzie Baron as the Mrs. White, Adam Brett as Wadsworth, Camille Capers as Miss Scarlet, Nate Curlott as Colonel Mustard, Joseph Dalfonso as Mr. Boddy and others, TJ Lamando as Mr. Green, Madeline Raube as Mrs. Peacock, AT Sanders as The Cook and others, Zoie Tannous as Yvette, Kebron Woodfin as the Cop and others, and Kyle Yampiro as Professor Plum. The understudies are Thomas Netter, Allison Masulis, Taylor Tveten and Layne Roate.

Led by Broadway Director Casey Hushion (Associate Director of Mean Girls and The Prom, Associate Resident Director of Aladdin, choreography for the Netflix series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the fan-favorite 1985 Paramount Pictures movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, CLUE is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist.

CLUE is based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn. Written by Sandy Rustin with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price. It features original music by Michael Holland.

The production also features scenic design by Lee Savage, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Ryan J. O'Gara, sound design by Jeff Human with hair, wig & makeup design by J. Jared Janas. CLUE is associate directed by Saki Kawamura, with fight choreography by Robert Westley. Casting is by Whitley Theatrical. The Production Stage Manager is Jenna Wadleigh and the Company Manager is Laurence Christopher.

The CLUE franchise began in 1949 with the manufacture of the ‘Cluedo’ board game. Currently owned and published by Hasbro, the game has since sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. A murder-mystery comedy film by Paramount Pictures based on the board game was released in 1985 acquiring a passionate fanbase that continues to gain newcomers today.

The Second North American tour of CLUE is produced by Work Light Productions and LME Productions. CLUE was originally produced at Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, Pennsylvania, by Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman, and Josh Fiedler. CLUE was developed by Cleveland Playhouse, with Laura Kepley, Artistic Director, and Kevin Moore, Managing Director.

Please note: BroadwayWichita.com, Century2.com, SelectASeat.com and the Century II Box Office are the only official sources for tickets to all shows in the 25–26 BROADWAY IN WICHITA Series. If you purchase tickets through another source, you may pay inflated prices and your tickets will not be guaranteed.

Tickets to CLUE are available for purchase at BroadwayWichita.com and Century2.com, or by calling 855-755-7328. Group ticket savings for 10+ are available by contacting Groups@ATGuild.org

Performance dates and times include Friday, May 15, 2026, at 7:30pm, Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 2:00 & 7:30pm, and Sunday, May 17, 2026 at 1:00pm.

SOMETHING WONDERFUL: RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN AT THE MANSION Announced By Opera Saratoga

Sun, 03 May 2026 12:05:41 PST

Opera Saratoga opens its 2026 season with concerts featuring the 2026 Festival Artists, accompanied by Opera Saratoga’s music staff, led by acclaimed pianist and coach Adam Nielsen, who joined the company in December 2025.

Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein at the Mansion, will showcase the voices of this year’s Festival Artists at The Mansion Inn, only minutes from downtown Saratoga Springs.

“These young singers are some of the best we’ve ever had in Saratoga Springs — they’ve won national awards, sung, and played in A-houses and many are going to Europe next year” says General and Artistic Director, Mary Birnbaum. “We are tremendously lucky to have them at Opera Saratoga, and I can assure you, you won’t want to miss this chance to hear them in a beautiful, intimate setting!”

“Something Wonderful” features many song from the musical theatre repertoire including songs from “The Sound of Music,” “South Pacific,” “Oklahoma!,” “Carousel,” and rarities like “Allegro,” “The Boys from Syracuse,” “Floyd Collins,” and “Once Upon a Mattress.”

Performances will take place on May 31 at The Mansion Inn located at 801 NY 29 Rock City Falls, NY. Tickets can be purchased at the Opera Saratoga's website.

Review: MEDEA at Wichita Community Theatre

Sun, 03 May 2026 00:33:22 PST

If you’re not up on your Greek Mythology, and don’t know the tale of Medea, written by Greek playwright Euripides in 431 BC, she figures heavily in the quest of Jason and The Argonauts. Thankfully the program for Wichita Community Theatre’s production brings you up to speed quickly. Jason sails his ship, the Argo, to find the Golden Fleece, when he meets Medea, a sorceress and daughter of the king who has all the fleece. The goddess Hera makes Medea fall in love with Jason so Medea will help him. Medea completes near impossible tasks, they get the fleece, but before her journey with Jason is done, Medea commits some pretty heinous crimes to keep Jason safe and happy. If it weren’t for Medea, Jason’s quest for the Golden Fleece would not have been so successful. Medea and Jason get married, have two sons, and live happily ever after in Corinth. That is, until Jason is titillated by a royal princess half his age, and Medea gets thrown over for a trophy wife.

Director Misty Maynard taught Medea for 50 years, and also helped students direct this play. When she finally had a chance to direct it, she pondered what she might do with it. Misty found a modern adaptation and translation by Robin Robertson and it occurred to her that the themes of domestic violence, a controlling patriarchy, cheating on your partner, and getting thrown over for a trophy wife were universal themes that have persisted throughout history to this day. So it made sense that a modern adaptation called for modern clothes, themes, dialogue, and modern attitudes. Maynard has also given a direct nod to the greek chorus, giving them some classic greek choreography, notably the strophe and antistrophe movements as the chorus renders prayers to Zeus and Helios. The Greek Chorus, you remember, are members of the community that give advice, make observations on behavior, and comment on the proceedings.

If ancient unapproachable poetry and language has kept you away from the classics, WCT’s Medea is a good way to immerse yourself in Greek intrigue without worrying that you won’t understand it because of the language! Medea runs 90 minutes with no intermission, which is ideal for modern attention spans. The play is well supported by some tasty technical support. The suspenseful preshow music by Ben Eldridge keeps us on the edge of our seat. The set, designed by Director Maynard, consisted of a round raked and elevated white platform in the center of the proscenium, with white garden benches on either side of the stage. The background was 2 white flats with diaphanous scrim on either side. The rest of the stage was surrounded by black flats, so there was great contrast, allowing the lighting designer Joseph Heil full reign with color. There was ever changing set colors to fit the ever changing moods. Costume Designer Christy Railsback does a beautiful job here, particularly with the loose, flowing clothing of the female Greek Chorus, which had a strong Jessica McClintock/Gunne Sax feel with lots of tan and off-white lace and beading, which gave a very feminine but strong 70’s women’s lib hippie chick vibe.

Linda McDonald Nurse opening monologue was leisurely and mournful, setting the scene for the tragedy. Caleb Jamal Manuel introduced Medea’s children as their Tutor, brings the bad news that Creon will banish the children and Medea from Corinth. The young boys were well focused and played by I.A. and his sister, A.B. Eldridge. The Greek Chorus was very strong, let by WCT Veterans Crystal Meek, Charlene Grinsell, Chelsea Daniel, and Jerusha Lofland. Rounding out the chorus were lots of new to me female faces I hope to see more of. Their ensemble work was wonderful, as everyone was listening carefully and reacting with each other.

Jami Thomas, WCT Veteran, played Medea in a gorgeous witchy red dress, again with a 70s vibe. She exploded onto the stage, and the pace picks up considerably after a languid start. Medea’s first speech is loaded with 70s women’s lib rhetoric, lamenting her fate. She explained how strangled women are by the patriarchy, that “men are masters to us,” informing us that she no kin to turn to since she has estranged her family because of Jason, and also that he has taken a trophy wife.

Medea is interrupted by Creon and his beefy goons. Creon, played well by Chris Welborn, exiles Medea, as he is afraid of she’ll harm his family. Medea begs Creon to let her stay; “How will I provide for my children?” Creon gives her an extra day (a decision he will soon regret), and bathed in red light, Medea plots her bloody revenge.

Anthony Larkin Valdez then enters as Jason, a tall good looking hunk with long hair, in another nod to the 70s. Medea confronts Jason and an intense argument ensues. Medea tries to reason with him, but to no avail. Jason says he’ll give her money and letters of introductions, but this is madness to Medea, as she cannot understand why he disrespects both his marriage and his children.

Aegeus, King of Athens enters, played by Joe Parrish. This is the best thing I’ve seen Joe do all year. Bathed in royal purple light, Medea tells him her story, Aegeus invites Medea to Athens. She promises to cure him of his childlessness. Aegeus cannot give Medea safe passage, so she must find her own way. This was one of my favorite scenes, very tender and beautiful, full of deep feeling. Aegeus’ costume was beautiful, white, gold and purple robes.

Aegeus leaves and Medea hatches her plan of revenge. She will kill her children so no one can ever take them from her, and poison the princess and Creon. She tells us “Passion is all the root of our sin and suffering.” The chorus is privy to this plan and being to pray to Zeus in classic prayers to the gods, using the idea of strophe and antistrophe.

The Messenger, portrayed by Kiera Abrienne, a local playwright, actor, and director, delivers a powerful, very detailed description of the Princess and Creon’s death. Behind the Messenger we see the Princess and Creon deliver an interpretive death dance behind the diaphanous scrim. It’s difficult to see any detail, which makes the presentation very abstract. Kiera’s monologue is punctuated by her facial display of emotions and thoughts of the horrible thing she has just seen.

As the chorus offers a prayer to Helios, we hear screams and stage again is bathed in red light.

Jason’s final monologue is an ode to his ignorance and selfishness. The flats behind him open to reveal Medea and her two dead children bound in white cloth and laid like saddlebags across the backs of two white and gold merry-go-round horses, again bathed in red light. This Deus ex Machina, the Chariot of Zeus, is ready to provide her escape. Medea has a new blood red dress, and is ready to be transported to Athens.

There is one more performance left of Medea, which is Sunday, May 3 at 2pm. For tickets and more information, check out their website at www.WichitaCT.org

What’s up next for WCT? Lost Girl, which runs June 4 - 14, 2026!

OPERATION MINCEMEAT Reveals 2026-27 Tour Dates and Cities

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:12:44 PST

OPERATION MINCEMEAT has announced the full 2026/27 season dates for the North American leg of its world tour. The news comes as OPERATION MINCEMEAT celebrates its 500th performance on Broadway this Saturday, May 2, after hitting 2,000 performances worldwide - now playing simultaneously in the West End, on Broadway, and on tour across the UK. Following the North American leg, further stops on its international journey will include Australia, China, Mexico, and New Zealand.

Read the reviews for the Broadway run here.

Producer Jon Thoday for Avalon said, “Launching our third OPERATION MINCEMEAT production, the North American leg of the world tour, as the show reaches 500 performances on Broadway and passes 2,000 worldwide is incredibly exciting. With its continued international growth and an expanding fanbase, we look forward to welcoming new audiences across the continent.”

The North American leg of the Mincemeat World Tour will launch at the Providence Performance Arts Center (Providence, RI), on September 20, 2026, before crisscrossing North America this upcoming season, with stops including Chicago, Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.

Operation Mincemeat Tour Dates:

Providence, RI – Providence Performing Arts Center
September 20–26, 2026

Chicago, IL – CIBC Theatre
September 29–October 11, 2026

Boston, MA – Colonial Theatre
October 13–25, 2026

Toronto, ON – Theatre TBD
October–December 2026

Philadelphia, PA – Forrest Theatre
December 15–20, 2026

Columbus, OH – Ohio Theatre
January 5–10, 2027

Detroit, MI – Fisher Theatre
January 12–24, 2027

Minneapolis, MN – Orpheum Theatre
January 26–31, 2027

Eugene, OR – Hult Center
February 3–7, 2027

Seattle, WA – 5th Avenue Theatre
February 10–21, 2027

Tempe, AZ – ASU Gammage
February 23–28, 2027

Salt Lake City, UT – Eccles Theatre
March 2–7, 2027

San Francisco, CA – Orpheum Theatre
March 9–28, 2027

Los Angeles, CA – Pantages Theatre
March 30–April 18, 2027

San Diego, CA – Civic Center
April 20–25, 2027

Hartford, CT – Bushnell Center
May 4–9, 2027

Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center
May 11–16, 2027

Greenville, SC – Peace Center
May 18–23, 2027

Fayetteville, AR – Walton Arts Center
May 25–30, 2027

Tampa, FL – Straz Center
June 1–6, 2027

Washington, DC – The National Theatre
June 8–20, 2027

Buffalo, NY – Shea’s Performing Arts Center
June 22–27, 2027

Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
July 6–11, 2027

Memphis, TN – Orpheum Theatre
July 13–18, 2027

Fort Worth, TX – Bass Performance Hall
July 20–25, 2027

About Operation Mincemeat

In OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL, it's 1943, and the Allied Forces are on the ropes. Luckily, they've got a trick up their sleeve. Well, not up their sleeve, per se, but rather inside the pocket of a stolen corpse. Equal parts farce, thriller, and Ian Fleming-style spy caper (with an assist from Mr. Fleming himself), OPERATION MINCEMEAT tells the wildly improbable and hilarious true story of the covert operation that turned the tide of WWII.

Written by triple Tony Award nominees SpitLip (comprised of David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts), OPERATION MINCEMEAT began performances on Broadway on February 15, 2025, and continues to play at the historic Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street), where it has been extended eight times and will soon celebrate its 500th performance. The West End production, which has been playing at the Fortune Theatre since March 29, 2023, is widely recognized as one of the best-reviewed shows in West End history, holding the record for the most five-star reviews for a new musical, with a tally of 131. OPERATION MINCEMEAT has just launched its world tour, beginning with a UK leg before heading across the pond.

Olivier Award nominated Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky's Edge, National Theatre – Best New Musical Olivier Award winner) will reprise his work for the tour, while Olivier Award nominated Jenny Arnold (Jerry Springer: The Opera, National Theatre) continues as Choreographer. The creative team will include Olivier nominated Set and Costume Designer Ben Stones (Standing at the Sky's Edge), Tony and Olivier winning Lighting Designer Mark Henderson (The History Boys), Tony nominated Sound Designer Mike Walker (Charlie & The Chocolate Factory), Tony nominated Orchestrator Steve Sidwell (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), and Olivier nominated Music Supervisor Joe Bunker (Spring Awakening). Georgie Staight is Associate Director and Paul Isaiah Isles is Associate Choreographer. Production Stage Management is by Geoff Maus, Casting is by Carrie Gardner, CSA, and General Management is by TT Partners.

OPERATION MINCEMEAT has been nominated for 64 awards since opening at the 77-seat New Diorama Theatre in 2019, winning 13, including Best Musical 3 times, from the Olivier Awards, WhatsOnStage Awards, and Off-West End Awards. On Broadway, the show was nominated for 4 Tony Awards in 2025, including Best Musical. The production won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Jak Malone's portrayal of Hester Leggatt, who previously won the Olivier Award in the same category. The production has also received nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical at the Drama League Awards, Outstanding New Broadway Musical at the Outer Critics Circle Awards, Best Musical at the BroadwayWorld Theater Fans' Choice Awards, and Favourite New Musical at the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.

RAGTIME Will Launch National Tour in Fall 2027

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:00:22 PST

Lincoln Center Theater’s Broadway revival of Ragtime, directed by Kewsong Lee Artistic Director Lear deBessonet, announced today that it will launch a North American Tour in the fall of 2027. The tour will premiere at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre in Buffalo, New York, before continuing onto cities across the U.S. and Canada. Additional tour stops and casting will be announced at a later date.

Lincoln Center Theater’s limited engagement of Ragtime has been extended twice by popular demand with performances now through August 2, 2026. The production set a new box office record at the Vivian Beaumont Theater and was recently nominated foreight Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Lear deBessonet), as well as five Drama League Awards including Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Lear deBessonet).

“Ragtime is one of the most ambitious musicals ever written, and it feels timelier than ever,” said producers Tom Kirdahy, Kevin Ryan, Robert Greenblatt, and Lamar Richardson in a statement. “What Lear deBessonet and this extraordinary company have created at Lincoln Center Theater is both epic in scale and deeply human. We couldn’t be more excited to share it with communities across North America.”

“It’s a real honor to kick off the North American Tour of Ragtime at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre,” said Buffalo presenter Al Nocciolino. “This is the kind of production people talk about long after the curtain comes down—remarkable in scale and deeply moving. We’re thrilled to welcome it to our stage and proud to share it with our community first.”

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Featuring a Tony Award-winning score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, Tony Award-winning book by Terrence McNally, and Tony Award-winning orchestrations by William David Brohn, Ragtime weaves fictional narratives with real historical figures and events, creating a rich tapestry that blurs the line between personal struggle and national identity, making history feel both intimate and epic.

The creative team for Ragtime includes Ellenore Scott (choreography), David Korins (scenic design), Linda Cho (costume design), Adam Honoré & Donald Holder (lighting design), Kai Harada (sound design), 59 Studio (projection design), Tom Watson (hair & wig design), Ann James (sensitivity specialist), and The Telsey Office, Craig Burns, CSA (casting).

OH, MARY! Reveals Tour Dates and Cities For 2026-27

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:23:47 PST

The North American Tour of Oh, Mary! has announced the dates and cities for its 2026-27 season. The tour of the Tony Award and Olivier Award-winning comedy will tech and launch at The Bushnell in Hartford, Connecticut, with performances beginning September 19, 2026. Casting will be announced at a later date. Check out the full list of tour dates below~

Written by Tony Award and Olivier Award winner Cole Escola and directed by Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary! opened on Broadway on July 11, 2024, and continues to play at the Lyceum Theatre, where it became the first show in the theatre’s 121-year history to gross more than $1,000,000 in a single week. Oh, Mary! has since broken its own box office record twelve times and became the first show of the 2024-25 Broadway season to recoup its investment. Oh, Mary! opened to rave reviews in London’s West End on December 18, 2025.

Oh, Mary! is a dark comedy about a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in this one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln through the lens of an idiot (playwright Cole Escola).

The full creative team for the Broadway production includes dots (Scenic Designer), Holly Pierson (Costume Designer), Cha See (Lighting Designer), Daniel Kluger (Sound Design and Original Music), Drew Levy (Sound Designer), Leah J. Loukas (Wig Designer), Addison Heeren (Props Supervision), and David Dabbon (Musical Arrangements). Casting by Henry Russell Bergstein, CSA.

Oh, Mary! is produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum & Lucas McMahon and Mike Lavoie & Carlee Briglia with Bob Boyett, The Council, Jean Doumanian Productions, Nicole Eisenberg, Jay Marcus & George Strus, Irony Point, Richard Batchelder/Bradley Reynolds, Tyler Mount/Tommy Doyle, Nelson & Tao, Palomares & Rosenberg, and Showtown Productions.

Tour Dates

September 19–23, 2026
Hartford, CT — The Bushnell

September 29–October 4, 2026
San Diego, CA — San Diego Civic Theatre

October 6–11, 2026
Las Vegas, NV — The Smith Center

October 13–November 1, 2026
San Francisco, CA — Curran Theatre

November 3–8, 2026
Seattle, WA — The Paramount Theatre

November 10–December 6, 2026
Los Angeles, CA — Ahmanson Theatre

December 21, 2026–January 3, 2027
Boston, MA — Emerson Colonial Theatre

January 6–17, 2027
Saint Paul, MN — Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

January 19–February 7, 2027
Chicago, IL — CIBC Theatre

February 9–21, 2027
Washington, DC — The National Theatre

February 23–28, 2027
Detroit, MI — Fisher Theatre

March 9–14, 2027
Philadelphia, PA — Miller Theater

March 16–28, 2027
Charlotte, NC — Blumenthal Arts

March 30–April 4, 2027
Cleveland, OH — Connor Palace

April 6–11, 2027
Tampa, FL — Straz Center

April 27–May 9, 2027
Houston, TX — Hobby Center

May 11–16, 2027
West Palm Beach, FL — Kravis Center

Play Broadway Games Every Day in May and Win a Merch Prize Pack

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:30:20 PST

Broadway fans, your daily warm-up just got a whole lot more rewarding. BroadwayWorld is launching the May 2026 Games Challenge - a month-long streak competition open to fans across the U.S., with a $250 merch prize pack featuring merchandise from popular Broadway shows up for grabs.

The challenge runs all 31 days of May 2026 (Eastern Time), and all you need to enter is a free BroadwayWorld account.

How It Works

The rules are simple: play at least one BroadwayWorld game every day in May. That's it. Complete all 31 days and you'll earn one entry to win the prize pack. Tracking is automatic once you're logged in - your progress populates on the challenge page as you play, no manual check-ins required.

Any of these six games count toward your daily credit:

Make-Up Days: Because Life Happens

Miss a day? You're not out of the running. Play all six games in a single day and you'll earn a make-up credit, which automatically forgives your earliest missed day. You can bank up to three make-up credits over the course of the month - so a skipped Tuesday or a busy weekend doesn't have to end your streak. Credits are applied to your missed days in order, oldest first.

Ready to Start Your Streak?

The May 2026 BroadwayWorld Games Challenge runs May 1-31 (Eastern Time) and is open to U.S. residents only.

Click here to get started. Sign in with your free BroadwayWorld account and your tracking begins automatically - no registration beyond that required.

See full rules and regulations here.

NEWSIES Unseats LES MISÉRABLES to Win BroadwayWorld's 2026 Ultimate Movie Musical Bracket

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:26:32 PST

After six weeks of voting, BroadwayWorld readers have crowned Newsies the Ultimate Best Movie Musical in the 2026 edition of BroadwayWorld's Annual Bracket. The 1992 Disney film, directed by Kenny Ortega and featuring music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, defeated Les Misérables in the final round, ending the Tom Hooper-directed film's two-year winning streak.

In both 2024 and 2025, Les Misérables was voted as the Ultimate Best Musical of all time, making it the title to beat heading into this year's competition. Newsies, a perennial fan favorite that developed a devoted following after its theatrical release and has since been adapted for the Broadway stage, advanced through six rounds of head-to-head matchups before claiming the title.

Now in its third year, BroadwayWorld's Bracket invites readers to debate, defend, and ultimately crown the greatest movie musical of all time from a field selected by BroadwayWorld editors. Voting in the 2026 edition opened on Tuesday, February 24 and concluded on Sunday, April 12, with new matchups released each week.

DEAR EVAN HANSEN Will Play Roxy's Downtown

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:56:04 PST

Roxy’s Downtown Theatre, Inc. just announced its upcoming production of the Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, opening May 8.

This deeply moving and contemporary musical explores themes of connection, mental health, and the universal desire to be seen and understood. With a powerful score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman, La La Land), Dear Evan Hansen has resonated with audiences around the world for its emotional honesty and unforgettable music.

The Roxy’s production features a talented cast led by Xavier Huffman as Evan Hansen, alongside Hayley Loya-Ruiz, Jenny Mitchell, Nick Albrecht, Kirsten Witsman, Hunter Bartholomew, Olivia Hill, and Lorenz Looney.

Review: SWAN LAKE at Century II Concert Hall

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:10:23 PST

Swan Lake was presented one night only, March 26, at Century II Concert Hall. The visually stunning ballet was presented by International Ballet Stars under the direction of Producer Ekaterina Vaganova-Yachmennikova. The North America ballet tour will present anywhere from 72 to 150 performances across the United States, creating one of the largest classical ballet tours in North America.

Ekaterina was a teacher and choreographer for Dancing With The Stars in Italy (2012–2017), Dancing With The Stars in Russia (2009), and So You Think You Can Dance Russia (2015–2016). Based out of Miami, Ekaterina, along with her husband Artem Yachmennikov founded the We Dance Program in 2021 to include around 25 ballet studios participating in Classical Arts Entertainment productions. This program allows ballet students of ages 5+ to perform with the professional ballet companies and gain a one-in-a lifetime educational and cultural experience. It was unclear from the beautifully designed program if any local studios and their students were included in the ballet.

Swan Lake was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. When the ballet premiered with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, it was an initial failure, and was performed 41 times in its initial iteration. With original choreography Václav Reisinger, the ballet has since had sections of its music and plot re-written and re-choreographed by countless artists. Now it is now one of the most popular ballets of all time. International Ballet Star’s production based their performances on the 1895 revival of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, first staged for the Imperial Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. For this revival, Tchaikovsky's score was revised by Riccardo Drigo.

The scenario, initially in two acts, was based on Russian and German folk tales, telling the story of Prince Siegfried, who is searching for a bride, and falls in love with Odette, a princess turned into a swan by the evil sorcerer Rothbart’s curse. There are innumerable variations and endings to this ballet. The original version featured a tragic ending where Odette and Prince Siegfried both drown in the lake. After Siegfried breaks his vow to Odette, the sorcerer Von Rothbart prevails, and the lovers choose death together in the water rather than live apart. In the version danced by International Ballet Stars, the ending is one of a "happily ever after" in which Siegfried fights Rothbart and tears off his wing, killing him. Odette is restored to human form and she and Siegfried are happily united.

I was disappointed to find that there were no program credits given to the designers or the performers regarding the specific roles they danced. There were some STUNNING performances and it is a shame I cannot give credit where credit is due.

The painted backdrops were absolutely breathtaking. The Palace featured gorgeous stained glass window drops, which were well lit with different colors depending on the costume schemes. In the 1st Act the colors were rose and blue, and in the 2nd Act the palace was lit in a pale green and pink light. The Thrones for the prince and queen in the 2nd Act were simple, yet had a contemporary flair. When the cast moves to the Lake and castle exterior in the 1st Act, the dominant full moon is blood red, and the black iridescent water glistens and sparkles. In the 2nd Act, the moon turned full and bright white, with the lake a clear blue, still glistening.

The costumes in Swan Lake were tastefully opulent. For example, the Queen’s opening costume and crown, sporting red and gold pearls on the traditional Russian headdress, was quite luxurious. The Spanish Dancers in the 2nd Act wore rich red and black, with matching fans; the Russian Dancers had the most decadently rich royal blue and gold tutus and tights. And of course, the Swans dazzled in their white (and black) feathers. Rothbart’s costume was magnificent, with a black feathered headdress, with both an iridescent cape and wings. In the opening Royal Court scene, the dancer portraying the Jester dazzled the audience with airy leaps of amazing height, and lightning quick turns. The Jester was quite the character, always milking the applause! In the way of the classic old Russian style. there were many stops in the action, with room for applause after each solo/movement.

Act 1 Scene 2 opened with Prince Siegfried hunting for swans with his Crossbow outside the palace, when he happens upon Odette and her beautiful corps of swans. Odette’s opening solo was clean and precise. Siegfried’s opening pas de deus with Odette was delicate and sublime. Of course, the highlight of the scene was the exquisite pas de quatre, perfectly executed, with every swan perfectly in sync. Our reverie is jolted by the appearance of the evil Rothbart, mesmerizing the audience with his precision, powerful athletic leaps, and dazzling black iridescent headdress and wings. He sees Siegfried and Odette’s love for each other, and vows to trick the lovers by making Siegfried break his vows to Odette.

Act 2 Scene 1 opened with The Ball, where Prince Siegfried hosts a dazzling array of beautiful young female suitors suitable to betroth; some are royalty, dazzling with their dances of Spanish, Russian, and Asian origin, all sporting spectacularly colorful costumes. Unfortunately, all Siegfried can think about is Odette. Without warning, Rothbart bursts in with his daughter, Odile, whom Siegfried thinks is Odette. Siegfried dances an achingly beautiful pas de deux with Odile, which soon melts into a gloriously athletic pas de trois that includes Rothbart. This is quickly followed by Odile’s solo with her flawlessly executed 32 fouetté turns, which elicited great applause from the audience. When Rothbart reveals himself, and Siegfried realizes Odile is not Odette, he runs out of the castle and to the lake.

Act 2 Scene 3 finds us back at the lake, where the white swans now mix with the black swans. The action moves quickly as Prince Siegfried finds Odette and together they dance a pas de deux of forgiveness. Rothbart and Siegfried battle for control of Odette in an intense, explosive pas de deux, which ends with Siegfried violently ripping off one of Rothbart’s wing, causing his death. Odette and Siegfried conclude the proceedings with an incredibly emotional pas de deux, and as the sun rises, we see all will live happily ever after!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t leave you with an interesting historical tidbit. According to NPR and ABC, anytime there was political instability or upheaval in the Soviet Union, State Television would air the entire Swan Lake ballet on loop.

International Ballet Stars are currently touring the United States, performing Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty in rep through May 10th, stopping in Seattle, WA on April 26, Stockton, CA on May 3, and Tucson, AZ on May 10.

BroadwayWorld My Shows is Now Part of the New & Improved App

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:34:45 PST

Since launching last fall, BroadwayWorld My Shows has been the place where theatre fans log every production they've seen, rate performances, write reviews, and document their theatre experiences. Today, we're thrilled to announce that the complete My Shows experience - rebuilt from the ground up - is now available inside the BroadwayWorld app for iPhone and iPad.

Whether you're a Broadway regular, a West End devotee, a tour-chaser, or someone who just caught their very first show last weekend, My Shows in the app lets you track it all, connect with friends who love theatre as much as you do, and carry your entire theatregoing history with you wherever you go.

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The complete My Shows experience - rebuilt from the ground up - is now available inside the BroadwayWorld app for iPhone and iPad. Get started now!
♬ original sound - BroadwayWorld

What's New in My Shows

A Social Feed Built for Theatre Fans- See what your friends are watching in real time: new logs, star ratings, and reviews in a scrollable activity stream. Like, comment, and discover what your community is raving about.

Your Complete Theatregoing Stats - The redesigned Profile turns your history into beautiful statistics: Shows Seen, Total Attendances, Repeat Visits, a Broadway / West End / Tour / Off-Broadway / Regional breakdown, and a Musicals vs. Plays split.

Smart, Grouped Show History - Seen Wicked four times? Record repeart attendances with individual visits, ratings, and reviews.

Find Friends - Search members, send and accept requests, and build your theatre community. A friend-requests banner at the top of your feed means you never miss a new connection.

The Quick Start Wizard - Catching up on years of theatregoing? Rapidly rate and log shows across Broadway, West End, Touring, Off-Broadway, and a curated popular list of the longest-running Broadway productions of all time.

Theatres You've Visited - Browse every theatre on Broadway, and beyond. See where you've been, what's still on your list, and every production that's ever played there.

Wishlist - Keep track of the shows you're dying to see, now front and center in the app's tab bar.

Built for iPhone and iPad — The entire experience is fully optimized for both, with layouts that adapt to bigger screens.

Getting Started

If you already have a BroadwayWorld account, just open the app, tap My Shows, and sign in. Everything you've ever logged on the website will be right there waiting for you.

New to BroadwayWorld? Create a free account in seconds and start building your theatregoing history today.

Download the BroadwayWorld app - free on the App Store - and take your theatre life with you.

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Around The BroadwayWorld: Top News, Reviews, Interviews & More from March 2026

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:54:50 PST

Around the BroadwayWorld is our monthly snapshot of the biggest stories making waves across the global theatre community. In this March 2026 edition, we're bringing you a fresh batch of standout reviews from regional stages across the country - from the world premiere of Mrs. Christie at Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park to touring productions of The Great Gatsby in Houston, Water for Elephants in Minneapolis, and Wicked in Providence.

Tony-winning Stereophonic lands at DPAC in Raleigh, The Hunchback of Notre Dame takes the stage at Hale Centre Theatre in Utah, and Safety Not Guaranteed makes its way to Signature Theatre in DC. Plus, get a first look at exciting new productions through performance videos and photos, including White Rooster at Lookingglass Theatre, the new tour of Kinky Boots, Romeo and Juliet at Arden Theatre Company, The Crucible at Washington National Opera, and the Manila cast of A Chorus Line - and so much more from across the BroadwayWorld.

Interview: Matthew Lombardo and Beth Leavel Tell the Tale of WHEN PLAYWRIGHTS KILL

R. Scott Reedy | Boston

After the headline-making 2019 run of his “Tea at Five,” which starred Faye Dunaway, playwright Matthew Lombardo returns to Boston’s Huntington Theatre April 3–18 with his latest effort, “When Playwrights Kill,” a behind-the scenes comedy about an up-and-coming playwright whose Broadway dreams are dashed when his female lead, a famously difficult diva, derails his play’s out-of-town tryout in Boston.

Interviews

Interview: Adam Grant Morrison, Albus Potter in HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD at The Fox Theatre

Joseph Harrison | Atlanta

The magic of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD has officially arrived in Atlanta, with the first-ever touring production now playing at the Fox Theatre as part of the 2025/2026 Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta season, running through March 15. To celebrate this landmark engagement, I caught up with Adam Grant Morrison, who stars as Albus Potter, Harry’s son, in this theatrical continuation of the beloved wizarding world. In our conversation, Morrison reflects on growing up in Atlanta, discovering theatre unexpectedly, stepping into an iconic role he once only dreamed of, and what it means to bring this magical story home to the Fox Theatre stage.

Interview: Eymard Cabling of MISS SAIGON at Short North Stage

Paul Batterson | Columbus

Growing up in Rockville, Md., Eymard Cabling’s fields of study were somewhat limited. Cabling, who will be playing the role of The Engineer in Short North Stage’s upcoming production of the epic MISS SAIGON, thought he had three career choices.

Interview: SoCal's Leianna Weaver Talks Lydia, Ghosts, and BEETLEJUICE

Melissa Heckscher | Los Angeles

Southern California native Leianna Weaver speaks with BroadwayWorld about what it felt like to land the role of Lydia Deetz in BEETLEJUICE, how she relates to the character, and some onstage mishaps (that may or may not have involved fire).

Interview: Theatre Life with David Andrews Rogers

Elliot Lanes | Washington, DC

Today’s subject David Andrews Rogers Is currently living his theatre life and a lifelong dream on the conductor’s podium as the Musical Director and Conductor of the new touring production of Disney’s Beauty and The Beast. The show begins performances here in DC on March 18th and will play through April 5th at The National Theatre.

Interview: Theatre Life with Suzy Eddie Izzard

Elliot Lanes | Washington, DC

Today’s subject Suzy Eddie Izzard is an award-winning performer, marathon runner, and author. Her tour de force solo show The Tragedy of Hamlet will be seen right here in DC at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) from March 27th to April 11th. The show will be performed in STC’s Klein Theatre.

Reviews

Review: MRS. CHRISTIE at Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park

Caroline Conard | Cincinnati

It’s very seldom these days that an original play check sall the boxes, yet Mrs. Christie manages to do exactly that. A fantastical show with mystery, quirky characters, and deeper themes, Mrs. Christie is sure to have something for everyone!

Review: THE GREAT GATSBY at Broadway at The Hobby Center

Brett Cullum | Houston

The book is full of mysteries, unspoken judgements, and a vicious sense of classism mixed with ruthless self-preservation, and there is not a lot of this present in this interpretation, brought to life by Kait Kerrigan's book, Jason Howland's music, and Fitzgerald-inspired lyrics by Nathan Tysen.

Review: WATER FOR ELEPHANTS at Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis

Jared Fessler | Minneapolis / St. Paul

Water for Elephants has officially set up shop at the Orpheum Theatre, and it honestly doesn’t take long to get swept up in it. From the start, it feels less like you’re sitting in a theatre seat and more like you’ve wandered backstage at a traveling circus that just happens to break into song.

Review: STEREOPHONIC at DPAC

April Sigler | Raleigh

Stereophonic, the most Tony-nominated play of all time and winner of 5 Tony Awards including Best Play, offers a compelling fly-on-the-wall look at a 1970s rock band recording their next album. With strong performances and music that feels like a character of its own, the show immerses you in the creative process, even if its scale and runtime occasionally soften the intimacy.

Review: WICKED at Providence Performing Arts Center

Andria Tieman | Rhode Island

One could be forgiven for feeling a little burned out on Wicked these days. After two super-sized movies and a press tour that seemed to last a decade, Wicked-mania feels a bit on the wane. However, there is no substitute for seeing this show live on stage. This show is more relevant than ever, and the current touring cast are exceptional.

Review: THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME at Hale Centre Theatre

Sydney Naegle | Utah

Review: THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME at Hale Centre Theatre Mesmerizing and a true Top of the World experience.

Review: SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED at Signature Theatre

Aidan O'Connor | Washington, DC

Nostalgia is a funny thing. It catapults the ordinarily rational into webs of what-ifs and immobilizes presence in the now. But what if you could turn back time to fix that one regret or evaluate outcomes of disparate decisions. Would you do it, or would you choose to accept your past as part of you. Safety Not Guaranteed at Signature Theatre takes that exact journey and winds up in an alt-indie-rock concert with a semblance of sci-fi and human connection. Much like most time machines however, it’s transcendent in theory but lacks flawless execution in reality.

Videos

Photos & Video: First Look at WHITE ROOSTER at Lookingglass Theatre

Chloe Rabinowitz | Chicago

You can now get a first look at photos and video of the world premiere of White Rooster, written and directed by Ensemble Member Matthew C. Yee. The production has revealed an extension of its run.

Video: First Look at 'I Can Hear The Bells' from HAIRSPRAY at Casa Mañana Theatre

Joshua Wright | Dallas

Casa Mañana Theatre is currently presenting HAIRSPRAY, running through March 8. Check out a first look at “I Can Hear the Bells” in the video below.

Video: First Look at THE BODYGUARD at The John W. Engeman Theater

Joshua Wright | Long Island

Watch a first look video of The Bodyguard at The John W. Engeman Theater, running March 12 through April 26, 2026 in Northport, NY.

Photos/Video: First Look at ROMEO AND JULIET at Arden Theatre Company

Nicole Rosky | Philadelphia

Arden Theatre Company has released production photos and video from its staging of ROMEO AND JULIET, William Shakespeare’s tragedy directed by Barrymore Award–winning director Amina Robinson.

Video: KINKY BOOTS Tour First Look

Joshua Wright | Philadelphia

Video: Hale Centre Theatre's THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

Joshua Wright | Utah

Watch a first look video of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME at Hale Centre Theatre, running March 9 to April 25, 2026, with full cast details and performance schedule.

Video: Watch 'One Man Wrecking Machine' From Signature Theatre's SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED

Michael Major | Washington, DC

Signature Theatre has shared an exclusive look at the cast of Safety Not Guaranteed performing 'One Man Wrecking Machine.' Watch the video from Ryan Miller and Nick Blaemire's musical now!

Video: First Look at THE CRUCIBLE at Washington National Opera

Joshua Wright | Washington, DC

Watch a first look video of THE CRUCIBLE at Washington National Opera, running March 21–29, 2026, with full cast and creative team details.

Photos

Photos: The Cast of WHEN PLAYWRIGHTS KILL Meets the Press

Bruce Glikas | Boston

The World Premiere production of WHEN PLAYWRIGHTS KILL, a new backstage comedy by Matthew Lombardo and directed by Noah Himmelstein, will be performed in Boston. The cast recently met the press and BroadwayWorld was there. Check out photos here!

Photos: CINDERELLA: A SALSA FAIRY TALE at South Coast Rep

Joshua Wright | Los Angeles

South Coast Repertory presents CINDERELLA: A SALSA FAIRY TALE, a bilingual musical by Karen Zacarias and Deborah Wicks La Puma, running February 20–March 8.

PHOTOS: A CHORUS LINE Manila Cast Meets the Press

Oliver Oliveros | Philippines

See photos from A Chorus Line Manila's press meet! Conrad Ricamora & Lissa deGuzman lead the all-Filipino cast at Samsung Performing Arts Theater, March 2026.

LES MISÉRABLES vs. NEWSIES: Final Round Voting Open For BroadwayWorld's Movie Musical Bracket

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:59:10 PST

Voting is now open for the final round of BroadwayWorld's Annual Bracket! Which film is really the Best Movie Musical of all time? Our editors have selected the options, and now BroadwayWorld invites YOU to join us and our readers in deciding which movie musical deserves the title of The Ultimate Best Movie Musical!

Now in its third year, BroadwayWorld's Bracket brings together our community to debate, defend, and ultimately crown the greatest of them all. In both 2024 and 2025, Les Misérables was voted as the Ultimate Best Musical of all time.

Will the beloved musical be reigning champ again across mediums? Or will the Newsies finally unseat the incumbent champ?

What will win this year's Ultimate Movie Musical Bracket? Vote now!

How To Participate

-Select your pick in each contest round below & submit the form.
-Come back for round each round to see if your selections made it.
-Didn't join the contest in the first round? No problem! Join in any round.

Schedule of Events

Round 1: Starts Tuesday, February 24, 2026 and ends Sunday, March 8, 2026
Round 2: Starts Monday, March 9 and ends Sunday, March 15, 2026
Round 3: Starts Monday, March 16 and ends Sunday, March 22, 2026
Round 4: Starts Monday, March 23 and ends Sunday, March 29, 2026
Round 5: Starts Monday, March 30 and ends Sunday, April 5, 2026
Round 6: Starts Monday, April 6 and ends Sunday, April 12, 2026

Check back daily for live stats to see how your favorite shows are ranking!

Vote Now & View Stats

BroadwayWorld Goes Even More Global: Now Available in 20 Languages

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:00:20 PST

The world's largest theatre site expands its multilingual platform ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026, America's 250th Anniversary, and a wave of international visitors — fueled by exponential month-over-month audience growth. International visitors have always been at the heart of Broadway's story.

As New York City and the broader United States prepare to welcome the world for a historic stretch of global events — including FIFA World Cup 2026 and America's 250th Anniversary celebrations — BroadwayWorld is expanding its platform to meet that moment in a meaningful way.

Since launching BWW Translate in September 2025 with five languages, BroadwayWorld has seen exponential month-over-month growth in international readership. That momentum has made one thing clear: the appetite for Broadway coverage, delivered in the language audiences know best, is far greater than we imagined. Today, we're proud to announce that BWW Translate is expanding to 20 languages.

Readers around the world can now follow BroadwayWorld's industry-leading news, reviews, and features in:

Spanish (Español)
French (Français)
German (Deutsch)
Portuguese (Português)
Italian (Italiano)
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Fifth Round Voting Open For BroadwayWorld's Best Movie Musical Of All Time Bracket

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:19:18 PST

Voting is now open for the fifth round of BroadwayWorld's Annual Bracket! Which film is really the Best Movie Musical of all time? Our editors have selected the options, and now BroadwayWorld invites YOU to join us and our readers in deciding which movie musical deserves the title of The Ultimate Best Movie Musical!

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Schedule of Events

Round 1: Starts Tuesday, February 24, 2026 and ends Sunday, March 8, 2026
Round 2: Starts Monday, March 9 and ends Sunday, March 15, 2026
Round 3: Starts Monday, March 16 and ends Sunday, March 22, 2026
Round 4: Starts Monday, March 23 and ends Sunday, March 29, 2026
Round 5: Starts Monday, March 30 and ends Sunday, April 5, 2026
Round 6: Starts Monday, April 6 and ends Sunday, April 12, 2026

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Review: HAMLET at Guild Hall Players At St James Episcopal Church

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:37:16 PST

Hamlet, William Shakespeare’s longest play, and considered the most powerful and influential tragedy in the English language, was performed by the Guild Hall Players last weekend at Saint James Episcopal Church. With a smart adaptation from the First Folio by Wichita State University Professor Joseph Urick, and straightforward direction and scenic choices by Phil Speary, this production of Hamlet was easy to understand, and cut the normally 4 hour production down to a manageable, fast paced 2 1/2 hour performance that suits a modern audience.

Hamlet takes place in Denmark, and follows Prince Hamlet’s quest to exact revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who murders the King, Hamlet’s father. Claudius seizes the King’s throne and marries Hamlet's mother, Gertrude. According to Speary, “Hamlet is a great, thoroughly engaging entertainment. It has everything you would want to find in a film or television drama – intriguing mystery, treacherous deception, witty dialogue, and ghosts, murder, and revenge.

Urick’s adaptation provides a unique prologue, which was reminiscent of “Radio Murders” comedies, a formula to simplify, bring humor to, and shorten complicated plays. Urick’s Hamlet begins with a tableau of the entire cast, who come to the stage to greet each other, and witness the a fight call between Hamlet and Laertes that teases the deadly finale. Hamlet, also played by Urick, ends this tableau with his advice to the players, “Speak the speech,” thus eliminating the lengthy and complicated players sequences.

Speary’s scenic concept was minimal; a bare stage framed with curtains, occasional furniture, a heavy emphasis on costumes, with the main focus being the acting. The absolutely gorgeous and richly detailed costumes were coordinated by Karen Harpenau. I couldn’t discern whether the costumes had more of an Edwardian or Victorian bent, but the effect of the ornate costumes over the minimal set made the actors stand out in all the best possible ways. Wig Master Gilbert Pearce created magnificently opulent hairstyles for the women, but the most magnificent were reserved for matriarch Gertrude, particularly in her chamber scene, with mounds and mounds of luxurious locks. Minimal props with maximum effect were provided by Louise Brinegar. Sound Designer Randy Harrison provided a very familiar Sunday Movie of the Week Soundtrack vibe to the proceedings, giving the production a very comfortable, accessible feeling. Tony Applegate’s Lighting Design extended a pink, warm glow in the interior scenes. During Hamlet’s soliloquies and monologues, Hamlet’s face was cleverly juxtaposed from a cold, stark, haggard, and insane look, to a face pink and full of life, all by switching from warm to cold specials.

The cast here does an excellent job telling the story in a concise way. Mark Manette played Claudius like your well meaning uncle, who realizes too late that his foolhardy scheme to kill Hamlet’s father and steal his throne and wife was not well thought out, and proves that there is indeed method in Hamlet’s madness. Manette’s prayer soliloquy in Act II is spot on. Together with Polonius, played here by Joe Parrish, they prove to be the best bumbling elders ever devised since the invention of the modern sitcoms, like Frank Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond. Mary Tush Green plays Gertrude as the compliant wife, perfectly ignorant about what she’s done until Hamlet jerks her head up and the truth hits her like a ton of bricks.

Erin Polewski gives Horatio, Hamlet’s Best Friend, a very steady, focused demeanor, floating through the performance with a smooth, fluid gate. Horatio seems to be the only sensible figure in the lot, well contrasted and standing in great relief to a court in turmoil.

Newcomer Karen Harpenau made her Guild Hall debut playing Ophelia. Originally from Wichita, she retuned to the US after 11 years abroad performing in Berlin, Germany. Harpenau is a serious Musical Theatre artist, and this is her first attempt at Shakespeare. She does an outstanding job here, showing us Ophelia’s awesome character arc, starting with the stable, happy Ophelia, seemingly unfazed by Hamlet’s untoward behavior. As she moves through the play, we see Ophelia’s descent into madness, beginning with her speech in Act 2 after she sees Hamlet (Get Thee to a nunnery), to her tight and sublime work in Ophelia’s mad scene. Harpenau wandered through the gathered cast, a plethora of emotions drifting across her face, handing them herbs and flowers, leaving them dumbfounded, while she built her dialog exquisitely, with great craft.

Hamlet was played by Joseph Urick with great intensity, care, and pacing. Urick had many fine moments, especially those where he hinted that he absolutely knew what Hamlet was doing. Especially outstanding was the 2nd Act scene in Gertude’s chambers where he was visited by his ghostly father. Another totally unexpected moment was later in Act 2, when Claudius gave Hamlet the backhand for Hamlet’s insolence. At the end of the speech, Hamlet spits out an unexpected tooth. Urick’s fight scenes were tight and coordinated, especially the concluding fight.

What’s up next for Guild Hall? The Book of Will, written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Jeremy Buoy, will run one weekend only, from May 21 through the 24th. Tickets are available at the door. Guild Hall performs at the St. James Episcopal Church, 3750 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67208

Review: SWEAT at ICT Rep

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:52:44 PST

SWEAT AT ICT REP

ICT Rep opened its 2025-2026 season-closing show, the 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning SWEAT by Lynn Nottage, this week at The Oliver Place. SWEAT had its world premiere at the 2015 Oregon Shakespeare Festival and shows how difficult it is to separate economics and race in America, where the middle working class is slowly becoming a shrinking reality. Masterfully crafted by Director Julie Longhofer, this Wichita premiere of SWEAT is one production that Wichita theatre goers won’t soon forget.

From the beginning, Nottage’s storyline grabs the audience with its realism and keen observations of life. This script is truly a ‘slice of life’ and deeply probes the impacts of economic absence and how it can drive a wedge between the dearest of friends.

Nottage’s award-winning drama is set in a bar in Reading, Pennsylvania. Reading is a proud steel manufacturing town that is rapidly losing its identity as factory owners plot to move their plants to Mexico, where labor is cheap, and unions don’t hinder. The timeline shifts between 2000 and 2008, but is easily identified by a projected timeline on the set.

The play begins in 2008 with separate meetings between a parole officer (Eddie Spurlock) and two young male parolees. Jason (Hunter Barthlomew), who sports a blackened eye and tattooed face, displays anger that could easily send him back behind bars. Chris (Torey Wilson), a soft-spoken African American who has found God, describes meeting up with his sidekick Jason, who overturned his life eight years prior.

Stan (Chris Maslen) is a bartender who suffered an injury at the plant where he used to work, and maintains a good rapport with his regulars, whom he knows from his days on the factory floor.

Tracey (Kate Compton), whose family has worked for generations in Reading, is Jason’s mother. Cynthia (Jenee’ Jenkins Saffold), Tracey’s Best Friend and co-worker, is the mother of Chris. These women share a bond of hard work and sweat, having worked together for more than 20 years, and now their sons join them at the plant. Both women are strong individuals: Tracey is a widow, and Cynthia’s estranged ex-husband, Brucie (David Williams), has developed a drug addiction after losing employment at the plant. Hanging out at the bar with their friend and co-worker Jessie (Chelsie Penner), who drinks so much that Stan often must take her car keys, is still a much-needed release for them.

When Cynthia accepts a plant manager position, Tracey becomes uncomfortable, and tensions arise. The blame game begins, pitting neighbors against neighbors as victims, and everyone is forced to deal with a system that treats employees as trash. Tracey takes her anger and frustration out on Colombian American bartender Oscar (Nilo Reynoso), who wants a better-paying plant job and is willing to work for less than union pay when others go on strike.

Director Longhofer, along with her insightful creative team, has created an assembly of actors that expresses the rich diversity and humanity of the playwright’s characters. This well-cast ensemble breathes life into these characters, and audience members will find themselves caring about each of them. There are powerful performances, especially from Saffold as the steadfast but weary Cynthia, Compton as her bitter friend Tracey, and Reynoso as the observant Oscar. Their stage work is flawless.

Bartholomew and Wilson create such believable characters that you want to see them thrive and flourish, but they don’t seem to make the mark. Penner’s stage work never fails, and she truly holds her own in this show. Spurlock is incredible as Parole Officer Evan, and I always want to see more of him onstage. Local favorite Williams really shines as drug addicted Brucie. But I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off Maslen. His strong portrayal of disabled Stan was perfect and remarkable. His last scene brought tears to my eyes.

Stan Longhofer’s brilliant technical work is spot on, especially with the news projections of the period. Julie and Stan’s set design gives this blue-collar hangout a retreat-like atmosphere. Coleman Adams’ lighting design was immaculate, and Kirk Longhofer’s sound design is well-balanced and works well in this drama.

Remaining performances are April 3 and 4, 2026 at 7:30 pm and April 5 at 2:00 pm. Tickets can be obtained by visiting https://ictrep.org

Next up for ICTRep is THE EXPLORER’S CLUB this summer. Watch for further information.

Photo by Jill Harper

Video: KINKY BOOTS Tour First Look

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:43:31 PST

Get a first look at the new non-equity North American Tour of Kinky Boots. Leading the tour is Omari Collins as Lola, Noah Silverman as Charlie Price, Sophia Gunter as Lauren, Jason Daniel Chacon as Don, Emma Dean as Nicola, and John Anker Bow as George. Dargan Cole, Felipe Cristancho-Rodríguez, Jonathan Blake Flemings, Peyton Gaida, Blaise Rossmann, and Scarlett D. Von’Du play the Angels.

The Kinky Boots tour also features Carlyn Barenholtz, Connor Buonaccorsi, Blake Du Bois, Brianna Clark, Jayna Glynn, Billy Goldstein, Brandin Jay, Robert Miller, Val Moranto, Dominic Pagliaro, Thomas Ed Purvis, Kyle Williamson, and Natalie Lilavois Yusty.

The North American tour of Kinky Boots opened on November 19, 2025, at the Clemens Center in Elmira, NY and continues its run across North America, making stops in cities including Boston, Hartford, Dallas, Chicago, Toronto, and Detroit. Dates continue to be announced; for a complete list of tour stops, visit KinkyBootsMusical.com.

The North American Tour of Kinky Boots is produced by Crossroads Live North America. The tour’s creative team includes Direction Recreated by DB Bonds, Choreography Recreated by Rusty Mowery, Music Supervision by Will Van Dyke, and Casting by Murnane Casting. The tour production stage manager is Nate Coffey.

The Kinky Boots creative team includes Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (Book), Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Original Direction and Choreography), Tony and Grammy Award-winner Stephen Oremus (Arrangements and Orchestrations), Tony Award-winner David Rockwell (Scenic Design), Tony Award-winner Gregg Barnes (Costume Design), Tony Award-winner Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design), Tony Award-winner Gareth Owen (Sound Design), and Josh Marquette (Hair Design).

Kinky Boots is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.

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