Arizona Broadway Theatre Unveils 16th Season Of 'Broadway Series' Mainstage Shows

Arizona Broadway Theatre (ABT) recently announced its Season 16 lineup to a packed house of invited donors and season subscribers. The eight full-scale productions will appear on ABT's Mainstage for the 2020-2021 Season - October 2020 through September 2021.

The season will kick off October 16, 2020, with Ring of Fire. From one of the titans of Country Music, Ring of Fire - on stage through November 8 - brings the unforgettable songs of Johnny Cash to life in this concert musical featuring the timeless "Folsom Prison Blues," "Jackson," "A Boy Named Sue," "Sunday Morning Coming Down," and more. Though he is never impersonated, a multi-talented cast paints a musical portrait of "The Man in Black" that promises to be a foot-stompin', crowd-pleasin' evening that will both move and exhilarate!

Even if you're little, you can do a lot when you're Matilda in Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical. Winner of 4 Tony Awards! Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she's "Naughty." She expects school to be different, but there she runs afoul of Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress who loves to bring down "The Hammer." It'll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves, and Matilda may be just the one to do it! The show will run November 20 - December 29 and will be a perfect holiday outing for the whole family.

The theatre begins 2021 with Mame, January 15 - February 13, 2021. Mame follows the madcap adventures of everyone's favorite aunt and her adoring nephew. Jerry Herman's Tony-nominated score is packed with musical favorites "Bosom Buddies," "We Need a Little Christmas," "Open a New Window," "If He Walked Into My Life," and more.

Crazy for You bubbles over with spectacular show-stopping numbers and glistens with 1930s glamour and will be at ABT March 19 - April 18, 2021. The production tells the story of a banker with show business stars in his eyes who travels from New York to Deadrock, Nevada on official business where mistaken identities, love at first sight, and hilarious hijinks resuscitate an abandoned theatre and the spirit of a small town. The show features a wealth of memorable Gershwin tunes, including "I've Got Rhythm," "Someone to Watch Over Me," and "Nice Work if You Can Get It."

The outrageous hit, Kinky Boots, will stomp onto the scene April 30 - May 23, 2021. It's the exhilarating true story about a struggling shoe factory that will lift spirits to high-heeled heights! Having inherited the factory from his father, quiet Charlie forms an unlikely partnership with cabaret performer and drag queen, Lola, to produce a line of high-heeled boots and save the business. In the process, Charlie and Lola discover that they are not so different after all. Winner of six Tonys, including Best Musical and Best Score (Cyndi Lauper), Kinky Boots reminds us that sometimes, the best way to fit in... is to stand out!

The classic tale of The Wizard of Oz winds its way to ABT June 4 - July 10 and then transfers to Herberger Theater Center* in downtown Phoenix July 16 - August 1, 2021. Audiences will join Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion as they "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" "Over the Rainbow" toward the "Evening Star" in an attempt to get Dorothy back home to Kansas and give her companions their true hearts' desire. Based on the 1939 film, with new songs and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and additional lyrics by Tim Rice, it's a beautiful summer adventure for all ages.

The 80s return with Footloose The Musical running July 23 - August 21, 2121. Based on the 1984 film, Ren has moved to a quiet backwater town where dance is outlawed. Through explosive choreography and classic pop-rock songs such as "Holding Out for a Hero," "Let's Hear It for the Boy," "Almost Paradise," and the exhilarating title track, Ren challenges the community to reverse the rule and heal from the tragedy that kept their hearts from dancing. Filled with high-energy, unforgettable music, this Tony nominee is the heartwarming story of rebellion, redemption, and closure.

Finally, ABT finishes out its Season 16 with A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. Voted Tony Award's Best Musical of 2014, it's the story of a distant heir to a family fortune who sets out to speed up the line of succession by using a great deal of charm... and a dash of murder! A Gentleman's Guide is a merry romp filled with unforgettable music and non-stop laughs as low-born Monty Navarro finds out that he's in line for an earldom. Can he knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught on his way to becoming the next Earl of Highhurst? This truly original and fresh new comedy will delight audiences and leave them begging for more!

The deadline for all season subscription renewals is February 24, 2020, and new eight-show subscribers are welcome to reserve their seats now. Patrons who wish to purchase FLEX-PASS subscriptions (4-7 shows) can do so March 23, 2020 - May 2021. Single tickets for the first two shows of the season will go on sale July 6, 2020.

ABT's Season 15 Broadway Series continues in 2020 with Chicago (March 13 - April 19), Bonnie & Clyde (May 1-24), and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Peoria: June 5 - July 3; Phoenix: July 10-26). For more information about these and other upcoming productions presented at Arizona Broadway Theatre, visit azbroadway.org or call 623.776.8400.

*Presented in partnership with Herberger Theater Center. Show transfers to Herberger Theater Center at 222 E Monroe St, Phoenix, AZ, following the run at Arizona Broadway Theatre, located at 7701 W Paradise Ln., Peoria, AZ.

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