Grand Rapids Civic Theatre Reveals 2024-25 Season

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre announced the ’24/’25 season lineup, which features multiple area community theatre premieres and a family favorite as a part of next season’s offerings, in addition to an exciting new effort to make live theatre more accessible for young audiences. Inspired by film, television, and literature, the entire season is jam-packed with familiar and coveted titles associated with award-winning novels, children’s books, poetry, and critically acclaimed films.

The season will begin on Friday the 13th of September with a spooky and quirky Grand Rapids Civic Theatre first: Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. In this cult classic more than 50 years old, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.” The show will run September 13 - October 6, 2024 with a special 11:30pm performance on Friday, September 27.  

In mid-October, a musical for the young and young at heart: A Year With Frog and Toad, Theatre for Young Audiences Version. Waking from hibernation in the Spring, Frog and Toad plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding and learn life lessons along the way. The two best friends celebrate and rejoice in the differences that make them unique and special. Part vaudeville, part make believe… all charm, and based on the beloved books by Arnold Lobel. Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is excited to invite Young Audiences to experience A Year With Frog and Toad: a tale of friendship that endures throughout the seasons.  An entire run of “Pick Your Price” performances allows the community to experience live theatre – maybe for the very first time –  with a manageable price point that audience members decide. Public performances are October 17 - 19, 2024, along with opportunities for school groups to attend weekday matinees at an affordable price on October 15 - 16, 2024. 

For the holiday show, a beloved tradition in West Michigan and another Civic first: Cats, one of the world’s best-known and meow-velous musicals! The Jellicle Cats come out to play on one special night of the year – the night of the Jellicle Ball. One by one they tell their stories for the amusement of Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, who must choose one of the Cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life. One of the longest-running Broadway musicals in history, Cats features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is based on “Old Possum’s Book Of Practical Cats” by T.S. Eliot. Civic’s holiday show will run November 15 - December 15, 2024. 

To kick off 2025, Civic will produce a farcical adventure like none other! Mix an Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel by John Buchan, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit adapted by Patrick Barlow. This entertaining play features a riotous blend of nonstop laughs, over 150 zany characters (played by a cast of four), an onstage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers, and some good old-fashioned romance! Performances are January 17 – February 2, 2025.

A classic story of rivalry and power, Disney’s Camp Rock The Musical  will take the stage next. This dynamic music-filled show is based on the Disney Channel Original Movies and opens with Mitchie and her friends arriving at Camp Rock, ready to spend another summer jamming out and having the time of their lives. But the new, flashy Camp Star across the lake now threatens Camp Rock’s very existence. Disney’s Camp Rock The Musical will run February 28 – March 16, 2025.

In the spring, we share a story of hope, a testament to the healing power of love, and a celebration of life with the West Michigan community premiere of The Color Purple. This musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (and the popular 1985 Steven Spielberg film) spotlights Celie, a downtrodden young woman whose personal awakening over the course of 40 years forms the arc of this epic story: through love, she finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world. The Color Purple features a joyous score with the musical styles of jazz, ragtime, gospel, African music and blues, and will grace the Civic stage April 18 – May 4, 2025. 

Returning in the spring is Ten For All: an original program of Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. For the 5th Annual Playwriting Festival, local playwrights submit their original works for a chance to be fully produced on stage for the first time. New directors, stage managers, and local actors bring the scripts to life, and audience members vote for the coveted Audience Choice Award. Dates, ticketing, and details to be announced.

Closing the ’24/’25 Season is the Michigan community theatre premiere of Sara Bareilles' Waitress. Brought to life on Broadway by a groundbreaking all-women creative team, Waitress is inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s beloved 2007 film and offers a special recipe for finding happiness in unexpected places. Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker, is stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop… until a baking contest in a nearby county and a handsome new doctor offer her a tempting recipe for happiness. Waitress is served up on the Civic stage from from June 6 - 29, 2025. 

In addition to these exciting titles, an equally special announcement is the continuation of affordable and accessible theatre with “Pick Your Price Wednesdays”. Throughout the entire ’24/25 Season, Civic will offer a “Pick Your Price” performance to the public each Wednesday. The amount patrons pay is based on what they are able and willing to give the production, whether that is the cost of a small coffee or the bill for a large dinner. “We are seeing the impact of our accessible programming here at Civic by welcoming new patrons and first-time theatre goers through our doors,” said Jess Burke, Director of Audience Experience, “Pick Your Price Wednesdays will once again allow people to invest in experiencing new stories and ideas without the burden of high cost.”  This program continues to replace the longstanding tradition of “Preview Night” or “Final Dress” where patrons would attend a dress rehearsal at a discounted rate. 

Stage Door Drinks + Libations returns in the ’24/’25 season, offering craft beer, wine, seltzers, and sodas on select nights throughout the season. The bar is offered alongside standard concession selections, and opens one hour before showtime. For details, visit grct.org/stagedoordrinks.

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre continues their accessibility efforts with a wide variety of accessible programs and resources, including special performances for the Deaf and hard of hearing community, pre-show touch tours for the visually impaired, and Relaxed Environment Performances which are ideal for anyone who benefits from being able to make noise or leave and return to their seat frequently during the show. A full description of Civic Theatre’s new and existing accessible programming and resources can be found at grct.org/accessibility. 

Season Passes with Early Access pricing are available now at grct.org. By taking advantage of this deal, patrons can save up to $15 per ticket when they choose a 4-pack or 6-pack of tickets. Other benefits to purchasing a Season Pass along with more information about the upcoming season can be found atgrct.org/season24-25/. 

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