Our New Season

As we enter the post-Labor Day, back to school, end of summer atmosphere, I am only excited about the fact that it is now (though not officially, but generally considered) fall! While there was an opening or two over the summer, PARAMOUR and Cats (the former I know next to nothing about, and the latter I prefer not to talk about), fall is when we really kick it off.

This season is already shaping up to be stellar. While I'm not sure we will see as much ethnic and ability diversity this season as last, it's still sure to be entertaining.

Like mentioned before, both Cats and PARAMOUR have opened, and Holiday Inn just began previews last week on September 1st and opening a month from today on October 6th. Holiday Inn marks the Broadway return of Corbin Bleu (In the Heights, Godspell), who is also the newest Broadway.com video blogger, and Bryce Pinkham (Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder). This show can be seen at Roundabout Theatre Company's beautiful Studio 54 through January 1st. I love Studio 54, it is such a different theatre on Broadway with the orchestra in the boxes, hanging above the audience, and such a lovely foyer with beautiful chandeliers. What else could you expect from a renovated disco-turned-theatre.


At the end of the month, we will see the beginning previews of the revival of Falsettos, starring Stephanie J Block (returning to Broadway after having a beautiful baby), Christian Borle (most recently seen in his Tony Award winning role as William Shakespeare in Something Rotten!), and Andrew Rannells (who was last seen on Broadway as King George III in Hamilton). Previews begin September 29th with an October 27th opening over at the Walter Kerr.


The next show you can catch this fall is the Off-Broadway transfer of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, previews beginning October 16th with a November 14th opening. What. A. Show. This is one of the shows I am most excited for this season. Its an adaptation, yes, but its building a full blown musical from a section of War and Peace. The music from the Off-Broadway cast recording is so beautiful in its storytelling and simultaneously funny and heartbreaking. This is the show that Phillipa Soo began her post-Juilliard start, and now she is a Tony Award-nominated actress for Hamilton. However, Denèe Benton will now be portraying Natasha and making her Broadway debut. Congrats! This also marks the Broadway debut of Josh Groban who is no stranger to showtunes. His performance in Chess in Concert as Anatoly Sergievsky has always stood out in my mind. Another thing that so intrigues me about this show is that they are rearranging the seating in the newly vacant (RIP Les Miserables) Imperial Theatre. They are trying to recreate the feel of the Off-Broadway productions, and I am all about that.


Next up we have A Bronx Tale with previews starting November 3rd and opening December1st. Coming off a run at the Paper Mill Playhouse, this production brings along co-directors Jerry Zaks and Robert De Niro. Now, I was completely unaware that De Niro was a director, but with Zaks (who directed Sister Act and The Addams Family and Chazz Palmentari's original A Brox Tale) at his side, he's in good hands. We also get new music from Alan Menken and Glenn Slater which is something that can always be counted on as a good thing. We also get Nick Cordero (Waitress), Ariana DeBose (Hamilton), and Richard H. Blake (Legally Blonde, Jersey Boys) in starring roles.


For the first time on Broadway, there will be an all a capella musical In Transit at the Circle in the Square, previews beginning November 10th and an opening night of December 11th. Another Off-Broadway transfer will be making history this winter.


Dear Evan Hansen, the toast of Off-Broadway last season, will be making the transfer over to the Belasco with previews starting November 14th and opening on December 4th. From what I hear Ben Platt (Book of Mormon) absolutely kills this role and breaks the heart of every single audience member while singing the songs of Pasek and Paul. I am just so curious to see how Broadway reacts to this show.


Come From Away, which is currently playing at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. through October 9th, will be the first musical to open in 2017. Previews will start February 18th with an opening night of March 9th. A musical about travelers to New York City whose flights were diverted on 9/11 seems like such a strange plot for a musical and I am so concerned as to how New Yorkers are going to respond to a show with a subject matter that hits so close to home.


Our next musical is one that I will have the opportunity to see before New York does. Amélie, which is slated to open in the spring, will have a pre-Broadway run at the Ahmanson in Los Angeles, where I already have my tickets. Another adaptation for this season, had a successful and extended run at Berkeley Rep with Samantha Barks at the titular Amélie, will now star Phillipa Soo.


MISS SAIGON IS COMING BACK! I repeat MISS SAIGON IS COMING BACK! That's right! Miss Saigon, which just had a successful run on the West End, is returning to Broadway. I am way too excited about this. Obviously. Previews begin March 1st with an opening of March 23rd at the Broadway. I feel like not much information is known about this coming production aside from the fact that Jon Jon Briones and Eva Noblezada are set to star. Still. SO. EXCITED.


We are getting a revival of Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce this spring. Does much else need to be said? Previews start at the soon-to-be vacant Shubert on March 15th with an official opening of April 20th.


The Bandstand, another Paper Mill Playhouse transfer coming to broadway this season. Again, not much is known about the specifics of dates and theatre, but we will get the return of Laura Osnes (Grease, South Pacific, Bonnie and Clyde, Cinderella) and Corey Cott (Newsies, Gigi) which is quite exciting for me, specifically.


Christian Borle is going to be a busy man on Broadway with his second show of the season as Willie Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Another West End production coming to the states will feature a whole new score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, but will include the iconic "Pure Imagination". Previews are set for March 28th with an opening of April 23rd at the Lunt-Fontanne.


And finally, the last scheduled musical of the season harkens back to my childhood. Anastasia. A preview date hasn't been announced but opening will be on April 24th at the Broadhurst. Another adaptation, this time of a terribly historically inaccurate cartoon that has somehow found it's place in my heart for the past nearly twenty years. In fact, this show will come to broadway in the year marking the film's 20th anniversary. Last night, I saw a clip of "Once Upon a December" from the Hartford Stage production and it was so beautiful that I immediately sent it to my friend who is absolutely obsessed with all things Romanov. This is definitely a show I am so looking forward to seeing.

From what I've been reading, this season is shaping out to be a fun one. Not as dark or as important as our previous "BroadwaySoDiverse" season, but a great one nonetheless. I can't wait to see the surprises and shocks that will come, the last minute replacements, the cast changes, and the drama that surrounds this thing we love called Broadway.

All my love,
Katie