The 2011-2012 season for Broadway Grand Rapids raises the curtain on an impressive new level of performance with show-stopping blockbusters including the 25th Anniversary production of Les Misérables and the high-flying family favorite, Mary Poppins.
Click through to see a full breakdown of the season. All performances will open at DeVos Performance Hall in downtown Grand Rapids.
October 4-9, 2011
Come Fly Away is the new Broadway musical that brings together the legendary music of Frank Sinatra and the creative vision of Tony Award-winner Twyla Tharp (Movin’ Out). This one-of-a-kind experience combines the seductive vocals of “Ol’ Blue Eyes” with the sizzling sound of a live on-stage big band and the visceral thrill of Tharp’s choreography. As 15 of the world’s best dancers tell the story of four couples falling in and out of love, you will experience the exhilaration of a first kiss, the excitement of a first dance, and the bittersweet moments of a first good-bye in a world of sparkling romances and astonishing beauty. Come Fly Away is a co-presentation of Broadway Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Ballet Company.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
November 15-20, 2011
The classic holiday tradition White Christmas comes to the stage at last, as a brand new Irving Berlin musical direct from Broadway and opening at DeVos Performance Hall this November. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas tells the story of two showbiz buddies putting on a show in a magical Vermont inn and finding their perfect mates in the bargain. Full of dancing, laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas promises to be a merry and bright theatrical experience for the whole family!
Les Misérables
November 29-December 4, 2011
The 25th anniversary production of Boubill and Schönberg’s legendary musical Les Misérables has been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is breaking box office records wherever it goes. The New York Times calls this Les Misérables “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful.” Les Misérables is a co-presentation of Broadway Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Ballet Company.
Million Dollar Quartet
January 17-22, 2012
Million Dollar Quartet is the smash hit Broadway musical, inspired by the true story of the famed recording session that brought together rock ‘n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. On December 4, 1956, these four young musicians were gathered by Sam Phillips, the “Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll” at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions of all time. Million Dollar Quartet brings that legendary night to life with an irresistable tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal and celebrations featuring a score of rock hits including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “That’s All Right,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Walk the Line,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Who Do You Love?,” “Matchbox,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Hound Dog” and more.
Disney & Cameron Mackintosh present Mary Poppins
February 21-26, 2012
Featuring the irresistable story and unforgettable songs from one of the most popular Disney films of all time, plus brand-new breathtaking dance numbers and spectacular stage-craft, Mary Poppins is everything you could ever want in a hit Broadway show! Get swept up in the fun of this high-flying musical the New York Post gives four out of four stars and calls “a perfect piece of musical theater.”
The full season also includes 3 special engagement shows outside of the regular season. They include:
Under the Streetlamp
October 16, 2011
Rock and Roll is here to stay as recent leading cast members of the Tony Award-winning smash hit Jersey Boys deliver the sounds of the sixties in an electrifying evening of unforgettable hits.
The Addams Family
May 22-26, 2012
The weird and wonderful family comes to devilishly delightful life in The Addams Family. This magnificently macabre new musical comedy is created by Jersey Boys authors Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. This is definitely not the same old song and dance. It’s every parent’s nightmare. Your little girl has suddenly become a young woman, and what’s worse, has fallen deliriously in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. Yes, Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has a “normal” boyfriend, and for parents Gomez and Morticia, this shocking development will turn the Addams house downside up. It’s a family portrait that’s completely off the wall.
Cats
June 15-17, 2012
There’s no better way to introduce your family to the wonders of live theatre than with the magic, the mystery, the memory of Cats. What began as a musical about cats after Andrew Lloyd Webber picked up a book of poems in an airport bookshop has become one of the longest running shows in Broadway’s history. Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Cats features 20 of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s timeless melodies, including the hit song, “Memory.”
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