The Upcoming Broadway Season (musicals)

Spring, 2012

Once

Straight from off-Broadway, Once is a love story about an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant brought together by a love for music in Dublin, Ireland. 

Cast includes Steve Kazee and Cristin Milioti

Preview: 2/28/12

Opens: 3/18/12

Evita

A revival of the well-known Andrew Lloyd Webber musical which tells the story of Eva Peron, the former first lady of Argentina. 

Cast includes Ricky Martin, Elena Roger, Christina DeCicco, Michael Cerveris, Max von Essen, Rachel Potter

Preview: 3/12/12

Opens: 4/5/12

Ghost the Musical

Straight from the West End and based on the popular movie, Ghost is the love story of Sam and Molly. Sam is tragically murdered and uses a psychic, Oda Mae Brown,  to communicate with Molly in an attempt to protect her from danger. 

Cast includes Caissie Levy, Richard Fleeshman, Bryce Pinkham, Da’Vine Joy Randolph

Preview: 3/15/12

Opens: 4/23/12

Jesus Christ Superstar

Another revival of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical! My, he is having a good year!  This rock opera depicts the last week of Jesus Christ’s life. 

Cast includes Paul Nolan, Josh Young, Chilina Kennedy, Tom Hewitt

Preview: 3/1/12

Opens: 3/22/12

Newsies

Based on the Disney movie, Newsies tells the story of the newsboy strike in 1899. Led by Jack Kelly, a group of “newsies” are persecuted by publishing giants and decide to stand up to the “big man” by initiating a strike. 

Cast includes: Jeremy Jordan, John Dossett, Kara Lindsay, Ben Fankhauser, Andrew Keenan-Bolger

Preview: 3/15/12

Opens: 3/29/12

Closes: 6/10/12 (a limited engagement!)

Peter and the Starcatcher

A prequel to Peter Pan that answers the question, “how did Peter Pan become the boy who refused to grow up?” 

Cast includes: Christian Borle, Adam Chanler-Berat, Celia Keenan-Bolger

Preview: 3/28/12

Opens: 4/15/12

Leap of Faith

Based on the 1992 film, Leap of Faith tells the story of con artist Jonas Nightingale and his traveling ministry. When he conducts a revival in a small Kansas town, the sheriff does not believe in his “miracles” and tries to prevent the townspeople from being conned. 

Cast includes Raul Esparza, Jessica Phillips, Kendra Kassebaum, Talon Ackerman

Preview: 4/3/12

Opens: 4/26/12

Nice Work If You Can Get It

This new musical comedy is based on Gershwin songs and stars Matthew Broderick and Kelli O’Hara!  With choreography by Kathleen Marshall and a book by Joe DiPietro, Nice Work If You Can Get It follows a rich playboy who makes a living by marrying chorus girls in the 1920‘s. On the weekend of his latest wedding, he falls in love with a female bootlegger and the comedy ensues. 

Cast includes Matthew Broderick, Kelli O’Hara, Judy Kaye, Michael McGrath, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Terry Beaver, Robyn Hurder, Stanley Wayne Mathis, Estelle Parsons, Chris Sullivan

Preview: 3/29/12

Opens: 4/24/12

Commentary:

Who else is getting super excited for the upcoming Broadway season?  I know I am!  The aforementioned eight musicals will give the Broadway audience a little bit of everything; revivals of beloved shows, brand new musicals, and new takes on existing movies that have been turned into musicals!  I think it will be an exciting season!  

I am most excited for the two revivals: Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, both of which I have never seen on stage.  Andrew Lloyd Webber will have three musicals on Broadway this spring (Phantom of the Opera as well). I am thrilled that the Eva alternate will be Christina DeCicco, whom I saw as G(a)linda on the first national tour of Wicked back in 2007.  Back then, I remember thinking that she was so talented, but I didn’t hear her name again until it was announced that she would be in the ensemble of Sister Act on Broadway last year. I may purposely get tickets to a Saturday matinee just to see her as Eva Peron!  Or maybe I will try to see it twice, so that I can see Elena Roger’s performance as Eva as well. We shall see... 

I am “lukewarm” about three of the shows that are based on movies: Ghost, Newsies, and Leap of Faith.  I am getting slightly tired of movies transitioning into musicals and I’ve been itching to see new, fresh ideas on stage.  Don’t get me wrong- I thoroughly enjoyed Sister Act and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert last season! But there’s something to be said for a show that truly starts from scratch. I feel like movie musicals are the easy way out in terms of creativity.  I would rather see a revival of an original show than a movie musical. But of course, I won’t judge these shows until I see them myself. 

With that said, I am really curious to see Once (despite it also being a movie!). I assume that the show will have Irish folk music since it takes place in Dublin, but I don’t have a good grasp on what to expect..... and so I’m very curious!  Broadway.com reports that the cast album will be released on March 13th!  

The last notable “prequel” musical was, of course, Wicked. In Wicked’s case, the prequel concept worked to its advantage (that and amazing music and special effects). I’m hoping that Peter and the Starcatcher will be successful as well. Plus, I would see Adam Chanler-Berat in pretty much anything.

Also a new musical is Nice Work If You Can Get It, which I suspect is going to be a hit. Why is it going to be a hit? Five names. Matthew Broderick. Kelli O’Hara. Joe DiPietro. Kathleen Marshall. Gershwin (take your pick, there are two of them). Maybe I’m wrong, but I have a good feeling about this one.  We already know that the music will be great because it’s Gershwin. Tony award winner Kathleen Marshall is going to give us amazing choreography (watch the performance of Anything Goes at the Tony’s last year if you disagree).  Anyone who has seen Memphis knows that Tony award winner Joe DiPietro can write a great story. 

In conclusion, Broadway musical fans have a lot to look forward to this year!  What new show are you dying to see?