New Blumenthal Arts season: Broadway hits, classics + a star just in Charlotte
A frantically frustrated Mary Todd Lincoln, Cuban band members, Harry Potter as a grown-up and a rejuvenated Phantom of the you-know-what are all headed to Charlotte stages as part of Blumenthal Arts upcoming Broadway touring season.
Blumenthal Arts unveiled its 2026-27 PNC Broadway Lights and Broadway Extras series on Tuesday. In the mix are red-hot shows still on the Great White Way as well as returning favorites and a special production with a beloved star headed just to Charlotte.
Audiences will see touring companies that include “Oh, Mary!” “The Buena Vista Social Club” and “Death Becomes Her,” which regularly sell out on Broadway.
There also are returning favorites. That includes the first North American touring company of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” in 25 years and a retooled “The Phantom of the Opera.”
This type of mix, Blumenthal President and CEO Tom Gabbard said, “continues the strategy of bringing the best of recent Broadway shows and some returning favorites. ... It’s providing what the public has come to expect from us.”
There’s another notable turn for this season’s programming: Of the eight shows in the Broadway Lights series, five are musicals while three are plays. That’s two more plays than usual. “It’s always been our aspiration to have more plays in Charlotte. There’s a really supportive audience for that,” Gabbard said. “But frankly, there’s been a paucity of options.”
This year is a welcome exception.
One of those plays is only coming to Charlotte and nowhere else. It’s the farce “Peter Pan Goes Wrong,” about a theater troupe trying to put on the classic show. Appearing as the narrator is a woman who has played Peter Pan on stage more than any other person — Olympic gymnast and actress Cathy Rigby.
And now, it’s time to raise the curtain on the new season. Here’s a look at the shows, with insight from Gabbard.
2026-27 PNC Broadway Lights shows
‘Dirty Dancing: The Musical’
What it is: A new production of the beloved movie’s musical is helmed by a new director, Broadway vet Lonny Price. Nobody puts this baby in a corner.
Tom’s Take: “It is entirely refreshed,” Gabbard said, “and I think people can look forward to a very high-quality show.” (In other words, the Blumenthal hopes you’ll have “the time of your life” at “Dirty Dancing.”)
Curtain call: Filming for part of the movie took place in 1986 around the Lake Lure area in Rutherford County, and turning the area two hours west of Charlotte into a tourist draw to this day.
“Dirty Dancing: The Musical,” Nov. 3-8, Belk Theater.
‘Death Becomes Her’
What it is: A musical inspired by the 1992 movie comedy that starred Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. It revolves around two frenemies, one husband and a mysterious lady’s potion that promises eternally youthful results to die for.
Tom’s Take: “This was one of the most fun nights in the theater that I’ve had. And I go to the theater a lot,” Gabbard said. (Observer Fact Check: True.) “And I think whether or not you know the film, you’re going to have a great time with this show.”
Curtain call: On Broadway, the potion-wielding Viola Van Horn was played by Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child.
“Death Becomes Her,” Feb. 9-14, 2027, Belk Theater.
‘Oh, Mary!’
What it is: Where to begin? In the weeks before Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the alcoholic, frustrated cabaret singer/force of nature that is Mary Todd Lincoln deals with secret yearnings, as does her husband. The Tony-winning dark comedy also was a Pulitzer Prize for Drama finalist.
Tom’s Take: “It is just beyond belief, and trying to describe it to people is impossible because it is just so over-the-top wonderful,” Gabbard said. “It (also) has such a strong following in the gay community. We have this wonderfully vibrant gay community, but people of all ages have responded to it ... It’s just one thing after another that you never would expect, and I think that’s part of the joy the show.”
Curtain call: In the original Broadway cast, Queens University of Charlotte alum Conrad Ricamora (Class of 2001) played Mary’s Husband opposite “Oh, Mary!” playwright Cole Escola in the title role.
“Oh, Mary!”, March 16-28, 2027, Knight Theater.
‘Peter Pan Goes Wrong’
What it is: An extension of the universe of the off-Broadway hit, “The Play That Goes Wrong,” members of “The Cornley Drama Society” take on all sorts of technical glitches, flying mishaps and other mayhem as they try to bring the classic play to life.
Tom’s Take: Bringing the play to Charlotte is part of Blumenthal Arts’ strategy to find more sources for shows beyond a Broadway transfer. That included “Immediate Family,” the comedy about family drama directed by Phylicia Rashad that played here last year, with Blumenthal Arts as producer. That’s the case with “Pan” too.
Gabbard had hoped to bring a national tour of “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” to Charlotte following its Broadway debut in 2023, but the producers opted not to tour. On opening night, he wound up sitting next to some old friends — Rigby and her husband, Tom McCoy, who produce plays at La Mirada Theatre in Southern California.
One of those shows was “Peter Pan Goes Wrong.” It’s not touring, but Gabbard worked with them to bring the show just to Charlotte. This includes bringing in its sets, costumes, props ... and Rigby. “It’s a sweet thing that this person who is so associated with that role is actually in this cast, and she will be with us here in Charlotte.
Curtain call: Over a four-decade span that concluded in 2013, Rigby played Peter Pan more than 3,000 times on stage.
“Peter Pan Goes Wrong,” April 20-May 2, 2027, Knight Theater
‘Buena Vista Social Club’
What it is: Inspired by a true story, this musical is about Cuban musicians in Havana who reunite in the ‘90s and reckon with their past while working on what would become an iconic album.
Tom’s Take: “This show just has such heart to it, and it’s helped me understand the depth of love that people have for the Buena Vista Social Club’s iconic music,” Gabbard said. “To honor that tradition and to honor the integrity of this music has been a beautiful thing to watch.”
Curtain call: As the show was being developed, its producer invited Gabbard and a few others to Cuba in 2019. They joined the creative team in the long-shuttered studio where the Buena Vista Social Club’s music had been recorded in the 1950s.
“Buena Vista Social Club,” June 15-20, 2027, Belk Theater
‘The Phantom of the Opera’
What it is: C’mon, do you really have to ask? It’s about the music of the night.
Tom’s Take: “I think among the shows that people are going to be most interested in and just eager to see, we’ll start with ‘Phantom.’ ... And I just have such admiration for the way (producer) Cameron McIntosh has done this over the years, where he’s taken a show that is beloved, he lets it go away for a while and then comes back in an entirely refreshed way that makes it even stronger than ever.”
Curtain call: “Phantom” ended its record-breaking, 35-year run on Broadway on April 16, 2023, with its 13,981st performance. (For good measure, here’s my interview with OG Christine Daaé, Sarah Brightman.)
“The Phantom of the Opera,” July 7-18, 2027, Belk Theater
‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’
What it is: “The Boy Who Lived” is all grown up in this play. His son goes to Hogwarts and befriends Draco Malfoy’s son in a new journey that includes magic, a massive battle and many special effects.
Tom’s Take: “I think the fans will be pleased, but you don’t have to be a Harry Potter fan (to enjoy it.) That’s the beauty of it,” Gabbard said. “That being said, the fans I think will be really pleased with it ... The storyline is there, but it is magical, as people would want for that story.”
Curtain call: OG Draco Tom Felton is currently reprising that role on Broadway through November.
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” Aug. 10-15, 2027, Belk Theater
‘Beauty and the Beast’
What it is: Tale as old as time.
Tom’s Take: “I think what people don’t realize is that in the canon of Disney musicals, it was Disney’s first musical, and they were learning their way. (The show opened in April 1994, and it was an instant smash.) A lot of the folks in that very first musical came from having developed stage shows for the theme park,” Gabbard said. “They were learning how to create a bona fide musical. ... I think now they have taken that knowledge and had a chance to completely refresh it.”
Curtain call: When the show premiered in the ‘90s, it took three people up to three hours to get actor Terrence Mann into make-up, prosthetics, hair and wardrobe for his role as Beast, according to Playbill.com. Eventually, the crew got that time down to an hour.
“Beauty and the Beast,” Sept. 7-12, 2027, Belk Theater
Broadway Extras
‘A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical’
What it is: Jukebox bio musical of the guy in the title, one Mr. Neil Diamond, aka “Sweet Caroline. Dah dah dah dahhh.”
Tom’s Take: “For those people who are not familiar with the musical, they’re gonna get all the beloved songs, but they will learn a lot about this man,” Gabbard said. “This show came to be out of therapy sessions that this man had. .... And I really admire how he really has been willing to talk about his flaws and mistakes that he made. It’s not just a tribute show.”
Curtain call: This is another show that Blumenthal Arts had invested in.
“A Beautiful Noise,” Nov. 27-29, 2026, Belk Theater
‘The Wiz’
What it is: An updated take on “The Wizard of Oz,” told through the lens of Black culture and an all-Black cast.
Tom’s Take: Like “A Beautiful Noise,” when the revival of “The Wiz” played in Charlotte in 2023 ahead of an upcoming run on Broadway, it was a big hit. Now the tour offers another opportunity for theater-goers to “Ease on Down the Road.”
Curtain call: Charlotte’s own Phillip Johnson Richardson starred in the revival as “Tinman,” appearing in both Charlotte and Broadway, before moving on to other projects.
“The Wiz,” May 7-9, 2027, Belk Theater
‘Heathers’
What it is: A musical based on the caustic cult classic film from 1989. A trio of mean girls all named Heather rule their high school. Another girl gets taken under their wings while she’s also under the spell of her dangerous boyfriend.
Tom’s Take: An Off-Broadway revival of “Heathers” opened last year. “Frankly, it turned out to be a much bigger hit than anybody expected. This is one of those shows that people really underestimated,” Gababrd said. “For people of a certain generation that grew up with this film and loved this film, this is their opportunity to celebrate that but in a much bigger fandom.”
Curtain call: “Abbot Elementary” star Lisa Ann Walter takes on the dual role of Ms. Fleming and Veronica’s mom in New York from April 27-June 22.
“Heathers,” June 29-July 4, 2027, Belk Theater
‘Jersey Boys’
What it is: An OG jukebox musical, telling the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, just four quys from you-know-where, who made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after many ups and downs along the way.
Tom’s Take: “That’s another one that’s been off the road for a while. It’s been away for a few years, and now it’s coming back in a big way. And I think fans are ready for it.”
Curtain call: Charlotte was the final destination the last time there was a national Equity tour of “Jersey Boys.”
“Jersey Boys,” July 30-Aug. 1, 2027 Belk Theater
Tickets for Blumenthal Arts’ 2026-27 Broadway season
Season ticket packages are now availble; dates for single ticket sales for shows will be announced in the coming months.
A seven-show season package ranges from $331 to $1,014, including fees and taxes, and the option to add “Oh, Mary!” for an eight-show package. Season ticket holders can swap up to four shows in a package for other events in Blumenthal venues. For more info, go to BlumenthalArts.org or call 704-372-1000.
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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 6:00 AM.
