Blumenthal unveils new Broadway season plan as shows return to Charlotte amid COVID
Theater fans, a return to an in-person experience is on the horizon, even amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Blumenthal Performing Arts released its PNC Broadway Lights and Equitable Bravo series lineup Thursday, including the popular “Hamilton,” “Hadestown” and “Mean Girls” productions. In fact, the Tony-winning Hadestown is expected to kick off its national tour in Charlotte.
Both the Broadway Lights and Equitable Bravo series were set to return last fall, but were delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re all going to come to this with a renewed appreciation for how great live performances are,” Blumenthal President Tom Gabbard said in an interview.
Existing season tickets holders will be automatically rescheduled unless they prefer to swap out shows or performance days. Season tickets will also be available to new subscribers at http://blumenthalarts.org/BPABroadway or by calling 704-335-1010.
Changes for COVID-19
While theater patrons shouldn’t expect to see much change in seating layouts, COVID-19 safety measures will likely include requirements for masks, along with social distancing in lines for concessions and restrooms.
Air quality improvements such as HEPA filters in restrooms are also in the works. More detailed information will be released before shows begin.
Blumenthal will also offer a COVID-19 guarantee that allows flexibility for those who purchase tickets before May 31.
Options include alternatives like exchanging tickets for a different performance, donating their ticket amount to support community programs or receiving a full refund if they feel coronavirus conditions make it unsafe to attend a show before Dec. 31.
Gabbard said another aspect of the return to live theater this fall will be putting people back to work — not only in the performing arts business, but also hospitality workers at hotels and restaurants whose business depends on public events.
“For almost a year now, we’ve been expecting this to happen,” he said. “And finally we were able to look out ahead and see that it’s a reality.”
Broadway Lights
The PNC Broadway Lights Series will feature six shows, plus an option to include the Charlotte debut of Disney’s “Frozen.” The Broadway Lights series, all shown at Belk Theater, will include:
• “Hadestown,” on Aug. 31-Sept. 5. The winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, is a love story that intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone. Charlotte’s own Eva Noblezada was nominated for a Tony for her role as Eurydice.
• “1776,” on Nov. 16-21. John Adams attempts to persuade other members of the Continental Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence.
• “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations,” on Jan. 18-23, 2022. This musical follows The Temptations’ journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
• “Hamilton,” on April 26-May 15, 2022. “The Room Where It Happens.” You know the words.
• ”To Kill a Mockingbird,” on July 26-31, 2022. The musical directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher recounts the story of the well-known novel everyone read in school.
• “Mean Girls,” on Sept. 6-11, 2022. Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her new suburban home and the charming but ruthless Regina George. Another Charlotte prodigy, Reneé Rapp, played Regina on Broadway.
• Disney’s “Frozen,” on June 15-26, 2022. Three words: “Let It Go.”
Equitable Bravo Series
The Equitable Bravo Series offers a package of five shows:
• “Wicked,” on Sept. 8-Oct. 3, 2021, at Ovens Auditorium. This gravity-defying Broadway hit looks at what happened in the Land of Oz from a different perspective, long before Dorothy arrives.
• “RENT” 25th anniversary farewell tour on Nov. 9-14, 2021 at Belk Theater. “RENT” follows a year in the lives of a diverse group of artists and friends struggling to follow their dreams.
• “An Officer and a Gentleman,” on Dec. 7-12, 2021, at Ovens Auditorium. A smart young man sets out for U.S. Navy pilot boot camp with too much swagger until he meets a drill sergeant who’s determined to set him straight.
• “Pretty Woman: The Musical,” on April 12-17, 2022, at Belk Theater. The musical of the film that was an international hit when it was released in 1990.
• “Hamilton,” on April 26-May 15, 2022, at Belk Theater. “The-10-Dollar-Founding-Father.”
Broadway Extras
Additional Broadway shows during the year slated Broadway Extras include:
• “Potted Potter,” on Oct. 15-17, 2021, at Booth Playhouse. This show takes on the challenge of condensing all seven “Harry Potter” books.
• “Jesus Christ Superstar,” on March 22-27, 2022, at Belk Theater. Featuring award-winning music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, “Jesus Christ Superstar” is set against the backdrop of the events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas.
• “Blue Man Group” on July 15-17, 2022, at Belk Theater. Three bald, blue men explore our world, with music, comedy and surprises.
• “Anastasia,” on Oct. 11-16, 2022, at Ovens Auditorium. This show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to Paris in the 1920s, as a young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past.
• “What the Constitution Means to Me,” dates and location to be announced. This play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will affect the next generation of Americans.
More arts coverage
Want to see more stories like this? You can join our Facebook group, “Inside Charlotte Arts,” at https://www.facebook.com/groups/insidecharlottearts/