The Kimmel Center recently announced its 2017/2018 Broadway Philadelphia season, which will bring some of the best and most sought-after nationally touring and Tony Award-winning productions to the city.
Frances Egler, director of programming for Broadway Philadelphia, said there is little time to breathe before the fall season, as there are a few productions running through the summer, almost leading right up to the beginning of the recently announced new season.
“It used to be like a school year. We’d end in June and start back up again in October,” said Egler, who, during our interview, was in the midst of managing the run of “Motown,” which was followed by “Fun Home” and then a five-week run of “Wicked” in August. “It’s kind of never-ending so it’s great.”
Piecing together a new season is a complex juggling act of matching the available touring productions with the venues that are available, all while factoring in what theatergoers want to see.
“Philadelphia wants to see the best of Broadway as soon as possible in theaters close to home,” she said. “It’s basically a jigsaw puzzle, working with the booking agents in New York who are representing the Broadway tours. When a tour decides that it ‘sgoing to go out, they decide where it’s going to start, like out West or in the Northeast, and then when Philadelphia can fit in. The other part of the puzzle is when our theaters are available. So the season that is coming up would have been everything that would have opened in New York in 2015 and 2016; shows like Disney always take longer to show up because they have more demand and they are usually larger shows. We have five shows that are completely new for the road this season, and two shows that are going to be going into their second season of touring.”
Egler added that being less that two hours from New York City, where almost all of these productions originate, does little to dampen local audiences’ desire to see the productions when they come to Philadelphia.
“Our audiences really do like the convenience of seeing Broadway shows close to home,” she said. “It’s a big factor for them. We’ll have five weeks of ‘Wicked’ this summer even though ‘Wicked’ has been playing in New York since 2003. People just like having the convenience of seeing it here. The touring companies are very high-quality companies and they love Philadelphia audiences. Philadelphia audiences definitely let you know how they feel about a show and they definitely love Broadway.”
Seven of the productions featured next season will be Philadelphia premieres, including “Finding Neverland,” “School of Rock” and “Something Rotten,” as well as returning favorites like “Kinky Boots,” “STOMP,” “Les Misérables” and “The Sound of Music.”
Egler pointed out a few productions in the new season that shouldn’t be missed.
“Disney’s Aladdin” makes its Philadelphia premiere June 13-July 1, 2018, at the Academy of Music. Created by the producers of “The Lion King,” it tells the timeless story of the titular character who finds a magic lamp that contains a genie and a life-changing adventure.
“‘Aladdin’ is going to run for three weeks,” Egler said. “Disney really does touring shows like nobody else. It’s quite a wonderful spectacle and it’s really good for all audiences — family and other Broadway audiences. The magic that they do on stage is great.”
“The Color Purple,” a revival of the musical based on the acclaimed film and novel of the same name, makes its return to the Forrest Theatre later this year, Dec. 12-17.
“Having seen that revival in New York, it’s definitely worth checking out,” Egler said. “Even if you’ve seen a touring version of it or saw the original Broadway production, this is a really reimagined wonderful production. It’s really quite spectacular.”
Another anticipated Philadelphia debut is “On Your Feet,” April 10-15, 2018, at the Academy of Music. It tells the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, who rose from their humble beginnings in Cuba and later overcame adversity to make Estefan a successful global pop and dance superstar. Directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell and choreographed by Olivier Award-winner Sergio Trujillo, “On Your Feet” features some of the most iconic hit songs spanning 25 years of Estefan’s career.
“The Emilio and Gloria Estefan story is a lot of fun. Even if [audiences] know Gloria’s story, it’s quite an amazing real story of how she became a superstar and what she has triumphed over,” Egler said.
Another Philadelphia debut, “Waitress,” comes to the Forrest Theatre Feb. 13-18, 2018. The story of a pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town is inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s acclaimed film and features original music and lyrics by six-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles.
“Waitress’ has the first all-female creative team writing and directing on Broadway,” Egler noted about the anticipated show.
If the shows slated for the Kimmel Center’s new season aren’t enough of an incentive for people to snag tickets, Broadway Philadelphia is offering first crack at tickets for the Philadelphia premiere of the most rabidly sought-after musical in the country.
“If you subscribe to the ’17/’18 season, you are guaranteed tickets to ‘Hamilton’ for the ’18/’19 season,” Egler said. “There’s so much demand for the tour of ‘Hamilton.’ It’s playing its first market in San Francisco right now and it’s working its way back East. So we will have it sometime in the ’18/’19 season. Our subscribers will have first access to tickets. If they subscribe to ’17/’18 and renew for ‘18/’19, they are guaranteed seats into one of the first performances of ‘Hamilton.’”
For more information about the Kimmel Center’s 2017-2018 Broadway Philadelphia season or to purchase tickets, visit www.kimmelcenter.org/events-and-tickets/ticket-deals/1718-broadway-package/.