A PARADE OF TONYS HEADED TO CHARLOTTE

By Tim Miner

The Original Broadway Company of SOME LIKE IT HOT | CREDIT: Matthew Murphy

Blumenthal Arts Announces Season Full of Beloved Shows and Brand New Hits from Broadway

Watch out, Queen City. The Tonys are headed this way!
(The Tony Awards®, that is.)

This week, Blumenthal Arts announced an impressive lineup for their 2024-2025 season chock-full of returning favorites, such as “Hamilton,” “SIX,” and “Wicked,” and recent Tony Award®-winning productions making their first trip to Charlotte. For more information and season tickets, visit blumenthalarts.org

About this upcoming season, Tom Gabbard, Blumenthal Arts president, said, “With big winners from the 2023 Tony Awards®, beloved titles, and new classics, this season will offer something for everyone, across a wide spectrum of entertainment.”

PLANTING SEEDS FOR THIS SEASON

For Gabbard, this season is the result of much foresight. A little-known fact about Blumenthal Arts is that they actively invest in shows during their development phases, – before they debut on Broadway. The organization does this in an effort to seed and support shows they feel will be successful enough to go on the road and, eventually, play Charlotte stages.

Blumenthal Arts invested in six of the upcoming shows in this way, including “Some Like It Hot,” “A Beautiful Noise,” “Kimberly Akimbo” and “Life of Pi.” Between them, these shows have earned 12 Tony Awards®.

Hiran Abeysekera, Richard Parker (Fred Davis, Scarlet Wilderink, Andrew Wilson) in LIFE OF PI | CREDIT: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman or MurphyMade

SEASONAL STANDOUTS

It’s hard to pick favorites with the array of shows headed to the Queen City, but here are a few that truly stand out.

“Some Like It Hot” – Nov. 26–Dec. 1, 2024
This musical adaptation of the classic 1959 comedy starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis has been reimagined for the stage. It won an astounding four Tony Awards® in 2022 and eight Drama Desk Awards in 2023. Described by The New York Times as a “super-sized, all-out song-and-dance spectacular,” this production tells the story of two musicians forced to go on a cross-country train trip after witnessing a mob hit in Chicago.
“Parade” – Mar. 25–30, 2025
Winning the 2023 Tony Award® for Best Revival of a Musical, “Parade” takes audiences on an emotional journey with Leo and Lucille Frank, a pair of Jewish newlyweds from Brooklyn who have moved to Georgia during the Civil War. Life is hard enough as they build their life together in the South, but George is soon charged and tried for a brutal crime.
“Kimberly Akimbo” – April 15–27, 2025
Teenage life is hard enough for a young girl. But how much harder is it when you have a rare disease that causes you to look like you’re an elderly woman? That’s exactly what the optimistic protagonist of “Kimberly Akimbo” has on her plate. Based on a 2000 play by David Lindsay-Abaire, this new musical won five Tony Awards®, including “Best Musical,” just last year.
“Life of Pi” – July 29–August 3, 2025
First, it was a 2001 best-selling book from Yann Martel. Then, it was a 2012 cinema darling from Ang Li. Now, the story of a sixteen-year-old Pi trapped on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger is an acclaimed stage play, having won three Tony Awards® and the Olivier Award for Best Play.

Chiara Trentalange (center) and the cast of the GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY North American tour | CREDIT: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

EXPLORING AMERICAN MUSIC

Another standout in the forthcoming season is “Girl From the North Country,” in town Oct. 1–6, 2024. This musical shares the story of people traveling through Duluth, Minn. in 1934 through 20 songs written by Bob Dylan, including “Forever Young,” “All Along The Watchtower” and “Like A Rolling Stone.”

In a similar vein, audiences who love to see their favorite songs of yesteryear brought to life on stage can look forward to shows that honor the catalogs of Neil Diamond (“A Beautiful Noise”), Tina Turner (“Tina – The Tina Turner Musical”) and The Temptations (“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations”).

[EDITOR’S NOTE: SWEET CAROLINE! The good times never seemed so good. After hearing about “A Beautiful Noise,” a new musical featuring the music and story of pop icon Neil Diamond, I’m already dusting off my bedazzled jean jacket in eager anticipation. Please don’t ask for my rendition of “Cracklin’ Rosie.” I’ll sing it.]

THE COMPLETE 2024-2025 SCHEDULE

Below is the complete list of productions featured in Blumenthal Arts’ 2024-2025 season. Season tickets are on sale now at BlumenthalArts.org

PNC Broadway Lights Series

“Some Like it Hot” – Nov. 26–Dec. 1, 2024
“A Beautiful Noise” – Feb. 25–Mar. 2, 2025
“Parade” – Mar. 25–30, 2025
“Kimberly Akimbo” – April 15–27, 2025
“Shucked” – May 27–June 1, 2025
“Life of Pi” – July 29–August 3, 2025

There is also a final PNC Broadway Lights show yet to be announced.

Equitable Bravo Series

“Girl From the North Country” – Oct. 1–6, 2024
“Hamilton” – Jan. 7–Feb. 2, 2025
“Tina – The Tina Turner Musical” – June 10–15, 2025
“Wicked” – Sept. 24–Oct. 26, 2025
“SIX” – Dates to be determined

Broadway Extras

“Elf The Musical” – Dec. 26–29, 2024
“Shrek the Musical” – Feb. 14–16, 2025
“Les Misérables” – May 20–25, 2025
“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” – July 18–20, 2025
“Austen’s Pride: A New Musical of Pride and Prejudice” – Dates to be determined

ROLL UP! ROLL UP! ROLL UP!

For a list of upcoming and current shows in the PNC Broadway Lights Series, Equitable Bravo Series and the Broadway Extras Series, including 10 Broadway productions remaining in the 2023–2024 season, visit BlumenthalArts.org.