Events
KIMMEL CULTURAL CAMPUS AND THE SHUBERT ORGANIZATION ANNOUNCE THE 2023-24 BROADWAY SERIES SHOWCASING 12 BLOCKBUSTER PRODUCTIONS WITH A COMBINED 19 TONY® AWARD AND 17 DRAMA DESKTM AWARD WINS
Broadway blockbusters include WICKED, FROZEN, and AIN’T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS Philadelphia premieres of GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY and MRS. DOUBTFIRE … and refreshed revivals of COMPANY, FUNNY GIRL,and MAMMA MIA!
The Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Shubert Organization are proud to announce the 2023-24 Broadway series with a stellar lineup of extraordinary productions, including Broadway’s newest hits, hot revivals, and adored classics. The season features something for every taste, boasting 12 amazing shows with a combined 19 Tony®Awards and 17 Drama DeskTM Awards. This year’s 7-show subscription package includes: Wicked, Company, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, Mrs. Doubtfire, Girl from the North Country, Frozen, and Funny Girl.
The 2023-24 Broadway lineup includes several productions in which traditional or well-known stories are told through a new or unexpected lens. Wicked takes a deeper look into the Land of Oz, where an initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships. Company transforms Stephen Sondheim’s troubled bachelor Bobby into female protagonist Bobbie, allowing audiences to experience the endearing story of turning 35-years-old through a woman’s eyes in the 21st-century. Hadestown intertwines two classic Greek-mythology tales: that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone, as it transports audiences on an unforgettable journey to the underworld and back.
Familiar stories from Hollywood are also part of the 2023-24 Broadway season with a number of films-turned-musicals – and a musical-turned-film! Disney’s Frozen broke movie box office records worldwide when it opened in 2013 and it has experienced the same excitement as a stage show. The season kicks off with the ferociously funny fan favorite Mean Girls, nominated for 12 Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical; the 2004 film has been a guilty pleasure for nearly 20 years. Mrs. Doubtfire has warmed hearts since the 1993 film starring Robin Williams and has audiences clamoring for more with the live musical adaptation. Conversely, after debuting on Broadway in 1964, Funny Girl made its way to the big screen in 1968, with Barbra Streisand in the titular role, and became the highest grossing film in the U.S. that year. Mamma Mia!gained attention as a musical and became a blockbuster movie in 2008, and Wickedis expected to hit the big screen in 2024.
Many of the 2023-24 Broadway season productions tell stories of female triumph over adversity. This includes the revival of Wicked, where Elphaba learns to accept and reclaim her identity and embrace her “wicked” self. In Frozen, Elsa searches to find her full power alongside her sister, Anna, while in Company, Bobbie struggles with coming to terms with societal expectations and norms. Funny Girl sees Fanny, a powerful and talented woman, defying her own hardships and following her dreams no matter what anyone has to say about it.
“From the iconic music of The Temptations, Sting, and Bob Dylan to family-friendly favorites like Frozen, our 2023-24 season continues our tradition of presenting the very best of Broadway at the Miller Theater and the Academy of Music,” said Matías Tarnopolsky, President and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. “We look forward to sharing exciting new productions and cherished favorites spanning decades and genres–including the return of Wicked, celebrating its 20thanniversary, and the refreshing revivals of Funny Girl and Company.”
The full season lineup includes:
- Mean Girls (October 3 – 8, 2023, Miller Theater on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
- Wicked (November 1 – 26, 2023, Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
- Company (November 28 – December 10, 2023, The Shubert Organization’s Forrest Theatre)
- Cirque Dreams Holidaze (December 26 – 31, 2023, Miller Theater on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
- Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (January 3 – 21, 2024, Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
- Mrs. Doubtfire (February 6 – 18, 2024, Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
- Girl from the North Country (February 27 – March 10, 2024, The Shubert Organization’s Forrest Theatre)
- Frozen (March 21 – April 7, 2024, Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
- Hadestown (April 10 – 14, 2024, Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
- Message In A Bottle (May 14 – 19, 2024, Miller Theater on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
- Funny Girl (July 16 – 28, 2024, Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
- Mamma Mia! (August 6 – 11, 2024, Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus)
“The Kimmel Cultural Campus is committed to bringing award-winning theater to Philadelphia all year round,” said Frances Egler, Vice President of Theatrical Programming and Presentations on the Kimmel Cultural Campus, the Campus’ resident Tony® Awards voter, and curator of the Broadway series. “We’re excited for a season with the debuts of Frozen and Ain’t Too Proud, as well as the blockbuster Wicked. Especially thrilling is the opportunity to present Company, last year’s Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical and a show we were honored to help produce. Whether you are a longtime lover of the stage or discovering the magic of theater for the first time, we invite you to take part in this spectacular season.”
“Live theater is a gift, and The Shubert Organization is thrilled to continue our nearly 100-year tradition of bringing outstanding Broadway theater to the City of Philadelphia. This magnificent season is proof that you don’t have to go to New York City to see the best of what Broadway has to offer,” shared Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO of The Shubert Organization.
“Diversity is our strength, and it is our honor as the region’s most impactful performing arts institution to share the transformative power of the stage with the widest possible audience – bringing joy, creating community, and effecting change—to uplift everyone who walks through our doors,” said Crystal Brewe, Chief Marketing and Audience Experience Officer on the Kimmel Cultural Campus. “We intentionally present vibrant and talented artists all season long, from orchestral guests to comedians to jazz instrumentalists, podcasters to family-friendly artists, and an array of local musicians. We are a hub for opera, ballet, and chamber music, honoring community partnerships and focusing on youth through free education initiatives. With so many opportunities to experience live arts on our Campus, it couldn’t be a more exciting time for returning subscribers and new visitors from around the region to visit us for Broadway… and beyond!”
Subscriptions
Flexible 7-show packages are available now and include Tuesday through Sunday performances of Wicked, Company, Ain’t Too Proud, Mrs. Doubtfire, Girl from the North Country, Frozen, and Funny Girl, starting as low as $35.00 per show! Subscription packages also include a Wednesday matinee option. Single tickets for individual productions will go on sale at a later date.
Subscribers save up to 20% off single ticket prices and are offered a variety of exclusive event invitations, perks, and privileges, including the first opportunity to select the best seats in the house and the option to renew their seats each year. Additional subscriber benefits include flexible exchange options, priority ticket access, payment plan options, and more.
This season again offers the ultimate in flexibility, giving new and returning subscribers the option to swap up to 3 shows in the package into exclusive extra performances. Subscribers will also have first access to purchase additional tickets before they go on sale to the public.
Packages start at just $35.00 per show and range from $245.00 to $1,003.00, depending on seating and performance dates. The easiest way to subscribe and to find more information is online at kimmelculturalcampus.org/broadway
Group rates are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased from Kimmel Cultural Campus or Broadway Inbound. Visit the Kimmel online at kimmelculturalcampus.org/groupsales or by phone at (215) 790-5883 or (866) 276-2947. Book a group with Broadway Inbound at www.broadwayinbound.com or call (866) 302-0995.
All subscription payments remain secure. For more information about the Kimmel Cultural Campus’ Broadway lineup, please visit the website at KimmelCulturalCampus.org/Broadway.
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FULL INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2023-24 BROADWAY SERIES
MEAN GIRLS
October 3 – 8, 2023 • Miller Theater on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.
Direct from Broadway, Mean Girls is the hilarious hit musical from an award- winning creative team, including book writer Tina Fey (30 Rock), composer Jeff Richmond (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde), and director Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).
WICKED
November 1 – 26, 2023 • Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
The Broadway sensation Wicked looks at what happened in the Land of Oz… but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin, who is smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships… until the world decides to call one “good” and the other one “wicked.”
With a thrilling score that includes the hits “Defying Gravity,” “Popular,” and “For Good,” Wicked has been hailed by The New York Times as “the defining musical of the decade” and by Time Magazine as “a magical Broadway musical with brains, heart, and courage.”
COMPANY
November 28 – December 10, 2023 • The Shubert Organization’s Forrest Theatre
It’s Bobbie’s 35th birthday party, and all her friends keep asking, why isn’t she married? Why can’t she find the right man and isn’t it time to settle down and start a family? As Bobbie searches for answers, she discovers why being single, being married, and being alive in 21st-Century New York could drive a person crazy.
Three-time Tony® Award-winning director Marianne Elliott (War Horse, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Angels in America) helms this revelatory new production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s groundbreaking musical comedy, at once boldly sophisticated, deeply insightful, and downright hilarious. Company features Sondheim’s award-winning songs “You Could Drive a Person Crazy,” “The Ladies Who Lunch,” “Side by Side by Side,” and the iconic “Being Alive.”
Let’s all drink to that.
CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE
December 26 – 31, 2023 • Miller Theater on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE returns to the Miller Theater after a sold-out 2019 engagement with a brilliant and whimsical family holiday spectacular. This annual tradition wraps a Broadway-style production around an infusion of contemporary circus arts. As lights dim and the music swells, audiences will have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads as a fantastical cast of holiday storybook characters come to life. Broadway World exclaims, “Lose yourself for 90 minutes and go back to those wonderful dreams you had as a kid.”
Featuring an ensemble of aerial circus acts, sleight-of-hand jugglers, fun-loving skippers, breath-catching acrobatics, and much more, the Dayton Daily Newsproclaims, “A new set of eyes should be added to my Christmas list…there’s no way the stunts I witnessed onstage actually happened as most of them aren’t humanly possible.”
Imaginative and fun for the whole family, CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE features a world-renowned cast of performers accompanied by an original music score including new twists on seasonal favorites such as “Deck the Halls,” “Winter Wonderland,” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Singers, dancers, penguins, toy soldiers, and reindeer invoke the dreams behind a child’s eye on the most magical of nights. Amidst a backdrop of new sets, scenery, and storylines, this family-friendly production is sure to put a twinkle in your eye!
AIN’T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS
January 3 – 21, 2024 • Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations is the electrifying new musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one. The rest is history — how they met, the groundbreaking heights they hit and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear the group apart as the United States fell into civil unrest. This thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and so many more.
MRS. DOUBTFIRE
February 6 – 18, 2024 • Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
Out-of-work actor Daniel Hillard will do anything for his kids. After losing custody in a messy divorce, he creates the kindly alter ego of Scottish nanny Euphegenia Doubtfire in a desperate attempt to stay in their lives. As his new character takes on a life of its own, Mrs. Doubtfire teaches Daniel more than he bargained for about how to be a father. A hysterical and heartfelt story about holding onto your loved ones against all odds, Mrs. Doubtfire is the musical comedy we need right now – one that proves we’re better together.
GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY
February 27 – March 10, 2024 • The Shubert Organization’s Forrest Theatre
Girl from the North Country is the Tony® Award-winning new musical that the Chicago Tribune declares is “a Broadway revelation!” Written and directed by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson and featuring Tony® Award-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale, Girl from the North Country reimagines 20 legendary songs of Bob Dylan as they’ve never been heard before, including “Forever Young,” “All Along The Watchtower,” “Hurricane,” “Slow Train Coming,” and “Like A Rolling Stone.” It’s 1934 in Duluth, Minnesota. We meet a group of wayward travelers whose lives intersect in a guesthouse filled with music, life, and hope. Experience this “profoundly beautiful” production (The New York Times) brought to vivid life by an extraordinary company of actors and musicians.
FROZEN
March 21 – April 7, 2024 • Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony® nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America, and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News). Frozen features the songs you love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers.
An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.
HADESTOWN
April 10 – 14, 2024 • Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
Welcome to Hadestown, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony® Awards including Best Musical and the 2020 GRAMMY® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and innovative director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today… and always.
Hadestown intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, Hadestown is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.
MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
May 14 – 19, 2024 • Miller Theater on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
The peaceful village of Bebko is alive with joyous celebrations. Suddenly, under attack, everything changes forever. Three siblings, Leto, Mati, and Tana, must embark on perilous journeys to survive.
Message In A Bottle is a spectacular dance-theater show from triple-Olivier Award nominee, Kate Prince, inspired by and set to the iconic hits of 17-time GRAMMY®Award-winning artists Sting, including “Every Breath You Take,” “Roxanne,” “Walking On The Moon,” and more. With a mix of exhilarating dance styles, high-energy footwork, and breath-taking athleticism, Message In A Bottle tells a unifying and uplifting story of humanity and hope.
Message In A Bottle is the latest masterpiece from the ground-breaking creator behind West End hits Some Like it Hip Hop, Into the Hoods, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (choreography) and Sylvia (Old Vic), and features the astonishing talents of dance storytelling powerhouse, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company. A Sadler’s Wells & Universal Music UK production co-produced with Birmingham Hippodrome and The Lowry, Salford. Research and development supported by The MOVEment.
Message In A Bottle contains some scenes of adult nature.
FUNNY GIRL
July 16 – 28, 2024 • Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
Welcome to musical theater comedy heaven!
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, a revised book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction from Michael Mayer, this love letter to the theatre has the whole shebang!
The sensational cast dazzles audiences with the songs “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” Funny Girl is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.
MAMMA MIA!
August 6 – 11, 2024 • Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
A mother. A daughter. 3 possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget!
Set on a Greek island paradise where the sun always shines, a tale of love, friendship, and identity is beautifully told through the timeless hits of ABBA. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited decades ago. For nearly 25 years, people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story, and the music that make MAMMA MIA! the ultimate feel-good show.
THE SHUBERT ORGANIZATION
The Shubert Organization is America’s oldest professional theatre company and the largest theatre owner on Broadway. Since the dawn of the 20th century, Shubert has operated hundreds of theatres and produced hundreds of plays and musicals both in New York City and throughout the United States. Shubert currently owns and operates 17 Broadway theatres, six off-Broadway venues, and the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia. Under the leadership of Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO, The Shubert Organization continues to be a leader in the theatre industry. Shubert delivers innovative ticketing solutions via its Telecharge interface, API distribution, and private-label technology, offering unparalleled distribution and marketing to the theatre industry and beyond. Its consumer-facing brands—Telecharge for retail ticket sales and Broadway Inbound for group buyers, tour operators, and the travel industry—sell millions of tickets each year. The Shubert Foundation, sole shareholder of The Shubert Organization, Inc., is dedicated to sustaining and advancing live performing arts in the United States. The Foundation provides general operating support to not-for-profit theatres and dance companies. Foundation grants in 2022 totaled $37.6 million to 609 grantees.
KIMMEL CULTURAL CAMPUS
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, our mission is to engage the region’s diverse communities with art through performance and education. Our Cultural Campus serves more than 1-million guests per year and includes Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, and SEI Innovation Studio), the Academy of Music, and the Miller Theater (formerly the Merriam Theater) – representing more than 160 years of rich history for the performing arts along Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts. We are home to The Philadelphia Orchestra and six esteemed Resident Companies: Opera Philadelphia, Philadelphia Ballet, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, we are the region’s most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. Our Cultural Campus serves as a preeminent and inclusive place to enjoy exceptional experiences that reflect the spirit of our region by cultivating a creative and socially responsible environment where our community shares experiences that are delivered with pride, integrity, and respect. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization, we collaborate on, present, and produce a broad range of relevant and meaningful events, we serve as an active gathering space for social and community events, we educate the region’s young people through access to quality arts experiences, and we provide support to artists in the creation of new work. Read Kimmel Cultural Campus’ vision statement, world view, and mission statement here. Learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it encompasses our mission, coworkers, and programs here.
