The Bushnell Announces 2018-2019 Broadway Series Lineup

THE BUSHNELL ANNOUNCES

2018-2019 BROADWAY SERIES

HARTFORD, CT/March 12, 2018 –The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts announced today the productions that will make up its 2018-2019 Broadway Series season. Beginning this fall, The Bushnell will bring seven exciting titles to Hartford as part of the Series, along with additional off-Series hits to round out a strong season lineup. Series titles are THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, HAMILTON, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, RENT, COME FROM AWAY, and WAITRESS. The 2018-2019 Bushnell Broadway Series is once again co-sponsored by Farmington Bank and Travelers.

A number of audience favorites will also return to The Bushnell during the 2018-2019 season including Disney’s THE LION KING (August 1-19, 2018), CATS (January 29 – February 3, 2019), BEAUTIFUL – The Carole King Musical (March 26-31, 2019), and THE SOUND OF MUSIC (May 17-19, 2019).

Bushnell President and CEO David Fay said of the lineup, “I’m thrilled that the staff at The Bushnell has again put together an exciting and well-rounded season of high-quality Broadway entertainment. There is much to appeal to families, Broadway traditionalists, and those who enjoy contemporary theatrical offerings. I think our season ticket holders and single ticket buyers will be very happy with these crowd-pleasing selections.”
Current season ticket holders will receive their renewal packages in the coming weeks, and new subscription packages will be available in early summer; new patrons interested in season tickets may call the box office now to have their name placed on a waiting list. Single tickets will go on sale this summer. All dates, titles, and artists are subject to change.

The 2018-2019 Broadway Series

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, September 25-30, 2018
What would happen if Sherlock Holmes and Monty Python had an illegitimate Broadway baby? You’d get THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, Broadway & London’s award-winning smash comedy! Called “A GUT-BUSTING HIT” (The New York Times) and “THE FUNNIEST PLAY BROADWAY HAS EVER SEEN” (HuffPost), this classic murder mystery is chock-full of mishaps and madcap mania delivering “A RIOTOUS EXPLOSION OF COMEDY” (Daily Beast). Welcome to opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor, where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. With an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines), it’s “TONS OF FUN FOR ALL AGES” (HuffPost) and “COMIC GOLD” (Variety) – sure to bring down the house!

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, November 6-11, 2018
Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific, The King and I, and 2017 Tony-winning Best Play Oslo, bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. The original production won ten Tony Awards, including a special Tony for becoming the longest-running Broadway musical of all time. You’ll be there when the sun rises on this new production, with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter, based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins. A wonderful cast and a lavish orchestra tell this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family. Featuring the Broadway classics “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life,” FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will introduce a new generation to this uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy! To love! To life!

HAMILTON, December 11-30, 2018
HAMILTON is the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now. With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, February 19-24, 2019
Roald Dahl's amazing tale is now Hartford’s golden ticket! It's the perfect recipe for a delectable treat: songs from the original film, including "Pure Imagination," "The Candy Man," and "I've Got a Golden Ticket," alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of Hairspray. Willy Wonka is opening his marvelous and mysterious chocolate factory...to a lucky few. That includes Charlie Bucket, whose bland life is about to burst with color and confection beyond his wildest dreams. He and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a mesmerizing joyride through a world of pure imagination. Now's your chance to experience the wonders of Wonka like never before – get ready for Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, the great glass elevator, and more, more, more at this everlasting showstopper!

RENT, March 12-17, 2019
In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway . . . and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson’s RENT continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning masterpiece returns to the stage in a vibrant 20th anniversary touring production. A re-imagining of Puccini's La Bohème, RENT follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters—love.

COME FROM AWAY, April 30 – May 5, 2019
The true story of the small town that welcomed the world. Broadway’s COME FROM AWAY has won Best Musical all across North America! The New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran night, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don’t miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and helmed by this year’s Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley. Newsweek cheers, “It takes you to a place you never want to leave!” On 9/11, the world stopped; On 9/12, their stories moved us all.

WAITRESS, June 18-23, 2019
Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, this irresistible new hit features original music and lyrics by six-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles ("Brave," "Love Song"), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam), choreography by Lorin Latarro (Les Dangereuse Liasons, Waiting for Godot), and direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Hair, Pippin, Finding Neverland). Inspired by Adrienne Shelly's beloved film, WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna - a waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town's new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life.