Broadway-level talent is coming to our hometown thanks to the Coronado Performing Arts Center’s Broadway Series Subscriptions.
This year, there are three shows in the subscription, including “Hairspray,” “A Magical Cirque Christmas,” and “The Book of Mormon.”
“With Rockford’s enthusiastic and ever-growing theater community, the Coronado Performing Arts Center is excited to present the 2022-2023 Broadway Series for all musical lovers to enjoy,” says Panouly Moua, marketing coordinator of the Coronado Performing Arts Center (CPAC), at 314 N. Main St., Rockford.
“This is also the first time that ‘The Book of Mormon’ is in the Rockford area,” Moua adds.
The season kicks off Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. with the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, “Hairspray.” This musical tells the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world?
Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the ‘60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore,” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” “Hairspray” is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!,” according to the “New York Times.”
“The Coronado Performing Arts Center and Nederlander National Markets are thrilled to announce the 2022-2023 Broadway in Rockford season, presented by Savant Wealth Management,” Moua adds. “This season features the eight-time Tony Award-winning ‘Hairspray’ which will feature an all-new touring production that reunites Broadway’s award-winning creative team led by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell. We are excited to help bring ‘Hairspray’ to a new generation of theater audiences in Rockford.”
“Hairspray” premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater in June 2002. The show was a smash hit when it transferred to Broadway, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and became the longest-running musical to play the Neil Simon Theater, running 2,642 performances from July 18, 2002, until January 4, 2009. It is the 22nd longest running show in Broadway history.
“Hairspray” is appropriate for age groups 14 and older, Moua adds.
After “Hairspray,” the Broadway series continues with a brand-new holiday tradition for the entire family, “A Magical Cirque Christmas,” on Dec. 4, 2022. Closing the season is the Broadway mega-hit, “The Book of Mormon,” on Jan. 20, 2023.
Individual tickets for “Hairspray” can be purchased at coronadopac.org/events/hairspray. Subscription packages for all three shows coming to the Coronado can be purchased at coronadopac.org/broadway.
“We are truly excited to present the 2022-2023 Broadway in Rockford series sponsored by Savant Wealth Management with our partner, Nederlander National Markets,” adds Doug Johnson, CPAC assistant general manager. “We welcome Rockford and surrounding areas to experience these timeless shows with rich traditions.”