Playhouse Square is bringing two beloved classics, a brand-new musical and one of the most iconic and colorful shows to E.J. Thomas Hall at the University of Akron for the 2022-2023 Broadway in Akron season. “This unique collaboration between Playhouse Square and the University of Akron began nearly eight years ago,” said Senior Vice President of Programming at Playhouse Square David Greene. “Audiences have been so receptive and we are looking forward to another great season at E.J. Thomas Hall!”
The four-show lineup includes the creative and quirky BLUE MAN GROUP in October, the hilarious new musical adaptation of TOOTSIE in November, the acclaimed revival of MY FAIR LADY in March and the 50th Anniversary Tour of JESUS CHRIS SUPERSTAR in April.
Season tickets for the new Broadway in Akron season are available beginning May 10 for new and current Season Ticket Holders. Renewal information will arrive by mail, though tickets can also be renewed online at playhousesquare.org or over the phone by calling Playhouse Square at 216-241-6000 (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). New season tickets may be purchased by phone.
Season tickets range from $40-$295 each, with payment plans available. The only way to guarantee your seats for all four shows at the absolute lowest price is to become a season ticket holder. For more information, visit broadwayinakron.com.
BLUE MAN GROUP
October 18-19, 2022
More than 35 million people around the world have experienced the smash hit phenomenon that is BLUE MAN GROUP and now it’s your turn! BLUE MAN GROUP comes to Akron for a limited engagement on their new North American tour. It’s everything you know and love about BLUE MAN GROUP—signature drumming, colorful moments of creativity and quirky comedy—the men are still blue but the rest is all new! Featuring pulsing, original music, custom-made instruments, surprise audience interaction and hilarious absurdity, join the Blue Men in a joyful experience that unites audiences of all ages.
TOOTSIE
November 29-30, 2022
Call it “musical comedy heaven” (Rolling Stone). Call it “the most uproarious new musical in years!” (The Hollywood Reporter). Call it TOOTSIE! This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime. Featuring a hilarious Tony®-winning book by Robert Horn and an outrageously clever score by 2018 Tony-winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), this New York Times Critic’s Pick is “a joyful delight” (The Washington Post) that’s “so packed with punchlines, it should be called a jokebox musical!” (Bloomberg). “In these turbulent times, when the world seems out of balance, we need a place to let the good times roll,” raves Rolling Stone. “TOOTSIE is it!”
MY FAIR LADY
March 14-15, 2023
From Lincoln Center Theater that brought you The King & I and South Pacific, comes “a sumptuous new production of the most perfect musical of all time” (Entertainment Weekly), Lerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY. Director Bartlett Sher’s glowing production is “thrilling, glorious and better than it ever was” (New York Times). “Every so often a revival comes along that reminds you how indispensable great theater can be” (NY1). Boasting such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “On the Street Where You Live,” MY FAIR LADY tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed?
JESUS CHRIS SUPERSTAR
April 10-11, 2023
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.
With lyrics and music by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.” “Gethsemane” and “Superstar.”
The Broadway in Akron Series at E.J. Thomas Hall is presented through a partnership between Playhouse Square and The University of Akron.
Broadway in Akron performances at E.J. Thomas Hall will follow the same health and safety protocols for other events on the University of Akron campus.