‘Les Mis,’ ‘Tootsie’ and More at Marcus PAC’s Broadway Series

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From the classic to the contemporary, the commercial to the creative, the Marcus Performing Arts Center 2022-2023 Broadway Series promises that familiar- sounding “something for everyone” with its line-up: Les Miserables, My Fair Lady, Hairspray, Six, Disney’s Frozen, Hadestown and Tootsie.

There are those taken from classic literature  (Les Miserables, My Fair Lady), well-known movies, (Hairspray, Frozen,Tootsie) and modern retelling of myth and history (Hadestown, Six).  So, what exactly goes into planning a series and how does it actually happen?

“For Broadway, we like to include titles that appeal to a variety of audiences (e.g., families, date night, Broadway aficionados),” explains Marcus Center President & CEO Kendra Whitlock Ingram. “We also like to ensure a mix of new and classic titles, so audiences can experience some of their favorites as well as shows that are direct from Broadway within the last year or two.”

 And apparently, the MPAC audience agrees. The upcoming season’s variety provides a number of recent productions and revivals. Programming is diverse given the diversity of the audiences, according to Ingram. “We attract audiences from numerous counties in the region as well as parts of Illinois,” she emphasizes. “We're also seeing a trend of a growing number of younger audiences attending Broadway (e.g. Gen X and Millennials) which is encouraging as we look to the development of future audiences and subscribers.”

Key to developing those younger generations as current and future audiences is programming that updates classic tales—in a format that speaks to them with the tone, attitude and style that will attract them and keep them coming back to the theater. 

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Six tells the historical tale of the six wives of Henry VIII. But in a rock concert format. And as each wife sings her story, they compete to become leader of the, um, well, pack?  In this case the rock group. Sound familiar? (Think “reality” singing competitions). 

And Hadestown takes the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice and modernizes the tale with Eurydice working in an underground industrial inferno due to poverty caused by climate change ‘up above.” Orpheus is now a poor musician who comes to rescue her, and in the process, they help others to escape. Despite its obviously dark undertones, it provides a positive spin on the original Greek tragedy. 

But what’s most important to MPAC audiences is the chance to see Broadway shows here in Milwaukee, in the familiarly and comfort of their local MPAC venue. 

“The key to a strong Broadway series is the variety,” says Ingram. “We continue to hear from audiences that ‘subscribing to the series allows us to see shows we would have missed otherwise.’ A series is curated with the audience in mind, and we appreciate their trust in taking the journey with us.”

The Broadway Series is held in Uihlein Hall at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. For more information, call: 414-273-7121, or visit marcuscenter.org.