“Theatre is LIVE. It’s ephemeral. That’s what makes it incredible,” said Dr. Rachel Bauer, Coordinator of the BA in Theatre Arts and Lecturer in Theatre Arts in the Department of Media & Performing Arts. “It provides such an amazing connection between the performers and audience in a way that other storytelling forms just can’t. I think that’s why people still gravitate to it, even after millennia.”
The 2023-2024 season schedule of upcoming and announced Broadway shows was released by Playbill on Nov. 16. This year will feature many new works, as well as revivals of some fan favorites.
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@notebookmusical, Instagram.
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@outsidersmusical, Instagram.
Sophomore Katie McCabe grew up watching and bonding over Broadway shows with her family. Since then, she has developed a passion for the theatre and is a part of the Sacred Heart University Theatre Arts Program (TAP).
McCabe said she is excited to see shows like “The Outsiders” and “The Notebook,” which are new stage adaptations from some of her favorite books and films.
“I am excited to see how Broadway will adapt them for a new audience and how they will add some new charm,” said McCabe.
“While some of these shows are revivals, such as ‘Cabaret’ and ‘The Wiz,’ most of these are new stories to Broadway,” said McCabe. “They will bring new themes, ideas, and characters to the stage we have not seen yet.”
With these performances will come new stories highlighting different perspectives addressing the human condition. One of these shows is “Suffs,” a musical based on the experiences of suffragettes during the American women’s suffrage movement.
“I’m quite excited about ‘Suffs,’” said Bauer. “As a theatre scholar and artist who
focuses on the intersections of gender and theatre, that musical is right up my alley.” Sophomore Nora Delehanty, a New York native, grew up admiring the storytelling of Broadway actors. Their performances inspired her to pursue a lifelong dream of acting,
which has been fostered by Sacred Heart’s TAP.
“I’m very excited for upcoming shows on Broadway,” said Delehanty. “There definitely
has been a recent pattern in basing productions off of previous books or movies. This can be seen in ‘The Notebook’ and ‘The Great Gatsby,’ which are new shows coming up that I’m looking forward to seeing. Even shows like ‘MJ the Musical’ or ‘Beautiful the Musical,’ which depict the lives of real people, it’s always interesting to see how it will be portrayed on stage, especially through musical lyrics and dance.”
Delehanty said that “there is nothing like live theatre” because it captures something inherently “human.”
“Live performances allow for true human connection, and audiences can relate to the stories that are being portrayed by actors on stage,” said Delehanty. “Broadway has such a wide variety of shows, that there will always be one that can be resonated with.”
“Theatre is one of the oldest collaborative art forms in human existence. It has the power to change minds, hearts, and even political reign,” said Bauer. “Theatre is not just entertainment, though that is a big part of it. It’s a powerful means of collective storytelling, and that shows us humanity: our faults and our loveliest parts. I encourage all to see theatre because there is truly nothing else quite like it.”
For more information on new and upcoming shows, visit Playbill.com for a comprehensive list.
