Broadway in Chicago's fall marked by return of 'Hamilton,' 'The Wiz' and new Broadway-bound tuners

Posted September 26, 2023 6:00 am

Britney Coleman plays Bobbie and Jacob Dickey plays flight attendant Andy, one of her boyfriends, in the national tour of "Company," one of the highlights of Broadway in Chicago's fall schedule. Courtesy of Matthew Murphy of MurphyMade

If the return of "Hamilton" isn't enough for theater lovers, Broadway in Chicago has added several new, Broadway-bound musicals as well as a revival of "The Wiz" in its pre-Broadway national tour.

That's the good news. The bad news is that, except for "Hamilton," most of the shows run four weeks or less.

See broadwayinchicago.com for ticket information.

'Hamilton'

Runs through Dec. 30 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St., Chicago

The blockbuster tuner, whose acclaimed Chicago production (the first outside New York) ran for more than three years, returns for an extended run. Pierre Jean Gonzalez stars as Founding Father and first treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton opposite Deon'te Goodman's Aaron Burr. See broadwayinchicago.com/show/hamilton for information on the digital lottery for $10 tickets.

'The Lehman Trilogy'

Runs through Oct. 29, in association with TimeLine Theatre, at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago, (773) 281-8463, timelinetheatre.com/

TimeLine Theatre, whose past theatrical triumphs include the Chicago premieres of the "The History Boys" and "Oslo," teams up with Broadway in Chicago for the regional premiere of the 2022 Tony Award-winning best play "The Lehman Trilogy." Italian writer Stefano Massini's play (adapted by Ben Power) chronicles the humble beginnings, the success and the ultimate collapse of the financial institution founded by three German siblings who immigrated to the U.S. in 1844. Nick Bowling and Vanessa Stalling direct the epic tale, which stars Chicago favs Mitchell Fain, Anish Jethmalani and Joey Slotnick.

'A Wonderful World'

Runs Oct. 12-29 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St., Chicago

Jazz legend Louis Armstrong is the subject of this Broadway-bound bio-musical starring James Monroe Iglehart as Satchmo, the seminal trumpeter/vocalist whose career spanned five decades and whose vocal style influenced Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra among others. Conceived by Christopher Renshaw and novelist Andrew Delaplaine, the score features songs made famous by Armstrong as well as original music and arrangements by music directors Annastasia Victory and Michael O. Mitchell.

'Company'

Runs Oct. 31-Nov. 12 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St., Chicago

Tony Award-winning director Marianne Elliott's gender-flipped revival of the 1970 Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical is about 35-year-old commitment-averse bachelor Bobby, whose married friends wonder why he isn't married. Elliott recasted the protagonist as female singleton Bobbie (Britney Coleman) who's beginning to wonder the same thing. The North American tour's cast includes Chicago veteran James Earl Jones II.

'Beetlejuice'

Runs Nov. 7-19 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago

Life after Broadway exists for the musical (adapted from Tim Burton's 1988 film) about a comically malevolent ghost hired by a recently deceased couple to rid their home of its new owners: a widowed developer and his quirky teenage daughter. The national tour follows the show's 2019 Broadway debut and a 2022 transfer, which concluded earlier this year.

'Boop! The Betty Boop Musical'

Runs Nov. 19-Dec. 23 at the CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St., Chicago

Award-winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell ("Kinky Boots," "Hairspray") helms the pre-Broadway debut of the new musical based on Betty Boop, the animated cartoon Jazz Era flapper created by Max Fleischer in 1930. Composer David Foster and lyricist Susan Birkenhead created the score and Bob Martin wrote the book for the show, which follows international celebrity Betty on her day off in New York City.

'The Wiz'

Runs Nov. 28-Dec. 10 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St., Chicago

The 1974 musical retelling of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by composer/lyricist Charlie Smalls and writer William F. Brown returns to Broadway next spring (the first time in 40 years) following a nationwide tour that stops briefly in Chicago. Revised for the 21st century, the show contains new material by writer/comedian Amber Ruffin ("Late Night With Seth Meyers") and features Chicago's own Melody Betts as Aunt Em/Evillene.

Joey Slotnick, left, Mitchell Fain and Anish Jethmalani, standing, play siblings who immigrated from Germany and founded one of the nation's most successful investment banks in TimeLine Theatre/Broadway in Chicago's "The Lehman Trilogy." Courtesy of Joe Mazza/brave lux inc.

The Broadway-bound "Boop! The Betty Boop Musical" - inspired by the animated Jazz Era cartoon flapper - tries out in Chicago in November. Courtesy of "Boop! The Betty Boop Musical"

Article Comments

Article Categories
Chicago Entertainment News Performing Arts Professional Theater Region Theater

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.