Listed in bold letters on just about every New York City travel guide are all the Broadway musicals and shows that travelers should consider attending. While seeing a Broadway show live on Broadway may still be a high priority for many, places like the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, have made the dream of seeing traveling Broadway shows easily accessible for residents of Northwest Arkansas – for viewers to enjoy right from the comfort of Dickson Street. 

 

P&G Broadway

2022-2023 P&G Broadway Series

 

The Walton Arts Center has a six-show P&G Broadway Series lineup this season, and according to Jennifer Ross, vice president of Programming, this will be the Walton Arts Center’s most-awarded season yet. 

 

This year, three of the Walton Arts Center’s shows are Arkansas premieres, which include, “Pretty Woman: The Musical,” “Moulin Rouge” and “Hadestown.” While “Pretty Woman: The Musical” has already shown this season, audiences can look forward to “Moulin Rouge” and “Hadestown” coming to the stage soon. 

 

Jennifer Wilson, director of public relations for the center, shared that all of the performances showing this season have one thing in common: They all highlight women. 

 

“The shows feature female authors, focus on female characters, explore and challenge traditional gender roles and provide realistic representations of women along with their strengths and faults,” Wilson says. 

 

“My Fair Lady” showed eight times from Aug. 19-24, and “Pretty Woman: The Musical” also showed eight times from Sept. 20-25, as an Arkansas premiere.  

 

“Chicago” will premiere in November, with eight shows spanning from Nov. 8-13. “Chicago” won a Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, and as a musical that has existed for 25 years, it is still celebrated as a tale of fame, fortune and “all that jazz,” according to Wilson. 

 

“This is the longest running show in Arkansas, and holds a satirical look at fame, justice and media,” Ross notes. “It is a show that has held up well throughout time, especially when you look at it through the lens of our world today.” 

 

“Tootsie” will be making its appearance in Fayetteville in January, with eight shows scheduled from Jan.17-22. The musical is known for its comedic relief and serves as a laugh-out-loud love letter of sorts, as it tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented and difficult actor struggling to find work. 

 

“This is one of the funniest musicals I’ve ever seen, and I would even say that it is the show I have laughed the hardest at,” Ross says, adding that the musical is fun. “It has great physical comedy and the lead character’s role is changed up a bit in order to be more theatrical, so instead of being a soap opera star, the lead plays the role of an aging actor.” 

 

P&G Broadway Series

“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” will also premiere in Arkansas, with 14 shows from Feb. 9-19. This is a musical based off of the movie, Moulin Rouge! (2001), and has won 10 Tony awards, including the award for Best Musical.  

 

Ross explains that “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” will follow a somewhat different schedule, with a Thursday matinee show serving as the opening to the performance. “It will follow a different schedule because the production itself takes two to three days to get set up and ready, and the set is spectacular,” she says. “Truth, beauty, freedom and love are the biggest themes for this musical. It is a JukeBox musical of the highest order, with 70 familiar songs and 160 songwriters. It is fantastic, musically.”

 

If she had to compare it to any other musicals, Ross says she would compare it to “Hamilton,” given the fact that it is a huge blockbuster, but visually, she would compare it more to “Wicked.” “This is a show recommended for teens and adults, but not for children. It is eclectic and familiar and tells the story that we all know. Boy meets girl, they fall in love and then you have to wait to see what happens,” she says. 

 

Courtney Reed, who is best known for playing the role of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s “Aladdin” – for which she received a Grammy nomination – is playing Satine in this performance. That being said, Reed is not new to the theater. She most recently featured in Lauren Yee’s play, “Cambodian Rock Band” at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, and made her own Broadway debut in “Mamma Mia!” 

 

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

As Satine, Reed says she feels she has landed a dream role. 

 

“I feel that there are actually several similarities between Jasmine and Satine. They are both roles of strong, independent women who are defining their own paths in life. Satine is obviously much older than Princess Jasmine, but they both are really strong leading ladies,” she says. 

 

As an Arkansas premiere, Reed is excited to bring the musical to different audiences around the country. “I am so excited to play Satine and I am thrilled to be on tour. It’s a blast to see how different audiences react to the same show,” she says. “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is a show that really has a broad appeal and it really hits the mark in terms of relatability. Most everyone in the audience will know the music, and if you are a movie lover, then you will see all that you love in the movie on the stage. It really is made for the stage.” 

 

Reed expresses how this is a love story that also leans into friendships, but holds true to a typical production with lots of dancing and lots of singing on the backdrop of a really cool set design. 

 

“I hope everyone will leave the show feeling inspired and that everyone will be able to enjoy a story that appeals to them,” Reed adds. 

 

“Hadestown” will close out the season with an Arkansas premiere on May 23, showing eight times through May 28. It consists of two different mythical tales, intertwined for a musical adaptation of Greek mythology. Orpheus and Eurydice and King Hades and Persephone are featured in this musical. Hadestown will close out the season in May 2023, and according to Ross, it is a must-see. 

 

“The themes of ‘Hadestown’ are faith, hope, rebirth and a love story that is for today and for forever,” Ross says. “For me, it is really genre-defying. It’s two mythical tales woven together. The music is fantastic. It has a New Orleans vibe, and this is my favorite show of recent times.” 

 

Chibueze Ihuoma, a Nigerian-American actor, musician and writer, plays the role of Orpheus in the show, and like Ross, Ihuoma believes that this is a must-see production. Ihuoma, like many casted for Broadway shows, was taken aback by being casted as Orpheus. 

 

“It was a bizarre experience, and not one that I had expected at all. I thought it was possible, of course, but the day I found out I had been casted, I was fully blindsided,” Ihuoma says, adding that his own goals as an actor and as a creative are to be able to give back to the people who watch him or interact with his art. 

 

“‘Hadestown’ works as a piece and production on so many levels. If someone is looking for a unique show, it’s perfect. It is not the kind of musical that is full of constant jumping. The lighting, set design and every aspect of this show just leaves the audience with a lot of visceral feelings,” he adds. “This is a show that so heavily leans into all of the senses, and that is something that is so powerful. I hope a lot of people are able to take away how powerful love is from this show.” 

 

Ihuoma believes that he is like Orpheus in a lot of ways, especially in the idea of wanting to make the world a better place. 

 

“There is so much pain that we see in the world and for Orpheus and me – there’s a lot that we want to fix. There’s so much power in individual lived experiences,” he says. 

 

Ross encourages the audience to become familiar with Greek mythology before attending the show, for a better understanding of the context on which the show is based. 

 

Ihuoma believes that regardless of whether you see the show blind to the meaning, or whether you know Greek mythology well, the show is still incredibly impactful. 

 

“There is something very impactful about knowing how this story is developed, and still being shocked about what happens in the end. Everytime I get to talk to people after the show, they say that it offers such an intense experience,” Ihuoma says, adding that the first time seeing this musical is a very special thing, and that even people outside of theater will enjoy it. 

 

Ihuoma also notes that “Hadestown” is about so much more than just romantic love. He says it is also about platonic love, the love one has for oneself and the love one has for their own community. 

 

“If people come away from the show with a sense of warmth, inspiration, empowerment and hope for what could be, then I think that that is the best possible thing that could come from this,” Ihuoma says. 

 

According to the Walton Arts Center website, the 2022-2023 Broadway subscription includes the six shows with prices that start as low as $312. 

 

Ross offers a unique look inside Broadway shows because she has actually seen them all, as a Tony voter. She also has valuable insight into which shows come to Fayetteville, and how those decisions are made. 

 

“The Broadway game really depends on the puzzle that the booking agents put together. We have real interest in shows right off Broadway, and where the show is coming from and going to. Sometimes it’s a routing game with the booking agents, and sometimes the booking agents are very familiar with what the interests are at the Walton Arts Center,” Ross explains.

 

She also explains that this year, the Walton Arts Center will be offering three cocktail classes before three different Broadway shows. In these instances, viewers can buy a ticket add-on for $38 to learn from a master mixologist how to make cocktails based upon the Broadway show they are attending.

 

“There will be light snacks, and it’s a great way for people to meet pre-show and learn how to make two cocktails themed after the shows,” Ross says. 

 

The remaining classes for this season include one for “Chicago” on Nov. 11, and one for “Hadestown” on May 27. Guests can also add the VIP experience to their tickets for hors d’oeuvres, desserts and an open bar at “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.” 

 

In addition to the P&G Broadway series, the Walton Arts Center will host two Broadway theatricals, “Annie” and “Legally Blonde: The Musical.” “Annie” will play five shows from May 4-7, and “Legally Blonde: The Musical” will play four shows, Oct. 14-16. 

 

When the Walton Arts Center initially announced the 2022-2023 P&G Broadway series, it also announced the 2023-2023 Northwest Arkansas debut of the Academy Award-winning adaptation of Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Aaron Sorkin. 

 

P&G Broadway

This season has a bit of everything: Musicals that come from popular movies, musicals that were later created into beloved movies, Greek mythology, strong leading roles of women, female authors and Arkansas premieres. 

 

“Our subscription base is better than expected after COVID-19. We are really happy that over half of our week-long house is subscription based, and we have very strong single-ticket sales while also seeing a tremendous number of new subscribers,” Ross notes, adding that the best value for customers is in being a subscriber. 

 

For more information about the Walton Arts Center, visit its website.  

 

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