MILWAUKEE— The Marcus Performing Arts Center just can’t hold back its 2022-23 lineup anymore. The venue released next season's lineup Tuesday evening.
“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” opens the season from Nov. 8 - 13, 2022, followed by “Les Misérables” from Nov. 29 - Dec. 4, 2022.
“My Fair Lady” kicks off the new year, running from Jan. 3 - 8, followed by “Hairspray,” playing from Feb. 7 - 12, 2023. From March 7 - 12, 2023, fans can catch a performance of “SIX,” and from April 6 - 16, 2023, Disney’s “Frozen.” Marcus Center rounds out their season with “Hadestown,” playing from May 2- 7, 2023.
Kendra Whitlock Ingram, the Marcus Center's president and CEO, said she doesn't have a favorite Broadway show in the lineup, but did note she expects Milwaukeeans to love the eight-time Tony award winning musical, "Hadestown."
“If I had to pick two [shows] that I think will really resonate with the Milwaukee community, I would definitely put the musical ‘Hadestown’ on the top of that list,” she said. “It really speaks to so many different types of people. When I saw it on Broadway, I was sitting next to people who had seen the show three and four times. It’s just that kind of show that you really think about for days and weeks after.”
The other must-see for Milwaukee, she said, comes from a different lineup: The MPAC Presents series. The series offers three-show sets of dance, jazz and National Geographic Live.
The MPAC Dance Series includes "Step Afrika!," "Nrityagram Dance Ensemble" and "Hip Hop Nutcracker."
That new take on a Christmas classic stood out to Whitlock Ingram.
“You get something unexpected with the ‘Hip Hop Nutcracker.’ It’s the Tchaikovsky music with this really incredible, intricate hip hop choreography,” she said. “When I first saw it… I really started to think differently about how some of our traditional works can be turned on their head, no pun intended, to really again reflect our times.”
The MPAC Jazz Series inclues "Jazz at Lincoln Center," "Afro Cuban All Stars" and "Kandace Springs." National Geographic Live Speaker Series touches on dinosaurs, space and wild animals.
The Marcus Center will host a variety of other shows throughout the season including "Winnie the Pooh," "Golden Dragon Acrobats" and "The Red Hot Chilli Pipers." They will continue to fill the season's calendar with stand alone shows.
“We’re really strategic about the artists that we bring to the Marcus Center. MPAC presents represents the diversity, both ethnic and cultural, of the Milwaukee community; so we really want Milwaukee to see themselves on our stages. That’s a really big part of our program decision-making, and you can really see that in the programming we’re rolling out for you next season," Whitlock Ingram said.
She said that drive toward diversity is something she strives for in the Broadway series, MPAC series and beyond.
“Our key goal is to be a true community gathering place for all. In order to do that, the community needs to be able see themself on stage, in our staff, in the folks who work behind the scenes. It’s really important that we reflect the community and pretty much everything we do is working toward that goal," Whitlock Ingram said.
Current Broadway season ticket holders may renew their subscriptions now. Those interested in purchasing a subscription may do so here. Individual show tickets will be made available to the public at a later date. “Aint Too Proud,” “Cats” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” will round out the current Broadway season this spring.
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