PPAC Announces 2022/2023 Broadway Season

At a press conference held in the Providence Performing Arts Center's (PPAC) Grand Lobby this morning, PPAC Board Chairman Joseph W. Walsh, Esq. made opening remarks, welcoming the attendees to PPAC, and President and CEO J.L. "Lynn" Singleton announced the theatre's upcoming 2022/2023 Broadway Season.

"Thank you for attending this morning's exciting season announcement. On behalf of the PPAC Board of Directors, we are greatly appreciative for our community partners, including our Broadway series title sponsor, the Taco/The White Family Foundation, and our Encore Series media sponsor Cox Media," said Board Chairman Walsh. "These community partnerships allow PPAC to continually bring dynamic, artistic, and thought-provoking national touring Broadway productions to Rhode Island."

"We believe that our 2022/2023 Broadway Season is "Simply the Best!" Singleton said. "Our Taco/The White Family Foundation Broadway Series features seven shows and opens with our 21st national tour launch - the phenomenal TINA - THE Tina Turner MUSICAL. The Broadway Series includes the national tours of some of the hottest shows on Broadway today; they are MEAN GIRLS, TOOTSIE, JAGGED LITTLE PILL, HADESTOWN, SIX, and BEETLEJUICE. The Encore Series features three one-week return engagements of LES MISÉRABLES, ANNIE, and COME FROM AWAY. Our Season also includes the Broadway Special THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY."

Singleton continued, "Current subscribers will receive their renewal packets in a few weeks; the renewal deadline is Monday, May 23, 2022. We hope that you will join us and subscribe to this incredible Season!"

Singleton then showed a video, produced by the PPAC Marketing department and WPRI 12, that highlighted the season show roster. John Hazen White, Jr., Executive Chairman/CEO of Taco Comfort Solutions and the Taco/The White Family Foundation, said in the video, "The Taco/The White Family Foundation has been a proud sponsor of the Broadway Series for over a decade, and we are thrilled to be sponsoring the Series once more for the 2022/2023 Season. As a Rhode Island business owner and lover of the arts, I feel a social responsibility to uplift our community through the arts - a vibrant arts environment, including live performances at PPAC, provides families with the opportunity to enrich their lives."

Singleton also announced the launch of PPAC's re-designed website at ppacri.org. New features include dynamic page layouts with enhanced video capability and the ability to see VIP and special ticket packages when purchasing and much more.

PPAC's 45th Broadway season featuring the Taco/The White Family Foundation Broadway Series opens with TINA - THE Tina Turner MUSICAL (September 11 - 18, 2022), followed by the hilarious hit musical MEAN GIRLS (October 4 - 9, 2022) and the laugh-out-love letter to the theatre, TOOTSIE (October 25 - 30, 2022). The new musical JAGGED LITTLE PILL (January 17 - 22, 2023) is inspired by Alanis Morissette's eponymous album. In the "spellbinding" (Variety) Tony Award® and Grammy-winning Best Musical HADESTOWN (March 21 - 26, 2023), singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell beautifully weaves the mythic tales of Hades and Persephone with that of Orpheus and Eurydice. The six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their side of her-story in SIX (April 11 - 23, 2023; a two-week engagement) and the wickedly funny and remarkably heartwarming BEETLEJUICE immediately follows April 25 - 30, 2023.

The Encore Series includes three highly anticipated, full-week return engagements. Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg's LES MISÉRABLES headlines the Series November 15 - 20, 2022. The classic family musical, ANNIE, returns in an all-new touring production, January 31 - February 5, 2023. COME FROM AWAY's messages of kindness and compassion during the darkest of times moved Providence audiences when it made its Providence premiere in 2019; now, it returns to PPAC February 21 - 26, 2023.

The PPAC Season will also feature one Broadway special: THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY. The one night only performance will play at PPAC on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 8P.

Cox Media is the longtime Media Sponsor of the Encore Series. COME FROM AWAY is sponsored by Navigant Credit Union. PPAC's 45th Broadway Season is supported by season media sponsor WPRI 12.

During the 2022/2023 Season, there will be three BankNewport Family Night performances; these popular designated performances create lasting memories for families! For Family Night shows, purchase one regularly priced ticket and receive a FREE ticket for a child up to age 18 to see MEAN GIRLS on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 7P, ANNIE on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 7P, and COME FROM AWAY on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 7P. Family Night is sponsored by BankNewport, with support from media sponsors ABC 6 and NOW 93.3.

Please note that BankNewport Family Night tickets are not yet available. On-sale dates for each of the shows in the 2022/2023 Broadway Season will be announced.

Subscribe Now - Here's How!

When you subscribe to the Taco/The White Family Foundation Broadway Series or the Encore Series, you are ensuring your access to "simply the best" of Broadway in Providence! Current subscribers who renew by the renewal deadline of Monday, May 23, 2022 have the opportunity to enroll in a ten-month payment plan; new subscribers have until Monday, June 1, 2022 to enroll.

Subscribers receive a variety of additional special benefits, including
- Parking at the Clifford Street Garage, available for just $10 per car per subscription for subscribers only. The parking options cost $70 (per car) for the seven-show Taco/The White Family Foundation Broadway Series and $30 (per car) for the three-show Encore Series.

- Payment plans that help make Broadway an affordable luxury!
Ten-, six-, four-, or two-month payment plans are available for new and renewing subscribers.

-Priority Advance Ticket Ordering
Subscribers have first opportunity to advance order additional tickets to shows in the Taco/The White Family Foundation Broadway Series and the Encore Series, and to Broadway specials and other contemporary engagements before tickets go on sale to the public.

-Opt Out Option
Taco/The White Family Foundation Broadway Series subscribers may "opt out" of one show of their choice in that series at the time of renewal or purchase; the cost of the subscription will be reduced accordingly.

Learn more about becoming a subscriber by calling the Box Office at 401.421.ARTS (2787) or Customer Service Specialist Sharon Corcoran at 401.574.3136. Box Office window and phone hours are Monday - Friday, 10A - 5P; Saturday, 10A - 2P; and two hours prior to curtain time(s) on performance days. Customer Service phone hours are Monday - Friday, 9A - 5P.

Discounted admission is available for groups of 10 to 15 or more to most of the performances in PPAC's Broadway Season; for complete information and to order, please contact Group Sales Specialist Paul Hiatt at phiatt@ppacri.org or call 401.574.3162.

TINA - THE Tina Turner MUSICAL

The 2022/2023 Taco/The White Family Foundation Broadway Series opens with the national tour launch of TINA - THE Tina Turner MUSICAL, September 11 - 18, 2022.

An uplifting comeback story like no other, TINA - THE Tina Turner MUSICAL is the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock n' Roll.

One of the world's best-selling artists of all time, Tina Turner has won 12 Grammy Awards and her live shows have been seen by millions, with more concert tickets sold than any other solo performer in music history.

Featuring her much loved songs, TINA - THE Tina Turner MUSICAL is written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall and directed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd.

MEAN GIRLS

Direct from Broadway, the hilarious hit musical MEAN GIRLS plays PPAC October 4 - 9, 2022, with a BankNewport Family Night performance on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 7P. MEAN GIRLS' award-winning creative team includes book writer Tina Fey ("30 Rock), composer Jeff Richmond ("Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and director Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina's reign, she learns the hard way that you can't cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

TOOTSIE

TOOTSIE performs at PPAC October 25 - 30, 2022. This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor, who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime. TOOTISE features a hilarious Tony®-winning book by Robert Horn and an outrageously clever score by 2018 Tony-winner David Yazbek (The Band's Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels).

JAGGED LITTLE PILL

The exhilarating new musical JAGGED LITTLE PILL plays PPAC January 17 - 22, 2023. Joy, love, heartache, strength, wisdom, catharsis, LIFE-everything we've been waiting to see in a Broadway show- is here in the fearless new musical inspired by Alanis Morissette's world-changing music and seminal rock album of the same name. Directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Waitress, Pippin, upcoming 1776) with a Tony-winning book by Diablo Cody (Juno) and Grammy-winning score, this is an electrifying production about a perfectly imperfect American family.

Come see how the world could be when the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, HADESTOWN, ushers in spring March 21 - 26, 2023. This acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and innovative director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today... and always.

HADESTOWN

HADESTOWN intertwines two mythic tales - that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone - as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell's beguiling melodies and Chavkin's poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.

Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers and singers, HADESTOWN is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.

SIX

From Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the mic to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an exuberant celebration of 21st century girl power April 11 - 23, 2023. This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over.

BEETLEJUICE

He earned his stripes on Broadway... now the ghost-with-the-most, BEETLEJUICE, is coming to Providence April 25 - 30, 2023. Based on Tim Burton's dearly beloved film, this hilarious musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. BEETLEJUICE features an irreverent book, an astonishing set, and a score that's out of this Netherworld. And under its uproarious surface (six feet under, to be exact), it's a remarkably touching show about family, love, and making the most of every Day-O!

Encore Series

LES MISERABLES

Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's epic LES MISÉRABLES opens the Encore Series November 15 - 20, 2022. This brilliant staging has taken the world by storm.

Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, LES MISÉRABLES tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption - a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.

The magnificent score of LES MISÉRABLES includes the songs "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," "Bring Him Home," "One Day More," "Master of the House" and many more. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages, LES MISÉRABLES is undisputedly one of the world's most popular musicals.

Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production - just as you remember it and just when we need it most.

ANNIE

ANNIE, directed by Jenn Thompson, returns to PPAC January 31 - February 5, 2023, with a BankNewport Family Night performance on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 7P. The beloved musical features the iconic book and score, written by Tony Award®-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. This celebration of family, optimism and the American spirit remains the ultimate cure for all the hard knocks life throws your way. ANNIE is a designated Family Show; all ages are welcome!

COME FROM AWAY

The Tony Award®-winning COME FROM AWAY returns February 21 - 26, 2023, with a BankNewport Family Night performance on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 7P. This New York Times Critics' Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don't miss this breathtaking musical written by Tony® nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and helmed by Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley.

Broadway Special

THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY chronicles the amazing journey shared by the folk-rock duo, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 8P. Using state of the art projection photos and original film footage, it tells their story from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the '60's to their dramatic split in 1970. It culminates with the famous "The Concert in Central Park" reunion in 1981 with more than half a million fans in attendance. THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY features a full live band performing all their hits, including "Mrs. Robinson," "Cecilia," "Bridge over Troubled Water," "Homeward Bound," and more.

Photo credit: Manuel Harlan