Denver Center announces 2019/20 Broadway season

We new “Hamilton” was coming back, but the upcoming season for touring Broadway productions swinging through the Denver Center in the next year includes “Mean Girls,” “The SpongeBob Musical,” “Miss Saigon” and “The Band’s Visit,” to name a few.

Here’s the lineup:

ABOUT THE SHOWS (In Alpha Order)

BLUE MAN GROUP

Oct 22-27, 2019

Buell Theatre

The global smash hit Blue Man Group returns to Denver. At Blue Man Group, you’ll rock, laugh and party. As three bald and blue men explore our world, together we’ll discover music, comedy and surprises at every turn. By the end of this spectacular journey, you’ll be saying “I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT JUST HAPPENED BUT I LOOOVED IT.” 35 million people of all ages and cultures know what Blue Man Group is really about. Now it’s your turn!

DISNEY’S THE LION KING

May 13-June 14, 2020

Buell Theatre

Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s The Lion King, making its triumphant return to Denver! More than 95 million people around the world have experienced the awe-inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular – one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions ever to grace the stage. Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, The Lion King brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway. Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. The Lion King also features the extraordinary work of Tony Award®-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award®-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice. There is simply nothing else like The Lion King.

SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL

December 3-8, 2019

Buell Theatre

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical returns to Denver to steal Christmas after a blockbuster debut in 2014. More than 2.5 million theatre-goers across America have been delighted by this heart-warming holiday musical, featuring the hit songs “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas” from the original animated TV special. Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is “two sizes too small,” decides to steal Christmas away from the Holiday loving Whos. Magnificent sets and costumes inspired by Dr. Seuss’ original illustrations help transport audiences to the whimsical world of Whoville and helps remind us of the true meaning of the holiday season. Don’t miss what The New York Times calls “AN EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE! 100 times better than any bedtime story.”

ERMA BOMBECK: AT WIT’S END

September 4-22, 2019

Garner Galleria Theatre

Erma Bombeck, one of our country’s most beloved humorists, captured the frustrations of her generation by asking, “If life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits?” Starring “Suburban Outlaw” and columnist Pam Sherman, this is the story behind America’s favorite average housewife who championed the lives of women with an incomparable wit that sprang from the most unexpected place of all — the truth.

HAMILTON

August 12-October 4, 2020

Buell Theatre

Hamilton is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton is the story of America then, as told by America now. With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical direction and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME – THE SECOND CITY

July 31-August 25, 2019

Garner Galleria Theatre

The Second City has been laughing at love and its infinite scroll of side effects for decades. In the world-famous comedy company’s latest laughter-inducing undertaking, It’s Not You, It’s Me, The Second City takes shots at heartbreak, missed connections and the mire of human relationships. Your friends, your parents, even your blind date will find something achingly familiar to laugh at, thanks to comedy’s newest generation of writers and performers…who all fit squarely into the “it’s complicated” category!

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

November 26-December 1, 2019

Buell Theatre

“A gorgeous, thrilling, heavenly musical.” – The Guardian

Jesus Christ Superstar is an iconic musical phenomenon with a world-wide fan base. In celebration of its 50^th anniversary, a new mesmerizing production comes to North America. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theatre audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring. With music and lyrics by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Gethsemane” and “Superstar.”

JIMMY BUFFETT’S ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE

December 23, 2019-January 5, 2020

Buell Theatre

Welcome to Margaritaville, where people come to get away from it all—and stay to find something they never expected. With a book by Emmy Award® winner Greg Garcia (“My Name is Earl,” “Raising Hope”) and Emmy Award® nominee Mike O’Malley (“Survivors Remorse,” “Shameless”) Escape To Margaritaville is the musical comedy featuring both original songs and your most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics, including “Fins,” “Volcano,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and many more. USA Today calls it “A little slice of paradise!” and Entertainment Weekly raves, “It will knock your flip-flops off!” So don’t let the party start without you.

MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS BY CHIP DAVIS

December 14 & 15, 2019

Buell Theatre

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis has been America’s favorite holiday tradition for more than 30 years. Grammy Award winner Chip Davis has created a show that features Mannheim Steamroller Christmas classics along with a selection of compositions from his groundbreaking Fresh Aire series, which introduced the distinctive Mannheim sound to all of America. The program celebrates the group’s recent anniversary of 30 years since the first Christmas album and 40 years since the first Fresh Aire album and includes dazzling multimedia effects performed in an intimate setting. Experience the magic as the spirit of the season comes alive with the signature sound of Mannheim Steamroller. Their holiday CDs have become synonymous with Christmas and continue to occupy top spots on Billboard’s Seasonal Charts every year.

MEAN GIRLS

March 25-April 12, 2020

Buell Theatre

Direct from Broadway, Mean Girls is the hilarious hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including 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. New York Magazine cheers, “Mean Girls delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor and joyful inside-jokery.” USA Today says, “We’ll let you in on a little secret, because we’re such good friends: GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!”

MISS SAIGON

September 10-22, 2019

Buell Theatre

“A DYNAMITE BROADWAY REVIVAL.” – The New Yorker

Experience the acclaimed new production of the legendary musical Miss Saigon, from the creators of Les Misérables. This is the story of a young Vietnamese woman named Kim who is orphaned by war and forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I. named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For three years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he’s fathered a son. Featuring stunning spectacle and a sensational cast of 42 performing the soaring score, including Broadway hits such as “The Heat is On in Saigon,” “The Movie in My Mind,” “Last Night of the World” and “American Dream,” this is a theatrical event you will never forget.

“THE NEW MISS SAIGON SOARS TO THE RAFTERS!” – NY1

MY FAIR LADY

July 15-26, 2020

Buell Theatre

From Lincoln Center Theater that brought you The King & I and South Pacific, comes “a sumptuous new production of the most perfect musical of all time” (Entertainment Weekly), Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady. Director Bartlett Sher’s glowing production is “thrilling, glorious and better than it ever was” (The New York Times). “Every so often a revival comes along that reminds you how indispensable great theater can be” (NY1). Boasting such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “On the Street Where You Live,” My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed?

RENT 20th Anniversary Tour

February 28-March 1, 2020

Buell Theatre

In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway…and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson’s RENT continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece returns to the stage in a vibrant 20th anniversary touring production. A re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters—love.

SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL

January 28-February 9, 2020

Buell Theatre

She was a girl from Boston with a voice from heaven, who shot through the stars from gospel choir to dance floor diva. But what the world didn’t know was how Donna Summer risked it all to break through barriers, becoming the icon of an era and the inspiration for every music diva who followed. With a score featuring more than 20 of Summer’s classic hits including “Love to Love You Baby,” “Bad Girls” and “Hot Stuff,” this electric experience is a moving tribute to the voice of a generation.

THE BAND’S VISIT

July 29-August 9, 2020

Buell Theatre

WINNER OF 10 TONY AWARDS® INCLUDING BEST MUSICAL

2019 GRAMMY AWARD WINNER – BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM

“One of the most ravishing musicals you will ever be seduced by.” – The New York Times

Spend an evening in the company of unforgettable strangers at The Band’s Visit—now one of the most celebrated musicals ever. It rejoices in the way music brings us to life, brings us to laughter, brings us to tears, and ultimately, brings us together. In an Israeli desert town where every day feels the same, something different is suddenly in the air. Dina, the local café owner, had long resigned her desires for romance to daydreaming about exotic films and music from her youth. When a band of Egyptian musicians shows up lost at her café, she and her fellow locals take them in for the night. Under the spell of the night sky, their lives intertwine in unexpected ways, and this once sleepy town begins to wake up. The Band’s Visit features music and lyrics by Grammy, Tony Award and Drama Desk Award winner David Yazbek, and a book by Tony, NY Drama Critics Circle, Lortel and Outer Critics Circle Awards winner Itamar Moses. It is based on the screenplay by Eran Kolirin, and is directed by Tony, Drama Desk, Lortel and Obie Award winner David Cromer.

THE BOOK OF MORMON

June 9-28, 2020

The Ellie

Back by popular demand, The New York Times calls it “the best musical of the century.” The Washington Post says, “It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals.” And Entertainment Weekly says, “Grade A: the funniest musical of all time.” Jimmy Fallon of “The Tonight Show” calls it “Genius. Brilliant. Phenomenal.” It’s The Book of Mormon, the nine-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical. This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. Now with standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America The Book of Mormon has truly become an international sensation. Contains explicit language.

THE IMPROVISED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY®

October 15, 2019-March 22, 2020

Garner Galleria Theatre

Based on one audience suggestion (a title of a play that has never been written), The Improvised Shakespeare Company® creates a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before your eyes. Nothing has been planned out, rehearsed, or written. All of the dialogue is said for the first time, the characters are created as you watch, and if ever you’re wondering where the story is going…so are they! See the show TimeOut Chicago calls “Staggeringly Brilliant” and “Downright Hilarious!” You’ve never seen the Bard like this before!

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

November 6-17, 2019

Buell Theatre

Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera makes its triumphant return to Denver as part of its North American tour. Critics are raving that this breathtaking production is “bigger and better than ever before” and features a brilliant new scenic design by Paul Brown, Tony Award®-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Tony Award®-winner Paule Constable, new choreography by Scott Ambler, and new staging by director Laurence Connor. The production, overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh, boasts many exciting special effects including the show’s legendary chandelier. The beloved story and thrilling score – with songs like “Music of the Night,” “All I Ask Of You,” and “Masquerade” – will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this Phantom one of the largest productions now on tour.

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

March 10-22, 2020

Buell Theatre

A legendary roster of Grammy® Award winners. A visionary director and a Tony Award®-winning design team. One of the world’s most beloved characters. Turn them loose on stage and what do you get? The bold, original musical The New York Times declares, “BRILLIANT!” “Wonders pour from the stage in a ravishing stream of color and invention” (Time Out New York) as Broadway’s best creative minds reimagine and bring to life the beloved Nickelodeon series with humor, heart and pure theatricality in a neon-sparkly “party for the eyes and ears” (Daily Beast). Be there when SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face catastrophe—until a most unexpected hero rises to take center stage. This “creative explosion” (Broadway.com) is “nothing short of genius” says Theatermania, so bring the entire family to celebrate friendship and cooperation, and learn the power of unity and inclusion. Get ready to enjoy the “Broadway Extravaganza” (The New Yorker) that New York Magazine calls “effervescent candy-for-the-spirit.” Explore the depths of theatrical innovation in Nickelodeon’s The SpongeBob Musical, 2018 Best Musical winner of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, where the power of optimism really can save the world.