ANASTASIA, THE BOOK OF MORMON & More Announced for The Grand's 2022-2023 Broadway in Wilmington Season

The Grand Opera House has unveiled its highly anticipated 2022-2023 Broadway in Wilmington season at The Playhouse on Rodney Square. Three Broadway shows will make their Playhouse debut this season, along with the return of three favorites, plus a holiday spectacle for the entire family.

The Broadway in Wilmington 4-show subscription series, presented by Bank of America, begins in October with Broadway's funniest new musical TOOTSIE, based on the 1982 movie of the same name. December brings the Tony Award®-winning HAIRSPRAY, led by Andrew Levitt aka Nina West (from "RuPaul's Drag Race") as Edna Turnblad. Just in time for Valentine's Day, comes the romantic and adventure-filled musical ANASTASIA. In what is sure to be the highlight of the season, nine-time Tony Award®-winning THE BOOK OF MORMON makes its long-awaited Wilmington premiere in March.

Three Season Specials round out the 2022-2023 Broadway season: in October STOMP! makes its first return to The Playhouse in 8 years; December sees the dazzling holiday spectacular HOLIDAY DREAMS CIRQUE; and May brings the hit musical BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical for Mother's Day weekend.

"We were thrilled to celebrate the reetturn of live theater with Wilmington audiences. Next season we're looking forward to bringing even more shows for our audience to enjoy," says Mark Fields, Executive Director of The Grand, the non-profit organization that operates The Playhouse on Rodney Square. "I'm excited for the lineup, especially THE BOOK OF MORMON, which is a show we have been trying to bring to Wilmington for some time. After a gradual re-opening this past season, we truly cannot wait to welcome back all of our patrons starting in October."

The runs of TOOTSIE, HAIRSPRAY, and ANASTASIA will include a Friday 2pm matinee, for a total of six performances in each run. THE BOOK OF MORMON will run for five performances, beginning with Friday evening at 8pm.

Current subscribers will be contacted directly about their subscriptions to Broadway in Wilmington. New subscriptions will be available soon. Tickets for the three Season Specials can also be added onto a subscription package at a discount. Subscribers receive priority seating ahead of the public, special ticket discounts, seating flexibility, and more.

Season subscriptions will be available by calling 302.888.0200, or visiting the box office at The Grand at 818 N. Market Street, Wilmington (Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm). All performances for the 2022-2023 season will be on stage at The Playhouse on Rodney Square, 1007 N. Market Street in Wilmington. Single tickets for all shows will go on sale at a later date.

The Playhouse on Rodney Square welcomed back audiences this past fall, after being closed for over 500 days due to the effects of the pandemic. During its extended closure, the theater underwent a complete renovation thanks to immense generosity of Tatiana and Gerret Copeland. These renovations included new, wider audience seats; new paint, carpets, lighting, and drapery; and a new loading dock door, allowing The Grand to attract larger Broadway touring shows, like THE BOOK OF MORMON. Additionally, the Buccini/Pollin Group has enhanced visits to the building by including a new bar and seating lounge adjacent to The Playhouse entry, giving patrons a place to purchase concessions and relax before shows and at intermission.

The 109-year old Playhouse on Rodney Square is famously known for having been built by 100 men in 150 working days and at one point held the distinction as having one of the largest singular steel beams ever made to top off the proscenium arch. The Playhouse also holds the distinction of being the country's longest continuously operating Broadway touring house (pre-COVID). Famous celebrities such as Julie Andrews, Bette Davis, Fred Astaire, Carol Channing, Christopher Plummer, Kathleen Turner, Abby Wambach, and Sutton Foster have all graced its stage. Other famous dignitaries that have spoken from the stage include Margaret Thatcher, President George W. Bush and then Senator (now President) Joseph Biden.

2022-2023 Broadway in Wilmington Season presented by Bank of America

TOOTSIE

October 6-9, 2022

The Playhouse on Rodney Square

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. Featuring 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).

HAIRSPRAY

December 1-4, 2022

The Playhouse on Rodney Square

Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV's most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world?

The HAIRSPRAY company is led by Andrew Levitt aka Nina West (from "RuPaul's Drag Race") as Edna Turnblad, Niki Metcalf as Tracy Turnblad and Sandie Lee as Motormouth Maybelle and features the beloved score of hit songs including "Welcome to the '60s," "Good Morning Baltimore" and "You Can't Stop the Beat."

This all-new touring production reunites Broadway's award-winning creative team led by Director Jack O'Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell to bring HAIRSPRAY to a new generation of theater audiences.

ANASTASIA

February 9-12, 2023

The Playhouse on Rodney Square

Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled new musical ANASTASIA is on a journey to Wilmington at last!

From the Tony Award®-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.

ANASTASIA features a book by celebrated playwright Terrence McNally, a lush new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) based on original direction by Tony Award® winner Darko Tresnjak with choreography by Peggy Hickey and tour direction by Sarah Hartmann.

THE BOOK OF MORMON

March 10-12, 2023

The Playhouse on Rodney Square

THE BOOK OF MORMON is the nine-time Tony Award®-winning Best Musical. Contains explicit language.

Broadway in Wilmington Season Specials

STOMP!

October 28-29, 2022

The Playhouse on Rodney Square

STOMP is explosive, inventive, provocative, witty, and utterly unique-an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered armfuls of awards and rave reviews and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments - matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps - to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. Year after year, audiences worldwide keep coming back for more of this pulse-pounding electrifying show.

HOLIDAY DREAMS - A Spectacular Holiday Cirque

December 10-11, 2022

The Playhouse on Rodney Square

Holograms, projection mapping, interactive lasers and award-wining cirque artists all come together in most spectacular holiday production show in the world! HOLIDAY DREAMS presents a jaw-dropping, modern holiday show featuring acrobats, comedy, daredevils and a modern soundtrack.

BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical

May 12-14, 2023

The Playhouse on Rodney Square

BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical tells the Tony® and Grammy® Award-winning inspiring true story of King's remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation.