It’s showtime!

Local theaters and music venues gear up for 2019-20 season.
1136
Judy Collins
Judy Collins. Courtesy Shervin Lainez

From ArtPrize and Project 1 to musical and theatrical performances, there is no shortage of artistic expression here in Grand Rapids. Local theaters and music venues are working tirelessly to bring enchanting and thought-provoking works to the city’s many stages.

Here are the performances coming to Grand Rapids during the 2019-20 season. Visit individual organization websites for more information, including performance times, ticket prices and addresses for the shows.

ACTORS’ THEATRE

Actors’ Theatre is gearing up for another great season in Grand Rapids, and its goal is to produce high-quality works that can’t be seen anywhere else. Its season opener, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” is a perfect example. It tells the story of someone who is seen as “different,” and the musical stretches the boundaries of theater by breaking the fourth wall.

Sept. 12-18, 19-21 – “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”

Oct. 10-13, 17-19 – “Gloria”

Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 6-8 – “Mary Jane”

April 16-19, 23-25 – “Paradise Lost”

May 14-17, 21-23, 28-30 – “The Humans”

Second Space Series

Feb. 14-17, 21-23 – “Blank”

March 28-31; April 4-6 – “Lungs”

July 2020 – “#thewaterproject”

BROADWAY GRAND RAPIDS

Broadway Grand Rapids is performing a lot of crowd favorites this season, including “Hamilton” and “Disney’s The Lion King.” With performances taking place in DeVos Performance Hall, patrons are in for a real treat. The season opener, “Fiddler on the Roof,” dives into the bonds of family and relationships.

Oct. 8-13 – “Fiddler on the Roof”

Nov. 20-Dec. 1 – “Disney’s The Lion King”

Jan. 21-Feb. 9 – “Hamilton”

March 10-15 – “Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”

May 26-31 – “Escape to Margaritaville”

CIRCLE THEATRE

Offering summer performances, Circle Theatre is ending its 2018-19 season this month with “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Circle Theatre brings classic stories, myths and fairytales to the stage. “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” reimagines the biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob, eleven brothers and the coat of many colors.

Sept. 5-7, 11-15, 18-21 – “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”

GRAND RAPIDS BALLET

Michigan’s only professional ballet company, the Grand Rapids Ballet is sure to delight guests with the art of dance. This season, the company is focused on how dance can move people in their hearts and minds, and the power that holds.

Oct. 18-20 – “Firebird”

Dec. 13-15, 20-22 – “The Nutcracker”

Feb. 14-16 – “Eternal Desire”

March 6-8 – “Jumpstart 2020”

April 24-26; May 1-3 – “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

GRAND RAPIDS CIVIC THEATRE

The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is committed to bringing another season of great shows to West Michigan. As one of the oldest and largest community theaters in the nation, it has a reputation to uphold, and the theater’s upcoming season won’t disappoint.

Sept. 13-29 – “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash”

Oct. 18-27 – “Frozen Jr.”

Nov. 22-Dec. 22 – “Elf, The Musical”

Jan. 10-26 – “A Streetcar Named Desire”

Feb. 28-March 22 – “Matilda, The Musical”

April 24-May 3 – “Junie B. Jones Is Not A Crook”

May 29-June 21 – “The Wiz”

July 24-Aug. 2 – “Disney’s High School Musical”

July 25-Aug. 1 – “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY

During the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 90th season, it is prepared to continue its legacy of bringing beautiful music to the stage. Under the baton of Music Director Marcelo Lehninger, the symphony has prepared several performances in many different styles and categories that will delight Grand Rapids.

Richard and Helen DeVos Classical Series

Sept. 13 – “Hadelich Plays Beethoven”

Oct. 4-5 – “Totally Tchaikovsky”

Oct. 25-26 – “Tristan & Isolde”

Nov. 15-16 – “Prokofiev Triumphant”

Jan. 10-11 – “Shostakovich & Mozart”

Feb. 14-15 – “Schubert’s ‘Great’”

March 6-7 – “Beethoven’s Pastoral”

March 27-28 – “Beethoven Celebration – The Five Piano Concertos”

April 17-18 – “Concerto – For Orchestra!”

May 15-16 – “Mahler’s Resurrection”

Fox Motors Pops

Sept. 27-29 – “Queens of Soul”

Nov. 8-10 – “Broadway Showstoppers – West Side Story to Wicked”

Dec. 5-8 – “Wolverine Worldwide Holiday Pops”

Jan. 17-19 – “Hollywood Hits Up – Movie with Orchestra”

May 8-10 – “Revolution – The Beatles Symphonic Experience”

Gerber SymphonicBoom

Oct. 31 – “Ghostbusters – Movie with Orchestra”

Nov. 12 – “Home Alone in Concert”

Dec. 18-19 – “Old National Bank Cirque de Noel”

PwC Great Eras

Oct. 11 – “The Last Century”

Jan. 31 – “The Glory of the Baroque”

March 13 – “Clara’s Circle of Friends”

April 3 – “Mozart & Haydn”

Porter Hills Coffee Classics

Oct. 11 – “The Last Century (Coffee)”

Jan. 31 – “The Glory of the Baroque (Coffee)”

March 13 – “Clara’s Circle of Friends (Coffee)”

April 3 – “Mozart & Hayden (Coffee)”

Special Events

Oct. 18-19 – “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

Nov. 7 – “Symphonie Fantastique with Itzhak Perlman”

Feb. 21 – “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”

Feb. 29 – “Symphony with Soul”

April 19 – “The Pianist with Ingrid Fliter” 

JEWISH THEATRE GRAND RAPIDS

Although it may be called Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids, there are shows for everyone to enjoy, not just people of the Jewish community. The Jewish themes and universal appeal help to enrich the Jewish experience in West Michigan, and the shows this season will certainly do just that.

Dec. 4-15 – “Last of the Red Hot Lovers”

Feb. 27-March 8 – “The Accomplices”

June 11-21 – Twilight of the Golds”

MASTER ARTS THEATRE

Master Arts Theatre focuses on a Christian perspective and quality performances of faith. The season opener, “Anne of Green Gables,” brings Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved novel to the stage.

Sept. 12-Oct. 5 – “Anne of Green Gables”

Nov. 21-Dec. 14 – “Miss Bennet: Christmas at the Pemberley”

Jan 9-11 – “Struggles: An Evening of Discovering Yourself”

Feb. 20-March 7 – “Father Brown”

April 16-May 9 – “Enchanted April”

June 4-20 – “Life Derailed”

July 17-25 – “The Velveteen Rabbit”

OPERA GRAND RAPIDS

Opera Grand Rapids enjoys hosting a night out for its guests filled with music, drama and fun. Opera is a beautiful, timeless form of music, and the opera house hopes to remind people of that with its upcoming shows. This season, it offers one “farcical, comedic” piece and another described as “mythical, dramatic.”

Nov. 1-2 – “The Mikado”

May 1-2 – “Turandot”

ST. CECILIA MUSIC CENTER

St. Cecilia Music Center divides its shows into three categories: Jazz Series, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Folk Acoustic Café Series. Each category and the musicians within it offer a little something different for guests to enjoy. Performers take the stage for one night only, so make sure not to miss your favorites!

Jazz Series

Oct.17 – Fred Hersch with special guest Julian Lage

Jan. 16 – The Emmet Cohen Trio featuring Benny Golson

March 5 – Luciana Souza

April 16 – The Clayton Brothers Quintet

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Series

Nov. 21— “Great Innovators”

Jan. 23 – “French Enchantment”

April 30 – “From Prague to Vienna”

Folk Acoustic Café Series

Oct. 3 – Lee Ann Womack

Oct. 20 – Judy Collins

Feb. 25 – Chris Thile

Feb. 27 – Raul Midón

VAN SINGEL FINE ARTS CENTER

Van Singel Fine Arts Center is excited to bring a season of song to the stage. The shows include options for guests of all ages to enjoy. First up, The Lettermen. The band is celebrating 50 years and offers some of the best love songs of all time.

Oct. 11 – The Lettermen

Nov. 30 – Absolute Journey Tribute

April 18 – Scot Bruce as Elvis

May 1 – Cool Jazz featuring Aaron Diehl and Chad Eby with Byron Center Jazz Ensembles

June 5-7 – “Disney’s Frozen Jr.”

Facebook Comments