JACKSON — Mississippi’s professional theatre, New Stage Theatre is excited to announce its 2023-2024 season of shows. The 58th season is a celebration of laughter, love, and wonder that includes two regional premieres of new comedies, a Pulitzer Prize finalist new play, a musical based on a classic book and a new Broadway musical. The subscription season includes five professionally produced shows. To order your subscription call (601) 948-3533, go online to www.newstagetheatre.com or stop by the box office at 1100 Carlisle Street in Jackson. Along with this compelling line-up, the theatre will also offer an extra seasonal musical comedy.
“Featuring exciting new plays and musicals, with a bit of the familiar, the 2023-2024 season has us leaning into fun and entertainment at New Stage Theatre,” says Artistic Director Francine Thomas Reynolds. “The Celebrate Season 58 show selections are fresh and dynamic, offering something for everyone. From the regional premiere of a screwball comedy to an explosive moment of American history; with an enchanting classic; a relatable laugh out loud comedy; and a hit musical that features the rise of a superstar, New Stage’s Season 58 celebrates laughter, love, and the wonder of live theatre.”
The Celebrate Season 58 opens in September with a regional premiere of Lend Me a Soprano by Ken Ludwig. Based on his Tony Award-winning Lend Me A Tenor, this madcap screwball comedy features ladies in the leading roles and is guaranteed to leave audiences teary-eyed with laughter! It’s 1934, and the clever and combustible Lucille Wiley, Manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is ready to welcome world-class soprano Elena Firenzi for her one-night-only starring role in Carmen. However, Elena arrives late, she is sick, and her passionate husband Pasquale has a fit of jealousy. So, Mrs. Wiley's mousy but determined assistant Jo has to come up with a plan to save the day in order to keep her job! What a predicament! Lend Me a Soprano runs September 12-24, 2023.
Next is the Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony nominee What The Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck, October 24 -November 5, 2023. This new boundary breaking play breathes life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions held across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human play, author Heidi Schreck resurrects her teenage self to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. This powerful play is a love letter to our constitution, giving it new life and imagining how it will shape the next generations of Americans. The New York Times hailed What the Constitution Means to Me as “not just
the best play to open on Broadway so far this season, but also the most important.” To capture the true spirit of the performance, this production will be in New Stage’s Hewes Room Theatre with general admission seating.
In the new year, showing from February 6-18, 2024, is the classic musical The Secret Garden: Spring Version which can be enjoyed by the entire family. This special shortened version of the beloved musical The Secret Garden is as beautiful and spirited as the original Broadway hit. Orphaned in India, 11-year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his disabled son Colin. The estate's many wonders include a magic garden which beckons the children with haunting melodies and the "Dreamers," spirits from Mary's past who guide her through her new life, dramatizing The Secret Garden in a compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal. The enchanting classic of children's literature by Frances Hodges Burnett is reimagined in brilliant musical style by composer Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and is a tribute to the healing power of nature and love.
The new comedy Chicken and Biscuits by Douglas Lyon is another regional premiere from April 9-21, 2024. Rival sisters, Baneatta and Beverly, are trying to bury their father without killing each other first. When a family secret is revealed at the church altar, decorum flies out the stained glass window. With fast- paced jokes that will have audiences rolling in the aisles—and Grandpa turning over in his grave—this dysfunctional family comedy is even more satisfying than its namesake! Chicken & Biscuits is a laugh- out-loud celebration of Black joy, love, and laughter!
Closing out the season is the Broadway hit musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, May 28-June 9, 2024. With book by Doug McGrath and words and music by Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Beautiful follows the inspiring true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom. Long before she was Carole King, chart-topping music legend, she was Carol Klein, Brooklyn girl with passion and chutzpah. She fought her way into the record business as a teenager and, by the time she reached her 20s, had the husband of her dreams and a flourishing career writing hits for the biggest acts in rock ’n roll. But it wasn’t until her personal life began to crack that she finally managed to find her true voice. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation. Featuring a stunning array of beloved songs —including “I Feel the Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You've Got a Friend,” and the title song—Beautiful is filled with the songs you remember – and a story you’ll never forget.
The holiday season will bring Elf The Musical to life on stage, November 30-December 21, 2023. Not part of the subscription package, subscribers will have the opportunity to purchase tickets at a discounted price. A title known the world over, Elf The Musical, with book by Thomas Meehan & Bob Martin; music by Matthew Sklar; and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, brings heart, hilarity and holiday joy! It is based on the cherished 2003 New Line Cinema hit. Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa's permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn't even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern-day holiday classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner elf. After all, the best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear.
Season tickets include all five main stage shows, and prices range from $90 to $130 depending on the package you choose. Premium subscribers can lock in ticket prices for more than 40% off, choose their favorite seat with a same seat-same night privilege, purchase additional tickets for guests at a discounted price, and receive unlimited ticket exchanges! Or mix and match your favorite shows, plus get all the benefits of being a subscriber with a Flexipass Ticket Package. Purchase either three shows or five shows Flexipass packages, and use them any way you like. Pick your productions and dates as you go, or reserve up front – either way, you can exchange as often as needed. Whether you prefer to bring a friend, make a group outing, or fly solo, Flexipasses provide the flexibility to enjoy New Stage your way. To subscribe call (601) 948-3533 (Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). In person box office hours will be Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
New Stage Theatre was chartered as a not-for-profit organization in 1965, producing its initial season in the winter/spring of 1966. Founded by Jane Reid-Petty with the assistance of the American National Theatre Academy and Actor’s Equity Association, dedication to professional excellence in theatre arts was part of the theatre’s original mission. New Stage’s first home was a converted church, and the full houses for its opening season were significant: they represented the city’s first racially integrated theatre audience. Winner of the 2019 Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, New Stage Theatre continues to be a catalyst for dynamic and entertaining theatre for Jackson and the surrounding areas.
