by Madelyn Young '25 on November 4, 2023
A&E Staff
Arts & Entertainment
After a summer packed full of concerts, shows, and tribute acts, the Providence Performing Arts Center is ready to welcome an exciting season of touring Broadway shows. Beginning with the opening of Funny Girl on Sept. 9, downtown Providence is sure to be bustling with theater-goers.
Last year, the theater hosted the touring casts of Mean Girls, Hadestown, Jagged Little Pill, and Beetlejuice, all of which were exciting and full of talent. This year promises just as impressive an array of shows during their “Sparkling Season.”
The first show on the calendar, Funny Girl, is based on the life of the entertainer Fanny Brice, a woman who rose to fame in the early 1900s with the help of Florenz Zeigfeld. Her story was first put into musical form in 1964, and soon after became a movie starring Barbara Streisand as Brice. While Funny Girl has always been popular, it has recently garnered attention thanks to its 2022 Broadway revival.
Next up is Mrs. Doubtfire, a new musical based on the classic movie of the same name. Just like the movie, viewers can expect a funny and entertaining show, which will be at PPAC from Oct. 17 through Oct. 22.
One of the most anticipated musicals on this list is Moulin Rouge, another show based on a movie. The show is known as a “jukebox musical,” with Moulin Rouge telling its story through contemporary music and using the music of artists such as Lady Gaga, Elton John, and Adele. The show is incredibly emotional and captivating, and is sure to entertain anyone thanks to its wide range of musical styles. PPAC will host the cast of this show from Dec. 19-31.
From Feb. 6-11, the theater will be showing To Kill a Mockingbird, based on Harper Lee’s classic novel. While PPAC does not often include plays in their season lineups, this is sure to be an interesting shift away from the musical world.
Disney’s Frozen will take the stage from March 7-17 and is another of the most anticipated shows of the season. While the musical includes the catchy tunes that everyone knows from the Frozen movie, it also showcases new songs to translate the story to the stage.
The musical Company will close out the season, running from April 23 to 28, and if its Broadway success is any indication of its talent and creativity, Providence is in for a treat. Like many Sondheim shows, this one is known to be funny and somewhat chaotic.
With these six shows in their Sparkling Season, the Providence Performing Arts Center is sure to dazzle this year. In the past few years, Providence College has given students the opportunity to buy tickets at a discounted rate, so be sure to take advantage of this when the time comes! In addition, PPAC offers student rush tickets at a discounted rate. So grab some friends and head downtown for what is sure to be an entertaining experience at the theater!