With TPAC’s announcement of its 2016 – 2017 Broadway Series comes a new and exciting element with a local tie — a collaboration with a local professional theater company to kick off its season.
Broadway star Eden Espinosa is set to star in the title role of “Evita,” a joint production of Studio Tenn and TPAC.
The opening musical, Evita (Sept. 9 – 18, 2016), is a joint effort between TPAC and Franklin-based Studio Tenn, the latter of which will produce the show. A lot of the production design and construction will happen locally with casting from both Nashville and New York. The lead role is already cast — Broadway actress Eden Espinosa, whose Broadway credits include Wicked (Elphaba), RENT (Maureen Johnson) and Brooklyn the Musical (Brooklyn, a role Espinosa originated).
“After 34 years of presenting Broadway, we are doing something we’ve never done before in presenting a collaboration with a local theater company on our season,” says Kathleen O’Brien, TPAC president and CEO. “We have wanted to present Evita for some time, and when we found out Studio Tenn wanted to produce that show, the stars aligned for us to seize the opportunity. This allows us to present a highly anticipated title, build it using Nashville’s creative capability, cast it with Broadway stars and provide audiences the chance to experience the incredible artistry, design and craftsmanship behind its creation,” she adds.
The 2016 – 2017 Broadway Series ends with another local connection. Something Rotten! (June 27 – July 2, 2017) features music and lyrics by Nashville songwriter Wayne Kirkpatrick who’s penned numerous hits for artists like Amy Grant, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt and many others.
The complete Broadway Series is as follows:
Evita — Sept. 9 – 18, 2016
RENT (20th Anniversary Tour) — Oct. 18 – 23, 2016
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder — Jan. 24 – 29, 2017
The Sound of Music — Feb. 14 – 19, 2017
The Bodyguard — March 21 – 26, 2017
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time — April 25 – 30, 2017
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical — May 23 – 28, 2017
Something Rotten! — June 27 – July 2, 2017
TPAC also offers two Broadway special add-on shows: The Book of Mormon (Nov. 15 – 20, 2016) and Riverdance: The 20th Anniversary World Tour (April 21 – 23, 2017).
“As a whole, our series honors a wide variety of traditions in American music and Broadway musicals. What I like best about next season is its diversity — the mix of great classics and the best of the cutting-edge productions in New York from the past few years,” says O’Brien. “I am certain that our audiences will appreciate every minute of the magic, the music and the power of the live performance,” she adds.
Season tickets are now on sale. Call 615-782-6560 or visit tpac.org./Broadway.
