‘MJ: The Musical,’ ‘Hamilton,’ and the other buzzy Broadway shows coming to Philly this year
12 productions are coming to the Ensemble Arts Philly stage in 2024 and 2025, including Les Misérables, Book of Mormon, and Hamilton. Which one will you watch?
Broadway’s buzziest shows, including MJ: The Musical, & Juliet, and Some Like It Hot, are coming to Philadelphia for the first time. Ensemble Arts Philly, the presenting brand for the Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, announced the slate of 12 award-winning plays and musicals for its 2024-2025 season on Monday.
The next year will see crowd-pleasing musicals from the classic Les Misérables (Aug. 27 to Sept. 8), to the offensively funny Book of Mormon (Oct. 1 to 6), to the still-beloved Hamilton (Oct. 29 to Nov. 23). The season also features stage adaptations of popular films, like the holiday favorite How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Nov. 26 to Dec. 1), the new revival of The Wiz (June 3 to 15, 2025), and the beautifully vivid Life of Pi (July 15 to 27, 2025).
Fun fact: The Wiz first premiered in Philadelphia in a pre-Broadway tryout at the Forrest Theatre in 1974.
The pop anthem-fueled & Juliet (March 25 to April 6, 2025) is a feminist reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy to see what the teen heroine’s life would’ve looked like if she hadn’t died for love. Songwriter Max Martin provides part of the songbook, including hits like “Since U Been Gone,” “Baby One More Time,” and “Larger Than Life.”
The 13-time Tony Award-nominated hit Some Like It Hot (May 21 to June 1, 2025) is a stage version of the 1959 classic comedy with a modern genderqueer twist. Last year, cast member J. Harrison Ghee became the first nonbinary actor to win the Tony for best leading actor for playing the role of Jerry/Daphne.
For traditional rock fans, the Neil Diamond bio-musical A Beautiful Noise will run Dec. 10 to 22, while traditional Irish dance fans can enjoy the tap-dancing showcase Riverdance next spring (April 18 to 20, 2025). Next year will also see Come From Away, the Tony-nominated musical based on the true story of when thousands of plane passengers landed in a tiny Newfoundland town following the attacks on Sept. 11.
Subscriber packages, on sale now, start at $37 per show (up $2 from last year) for seven shows: Hamilton, A Beautiful Noise, MJ: The Musical, & Juliet, Some Like It Hot, The Wiz, and Life of Pi. The total package price ranges from $256 to $990, depending on seating and date of attendance. Single ticket sales for individual productions will be available at a later date.