Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre has announced its 2023-24 season.
Civic’s season will kick off with the regional premiere of The Prom. Four eccentric Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. When they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue … and themselves. The town’s parents want to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow – but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. On a mission to transform lives, Broadway’s brassiest join forces with a courageous girl and the town’s citizens and the result is love that brings them all together.
Elf the Musical will return to the Knebel Stage in December 2023. 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.
The first play of the season will be William Shakespeare’s iconic Romeo & Juliet. In this 90-minute version of the Shakespearean classic, you’ll be transported to fair Verona. In this new interpretation, adapted especially for the Civic stage by Director Emily Rogge Tzucker, you can expect the romantic tale of star-crossed love, with an extra dash of energy and excitement. Dark, contemporary, and just a little bit rock-and-roll, Civic’s production promises the best of the old, while breathing new life into a classic tale of love and loss.
The second play of the season will be Driving Miss Daisy in the Studio Theater. A Southern matron forges a bond with her black chauffeur in the racially-divided 1960s South. Only when he is retired and she is confined to a home for the elderly do the two fully realize that they’ve been friends and kindred spirits all along.
Closing out the season will be the beautiful Anastasia. From Tony winners Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty, and Lynn Ahrens, this dazzling show transports its audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.
Alongside these mainstage productions, Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat will return in February 2024. The Jr. Civic musical will be Finding Nemo Jr. and the Young Artist’s Program will present Revue! and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats.
“We are thrilled to offer a diverse season with a variety of opportunities for both our patrons and our performers,” Civic’s Executive Artistic Director Michael Lasley said. “Opening with the regional premiere of The Prom and closing with the first local community theatre production of Anastasia is truly exciting for all our constituents. The return of Elf the Musical, our first time producing Romeo & Juliet and Driving Miss Daisy in the Studio Theater truly round out a powerful season. The Cat in the Hat, Finding Nemo, Jr. and the Broadway classic Cats are all wonderful icing on the cake!”
Subscriptions are available now with single tickets going on sale on Thursday, July 27. To learn more, visit CivicTheatre.org.
About Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre
Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre is the largest of more than 70 community theaters in Indiana and is one of the 10 largest active community theatres in the United States. Civic has been a vital part of the cultural landscape throughout central Indiana for over 100 years. Civic is the principal resident company of the Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.