DC's National Announces World Premiere of BEETLEJUICE, BAT OUT OF HELL, and More

The National Theatre's 2018-2019 Broadway at the National season continues its long history as the home for world premieres of landmark American musicals and pre-Broadway attractions with the world premiere of the new Broadway-bound musical comedy BEETLEJUICE (October 14-November 18, 2018), based on Tim Burton's iconic film.

The sensational 2018-2019 season also includes the Tony® Award-winning BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical (November 27-December 30, 2018) as well as the D.C. premieres of Andrew Lloyd Webber's SCHOOL OF ROCK - THE MUSICAL (January 16-27, 2019),FINDING NEVERLAND (February 26-March 3, 2019), A BRONX TALE (March 26-31, 2019), and Jim Steinman's BAT OUT OF HELL (May 7-26, 2019). In addition, the 2018-2019 season also includes a limited engagement of the international percussion sensation STOMP (April 23-28, 2019).

"This is the most sensational season of Broadway at the National yet," said JAM Theatricals co-founder Steve Traxler. "We are ecstatic about continuing to bring the best of Broadway to Washington, D.C. when shows are fresh and relevant. All but one of our shows are still running in or on their way to New York. There is something for everyone within the upcoming season, from the world premiere ofBEETLEJUICE to Broadway favorites BEAUTIFUL, SCHOOL OF ROCK, FINDING NEVERLAND, and A BRONX TALE. We are excited to make all of this available to audiences through our subscription series, which is at an all-time high number."

Subscription packages may be purchased at TheNationalDC.com, in person at the National Theatre box office (Monday thru Friday, Noon to6pm), or by calling (202) 753-7650. The National Theatre is located at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in downtown Washington, D.C.

THE 2018-2019 BROADWAY AT THE NATIONAL SEASON

BEETLEJUICE

October 14 - November 18, 2018

World premiere musical prior to Broadway

Lock up your kids, folks, he's back! Beetlejuice is ruder, raunchier and frankly, more repellant than ever in this original musical based on Tim Burton's wonderfully demented film. Directed by Alex Timbers, Beetlejuice tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager obsessed with the whole "being dead thing." Lucky for Lydia, her new house is haunted by a recently deceased couple and a degenerate demon who happens to have a thing for stripes. When Lydia calls on this ghost-with-the-most to scare away her insufferable parents, Beetlejuice comes up with the perfect plan, which involves exorcism, arranged marriages and an adorable girl scout who gets scared out of her wits. Plus singing and dancing, of course.

BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical

November 27 - December 30, 2018

BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King's remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation. Featuring a stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil, 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 has a book by Tony® Award-nominee and Academy® Award-nominated writer Douglas McGrath, direction by Marc Bruni, choreography by Josh Prince, and took home two 2014 Tony® Awards and a 2015 Grammy® Award.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's SCHOOL OF ROCK - THE MUSICAL

January 16 - 27, 2019

SCHOOL OF ROCK - THE MUSICAL is a New York Times Critics' Pick and "an inspiring jolt of energy, joy and mad skillz" (Entertainment Weekly). Based on the hit film, this hilarious new musical follows Dewey Finn, a wannabe rock star posing as a substitute teacher who turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. This high-octane smash hit features 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber, all the original songs from the movie and musical theater's first-ever kids rock band playing their instruments live on stage. Vanity Fair raves, "fists of all ages shall be pumping!"

FINDING NEVERLAND

February 26 - March 3, 2019

Directed by visionary Tony® Award-winner Diane Paulus and based on the critically-acclaimed Academy Award® winning film, FINDING NEVERLAND tells the incredible story behind one of the world's most beloved characters: Peter Pan. Playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration until he meets four Young Brothers and their beautiful widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys' enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will astound London theatergoers. With a little pixie dust and a lot of faith, Barrie takes a monumental leap, leaving his old world behind for Neverland, where nothing is impossible, and the wonder of childhood lasts forever. The magic of Barrie's classic tale springs spectacularly to life in this heartwarming theatrical event. FINDING NEVERLAND is "far and away the best musical of the year!" (NPR).

A BRONX TALE

March 26 - 31, 2019

Broadway's hit crowd-pleaser takes you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s, where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he'd love to be. Bursting with high-energy dance numbers and original doo-wop tunes from Alan Menken, the songwriter ofBeauty and the Beast, A BRONX TALE is an unforgettable story of loyalty and family. Academy Award®-winner Robert De Niro and Tony® Award-winner Jerry Zaks direct this streetwise musical based on Academy Award-nominee Chazz Palminteri's story - that The New York Times hails as "A Critics' Pick...wonderful and refreshing! The kind of tale that makes you laugh and cry." It's "Jersey Boys meets West Side Story," says amNewYork.

STOMP

April 23 - 28, 2019

STOMP is explosive, inventive, provocative, witty, and utterly unique - an unforgettable experience for all ages. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments - matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps - to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. The return of the international percussive hit also brings new surprises, with some sections of the show now updated and restructured, utilizing props like tractor tire inner tubes and paint cans. As USA Today says, "STOMP finds beautiful noises in the strangest places." STOMP. See what the noise is all about.

Jim Steinman's BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL

May 7 - 26, 2019

The romance of rock 'n' roll comes alive on stage in Jim Steinman's "jaw-dropping spectacle" (London Evening Standard) BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL. The streets are heating up as Start, the forever young leader of rebellious gang The Lost, falls in love with Raven, the beautiful daughter of the tyrannical ruler of post-apocalyptic Obsidian in a love story that has "changed the way musicals are staged forever" (North West End). Winner of Best Musical at the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards, the Toronto Sun hailed it as a "dazzling tale of star crossed lovers." Forget everything you know about musicals and get lost in this critically-acclaimed, smash-hit theatrical spectacle.

Subscription packages may be purchased at TheNationalDC.com, in person at the National Theatre box office (Monday thru Friday, Noon to6pm), or by calling (202) 753-7650.

Tickets for individual performances will go on sale at a later date.

Groups of 10 or more should contact Ashley Birdsell in our group sales department at (202) 753-6867 or groupsales@thenationaldc.com

Managed and programmed by JAM Theatricals since 2012, the National Theatre is located on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House. The National Theatre opened in 1835 and is the oldest touring theater in the country. JAM Theatricals, under the direction of Steve Traxler and Arny Granat, introduced "Broadway at the National," a new and exciting subscription series. In addition to the world premieres of IF/THEN and MEAN GIRLS, recent theatrical presentations include BLITHE SPIRIT starring Angela Lansbury, JERSEY BOYS, LESMISÉRABLES and the Washington premieres of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, AMERICAN IDIOT, FUN HOME, SOMETHING ROTTEN! andNEWSIES. In addition, the National has recently presented many special events and concerts, including Kacey Musgraves, Dave Koz, Bryan Adams, Bill Burr, Eddie Izzard, Savion Glover, The Irish Tenors and ThePianoGuys.

The National Theatre's 2017-2018 Broadway at the National season concludes with the Washington, D.C. premiere of WAITRESS (May 15-June 3, 2018), featuring original music and lyrics by 6-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles.

For more information, visit TheNationalDC.com.