THE GREAT GATSBY and More Set for Broadway at the Hobby Center 2025-2026 Season

The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts has revealed the 2025-2026 Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center Season featuring six Houston premieres and the return of audience favorites.

The 2025-2026 Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center season launches in September with the first National tour of the five-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical, KIMBERLY AKIMBO, a story about growing up and growing old (in no particular order). The series continues with the exhilarating musical exploring the life and rise of music icon Neil Diamond, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE; based on the award-winning novel by S.E. Hinton comes the groundbreaking musical THE OUTSIDERS, winner of the 2024 Tony Award® for Best Musical; a tale as old as time with the enchanted return of DISNEY’S 30th Anniversary production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; based on the bestselling novel with a poignant reminder that life – and love – can begin at any age, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS; the Tony Award®-winning new musical bringing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic story and the Roaring Twenties to life on the stage, THE GREAT GATSBY; the Tony and Grammy Award® winning irresistible song and dance spectacular SOME LIKE IT HOT, based on the 1959 feature film; and the ultimate whodunnit that will have you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist, CLUE closes the season in June 2026. Additionally, Tony and Grammy Award winning musical, HADESTOWN and winner of 2 Tony Awards® including Best Original Score, SIX return as a 2025-2026 Season Options.

8-show subscription packages go on sale beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 11 and start as low as $359. 

“Over the past couple of years, so many exciting new musicals have opened on Broadway,” said Hobby Center President and CEO Mark Folkes. “The 2025-2026 Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center Season welcomes a dynamic group of productions to Houston, including the Tony Award winning best new musicals from each of the past two Broadway seasons, Kimberly Akimbo and The Outsiders! Boasting classics and family favorites to fresh new shows, this is a season that will absolutely thrill Houston audiences.”

All current 2024-2025 Subscribers will be automatically renewed risk-free for the 2025-2026 Season on Friday, February 21, 2025. Existing subscribers can log into their account now to view their invoice prior to renewals.

The Broadway at the Hobby Center 2025-2026 Season features ten amazing productions from September 2025 to June 2026, including:

KIMBERLY AKIMBO

September 30–October 5, 2025

WINNER
BEST MUSICAL
THE MOST TONY AWARD-WINNING SHOW OF THE SEASON

A new musical about growing up and growing old (in no particular order), KIMBERLY AKIMBO is the winner of 5 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL. It features Tony Award-winning book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire (Shrek), a Tony Award-winning score by Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home), choreography by Danny Mefford (Dear Evan Hansen) and direction by Tony-nominated director Jessica Stone (Water for Elephants).

Kimberly is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. In this “howlingly funny heartbreaker of a show” (The New Yorker), Kim is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush … and possible felony charges. Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure.

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A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL

November 4–9, 2025

THE UNTOLD TRUE STORY OF A BROOKLYN KID WHO BECAME A CHART-BUSTING, SHOW-STOPPING, AWARD-WINNING AMERICAN ICON

Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE is the uplifting true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chart-busting, show-stopping American rock icon. With 120 million albums sold, a catalogue of classics like "America," "Forever in Blue Jeans," and "Sweet Caroline," an induction into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and sold-out concerts around the world that made him bigger than Elvis, Neil Diamond's story was made to shine on Broadway-and head out on the road across America.

Like Jersey Boys and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical before it, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL is an inspiring, exhilarating, energy-filled musical memoir, that tells the untold true story of how America's greatest hitmaker became a star, set to the songs that defined his career.

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THE OUTSIDERS

November 18–23, 2025

The winner of four Tony Awards including Best Musical is THE OUTSIDERS. Adapted from S.E. HINTON’s seminal novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic film, this thrilling new musical features a book by Adam Rapp with Justin Levine, music and lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Johnathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, music supervision, orchestration and arrangements by Justin Levine, choreography by Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman, and direction by Tony Award-winner Danya Taymor. 

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade and their Greaser family of ‘outsiders’ battle with their affluent rivals, the Socs. THE OUTSIDERS navigates the complexities of self-discovery as the Greasers dream about who they want to become in a world that may never accept them. With a dynamic original score, THE OUTSIDERS is a story of friendship, family, belonging…and the realization that there is still “lots of good in the world.”

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DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

January 6–18, 2026

Be Our Guest at Disney’s 30th Anniversary production of DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the breathtaking musical filled with the romance and grandeur audiences know and love.

This enchanting and timeless tale has been brought to life like never before, with spectacular new sets and dazzling costumes. The show boasts the Oscar-winning and Tony Award-nominated score, including the classic songs “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Reuniting to create this new production are members of the original Tony Award®-winning artistic team, including composer Alan Menken, lyricist Tim Rice, book writer Linda Woolverton, with direction and choreography by Matt West, scenic design by Stanley A. Meyer, costume design by Ann Hould-Ward and lighting design by Natasha Katz. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the beloved musical that will fill your heart with joy and Disney magic.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

January 27–February 1, 2026

After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.

Tony Award-nominated director Jessica Stone’s production features a book by three-time Tony nominee Rick Elice adapted from Sara Gruen’s novel, and a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co.

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THE GREAT GASTBY

March 3–8, 2026

THE PARTY’S ROARING IN HOUSTON!

Based on the classic American novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Tony Award-winning new musical is an unforgettable journey of love, wealth and tragedy that brings the Roaring Twenties to life on stage.

Directed by Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), this story of extravagance and longing features choreography by Dominique Kelley (So You Think You Can Dance), a book by Kait Kerrigan (The Mad Ones) and a jazz- and pop-influenced original score by Jason Howland (Little Women) and Nathan Tysen (Paradise Square).

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SOME LIKE IT HOT

March 24–29, 2026

Winner of 4 Tony Awards, including Best Choreography and Best Costumes, and the Grammy Award® for Best Musical Theater Album.

Set in Chicago when Prohibition has everyone thirsty for a little excitement, SOME LIKE IT HOT is the “glorious, big, high kicking” (Associated Press) story of two musicians forced to flee the Windy City after witnessing a mob hit. With gangsters hot on their heels, they catch a cross-country train for the life-chasing, life-changing trip of a lifetime.

And what a trip it is! With its irresistible combination of heart and laughs, song and dance, SOME LIKE IT HOT won more theater awards than any show in its season, and was named Best Musical by the Drama Desk, The Drama League, and the Outer Critics Circle. No wonder Deadline calls it “a tap-dancing, razzle-dazzling embrace of everything you love about musical theater.”

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CLUE

June 9–14, 2026

A Mansion. A Murder. A Mystery.

Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the fan-favorite 1985 Paramount Pictures movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, CLUE is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist.

SEASON OPTIONS

HADESTOWN

February 10–15, 2026

COME SEE HOW THE WORLD COULD BE.

Welcome to HADESTOWN, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and original director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today... and always.

HADESTOWN intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers and singers, HADESTOWN is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.

SIX

April 7–12, 2026

From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over!

SIX won 23 awards in the 2021/2022 Broadway season, including the Tony Award® for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.

The SIX: LIVE ON OPENING NIGHT Broadway album debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard cast album charts and surpassed 6 million streams in its first month.

SIX includes flashing lights, strobe effects, theatrical haze and loud music throughout.

Auto-Renewal for existing subscribers will keep the same subscription seats for the 2025-2026 Season including KIMBERLY AKIMBO, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL, THE OUTSIDERS, DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, THE GREAT GATSBY, SOME LIKE IT HOT, and CLUE with access to add HADESTOWN and SIX.

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