RBTL Announces The 2019-2020 M&T Bank Broadway Season - HAMILTON, COME FROM AWAY, and More!

The 2019-2020 M&T Bank Broadway Season at RBTL's Auditorium Theatre, presented by the Rochester Broadway Theatre League (RBTL) and Albert Nocciolino, was unveiled on Thursday, April 4th. Following the current record-breaking 2018-2019 Season, anchored by HAMILTON, and boasting nearly 14,000 Subscribers, for the first time, the '19-'20 Season Ticket Package will offer seven award-winning shows, headlined by pop-culture phenomenon DEAR EVAN HANSEN.

SUMMER: THE Donna Summer MUSICAL will hold technical rehearsals in Rochester and open the Season with tour kickoff performances, October 1-6, 2019. Rochester audiences will be among the first to see this production direct from Broadway! She was a girl from Boston with a voice from heaven, who shot through the stars from gospel choir to dance floor diva. But what the world didn't know was how Donna Summer risked it all to break through barriers, becoming the icon of an era and the inspiration for every music diva who followed. With a score featuring more than 20 of Summer's classic hits including "Love to Love You Baby," "Bad Girls" and "Hot Stuff," this electric experience is a moving tribute to the voice of a generation.

The second show of the season is COME FROM AWAY, playing November 19-24, 2019. This New York Times Critics' Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don't miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and helmed by this year's Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley. Newsweek cheers, "It takes you to a place you never want to leave!" On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all.

Next, inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled new musical ANASTASIA is on a journey to Rochester January 21-26, 2020, at last! From the Tony Award-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show will transport you from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out on a journey to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.

In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR takes the stage February 18-23, 2020. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring. With music and lyrics by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes 'I Don't Know How to Love Him', 'Gethsemane' and 'Superstar'.

Winner of four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, HELLO, DOLLY! will play a limited engagement March 17-22, 2020. It's the universally acclaimed smash that NPR calls "the best show of the year!" Director Jerry Zaks' "gorgeous" new production (Vogue) is "making people crazy happy!" (The Washington Post). This HELLO, DOLLY! pays tribute to the original work of legendary director/choreographer Gower Champion - hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theater history. Rolling Stone calls it "a must-see event. A musical comedy dream. If you're lucky enough to score a ticket, you'll be seeing something historic. Wow, wow, wow, indeed!"

April 21-26, 2020 brings, CATS, the record-breaking musical spectacular by Andrew Lloyd Webber that has captivated audiences in over 30 countries and 15 languages. Audiences and critics alike are rediscovering this beloved musical with breathtaking music, including one of the most treasured songs in musical theater - "Memory". Winner of 7 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL, CATS tells the story of one magical night when an extraordinary tribe of cats gathers for its annual ball to rejoice and decide which cat will be reborn. Experience CATS for the first time as it begins a new life for a new generation... or let it thrill you all over again!

And finally, June 2-7, 2020, "you will be found" at DEAR EVAN HANSEN, the last show of the season. Winner of 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical and the 2018 Grammy Award, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. DEAR EVAN HANSEN has struck a remarkable chord with audiences and critics everywhere, including The Washington Post who says it's "one of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history." The New York Times calls it "a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical." And NBC Nightly News declares the musical "an anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond." DEAR EVAN HANSEN features a book by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy, Tony and Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).

In addition to the M&T Bank Broadway Season lineup, several Season Specials will also be presented by RBTL and Albert Nocciolino. At this time, two have been announced...

The nine-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical, THE BOOK OF MORMON, returns by popular demand October 22-27, 2019. The New York Times calls it "the best musical of this century." The Washington Post says, "It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals." And Entertainment Weekly says, "Grade A: the funniest musical of all time." Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show calls it "Genius. Brilliant. Phenomenal." This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. Now with standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America, THE BOOK OF MORMON has truly become an international sensation. Contains explicit language.

Celebrate the holidays or ring in the New Year with a triumphant 3-week return engagement of Disney's THE LION KING, playing December 19, 2019 - January 5, 2020. More than 95 million people around the world have experienced the phenomenon of Disney's THE LION KING, and now you can, too. Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, this landmark musical event brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway. Tony Award-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. THE LION KING also features some of Broadway's most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice. There is simply nothing else like THE LION KING.

RBTL and Albert Nocciolino are thrilled to be bringing another remarkable season of touring Broadway to Rochester! 7-show Season Ticket Packages will be available soon to renewing Subscribers. New Subscriptions and individual tickets will go on sale at a later date. For more information, visit RBTL.org.

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