Interview: Leslie Broecker Talks the 2025-2026 Broadway in Indianapolis Season

It is one of our favorite times of the year: the official announcement of the next season of Broadway in Indianapolis and our interview with Leslie Broecker, President of Broadway in Indianapolis. She always lends a special perspective on what brought the season together and how it will appeal to Indy audiences. 

Our interview started with the obvious. This is a bigger season for Indianapolis with 7 total shows. For subscribers, you can start with a base of 5 shows (MJ THE MUSICAL, THE WIZ, CLUE, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, & JULIET) and then add on LES MISERABLES or HAMILTON if you’d like. Leslie shares the simple reason for more. “I think Indianapolis has demonstrated such an appetite. Audiences have said, ‘We want more, and we want it sooner.’” 

Leslie and her team have done their best to match that appetite with a season that has a little bit of everything. There’s classic, kid-friendly, new, jukebox. Leslie is always fighting to strike the perfect balance with each season. “There’s a cycle of shows that come from Broadway. They only have a life that lasts so long. I don’t want to get lost in the cycle.” That’s a tall order when there are multiple regions fighting for the latest hit and navigating the restrictions of geography. 

We had to ask if there was a theme for the season, but Leslie says there’s one clear formula. “The mission remains the same. Book an affordable package that has a little something for everyone.” The mix this year promises to provide a date night, a think piece, and a chance to introduce children to live theater. 

Leslie has had her finger on the pulse of Broadway for years, so a clear question for us was which show she was most excited to book. There was no clear answer because, as Leslie puts it, “You know, you’re asking me to pick a favorite child here. Oddly enough, each of them sort of have a different reason for the excitement.” She sets the bar high as she looks for the next shows to bring. “I’m looking for goosebumps.” 

We wanted to know more about what has made Indianapolis such a successful market. There was a clear thirst for live theater post-COVID, but that thirst has yet to be quenched. Leslie has seen that in subscription rates. But why? “I think people maybe put more value in that shared experience, that it has more value now.” Whatever the reason, it’s working. Leslie also credits Broadway itself and the sheer quantity and quality of shows that have been hitting the stage. In fact, 3 of the shows coming to Indy are currently running on Broadway. 

We know there have to be struggles when constructing the perfect season. It doesn’t fall into place magically. Leslie has to bargain with other regional presidents, but she also has to think through the details. “I go and see all of the shows in consideration, and then we will survey our audiences to know. Sometimes you need to let a show perc a bit so it can build up steam. You’re looking at something technically we can do. I want something that we can replicate so you can feel like you went to the show and it’s like it would be in New York.” It’s her passion to bring Broadway to audiences in Indy and really activate what she likes to call the “goosebump-ometer.” She can tell Indy audiences are ready for the best. “I think of Indianapolis as needing shows that are a bar above because the competition is a bar above [other events]…It’s a place to be. I think the shows feel that, too.”

All we can say is thank you, Leslie! This season promises to bring the energy that we all want to see and hear. It’s the magic of live theater, and we cannot wait. 

This season will follow a new process for tickets. First will be a round of renewals for existing subscribers. Then new subscribers will be able to see the best seats possible for their choices. There will be a waitlist after that followed by single ticket sales. Subscribers in Indy have skyrocketed, so get ready to take action and be part of this sensational new season