Feature: Broadway Across Canada Is Giving Ottawa an Exciting Season for Its 25th Anniversary

Broadway Across Canada recently announced the Ottawa lineup for its 25th anniversary season and it is a season that has something for everyone. The shows that form part of the season are:

HAIRSPRAY:
November 14 - 19, 2023

AIN’T TOO PROUD – The Life and Times of the Temptations:
December 26 - 31, 2023

Disney’s FROZEN:
February 22 – March 3, 2024

SIX:
May 21 - 26, 2024

LES MISÉRABLES (Season Option):
August 6 - 11, 2024

We asked Shana Levin, Vice-President of Broadway Across Canada, to share some insight into how touring shows are selected and what some of the scheduling challenges are.

This season is exceptionally well-rounded. Can you explain how the process of bringing touring shows to Ottawa works? Is it just the luck of the draw based on what shows happen to be touring nearby or are you able to choose from a variety of shows and handpick a varied season like this one?

Thank you, we are really thrilled with the season lineup this year, which is what will be our 25th Anniversary season. Programming our seasons across the country is anything but simple.  This is a scenario where we need to fit a lot of little pieces into a big strategic puzzle; we consider shows that we know our subscribers want based on annual surveys, show touring schedules and their geographic proximity to our markets, and local venue availability, to name a few. Ultimately, we try to balance our seasons to ensure there is always something for everyone.

I know that many fans are excited to see SIX on the list this season since it is a relatively new show that only officially began its reign on Broadway in late 2021.

We do our best to bring the best of Broadway to our own stages and have many times had shows in our markets while they remain in Broadway theatres.

Late night and daytime talk show hosts invited Broadway artists to perform musical numbers on their programs to keep Broadway front of mind during the pandemic-induced intermission. Do you think that has helped Broadway become a little more mainstream than it was before?

I think Broadway has always been mainstream, but perhaps I am biased. I think the importance of the genre to all our communities across the globe became more vibrant than ever during our “intermission” though, certainly. It was amazing to see the support the community received during that time.

Some American cities have much larger Broadway Across America seasons. For example, Seattle announced nine shows for next season, compared with Vancouver’s four-show season, despite the cities’ geographic proximity. Despite the obvious differences in population size, is there enough of an appetite here to eventually envision a seven- or nine-show Broadway Across Canada season? What challenges do you face when trying to add Canadian dates to the touring schedules?

It would be a challenge to secure that many weeks in our Canadian venues in timeframes that worked in respective shows’ touring routes. That said, we are always game for more Broadway. Bring it on!

Which show are you the most excited to be bringing to the Ottawa stage for the upcoming 2023-2024 season?

That is like asking me if I have a favourite child, and of course, I could never choose! What I can say is that each show on this season speaks to me personally in a really different way and I am there for each and every one of them, and I cannot wait to share the experience with our audiences in Ottawa.

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Click here for more information on each of the shows coming to Ottawa for Broadway Across Canada’s 25th Anniversary season. Season ticket packages are available now here or by calling 1.844.985.2787. Groups of ten or more are invited to purchase through Canada.Groups@BroadwayAcrossCanada.ca or by calling 800.889.8457.  Individual show tickets will be made available at a later date.

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