SAN ANTONIO — The Majestic Theatre stage will once again be graced by some of the most talented performers in the country as curtain raises on another Broadway in San Antonio season.
Ten theatrical extravaganzas ranging in tone, subject matter and style are coming downtown over the next 10 months, giving every type of live theatre fan a reason to be excited. To make things easier, we've narrowed down which category of theatergoer is perfect for which upcoming production.
For families:
A reliable Christmastime tale no matter the medium, a musical take on “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” returns to San Antonio the week after Thanksgiving. The show’s primary audience may be kiddos, but it has a good pedigree: Tony award-winner Jack O’Brien, who’s directed everything from “Hairspray” to “Hamlet,” was instrumental in reimagining the colors of Whoville and the menace of the Grinch for the stage. The show is 90 minutes long, and will be in San Antonio for nine performances from Nov. 29 through Dec. 4.
The more Disney-inclined families needn’t wait much longer for “Aladdin” to arrive. The Broadway adaptation has all the spectacle of the live-theatre version of “The Lion King,” and even adds several more songs in addition to the film’s classic tunes. “Disney’s Aladdin” is two hours and 30 minutes long with an intermission, and will be in town for eight performances from Feb. 7 to Feb. 12.
For the theatre superfan:
Any completionists out there? Now’s your chance to catch the newest Broadway hit, “Hadestown,” which rode its modernization of tragic myths to Tony-winning success in 2019, triumphing in eight of the 14 categories it was nominated for. “Hadestown” is two hours and 30 minutes long with an intermission, and will be downtown until Sept. 18.
“Riverdance” is a different kind of musical extravaganza, hailing from Dublin and bringing lively Irish music and dance to south Texas. Those needing any more proof of its live-spectacular bonafides need only know that it began as an interval act during 1994’s Eurovision Song Contest. It’s entertained millions of people across more than 400 venues across the world in the years since. “Riverdance” is about two hours long, and will be at the Majestic for five performances from June 9 to June 11, closing out the 2022-’23 Broadway in San Antonio season.
For devotees of the classics:
It’s hard to imagine a full Broadway season with either “Hairspray” or “Chicago.” Rest assured: Both performances are coming to town, bringing the poppy ‘60s style of Marc Shaiman’s comedy and the jazzy satire of John Kander’s crime-centric saga to the Majestic in the coming months.
“Hairspray” runs two hours and 30 minutes with an intermission, and will be in San Antonio for eight performances from March 7 to March 12. “Chicago” is also about two and a half hours long, and will be here for four performances from April 14 to April 16.
For cinephiles:
It doesn’t star Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, but original songs created by American rocker Bryan Adams help “Pretty Woman: The Musical” put a whole new spin on the 1990 Hollywood film. A relatively new show, it’s been on tour across the U.S. since last year, despite the negative critical reception that met the show’s 2018 premiere. “Pretty Woman: The Musical” is two hours and 20 minutes long with an intermission, and will run in San Antonio for eight performances from Jan. 10 to Jan. 15.
Closer to the end of this season, the classic story “To Kill A Mockingbird” will come alive at the Majestic. Fans of film and “The West Wing” might recognize the name of the writer responsible for adapting Harper Lee’s tale for the stage: Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin. It broke non-musical box office records upon its premiere in late 2018, and critics have largely been warm to Sorkin’s decision of beginning the story with the climactic trial. “To Kill A Mockingbird” runs two hours and 35 minutes with an intermission, and will be in town for eight performances from May 2 to May 7.
For the soul-music lover:
The stories of real-life music legends Aretha Franklin and The Temptations will be told on the Majestic Stage in the coming months, intertwining timeless music with the transcendent impact of song–whether the subject matter is womanhood, social change or long-lost love.
“R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” runs two hours and 25 minutes, and will be in town for one performance on the evening of Jan. 21. “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” is two hours and 30 minutes long with an intermission, and will be in San Antonio for eight performances from Oct. 11 to Oct. 16.
Click here for a full schedule and tickets to the shows.