'Beetlejuice,' 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' 'Wicked' among shows on Orpheum's Broadway calendar

Songwriters ranging from Stephen Sondheim to ABBA and such familiar characters as Beetlejuice and Mrs. Doubtfire are among the big names who will be part of the next season of Broadway musicals at the Orpheum theater.

Announced Monday night during a so-called "Big Reveal" party at the Orpheum at 203 S. Main, the 2023-24 schedule includes eight productions, at least half of which are new to Memphis.

Orpheum president Brett Batterson said he expects the lineup of shows to be as successful as the current Orpheum Broadway season, which included sold-out or almost sold-out runs of such plays as "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Tina," the Tina Turner biographic musical written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist Katori Hall of Memphis. (The current season is the first since 2019 that was not canceled or altered by the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Batterson said the lineup includes a number of shows — such as "Mrs. Doubtfire," adapted from the Robin Williams comedy — with special appeal for families and young people, "because I want to make sure we're raising that next generation of theatergoers."

Here's the lineup:

"Funny Girl," Oct. 10-15: On the heels of its recent Broadway revival, the musical that won Barbra Streisand a Best Actress Oscar for its 1968 film adaptation includes such classic show-stoppers as "Don't Rain on My Parade" and what for a long time was Streisand's signature song, "People."

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"Beetlejuice," Oct. 31-Nov. 5: Halloween is an appropriate opening date for this special effects-filled stage musical adapted from the hit 1988 Tim Burton movie that cast Michael Keaton as a bizarre "ghost with the most," summoned to a haunted house.

"Six," Nov. 21-26: Winner of the Tony Award for Best Original Score, this 2017 musical takes a comedic historic romp through the generally ill-fated careers — divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived — of the six wives of Henry VIII.

"Company," Jan. 2-7: Nominated for what at the time was a record 14 Tony Awards (it won the top prize of Best Musical), this Stephen Sondheim masterpiece from 1970 is an experimental game-changer that deals with such contemporary issues as dating and divorce.

"Les Misérables," Feb. 6-11: The popular 1980 musical inspired by Victor Hugo's novel of 19th century France makes its 10th Orpheum appearance.

"Mrs. Doubtfire," March 12-17: A musical adaptation of the famous 1993 movie comedy starring Robin Williams as an out-of-work actor who dons a female nanny disguise to be able to interact with his children.

"Wicked," April 3-21, 2024: Revisiting the "Oz" story from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the West, this comedy has been one of the biggest bonanzas in Broadway history since its 2003 opening, breaking numerous box-office records.

"Mama Mia!," July 16-21, 2024: The definition of escapism, this "jukebox" musical of love and marriage set on a Greek isle borrows its score from the ABBA discography,

Current season ticket holders can renew through April 17. New season ticket packages go on sale to the public May 5.

Those interested in more information about season tickets should contact the Orpheum at (901) 525-3000 or visit orpheum-memphis.com. The availability of tickets for individual shows will be announced at a later date.

The 2023-2024 Broadway Season is sponsored by Memphis Area Honda Dealers and Truist Financial.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What Broadway shows are coming to Memphis' Orpheum? Here's the lineup