Kansas City MTH theater announces new season: Tennessee Williams, Gershwin and drag

The Music Theater Heritage’s 2024 season announced this week will highlight the works of several giants of the genre: the Gershwins, Jerry Herman, Stephen Schwartz and Stephen Sondheim. And Tennessee Williams?

Yes, in addition to Schwartz’s “Godspell,” Herman’s “La Cage aux Folles,” Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” and “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” MTH will offer “The Glass Menagerie” by the legend of American drama. It will open the season Feb. 19-March 17 on the MTH Main Stage in Crown Center.

“We’re doing our first non-musical ever in the ‘Glass Menagerie,’” said MTH artistic director Tim Scott, who will direct the play. “However, we’ve got a pretty innovative idea on how to present it in a way that’s representative of the region that we live in.”

“The Glass Menagerie” is set in a St. Louis tenement apartment across from a dance hall. “So we’re going to try to exploit that in a way that adds music into the piece that makes it make sense for a theater called Music Theater Heritage,” Scott said.

Kansas City pianist and composer Desmond Mason, joined by a bass player, will provide an improvised jazz score, although Scott said musical moods and themes will be consistent throughout the run.

Another highlight of the season will be the Kansas City premiere of “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” which is an update of the classic opera dating to 1935.

“It has more of a Southern jazz feel,” Scott said. “It sounds more like jazz as opposed to opera.”

Also, local drag performer Daisy Buckët (Spencer Brown) will add authenticity to “La Cage aux Folles” by co-directing with Scott.

“Drag is a major component of it,” Scott said. “I think it would be foolish to try to do that in this moment without having a drag artist involved in the show.”

The rest of MTH’s 2024 schedule includes the 1970s Broadway hits “Godspell” and “Sweeney Todd,” with “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play” closing the season for the second consecutive year.

“I think it probably has the potential to be the greatest season in the history of the organization,” Scott said.

Season tickets are available at a discounted rate through Sept. 1 at 816-221-6987 and musictheaterheritage.com.

MTH 2024 Season

(All dates are in 2024.)

“The Glass Menagerie,” Feb. 29-March 17: Tennessee Williams’ famous story of a Depression-era family in St. Louis gets a jazzy makeover.

“Godspell,” April 18-May 5: The first Broadway show of Stephen Schwartz, who has won three Grammys and three Oscars and wrote “Wicked,” features the hit song “Day by Day.”

“The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” June 6-30: This adaptation of George and Ira Gershwin’s opera starred Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis on Broadway in 2012.

“La Cage aux Folles,” Aug. 10-27: The Jerry Herman musical based on a French play won six Tony Awards in 1984, including for best musical, best score and best book.

“Sweeney Todd,” Oct. 12-29: Stephen Sondheim’s tale of love and revenge earned eight Tonys in 1979 and two more for a revival this year.

“It’s a Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play,” Dec. 7-23: The classic movie is reimagined for the stage as a live radio broadcast and features holiday music.

2024 Ruby Room Series

“Let’s Get It On: The Music of Marvin Gaye & Gladys Knight,” Feb. 8-10

“Natural Woman: The Music of Carole King,” April 4-6

“I Will Always Love You: The Music of Whitney Houston,” May 16-18

“Purple Rain: The Music of Prince,” July 11-13

“Bohemian Rhapsody: The Music of Queen,” Sept. 12-14

“Song(s) Sung Blue: The Music of Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow,” Nov. 7-9