'Wicked,' 'Mamma Mia!,' 'Six,' 'To Kill a Mockingbird' coming in OKC Broadway's new season

Brandy McDonnell, Oklahoman
·5 min read
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For the first time in more than a decade, Oklahoma City theater fans will have the chance to defy gravity.

The smash musical "Wicked" will make its long-awaited return to Civic Center Music Hall for a three-week run as part of OKC Broadway's newly announced 2023-2024 season.

The upcoming subscription season for the local presenter of nationally touring Broadway shows also will include the OKC debuts of the musical biopics "Tina — The Tina Turner Musical" and "Ain't Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations," plus the historical hit "Six," about the wives of King Henry VIII.

Rounding out the upcoming OKC Broadway schedule are Aaron Sorkin's adaptation of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," which has been lauded as the most successful American play in Broadway history, and a return trip to paradise with "Mamma Mia!," the popular show based on the 1970s hits of ABBA.

Jennafer Newberry, left, stars as Glinda and Lissa deGuzman as Elphaba in the national tour of the musical "Wicked."
Jennafer Newberry, left, stars as Glinda and Lissa deGuzman as Elphaba in the national tour of the musical "Wicked."

In addition to the six-show subscription lineup, OKC Broadway — a presentation of The Nederlander Organization and Civic Center Foundation — announced Tuesday that it will bring back by popular demand "Les Miserables" and "Chicago the Musical" as added season specials. 

Where's what you need to know about OKC Broadway's newly announced season:

New OKC Broadway season will follow Disney's 'Frozen' and 'Hamilton'

Before the 2023-2024 season gets underway, OKC Broadway will close its 2022-2023 season at the Civic Center with two blockbuster titles.

Disney's "Frozen," the stage adaptation of the Mouse House's Oscar-winning animated blockbuster, is playing Oklahoma City for the first time March 22-April 2.

The last show of the current season will be OKC's second shot at "Hamilton." After first playing a three-week run in Oklahoma City in summer 2019, the iconic musical biopic will close OKC Broadway's 2022-2023 season with performances May 24-June 4.

From left, Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Marcus Paul James, Jalen Harris, Harrell Holmes Jr. and James T. Lane perform with the national touring company of the musical "Ain’t Too Proud," about the iconic vocal group The Temptations.
From left, Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Marcus Paul James, Jalen Harris, Harrell Holmes Jr. and James T. Lane perform with the national touring company of the musical "Ain’t Too Proud," about the iconic vocal group The Temptations.

OKC Broadway will launch new season with new shows

OKC Broadway will open its 2023-2024 season at the Civic Center in tuneful fashion Aug. 15-20 with the Oklahoma City bow for "Ain't Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations."

Winner of the 2019 Tony Award for best choreography, the jukebox musical follows the legendary R&B vocal group’s journey from Detroit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The current Broadway hit "Six," which reimagines the six ill-fated Tudor queens who married Henry VIII as pop stars, will play OKC Sept. 26-Oct. 1.

Richard Thomas plays Atticus Finch in the original touring cast of Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork "To Kill a Mockingbird."
Richard Thomas plays Atticus Finch in the original touring cast of Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork "To Kill a Mockingbird."

'To Kill a Mockingbird' tour to land in OKC

Although Broadway plays rarely tour the country, Sorkin's record-breaking adaptation of Lee's 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece "To Kill a Mockingbird" will land in OKC Oct. 10-15.

Sorkin's take on the classic American novel, which was previously adapted into a treasured 1962 film starring Gregory Peck, earned nine Tony nominations before the COVID-19 pandemic shut it down on Broadway.

Interestingly, it won't be the first time Sorkin's version of the beloved story has been performed in OKC: Since they had been granted the rights to perform a previous adaptation of the show before Sorkin's became a Broadway hit, Oklahoma Children’s Theatre and Oklahoma City University were given the rare opportunity to present in fall 2019 the new version. Sorkin's adaptation was a sold-out hit in its local debut.

OKC Broadway will close out 2023 with "Tina — The Tina Turner Musical" Dec. 26-31.

The smash musical "Mamma Mia!" features 1970s hits of the iconic Swedish pop group ABBA.
The smash musical "Mamma Mia!" features 1970s hits of the iconic Swedish pop group ABBA.

'Wicked' and 'Mamma Mia!' come back to OKC in 2024

"Wicked," the "Wizard of Oz" prequel that helped launch Broken Arrow native Kristin Chenoweth and "Frozen" actor Idina Menzel to Broadway stardom, will make its long-awaited return to OKC Feb. 20-March 10, 2024.

The three-time Tony-winning smash last played Oklahoma City in 2013, which means local fans have been waiting a decade to see the song-and-dance spectacle featuring the numbers “Popular,” “For Good” and “Defying Gravity.” ("Wicked's" return was originally planned for OKC Broadway's 2020-2021 season, but it was scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

OKC Broadway's 2023-2024 season will close with the enduring hit "Mamma Mia!," which uses the earworms of Swedish pop group ABBA to tell the tale of a daughter trying to learn the identity of her dad in the days leading up to her wedding on an idyllic Greek island. Theatergoers will be grooving to "Dancing Queen," "S.O.S.," the title track and more during the show's May 21-26, 2024, OKC run.

The national tour of "Mamma Mia!" previously visited Oklahoma City in 2012 and 2016, and Lyric Theatre staged the sunny jukebox musical in 2018.

The touring cast of "Les Miserables" performs.
The touring cast of "Les Miserables" performs.

'Les Miz' and 'Chicago' return to Oklahoma as add-on season specials

Along with its six-show subscription season, OKC Broadway is bringing back two popular titles as add-on season specials.

OKC Broadway will ring in 2024 Jan. 16-21 with "Les Miserables," affectionately known as "Les Miz," which previously played Oklahoma City as an add-on to the 2018-19 subscription season.

Also offered as an add-on special, "Chicago" comes to Oklahoma City for the first time since 2014 on its 25th anniversary tour. John Kander and Fred Ebb's six-time Tony-winning tale of murder, greed and all that jazz plays the Civic Center April 9-14, 2024.

Naomi Rodgers stars as Tina Turner in the North American touring production of "Tina - The Tina Turner Musical."
Naomi Rodgers stars as Tina Turner in the North American touring production of "Tina - The Tina Turner Musical."

How can you get OKC Broadway tickets for 2023-2024?

Current OKC Broadway ticketholders will automatically have the opportunity to renew their current date, time and seat locations for the 2023-2024 season. They can visit OKCBroadway.com now and log into their "My Account" profile, look for their renewal information in the mail and via email, or call the OKC Broadway Season Ticket Office at 877-737-2929.

New subscribers can go to okcbroadway.com/subscribe.

OKC BROADWAY 2023-2024 SEASON

  • "Ain't Too Proud": Aug. 15-20

  • "Six": Sept. 26-Oct. 1.

  • Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird": Oct. 10-15.

  • "Tina — The Tina Turner Musical": Dec. 26-31.

  • "Les Miserables" (Added season special): Jan. 16-21, 2024.

  • "Wicked": Feb. 20-March 10, 2024.

  • "Chicago the Musical" (Added season special): April 9-14, 2024.

  • "Mamma Mia!": May 21-26, 2024.

Where: Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker.

Tickets and information: www.okcbroadway.com or 877-737-2929.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Broadway shows coming soon: 'Wicked," 'Mamma Mia!,' and more