Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center Announces 2021-2022 Broadway Season

Hamilton National Tour. Photo: Joan Marcus.

With positive news and reports from Broadway touring industry organizations, the Kimmel Cultural Campus (Philadelphia, PA) has announced the return of live Broadway programming to Philadelphia in the fall of 2021 after being closed for more than a year due to COVID-19. 

The Kimmel Cultural Campus kicks-off its season, presented in partnership with The Shubert Organization, with 13 magnificent shows that will finally bring audiences together again for the unparalleled live theater experience. In anticipation of reopening its doors safely and resuming mainstage performances, Campus management continues to work in consultation with health and safety experts and in accordance with City and Commonwealth guidelines in the development of its reopening plans. Additionally, the Kimmel Cultural Campus is working collaboratively with its esteemed Resident Companies to support their season plans which will be announced in the coming months.  

The 2021/22 Broadway Philadelphia season premieres with the return of Hamilton and continues with an astounding lineup of Tony Award®-winning productions including fan favorites, an innovative reimagining, and beloved classics.  The upcoming season boasts 42 Tony Awards and 37 Drama Desk Awards™, and several Philadelphia premieres.

“Our donors and patrons have given us strength during our year-long closure for which we are exceedingly grateful. They have enabled us to continue to respond to the needs of the community: transforming our education programs to the online space, partnering with local charities for food and blood drives, serving as a polling place, and even opening our doors as a peaceful resting place for protesters and police last summer,” said Anne Ewers, President & CEO of the Kimmel Center. “What has struck us most, during this time, is the community’s need to be together. So now we eagerly prepare for a safe reopening, allowing us to gather around the healing power of the arts at last.”  

Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO of The Shubert Organization, added, “It is hard to believe our stages have been shuttered for more than a year. We have persevered through these unprecedented times, never losing faith that live theater would return to lift our spirits and bring us together. I am excited to say that day is nearly upon us.” 

“The intricate, and sometimes multi-year process of scheduling national tours across the country involves many elements affected by the pandemic: building sets and costumes, casting, and rehearsals. It’s part of the magic of theater,” said Frances Egler, Senior Director of Programming and Presentations at the Kimmel Cultural Campus. “We are grateful to the thousands of loyal subscribers who continued their commitment, support, and patience during these challenging times. Our subscribers know we’ve brought families and friends together for joyful experiences, year after year; and we’ve worked tirelessly to bring everyone together again with most of the titles from the affected seasons.”  

As a result of COVID-19, and in compliance with city and state ordinances, the Kimmel Cultural Campus has been closed since March 2020 and forced to cancel and postpone all productions, concerts, classes, and events across the Campus. With 93% of the Kimmel’s revenue driven by ticket sales and venue rentals, the negative financial impact of COVID-19 has been dire with projected losses of more than $51-million in gross revenue. As a result, the Kimmel has launched an aggressive Road to Reopening Relief Fundraising Campaign.  

“The Kimmel Cultural Campus attracts more than 1.5-million people annually across its three venues and is the anchor of the Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “The Kimmel is a driving force for the local economy, and I look forward to enjoying shows there again when it reopens this fall.”  

A 2019 study by Econsult Solutions, Inc. found each dollar spent on a ticket generates $12 in economic activity for area businesses such as restaurants, retailers, and hoteliers. Building a plan to safely reopen the Kimmel would help the region’s economy by restoring 2,380 jobs, and $5.3-million in monthly household income.  

With a commitment to prioritize guest safety, the Kimmel Cultural Campus partnered with 35 top performing arts venues across the nation in an in-depth study conducted by renowned industry researchers WolfBrown and AMS Analytics that measures five key areas around a return to live events. The data made available by this collaboration has allowed the Kimmel Cultural Campus to better understand the critical questions and concerns audiences have both universally and regionally as they consider the return to live events. 

“We know comfort level around returning to the theater will be different for everyone when we reopen in the fall and we want audiences to have a clear understanding of the safety standards we are enacting,” said Crystal Brewe, Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Communication at Kimmel Cultural Campus. “Our participation in this comprehensive, nation-wide study has provided us rigorous data on patron expectations that has not only informed the timing of our reopening, but the ongoing research is also informing our specific health and safety guidelines.”  

Beginning in the 2021/22 season, Kimmel Cultural Campus is pleased to present a Safe & Clean Commitment + COVID-19 Subscriber Guarantee as outlined below: 

Safe & Clean Commitment + COVID-19 Subscriber Guarantee 

We will always put the safety of our guests, artists, and staff first. We will not hold performances until City and Commonwealth guidelines allow, and we are working closely with our union partners, producers, artists, and other performing arts centers around the nation to develop the most comprehensive plan to safely reopen our doors. We are committing to a healthy and clean environment with increased disinfection, enhanced ventilation, and will enforce all recommended health authority guidelines. We want you to return when you are ready, we will stand behind any subscription tickets you purchase now for our future events with our COVID-19 Subscriber Guarantee. For more information on COVID-19 Subscriber Guarantee and our Safe & Clean Commitment, please visit kimmelcenter.org.  

Subscriptions 

Multi-show packages available now. Single tickets for individual productions will go on sale at a later date.  

Subscribers save from 10-25% off single ticket prices and are offered a variety of exclusive event invitations, perks, and privileges, including the first opportunity to select the best seats in the house and the option to renew their seats each year. Additional subscriber benefits include flexible exchange options, priority ticket access, payment plan options, and more.  

All current subscribers for the 2020/2021 Broadway season will retain their subscription seats for the 2021/2022 Broadway Season, and all subscription payments remain secure. Kimmel Cultural Campus has created a guide to address frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the changes to their 2020/2021 Season. 

Six-show packages are available now and include Tuesday through Sunday performances of Hamilton, Pretty Woman: The Musical, Hadestown, Oklahoma!, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Dear Evan Hansen. For the second year, subscription packages include a Wednesday matinee option. 

New this season, subscribers will receive ultimate flexibility with the Swap a Show option. Whether patrons feel more comfortable attending theater later in the season or are just more interested in one show over another, we are here to make the package selection process as easy and flexible as possible. Subscribers can swap up to two performances in their subscription package for their choice of exclusive season extra performances including: Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, Anastasia, Stomp, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Rent: 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour, Waitress, and Hairspray. Subscribers will also have first access to purchase tickets to exclusive season extras before they go on sale to the public.  

Packages start at just $39.00 per show. Subscription packages range from $234.00 to $823.00 and are available online at kimmelcenter.org/broadyway or by calling (215) 893-1955. 

Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling (215) 790-5883 or (866) 276-2947. Visit online at kimmelcenter.com/groupsales or telecharge.com/groups. 

2021/22 BROADWAY PHILADELPHIA SHOW OVERVIEWS 

HAMILTON 

October 20 – November 28, 2021 • Academy of Music 

This “theatrical landmark has transformed theater and the way we think about history” 
The New York Times 

Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors. 

RAIN – A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES 

October 29 – 31, 2021 • Merriam Theater  

In celebration of the anniversary of Abbey Road, Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles will bring the greatest hits of this epic recording to life, in addition to other early Beatles favorites. This mind-blowing performance takes audiences back in time with the legendary foursome, delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing the Beatles” (Associated Press). Experience the world’s most iconic band and celebrate the best of Abbey Road with Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles. 

“The enraptured audience relives the soundtrack of its life!” (Chicago Tribune) 

ANASTASIA 

November 23 – 28, 2021 • Merriam Theater 

Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled musical Anastasia is on a journey to Philadelphia! 

From the Tony Award-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show transports audiences from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family. 

Anastasia  features a book by celebrated playwright Terrence McNally, a lush new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) with direction by Tony Award winner Darko Tresnjak. 

STOMP 

December 28, 2021 – January 2, 2022 • Merriam Theater 

Stomp is explosive, inventive, provocative, witty, and utterly unique—an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered armfuls of awards and rave reviews and has appeared on numerous national television shows.  

The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps – to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. Year after year, audiences worldwide keep coming back for more of this pulse-pounding electrifying show. As the Boston Globe says, “If you haven’t seen STOMP, GO! If you have seen it, take someone and share the pleasure!” Stomp. See what all the noise is about. 

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL 

January 4 – 16, 2022 • Academy of Music 

 
After an incredible run on Broadway, Audience Choice Award-winner Pretty Woman: The Musical is now on tour! One of Hollywood’s most beloved stories of all time, Pretty Woman: The Musical is brought to life on stage by a powerhouse creative team representing the best of music, Hollywood, and Broadway. Featuring direction and choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde), an original score by Grammy® winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (“Summer of ’69”and “Heaven”), and a book by the movie’s legendary director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J.F. Lawton, Pretty Woman: The Musical will lift your spirits and light up your heart. “If you love the movie, you’ll love the musical!” (BuzzFeed News). 

Featured in the musical is Roy Orbison and Bill Dee’s international smash hit song “Oh, Pretty Woman,” which inspired one of the most beloved romantic comedy films of all time. The film Pretty Woman was an international smash hit when it was released in 1990. Now, 30 years later, Pretty Woman: The Musical still “dazzles!” (Deadline) and is “big romance and big fun!” (Broadway.com). “Irresistible! A romantic fantasy. A contemporary fairy tale,” says The Hollywood Reporter. Pretty Woman: The Musical delivers on all the iconic moments you remember. Get ready to experience this dazzling theatrical take on a love story for the ages.    

Are you ready to fall in love all over again? 

Atlantic Records’ Pretty Woman: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) is produced by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance and is now available on all DSPs.  

HADESTOWN 

February 9 – 20, 2022 • Academy of Music 

COME SEE HOW THE WORLD COULD BE. 

Welcome to Hadestown, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show by celebrated singer songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and innovative director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today… and always. 

Hadestown intertwines two mythic tales – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone – as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back.  

Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers and singers, Hadestown is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs audiences and never lets go.  

BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL  
February 22 – 27, 2022 • Academy of Music 

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation. 

Featuring a stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil, including “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got A Friend,” and the title song, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical  has a book by Tony Award nominee and Academy Award®-nominated writer Douglas McGrath, direction by Marc Bruni, choreography by Josh Prince, and took home two 2014 Tony Awards and the 2015 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.  

RENT: 25th ANNIVERSARY FAREWELL TOUR 

March 4 – 6, 2022 • Merriam Theater 

For a quarter of a century, Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece Rent has inspired us to choose love over fear and to live without regret. Its immeasurable emotional impact has forever changed the world of musical theater. 

Rent follows a year in the lives of a diverse group of artists and friends struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. This powerfully resonant phenomenon has become more than a musical – it’s a cultural touchstone, a rite of passage, and a source of joy and strength for millions. The extraordinary Rent fan community spans every continent and every generation – including many born over a decade after the show opened on Broadway. 

Whether you’ve never seen Rent or have completely lost count, audiences can’t miss it this time around – the 25th Anniversary “Farewell Season of Love” is your FINAL CHANCE to experience this illustrious touring production. 

Come join us to celebrate 25 years of “La Vie Bohème.” 13,140,000 minutes of the one and only Rent. 

OKLAHOMA! 

March 8 – 20, 2022 • Forrest Theatre 

“How is it that the coolest new show on Broadway is a 1943 musical?” says The New York Times. This is Oklahoma! as you’ve never seen or heard it before — reimagined for the 21st century, and now the Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical. Funny and sexy, dark and jolting, this acclaimed production of Oklahoma! “lets us experience Rodgers and Hammerstein’s greatness anew.” (The New Yorker). 

Stripped down to reveal the darker psychological truths at its core, Daniel Fish’s production tells a story of a community circling its wagons against an outsider and the frontier life that shaped America. Upending the sunny romance of a farmer and a cowpoke, this Oklahoma! allows the classic musical –and our country – to be seen in a whole new light. “This production shocked me and moved me,” raves Frank Rich of New York Magazine. 

“This is the Oklahoma! that was there all along.” The Daily Beast raves, “Forget your traditional idea of Oklahoma! Daniel Fish’s daring, brilliant, utterly absorbing re-interpretation is dark and different—brilliantly so.” 

WAITRESS  

March 20 – April 3, 2022 • Academy of Music 

Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Pouring her heart into her pies, she crafts desserts that mirror her topsy-turvy life such as “The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie” and “Betrayed By My Eggs Pie.” When a baking contest in a nearby county —and a satisfying encounter with someone new —show Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it.  Change is on the menu, as long as Jenna can write her own perfectly personal recipe for happiness. 

Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, this hilarious hit Broadway musical features original  music  and  lyrics  by  Grammy®  Award  winner  Sara  Bareilles  (“Brave,”  “Love  Song”),  a  book  by acclaimed  screenwriter  Jessie  Nelson  (I  Am  Sam),  original  choreography  by  Lorin  Latarro  (Les  Liaisons Dangereuses, Waiting For Godot), recreated by tour choreographer Abbey O’Brien and original direction by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus (Hair, Pippin), recreated by tour director Susanna Wolk.  

“Waitress is a little slice of heaven!” says Entertainment Weekly, and is “sweet, sassy and passionate,” according to New York Magazine. 

 “It’s an empowering musical of the highest order!”  raves the Chicago Tribune. Don’t miss this uplifting and hilarious musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.  

HAIRSPRAY 

May 16 – 22, 2022 • Merriam Theater 

“If life were everything it should be, it would be more like Hairspray. It’s irresistible!” – The New York Times 

You Can’t Stop the Beat! Hairspray, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon that inspired the blockbuster film and live television event, is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world?  

Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the 60’s,” “Good Morning Baltimore,” “It Takes Two,” and incorporating “Ladies Choice” from the musical film adaption, Hairspray is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times). 

This all-new touring production will reunite Broadway’s award-winning creative team led by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell to bring Hairspray to a new generation of theater audiences. Don’t miss this “exhilaratingly funny and warm-hearted musical comedy” (The New Yorker). 

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 
July 12 – 24, 2022 • Academy of Music  

All rise for Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. The New York Times Critic’s Pick To Kill A Mockingbird is “the most successful American play in Broadway history. It has not played to a single empty seat” (60 Minutes). Rolling Stone gives it 5 stars, calling it “an emotionally shattering landmark production of an American classic,” and New York Magazine calls it “a real phenomenon. Majestic and incandescent, it’s filled with breath and nuance and soul.” With direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, To Kill A Mockingbird — “the greatest novel of all time” (Chicago Tribune) —has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR). 

DEAR EVAN HANSEN  

August 16 – 28, 2022 • Forrest Theatre  

WINNER OF THE GRAMMY, OLIVIER AND 6 TONY AWARDS INCLUDING BEST MUSICAL, DEAR EVAN HANSEN IS “A CULTURAL PHENOMENON.” (LA TIMES) 

A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it.  

 
Dear Evan Hansen has struck a remarkable chord with audiences and critics everywhere, including The Washington Post who says Dear Evan Hansen is “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theatre history.” The New York Times calls it “a gorgeous musical for anyone with a beating heart,” and NBC Nightly News declares the musical “an anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond.”  

Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy, Tony and Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).