Return of ‘Hamilton,’ Michael Jackson musical highlight new Broadway lineup
The return of acclaimed blockbuster “Hamilton” and the local premieres of Tony Award-winning musicals “MJ” and “Six” are among the exciting headliners within Dayton Live’s Premier Health Broadway in Dayton 2024-2025 season.
Dubbed “Royals, Rock Stars and Rebels,” the sixshow season also includes the local premiere of the Neil Diamond jukebox musical “A Beautiful Noise,” the return of “Chicago” and a new adaptation of the classic musical “Peter Pan.”
“This season is all about variety,” said Dayton Live Chief Operating Officer Lisa Japs. “It has something for everybody across the board. All the shows have amazing music. Everyone will be able to find something they love.”
The season fittingly launches in October during the height of the presidential campaign with “Hamilton,” the story of one of America’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant who shaped the course of our nation. The recipient of 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical, the entertaining, thought-provoking and multiracial show was a hit during its outstanding 2022 local premiere in which it played all 16 performances in spite of a snowstorm.
“It is quick to have ‘Hamilton’ again so soon but there are a lot of people in Dayton who wanted to see ‘Hamilton’ who weren’t able to,” Japs said. “So it’s going to be great that we were able to bring it back in just a couple of years. ‘Hamilton’ is going to be a juggernaut for years to come. I expect it to be as popular next season if not more. A lot of people knew the name ‘Hamilton’ but didn’t really know what to expect when they saw it. And I strongly feel those people are going to want to come back and see it again.”
Japs is also thrilled for Dayton to see “Six,” a tuneful rock concert about female
empowerment and solidarity centered around the six wives of Henry VIII, and “MJ,” a dynamic experience chronicling the legendary career of Michael Jackson as he prepares his 1992 “Dangerous World Tour.”
“‘Six’ is an amazing show with powerful leading women,” she said. “‘MJ’ is visually amazing and the music is iconic. Both shows are fun and great.”
Musical nostalgia continues with “A Beautiful Noise,” the story of how Neil Diamond
became a chart-busting, show-stopping American rock icon.
“It’s a super-appealing show with all the backstory about what was going on in Neil Diamond’s life when he wrote those songs,” Japs said. “The show will appeal to all generations but especially those who (grew up) listening to him. They will love the added context and the deeper dive it provides.”
The season also welcomes the return of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s sexy, sultry
musical “Chicago” featuring Bob Fosse’s sizzling choreography.
“(‘Chicago’) is a good complement to so much that is new,” Japs said. “It’s a known quantity for people who may not be as familiar with ‘Six’ or ‘MJ.’ It’s nice to have something solid in the mix that’s a good show that people know.”
She also hopes “Peter Pan,” celebrating its 70th anniversary, will be a main attraction for families especially in its revised state.
“The show made a lot of smart, intelligent changes but at its heart it’s still the classic ‘Peter Pan’ story that everyone knows,” Japs said. “The flying sequences are breathtaking.”
Season subscriptions are on sale now. Single tickets are expected to go on sale at a later date. In particular, “Hamilton” single tickets will likely go on sale in early summer.
For more information, visit the Box Office in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center or call 937-228-3630 or visit online at daytonlive. org/broadway.