Elvis, Agatha Christie, Carole King among highlights of Springer’s 2023-24 season
It features the King of Rock and Roll, the Queen of Crime and a different kind of King.
They’re part of the Springer Opera House 2023-24 season, announced Thursday night.
A new musical about Elvis Presley, a classic Agatha Christie murder mystery and the story of singer-songwriter Carole King’s rise to stardom are three of the 13 shows the Springer will produce at the historic State Theater of Georgia in downtown Columbus from July 2023 through May 2024.
“For more than 150 years, the Springer has maintained a reputation of setting the theatrical production bar high by delivering quality entertainment to our community,” Springer artistic director Paul Pierce said in a news release. “For our 152nd season, the bar has been elevated even higher.
“We couldn’t be more excited about what we’ve planned,” Pierce added. “There may be a favorite in the lineup, but there will definitely be productions that are not only new to the local area but also to American theater.”
Here’s the complete lineup:
Mainstage series
Sept. 22-Oct. 8, 2023: “Elvis: A Musical Revolution” is a new musical with Presley’s iconic songs. It tells the story of his rise to fame and his influence on entertainment and cultural history.
Dec. 1-23, 2023: “Elf the Musical” is based on the 2003 Hollywood hit, the tale of Buddy, a human orphan raised by elves after mistakenly crawling into Santa’s bag and being transported to the North Pole. Buddy embarks on a journey to find his birth father in New York City. Along the way, he helps New Yorkers discover the true meaning of Christmas.
Jan. 18-28, 2024: “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” follows famous detective Hercule Poirot on one of this whodunit investigations. Ten passengers are aboard a luxurious train from Istanbul to Paris. After an avalanche blocks the tracks, one of them is dead, and everyone else is a suspect.
March 8-24, 2024: “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” is a Tony Award-winning fantasy musical. The mermaid Ariel falls in love with a human, Prince Eric. Defying her father, she bargains with an evil sea witch to trade her tail for legs. But the deal isn’t what it seems, and Ariel needs help from her friends to restore order in the sea.
April 26-May 12, 2024: “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” won a Grammy and a Tony. The show tells how she became one of one of pop music’s greatest singer-songwriters.
Studio II Series
Oct. 19-29, 2023: “Cabaret” is a Tony Award-winning musical set in 1920s Berlin, during the twilight of the Jazz Age. It’s the story of the KitKatClub, an American writer and his love affair with an English cabaret performer.
Dec. 14-23, 2023: “A Tuna Christmas” is the Springer’s annual holiday season tradition. This quick-change comedy involves two actors playing 21 characters in a zany Texas town.
April 11-24, 2024: “The Minutes” is a 2022 Pulitzer Prize nominee for drama and a Tony Award nominee for best play. The comedic mystery centered around a city council meeting is considered to have one of the most shocking endings in theater history.
Children’s series
July 14-30, 2023: “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!” is based on a New York Times bestseller. The lively production about finding where you belong features puppets, songs and lots of feathers.
Nov. 10-19, 2023: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” is a classic tale about the magical land of Narnia, where animals talk, trees walk and a mighty lion rescues Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy when they get in trouble as a witch tries to keep Narnia in her possession. This adventure of love, faith and courage emphasizes the triumph of good over evil.
Feb. 23-March 3, 2024: “Holes” is about a boy named Stanley, wrongfully sent to a juvenile detention center and forced to dig holes in the desert heat — supposedly to build character. But he realizes that he and his fellow prisoners are digging those holes because the warden is searching for something. Stanley does his best to dig up the truth.
Theater for the Very Young
Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 7 and 8, 2023: “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” is about a determined little critter who climbs and climbs and climbs but keeps getting washed down the spout when it rains. With the help of her friends, however, she learns patience to overcome frustration. This new spin on a classic nursery rhyme also teaches the audience about resilience, teamwork and positive attitude.
April 27, 28, May 4 and 5, 2024: “Deep Blue Sea” is about Tuttle, an adventurous but nervous turtle who loves to explore the ocean. When fishermen drop trash in the water, Tuttle and her friends seek help from a legendary octopus doctor. This story teaches the audience about the importance of keeping oceans clean.
Season tickets are on sale at springeroperahouse.org. Single-ticket sales start in July. Information about discounts and group rates are available by calling the box office at 706-256-3714.
