The pre-Broadway debut of “Frozen,” a new film-to-stage Disney musical, highlights the 2016-17 Broadway season for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
The slate, announced Thursday, also includes “The Phantom of the Opera,” which opened the Buell Theatre in 1991 and returns after 25 years in a new production.
A pair of rare gets for the DCPA will bring both the 2015 Tony Award-winning best play and best musical to Denver in a single season: “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” adapted from Mark Haddon’s novel, and the musical “Fun Home,” adapted from Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir, are included in 2017.
“Cabaret” comes to the Buell this fall in the Roundabout Theatre Company production. The Gershwin-filled “An American in Paris,” the irreverent comedy “An Act of God” and the family-friendly Peter Pan musical “Finding Neverland” round out the slate. Casting on any of the productions has yet to be announced.
The season features a notable range of kid-friendly and enduring hits (“Frozen,” “Neverland,” “Phantom” and “Cabaret”) balanced by more provocative fare (such as “Fun Home”).
“We are incredibly excited to have an opportunity to partner with Disney again on ‘Frozen.’ That is a huge announcement for us, and for Denver,” said DCPA Executive Director John Ekeberg.The Broadway-bound Disney production of “Frozen” is exciting, Ekeberg noted, because the producers “will use Denver to help inform the creative process in creating the show.”
The Disney-to-Denver tradition continues: The DCPA previously hosted the launch of national touring productions of “The Lion King” and “Peter and the Starcatcher” as well as the pre-Broadway engagement of “The Little Mermaid.”
Additional titles, with tickets available to subscribers ahead of the general public, include “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Motown the Musical,” “Kinky Boots” and “The Illusionists.”
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830, jostrow@denverpost.com or @ostrowdp
