With a new year comes new Broadway musicals to be rehearsed by enthusiastic casts and performed for audiences under shining light. The 2024 season of Broadway looks to be an exciting one with interesting remakes, exciting revivals, and never-before-seen shows on stage.
The curtain opens on New York’s Broadway stages with two exciting new musicals: “The Great Gatsby” and “The Notebook.” “The Great Gatsby” is a beloved tale about the American dream, which is enjoyed by readers and movie watchers alike, and will now make its Broadway debut on April 25. “Newsies” star Jeremy Jordan will play Jay Gatsby and “Hadestown” actress Eva Nobelzada will play Daisy Buchanan.
“The Notebook” will open on the stage of Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on March 14 as a musical adaptation of the novel written by Nicholas Spark. The show will star Joy Woods, as Middle Allie, who performed in “SIX the Musical”, Tony Award winner Maryann Plukett, as Older Allie, and other cast members from shows like “Jagged Little Pill,” “Waitress,” and “Parade.”
Along with classic stories making their Broadway debut, a more modern title has been picked up to become its own musical. “Water For Elephants,” which will open on March 21 at the Imperial Theatre, is based on Sara Gruen’s novel that takes place during the 20th-century and tells the tale of a veterinary student and circus performer bonding over a special elephant. The show will star Grant Gustin who is best known for his role as Barry Allen on “The Flash” and as Sebastian Smythe in “Glee.”
Along with new plotlines, Broadway will host a few revivals hoping to bless the stage with inspiring tunes. “The Wiz,” an adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz,” will return to Broadway after the completion of a national tour on April 17. On April 21, “Cabaret” will re-open at August Wilson Theatre with an Olivier Award-winning West End revival of the show. “The Pirates of Penzance” will have its first preview in April of 2025 returning again after 40 years.
This year will be spent writing and rehearsing even more shows to debut on Broadway in the next few years. Recognizable titles like “13 Going on 30,” “17 Again,” “Boop! The Betty Book Musical,””The Devil Wears Prada,””The Karate Kid,””La La Land,” and “The Queen’s Gambit” are all in the works. These shows have no confirmed date or location, nor full casts; however, they are all currently being worked on to create scripts, music, and choreography that are sure to bring viewers to their feet.
