Two-time Tony Award-winning Goodspeed Musicals proudly announces the music, choreographer and director teams for its 2023 season productions at the Goodspeed Opera House. Extraordinary talent from near and far will bring to life an exciting and memorable season with stories that range from Vaudeville to Motown, from powerful to playful and everything in between. Single tickets for all four shows of Goodspeed’s 2023 season are now on sale.

The season will open with Gypsy, a Golden Age classic that will appear on the Goodspeed stage for the first time, which will run from April 28 – June 18. Music direction will be by Goodspeed’s Resident Music Director Adam Souza (Goodspeed: Over 20 productions including 42nd Street, Cabaret, A Grand Night for Singing, Because of Winn Dixie; Broadway: Wicked, Kinky Boots). Gypsy will be choreographed by Patricia Wilcox (Goodspeed: The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie; Broadway: Motown the Musical, A Night with Janis Joplin).  After directing several recent hits at Goodspeed (Anne of Green Gables, The Music Man, Oklahoma!, Bye Bye Birdie), Jenn Thompson returns to direct the production (Current National Tour: Annie; Off Broadway: Conflict, Women Without Men).

Next will be the world premiere musical comedy Summer Stock. Filled with exuberant dance numbers and hits from the American songbook, it is adapted from the MGM/Warner Bros. film Summer Stock and will run July 7 – August 27. Music supervision will be by Tony Award-winner Doug Besterman (Broadway/Orchestrations: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award), The Producers (Tony Award), Fosse (Tony Award). Music direction will be by Goodspeed’s Resident Music Director Adam Souza. Summer Stock will be choreographed and directed by one of Canada’s most versatile and in-demand creative talents Donna Feore (Stratford Festival: Chicago, Billy Elliot; 5th Avenue Theatre: Broadway Vacation). Summer Stock is produced by special arrangement with VenuWorks Theatricals: Steven Peters and Michael Londra, Principals; Carolyn Rossi Copeland, Executive Producer.

The fall production will be a bold and powerful new musical, The 12, which will run September 8 – October 29. Music direction will be by Goodspeed’s Resident Music Director Adam Souza. Music supervision will be by Drama Desk Award-nominated Greg Jarrett (Broadway: Gigi, Les Liaisons Dangereuses). Tony Award-winning director John Doyle, known for masterfully reinventing the stage musical, will direct and musically stage The 12 (Broadway: The Color Purple, Sweeney Todd (Tony Award), Company). The 12 is produced by special arrangement with Joe Grano and Cody Lassen.

Closing the season will be Dreamgirls, the dazzling Motown-inspired hit also making its Goodspeed debut, running November 10 – December 30. Music direction will be by Goodspeed’s Resident Music Director Adam Souza. Award-winning teaching artist Breon Arzell will choreograph Dreamgirls (Olney Theatre: Fela!, Miss You Like Hell; MUNY: Rent, The Color Purple). Directing the production is Chicago native Lili-Anne Brown who has directed and produced many award-winning shows nationally (Huntington Theatre: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone; Goodman Theatre: School Girls, or The African Mean Girls Play).

Now in her third season as Goodspeed’s Artistic Director, Donna Lynn Hilton shared, “We are proud to welcome this accomplished group of artists to our stage. Their skill and visionary theatremaking will define Goodspeed’s 60th anniversary season as we continue to produce the best of musical theatre to challenge, delight and entertain our devoted and growing audience.”

Single tickets are now on sale through the Box Office (860.873.8668), open weekdays at 10 a.m. and online at goodspeed.org. Season tickets for all four shows at The Goodspeed are still available and start at $116. Goodspeed Memberships for 2023, which provide many benefits to donors, are also available. More information can be found at goodspeed.org.

Gypsy and Dreamgirls are presented through arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark, LLC.

A season of new musicals at Goodspeed’s Terris Theatre will be announced soon.

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About Goodspeed Musicals:

Goodspeed Musicals has achieved international acclaim and is the first theatre in the nation to receive two Tony Awards for outstanding achievement in musical theatre. Under the leadership of Donna Lynn Hilton, Artistic Director and David B. Byrd, Managing Director, Goodspeed Musicals is dedicated to the celebration, development and advancement of musical theatre. Goodspeed creates powerful, world-class productions of enlightening new and established works to entertain and inspire audiences on its two stages – The Goodspeed in East Haddam, CT and the Terris Theatre in Chester, CT. From Goodspeed, 21 musicals have gone to Broadway (including Man of La Mancha, Annie, Shenandoah and Holiday Inn) and more than 90 new musicals have been launched. Goodspeed’s Festival of New Musicals, GoodWorks commissioning program and The Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed are distinguished cornerstones of the organization that highlight its commitment to nurture the talents of new and established artists and support the creative process. Goodspeed also maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre. Goodspeed gratefully acknowledges the support of The Shubert Foundation, Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, CT Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, visit www.goodspeed.org.

More About Goodspeed Musicals 2023 Productions

Gypsy  
A Musical Fable
First Time at Goodspeed!
April 28 – June 18                

Book by Arthur Laurents
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Suggested by memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee
Music Direction by Adam Souza
Choreographed by Patricia Wilcox
Directed by Jenn Thompson

Here she is, world! Momma Rose, the ambitious stage mother determined to drive her daughters toward stardom, takes center stage in one of the most celebrated musicals of all time. And with her comes a parade of iconic tunes that conjure the joys and heartaches of show business: “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You,” “Together, Wherever We Go,” and more. The brassy masterpiece about vaudeville and burlesque lights up the Goodspeed stage for the very first time. Curtain up! 
Rating: PG-13 (Mature themes)

Summer Stock
A Musical Comedy
July 7 – August 27               

Book by Cheri Steinkellner
Adapted from the MGM/Warner Bros. film Summer Stock
Music Direction by Adam Souza
Music Supervision by Doug Besterman
Directed & Choreographed by Donna Feore

Forget your troubles—come on, get happy! The tradition of turning a barn into a theater finds fertile new ground in a joyous world premiere inspired by the classic Judy Garland-Gene Kelly movie. When theatrical Gloria invites fellow troupers to the family farm with the idea of putting on a show, her practical sister Jane is stubborn as a mule but relents because the farm needs work—and workers. Sisterhood, budding romance and a Broadway-bound musical are all at risk. But there’s nothing like the sunshine of hits from the American songbook to chase all your cares away!
Rating: G

The 12
A New Musical
September 8 – October 29

Book & Lyrics by Robert Schenkkan
Music & Lyrics by Neil Berg
Music Direction by Adam Souza
Music Supervision by Greg Jarrett
Direction and Musical Staging by John Doyle

Jerusalem. The disciples are in disarray. Torn apart by the unthinkable death of their leader, see how twelve ordinary individuals come together to create one of the most powerful movements ever known. Filled with power and passion, The 12 is a universal story of love and how each of us must eventually navigate the loss of whatever we hold most dear. Join us for a profoundly moving musical that you will never forget! 
Rating: 15+ (Mature themes, language)

Dreamgirls
November 10 – December 30       

Book & Lyrics by Tom Eyen
Music by Henry Krieger
Music Direction by Adam Souza
Choreographed by Breon Arzell
Directed by Lili-Anne Brown

Stars rise and fall… but dreams live forever! A 1960s Motown girl group catches its big break during an amateur competition. But will their friendship—and their music—survive the rapid rise from obscurity to pop super stardom? With dazzling costumes and powerhouse vocal performances, this Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical sizzles with sparkling spirit and dance. Featuring the unforgettable hits "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "One Night Only,” this is one Goodspeed production you won’t want to miss! 
Rating: PG-13