Oh what a great new Gateway season

Linda Leuzzi
Posted 1/26/23

Fans of “Jersey Boys,” the monster smash musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, will get their request granted in The Gateway’s production for its 2023-2024 season. …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Oh what a great new Gateway season

Posted

Fans of “Jersey Boys,” the monster smash musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, will get their request granted in The Gateway’s production for its 2023-2024 season.

Get ready to sing along to “Oh What a Night,” “Sherry,” and other hits.

“It’s the most asked for show,” said Scot Patrick Allan, The Gateway’s director of development and public relations. “Larry Rabin will direct it. I’ve seen it three or four times and the story is so beautiful.”

The show opened on Broadway, with music by Bob Gaudio, on Nov. 6, 2005, and ran to 2017, dramatizing the success and eventual breakup of the phenomenal 1960s group. It won four Tony Awards including Best Musical, as well as Drama Desk and Grammy Awards, raves from the New York Times, and was made into a movie. It’s playing at The Gateway, Aug. 4 to Sept. 10.

But the other productions lined up are stellar in their own way.

“Evita,” the life of Argentine political leader Evita Peron, will open the season (May 5 to May 28), a show Allan pointed out was scheduled for the 2020 season when COVID hit. It’s another Broadway blockbuster with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, and won Patti LuPone raves as well as a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. It first played at The Gateway in 2005.

A last-minute change to “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” (June 16 to July 16), is also on the roster. “We saw the success with ‘The Cher Show,’” Allan said of last year’s musical. “It’s a tribute to Donna and also, I’m a Boston boy, and Donna is from Dorchester.”

Allan said “School of Rock” was originally planned, about an out-of-work rock singer who winds up at a prep school and leads his elementary students to win a prestigious music competition. “But it wouldn’t work with kids, their instruments, and their scheduling with school. When a show relies on kids, we can do it, but we need to get our ducks in a row,” he added.

There’s a whole month to enjoy “The Gateway Holiday Spectacular on Ice” (Dec. 1 to Jan 1, 2024).

“We’re anticipating asking Nancy Kerrigan back,” said Allan. Kerrigan, who won two Olympic medals in figure skating, headlined The Gateway show in December 2021.

For those who love the classics, “Fiddler on the Roof” (Jan. 26, 2024 to Feb. 25, 2024) will take you back to “Tradition” and other beloved songs in this beautiful show about Tevye, the Russian milkman in 1905 who tries to maintain his Jewish religion and culture with three older daughters, who want to marry for love.

“We’ve been dying to do ‘Fiddler,’ but it’s been on the road, and we finally got the rights,” Allan said.

The last show in the season, “In the Heights” (March 15, 2024 to April 14, 2024), will prompt you and your neighbors to dance in the aisles. The show opened on Broadway in 2008 and was conceptualized with lyrics and music by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It won four Tony Awards. “It takes place in Washington Heights and celebrates Latin roots and the rich musical heritage there. I’m really looking forward to that one, maybe the most.”

All shows will be performed at The Gateway’s stage in Bellport, and Allan said future concerts and the Children’s Theatre shows will be announced.

Tickets for the 2023-2024 season are on sale now at theGateway.org; or call for tickets at 631-286-1133. 

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here