2022-23 Best of Broadway season includes ‘Evan Hansen,’ ‘Hairspray’ and ‘Hadestown’

Musical theater fans who enjoy variety will be impressed with STCU’s 2022-23 Best of Broadway season, which commences July 5 with “Hadestown.” The season’s initial play, which connects two mythic tales, is a sensation and premiered in March 2019 on Broadway.

“Hadestown” captured Broadway’s fancy by winning eight Tony Awards, including best musical.

“It’s a cool production, which started on a grassroots level and just caught on in New York,” said Peter Rossing, WestCoast Entertainment’s director of marketing.

It takes the love story of Orpheus and Eurydice from Greek mythology and turns it into a folk opera set in what appears to be Depression-era New Orleans. The original Broadway cast includes Spokane-born actor Patrick Page in the role of Hades, king of the underworld.

After “Hadestown’s” run ends July 10, “Hairspray” is slated for Sept. 20-25. The lighthearted 1988 John Waters film became a Broadway smash on the strength of humor, originality and plenty of camp and was made into a hit 2007 movie with a star-studded cast that included Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron.

“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations,” which runs Jan. 17-22, chronicles the story of one of the most fascinating groups to emerge from Motown. Temptations vocalists Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin were two of the most colorful and fascinating figures to find fame with Berry Gordy’s storied label.

“Ain’t Too Proud” was nominated for 12 Tonys and won for best choreography. ” ‘The Temptations’ is like ‘Jersey Boys,’ but it comes from a completely different place,” Rossing said.

“Dear Evan Hansen,” which is slated for March 14-19, 2023, is a clever, quirky coming-of-age story about a boy who just wants to fit in. “Dear Evan Hansen” won six Tonys, including one for its star Ben Platt, at 23 the youngest ever to win a lead actor Tony in a musical.

“ ‘Evan Hansen’ is very popular with the younger audience,” Rossing said. “Younger people can relate to it since it’s about wanting to be accepted, and those who are older will enjoy how inspiring it is.”

The season closes with Disney’s “Aladdin,” a feel-good production that appeals to a wide demographic. “Expect lots of effects and stage magic,” Rossing said. “There will be a lot of trucks with that show since there will be so much to it.”

“Aladdin” received five Tony nods and won one for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for James Monroe Iglehart.

Rossing is thrilled since it will be the company’s most normal season since 2019.

“It’s exciting to be at this stage,” Rossing said. “When we came back, it was about everyone getting used to the theater with changes due to COVID protocol. And we had an unusual season last year.”

Due to the pandemic, six shows were featured in three months. “We still had a very good season,” Rossing said. “It was just different.” “Cats,” “Jersey Boys,” “Anastasia,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Mean Girls” and “Fiddler on the Roof” were featured, with “Wicked” and “Hamilton” still to come.

There will be more shows for the new season. “We have several more special engagements, some big,” Rossing said. “It’s going to be a great season. I’m hoping for relative normalcy, and we’re all excited about the great shows that our season ticketholders and all patrons will enjoy.”

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at broadwayspokane.com; season ticketholders can renew earlier, starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday. All performances are at First Interstate Center for the Arts, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.; (509) 279-7000, firstinterstatecenter.org.