The 2022-2023 Key Bank Broadway series at Proctors features two superstar productions. Additionally, there’s a great juke box musical, a dramatic musical masquerading as a juke box musical and a classic musical.
The superstars are the Disney musical “Aladdin” which plays the Schenectady venue for two weeks, October 11-23. It will also tech at Proctors before going on its national tour.
The other major event is “Hamilton” which makes a return visit March 14-19, 2023. It’s only here for a week and tickets should go fast.
Following “Aladdin” and preceding “Hamilton” is the classic “Hairspray.” It plays December 6-11 and will make for great holiday entertainment. To show its universal appeal, this is the work that is also part of the Capital Repertory season subscription.
Broadway is absent from Proctors for the next four months. “Tootsie” arrives April 11-16, 2003. It’s a musical adaptation of the film that starred Dustin Hoffman. It was one of the early works that showed how a man becomes a better man by imitating the emotional life of a woman.
The final two shows could be categorized as juke box musicals. That’s only half right. “Jagged Little Pill,” which is at the theater May 2-7, 2023, is based on Alanis Morissette’s ground-breaking album of the same name. But, it’s not a typical “and then she wrote” work. It’s a serious but exhilarating event, for those who prefer emotion and thoughtfulness over light and frothy.
But not to worry, you only have to wait two weeks for a delightful juke box musical that will have you dancing in the aisles. The season ends May 23-28 with “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations.” Interestingly, the show teched at Proctors last October, but it’s taken about 18-months to play here. Thankfully, it’s worth the wait. It’s a show filled with dynamic music and a compelling story.
There is no drama on Proctors’ new season, but since Capital Repertory Theatre is under the Proctors Collaborative umbrella the area will have its share of drama and comedy.
Cap Rep opens September 30 – October 23 with a comedy “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.” One of the creators is Gordon Greenberg, a favorite in Albany and an Associate Artist with the theater. It’s described as a 90-minute gender-bending romp filled with giggles and silliness. Sounds ideal for Halloween audiences
There is not another show at 251 N. Pearl Street theater until Jan 27. That’s because Capital Rep subscribers get tickets to “Hairspray” at Proctors (December 6-11).
The January show is a world premiere that came from the company’s Next Act: New Play Summit. “Secret Hour” is a constantly twisting, suspenseful tale in which the truth is never clear. It plays January 27-February 19, 2023.
March is dark, but April explodes with one of Shakespeare’s most delightful comedies. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” plays April 14-May 7, 2023
The schedule jumps from spring to summer as the final show of the season plays July 14-August 20, 2023. “Honky Tonk Angels” was created by Ted Swindley, the person who wrote “Always… Patsy Cline.” This work features three female country singers as they shoot for stardom. They sing over 30 foot-stomping songs, which promises to turn Albany into Nashville. Think of it as “Patsy Times Three”.
For theater fans, things look promising through summer of 2003. But don’t forget both Proctors and Capital Rep still have shows available from the 2021-2022 season. Enjoy.
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
