Lied’s 2021-22 Broadway season to feature ‘Band’s Visit,’ ‘Oklahoma!’

Courtesy photo

The Lied Center's 2021-22 Glenn Korff Broadway series will conclude with the reimagined "Oklahoma!" May 10 and 11, 2022.

Broadway will return to Lincoln this fall. After an 18-month hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021-22 will be the biggest Broadway season in the Lied Center for Performing Arts’ history.

National tours of “Jersey Boys,” “The Band’s Visit,” “Come from Away,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville” will make up the 2021-22 Glenn Korff Broadway Series season package. Patrons who purchased tickets to the postponed 2020-21 season have had their tickets automatically transferred to the new season. In addition, the Lied Center will welcome national tours of “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical,” “Riverdance” and “Madagascar”; the Tony Award-winning revival of “Oklahoma!”; and the return of Broadway star Bernadette Peters.

“Intermission is over at the Lied Center, and the return of Broadway is truly a celebration,” said Bill Stephan, the Lied’s executive director. “The Broadway party kicks off in September with ‘Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville,’ which is fun and escapism at its best. Then, spring 2022 is wall-to-wall Broadway at the Lied. From the Nebraska debut of ‘The Band’s Visit,’ to the deeply moving and uplifting ‘Come from Away,’ to the family fun of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and so much more, this season offers something for everyone. We’ve never had this many Broadway shows in a single season, and we’re so excited to welcome audiences back in a big way.”

Broadway season packages go on sale to the public May 19. The five-show packages start at $196. The Lied Center anticipates 2021-22 Broadway shows will be presented with full-capacity seating, with masks being required until further notice. Information and tickets are available here.

Broadway packages shows:

“Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville,” Sept. 10-12 (four shows) — Welcome to Margaritaville, where people come to get away from it all — and stay to find something they never expected. With a book by Emmy Award winner Greg Garcia (“My Name is Earl,” “Raising Hope”) and Emmy nominee Mike O’Malley (“Survivor’s Remorse,” “Shameless”), “Escape to Margaritaville” is a musical comedy featuring both original songs and beloved Buffett classics, including “Fins,” “Volcano” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”

"Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville"

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” Jan. 27-29, 2022 (four shows) — Roald Dahl’s amazing tale is now Lincoln’s golden ticket. It’s the perfect recipe for a delectable treat: songs from the original film — including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket” — alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of “Hairspray.” Get ready for Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, the great glass elevator, and more, more, more at this everlasting showstopper.
“Jersey Boys,” March 25-27, 2022 (four shows) — They were just four guys from New Jersey, until they sang their first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard, and the radio just couldn’t get enough. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a different story — one that has made them an international sensation all over again. Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony- and Grammy-winning musical phenomenon “Jersey Boys.” The show features the top-10 hits “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and “December, 1963 (Oh What A Night).”
“The Band’s Visit,” April 9-10, 2022 (four shows) — This critically acclaimed musical is the winner of 10 Tony Awards, including best musical, making it one of the most Tony-winning musicals in history. It is also a Grammy winner for best musical theater album. In this joyously offbeat story, set in a town that’s way off the beaten path, a band of musicians arrive lost, out of the blue. Under the spell of the desert sky, and with beautiful music perfuming the air, the band brings the town to life in unexpected and tantalizing ways. With a seductive score and thrillingly talented onstage musicians, “The Band’s Visit” rejoices in the way music makes us laugh and cry and ultimately brings us together.

“Come from Away,” April 27-May 1, 2022 (seven shows) — This musical tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. This authentic and moving musical chronicles the story of one of history’s most infamous days. On Sept. 11, 2001, the world stopped. On Sept. 12, their stories moved us all.

Broadway ‘add-on’ performances:

“Beautiful – The Carole King Musical,” Feb. 11-13, 2022 (four shows) — This Tony- and Grammy-winning musical tells the story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband, Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in pop music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music; she wrote the soundtrack to a generation. All previously purchased tickets to “Beautiful” will be honored for the rescheduled performance dates. For more information, click here.
Bernadette Peters, Feb. 26, 2022 — Throughout her illustrious career, Peters has dazzled audiences with her performances on stage, film and television, in concert and on recordings. One of Broadway’s most critically acclaimed performers, she has earned three Tony Awards. Her Broadway credits include “Into the Woods,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” “Gypsy,” “Song and Dance,” “Follies” and the recent revival of “Hello, Dolly!” Peters has appeared in 17 films and received a Golden Globe Award for her performance in “Pennies from Heaven.” She currently guest-stars on the NBC series “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.”
“Riverdance,” March 8-10, 2022 (three shows) — This production is a powerful and stirring reinvention of the beloved favorite, celebrated the world over for its Grammy-winning score and the energy and passion of its Irish and international dance. Twenty-five years on, composer Bill Whelan has re-recorded his mesmerizing soundtrack, while producer Moya Doherty and director John McColgan have reimagined the groundbreaking show with innovative lighting, projection, stage and costume designs.
“Madagascar,” April 2, 2022 (two shows) — Join Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo as they bound out of the zoo and onto the stage in this new hit musical from DreamWorks (“Shrek the Musical”). The four friends escape from their home in New York City’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar. All previously purchased tickets to “Madagascar” will be honored for the rescheduled performance dates. For more information, click here.

“Oklahoma!,” May 10-11, 2022 (two shows) — “How is it that the coolest new show on Broadway is a 1943 musical?” The New York Times wrote. This is “Oklahoma!” as you’ve never seen or heard it before — reimagined for the 21st century, and now the Tony Award winner for best revival of a musical. The production is recommended for ages 12 and older.