The Overture Center for the Arts recently announced their new selection of Broadway shows coming for the 2026-2027 season. This season’s collection of musicals are bound to be quite exciting, especially because many of them are extremely acclaimed and popular. To get a better idea about the shows coming to Madison, here is some information about them.
Running from October 6th-11th, The Wiz is the first musical on the roster. This retelling of the Wizard of Oz is a Tony Award winning musical featuring a score of soul, rock, gospel, and other styles. Its bold style was revolutionary for Broadway while breathing new life into Dorothy’s story. With such an iconic history and impact, this is sure to be a strong opener for the season.
Next is Maybe Happy Ending, which is set to be playing from November 24th-29th. A winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2025, this is a moving story about two robots named Oliver and Claire who are ‘helper-bots’ who meet in 21st century Seoul, leading to possibly adventure and love. The show is known for, other than its array of awards and positive reviews, its stunning, technical marvel of a set, which features lots of digital elements and shifting rooms. There is no intermission. From what I hear, it’s a life-changing show that will show the audience what it really means to be human.
Continually, Six will be the next show to be on. It’ll be in the Overture Center from January 19th-24th. Six is about the six queens of Henry VIII reimagined as pop stars on tour. I have actually seen this show and I can assure you that the eye-catching, colorful costumes and incredible vocals will fill you with adrenaline and draw you into the fun. The show has no intermission as well and was at the Overture Center a few years ago, but is back due to its immense popularity. It showcases a powerful message about telling history from a new perspective and reclaiming it.
Death Becomes Her will be running through March 16th-21st, being the next one on the roster. Based off of the 1992 movie of the same name with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, this comedic hit of a Tony Award winning musical has already been successful after a few years on Broadway. The premise of the show is about aging star Madeline Ashton, and her estranged frenemy Helen Sharp. The two women had been trying to one-up each other for years, but things take a turn when a mysterious woman named Viola Van Horn offers them a special potion. With stunning costumes and an equally breathtaking set (featuring an important grand staircase), this show will definitely take your breath away. It shows the audience that life sucks, and soon you die…unless you don’t.
The next show might sound like Gordon Ramsey’s life in musical form, but Hell’s Kitchen – running from May 18th-23rd – is actually a show inspired by Alicia Keys featuring her music. The story follows 17-year-old Ali, with great choreography and some new songs written for the musical. This show would be great for any fan of Keys’ music, but even a person who’s not as fond of theatre who might recognize some of the songs.
Clear your calendars from June 4th-6th, because that’s when Hadestown will be making its way to the Overture Center. The wildly popular, eight Tony Award winning musical, is a fusion of the Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice and of Hades and Persephone featuring a distinctive folk and jazzy score. This show is a perfect representation of changing and dire times at hand, a fresh perspective of the world, the courage to take a stand, and starcrossed love. The characters in the show to retell the story, even if it’s sad, just in case it turns out differently that time. With a harsh and emotional vibe, Hadestown almost guarantees to leave you in tears and with a full heart.
Based on the book of the same name, The Outsiders musical is a Best Musical Tony Award winner, with another three Awards too. It will be at Overture from July 6th-11th. Set in 1967 Tulsa, Oklahoma, this classic coming-of-age story of outsiders seeking a world where they will fit in will no doubt be a great show to see, especially if you’ve already read the book.
Lastly, from August 3rd-8th, Jersey Boys is the last show set for the season. This show is also Tony Award winning, and a Broadway classic. It tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, a musical group established in 1960 in New Jersey who have sold around 100 million records worldwide. From the story to the music from the group, this is sure to be a good show at least because of its well-recognized name.
The season seems to be quite a successful one upon hearing about it, and I hope that many people, if not me, will be able to see any of these shows. Check back further into the year for any possible reviews of these shows if any of our writers go to see them.
