Grand Rapids Civic Theater is opening their 2015/16 season on September 11th and will run through June 19th. The youth plays will finish up the season on August 7th. Make sure to check out the full line-up of plays and plan your schedule accordingly! You won’t want to miss what the Grand Rapids Civic Theater has to offer!

The Great Gatsby – September 11 – September 27

A stage play, adapted by Simon Levy, with exclusive approval from the Fitzgerald Estate. Based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of the same name, this play brings to life an honest and powerful rendition of the quest for the American Dream during the Roaring Twenties. Jay Gatsby, a young and mysterious character is consumed by his passion and obsession with a beautiful former debutante, Daisy Buchanan.  Driven to recreate himself as something magnificent and the belief that fiction can be willed truth, Gatsby becomes entangled in a web of deception that will cost him the ultimate sacrifice. Buy Tickets.

Sleepy Hollow a Musical Tale – October 23 – November 1

A new musical version of the classic Washington Irving story, this updated spin begins in the present day on Halloween night as three modern-day children find themselves thrust into the mysterious village of Sleepy Hollow, in Colonial New England. The children encounter a slew of colorful characters, and even a confrontation with the infamous Headless Horseman himself.  As the children sing and dance their way through the world of the 18th century they find the origins for traditions that are celebrated today as they unveil the haunting allure of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Buy Tickets.

A Christmas Story, The Musical – November 20 – December 20

Civic Theatre has secured exclusive West Michigan rights for this seasonal delight just in time for the Holidays.  Ralphie Parker only wants one thing for Christmas: an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200 shot Range Model Air Rifle (with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time) and he is on a quest to make sure this gift ends up under his Christmas tree.

A Christmas Story, The Musical is recommended for children and adults, ages eight and older. For an even greater theatre experience, read the Jean Sheppard short story and follow that with a movie viewing! Buy Tickets.

Barefoot in the Park – January 15 – January 31

Neil Simon, an American playwright and screenwriter has left his comedic footprint in the world of arts and culture. One of his shining stars is found in the 1963 stage play, Barefoot in the Park. Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds in every sense of the word. He is a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer and she is a free spirit always searching for the newest trend.  Team this relationship with an overpriced and under-performing New York apartment, a nosey mother-in-law, a zany neighbor and the result is some of Simon’s best work. Barefoot in the Park will bring laughter and warmth to the cold West Michigan January. Buy Tickets.

Sister Act – The Musical – February 26 – March 20

After a successful Broadway tour, the Civic Theatre has been awarded the performance rights to this musical sensation. Original music by Tony and Oscar-winning composer, Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors) brings this comedic sensation to life.  Deloris VanCartier is a wanna-be diva who witnesses a crime. Her only chance of surviving is to go deep into hiding, in one of the most unlikely places The Holy Order of the Little Sisters of Our Mother of Perpetual Faith: a convent full of tone-deaf singing nuns. Buy Tickets.

Freckleface Strawberry – April 22 – May 1

This children’s musical is filled with entertainment and an important message for children of all ages.  This play comes straight from the pages of the New York Times Best Selling book, written by celebrated and award-winning actress, Julianne Moore. Freckleface Strawberry is just like every other girl, except she has bright red hair and something worse… FRECKLES! She will do anything to get rid of her freckles until her schoolmates help her learn a valuable lesson: everyone is different – and that’s what makes everyone special.

A children’s musical appropriate for children ages four and older. For an even greater theatre experience read the series of Freckleface Strawberry books written by Julianne Moore. Buy Tickets.

Caroline,  Or Change – June 3 – June19

Race, rage and civil rights are at the heart of this deeply personal (semi-autobiographical) story by Tony Kushner (Pulitzer Prize for Angels in America).  This is the story of Caroline Thibodeaux, a divorced mother of four, middle-aged African-American maid who works for a Jewish family – the Gellmans – in (1963) Louisiana. Caroline, a woman resistant to change and conflict, finds herself in the middle of a Gellman family conflict and changes in the world around her. The nation is in the middle of conflict and change: Vietnam, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the Civil Rights Movement. Buy Tickets.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School – July 29 – August 7 – Youth Play

Welcome to Wayside, a thirty-story building with one classroom on each floor. The zany characters will take you on a bizarre classroom journey that promises to thrill and excite the entire family. Buy Tickets.

Into the Woods – July 29 – August 7 – Youth Musical

The Brothers Grimm hit the stage with an epic fairy tale about wishes, family and the choices we make. Buy Tickets.

Visit GRCT.org for more information!