The show must go on. Van Wezel announces 2020-2021 lineup of hit musicals and performers

The coronavirus pandemic has meant a terribly long intermission for entertainment venues around the country, including Sarasota’s own Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

But the entertainment curators at the beloved purple theater are now gearing up for the show to go on later this year with the announcement of a new season full of hit shows and performers.

“In light of the difficult times we are all facing, we look forward to having the opportunity to bring a fantastic subscription season to our community,” Van Wezel’s executive director Mary Bensel said in a press release. “While we may not have the opportunity to be seated in the theater today, we hope that you join us in looking forward to a brighter future ahead.”

Released this week, the lineup for the the theater’s 2020-2021 subscription season includes Broadway classics, dance acts and renowned classical musicians.

Tickets for the upcoming shows are currently only available through Van Wezel’s subscriber packages, which include choice seats, a ticket exchange program and discounts of up to 20 percent. Individual tickets will go on sale in early September, according to the venue’s website.

Here are some highlights that theatergoers and music fans can look forward to as well as a complete listing of the subscription series shows.

Broadway series

The Broadway ticket package features a whopping 12 shows and includes some debuts for Sarasota. Among them are “An Officer and a Gentleman,” based on the Oscar-winning 1982 film starring Richard Gere, and “Anastasia,” a new musical set in 1920s Paris.

“Come From Away,” one of the shows that had to be canceled due to COVID-19, has also been rescheduled for the upcoming season. The musical is based on the true story of roughly 7,000 people who were stranded in the small Canadian town of Gander in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

“’Come From Away’ has always been a special show to me,” Bensel said in a press release. “The message of finding the light and overcoming adversity couldn’t be more applicable, given the incredibly challenging circumstances that we are facing around the world right now.”

Full Broadway series:

▪ Come from Away: Nov. 24- 29, 2020

▪ Chicago: Dec. 12-13, 2020

▪ Jesus Christ Superstar: Dec. 29, 2020-Jan. 3, 2021.

▪ An Officer and a Gentlemen: Jan. 5-6, 2021

▪ Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Jan. 17, 2021

▪ Summer: The Donna Summer Musical: Feb. 9-10, 2021

▪ Blue Man Group: Feb. 22-24, 2021

▪ Jersey Boys: Feb. 26-28, 2021

▪ Anastasia: March 23-28, 2021

▪ South Pacific: March 29-30, 2021

▪ Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show: April 23-25, 2021

▪ Fiddler on the Roof: April 27-29, 2021

Classical series

Next season’s classical music offerings include four-time Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming, the Sarasota premiere of the globally acclaimed Isreal Symphony Orchestra and the return of violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, this time with pianist Rohan De Silva.

Full Classical series:

▪ Salute to Vienna’s New Year’s Concert: Jan. 4, 2021

▪ Renée Fleming: Jan. 13, 2021

▪ Israel Symphony Orchestra: Jan. 19, 2021

▪ Itzhak Perlman in Recital: March 8, 2021

▪ Lang Lang: March 11, 2021

Dance series

Van Wezel’s offerings of dance and ballet for the upcoming season span from the elegant and ethereal “Swan Lake” as performed by Moscow’s Russian National Ballet to “Tango Fire,” a passionate production featuring Argentinian dance talent and the music of classic tango composers.

Full Dance series:

▪ Tango Fire: Jan. 27, 2021

▪ Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Feb. 16-17, 2021

▪ Russian National Ballet: Swan Lake: March 22, 2021

Other shows

Several other shows can be added onto the theater’s subscriber ticket packages at a 10 percent discount. They are:

▪ Kathleen Turner: Finding My Voice: Jan. 20, 2021

▪ The Choir of Man: Jan. 28, 2021

▪ Neil Berg’s 112 Years of Broadway: Feb. 2, 2021

▪ The Simon and Garfunkel Story: Feb. 12, 2021

▪ STOMP: March 7, 2021

For more info, visit vanwezel.org or call the box office at 941-263-6799 or toll-free at 800-826-9303.