Blumenthal Arts unveils a new season: 5 shows we’re excited to see

What do Tina Turner, The Temptations and the witches of Oz all have in common? Each will be the inspiration behind one of the exciting musicals coming to Charlotte as part of Blumenthal Arts’ 2024-2025 season.

The lineup will include big winners from the 2023 Tony Awards (“Kimberly Akimbo” and “Parade”), beloved titles that are making a return to Charlotte (“Hamilton” and “Wicked”), plus some new classics (“A Beautiful Noise” and “Life of Pi”).

The PNC Broadway Lights Series will include seven first-run shows, while the Equitable Bravo Series will feature five productions. Additional shows are scheduled as Broadway Extras. 

The QCity Metro team reviewed the lineup and picked our favorites.

Amanda’s pick: “Wicked”

September 24–October 26, 2025

As a new fan of musical theater, I’m on a mission to see some of the shows that have made waves on Broadway. So naturally, “Wicked” is high on my list of must-see productions.

This Broadway classic, set in the Land of Oz long before Dorothy arrives, tells the back story of how two young witches came to be labeled “good” and “wicked.” Although I haven’t seen the musical, its soundtrack has been on my playlist for years. (“Defying Gravity” got lots of replays.) 

I like stories that take classic tales and approach them from surprising perspectives, so I’m sure “Wicked” won’t disappoint. 

Bethany’s pick: “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations”

June 10–15, 2025

As a member of Gen Z, I never saw The Temptations perform. That’s why I’m excited about the return of “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations.” 

The show tells the story of the group’s ups and downs as they lose members, face racism and ultimately grow up together. The cast somehow manages to tell this multifaceted story while also singing and dancing to the group’s best hits. When I saw the show in 2023, it was almost like being at a concert, with heads bopping, toes tapping and some quiet humming along. 

Warning: If you go, expect to have “My Girl” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” playing in your head for weeks, but it’s well worth it. 

Glenn’s pick: “Life of Pi”

July 29–August 3, 2025

Few things spark my imagination like tales of the sea. In “Life of Pi,” a 16-year-old Indian boy survives a shipwreck in the Pacific Ocean and is stranded aboard a lifeboat for 277 days, with a hungry tiger as his only companion. An improbable tale, to be sure

Like the bestselling novel that inspired it, this musical will ask audiences to see and believe the impossible, with deep philosophical themes centered on faith and reality. While theater critics have marveled at the amazing puppetry that animates the tiger (plus a hyena, a zebra, and an orangutan), I look forward to simply escaping into a world of fantastic imagination. What better purpose can theater serve?  

Madeline’s pick: “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical”

June 10–15, 2025

“Tina” has every element best associated with music icon Tina Turner: triumph, soul and rock’n’roll. It’s a concert, riveting drama and, eventually, a love story that follows the singer’s journey from small-town girl to household name. 

When I first saw the show during its 2022 stop in Charlotte, I was on the edge of my seat. Though I was already familiar with Turner’s story and her music, the show presented them in a way that made me feel like I was hearing it all for the first time.

The musical makes pitstops at many of Turner’s defining life experiences, like entering the music industry, navigating a decades-long abusive marriage, divorce, finding her new sound – and a new love interest –and, of course, making her hit songs.

From “What’s Love To Do With It” to “Proud Mary,” “Disco Inferno,” “The Best,” and everything in between, “Tina” takes theatergoers on a ride that is as much a tear-jerker as it is a party.

Destiniee’s pick: “Les Misérables”

May 20–25, 2025 

“Les Misérables,” a musical based on the novel of the same name, had its world premiere in September 1980 and was turned into a feature film in 2012. 

This Broadway classic examines class in early 19th-century France through the story of Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his desire for redemption after serving 19 years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving child. 

I’m excited to see this production because it explores societal inequalities, an issue that’s sadly relatable to many struggling Americans today.