Theater News

Romy & Michele's High School Reunion Musical to Make World Premiere

5th Avenue Theatre’s 2016-17 season will also include Broadway’s Tony-winning musical ”Fun Home”.

A scene from the 1997 comedy Romy & Michele's High School Reunion, making its musical world premiere at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre.
Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino in the 1997 comedy Romy & Michele's High School Reunion, making its musical world premiere at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre.

Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre has announced the seven productions slated for its 2016-17 season, including the world premiere of Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion. The 1997 cult hit film (starring Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow) will now get a musical adaptation, featuring a book by Robin Schiff who penned the screenplay, with music and lyrics by Gwendolyn Sanford and Brandon Jay. The creative team will also include Rock of Ages director Kristin Hanggi and choreographer Kelly Devine. Performances will run from June 8-July 2, 2017.

The season will open with Man of La Mancha, the musical adaptation of Dale Wasserman's teleplay I, Don Quixote, which was inspired by Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote. The show features a book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion, and music by Mitch Leigh. With direction by Allison Narver will direct and choreography by Maria Torres, the production will run from October 7-30.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid will follow with a holiday season run from November 23-December 31. Based on the beloved 1989 animated film, the stage musical features a book by Doug Wright, music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater. Glenn Casale will direct.

Musical theater classic The Pajama Game will then run from February 9-March 5, 2017. directed by 5th Avenue producing artistic director Bill Berry, the show features a book by George Abbott and Richard Bissell with music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. Set in a pajama plant during a labor dispute, the story is based on the popular novel 7½ Cents by Richard Bissell.

5th Avenue Theatre will then join with ACT Theatre to present the Northwest premiere of Murder for Two, running from March 25-June 4, 2017. The 90-minute whodunit features a book by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian with music by Joe Kinosian and lyrics by Kellen Blair.

The Secret Garden, coproduced with Washington, D.C.’s Shakespeare Theatre Company, will follow with a run from April 14-May 6, 2017, directed by 5th Avenue executive producer and artistic director David Armstrong. Based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved novel, the musical features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman and music by Lucy Simon.

The 2015 Tony-winning musical Fun Home will close out the season, running from July 11-30, 2017. Based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home features a Tony-winning score by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron, a Tony-winning book by Kron, and Tony-winning direction by Sam Gold.

For tickets and for more information about the new 5th Avenue season, click here.

Featured In This Story

Man of La Mancha

Closed: October 30, 2016

Murder for Two

Closed: June 11, 2017

The Pajama Game

Closed: March 5, 2017

The Secret Garden

Closed: May 6, 2017

Fun Home

Closed: July 30, 2017