Shows and Events

Only in downtown Raleigh could the magic of the theatre make cars fly, as the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (based on the novel by James Bond creator Ian Fleming) was presented with Steve Wilson, Kelly McCormick and Elizabeth Ward Land.

A Chorus Line, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award Winning musical (Marvin Hamlisch, composer), originally ran in 1990 and totaled 6.137 performances, making it the longest running American musical in Broadway history. This Raleigh performance mesmerized audiences with the very best that Broadway has to offer.

It's not just a dream... it's a reality. Sitting in the first row in Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium was a surreal experience as the senses were stimulated with visualization, intellect, fortitude, strength, balance, detail, and artistic expression. A single preoccupation drives the performers - to create, more than imagine.

Company is a 1970 musical comedy with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, and the 1999 version was presented in Raleigh by a touring company. Of note, the original production was nominated for a record-setting fourteen Tony Awards and won six.

Tommy Tune headlined Dr. Dolittle at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium, along with Dee Hoty and Joel Blum. Tommy Tune first performed on Broadway in 1965, in the chorus of Baker Street, and has since won nine Tony Awards.

The Drowsy Chaperone's touring production landed in Raleigh in early 2008, a parody of American musical comedy of the 1920s. The story features a middle-aged, asocial musical theatre fan; as he plays the record of his favorite musical, the (fictional) 1928 hit "The Drowsy Chaperone", the show comes to life onstage as he wryly comments on the music, story, and actors.

Fame, the musical, was featured in the Broadway Series South offerings in 1999 based on the 1980 musical film. This production was conceived and developed by David De Silva, is a musical with a book by José Fernandez, music by Steve Margoshes and lyrics by Jacques Levy.

Audiences in Raleigh were treated to a performance from the first national tour of The Full Monty, a show packed with laughs, a few tears, and a not-to-missed-so-don't-blink ending.

Lorraine Bracco (from "The Sopranos") starred in the touring production of The Graduate. Jonathan C. Kaplan played the role of Benjamin, made famous in the movie version by a very young Dustin Hoffman.

Hairspray hit the Raleigh stage in late 2005 starring Keala Settle and J.P. Dougherty. The show, set in 1960s Baltimore, featured dance-loving teen Tracy Turnblad as she auditions for a spot on "The Corny Collins Show" and wins. She becomes an overnight celebrity, a trendsetter in dance, fun and fashion.

Hamilton: An American Musical is a sung-and-rapped-through musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It tells the story of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Miranda said that he was inspired to write the musical after reading the 2004 biography "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow. The show draws heavily from hip hop, as well as R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes.

Arnold, Howard, Jonie, Marion, Ralph, Richie, Potsie, Pinkie, Chachi, and "The Fonz" - we all remember the characters from the long running Happy Days TV series. Happy Days the musical reprises the show's characters and vibe, with music and lyrics by the legendary Paul Williams, and book by Garry Marshall. Joey Sorge played Fonzie, while Richie C. was portrayed by Steven Booth.

The show of the year - Jersey Boys - played at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium in July of 2009.

The revival of Jesus Christ Superstar was presented for the first time as an incredible Broadway Touring show. A true rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jesus Christ Superstar exploded onto the stage in 1971, and has been produced regularly around the world since then. Principal actors in this production included Lawrence Clayton and Eric Kunze.

Well, not all the Osmonds, but a whole lot of them, appeared at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium in 1999 for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, starring Patrick Cassidy and Deborah Gibson, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis.

La Casa Azul paints an impressionistic portrait of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, highlighting both her flamboyant and passionate personality and her uncommon artistic talent. La Casa Azul shows Frida Kahlo in the last moments of her life, as she engages in a dialogue with Death, hours before the inauguration of her first and only exhibit in Mexico City.

The Latino Diamante Awards are granted to individuals and organizations that are making significant contributions to the Latino/Hispanic community of North Carolina and to celebrate the diversity within the Latino/Hispanic community.

Fans of the early '80s series Dynasty will remember the cat fight between divas Joan Collins and Linda Evans - both appeared in Raleigh in 2007 in the touring show Legends. A classic catfight comedy, the confrontation between these two divas plays out to a surprising and hilarious resolution.

This 2004 performance was a return engagement to Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium for this touring show - The World's Most Popular Musical. Based on a story by Victor Hugo, "Les Miz" has certainly set the standard for the grand and glorious Broadway blockbuster shows. Steve Gannon played Jean Valjean, Amanda Huddleston played Cosette, and Steven Tewksbury played Javert.

This 1997 performance was a return engagement to Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium for this touring show - The World's Most Popular Musical. Performed on an unforgettable revolving stage, and originally based on a story by Victor Hugo, "Les Miz" has certainly set the standard for the grand and glorious Broadway blockbuster shows.