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Michael Jackson musical, ‘The Wiz,’ ‘Company’ lead Pantages’ 2023-24 season

Actors dance in the style of Michael Jackson, led by a person dressed like Michael Jackson.
Myles Frost and the cast of “MJ” on Broadway.
(Matthew Murphy)
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“MJ,” the Tony Award-winning musical featuring the hits of Michael Jackson, is among the upcoming offerings from Broadway in Hollywood, which announced on Wednesday the seven national tours that will play the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in its 2023-24 season.

“MJ” (Dec. 20-Jan. 28), set during the making of the musician’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour, kicks off the season, followed by a new staging of “The Wiz” (Feb. 13-March 3, 2024). This new version of the groundbreaking “Wizard of Oz”-based musical will be its first major revival in 40 years, and is set to play Broadway after its national tour.

A 25th-anniversary tour of “Chicago the Musical” (March 5-24, 2024) then stops at the Pantages, marking the show’s return to Los Angeles for the first time in nearly eight years. The Hollywood venue also will house “Girl From the North Country” (May 14-June 2, 2024), which is set during the Great Depression and features the songs of Bob Dylan, and “Mrs. Doubtfire” (June 11-30, 2024), which is adapted from the beloved 1993 movie starring Robin Williams. Both shows hit the road after runs on Broadway.

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A mother and her three children greet the newly arrived nanny, who stands in an open doorway.
Austin Elle Fisher, left, Tyler Wladis, Analise Scarpaci, Jenn Gambatese and Rob McClure in “Mrs. Doubtfire” on Broadway.
(Joan Marcus)

The Pantages then will welcome a new production of the classic adventure “Peter Pan” (July 30-Aug. 18, 2024), with an updated book by L.A. playwright Larissa FastHorse that revises the show’s long-criticized depiction of Native Americans. “I am thrilled to be part of bringing ‘Peter Pan’ to life for a new generation,” said FastHorse in a statement. “If you loved this musical before, you will still see the show that enchanted you, while discovering a ‘Peter Pan’ that everyone can enjoy, without harm, for many years to come.”

Closing out the season is the Broadway and West End revival of “Company,” which was overseen by Stephen Sondheim himself prior to his death in 2021. Originally written with a man as a main character, this version of the musical instead centers on a woman as she contemplates the pros and cons of romantic relationships upon turning 35 years old.

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The announcement also noted that theatergoers who buy a seven-show 2023-24 season package, which is available online, will be given priority access to the previously announced engagement of “Les Misérables” (Aug. 1-Sept. 10).

A woman sits on a table, surrounded by sitting and kneeling friends
Rosalie Craig (Bobbie), center, and the cast of “Company” on the West End.
(Brinkhoff/Moegenburg)

Pasadena Playhouse’s Sondheim Celebration kicks into gear with a revival of “Sunday in the Park With George,” directed by Sarna Lapine.

Feb. 21, 2023

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