Photo by Matthew Murphy
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
The changing of the seasons brings new shows, exhibitions and other forms of entertainment to central Ohio. Whether you’re looking for opera, ballet, music or laughs, there are plenty of groups throughout Columbus offering world-class entertainment.
Here are some notable shows you can expect to see this performing arts season.
Short North Stage presents Sondheim on Sondheim
Sept. 8-10
Garden Theater
Stephen Sondheim is a name that should be familiar to musical theater fans, as his decorated career earned him the nickname “Father of the Modern Musical.” This musical, written in part by Sondheim himself, takes a look at his personal life and creative process, with songs from several of the shows he wrote over his nearly 70-year career. The show debuted on a limited run in 2010, during which it earned several Tony nominations. Click here for the full season lineup.
Shadowbox Live presents Thunder & Lightning
Sept. 7-Nov. 12
Shadowbox Live Main Stage
In partnership with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, this show pays tribute to iconic rock bands Led Zeppelin and Queen through a meta-media performance. Under the direction of these collaborators, see performances of iconic songs such as “Stairway to Heaven” and “Killer Queen” for a rock ‘n’ roll-filled night. www.shadowboxlive.org
Opera Columbus presents Carmen
Sept. 29 and Oct. 1
Southern Theatre
Prepare to be mesmerized by titular femme fatale Carmen, played by Tesia Kwarteng, as she unravels the life of soldier Don José and is forced to face the consequences in the end. This captivating 90-minute show explores the power struggles and gender politics of 19th-century France in a re-imagined portrayal of French writer Prosper Mérimée’s 1845 novella. Click here for the full season lineup.
Chamber Music Columbus presents Meta4
Oct. 14
Southern Theatre
Since its international debut in 2007, this Finnish string quartet has captivated audiences around the world with its balanced sound and impressive instruments – including a Stradivarius violin and Lorenzo Storioni cello. The group has earned several awards for its performances and albums released since its inception in 2001. www.chambermusiccolumbus.org
Schottenstein Center presents Shania Twain with Lily Rose
Oct. 27
Schottenstein Center
The five-time Grammy award-winning Queen of Country Pop makes a stop in Columbus as part of her 2023 Queen of Me Tour. This tour is one of Twain’s largest tours to date, with shows all over North America and Europe to complement the release of her 2023 Queen of Me album.www.schottensteincenter.com
ProMusica Chamber Orchestra presents Steel Pan & Schubert
Nov. 11-12
Southern Theatre
Grammy-nominated composer and percussionist Andy Akiho brings his piece Beneath Lighted Coffers to Columbus. Akiho is critically acclaimed by countless organizations, having received several prestigious awards, and has commissioned pieces for groups around the world, including New York Philharmonic, LA Dance Project and Shanghai Symphony. This performance not only includes Akiho’s Concerto for Steel Pan and Orchestra, but also Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, “The Great” to close out the performance. Click here for the full season lineup.
CAPA presents Buddy Guy’s Damn Right Farewell Tour, featuring special guest Tom Hambridge
Nov. 15
Palace Theatre
Influential blues artist Buddy Guy has released 33 albums throughout his 70-year career and gone on to influence legends such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. This Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee is joined by his award-winning drummer-producer, Tom Hambridge. www.capa.com
Western Reserve Folk Arts Association presents An Evening with Judy Collins
Dec. 14
Southern Theatre
With a career spanning nearly 60 years and with 55 albums to her name, Judy Collins has been inspiring audiences with her vocals, songwriting and social activism since the 1960s. In recent years, Collins has published several books and most recently released Spellbound, an album that maintains the folk aesthetic she is known for, in 2022. www.cbusarts.com
Broadway Columbus presents Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Jan. 2-14
Ohio Theatre
Get a taste of Paris fashion and fun when Moulin Rouge! The Musical comes to town. Having won 10 Tony Awards – including Best Musical – this show brings Baz Luhrmann’s film to the stage in an eye-popping show teeming with excess, glitz and glamour. It features music and choreography by Tony Award winners Justin Levine and Sonya Tayeh and is staying in Columbus for an extended run. Click here for the full season lineup.
Schottenstein Center presents Aerosmith with The Black Crowes
Jan. 23
Schottenstein Center
In celebration of the band’s 50th anniversary, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees are saying farewell to fans with the Peace Out tour. Joined by the Black Crowes, Aerosmith is returning to Columbus for the first time since 2012, bringing its blues-inspired rock sound with it. www.schottensteincenter.com
Jazz Arts Group presents Nat King Cole & Friends, featuring Kenny Washington
Feb. 8-11
Southern Theatre
The Columbus Jazz Orchestra is hosting a night of classic jazz and swing music with Nat King Cole & Friends. Travel back in time and enjoy renowned pieces by Cole such as “L-O-V-E” and “Get Your Kicks on Route 66,” sung by artist Kenny Washington. Click here for the full season lineup.
Columbus Symphony Orchestra presents Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 1, featuring Elina Vähälä
March 22-23
Ohio Theatre
Renowned Finnish-American violinist Elina Vähälä makes her Columbus Symphony debut, featuring one of her favorite pieces: Jean Sibelius’ “Violin Concerto.” The performance also
features Mozart’s “Overture to Don Giovanni” and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Symphony No. 1.” Catch Vähälä and Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s conductor, Rossen Milanov, before the performances for a pre-concert discussion. Click here for the full season lineup.
BalletMet presents Romeo & Juliet
April 26-28
Ohio Theatre
You’ve heard and seen the fabled story of the titular star-crossed lovers, but now you can see it brought to the stage in a new way. With choreography by BalletMet Artistic Director Edwaard Liang and music from the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the audience can expect intense sword fights, breathtaking stage pieces and a novel format for Shakespeare’s iconic masterpiece. Click here for the full season lineup.
The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio (formerly CATCO) presents Ride the Cyclone
April 18-May 5
Riffe Center, Studio One
Quickly becoming a cult classic 15 years after its debut, this musical shares a macabre story of a roller coaster accident claiming the lives of several high school choir students. This surprisingly light-hearted show follows the students as they come to grips with their demise and are faced with the opportunity to send one person back to the world of the living. Click here for the full season lineup.
Don’t Miss Out!
Broadway Columbus has a big season of performances and you won’t want to miss the return of Disney’s The Lion King. Running June 12 through July 7, this iconic story has entertained millions across the globe.
Suburban Spotlight
The Abbey Theater of Dublin presents The Inheritance (Parts 1 & 2)
Part One: Sept. 7-10, 13-16
Part Two: Sept. 21-24, 27-30
Abbey Theater, Dublin Community Recreation Center, Dublin
With a total of seven hours of stage time between both parts, audience members follow the lives
of several gay men in New York City following the AIDS epidemic. Making its Ohio debut, this Tony-Award-winning show explores the dynamics as these men search for a community of their own and a place to call home. www.dublinohiousa.gov/abbey-theater
Little Theatre Off Broadway presents The Savannah Sipping Society
Nov. 3-19
Little Theatre Off Broadway, Grove City
Follow as the lives of four Southern women are intertwined following an impromptu happy hour that changes their lives forever. As they learn more about each other, they also find ways to work through the heartbreak and hardships in their own lives. www.ltob.org
New Albany Symphony Orchestra presents The Story of Wilbur and Orville Wright
March 3
Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts, New Albany
Join 10TV News Anchor Angela An as she narrates the lives of the iconic Wright brothers and their ground-breaking ingenuity to the sounds of the symphony. The winners of the young student concerto competition also get a chance to join the stage. www.newalbanysymphony.com
Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com.
