‘West Side Story,’ ‘Chicago,’ ‘Addams Family’ Booked for 2013 Broadway Season in Huntsville

The Broadway Theater League in Huntsville, Ala. has announced its 2013 season will include “West Side Story,” “Chicago” and “Addams Family,” among others.

All productions will take place at the Von Braun Center’s Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, and “West Side Story” will kick things off with five shows January 4-6, 2013.

Andrew Willmon, executive director of the Broadway Theater League, recently spoke to AL.com about how he chooses the productions for the season.

“I have what I call my five-finger formula,” Willmon said. “I like to have a family show, something new, a classic, a revival and there’s always my odd ball. I always like to do one that will expand your boundaries a little bit.”

Up next will be “The Blue Man Group,” which will perform five shows January 25-27, 2013. Animal man Jack Hanna will bring his “Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild Live” production to Huntsville for two free student shows and one public performance (February 10). “Elvis Lives” will be presented February 21, and will be followed by “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” which will play March 8-10.

Garrison Keillor will bring his “A Prairie Home Companion” to the Von Braun Center on March 24. The famed “Chicago” will then play April 5-7.

Finally, the season will be closed by “Addams Family,” which will visit for a run from May 3-5.
This year marks the 53^rd year the Broadway Theater League has held shows in Huntsville, and Willmon says there is a simple reason fans come back.

“I don’t think there’s anything like live performance,” he said. “You feel that energy, that feedback from the stage. It’s human emotion.”

Though “West Side Story” played at the Broadway Theater League in 1997, the new version of the national tour is based on the March 2009 Broadway revival that has been called darker and grittier than the previous touring version.