Mahalia Jackson gears up for ‘Wicked’ season

Terrebonne hosting fundraising tournament
May 29, 2012
Cecile Brou Mongrue
May 31, 2012
Terrebonne hosting fundraising tournament
May 29, 2012
Cecile Brou Mongrue
May 31, 2012

“Our season coming up is probably one of the best seasons we have seen in New Orleans in decades,” says David Skinner, general manager of the Mahalia Jackson Theatre. “The shows of the season this year are just phenomenal, and we are looking to break all box office records.”


The season opens with the legendary musical “Les Misérables,” Oct. 30 to Nov. 4, 2012. The show is an inspiring story of love, courage and salvation amidst revolution, poverty and prostitution.


The story unfolds in 1815 as Jean Valjean is released on parole from 19 years of hard labor after stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. When Valjean, surrounded by doubt and hatred, finds someone who believes in him, he breaks his parole to start over. Valjean, constantly pursued by police inspector Javert, travels through early 19th century France.

Cameron Mackintosh reimagines Boublil & Schönberg’s “Les Misérables” for its 25th anniversary production. The musical has broken box-office records worldwide since its London opening in 1985. 


“Mary Poppins” sweeps onto the Mahalia Jackson stage in December. Much like the movie, the story follows the Banks family, which lives comfortably in a London house on Cherry Lane. The children, Jane and Michael, desperately need a new nanny due to their uncontrollable behavior. When Mary Poppins appears for the job, her peculiar ways set the family in order.


The musical features all the classic songs from the movie including, “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” along with a few new songs, too.

The 2006 Tony Award-winning “Jersey Boys” rocks the theater in January 2013. The show is a musical biography of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, The Four Seasons. This is the story of how four kids became stars in the pop music industry through trials and a strong friendship. The group wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide. The musical features their hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”


Near the end of February 2013, “Flashdance” tells the story of Alex Owens, a working-class girl from Pittsburgh with the dream of becoming a professional dancer. She is a steel mill welder and a bar dancer who is determined to show a prestigious ballet academy what she’s got. When a romance sparks between Alex and her boss, she learns how to love and follow her dreams.

The Tony Award winning-musical “Million Dollar Quartet” follows in April based on the real-life recording session that brought together rock and roll gods Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the only time.


The musical includes “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “That’s All Right,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Who Do You Love?,” “Matchbox,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Hound Dog” and more.


In May 2013, “Wicked” returns for a second Mahalia Jackson showing.

“We had it back in 2009, and for three weeks it was all sold out with not a seat to be had,” Skinner says. “Multi-week shows that are successful like that and sell out, every few years they will return.”


“Wicked” is the story of the misunderstood relationship between the future Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. The show has won 35 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards.


The musical spotlights the untold stories of Oz and follows green-skinned Elphaba from conception to college when she meets Glinda, the snobby rich girl. Through life-altering events, love, friendship and loss, the musical brings to light all the secrets and tragedies that shaped the history of the classic “Wizard of Oz.”

“We try to pick shows that cover all interest groups,” Skinner says. “We try to get shows that are family oriented, like “Mary Poppins,” classics like “Le Miserables,” or sometimes more mature. We really look at trying to get a package together that hits all interests. Of course we also weave in there those shows that have been successful in the past and bring them back.”

“Les Misérables” opens Mahalia Jackson Theater for Performing Arts’ 2012-13 season on Oct. 30.

COURTESY | Deen van Meer

“Mary Poppins” runs from Dec. 18-23.

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“Jersey Boys” runs from Jan. 8-27.

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“Flashdance The Musical” runs from Feb. 26 to March 3.

COURTESY | Catherine Ashmore

“Million Dollar Quartet” runs from April 16-21.

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Actress Marcie Dodd as Elphaba in the touring production of “Wicked,” which returns to Mahalia Jackson as a non-season ticket supplement from May 8 through June 2.

COURTESY | Joan Marcus