UNWRAP JOYFUL EXPERIENCES THIS DECEMBER
Published: Dec 9, 2022
The Broadway blockbuster HAMILTON, the jaw-dropping artistry of Cirque Dreams Holidaze!, the chartopping hits of Footloose the Musical, seasonal sounds with Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, captivating Yiddish Tangos and a holiday adventure with Baby Shark Live! are just some of the delights for every age to be found this December at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
The Broadway phenomenon HAMILTON returns to the Au-Rene Theater Tuesday, November 22-Sunday, December 11. HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre – a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics and education. With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, GRAMMY® and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors. The New York Times reported, this “theatrical landmark has transformed theater and the way we think about history.” The Bank of America Broadway in Fort Lauderdale 2022/2023 season is made possible with the generous support of title sponsor Bank of America and presenting sponsor Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Bank of America Broadway in Fort Lauderdale is presented by Florida Theatrical Association in partnership with Broadway Across America and Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Performance times vary.
Two legendary icons celebrate classic moments from their music careers and selections from their holiday album when Herb Alpert & Lani Hall – A Christmas Wish comes to the Amaturo Theater as part of the 2022/2023 TD Bank Jazz Series on Friday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m. Boasting an amazing 10 GRAMMY® Awards between them, the duo is responsible for a string of classics stretching back more than 50 years. A world-class trumpeter, Alpert first made a name for himself with his Tijuana Brass ensemble and has gone on to sell more than 70 million records, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and received a 2013 National Medal of Arts. He has three recordings inducted in the GRAMMY Hall of fame: “Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66,” "The Lonely Bull" and "A Taste Of Honey." A jazz vocalist, Hall found success when she teamed with Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 for hits like "Mas Que Nada" and unique takes on Beatles numbers such as "The Fool on the Hill" and "Day Tripper.” Tickets are $55-$65.
Kick off the merriest of seasons at the Broward Center with performances by talented students from the Broward Center's Rose Miniaci Arts Education Center in Broward Center Holiday Spectacular at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 3 in the Amaturo Theater. This morning performance is perfect for all ages and includes family-friendly activities prior to the show. With generorous support from Spirit Airlines, the Broward Center Spotlights performing ensemble will delight the audience with group and solo performances that include holiday favorites and Broadway's greatest hits. Students who participated in the Broward Center’s Advanced Musical Theater Workshop and Ultimate Theater Dance class during the fall will showcase their work through a variety of lively songs, animated dances and original holiday scenes. Tickets are $10.
A multicultural collective of South Florida's most outstanding musicians, New Canon Chamber Collective opens its inaugural season with American Soul in the Amaturo Theater Saturday, December 3 at 7 p.m. Conducted by Maestro Marlon Daniel, the concert presents three distinct voices in American classical music with a program of William Grant Still's “Symphony No 5,” Florence Price's “The Oak” and Gershwin's “Porgy and Bess Concert Suite.” The concert features internationally acclaimed opera vocalists Angela Brown, soprano, and Stephen Salters, baritone. They are joined by the New Canon Chamber Orchestra and New Canon Vocal Ensemble. The concert is presented as part of the Broward Center’s Arts Access Program, which assists community-based South Florida organizations in presenting arts and cultural performances at the Broward Center. The concert is also presented as part of the Broward Center’s Arts for Action: Black Voices initiatives this season which are presented by Baptist Health and JM Family Enterprises, Inc. Tickets are $45 and $55.
Featuring Maestro Aaron Kula and his Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra and world-renown performer Avi Hoffman, Yiddish Tangos comes to the Amaturo Theater on Sunday, December 4 at 2 p.m. The unique combination of Yiddish melodies and tango rhythms produces a distinct and sensuous sound embracing two cultures. During World War II, tango was the rave on both sides of the Atlantic, and Jewish composers added their voices to this popular genre. Combined with Avi Hoffman’s tales of Jewish culture, Klezmer scholar Aaron Kula has arranged Yiddish and Klezmer tunes to tango rhythms. This program also features live dancers and has been featured at major festivals in Aventura, Miami and Romania. Tickets are $36-$54.
Highlighting the talents of both teen performers and the adult actors who mentor them, the Broward Center and the Performance Project presents a Sensory-Inclusive performance of Willy Wonka, TYA in the Amaturo Theater Saturday, December 10 at 11 a.m. The delicious adventures experienced by Charlie Bucket and his grandfather on their visit to Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory light up the stage in this captivating adaptation of Roald Dahl's tale. Featuring the enchanting songs from the 1971 film including “The Candyman,” the musical follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars that offering a free tour of the Wonka factory and a potential lifetime supply of candy. To create a welcoming and supportive environment, sensory-inclusive performances have made slight adjustments to the productions including reduced sound levels, no flashing or strobe lights and minimal special effects. In addition, an area adjacent to the theater has been designated as a Quiet Room with specially trained volunteers to provide audience support. Audiences will also enjoy complimentary pre-show arts and crafts provided by Young at Art Museum at most performances, and a post-show character meet & greet. The Broward Center's sensory-inclusive season is made possible through the generous support of The Batchelor Foundation, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, and The Taft Foundation with special thanks to UM-NSU CARD for their in-kind support. Early Bird Tickets start at $10 with $5 lap tickets for children 12 months of age and younger.
The Broward Center's Sensory-Inclusive Season and a range of initiatives for the neurodiverse community is made possible through the generous support of The Batchelor Foundation, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, and The Taft Foundation with special thanks to UM-NSU CARD for their in-kind support. Early Bird Tickets start at $10 with$5 lap tickets for children 12 months of age and younger.
Baby Shark and Pinkfong journey into the sea for the holidays to sing and dance through everyone’s favorite songs in Baby Shark Live: The Christmas Show! on Thursday, December 15 at 6 p.m. in the Au-Rene Theater. This one-of-a-kind experience will have fans of all ages dancing in the aisles as they join Baby Shark and friends for exciting adventures into the jungle and under the sea to explore shapes, colors, numbers and so much more. This dazzling kids spectacular includes the song favorites "Baby Shark," "Five Little Monkeys," "Wheels on the Bus” and "Monkey Banana Dance" as well as “Jingle Bells” and other holiday classics. This family friendly event is part of The Islands of The Bahamas Imagination Series. Tickets are $29.50-$49.50 with$10 lap tickets for children 12 months of age and younger. A $50 post-show experience is also available to meet the cast.
A Day To Remember presents “Reassembled: Acoustic Theater Tour,” in the Au-Rene Theater on Friday, December 16 at 8 p.m. An American rock band from Ocala, Florida, founded in 2003, A Day To Remember creatively bypass any and all boundaries, leaping over the lines between rock, alternative, punk, hardcore, metal, and pop with uncompromising outlier spirit. As such, they unassumingly maintain their reputation as the biggest underground band in the world, boasting four gold singles, a pair of gold albums, a platinum single, nearly 1 billion streams, half-a-billion YouTube views, and cumulative sales of three million-plus units. This tour is a limited run of intimate acoustic performances with special guest Wage War. The concert is presented by the Broward Center and Live Nation. Tickets are $45.50-$115.50 with $140.50 Spirit Club Level tickets.
Netflix series star Tyler Henry, The Hollywood Medium, the star of E! Entertainment's mega hit television show Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry, brings his tour Tyler Henry The Hollywood Medium 2023 to the Au-Rene Theater as part of the 2022/2023 Truist Comedy Series Saturday, December 17 at 8 p.m. before returning on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. In this life changing show "An Evening of Hope, Healing and Closure," Henry explains how he communicates with the other side. The evening also features live audience readings and an interactive audience Q and A. His incredibly accurate live readings of audience members often bring the entire audience to tears, giving them the hope and an understanding that "Our loved ones never really leave us." Tickets are $49-$79 with $129 Spirit Club Level seats and $150 VIP tickets that include a meet and greet with the artist.
Just in time for the holidays, get ready to kick off your Sunday shoes and cut loose with Slow Burn Theatre Company’s production of Footloose -The Musical in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Saturday, December 17-Sunday, January 1. Oneof the most explosive movie musicals of all time bursts onto the live stage inviting audiences to revel in this throwback to teen romance, angst and, of course, the desire to dance! Rock out to the rhythm of the Oscar and Tony®-nominated Top 40 score (the soundtrack album reached number one on the Billboard charts and has sold more than 15 million copies) elevated with dynamic new songs for the stage musical. Footloose - The Musical celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people and guiding them with a warm heart and an open mind. The 2022/2023 Slow Burn Theatre Season is presented by American National Bank. The performance schedule includes holiday performances on Sunday December 25 at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, December 31 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, January 1 at 1 pm. The matinee performance on Sunday, December 18 at 1 p.m. will be open captioned in which a text display located to the side of the stage scrolls words in synchronization with the performance. Open captioning for Slow Burn Theatre productions is generously sponsored by the Amaturo Family Foundation. Tickets are $49-$65.
A tapestry that explores the intricacies of life through the unique lens of Black men comes to life in The Happening: A Theatrical Mixtape, Volume IV: Black Like He, written and directed by Darius V. Daughtry and featuring some of South Florida's finest talent, in the Abdo New River Room Friday through Sunday, December 16-18. One of South Florida’s best-known poets, authors, directors and educators, Daughtry weaves together poetry, music and dance to highlight simple moments and complex emotions and revealing a universal humanity. The Happening: A Theatrical, Volume IV: Black Like He is part of the Broward Center's Arts for Action: Black Voices initiative, which aims to use the arts as a catalyst to heighten awareness, deepen knowledge, create connections and elevate the voices of Black creatives in South Florida. The Broward Center’s Arts for Action: Black Voices initiatives this season are presented by Baptist Health and JM Family Enterprises, Inc. Performances are at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16; 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17; and 2 and 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18. Tickets are $30.
Cirque Dreams Holidaze! lights up the stage in this awe inspiring and eye-popping family holiday spectacular in the Au-Rene Theater Wednesday, December 28 at 8 p.m. and Thursday, December 29 at 2 and 8 p.m. As lights dim and music plays, a fantastical cast of holiday characters come to life presenting an elaborate wonderland in this annual tradition that wraps a whimsical, Broadway-style musical with contemporary circus artistry into the ultimate holiday gift. Reindeer, penguins, elves, jesters and ethereal aerialists balance, juggle and stretch imaginations. Artists and cirque acts perform original music along with new twists on popular favorites as they amaze audiences with soaring acrobatics, gravity-defying feats and lively theatrical production numbers. This family friendly event is part of The Islands of The Bahamas Imagination Series. Tickets are $29-$79 with $128 Spirit Club Level tickets.
Also in December, Symphony of the Americas presents Holidays with the Symphony (Dec. 6);
Gold Coast Jazz presents Emmet Cohen Trio (Dec. 7); Elite Entertainment, Inc. presents Smokey Robinson (Dec. 18) and Big Time Operator presents Drag Queen Christmas (Dec. 26).
Ticketmaster is the only official ticketing service of the Broward Center and Parker Playhouse. Buy tickets online at BrowardCenter.org, or Ticketmaster.com; by phone at 954.462.0222 or in person at the Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office.
The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is located at 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. For more information visit BrowardCenter.org, like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/BrowardCenter and Facebook.com/BrowardCenterEducation, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BrowardCenter, subscribe to our channel at Youtube.com/user/BrowardCenter and join the conversation with #BrowardCenter.
The Broward Center 2022/2023 season is supported by the Broward Performing Arts Foundation. AutoNation, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, Spirit and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center are proud sponsors of the Broward Center. Programs are also sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment of the Arts.
Broward Center Complete December Schedule
Nov. 22 – Dec. 11 Broadway in Fort Lauderdale: HAMILTON
Dec. 2 Herb Alpert & Lani Hall: A Christmas Wish
Dec. 3 Holiday Spectacular
Dec. 3 New Canon Chamber: American Soul
Dec. 4 Yiddish Tangos
Dec. 6 Symphony of the Americas: Holidays with the Symphony
Dec. 7 Gold Coast Jazz presents Emmet Cohen Trio
Dec. 10 Willy Wonka TYA
Dec. 15 Baby Shark Live: The Christmas Show!
Dec. 16 A Day to Remember
Dec. 17 Tyler Henry The Hollywood Medium 2023
Dec. 17 – Jan. 1 Slow Burn Theatre: Footloose the Musical
Dec. 16 – 18 The Happening: A Theatrical Mix Tape Volume IV
Dec. 18 Elite Entertainment, Inc. presents Smokey Robinson
Dec. 26 Big Time Operator presents Drag Queen Christmas
Dec. 28 & 29 Cirque Dreams Holidaze!
About The Broward Center for the Performing Arts
One of America’s premier performing arts venues, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts presents more than 700 performances each year to more than 700,000 patrons, showcasing a wide range of exciting cultural programming and events. Guest experiences at the Broward Center include the all-inclusive Spirit Club Level, the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Intermezzo Lounge, special events in the Huizenga Pavilion, waterfront dining at Marti’s New River Bistro and innovative classes and workshops for all ages at the Rose Miniaci Arts Education Center. With one of the largest arts-in-education programs in the United States, the Broward Center serves more than 130,000 students annually. The Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Inc. receives and maintains funds to sustain, develop and secure the future of the Broward Center. The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is located at 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. For more information, visit BrowardCenter.org