It's showtime!

Jun. 12—HIGH POINT — Beatles and Bogguss and Broadway, oh my!

That's just a small sampling of what's in store for the 2022-23 entertainment season lineup at the High Point Theatre, which was released by theater officials this past week.

From a world-renowned Beatles tribute act to country star Suzy Bogguss to Broadway veteran Ben Vereen, the upcoming season offers a wide variety of performances ranging from music and drama to comedy and even, ahem, stunt dogs.

"We try to listen to what our audiences say they want — we do surveys to see if we're meeting their needs," said David Briggs, executive director of the theater, who put together the season lineup.

"Another thing I look at is schedule availability — that's pretty critical. If I had 85 weekends a year, I could fill every one of them. And thirdly, it depends on what's touring and what's out there."

The upcoming season will kick off on July 29 with "Yesterday: A Tribute to the Beatles," a world-famous tribute act that has been endorsed by Sir Paul McCartney himself. Founded in 1986 by John Lennon impersonator Don Bellezzo, the Las Vegas-based band is recognized for its spot-on impersonations of the Beatles.

"In my opinion, they're the best Beatles tribute band out there," said Briggs, who has presented the band on four different occasions. "They're really wonderful."

If tribute acts are your thing, you'll also enjoy "In the Light of Led Zeppelin" (Sept. 17), a two-hour musical journey through all of the Zeppelin classics, in addition to solo work by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page.

Other musical highlights of the upcoming season include country artists Suzy Bogguss and Kathy Mattea sharing the stage as part of their "Together At Last" tour (Oct. 15), award-winning country sensation Lonestar (Oct. 29), violin-and-viola hip-hop duo Black Violin (Nov. 20), jazz vocalist Barbra Lica (April 14) and Irish singer/songwriter Emma Langford (Aug. 13).

Briggs said that while High Point audiences may not be familiar with Langford, she's an up-and-comer whose popularity is growing by the day.

"If you took the voice of Judy Collins and put it with the storytelling of Janis Ian, this is who you would come up with," he said. "I think she's absolutely fabulous, and she's someone that our audiences need to hear."

Another musical evening will feature the return to High Point of legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb performing some of his best-known songs, such as "Up, Up and Away," "By the Time I Get To Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."

"He did well for us when he came here with his tribute to the music of Glen Campbell," Briggs said. "He's got a million songs he's written, and folks are going to be saying, 'Oh, I didn't know he wrote that.' "

Also on the schedule are legendary entertainer Ben Vereen presenting his highly anticipated show "Steppin' Out With Ben Vereen" (April 1); "Smokey & Me" (Sept. 24), a celebration of the life and career of Smokey Robinson, starring Tony Award-nominated performer Charl Brown; and "Hedy: The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr" (Oct. 7), a one-woman show featuring actress Heather Massie.

Other shows in the lineup include a Christmas concert with platinum-selling country vocalist John Berry (Nov. 26); a Christmas show featuring renowned Southern gospel quartet Ernie Haas & Signature Sound (Dec. 19); a tribute to the late singer/songwriter John Prine, featuring performances by his brother, Billy Prine, and the Prine Time Band (Jan. 7); "The Aluminum Show," an unusual theatrical experience that combines movement, dance, visual theater and humor (Jan. 13-14); "The Funny Godmothers," featuring comediennes Karen Morgan and Tara Brown (March 25); and "Stunt Dogs," a high-energy family show featuring a team of amazing dogs (April 15).

"Our 47th season combines an incredible, eclectic mix of new artists and seasoned veterans," Briggs said.

"I'm excited that we're able to provide an exhilarating lineup that still includes some fan favorites that speak to all genres and all ages. This season vividly demonstrates that there's truly something for everyone, and I look forward to seeing the enjoyment these performances will bring to attendees."

jtomlin@hpenews.com — 336-888-3579

jtomlin@hpenews.com — 336-888-3579