Winter Park Playhouse 2024-25 season: Stephen Schwartz, Cole Porter and crazy Christmas

And we’re off: The Winter Park Playhouse is the first Central Florida arts organization to announce its 2024-25 season. The Playhouse has been in the news because of its search for a new home, but it will be staying put through the end of its 2025 schedule. After that: Extensive renovations to the theater are the most likely outcome.

As with most arts organizations, the Playhouse season runs on an academic timeline from fall to spring, so the 2024-25 season starts in August. The theater specializes in upbeat musicals, and highlights of the upcoming season include shows based on the music of Stephen Schwartz and Cole Porter, as well as a Christmas comedy.

Winter Park Playhouse gets lease extension as it works on future home

The Winter Park Playhouse offers a couple of different season-ticket packages. Current season subscribers may renew now by calling the box office at 407-645-0145. New 6-show subscribers may purchase a season subscription beginning Feb. 14. Three-show series subscriptions and tickets to individual shows will be available April 2.

For more information, go to winterparkplayhouse.org but first, here’s a chronological look at what’s ahead.

‘8-Track — The Sounds of the ’70s’: Aug. 2-25. Rick Seeber, who created “Beehive: The ’60s Musical,” moves ahead a decade for this revue from the age of leisure suits and platform shoes. The show features music from The Carpenters, Barry Manilow, Marvin Gaye, Helen Reddy, The Doobie Brothers, The Bee Gees and more.

‘Snapshots’: Sept. 20-Oct. 13. Making its regional premiere at the Playhouse, “Snapshots” incorporates more than two dozen of Stephen Schwartz’s beloved songs from the musicals “Wicked,” “Pippin,” “Godspell” and more. The show’s story line, by David Stein, follows a married couple who rediscover their love when they find a box of photographs detailing their lives.

‘Wreck the Halls!’: Nov. 15-Dec. 21. Another regional premiere, “Wreck the Halls!” reminds us why Christmas drives us crazy — and why we love it anyway. In Paul Cozby’s musical comedy, four actors portray 46 characters in a series of vignettes on everything from obnoxious Christmas letters to the struggle to take a good family photo.

‘The Bikinis’: Jan. 24-Feb. 22, 2025. A 1960s girl group reunites to relieve its heyday as they sing a parade of the era’s hits, including “It’s in His Kiss,” “Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,” “Heat Wave,” “Under the Boardwalk,” “When Will I Be Loved” and “It’s Raining Men.” The show was created by Ray Roderick and James Hindman.

‘Gigolo — The New Cole Porter Revue’: March 14-April 12, 2025. Paul Gilger’s comedy was first seen at the Winter Park Playhouse’s Florida Festival of New Musicals back in 2017. Inspired by the life of Porfirio Rubirosa — a 20th-century Dominican diplomat, race-car driver and Casanova — “Gigolo” uses iconic Cole Porter songs to tell the jet-setting playboy’s tale. The hit-laden score features “You’re the Top,” “Let’s Do It,” “Why Can’t You Behave,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and more.

‘Route 66’: May 9-June 8, 2025. Roger Bean’s musical revue features 24 songs to make you want to hit the open road. The Playhouse has previously featured Bean creations such as “Honky Tonk Laundry,” “The Marvelous Wonderettes” and “Sh-Boom! Life Could Be a Dream.” This revue features hits such as “Dead Man’s Curve,” “King of the Road,” “Little Old Lady from Pasadena,” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.”

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