Theatre By The Sea is one of the country’s oldest performing arts centers, having first opened on August 7, 1933. Over the years, it has hosted stars like Marlon Brando, Groucho Marx, Mae West, and Tallulah Bankhead, and it remains a central part of South County life to this day.
The theatre hosts a four-performance season every spring and summer where locals and visitors can check out some classic and award-winning productions in an intimate environment. The 2024 season will be no different, as the venue will have four different musicals appearing between the end of May and the middle of September, giving you more than enough time to stop in for a show.
Here’s a look at what Bill Hanney’s Theatre By The Sea has in store for you and your family in 2024.
A Chorus Line
The 2024 season will kick off with A Chorus Line, a Tony Award-winning production that focuses on 17 dancers competing for a spot in a Broadway musical. The story follows these performers through their auditions as they put themselves out there and attempt to achieve their dreams.
The play also shares stories from the performers’ childhoods so we can see what brought them to this point and everything they’ve gone through along the way. This show runs from May 29 until June 22 and is sure to be a great way to start the new season.
Tootsie
If you remember the 1982 film Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, you’re well aware of this story. As a refresher, Tootsie is about a talented actor named Michael Dorsey who has a bad reputation as someone difficult to work with and, therefore, can’t land a role. Eventually, after numerous rejections, Michael disguises himself as a woman and ends up getting a life-changing part.
This performance will leave you in stitches as you follow Michael on his journey and try to keep up with the neverending punchlines. Tootsie runs from June 26 until July 20 and will be the funniest show to hit the Theatre By The Sea stage in 2024.
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music needs no introduction, as it’s one of the best-known musicals of all time. The story follows a young woman named Maria who fails in her goal of becoming a nun. However, her life changes when Captain Georg Von Trapp hires her to care for his seven children, and music follows. Of course, this performance will include songs like “My Favorite Things” and “Do-Re-Mi,” which remain well-known to this day.
This show is a must-see if you’ve never witnessed The Sound of Music in person. It runs from July 24 through August 17, so you’ll have plenty of time to get out and see it if you’re heading to South County in the summer of 2024.
42nd Street
You don’t have to miss out on Theatre By The Sea if you visit South County in the late summer, as 42nd Street will be playing at the venue from August 21 until September 15. This show is set in the 1930s and follows a young girl who is given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a star.
The show features period costumes, great music, and some tap dancing, which is becoming increasingly rare in plays throughout the country. If you’re a fan of the golden age of movie musicals, this performance will take you back to that period and leave you thoroughly entertained from start to finish.
Get Your Tickets Early
Each performance has nighttime shows at 8:00 PM every Wednesday through Saturday throughout the run period. There are also matinees at 2:00 PM on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and additional Sunday shows at 5:00 PM or 7:00 PM.
Single-performance tickets typically go on sale in May, but buying a season’s pass ahead of time is possible if you’ll spend a significant chunk of your summer in South County or visit multiple times. You’ll save 30% on your ticket price if you buy a subscription.
Make sure you get out to Bill Hanney’s Theatre By The Sea at some point during your next South County, Rhode Island, vacation.