Beaches (musical)
| Beaches | |
|---|---|
| Music | Mike Stoller in collaboration with David Austin[1] |
| Lyrics | Iris Rainer Dart |
| Book | Iris Rainer Dart Thom Thomas |
| Basis | Beaches (1985) By: Iris Rainer Dart |
| Premiere | February 8, 2014: Signature Theatre |
Beaches is a stage musical with a book by Iris Rainer Dart and Thom Thomas, with music by Mike Stoller and lyrics by Dart. The show is based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Dart.
The show tells the story of two women, Cee Cee Bloom and Bertie White, lifelong friends that begin as pen pals and navigate life together through its trials and tribulations. The title comes from the beach in Atlantic City where the two girls first meet as children, later spending time together at a beach cottage on the west coast as adults.
The show includes the Grammy Award winning song Wind Beneath My Wings, written by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley, made famous by Bette Midler in the 1988 Disney film version of the story.
The musical is set to make its Broadway premiere at the Majestic Theatre with previews beginning March 27, 2026.
Production history
The show had its world premiere at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia beginning February 8, 2014 and running through March 29, directed by Eric D. Schaeffer with music by David Austin.[2][3]
The show next moved to Chicago again directed by Schaeffer, where it was performed at the Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre from July 2 until August 16, 2015.[4] Book writer Thom Thomas died in December 2015, halting further progress on the show.[5]
Nearly a decade later, in 2024, the show was re-tooled with new music by Mike Stoller and orchestrations by Charlie Rosen, and a revised book by Dart. The show opened at Theatre Calgary on May 18 running until June 16, 2024, co-directed by Lonny Price and Matt Cowart.[6][7]
In 2025, it was announced this production of the show would transfer to Broadway for a limited run, opening on April 22, 2026, and closing on September 6, before embarking on a national tour.[8]
Characters
- Cecelia Carol "Cee Cee" Bloom - a streetsmart singer and actress from the Bronx
- Roberta "Bertie" White - a waifish booksmart girl and eventual lawyer from San Francisco
- John Perry - a love interest for both Cee and Bertie, and eventual husband of Cee Cee
- Leona Bloom - Cee Cee's brassy, overbearing stage mother
- Rose White - Bertie's stuffy, high society mother
- Michael Barron - a lawyer and Bertie's eventual husband
- Nina Barron - Bertie and Michael's daughter
- Janice Carnes - Bertie's caretaker
Original casts
| Character | World Premiere (2014) | Chicago (2015) | Calgary (2024) | Broadway (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cee Cee Bloom | Alysha Umphress | Shoshana Bean | Jessica Vosk | |
| Bertie White | Mara Davi | Whitney Bashor | Kelli Barrett | |
| John Perry | Matthew Scott | Travis Taylor | Brent Thiessen | |
| Michael Barron | Cliff Samuels | Jim DeSelm | Nathan Gibb Johnson | Ben Jacoby |
| Leona Bloom | Donna Migliaccio | Nancy Voigts | Jamie Konchak | Sarah Bockel |
| Cee Cee Bloom (teen) | Gracie Jones | Samantha Pauly | Jillian Hubler-McManus | Bailey Ryon |
| Bertie White (teen) | Maya Brettell | Olivia Renteria | Katie McMillan | Emma Ogea |
| Rose White | Helen Hedman | Kelly Anne Clark | Emily Dallas | Lael Van Keuren |
Musical numbers
2024 Canadian Production
|
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Beaches". www.sigtheatre.org. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ^ Choochan, Gail (2014-03-13). "Be swept away by 'Beaches'". The Free Lance-Star. p. 38. Retrieved 2026-01-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The Verdict: Read Reviews for Broadway-Bound Musical Beaches". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ^ "THOMAS THOMAS Obituary (2015) - Legacy Remembers". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ^ Murphy, Aisling (2024-04-08). "Beaches the Musical cast, creative team announced | Intermission". Intermission Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ^ Hobson, Louis B. (2024-05-18). "Reflections on the winding path to Beaches". Calgary Herald. pp. C2. Retrieved 2026-01-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Beaches Musical Will Launch National Tour in 2026". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2025-12-16. Retrieved 2026-01-31.