Beaches (musical)

Last updated
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
PremiereFebruary 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.

Contents

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 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 house on the west coast.

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

Original casts

CharacterWorld 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 PerryMatthew ScottTravis Taylor Brent Thiessen
Michael BarronCliff SamuelsJim DeSelmNathan Gibb JohnsonBen Jacoby
Leona BloomDonna MigliaccioNancy VoigtsJamie KonchakSarah Bockel
Cee Cee Bloom (teen)Gracie Jones Samantha Pauly Jillian Hubler-McManus Bailey Ryon
Bertie White (teen)Maya BrettellOlivia RenteriaKatie McMillanEmma Ogea
Rose WhiteHelen HedmanKelly Anne ClarkEmily DallasLael Van Keuren

Musical numbers

2024 Canadian Production

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Beaches". www.sigtheatre.org. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  3. ↑ Choochan, Gail (2014-03-13). "Be swept away by 'Beaches'". The Free Lance-Star . p. 38. Retrieved 2026-01-31– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "The Verdict: Read Reviews for Broadway-Bound Musical Beaches". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  5. ↑ "THOMAS THOMAS Obituary (2015) - Legacy Remembers". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  6. ↑ Murphy, Aisling (2024-04-08). "Beaches the Musical cast, creative team announced | Intermission". Intermission Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  7. ↑ Hobson, Louis B. (2024-05-18). "Reflections on the winding path to Beaches". Calgary Herald . pp. C2. Retrieved 2026-01-31– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Beaches Musical Will Launch National Tour in 2026". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2025-12-16. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
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