Name: Wizard of OZ, The Ballet
Start: 2025-05-04T18:00:00
Location: Gas South Theater

Prepare yourself for a vibrant and culturally rich theatrical season as the Saenger Theatre brings a series of captivating performances to New Orleans and beyond. From the revolutionary tale of 'Hamilton' to the whimsical journey of 'The Wizard of Oz,' and the thought-provoking narrative of 'The Last Five Years,' each show promises to deliver a unique and unforgettable experience. Join us as we explore the intricate themes and artistic brilliance behind these remarkable productions, offering a chance to immerse yourself in the magic of live theatre.

Experience the Theatrical Magic: Highlights from Upcoming Performances

This year, the world of performing arts offers an exciting array of performances that promise to captivate audiences. From classic tales like The Wizard of Oz reimagined as a ballet and The Wiz returning to its Broadway roots, to the gripping story of Chicago, these productions offer a blend of nostalgia and innovation. Each event invites audiences to experience the magic of live performance, whether it be through the intricate dance of The Ballet or the powerful storytelling in musicals like Kimberly Akimbo and The Last Five Years.

A Journey Through Iconic Performances: From Oz to Chicago

The world of performing arts is set to dazzle audiences with a series of outstanding events across the United States. From ballet recitals to musical revivals, every performance promises to be a unique experience. Highlights include the Buford School of Ballet's rendition of 'Wizard of Oz,' a fresh take on the classic 'The Wiz,' the timeless allure of 'Chicago,' and the intimate storytelling of 'The Last Five Years.' Join us as we explore these theatrical journeys that promise to capture hearts and inspire minds.

Theatrical Journeys: Exploring Iconic Productions Across America

Saenger Theatre

Share the joy of NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet with family and friends. Give the gift of a spectacular holiday experience featuring an international cast, whimsical puppetry and opulent costumes and sets, hand-crafted by the finest artisans of Europe. Go back to a simpler time and make memories your family will cherish forever. Celebrate the season with America’s most beloved Nutcracker tradition! Tchaikovsky’s timeless score sets the stage for a Christmas your family will never forget.

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet

Saenger Theatre New Orleans

MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS by Chip Davis has been America's favorite holiday tradition for 40 years! Grammy Award winner Chip Davis has created a show that features Mannheim Steamroller Christmas classics in the distinctive Mannheim sound. The program celebrates the anniversary of 40 years since the first Christmas album and includes dazzling multimedia effects performed in an intimate setting. Experience the magic as the spirit of the season comes alive with the signature sound of Mannheim Steamroller.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis

Ali is a 17-year-old girl full of fire–searching for freedom, passion and her place in the world. How she finds them is a New York City coming-of-age story you've never felt before–HELL’S KITCHEN, a new musical from 16-time Grammy® Award winner Alicia Keys, whose new songs and greatest hits about growing up in NY inspire a story made for Broadway. Rebellious and stifled by an overprotective single mother, Ali is lost until she meets her mentor: a neighbor who opens her heart and mind to the power of the piano. Set to the rhythm of the 90s, HELL'S KITCHEN is a love story between a mother and daughter. It's about finding yourself, your purpose, and the community that lifts you. Come remember where dreams begin. Hailed as a New York Times Critic’s Pick that is, “thrilling from beginning to end–a rare must-see!" HELL’SKITCHEN is directed by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif, with choreography by four-time Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown, a book by Pulitzer Prize finalist Kristoffer Diaz, and the music of Alicia Keys.

Hell’s Kitchen

Emmy-Award® winning Actor and 2025 Theater Hall of Fame Inductee Richard Thomas brings to life “the nation’s one true comic genius” (The New York Times) in Mark Twain Tonight!, written and originally performed by Hal Holbrook. Join the millions who have cheered for the legendary one-man show, bursting with Twain’s “uproariously funny ”and“ pungently wise” (Time Magazine) humor.

Most recently seen on Broadway in Our Town, on tour as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, and on Netflix’s Ozark, Richard Thomas will return to Broadway in Spring 2026 in David Lindsay-Abaire’s The Balusters, directed by Kenny Leon. Beloved to generations as John-Boy Walton, Richard Thomas is the first and only actor authorized to perform Mark Twain Tonight! since the original.

Mark Twain Tonight!

Welcome to HADESTOWN, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and original director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today... and always.

Intertwining two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — HADESTOWN is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.

Hadestown

The critically acclaimed bestselling novel comes to “thrilling, dazzling” life (Time Out New York) in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical! Hailed as a Critic’s Pick, The New York Times calls it “stunning, emotional, heart-filled and gorgeously imaginative.” After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age. Tony Award-nominated director Jessica Stone’s “huge, heart-filling" production (The New York Times) features a book by three-time Tony nominee Rick Elice adapted from Sara Gruen’s novel, and a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co.

Water for Elephants

The Phantom is back to thrill audiences once again! Cameron Mackintosh presents a revitalized new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, which was rapturously received by London critics when it reopened in 2021. Featuring Maria Björnson’s brilliant original design and based on the celebrated direction of Harold Prince, with musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne, PHANTOM will launch a new multi-year North American tour in November 2025, premiering at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans March 4 – 15, 2026.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is widely considered one of the most beautiful and spectacular productions in history, playing to over 160 million people in 47 territories and 195 cities in 21 languages. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s romantic, haunting, and soaring score includes “The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” “Masquerade,” and the iconic title song. It tells the tale of a disfigured musical genius known only as ‘The Phantom’ who haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House. Mesmerized by the talents and beauty of a young soprano, Christine, The Phantom lures her as his protégé and falls fiercely in love with her. Unaware of Christine’s love for Raoul, The Phantom’s obsession sets the scene for a dramatic turn of events where jealousy, madness, and passions collide.

The Phantom of the Opera

The Thorn tells the epic story of God's love for the world and the spiritual battle for all humanity. The story of Christ is presented in an immersive show with music, drama, aerial acts, movement arts, modern dance, and special effects. Witnessed live by more than 1 million people over 25 years, The Thorn will engage audiences in the definitive story of love, sacrifice and redemption like never before.

The Thorn

Though Robert Plant is, literally and figuratively, the biggest name on the cover art for Saving Grace, he would be the first to say that the album is very much a group effort, with its title also serving as this new band’s moniker. The group members were drawn together by a shared love of roots music both vintage and modern—of blues, folk, gospel, country and those tantalizing sounds that lay in between. Like Plant, they’re keen to explore how these genres are evolving as well as to discover where these repertoires originated—and how collectively they could reinvigorate the music they loved.

This sensibility is reflected in the songs that made it to the final track listing, from familiar traditional numbers like the plaintive “I Never Will Marry;” the African-American spiritual “Gospel Plough;” and “Chevrolet,” which Donovan had adapted into his “Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)” back in 1965 to beautifully rendered outliers like Providence, RI trio The Low Anthem’s haunting “The Ticket Taker;” revered indie-rock duo Low’s epic “Everybody’s Song;” and Moby Grape’s pastoral “It’s A Beautiful Day Today.” Plant, who produced the album with the band, rarely claims center stage, most often sharing vocals with co-billed singer Suzi Dian and sometimes ceding the mic to her entirely. On Blind Willie Johnson’s “The Soul of a Man,” guitarist-banjo player Matt Worley takes the lead, with Dian and Plant serving as backup.

Despite Plant’s iconic status as an artist since his days with Led Zeppelin, Saving Grace managed to start out in 2019, casually and somewhat discreetly, as a local project. The players had been working collaboratively for barely a year, even serving as an unheralded opening act on a handful of dates with Fairport Convention when the pandemic intervened and any formal plans to tour or release music were temporarily shelved. That turned out to be less setback than serendipity. It allowed Saving Grace time to gestate, to find a collective voice.

Robert Plant with Saving Grace and Suzi Dian

THE GREAT GATSBY is a “Broadway extravaganza that explodes with life and energy” (Entertainment Weekly). Based on the classic American novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Tony Award®-winning new musical is an unforgettable journey of love, wealth and tragedy that brings the Roaring Twenties to life on stage.

Directed by Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), this story of extravagance and longing features choreography by Dominique Kelley (So You Think You Can Dance), a book by Kait Kerrigan (The Mad Ones) and a jazz- and pop-influenced original score by Jason Howland (Little Women) and Nathan Tysen (Paradise Square).

The Great Gatsby

For over five decades, Carlos Santana has been a pioneering force in music, fusing Afro-Latin, blues, rock, and jazz into a sound that transcends genre, culture, and generation. A ten-time GRAMMY and three-time Latin GRAMMY winner, he made history with Supernatural in 1999, earning nine GRAMMYs in a single night—including Album and Record of the Year. He is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, a Kennedy Center Honoree, and a recipient of Billboard’s Century and Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Awards. Rolling Stone ranks him #11 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

Santana recently marked the 50th anniversaries of his groundbreaking album Abraxas and his iconic Woodstock performance, as well as 25 years of Supernatural. His latest album Sentient features collaborations with Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Miles Davis, DMC, and Cindy Blackman Santana. The feature documentary CARLOS, produced by Sony Music Entertainment and Imagine Documentaries, premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival and is now streaming globally. His Las Vegas residency at House of Blues, now in its 14th year, continues to thrill audiences.

Santana

“That Little Ol’ Band From Texas” has been at it for well over a half century, delivering rock, blues and boogie on the road and in the studio to millions of devoted fans. With iconography as distinctive as their sound, ZZ TOP is virtually synonymous with beards, hotrod cars, spinning guitars and that magic keychain, all of which transcend geography and language. 

It was in Houston in the waning days of 1969 that ZZ TOP coalesced from the core of two rival bands, Billy Gibbons’ Moving Sidewalks and Frank Beard and Dusty Hill’s American Blues. Their third album, 1973’s Tres Hombres, catapulted them to national attention with the hit “La Grange,” still one of the band’s signature pieces today. Eliminator, their 1983 album was something of a paradigm shift for ZZ TOP. Their roots blues skew was intact but added to the mix were tech-age trappings that soon found a visual outlet with such tracks as “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs” on the nascent MTV. It was one of the music industry’s first albums to have been certified Diamond, far beyond Gold and Platinum and a reflection of US domestic sales exceeding 10 million units. 

As a touring entity, they’ve been without peer over the past five decades, having performed before millions of fans on four continents and have been the subject of their own Grammy-nominated documentary titled That Little Ol’ Band From Texas.  The band’s line-up of the bearded Gibbons and Hill and Beard, who ironically is clean shaven, remained intact for more than 50 years until Dusty’s passing.  When Dusty temporarily departed the tour in the summer of 2021, it was a given that Elwood would be the perfect choice to stand in for Dusty until he could return. But Dusty’s return was not to be, and Elwood continues to handle the bass duties for the band now and into the future.

ZZ Top

Join us for the 30th annual recital with Buford School of Ballet on a magical adventure to OZ on the yellow brick road and on the way we will meet some lovable characters and learn there is no place like home.

Wizard of OZ, The Ballet

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