Foxwoods launches its new Broadway Series in April

January 08, 2017 11:00 pm • Last Updated: January 10, 2017 9:22 am

By Kristina Dorsey
Features Editor

Foxwoods has hosted a wide array of entertainment over its 25 years, from musicians Carrie Underwood and Pink to comics Jerry Seinfeld and Robin Williams.

It has also, on rare occasions, showcased stage musicals, such as “Hello, Dolly!” in 1996 and “Chicago” in 2000.

As the resort casino turns 25 this year, it is going to make stage musicals a regular feature. It is kicking off a full-fledged Broadway series that will bring in musicals on a frequent basis starting in April.

The initial line-up in the Fox Theater will include tours of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in April, “42nd Street” in May, “Pippin” in June, and “Mamma Mia” in July.

Part of what prompted the move was the interest that Foxwoods patrons have expressed over the years. Monique Sebastian, Foxwoods’ vice president of entertainment and entertainment marketing, says, “Our guests have always asked, ‘Well, when are you going to do more Broadway?’ Or ‘When are you going to bring in “Jersey Boys”?’ Or ‘When are we going to see “Hairspray” again?’ When you get enough of those, you can’t ignore what the people want.”

At the same time, Foxwoods believes it can bring in new visitors as well, people who might normally go somewhere else for a Broadway show.

Another reason for establishing a Broadway series now is that it’s Foxwoods’ 25th anniversary.

“You know, 25 years is a big milestone with any enterprise or corporation these days,” she says. “We felt we wanted to give something different. We have two great, beautiful, intimate theaters — the Fox being the alma mater, the one that had Frank Sinatra when it first opened up. There’s a lot of history there. We felt that we wanted to make history with the Broadway series.

“And it would be a perfect fit to start it in the Fox Theater. When we began planning for our 25th anniversary, we wanted things that stood out from the competition and also stood out in the minds of the community and our guests. This is one thing that just came to us. It flowed beautifully into what we’re looking at offering to our guests for the next 25 years. It’s just a perfect way to celebrate what Foxwoods is, where we want to go and (as a) thank-you to our guests.”

The idea is to bring in a tour at least once every quarter. The length of the already-announced runs vary, and they are all in the 1,370-seat Fox Theater, which Sebastian notes is “very quaint, very intimate, not a bad seat no matter where you sit.”

In choosing the first four musicals, Foxwoods considered which productions were available; which would resonate best with Foxwoods’ guests; and which would bring new customers as well as families to Foxwoods. It’s an eclectic line-up, too.

Sebastian says Foxwoods is already looking at future musicals, whether that might mean for runs in the fall of this year or for 2018. Broadway tours, she notes, often book out 12 to 18 months in advance.

“We want Foxwoods to be the home of Broadway, when people are looking for a night out, whether it’s romantically or girls’ night or family outings or holiday retreats,” Sebastian says.

Sebastian says that seeing a Broadway show at Foxwoods is a different experience than elsewhere.

“Not only are we going to provide the Broadway Series a few times a year, but it’s all indoors. It’s kind of like you’re in a little city, so you don’t have to go far if you want a drink after, a nightcap. You don’t have to go very far for a meal. Or you could even make a whole weekend out of it. If you want to stay over, there’s Tanger now with shopping. We have bowling. We have a nightclub. We have many different lounges. So it really enhances the Broadway experience by having it here at Foxwoods.”