NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Diversity, officials said, is an overarching theme of the State Theatre’s upcoming 2017-18 season. The roster, which was announced this week, includes everything from Japanese drums and a South African dance festival to tango from Buenos Aires and a Swedish symphony orchestra.

“It is our goal to encourage members of our community to have a lifelong association with the performing arts, and so we work on diverse programs and events that foster that relationship,” State Theatre’s president and CEO, Tom Carto, said in a statement.

New programs for the coming season include pride nights, a “Family Day” to be hosted on President’s Day and a ticket program for military veterans, theater officials said.

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The George Street Playhouse and the Crossroads Theatre will perform outside downtown New Brunswick next season, as workers build a high-end performing arts center. That means the State Theatre will be the only professional company on that stretch of Livingston Avenue.

Its upcoming season includes seven Broadway national tours, three “internationally acclaimed” orchestras, “top-notch” comedy, “world-class” dance, concerts, family programs and more, according to the announcement.

The theater begins its Broadway Series on Oct. 13 with the New Jersey premiere of the award-winning musical “Jersey Boys.” That show will run five times through Oct. 15, according to the schedule.

“When we saw that ‘Jersey Boys’ was touring next year, we approached the producers about a New Jersey premiere at State Theatre,” Brian O’Boyle, the company’s vice president of programming and executive producer, said, “and now it is the opening show for our big 2017-18 Broadway season, and we couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Other Broadway shows include “Motown the Musical,” “Cinderella,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” and “Cabaret.” Family Broadway musicals include “The Sound of Music and “The Wizard of Oz.”





The theater also plans to offer season tickets to the Broadway Series. Those are available at this time, according to the company, but single-show tickets go on sale in July.

Dance, orchestra acts, comedians—including Tracy Morgan—variety programs, holiday shows and live bands will also play the State Theatre as its season progresses.

For more information on the season, click here.