Fun Home, An American in Paris headed to DPAC

DURHAM, N.C. — The Durham Performing Arts Center has titled its 2016-2017 SunTrust Broadway season "Dream Big" and for good reason. Seven of the eight shows on the bill are currently or have recently played Broadway, while the eighth is straight from London's famed West End.

Fun Home (Oct. 25-30) - This five-time Tony Award-winning musical (including 2015 award for best musical) has been described as “groundbreaking” “uplifting” and “exquisite." Based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home introduces us to Alison at three different ages, as she explores and unravels the many mysteries of her childhood.

An American in Paris (Jan. 3-8, 2017) - This new Tony Award-winning musical about an American soldier, a mysterious French girl and an indomitable European city, each yearning for a new beginning in the aftermath of war. Acclaimed director/choreographer and 2015 Tony Award-winner Christopher Wheeldon brings the magic and romance of Paris into perfect harmony with unforgettable songs from George and Ira Gershwin in the show that earned more awards than any other musical in the 2014-2015 season. This will be its first national tour.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Jan. 31-Feb. 5, 2017) - Brilliantly innovative, heartbreaking, and wickedly funny, Hedwig is the landmark musical by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask. This genre-bending, fourth-wall-smashing musical sensation, with a pulsing score and electrifying performances, tells the story of one of the most unique characters to ever hit the stage.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Feb. 21-26, 2017) - This show won five 2015 Tony Awards, including best play. Hailed as “One of the most fully immersive works ever to wallop Broadway" by The New York Times, this "dazzling" (Associated Press) adaptation is the Tony Award-winning new play by Simon Stephens, adapted from Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel and directed by Tony winner Marianne Elliott.

The Bodyguard (March 14-19, 2017) - The award-winning musical based on the smash hit film, starring Grammy Award-nominee and R&B superstar Deborah Cox. Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love. A breathtakingly romantic thriller, The Bodyguard features a host of irresistible classics including “Queen of the Night,” “So Emotional,” “One Moment in Time,” “Saving All My Love,” “Run to You,” “I Have Nothing”,”

Something Rotten (April 4-9, 2017) - Set in 1595, this hilarious smash tells the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom, two brothers who are desperate to write a hit play. When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world's very first musical. This show is hilarious!

Finding Neverland (May 23-28, 2017) - This show has been Broadway’s biggest new hit and the winner of Broadway.com's Audience Choice Award for best musical! Directed by Tony winner Diane Paulus, Finding Neverland tells the incredible story behind one of the world's most beloved characters: Peter Pan. Playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys’ enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will astound London theatergoers. With a little bit of pixie dust and a lot of faith, Barrie takes this monumental leap, leaving his old world behind for Neverland where nothing is impossible and the wonder of childhood lasts forever. The magic of Barrie’s classic tale springs spectacularly to life in this heartwarming theatrical event.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I (June 6-11, 2017) - Lincoln Center Theater’s critically acclaimed production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher won four 2015 Tony Awards including best revival of a musical. One of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s finest works, The King and I boasts a score which features such beloved classics as “Getting To Know You,” “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Hello Young Lovers,” “Shall We Dance” and “Something Wonderful.” Set in 1860’s Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.

Online ticket sales are now open. In person and telephone sales start Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 10 a.m. through the DPAC's box office.