It’ll soon be time for the curtain to open, again.
The non-profit American Theatre Guild has unveiled its lineup of shows for the 2025–26 season of Broadway at The Buddy Holly Hall in Lubbock. The direct-from-Broadway engagements include a true story created in collaboration with American music icon Neil Diamond.
Celebrating the 6th anniversary of Broadway at The Buddy Holly Hall, the series will include Waitress, A Beautiful Noise, The Bodyguard and Kinky Boots. The Lubbock premiere of the season begins with Waitress, which is set to show Nov. 20-22 followed by A Beautiful Noise (Dec. 18-20), The Bodyguard (Jan. 29-31, 2027) and concludes with Kinky Boots (May 7-9, 2027).
“It’s the second year of the first national tour, so it’s a big deal that we’re getting it in Lubbock,” Craig Aikman, senior director of presenting operations for the American Theatre Guild, said of A Beautiful Noise, which tells the untold true story of how America’s greatest hitmaker, Neil Diamond, became a star, set to the songs that defined his career. “And Waitress, … it’s the 10-year anniversary of that show and it’s wildly popular.
“The Bodyguard, it’s all of Whitney Houston’s music, so it’s a get. Kinky Boots speaks with heart and joy, is fun to watch and the music is incredible. … It’s a really cool way to see how all of this comes together.”
Lubbock is one of 12 cities, which includes Kansas City, Honolulu, Colorado Springs and South Bend among others, that the American Theatre Guild presents plays in. Aikman said the lineup of shows provides a little bit of everything to appeal to a wide audience. That is achieved through a survey sent to season ticket holders with the American Theatre Guild and single-ticket buyers around the time the Tony Awards are presented. The responses from the list of shows that would be available helps the non-profit curate a West Texas flair.
“I like to describe it as a great, big puzzle,” Aikman said of how Broadway plays are chosen for Lubbock and other cities. “So you take that puzzle, dump it on the table, turn all of the pieces over and see what you’ve got.”
Information about each touring Broadway production can be found below.
Waitress (Lubbock Premiere)
Nov. 20–22, 2026
Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Pouring her heart into her pies, she crafts desserts that mirror her topsy-turvy life such as “The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie” and “Betrayed By My Eggs Pie.” When a baking contest in a nearby county — and a satisfying encounter with someone new — show Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Change is on the menu, as long as Jenna can write her own perfectly personal recipe for happiness.
Brought to life by a groundbreaking creative team, this hilarious hit Broadway musical features original music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Sara Bareilles (“Brave,” “Love Song”), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam), original choreography by Lorin Latarro (Mrs. Doubtfire, Chess) and original direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (1776, Jagged Little Pill, Pippin).
A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical (Lubbock Premiere)
Dec. 18-20, 2026
Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE is the uplifting true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chart-busting, show-stopping American rock icon. With 120 million albums sold, a catalogue of classics like “America,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” and “Sweet Caroline,” an induction into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and sold-out concerts around the world that made him bigger than Elvis, Neil Diamond’s story was made to shine on Broadway-and head out on the road across America.
The Bodyguard (Lubbock Premiere)
Jan. 29-31, 2027
Based on the 1992 film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, THE BODYGUARD is a thrilling, romantic musical that combines high-stakes suspense with unforgettable music. Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Both expect to be in charge of their situation — what they don’t expect is to fall in love.
Kinky Boots (Lubbock Premiere)
May 7-9, 2027
Everybody say “Yeah!” and let KINKY BOOTS lift your spirits to high-heeled heights! Winner of the Tony, Grammy, and London’s Olivier Awards for Best Musical, KINKY BOOTS captivates and entertains audiences around the world with a Tony-winning score by Cyndi Lauper, book by four-time Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein, and original direction and Tony-winning choreography by Jerry Mitchell.
Based on true events, KINKY BOOTS follows the journey of two people with nothing in common— or so they think. The unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they realized… and discover that you change the world when you change your mind.
More information on Broadway at Buddy Holly Hall
Season memberships are available at www.broadwayatbuddyholly.com or through the Buddy Holly Hall box office at the venue located at 1300 Mac Davis Lane in downtown Lubbock.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Neil Diamond musical, more announced for Lubbock’s Broadway at Buddy Holly Hall
Reporting by Carlos Silva Jr., Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
