(RED BANK) The Count Basie Center for the Arts has announced its 2026-27 season of national Broadway tours, opening with an exclusive, one-night-only performance of Waitress on December 14.

Additional Broadway tours making stops in Red Bank include The Who’s TOMMY: The Musical on January 7 and 8, Mystic Pizza: A New Musical on March 30 – April 1, Legally Blonde: The Musical on April 7 and 8, and two nights on the 30th anniversary tour of STOMP on April 29 and 30.

Tickets for the new Broadway at the Basie Center season go on sale Friday, July 24 at 10am through theBASIE.org, onsite at the Count Basie Center box office, and via phone at 732-842-9000. Count Basie Center members have early access to tickets; click here for more information on membership.

The Basie Center’s lineup of national Broadway tours compliments its own, self-produced slate of shows from Phoenix Productions, the nonprofit’s in-house community theatre company. Subscriptions and individual tickets for Phoenix presentations are on sale now for titles including Pirates: The Penzance Musical on Friday Sept 25 – Sunday Sept 27; Parade on Friday, Nov. 6 – Sunday, Nov. 8; Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical on Friday Feb. 12 – Sunday Feb. 14; Memphis: The Musical on Friday April 23 – Sunday April 24; and Roald Dahl’s Matilda on Friday, June 25 – Sunday June 27.

In addition, a previously-announced performance starring TONY award winners Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara performing with the legendary Count Basie Orchestra is set for Sunday, August 23. Tickets are on sale now.

BROADWAY AT THE BASIE CENTER:

Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara with the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra | Sunday, August 23

Enjoy a night with Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara inspired by the 1962 CBS special “Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall”— a tribute to Broadway and beyond. Together with The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Sutton and Kelli pay homage to icons of stage and screen Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett who teamed up for that memorable concert. You’ll hear favorites from Sutton and Kelli’s Tony Award winning and nominated shows and in between, lots of bubbly banter, laughter and stories you’ll love.

 

WAITRESS | December 14, 2025

Inspired by the beloved film and featuring music by Grammy® Award winner Sara Bareilles, WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker who dreams of a way out of her small town. A baking contest and the town’s new doctor may offer her a fresh start, but Jenna must summon the strength to rebuild her own life. Don’t miss this uplifting celebration of friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie. This is a one-night-only stop on the 10th anniversary Waitress tour — which means it’s sure to sell out. Get your tickets early!

THE WHO’s TOMMY – THE NATIONAL BROADWAY TOUR | January 7 & 8, 2026

In 1969, The Who created a rock opera that changed the course of music history. And now, it’s back in a dazzling all-new production that feels more relevant than ever.

Myth and spectacle combine in this fresh reinvention that includes the unforgettable anthems “I’m Free,” “See Me, Feel Me,” “Sensation” and “Pinball Wizard.” After witnessing his father shoot his rival, the young Tommy Walker is lost in the universe, endlessly and obsessively staring into the mirror. An innate knack for pinball catapults him from reticent adolescent to celebrity savior. Tony Award-winning composer Pete Townshend and Tony Award-winning original director Des McAnuff find powerful resonance reexamining this classic story for today.

MYSTIC PIZZA: THE NATIONAL BROADWAY TOUR | March 30, 31, April 1, 2026

Based on the beloved 1988 MGM rom-com that launched the career of Julia Roberts, MYSTIC PIZZA is a new musical about three working-class girls who navigate the complexities of life, love and family in a small-town pizza joint serving everyone from the townies to the privileged country club set. And what’s in that secret sauce, you ask? The hits of the 80s and 90s! The hit songs range from “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” to “Hold On” to “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.”

LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL | April 7 & 8, 2026

Fabulously fun and international award-winningLegally Blonde – The Musical is the ultimate Broadway tribute to Girl Power! The story follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, sexism, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams, and proves that you can be both legally blonde AND the smartest person in the room. This contemporary, topical story touches on many current hot button issues while delighting audiences with memorable songs and explosive dances. Legally Blonde warms the heart by proving that self-discovery never goes out of style!

 

STOMP: 30th ANNIVERSARY TOUR | April 29 & 30, 2026

STOMP is explosive, inventive, provocative, witty, and utterly unique—an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered armfuls of awards and rave reviews and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps – to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. Year after year, audiences worldwide keep coming back for more of this pulse-pounding electrifying show. As the Boston Globe says, “If you haven’t seen STOMP, GO! If you have seen it, take someone and share the pleasure!” STOMP. See what all the noise is about.