Metropolis announces 2022-2023 season to include 'Ragtime,' 'Cabaret' and 'Xanadu'

Two classic musicals, a sendup of a bad 1980s movie musical and a comedy about the making of a drag queen will be part of the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's 2022-2023 season.

It commences Sept. 15, with the beloved John Kander and Fred Ebb musical "Cabaret" about a 1929 romance between an American writer and a British chanteuse which unfolds in a decadent Berlin nightclub against the backdrop of the increasingly formidable Third Reich.

That's followed by Matthew Lopez's comedy "The Legend of Georgia McBride" (Jan. 26-March 4, 2023), about a down-on-his-luck Elvis Presley impersonator who, with the advice of drag performer Miss Tracy Mills, transforms himself into a drag star.

Next up is the sprawling musical "Ragtime" (May 4-June 10, 2023), by lyricist Lynn Ahrens, composer Stephen Flaherty and writer Terrence McNally. Set in New York City during the turn-of-the-20th-century, it weaves together the stories of Jewish immigrants, a wealthy Caucasian family and an African American musician all trying to secure their version of the American dream.

The season concludes with the roller disco-inspired "Xanadu," adapted from the 1980 film starring Olivia Newton-John as a muse who descends from Mount Olympus to inspire a struggling artist.

Performances take place at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights.

Four show subscriptions range from $120 to $135. Three-show subscriptions range from $90 to $105. Single tickets are $40 for previews, $45 for the regular run. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.