Signature’s creative team had a lot of pent-up energy during Covid. Now they’re popping corks with a rollicking and ambitious lineup of musical theater productions, both classic and groundbreaking. The current production of Ragtime boasts a cast of 32—plus 16 in the orchestra—all for a theater of just 275 seats. In February, the Tony Award-winning venue will stage the world premiere of Private Jones, a musical based on a true story about a deaf World War I sniper—with deaf, hard of hearing and hearing actors and creative team members. “Who they’re for and who they’re about,” says managing director Maggie Boland. “It will raise those questions about musicals.” As to who they’re for, the answer is becoming increasingly clear for the theater helmed by artistic director Matthew Gardiner: more people than ever. Post pandemic, Signature has welcomed a wave of new audiences. For the season that ended last June, 50% of audience members were folks who had never attended before. –Susan Anspach
Other top vote-getters:
Capital One Hall, Creative Cauldron, Synetic Theater