If only she can win a pie contest, Jenna believes she’ll be able to escape an abusive relationship. The Broadway Theatre League is bringing ‘Waitress’ to the Scranton Cultural Center in February.
                                 Submitted photo

If only she can win a pie contest, Jenna believes she’ll be able to escape an abusive relationship. The Broadway Theatre League is bringing ‘Waitress’ to the Scranton Cultural Center in February.

Submitted photo

‘Waitress,’ ‘Cats,’ ‘South Pacific’ among musical offerings

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<p>‘Cats’ will come to Scranton July 30 through Aug. 1.</p>
                                 <p>Submitted photo</p>

‘Cats’ will come to Scranton July 30 through Aug. 1.

Submitted photo

<p>The Rodgers & Hammerstein classic ‘South Pacific’ is on the Broadway Theatre League schedule for April.</p>
                                 <p>Submitted photo</p>

The Rodgers & Hammerstein classic ‘South Pacific’ is on the Broadway Theatre League schedule for April.

Submitted photo

The Broadway Theatre League in Scranton is excited about serving audiences a heaping helping of the musical “Waitress” early next year, and they’re hoping to “Stomp” out any lingering coronavirus concerns as well.

When the pandemic is over, they’ll be as happy as a kid in a candy store — or perhaps even as happy as “Charlie” is when he watches candy being made in Willie Wonka’s “Chocolate Factory.”

Since the League likes to offer classics, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” are on the schedule, too.

All those shows, plus “Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles” and a Blue Man Group concert, are among the shows the Broadway Theatre League will bring to the Scranton Cultural Center in 2021.

“One reason we have the shows starting in February instead of the fall is, we want to give the whole COVID-19 a chance to pass,” spokesman Frank Blasi said earlier this week in a telephone interview.

“We’ve heard a lot of people saying, obviously, they want to get back (to visiting entertainment venues) and we’re hopeful by then we’ll be able to have a return to normalcy.”

“It’s risky because no one knows what will happen, but we had to book (the shows) now, when they’re booking,” he said. “People can rest assured we’ll be following all the state and federal guidelines to make things safe.”

As always, the League strives to bring a variety of shows to Scranton.

“We want to have as broad a reach as possible,” Blasi said. ” ‘Waitress’ and ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ have never been here before, and we like to bring in something new. We wanted to have family-friendly things and we knew ‘Chocolate’ would fit and ‘Cats’ as well, plus ‘Stomp’ and ‘Blue Man Group’ are both family friendly.”

“We always try to put at least once classic on the schedule, so we have ‘South Pacific’ and ‘Cats’ is getting to be a classic now, too.”

“The Beatles show has been here before and people love the Beatles. Always.”

Shows on the schedule for 2021 include:

“Waitress,” a musical about a woman who hopes to win a pie-baking contest and find her way out of an abusive relationship, Feb. 26 through Feb. 28.

“South Pacific,” the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, April 9 through April 11.

“Charlie & The Chocolate Factory,” a little boy visits a marvelous place, June 4 through June 6.

“Cats,” a celebration of our feline friends, July 30 through Aug. 1.

Blue Man Group — a percussive concert by the blue-hued crew. June 15-June 16.

Rain, A Tribute to the Beat;es, Feb. 10.

Tickets may be purchased by contacting 570-342-7784 or logging onto

broadwayinscranton.com/.