WNIJ host Jason Cregier and production assistant Sam Naftzger visited the Coronado Performing Arts Center to preview the upcoming 2025-2026 Broadway at the Coronado theater season.
Jason and Sam spoke with Doug Johnson, Assistant General Manager of ASM Rockford, about what folks can expect to see during the run of shows.
(This is a portion of a longer interview, edited for time and clarity. Listen to the full interview in the link above.)
Jason Cregier: So, what are the productions people will see during Broadway at the Coronado theater season run?
Doug Johnson: The season kicks off with The Book of Mormon on December 1.
JC: I feel like I have heard about that show a time or two. Was that popular at one time (sarcastic laughter)?
DJ: (Laughs) Still is popular. We are bringing that show back, we love that show. We are also trying a new program, Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol, which begins on December 14. It is a twist on the Charles Dickens classic with Dolly Parton’s music.
Mrs. Doubtfire begins its run on February 5, 2026. That show is a feel-good family musical comedy. Then we have Clue live on stage. That is based off the movie and board game of the same name.
Riverdance begins on June 2, 2026. Coming up in a few days, August 21 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., you can pick your seat for the Broadway theater season. You may sit in any seat you like, and we will sell it to you for the entire Broadway year. It is going to be a great year.
SN: Are the stage productions sourced locally, are they travelling? How does that work?
DJ: They are all traveling productions, which are out on the road from two to three months at a time. We welcome the productions through the back door around six to seven in the morning. Then go to work, unloading the trucks and begin assembling the set pieces.
SN: What makes the Coronado theater so special?
DJ: The theater was built in 1927, and it has what is considered atmospheric architecture. When you enter the theater, you are greeted with a ceiling that is modeled after a star pattern. That pattern is from October 10, 1927, when the theater first opened.
On one side of the stage there is a village and then there is a bridge over the proscenium that leads to another village. The idea is that it should replicate the feeling of being outdoors.
When you enter the theater, it feels like being in 1927 with a modern twist.
The number one word I hear when people enter the Coronado is “Wow. Is that beautiful.,” and that’s exactly what it is.
JC: That was me when I entered the building. It was incredible.
DJ: It is. I see something new every time I walk into the Coronado. I’ll eat my lunch on the balcony upstairs and it is a different kind of quiet than you find in any other buildings.
It’s just a beautiful place to be.
SN: Where can people find more information about the upcoming Broadway at the Coronado theater season?
DJ: coronado.asmrockford.com
JC: That is Doug Johnson, Assistant General Manager of ASM Rockford, discussing the upcoming Broadway at the Coronado 2025-2026 theater season. Doug, thanks for joining us today.
DJ: Thanks for having me.
