The Rockettes Will Star in the New Dance Musical Heart & Lights at Radio City This Spring

The Radio City Rockettes aren’t just winter entertainment anymore. The ladies are gearing up to star in a new musical Heart & Lights, which plays Radio City Musical Hall for 59 performances this spring, according to The New York Times. The original dance show, crafted by Linda Haberman and featuring a book by Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright, begins performances on March 27 and continues through May 4. Opening night is set for April 3, 2014. 

“You’re going to see a lot of stuff you’ve never seen the Rockettes do before,” Haberman said to The Times. “I’m definitely expanding their vocabulary. In this show, I felt like there were no limits.”

Heart & Lights shares the adventure of two cousins as they uncover their grandmother’s early life in New York City.  Starting their journey on an underground 3D subway ride, New York City comes to life in unexpected ways. From Grand Central Station to the lush fields of Central Park, digital mapping extends into the theater, transforming Radio City and surrounding the audience. In the Central Park scene, digital mapping is coupled with the use of inventive GPS technology, allowing the creation of a magical kite flying spectacle, with GPS trackers guiding the kites as they dart and soar above the audience. Even the Statue of Liberty makes an appearance, brought to life as a 26-foot tall state-of-the-art animatronic character. The musical pairs original music with songs by some of the most recognizable artists of the past 50 years.

Wright received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for his play I Am My Own Wife. He wrote the books to the Broadway musicals Hands on a Hardbody, Grey Gardens and The Little Mermaid.

The Rockettes’ main gig, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, begins performances on November 8.