Greater Wilmington’s beloved Candlelight Theater is closing out its 2024 season with a bang, and there’s still time to catch the final performances before the year ends. Don't miss the chance to cap off 2024 with an unforgettable evening of theater and dining. 

9 to 5 the Musical: September 14 - October 27  

9 to 5 The Musical, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, is based on the seminal 1980 hit movie. Pushed to the boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the ‘sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot’ they call their boss and give him the boot! While he remains “otherwise engaged,” the women give their workplace a dream makeover, taking control of the company that had always kept them down. 

Holiday Inn: November 16 - December 22  

Inspired by the Academy Award-winning film of the same name, Holiday Inn is a story of romance with a mix of small-town living, bright lights, and the lure of stardom. This joyous musical features thrilling dance numbers, laugh-out-loud comedy, and nearly two dozen Irving Berlin classics. This year-round romance is sure to delight! 

Looking ahead to 2025, Candlelight Theater has announced an incredible lineup that promises to delight audiences. Whether you're a seasoned Candlelight goer or a first-time visitor to the iconic barn, this upcoming season is not to be missed!  

Something Rotten: January 18 - February 23, 2025 

Two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway. Created by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Wayne Kirkpatrick, and screenwriters Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell, Something Rotten garnered 10 Tony nominations and was lauded by audience and critics alike as "the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years."

Bright Star: March 15 - April 19, 2025 

An uplifting theatrical journey that holds you tightly in its grasp, BRIGHT STAR is as refreshingly genuine as it is daringly hopeful.  Inspired by a true story and featuring the Tony®-nominated score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Broadway’s BRIGHT STAR tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ’40s.

Escape to Margaritaville: July 12 - August 24, 2025 

Set your mind to island time and ESCAPE to MARGARITAVILLE! Featuring fan favorite Jimmy Buffet classics, Margaritaville tells the story of Tully, a smooth-talking singer/bartender whose laidback, no-strings-attached lifestyle is turned upside down when he falls for Rachel, an environmental scientist visiting the island. This hilarious, heartwarming musical is the party you’ve been waiting for!

Ragtime the Musical: September 13 - October 26, 2025 

It’s the dawn of the 20th century in New York and everything is possible. Three uniquely American tales are woven together and united by their shared belief in the promise of the future. Together, they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair… and what it means to live in the “land of opportunity”. Nominated for an astounding 13 Tony Awards and written by the award-winning composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, and noted playwright Terrence McNally, Ragtime is based on E.L. Doctorow’s distinguished novel of the same name.

Christmas by Candlelight: November 15 - December 21, 2025 

There’s no place like home for the holidays so we are thrilled to welcome you “home” to the barn for our heartwarming celebration of the yuletide season back by popular demand.  Featuring some of your favorite seasonal and sacred tunes, as well as some new surprises, brought to life by some of your favorite ‘Candlelighters,’ CHRISTMAS by CANDLELIGHT has been consistently voted Best Musical by our subscribers and is not to be missed.

If you noticed a bit smaller lineup for 2025, you aren’t mistaken! In late spring 2025, the iconic theater will be upgrading the old barn. The updates will take about four to six weeks to complete, so there will only be five shows produced in 2025.  

More to come on that later...   

So, mark your calendars, grab your tickets, and get ready to be swept away by the magic of dinner theater in Greater Wilmington. Here’s to another year of extraordinary performances that keep visitors coming back for more!