Broadway Across America just announced its upcoming 2011–2012 season, and the lineup looks strangely familiar. Compare it to the 2010 season: There’s a Disney show (Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast), a rock musical to tempt theatergoers under 40 (Rock of Ages, American Idiot), a revival (Hair, West Side Story), a Tony winner (Billy Elliot, Million Dollar Quartet), and a Cats, aka the show that will never die (Riverdance, Blue Man Group). Not that I’m complaining— I like to feel secure in my Broadway options.

Here’s the 2011–2012 season:

Blue Man Group
Oct 7–16, 2011

Saw this show when it first opened off-Broadway in 1991. Bald men painted blue spit marshmallows at the front row, shot rolls of toilet paper across the theater, and drummed infectious tribal beats. Ponchos were provided for people in the first few rows. (I mentioned the marshmallows, right?)

West Side Story
Jan 10–15, 2012

Can’t go wrong with the Bernstein and Sondheim score—the new cast won a 2010 Grammy for best musical show album. I like to be in America….

Beauty and the Beast
Feb 21–26, 2012

You tell people you’re going to this show "for the kids," but really, you have a thing for big dance numbers and a certain suave French candlestick named Lumiere.

Mamma Mia!
Mar 20–25, 2012

This ABBA fest attracts the nostalgic thirtysomethings who know, just know, that "Dancing Queen" was written for them. It’s a campy jukebox musical that’s the guiltiest of pleasures.

Million Dollar Quartet
May 15–20, 2012

Issaquah’s Village Theatre hosted an early version of this musical—about the 1956 rock supergroup Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins and their legendary recording session at Sun Records—in 2007. Levi Kreis (as Lewis) went on to win the Tony for best featured actor in a musical. Village Theatre knows how to pick ’em.

American Idiot
June 5–10, 2012

Before Spider-Man was swinging around Broadway, the edgiest new musical was Green Day-penned American Idiot, a rock opera about three twentysomething’s suburban malaise. But honestly, the story doesn’t matter. You go for the faux Green Day concert.

Single tickets are not on sale yet for the 2011–2012 season, but current season ticket holders can renew by calling 888-451-4042 or going to broadwayacrossamerica.com/seattle.