'Music City' to transfer off Broadway this spring

Following an acclaimed run with Bedlam theatre in 2025, the country musical will play a new Theatre District venue designed as a Nashville honky tonk.

Summary

• Music City is a country musical following singer/songwriters and the regulars at a Nashville bar
• The show features existing country hits written by J.T. Harding for artists like Darius Rucker; Keith Urban; and Blake Shelton
• The show will start performances March 23 at a new venue that also serves as a functioning bar for an immersive experience

The critically acclaimed country musical Music City will transfer off Broadway this spring, starting performances March 23 ahead of an April 8 opening at a new venue in the Theatre District, just west of Times Square.

Music City is set in an East Nashville honky tonk called the Wicked Tickle, where two young singer/songwriters and the bar regulars alike pursue love and music in the face of poverty, addiction, and heartbreak. The story is written by Peter Zinn and set to existing country hits by multi-platinum songwriter J.T. Harding, who has written for artists like Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Uncle Kracker, Dierks Bently, and Florida Georgia Line.

The musical previously premiered with the theatre company Bedlam in 2025, earning nominations for two Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, and an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical.

The new venue for its 2026 run, at 512 W. 42nd St. near 10th Avenue, will be completely transformed into the Wicked Tickle, a fully functioning bar that will offer an immersive experience for theatregoers.

“The Wicked Tickle feels like Nashville’s Broadway dropped right into the middle of Manhattan — loud, alive, and full of stories,” said Harding in a statement. “The run at BEDLAM was a dream come true, and the great critical and audience response meant the world to us. Taking the show to midtown feels like opening the doors even wider, letting the music, the stories, and the heart of this show reach an even bigger audience.”

The original Bedlam cast will return to their roles: Drew Bastian as Newt, Jonathan Judge-Russo as Drew, Julianne B. Merrill as Wyn, Leenya Rideout as Tammy/Leeanne, Andrew Rothenberg as Bakerman/Stucky Stiles, Casey Shuler as “23,” and Stephen Michael Spencer as T.J. Grace Bernardo, Danny Hayward, and Megan Loomis are understudies.

Band members include Drew Bastian on drums, Julianne B. Merrill on keys, Tony Tino on bass, and Ann Klein on lead guitar, mandolin, and lap steel.

The show also features direction by Eric Tucker, scenic design by Clifton Chadick, assisted by Buffy Cardoza; costume design by Kindall Houston Almond, lighting design by Eric Southern, sound design by Jane Shaw, choreography is by John Heginbotham, and music supervision and direction by Julianne B. Merrill.

Get Music City tickets now.

Photo credit: the Bedlam production of Music City. (Photo by Ashley Garrett)