Everything you need to know about 'Beaches' on Broadway

Beaches is a story about two unlikely best friends: outgoing, Broadway-bound Cee Cee and polished, intelligent Bertie, who meet as kids and form an instant bond that lasts a lifetime.

After meeting under the boardwalk in Atlantic City, the two become pen pals, and their bond carries on into young adulthood when they become roommates in New York City and navigate their early careers, young love, jealousy, and their different personalities. As they get older and reach major milestones and obstacles in their lives, the two are brought back together yet again.

Beaches plays at the Majestic Theatre, located at 245 W. 44th St. between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. Built in 1927, this historic theatre is best known as the venue where The Phantom of the Opera had its record-breaking 35-year run on Broadway.

The Majestic Theatre is accessible, with step-free access for wheelchair seats, and it also provides accommodations for visitors with hearing or vision loss.

Beaches has an approximate run time of 2 hours and 20 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission. The exact run time is subject to change as performances begin, though this is a typical length for a Broadway musical.

The performance schedule for Beaches has not yet been announced, but it is expected to play eight performances a week at the Majestic Theatre. This is a limited-run production starting March 27 and closing September 6, 2026.

Beaches is recommended for ages 8 and up. The show deals with themes that may be better suited for older children, including illness, divorce, and loss. Please note that children under 4 are not permitted in Broadway theatres.

The Beaches musical had its world premiere in 2014 before finally coming to Broadway in 2026, but it began as a book before getting the stage or screen treatments. Here is a full timeline of Beaches.

• 1985: The Beaches book, by Iris Rainer Dart, is published.
• 1988: The Beaches movie, starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey, comes out.
• 2014: The Beaches musical makes its world premiere at the Signature Theatre in Washington D.C.
• 2015: Another production of the musical is put on at the Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago.
• 2024: The Beaches musical makes its international premiere at Arts Commons Max Bell Theatre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, starring Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett.
• 2026: Beaches debuts on Broadway, with Vosk and Barrett reprising their roles.

The Beaches musical has a script by Iris Rainer Dart, the original author of the Beaches novel, and Thom Thomas. Lyrics are by Dart, and music is by Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Mike Stoller. This production was also developed in collaboration with David Austin, who provided music for earlier versions of the show.

The two main characters of Beaches are best friends Cee Cee and Bertie, whose tight-knit, lifelong friendship unfolds throughout the show. Past productions of the musical used different actors to play Cee Cee and Bertie as younger versions of themselves, as kids, and then as teens.

• Cee Cee Bloom: An outgoing and vivacious child star with Broadway dreams who later struggles to land roles. In the movie, Cee Cee was played by Bette Midler.
• Bertie White: A reserved, driven girl who comes from a wealth and has high aspirations of becoming a lawyer but grapples with pressure from family. In the movie, Bertie (whose name was changed to Hillary) was played by Barbara Hershey.
• Michael Barron: Bertie's husband.
• Nina Barron: Bertie’s daughter.
• Leona Bloom: Cee Cee’s involved stage mom.
• Rose White: Bertie’s mom, who puts pressure on her daughter.

The Beaches Broadway cast is led by Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett as Cee Cee and Bertie, respectively. The two Broadway vets previously played the roles in the 2024 production in Alberta, Canada.

Vosk is known for starring in Wicked and Hell’s Kitchen on Broadway and as a voice actor for the animated show Hazbin Hotel. Barrett has performed on Broadway in Parade, Wicked, and Dr. Zhivago.

The full Broadway song list has not been released for the Beaches musical yet, but the Grammy-winning hit “Wind Beneath My Wings” will definitely be included. However, other songs from the movie may not be in the show, as the score is mostly original for the stage.

This article will be updated with the Beaches song list when it is available.

Beaches on Broadway will be eligible for New York theatre honors in 2026, including Tony Awards. Previously, Bette Midler’s recording of “Wind Beneath My Wings” for the film soundtrack won the 1990 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Alongside its Broadway premiere, there have been a few notable productions of the Beaches musical.

• 2014 world premiere: Beaches debuted at the Signature Theatre in Washington D.C.
• 2024 international premiere: A revised version of the show ran at Arts Commons Max Bell Theatre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
• 2026 Broadway premiere: Beaches is on Broadway for a limited run, from March 27 to September 6.
• 2026 national tour: Following the Broadway run, the musical plans to launch a U.S. national tour.

Before Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett assumed the main roles in Beaches on Broadway, a few other major stars have been in the movie and the musical's previous productions.

• Bette Midler: The Broadway veteran and movie star played the role of Cee Cee in the Beaches movie.
• Barbara Hershey: The TV and film star played the role of Hillary (the Bertie role) in the Beaches movie.
• Mayim Bialik: Known for playing Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory and hosting Jeopardy!, Bialik played young Cee Cee in the Beaches movie.
• Shoshana Bean: The Grammy-winning and Tony-nominated Broadway actress (known, like Vosk, for Wicked and Hell's Kitchen) played Cee Cee in the Chicago production of the Beaches musical.

Yes, there is a Beaches movie. The famous 1988 film stars Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey as lifelong BFFs C.C. and Hillary (known in the book and musical as Cee Cee and Bertie). Both the movie and musical versions of Beaches are based on the 1985 novel by Iris Rainer Dart, who later wrote the book and lyrics for the musical.

With such a rich history behind this beloved story, there are plenty of fun facts to know about Beaches.

• Composer Mike Stoller, who created the music for the Beaches musical, wrote several hits for Elvis Presley with lyricist Jerome Leiber, such as “Love Me” and “Jailhouse Rock.”
• Beaches author Iris Rainer Dart, who also wrote the book and lyrics for the musical, began her career as an actress and studied theatre at Carnegie Mellon University before becoming an author and playwright.
• Jessica Vosk, who stars as Cee Cee, worked on Wall Street before becoming a Broadway star.
• In addition to acting, Kelli Barrett, who stars as Bertie, is a certified life coach.
• Beaches's Broadway connections go even further back: A 2017 TV remake of the film starred Tony Award winner Idina Menzel, the original Elphaba in Wicked, as C.C. alongside Nia Long as Hillary.
• The Beaches book has a sequel: 1991's Beaches II: I'll Be There. A planned film adaptation never came to fruition, though.

Get Beaches tickets on New York Theatre Guide soon. Focusing on the power of sisterhood, Beaches is a heartbreaking yet uplifting story that has lasted generations for a reason.