The live-action stage play, Bernadette: the Musical, will launch its North American tour in Pope Leo XIV’s home city of Chicago, Illinois.
The show’s performances will take place from February 12, 2025, March 15, 2026, at the Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture in Chicago.
Originally performed in French, the Catholic musical will be performed in the “newly-developed English language” across North America. One of the lead producers includes American actor Kelsey Grammer.
The production joins a growing movement of Catholic arts and culture that uses faith-based theater to share the lives of the saints with modern audiences.
About Bernadette: The Musical
Bernadette: The Musical follows the miraculous story of Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the 14-year-old girl who saw visions of Our Lady in Lourdes, France. These visions led to the discovery of a healing spring, which reportedly cured numerous individuals.
Lourdes is one of the most popular Catholic pilgrimage sites. Bernadette went on to become one of the most beloved saints in the Catholic Church.
Here is the Bernadette musical’s description, according to the website:
“Bernadette, The Musical tells the true story of Bernadette Soubirous, the 14-year-old daughter of a miller from Massabielle living in 19th- century Lourdes, in the South of France. During the winter of 1858, Bernadette returned from a grotto on the riverbank claiming to have seen a vision of a “something white in the shape of a lady,” leaving her with feelings of peace, serenity, and love.
“The Musical focuses on the few weeks that followed this event, and how the teenager, experiencing another 16 visions, stood firm against doubt, ridicule, and condemnation. She faced pressure from adults, police, religious authorities—even her own parents—with courage, simplicity, and the quiet certainty of someone who says, ‘I don’t know how to explain it, but I know what I saw.’ The musical also highlights Bernadette’s remarkable personality: innocent yet sharp, gifted with an extraordinary sense of humor.”
Check out the official trailer for Bernadette: The Musical:
After the Chicago premiere, Bernadette: The Musical will tour multiple U.S. cities, including Boston, Philadelphia, Nashville, Dallas, Houston, and more.
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