Okay, I’m already excited about this one! I’m looking forward to taking my music-loving kiddos to see THE BODYGUARD at The Stranahan. We love live performances, and some of my favorite moments are the conversations we have afterward about the music, the talent and the performances.
And with Whitney Houston’s iconic music being brought to the stage? We are IN.
Additionally, the timing is perfect for those partners, spouses, etc. celebrating Sweetest Day on the 17th!!
The American Theatre Guild has announced the full casting for the North American tour of THE BODYGUARD, which is launching in Toledo at The Stranahan and kicking off the 2026–27 BROADWAY IN TOLEDO Series!
Based on the 1992 film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, THE BODYGUARD the musical is a thrilling, romantic story packed with suspense, drama, romance and some of the most iconic songs in music history.
The story follows former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer, who is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Both expect to be in charge of the situation…what they don’t expect is to fall in love.
And the soundtrack?!
THE BODYGUARD features unforgettable songs made famous by Whitney Houston, including:
🎤 Queen of the Night
🎤 So Emotional
🎤 I Will Always Love You
🎤 I Wanna Dance with Somebody
🎤 Saving All My Love
🎤 One Moment in Time
The cast is led by Brooke Bailey as Rachel Marron and Jonathan Blansfield as Frank Farmer, with Erica Burkett as the Rachel Marron Alternate.
The cast also includes Andrea Simpson, Keyshawn Brian Steele, Anthony S. Goolsby, Ethan Hall, Riki Stevens, Carmelo Kelly, Shiloh Prendergast, Cedric Jamaal Greene, Cydney Heard, Tanner Jarrett Kirol, Joe Love, Lucy Mangion, Yurika Ono, Camal Pugh, Courtney Genoveva Saffold, Samantha Scott and Scott Willits.
Directed by Samantha Saltzman, the production features a talented creative team including Alexander Dinelaris (book), Jim Cooney (choreography), Darryl Archibald (music supervision and additional orchestrations), Christine Peters (scenic design), Craig Stelzenmuller (lighting design), Joshua D. Reid (sound design), Whitney Locher (costume design) and Liz Printz (hair and wig design).
📍 THE STRANAHAN
📅 October 15–18, 2026
Performance schedule:
Thursday, October 15 — 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 16 — 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 17 — 2:00 & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 18 — 1:00 & 6:30 p.m.
THE BODYGUARD originally premiered in London’s West End in 2012 and went on to become an international success, with productions across the UK, Ireland, Monaco, the Netherlands, South Korea, Australia and more. The North American production premiered at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey in 2016 before touring throughout the United States.
There’s something pretty special about seeing a story you know and love transformed into a live performance, especially when the music is THIS iconic.
And I love that Toledo gets to experience productions like this right here at The Stranahan. 🎭
My calendar is officially marked. Now I just need to figure out where we’re dining before the show…
Toledo friends, where should we go for dinner beforehand?! 🍽️👇 Give me your suggestions!
🎟️ TICKETS: Tickets are available through BroadwayInToledo.com and StranahanTheater.com. Group ticket savings are available for groups of 10+ by contacting Groups@ATGuild.org.
⚠️ TICKET REMINDER: BroadwayInToledo.com, Etix.com and The Stranahan Box Office are the only official ticket sources for the 2026–27 BROADWAY IN TOLEDO Series. Tickets purchased through other sources may be inflated and are not guaranteed.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 