ON STAGE
Broadway Returns!
By Griffin Miller
Broadway has lifted the curtain to our favorite productions. Here’s a brief look at old favorites and new showstoppers.
Currently Open
• Pass Over
(August Wilson Theatre; passoverbroadway.com) inspired by Waiting for Godot and the Exodus story, Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu’s set her play on an urban street corner.
• Hadestown
(Walter Kerr Theatre; hadestown.com) 2019’s Tony-winning musical follows the overlapping love stories of Orpheus & Eurydice and Hades & Persephone with a mashup score of New Orleans jazz and American folk music.
• Waitress
(Ethel Barrymore Theatre; telecharge.com) Broadway welcomes the return of the pie-centric Sara Bareilles-scored hit musical. Based on Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 film, the current resurrection is clearly cause for celebration.
Theatregoers must show proof of full vaccination with an FDA or WHO authorized vaccine. “Fully vaccinated” means performance date is at least 14 days after the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or at least 14 days after a single-dose vaccine. Masks are also required inside the theater, except while eating or drinking in designated locations. For more information, please visit nycgo.com
Fall Arrivals
September 14th
• Chicago
(Ambassador Theatre; chicagothemusical.com) It picked up a Tony for Best Musical Revival back in 1997 and re-enters the Broadway fray as one of its fiercest hits.
• Hamilton
(Richard Rodgers Theatre; hamiltonmusical.com) Lin Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical is back, so if you’re primed for the hottest take on history ever, join the line.
• The Lion King (Minskoff Theatre, lionking.com) Disney’s 1997 Tony-winning stage adaption of its animated blockbuster is a visual knock-out and ready for audiences of all ages.
• Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s Lackawanna Blues (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre; manhattantheatreclub.com) It’s the 1960s as Tony winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson takes on 20 characters in honor of the woman who raised him.
• Wicked (Gershwin Theatre; wickedthemusical.com) Long-running with no end in sight, this outstanding Ozian musical showcases a green heroine with a surprising BFF. All in all, witchin’!
• David Byrne’s American Utopia (St. James Theatre; americanutopiabroadway.com) Mr. Byrne and his international troupe of multi-talented musicians offer theatregoers a killer concert/theatrical event.
September 17th
• Six (Brooks Atkinson Theatre; sixonbroadway.com) Each of Henry VIII’s wives—portrayed by original cast members—finally gets her solo moment in a contemporary concert spotlight.
September 21st
• Come From Away (Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre; comefromaway.com) On 9/11/01, airline passengers and Gander, Newfoundland natives were thrown together into an extraordinary situation captured in this equally extraordinary musical.
September 23rd
• Chicken and Biscuits (Circle in the Square Theatre; chickenandbiscuitsbway.com) A comedy with a “funeral” twist arrives on Broadway with stars Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess), and Michael Urie (Ugly Betty).
September 24th
• Is This a Room (Lyceum Theatre; vineyardtheatre.org) Taken from FBI transcripts, this true-life drama tracks the interrogation of a former Air Force linguist surprised at home by the FBI in 2017.
• Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Al Hirschfeld Theatre; moulinrougemusical.com) Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film translated to a spirited stage romp of glorious proportions.
September 25th
• The Lehman Trilogy (Nederlander Theatre; thelehmantrilogy.com) The acclaimed epic play tracking three generations of the family who helmed Lehman Brothers investment bank. Sell-outs predicted.
September 26th
• The Tony Awards will be presented for the 2019/2020 season.
September 28th
• Aladdin (New Amsterdam; aladdinthemusical.com) What’s not to love about this Disney musical romcom culled from the animated classic? Genie kicks off this wild magic carpet ride with all its family-friendly wonder.
October 1st
• Dana H. (Lyceum Theatre; vineyardtheatre.org) This harrowing true story about a woman held captive in a series of motels, has been adapted by her son, playwright Lucas Hnath. Running in rep with Is This a Room.
• Thoughts of a Colored Man (Golden Theatre; thoughtsofacoloredman.com) “Spoken word, slam poetry, rhythm and humor” work together to propel the inner voices of Black men for today’s theatregoers.
October 5th
• To Kill a Mockingbird (Shubert Theatre; tokillamockingbirdbroadway.com) Aaron Sorkin’s acclaimed stage version of the Harper Lee classic is back with original cast members Celia Keenan-Bolger and Jeff Daniels.
October 7th
• Freestyle Love Supreme (Booth Theatre; freestylelovesupreme.com) Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail and Antony Veneziale created this improv musical. Red hot and big buzz all the way.
October 8th
• Caroline, or Change (Studio 54; roundabouttheatre.org) The first Broadway revival of the Tony Kushner-Jeanine Tesori musical about an African-American maid and the family she serves.
• Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (Lunt-Fontanne Theatre; tinaonbroadway.com) It’s more than a challenge not to dance and sing along with the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll in this mega-musical bio!
Girl From The North Country (Belasco Theatre; northcountryonbroadway.com) Set in a guesthouse during the Great Depression, Conor McPherson’s latest taps into the Bob Dylan songbook for a poignantly beautiful musical.
October 16th
• Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations (Imperial Theatre; ainttooproudmusical.com) Rock & Roll Hall of Famers/Motown icons come to life in this retro-awesome musical.
October 21st
• Jagged Little Pill (Broadhurst Theatre; jaggedlittlepill.com) Inspired by Alanis Morissette’s Grammy-winning album, the plot of this Tony-nominated musical follows a deceptively perfect family.
• Mrs. Doubtfire (Stephen Sondheim Theatre; mrsdoubtfirebroadway.com) Tony-nominee Rob McClure takes on Robin Williams’ seminal dude-turned-nanny role in this long-anticipated stage musical.
October 22nd
• The Phantom of the Opera (Majestic Theatre; us.thephantomoftheopera.com) Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony-winning masterpiece is primed to share its “Music of the Night” in its Broadway digs once more.
October 29th
• Trouble in Mind (American Airlines Theatre; roundabouttheatre.org) Originally set to debut in the 1950s, this look at racism in the theatre industry is finally primed to reach its Broadway audience.
November 2nd
• Diana: The Musical (Longacre Theatre; thedianamusical.com) You know the story, now get ready for the musical that was a major pre-pandemic draw at San Diego’s La Jolla Playhouse!
November 3rd
• Clyde’s (Helen Hayes Theatre; 2st.com) Pulitzer Prize winner Lynne Nottage’s funny and moving new work unfolds in a truck stop staffed by former inmates.
November 5th
• The Book of Mormon (Eugene O’Neill Theatre; bookofmormonbroadway.com) Hilarious, irreverent and winner of 9 Tonys in 2011… proof positive nothing is sacred in the hands of creators Trey Parker Matt Stone.
November 11th
• Flying Over Sunset (Vivian Beaumont Theater; lct.org) When Cary Grant, Aldous Huxley and Clare Booth Luce tried LSD in real life, little did they know it would become fodder for a fabricated musical.
November 12th
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Lyric Theatre; harrypottertheplay.com) Revamped into a single performance, HPATCC can’t help but retain the magic of Hogwarts for its newbie first years.
November 15th
• Company (Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre; companymusical.com) Gender takes a U-turn in this white-hot revival starring two Tony winners: Katrina Lenk (as Bobbie) and Patti Lupone (as Joanne).
