Mel Pratt ’20 / Emertainment Monthly Assistant Stage Editor Every fall, a theatre fan mourns as their favorite show is swept off Broadway. Then, they realize… new shows are coming! For the theatre fan who is wondering what shows are coming and what they’re about, here’s a list of shows we’re looking forward to, counting down to the most anticipated show this fall!
10. Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Janet McTeer in Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Photo Credit: Johan PerssonEveryone needs a good drama filled with scandal. This Les Liaisons Dangereuses revival certainly fills anyone’s dish for a juicy play. The show transferred to Broadway after an acclaimed and sold-out run in London. Based on the eighteenth century novel, the play stars Tony winners Liev Schreiber and Janet McTeer as two former lovers who reunite to destroy an innocent aristocrat. Filled with manipulation and seduction, the play gets more and more intense as it goes. Directed by Josie Rourke and written by Christopher Hampton, the show’s previews began October 8th and will play from October 30th to January 22nd at the Booth Theatre.
9. In Transit
In Transit. Photo Credit: intransitbroadway.comIf you’re looking for something completely different, go see In Transit this fall. The show is entirely a cappella, created by Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Frozen), James Allen-Ford, Russ Kaplan, and Sara Wordsworth and directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall. In Transit follows the story of eleven New Yorkers as they travel throughout the city. Several cast members include James Snyder (If/Then), Telly Leung (Allegiance), and Erin Mackey (Wicked). The show also has no intermission and runs straight through an hour and a half. The show begins previews on November 10th and will start its run on December 11th.
8. Heisenberg
Denis Arndt and Mary-Louise Parker in Heisenberg. Photo Credit: MTCHeisenberg is a new play debuting this fall. Written by Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of Dog at Nighttime) and directed by Mark Brokaw (How I Learned to Drive) this play is manned by two theatre powerhouses. The stars Mary-Louise Parker (Proof) as Georgie and Denis Arndt (The Night Alive) as Alex, a duo who come together when Georgie kisses Alex’s neck at a train station. The two then go on with their lives, but that single event changed everything for them. Previews began September 20th and opening night is October 13th. The previews have received such acclaim that the show has been given an extended run to December 11th.
7. Holiday Inn
Corbin Bleu, Lora Lee Gayer and Bryce Pinkham in Holiday Inn. Photo Credit: Joan MarcusHoliday Inn is a stage adaption of the classic movie musical that starred Bing Crosby. If you’re looking for a Christmas celebration with loads of tap dancing, you’ve found it! The bubbly musical is filled with catchy tunes written originally by Irving Berlin and follows the tale of Jim (Bryce Pinkham), who leaves the show business for a calm Connecticut farmhouse but finds himself missing the show business. He and his newfound love, Linda (Lora Lee Gayer), turn it into an inn filled with song and dance. Corbin Bleu (High School Musical) also appears in the show. The show is directed by Gordon Greenberg and the book is written by Gordon Greenberg and Chad Hodge. The show opened October 6th at Studio 54 and will run until January 15th.
6. The Front Page
The Front Page. Photo Credit: thefrontpagebroadway.comThe classic 1928 play has been revived on screen several times, but it’s finally coming back to the stage! The Front Page is a classic comedy play about a reporter (John Slattery) who is retiring then stumbles across the scoop of his life. He and his editor (Nathan Lane) then try to keep the story from everyone else while they work on it. The comedy also stars Jefferson Mays (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), John Goodman (The Big Lebowski), and Sherie Rene Scott (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). This all-star play will leave you doubled over in your seat. Directed by Jack O’Brien and written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur the play already began previews on September 20th and will premiere October 20th and run until January 29th at the Broadhurst Theater.
5. Oh, Hello on Broadway
Nick Kroll and John Mulaney in Oh, Hello on Broadway. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus and Christian FrareyComedians Nick Kroll and John Mulaney decided to take a stab at writing a play, when they encountered two elderly men in a bookstore. From then on, they have been creating two characters based off them, George St. Geegland (Mulaney) and Gil Faizon (Kroll). The show has a broad audience it will appeal to, from regular fans of the comedians, to theatre lovers. Kroll and Mulaney ensure the theatre crowd that there are plenty of gems for theatre people, describing the show as “George and Gil’s love letter to Broadway.” Previews already began and the audience is loving it! Directed by Alex Timbers, do not miss this show coming to the Lyceum Theater on October 10th and staying until January 8th.
4. A Bronx Tale
A Bronx Tale. Photo Credit: abronxtalethemusical.comYou may have seen the classic movie of the same name, starring Chazz Palminteri. The story has been made into a musical, with the help of composer Alan Menken and directors Robert DiNero and Jerry Zaks. The story is written by Palminteri and is based off his own story. The musical stars Bobby Conte Thorton as Calogero, an Italian-American living in the sixties who is torn between listening to his father, Lorenzo (Richard H. Blake), and a mob boss, Sonny (Nick Cordero). When interviewed by State of the Arts New Jersy, Palminteri says it’s “not a gangster story, it’s a family story.” The score is a blend of rock, R&B, and doo-wop, which is a welcome change to Disney veteran Menken. Prepare to be moved in this show, which begins previews November 3rd and opens December 1st at the Longacre Theatre.
3. Falsettos
Falsettos. Photo Credit: Lincoln Center TheaterA show we didn’t realize that we wanted to be revived until it was announced is Falsettos. Coming to broadway October 27th at the Walter Kerr Theatre, Falsettos follows the story of a family that fractures before your eyes. But don’t worry, it’s really a light-hearted comedy. The show has a stellar cast with Christian Borle, Stephanie J. Block, Betsy Wolfe, and Tracie Thoms just to name a few. Previews began September 29th to much acclaim from critics and audience members alike. Directed and written by James Lapine with a beautiful score by William Finn, the show will leave you doubled over.
2. Dear Evan Hansen
Dear Evan Hansen. Photo Credit: dearevanhansen.comWere you bitter that Pasek & Paul’s Dogfight was never moved onto Broadway? Are you still bitter? Dear Evan Hansen is not the same as Dogfight, but Pasek & Paul fans rejoice––another beautifully scored musical by this generation’s Oscar and Hammerstein is coming this November. Dear Evan Hansen stars Ben Platt (The Book of Mormon, Frozen) as Evan Hansen, a high schooler whose peer died. Due to a fateful note, he then inserts himself in a situation he never should have. The music of Dear Evan Hansen is of the heartfelt, beautiful pop that made Dogfight so popular. Look no further for the cast album you’ll be listening to non-stop this season. Dear Evan Hansen is directed by Michael Greif and the book is written by Steven Levenson. The show will begin previews November 14th and opens December 4th at the Music Box Theatre.
1. Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
The Great Comet. Photo Credit: greatcometbroadway.comComing to the Imperial Theatre, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, is widely looked forward to by the theatre community. Last winter, the show played at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA and received amazing reviews. The show is based off Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace and is a fuse of classical and EDM music. It follows the trend Hamilton began by trying to modernize a historic story. Dave Malloy manages to pull off balancing opera and EDM, a combination like strawberries and sour cream––unexpectedly wonderful. The show is the broadway debut for leads Josh Groban and Denée Benton, directed by Rachel Chavkin, and written entirely by Dave Malloy. The show begins previews October 18th and opens November 14th.
