Here is everything you need to know about the Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway shows in NYC in 2024. Throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, Off- and Off-Off Broadway theatres present everything from the classics—plays and musicals—to cutting-edge experimental pieces, concerts, festivals, and immersive works.
PLAYING OFF-BROADWAY & OFF-OFF BROADWAY, 2024
by Griffin Miller, Theatre Editor
Adulting for Idiots (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. @ E. 10th St.) Ever wonder how to get your credit score up? Or how to get your cholesterol levels down? In her mix of standup and original comedy songs, Nikki MacCallum will teach you everything you’d wish you’d known before reaching adulthood. This show will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even clarify what a mortgage is. Part of this year’s Dream Up Festival. Thru 9/15. (dreamupfestival.org)
The Alchemist’s Veil (La MaMa’s Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 E. 4th St., 2nd Fl.) Guggenheim dance artist Maureen Fleming combines surreal movement poetry and mesmerizing visuals inspired by the paintings of American artist Georgia O’Keeffe in a sensual journey crystallizing mystical femininity across generations. 10/17 thru 10/27. (lamama.org)
Amerikin (59E59 Theaters, Theater A, 59 E. 59th St.) In small-town Maryland, Jeff Browning wants to give newborn son every possible advantage – by joining a local white supremacist group. When his attempt to join is thwarted by surprising ancestry test results, the line between “us” and “them” gets incredibly blurry. As he scrambles to maintain appearances, his sanitized story starts to unravel when a prominent Black journalist and his daughter start asking questions. Part of the AMPLIFY Festival. 3/1 thru 4/13/25. (59e59.org)
AMPLIFY Festival (59E59 Theaters, 59 E. 59th St.) An unprecedented festival of three New York City premieres by one playwright in all three of 59E59’s theater spaces. This second annual AMPLIFY Festival will showcase the talent of local playwright Chisa Hutchinson with the NYC premieres of her plays The Bleeding Class (Thru 9/1), Redeemed, 9/15 thru 10/5), and Amerikin (3/1 thru 4/13/25). (59e59.org)
Annie (The Theater at Madison Square Garden, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza) The beloved Tony-winning musical returns to NYC for the holiday season to celebrate family, optimism and the American spirit as the ultimate cure for the hard knocks life throws your way. The heartwarming story of the iconic title redhead and how her upbeat spunk – and Daddy Warbucks – takes her from rags to riches against a Big Apple backdrop. Starring Whoopi Goldberg as orphanage maven Miss Hannigan. 12/4 thru 1/5/25. (msg.com/ANNIE)
Another Shot (Pershing Square Signature Theatre’s Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre, 480 W. 42nd St.) Based loosely on the real-life experiences of Chicago sports radio personality Harry Teinowitz (Dan Butler), whose career and life were put in jeopardy following an arrest for DUI, the play tells the outrageous and hilarious story of an alcoholic on the edge of blowing up his life when he finally confronts how his behavior is affecting his family, career, and liver. 10/15 thru 1/4/25. (anothershotplay.com)
Antigone in the Amazon (NYU Skirball, 566 LaGuardia Pl.) On an occupied piece of land, in collaboration with Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra -- the world’s largest landless workers’ movement, playwright Milo Rau and his team created this allegorical play about the violent devastations and displacements caused by the modern state, which places private property above the traditional right to land. 9/27 & 9/28. (nyuskirball.org)
The Antiquities (Playwrights Horizons, 416 W. 42nd St.) At the Museum of Late Human Antiquities, the curators are fiercely committed to bringing a lost civilization to life again: What were humans really like? What did they wear, what did they eat, how did they die out? By casting us into the far future, Jordan Harrison’s new play gives us an uncanny view of the present moment, as we straddle the analog world that was and the post-human world to come. January, 2025. (vineyardtheatre.org)
Apocalypse Truck The Musical (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. @ E. 10th St.) In a near-future, conservative fever dream, a liberal President has banned gas-powered vehicles to promote the use of electric cars. One Florida Man has hidden away his F150 truck, and when a hacker disables all electric vehicles in the country, the President calls on this him to drive to the one remaining oil refinery and connect the country to petroleum once again. Part of this year’s Dream Up Festival. Thru 9/15. (dreamupfestival.org)
Ari Shapiro: Thank You for Listening (54 Below, 254 W. 54th St.) Named Journalist of the Year and sung at the Hollywood Bowl, Ari Shapiro is now one of America’s most recognized storytellers. His new solo cabaret show adapts tales from his memoir “The Best Strangers In the World” into an evening of stories and songs about the power of listening to forge connections. 1/2 thru 1/4/25. (54below.org)
Ashes & Ink (AMT Theater, 354 W. 45th St.) Still grappling with her husband's death, Molly, desperate to pull her son, Quinn, back from the edge of addiction. As he fights for redemption by auditioning for drama school, the emotional scars between them surface, leading to moments of tenderness and turmoil. Playwright Martha Pichey’s powerful story is poignant exploration of how we try to mend what feel irreparably broken. Starring Kathryn Erbe (Law & Order: Criminal Intent).10/16 thru 11/3. (ashesink.ludus.com)
The Ask (wild project, 195 E. 3rd St.) What does it cost to get what we need? With comedic precision, The Ask dissects a tense visit between a struggling young fundraiser and an affluent liberal donor, as they navigate the treacherous power dynamics at the heart of charitable giving. This new play about the growing generational divide among idealistic progressives, was inspired by playwright Matthew Freeman’s 13 years of experience as a fundraiser for the ACLU. Thru 9/28. (thewildproject.org)
Atlas Drugged (Tools for Tomorrow) (NYU Skirball, 566 LaGuardia Pl.) Just in time for the election, comes this playful analysis of both the current moment, in which AI-generated “evidence” influences much of what we think and feel, and also a speculation about a near future where candidates themselves are as engineered as their messages. 10/25 thru 10/27. (nyuskirball.org)
Attack on Titan: The Musical (New York City Center, 131 W. 55th St.) A new live 2.5D Musical entertainment based on the wildly popular manga (comic book) by Hajime Isayama. A century ago, the giants known as Titans consumed all but the last remnants of humanity. Now, a boy named Eren Yeager yearns to explore the world, but what began as a childish dream, becomes a nightmare when the Titans return and humanity is once again on the brink of extinction. Performed in Japanese with English supertitles. 10/11 thru 10/23. (attackontitan-themusical.com)
Attorney-Client (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. @ E. 10th St.) Two actors, one black and one white, alternate between playing a co-defendant or an attorney. Two college students, are charged with a hit and run. One, from a wealthy family, has a private attorney; the other is assigned a public defender, illuminating the societal fissures in race and class. Part of this year’s Dream Up Festival. 9/10 thru 9/15. (dreamupfestival.org)
Baba Yaga and the Firebird (New Victory Theater, 209 W. 42nd St.) Written in a form that blurs the lines between musical theater, story theater, and vaudeville, Baba Yaga and the Firebird is an original tale based on Slavic folklore that follows a young queen and a peasant boy as they find their strength in the power of friendship. Ages 7+. 11/6 thru 11/17.(newvictory.org)
Bad Kreyol (Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 W. 42nd St.) Dominique Morisseau's beautiful world premiere play about interrogating cultural identity and global impact. Simone, first-generation Haitian American, and her cousin Gigi, Haitian-born and raised, reunite to honor their grandmother's dying wish for them to reconnect. Simone's pilgrimage back to her ancestral homeland forces both cousins to confront their differing world views. 2024-2025 season. (manhattantheatreclub.com)
The Beacon (Irish Rep’s Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage, 132 W. 22nd St.) Noted artist Beiv has left her Dublin home for a secluded cottage on a rugged island off the coast of West Cork where there’s no escaping rumors of her shadowy past. Her relative peace is disrupted when her estranged son returns home with his new wife, searching for answers about his father’s mysterious death. Prying into the past comes with a cost, however, and returning to the island will leave some people searching for a light, and others avoiding its glare. Starring Kate Mulgrew. 9/11 thru 11/3. (irishrep.org)
The Beastiary (Ars Nova @ Greenwich House, 27 Barrow St.) The mythic meets the modern in this twistedly comedic and cataclysmic pageant of consumption, corruption and the end of human-kind. Featuring music by theremin musician Dorit Chrysler. 10/7 thru 11/9. (arsnovanyc.com)
the beautiful land i seek (la linda tierra que busco yo) (Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, 304 W. 47th St.) In 1950, two would-be assassins are on a train planning a strike in the name of Puerto Rican independence. Each time the door to their compartment swings open they’re met by figures out of art and history reflecting on what their country means to them and has meant to the US. As the borders of their reality begin to shift, the two must finalize their plan and decide how they want their sacrifice to be remembered. 12/4 thru 12/29. (pregonesprtt.org)
Beckett Briefs (Irish Repertory Theatre, 132 W. 22nd St.) Three short plays by Samuel Beckett that run the gamut of existence from birth to the afterlife, presented on a single bill: Not I (a non-verbal woman suddenly hears voices and realizes it’s herself speaking); Krapp’s Last Tape aged (an aged man reviews his life through his younger self heard on autobiographical tapes); and Play (locked in their urns, a man, his wife, and his mistress relay the sordid details of their love triangle. January, 2025. (irishrep.org)
Beyond The Realm (Multiple venues throughout the city) This 2nd edition of this unique festival creates a radical space of experimentation to serve the needs of playwrights whose bold new works don’t fit in the traditional play development model. Showcasing three very different pieces guided by unique perspectives of what can be done on a stage. Visit website for a complete schedule of events, descriptions & venues. 9/26 thru 10/26. (playwrightsrealm.org)
Big Broadway Drag Brunch with Marti Cummings (54 Below,254 W. 54th St.) A once-a-month series unlike any other currently happening in NYC! From Broadway to pop to disco and more, be prepared to hear all of your favorite hits. Featuring a rotating roster of celebrated Drag Queens, endless mimosas, Bloody Marys, and sangria. Come dressed and ready for a living, singing Drag brunch spectacular with musical direction by Brandon James Gwinn. 9/29 thru 11/17. (54below.org)
The Big Gay Jamboree (Orpheum Theatre,126 Second Ave.) This new musical follows Stacey, who after blacking out from 18 Jägerbombs, wakes up hungover in a terrifying place: an Off-Broadway musical. With no memory of how she got there, she’s forced to put her theater BFA in theater to use, belt her face off, and figure out how to escape this 1940's golden age musical...while a live audience watches. Starring and co-created by Marla Mindelle, the award-winning actress/creator/gay genius behind Titaníque. From 9/14. (biggayjamboreethemusical.com)
Blind Injustice (Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St.) This new opera by Scott Davenport Richards (music) and David Cote (lyrics) tells the true story of six people, still living, who were unjustly accused and convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. Only through the efforts of the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP) were they ultimately cleared of these accusations and set free. 2/3 & 2/4/25. (jazz.org)
Blood of the Lamb (59E59 Theaters, Theater C, 59 E. 59th St.) A pregnant woman finds herself detained in a Texas airport with an unexpected adversary: a court appointed attorney assigned to represent her baby. This electrifying thriller features two women with opposing beliefs, forced to navigate the bureaucratic chaos of post-Roe America. Starring Johanna Day (How I Learned to Drive) and Meredith Garretson (Resident Alien). 9/14 thru 10/20. (59e59.org)
The Blood Quilt (Lincoln Center Theater’s Mitzi Newhouse Theater, 150 W. 65th St.) Gathering at their childhood island home off the coast of Georgia, four disconnected sisters meet to create a family quilt to honor their recently deceased mother. When their reunion turns into a reading of their mother’s will, everyone must grapple with a troubling inheritance Stitched with history, ritual, laughter and tears, will their “blood quilt” bind the family together or tear them apart forever? From 10/30. (lct.org)
Blue Man Group (Astor Place Theatre, 434 Lafayette St.) (105 mins., no intermission) No plot, dialogue, or ripped from headlines drama, just a romp and a half orchestrated by three blue-hued alien dudes. This long-running Off-Broadway show and international sensation combines music, paint drums, snacks, high-tech hijinks, and unpredictable physical comedy. (blueman.com)
Book of Traveler (Playwrights Horizons, 416 W. 42nd St.) In this intimate solo musical play, composer Gabriel Kahane blends songwriting and storytelling for a singular, poignant theatrical event. Book of Travelers recounts the strangers he met on a 9,000-mile train journey through a divided America. Performed on alternating nights with Magnificent Bird, these two concept albums offer a relentless self-inquiry, and a searing portrait of a world in flux. From 9/22. (playwrightshorizons.org)
Bowl EP (Vineyard Theatre, 108 E. 15th St.) Kelly K Klarkson and Quentavius da Quitter need to find a name for their rap group. Through flirty interludes, cringy overshares, and practicing their ollies, they grow increasingly closer. Skating and Smoking. Skating and Drinking. Skating and exorcizing a demon. With live skating and original music, enter Bowl EP: a skateboard park, in the middle of a wasteland, at the edge of the galaxy. Spring, 2025. (vineyardtheatre.org)
Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival (Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 416 W. 42nd St.) this annual festival brings together seven teams of transgender, non-binary, and Two-Spirit+ (TNB2S+) playwrights, dramaturgs, stage managers, and performers (yes, even in roles written for cis folks!) to develop and showcase new work created entirely by and for TNB2S+ artists. 10/21 thru 10/27. (btb-nyc.com)
Bus Stop (Classic Stage Company, 136 E 13th St.) On a snowy night in Kansas, a diner can be an oasis, a prison, a place to hide, or a place to discover yourself. When a bus is forced to take shelter from stormy weather outside, a mismatched group of dreamers and cowboys, waitresses and outcasts find unexpected warmth in one another. In William Inge’s 1955 classic, this playwright of the Midwest gives voice to memorable characters who’ll linger like the perfect cup of diner coffee. May/June 2025 (classicstage.org)
Catarina and the Beauty of Killing Fascists (Harvey Theater at the BAM Strong, 651 Fulton St., Brooklyn) In this new work by playwright/director Tiago Rodrigue, a Portuguese family upholds a macabre tradition of killing fascists. As the latest Catarina, among the clan’s youngest members, prepares for her first kill, her doubts ignite a family drama filled with ethical dilemmas and moral inquiries. A penetrating, poetic exploration of the sacrifices made in the name of a better world, challenging audiences to reflect on the complexities of democracy and violence. 11/13 thru 11/17 (bam.org)
CATS: The Jellicle Ball (PAC NYC, Perelman Performing Arts Center, 251 Fulton St.) This reimagining of the musical CATS, inspired by the Ballroom culture that roared out of New York City over 50 years ago and still rages on runways around the world, has been staged as an immersive competition with all new Ballroom and club beats, runway ready choreography, and an edgy “eleganza” makeover. Thru 9/8. (pacnyc.org)
Cellino V. Barnes (Asylum NYC, 123 E. 24th St.) Playwrights Mike B. Breen and David Rafailedes’ darkly comedic rollercoaster that captures the wild partnership of notorious injury attorneys Ross Cellino and Steve Barnes, from their meteoric rise in the 1990s through their spectacular break-up in the 2010s. Thru 10/13. (cellino-v-barnes.com)
Chamber Magic (Stage 42, 422 W. 42nd St.) Theatregoers, dressed to impress in cocktail attire, experience the mystifying artistry of Steve Cohen in an elegant and intimate salon within the legendary New York Palace. Recreating the up-close parlor entertainment of Manhattan in the early 20th century, Cohen conjures, mind-reads, and performs sleight of hand, along with a trick called Think-A-Drink. (chambermagic.com)
Charles Busch: My Leading Ladies (54 Below, 254 W. 54th St.) The Tony nominated actor/playwright/cabaret entertainer’s latest show features stories and songs devoted to the women who have inspired him, from showbiz legends to the remarkable aunt who raised him. Having created a unique place in the cabaret world as a sensitive musical interpreter artful raconteur, Busch’s eclectic songbook includes the best of Harold Arlen, Kurt Weill, and Stephen Sondheim. 3/21 & 3/22/25. (54below.com)
Cheyenne Jackson: Signs of Life (54 Below, 254 W. 54th St.) Cheyenne invites audiences on a deeply personal and uproariously funny exploration of the universe’s subtle cues, and will be joined each night by a different legendary guest star. From toe-tapping melodies to saucy showbiz anecdotes, prepare for an unforgettable night filled with whimsy, laughter, and the sheer joy of a perfectly imperfect night of shared experience. 9/23 thru 9/29. (54below.com)
Chiaroscuro (The Flea, 20 Thomas St.) Named after the Italian artistic term referring to a stark contrast between dark and light, this work by Aishah Rahman explores the social implications of such contrast as it relates skin color, specifically within the Black community. The play is set on a love boat-type cruise ship for Black singles where "pretty" means light-skinned. All the men are dark, and Papa Legba, the African trickster spirit, is disguised as a ship steward. 5/26 thru 6/22/25. (nationalblacktheatre.org)
The Christine Jorgensen Show ©Joan Marcus.
The Christine Jorgensen Show (HERE Arts Center, 145 6th Ave.) Set in New York City and Pittsburgh in 1953, this inspiring play with music follows the real-life professional and personal relationship between actress-singer Christine Jorgensen, the first transgender individual to become widely known in America, and forgotten songwriter, dancer and pianist Myles Bell. Jesse James Keitel and Mark Nadler reprise their performances as Jorgensen and Bell, respectively. 10/10 thru 11/17. (here.org)
Christmas Carol (Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd St.) Weaving together music, dynamic characters, and classic moments from other versi8ons of the story, EPIC Player’s original take on the timeless story follows Scrooge as the spirits teach him a lesson and he gains a whole new understanding of the meaning of Christmas. 12/10 thru 12/15. (epicplayersnyc.org)
A Christmas Carol at the Merchant’s House (Merchant’s House Museum, 29 E. 4th St.) Surrounded by 19th-century holiday decorations and period furnishings, audiences are transported back to December 1867 to see Charles Dickens, who’s arrived in New York to perform his beloved holiday classic. As Dickens, John Kevin Jones tells the timeless tale in the parlor of the 1832 Merchant’s House. Additional ticketing for A Holiday Reception with Mr. Dickens is available at select performances. 11/26 thru 12/29. (merchantshouse.org)
Christmas in Nickyland 2024: Solace & Transformation (The Club at La MaMa, 74A E. 4th St.) What does it mean to return in 2024 and come together once again to celebrate during this particular holiday season? As the ever-changing world we live in continues to challenge us both as individuals and within our different communities, we can use this year-end holiday time to reflect, heal, find solace as we celebrate together.12/21 & 12/22. (lamama.org)
Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes (Radio City Music Hall, 1260 6th Ave. bet. 50th & 51st Sts.) A staple of the holidays in New York City, the awe-inspiring Christmas Spectacular features intricate choreography performed by the incomparable Radio City Rockettes -- the longest-running precision dance company in America – in nine show-stopping numbers. The production blends classic numbers that audiences know and love, such as “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” with innovative technology that extends the show beyond the stage, including immersive digital projections. 11/8 thru 1/5. (rockettes.com/christmas)
Climate Fables (UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place) Environmentalist theater company Torch Ensemble presents four new plays: The Collapse of the Hubbard Glacier, Ogallala,The (Green Apple) Play, and Coyote Oughta Eat That Salesman! – all born from the troupe’s engagement with real-world climate disasters like Hurricane Ida and the Canadian Wildfire Smog, as well as environmental science predictions about the actual future of our planet in the context of climate change. Thru 12/1. (frigid.nyc)
Colder by the Water (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. @ E. 10th St.) In Bri Madden-Olivares’ play, a family in Harrisonburg, Virginia prepares for Christmas and everything, including the love and the chaos, that comes with the holidays, wintertime, and family. Part of this year’s Dream Up Festival. Thru 9/8. (dreamupfestival.org)
The Coming Story – the legacy of Nazism endures (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. @ E. 10th St.) The narrative starts with a Jewish professor ejected from his post. After his deportation his prize student, a loyal German agrees to work on a fission project for his fatherland. But when he witnesses the evils of the Nazi regime, he refuses to continue his work on developing an atom bomb for Germany. Part of this year’s Dream Up Festival. Thru 9/15. (dreamupfestival.org)
The Coronation of Queen Jaguar (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. @ E. 10th St.) Let’s get meta, baby. Christine Stoddard and Aaron Gold play themselves on stage, presenting several colliding character acts. Part of this year’s Dream Up Festival. Thru 9/14. (dreamupfestival.org)
The Counter (Laura Pels Theatre, Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre. 111 W. 46th St.) Every morning at the local diner in a small town, a waitress refills a regular’s coffee. An unlikely friendship develops and keeps him coming back for more. But when he asks for a shocking favor, it brings to light both of their deepest secrets. The Counter is a funny, surprising, and moving meditation on the everyday connections that can change our lives. Preview TBA; official opening is 10/9. (roundabouttheatre.org)
Counting and Cracking (NYU Skirball, 566 LaGuardia Pl.) A sweeping, episodic play about the multi-generational journey of a Sri-Lankan Australian family from 1956-2004. Radha fled Sri Lanka with her unborn child as the nation struggled with conflict. Two decades later, her Australian son, Siddhartha, who knows little of his family’s background, receives a call from the past that changes everything he thought he knew, and who he thought he was. Thru 9/22. (publictheater.org)
Cowboys (Asylum NYC, 123 E. 24th St.) From the sketch comedy trio Business Casual the show tells the story of a gunslinging cowboy seeking revenge on the three men who killed his family. He must assemble a posse and set out on the journey of a lifetime. Along the way, the group encounter gold miners, snake oil salesman, and just about every Western trope you could think of. Yeehaw pardner! Snake in my boot! Big pot of gold! Thru 9/20. (asylumnyc.com)
Craig (The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal St.) The comedy group Craig’s show comes packed with digital shorts, sketches, improv, and stand-up. Craig’s surrealist midwestern style features the horrors of the mundane and the agony of being alive. Immerse yourself in the Craig Universe for a night full of comedy, debauchery, and anxiety. Thru 12/6.(ovationtix.com)
Crossing The Line Festival (L'Alliance New York at 22 E. 60th St. & various venues throughout NYC) 2024’s Festival captures the expansive, transnational interconnectedness of the Francophone world through an array of visual art, film, and live performance, including new works by Jérôme Bel and Tiago Rodrigues; the North American premiere of dance artist Lenio Kaklea; and an art exhibition by Nina Childress. Visit website for descriptions and playing schedule. Thru 12/7. (lallianceny.org)
Culture Lab LIC’s New Works Festival (CultureLab LIC, 5-25 46th Ave, Queens) Culture Lab LIC’s Emergence Artists in Residence present dance, theater, shadow puppets, performance art, music, and circus. 11/7 thru 12/8. (culturelablic.org)
Dad Girl (UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place) Emily Walsh still doesn't know if she wants kids, but if given the choice she'd like to be the dad. Join Emily on her darkly hilarious decision-making process as she navigates gender norms, supportive partners, societal expectations and whether or not you can be the dad if you grew up without one. Second Wednesday of the month. (frigid.nyc)
Dakar 2000 (New York City Center, Stage I, 131 W. 55th St.) Rajiv Joseph wrote this world-premiere thriller set in Senegal on the eve of Y2K. When an idealistic Peace Corps volunteer survives a mysterious car accident, a State Department operative arrives at his hospital where she immediately takes command of the situation and his safety. They form an unlikely relationship, but when it becomes clear that they both have secrets, the volunteer is roped into a darker side of public service – one he can’t come back from. Winter, 2025. (manhattantheatreclub.com)
Dave Hill: Caveman in a Spaceship (SoHo Playhouse, 15 Vandam St.) Combining stand-up, storytelling, guitar solos, ill-advised feats of strength, and at least one BMX stunt into a face-melting show that explores life, death, love, religion and his ever-growing discomfort in an often confusing, futuristic world, Dave Hill -- decked out in a jumpsuit and backed by his band -- brings the energy of an arena rock show Off-Broadway. 9/16 thru 10/11. (sohoplayhouse.com)
Days of the Dead Festival (UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place) Inspired by the Mexico’s Día de Muertos when the dead return to earth, this year’s festival features plays with death, the afterlife, and/or Halloween themes. This year’s lineup includes The Witching Hour, Paper Kraine, Comediumship, All Hallow’s eve, Goat Blood, Horror Helps, Hunter and Li Find Toni Collette, Grease my chin, Gimme a sign!, Cheers Mom! Eulogy for a living parent, This house is Haunted, The Giant Child, Poe’s Children, La Llorona, Mictlan, and the Days of the Dead Cabaret. 10/17 thru 11/2. (frigid.nyc)
The Dead, 1904 (American Irish Historical Society, 991 5th Ave.) Based on James Joyce’s novella, this adaptation describes a holiday gathering in Dublin in 1904. Hosted by two elderly sisters and their niece, the party guests include students, friends, a tenor, a lost alcoholic, and Gabriel and Gretta Conroy. Conversations, music, dancing, dining, speeches and disagreements -- and when it’s over, Gabriel learns something about his wife that changes his sense of who she is and who they are to each other, of what it actually means to be alive, and to be dead. Included in the ticket price is a meal & spirits inspired by the story. 11/20 thru 1/5. (irishrep.org)
Deadclass, Ohio (The Tank,312 W. 36th St.) A Jewish cemetery in Deadclass, Ohio is the place (and time) for a seance. Five generations of E’s family are buried there, as are M’s grandparents, Blue and Luna, who were married 70 years. Blue and Luna met as children fleeing Nazi occupation; later they moved together to Deadclass to build a family. After the war, both had returned to Krakow to find all their relatives were dead – their hometown had become a cemetery. 10/31 thru 11/24. (thetanknyc.org)
Deep History (Public Theater,425 Lafayette St.) In a solo performance interweaving 75,000 years of humanity with the incredibly personal account of his best friend’s escape from the bushfires that decimated his hometown of Canberra in 2019, Australian playwright/actor David Finnigan calls on scientific research, phone footage, and a very personal story to illuminate the transforming planet and how we’ve arrived here. 10/5 thru 10/27. (publictheater.org)
THE DEVIL & DAISY DIRT: A Garden State Gothic, Alt-Folk Event (UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place) On the night of an annual appetite contest called "I 8 the Devil," Daisy Dirt finds something strange - winged and antlered, wounded but alive - in the dumpster behind Lucille's Luncheonette (aka the Devil's Diner). With the help of a Piney palm reader named Effie and a piece of magic muscle meat from the basement game locker, Daisy evades a villainous poacher named Tasty (Murder) and risks everything to save it. 9/26 thru 9/28. (frigid.nyc)
The Devil’s Disciple (Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd St.) This highly-charged new adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s popular adventure/romance/comedy features five women in the play’s traditionally male roles. Set during the American Revolution, the show’s characters remind audiences how important it is to challenge everything, to live the person you want to be as fully as you can, and to always be an active and engaged contributive member of our community. 10/15 thru 11/23. (bfany.org)
The Diamond as Big as the Ritz (ATA Sargent Theatre, 314 W. 54th St., 2nd Fl.) Set to catchy melodies reminiscent of Broadway’s golden age, this adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's comic novella is told through a young couple seeking to immigrate to the United States today. Moving back and forth from present day to the 1920s, the couple puzzles over Fitzgerald's deliberate satire involving impossibly wealthy Americans and his cavalier treatment of race issues. 9/13 thru 9/29. (rcstaab.com)
DICKHEAD, photo by Jonathan Slaff.
Dickhead (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave.) Playwright Gil Kofman’s funny, chilling, dark, satirical, macabre play explores the trials and tribulations of a family that embraces personal fantasies while besieged by technology and virtual reality. It's also a character study of its paterfamilias, an aggressive, abrasive corporate lawyer who specializes in metaverse issues by bluffing his way through the technology stuff. 9/26 thru 10/13. (theaterforthenewcity.net)
Photo by Stephanie Rodrigues.
Dirty Laundry (WP Theater, 2162 Broadway at 76th St.) After the woman who unites them dies, three people grapple with love, loss, lust...and household chores. Meanwhile, a spin cycle of voices pings with questions: are you still a daughter when your mother dies? Are you still the other woman when the first woman is gone? And maybe more importantly–how do you clean all that Dirty Laundry? 9/21 thru 10/20. (wptheater.org)
Distant Thunder (A.R.T./Mew York Theatres, 502 W. 53rd St.) A child is taken from his Blackfeet tribe and returns as a young attorney with an opportunity that unwittingly sets off a firestorm. Pop-rock merges with Natibe American drumming and dacing, fusing cultures in this ultimately joyful first-of-its-kind musical. 9/25 thru 10/27. (amasmusical.org)
The Divining: Ceremonies in the name of the mother tree (National Black Theatre, 2031 National Black Theatre Way) This powerful three-part series of ritual performances, processions, and visual installations invites audiences to experience the intersection of art, activism, and spirituality. Guided by the wisdom of ancestors and the urgency of now, this production combines movement, poetry, percussion and visual art in a call to reclaim our connection to the land and to each other. 9/11 thru 9/22. (nationalblacktheatre.org)
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(c) Richard Termine.
Dogugaeshi (Japan Society, 333 E. 47th St. bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves.) From puppeteer Basil Twist this award-winning phenomenon is set in a mystical world, where a mysterious white fox shepherds you through past and present Japan. Inspired by a disappearing traditional stage mechanic from Japan’s Awa region called dogugaeshi, Twist has created fusuma screens with stunning painted imagery, which dance, slide, flip, conceal and reveal to pull audiences deeper into a brain-bending optical illusion. 9/11 thru 9/19. (japansociety.org)
Drag Me To Joanne’s (Joanne Trattoria, 70 W. 68th St.) Hosted by the sensational Jupiter Genesis, the show—which takes place every Wednesday night beginning at 5:30pm—rotates New York’s best drag artists from week to week (and yes, there will be ample Lady Gaga action, seeing as the venue is owned by Lady Gaga’s parents, Joe & Cynthia Germanotta!). (joannenyc.com)
DRAG: The Musical (New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St.) Two Drag Houses vie for supremacy in a wig-snatching journey of fashion, family, and forgiveness. After a bitter split, two estranged queens bring their simmering tensions to a boiling point when they open competing clubs. In this tale of spite and survival, there’s only one rule: No Lip Synching Allowed. Written by drag star Alaska Thunderf*ck alongside songwriter Tomas Costanza and songstress Ashley Gordon. From 9/30. (dragthemusical.com)
Dream Up Festival (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. @ E. 10th St.) With a motto of “Dream Up: Invent, Concoct,” this year’s festival will showcase new works from around the globe, ranging from plays and dance theater, to solo pieces and interdisciplinary material—all works that push new ideas to the forefront, challenge audience expectations and make us question our understanding of how art illuminates the world around us. Thru 9/15. (dreamupfestival.org)
Drunk Dracula (Ruby Theater, 35 W. 39th St.) In this new comedy, Transylvania’s thirstiest bachelor -- in need of fresh blood to maintain his youthful looks and chiseled physique -- is ready to take a giant bite out of the Big Apple, one shot at a time. Will you be his next victim, or will you stake your claim as the one who got away? Prepare for a spooky night of booze-infused laughs…and maybe even a bit of “necking”. Craft cocktails and snacks are available for purchase during performances. 10/9 thru 11/3. (drunksdracula.com)
Drunk Shakespeare (The Garden at Selene, 11 Hanover Sq.). Five actors meet as members of The Drunk Shakespeare Society. One of them has five shots of whiskey and then attempts to perform a major Shakespearean role while the four sober actors attempt to keep the script on track. Suffice to say, every wildly madcap show is different. Craft cocktails are available for purchase and entry is strictly 21+. (drunkshakespeare.com)
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Twenty-Sided Tavern (Stage 42, 422 W. 42nd St.) An interactive show in which the audience is the "fourth player," influencing key decisions via browser-based software” you vote on where the story will go. With a cast of five and over 30 playable characters, theatregoers experience an expansive fantasy and face riddles, puzzles, combat, and more, to help shape the story. With humorous and exciting reveals are around every corner, no two shows are alike! (thetwentysidedtavern.com)
Eat the Document (HERE Arts Center, 145 6th Ave.) Based on the novel by Dana Spiotta, this new opera unfolds in the wake of a radical protest gone wrong. Shifting between the 1970s and the 1990s, the work considers idealism, activism and consequences, while exploring connections between the two eras – their language, technology, music, and activism. 1/9 thru 1/17/25. (here.org)
El Quijote (Repertorio Espanol, Gramercy Art Theatre, 138 E. 27th St.) A stage adaptation following 12 adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Offering a visually immersive experience inspired by the timeless novel, the production ushers audiences into the whimsical and poignant journey of Quixote's chivalrous endeavors and Sancho's steadfast companionship as they navigate a world where reality and imagination intertwine. In Spanish with English subtitles. 10/22 thru 5/15/25. (repertorio.nyc)
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Photo by Matthew Murphy.
Empire (New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St.) This elevated new musical celebrates the world’s most iconic building: the Empire State Building. Told through the lens of three generations of dreamers and doers, and spanning New York City in the Roaring 20s, the Great Depression, and the 1976 Bicentennial, the show shines with dramatic tales, spectacular choreography, foot-tapping music, and unforgettable characters. Limited engagement thru 9/22. (empirethemusical.com)
En el Tiempo de las Mariposas (Repertorio Espanol, Gramercy Art Theatre, 138 E. 27th St.) "In the Time of the Butterflies" is a play based on the 1994 novel by Julia Álvarez. Both texts use fiction to recreate the historical account of four sisters under the regime of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, also known as “El Jefe” [The Boss], through decades of violence in the Dominican Republic. In Spanish with English subtitles. 10/5 thru 5/8/25. (repertorio.nyc)
Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano (Birdland Theater, 315 W. 44th St.) Drawing from an ever-evolving songbook – jazz and pop classics by Ellington, Arlen, and Porter to modern masters Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, and Carole King, plus surprising gems – the married musical couple’s swinging, soulful showmanship has made them the nightclub world’s most celebrated team. Thru 9/17. (birdlandjazz.com)
Escaping Dreamland (UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place) Set in early 20th-century New York, this new play by Charlie Lovett follows Magda, a German immigrant who challenges traditional gender roles; Tom, a privileged young man who spurns his wealthy parents’ values; and Gene, a scientist struggling to find his identity as a queer man. Together they write children’s books, but secrets and tragedies tear at their friendship during a day at Coney Island’s Dreamland amusement park. 9/8 & 9/9. (frigid.nyc)
Eurydice (Pershing Square Signature Center, 340 W. 42nd St.) In life, Eurydice loves books…and a great musician. One of the few heroines who dies twice, she falls to the underworld on her wedding day. In death, she reunites with her father and remembers her life again. Les Waters directs an innovative reimagining of one of Sarah Ruhl’s most beloved plays, inspired by a classic myth. 5/13 thru 6/2/25. (signaturetheatre.org)
Eva Luna (Repertorio Espanol, Gramercy Art Theatre, 138 E. 27th St.) The coming-of-age story of Eva Luna, a woman born into poverty who rises up through the world to find her voice as a storyteller and a reflector of history. Enchanting, comical, and sly, the play follows the character’s journey from childhood to adulthood, and features characters that would change the course of Eva’s life forever. In Spanish with English subtitles. 10/5 thru 4/2/25. (repertorio.nyc)
Every 6ish Minutes (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. @ E. 10th St.) Writer/director/producer Rebecca Kane’s production is a combination solo show and naloxone training, with something for everybody (literally – the style of show changes every six-ish minutes). Part of this year’s Dream Up Festival. Thru 9/14. (dreamupfestival.org)
A Fairly Odd Musical! The Unauthorized Parody (Jerry Orbach Theater at The Theatre Center, 210 W. 50th St., 3rd Fl.) A new interactive comedy spoofing the hit Nickelodeon TV series The Fairly OddParents. Written and directed by Brayden Martino with a score by Hudson Keown, the show celebrates the nostalgic cartoons of the 90s and early 2000s, while lampooning the entertainment industry's increasingly ridiculous reboots. Intended for audiences age 16 and older. (seehumans.com)
Fatherland (City Center Stage II, 131 W. 55th St.) The true story of the 18-year-old son who turned the father he loves into the FBI because of his militant role in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Fast-paced and powerful, this compelling tale is told from public statements, case evidence, and official court transcripts from the explosive trial that ignited a media frenzy and grabbed headlines nationwide. 9/18 thru 11/23. (nycitycenter.org)
Fleeting Connections: A Contemporary Circus Show (CultureLab LIC, 5-25 46th Ave, Queens) Focused on spontaneous and brief moments of connection unique to the urban environment, the show is structured as a series of interconnected vignettes, told through dance and circus movement. The cast explores how we interact and find moments of humanity with complete strangers and stands as a love letter to cities, to spontaneous connection and, especially, to the magic in between. 11/7 thru 11/10. (culturelablic.org)
Photo by Carole Rosegg.
Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole A Song (Theater555, 555 W. 42nd St.) Writer/director Gerard Alessandrini’s skewers the latest deluge of Broadway offerings including Hell’s Kitchen, Stereophonic, The Outsiders, The Great Gatsby, Back to the Future, The Wiz, and of course, Merrily We Roll Along. In addition, there’s sendups of Roger Bart, Patti LuPone, Daniel Radcliffe, Ariana DeBose, and Jeremy Jordan, among others – and, up-to-the-minute – the show even pokes fun at the 2024 Tony Awards. Thru 9/18. (forbiddenbroadway.nyc)
Franklinland (Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 W. 52nd St.) This comedy by Lloyd Suh is the story of growing up as the only son of Benjamin Franklin: the greatest scientific mind in the world, inventor of the lightning rod and the urinary catheter and the glass harmonica and bifocal glasses and, oh yeah, in his spare time the United States of America. 10/9 thru 11/3. (estnyc.org)
A Freeky Introduction (Atlantic Theater Company’s Linda Gross Theater, 336 W. 20th St.) Everybody talks about freedom, but few know how to get there. That's because they don't know their Freek. Fear not, Freeky Dee is here with a mix of poetry, ministry, and magic...plus I got a DJ with me. Together, we'll move you past your fears and doubts to bring your inner Freek all the way out! You wanna get free? Then come get your Freek on! Spring, 2025. (atlantictheater.org)
Friends! The Musical Parody (Jerry Orbach Theater at The Theatre Center, 210 W. 50th St.) The unauthorized comedic musical that lovingly pokes fun at TV’s Friends celebrates the adventures of Ross, Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, and Chandler as they navigate the pitfalls of work, life, and love in 1990s Manhattan. The show recreates favorite moments from all 10 seasons of the iconic sitcom through an uncensored, fast-paced, music-filled romp! (ticketmaster.com/friends-the-musical-parody-new-york)
FRIGID New York (UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place) Featuring a rich and eclectic schedule of shows events providing both emerging and established artists the opportunity to create and produce original work of varied content, form, and style, and to amplify their diverse voices, FRIGID New York serves up an ongoing roster of plays, festivals, burlesque, standup, cabaret, open mics, and beyond. Visit website for a complete schedule of performances. (frigid.nyc)
Funhouse (Players Loft Theatre, 115 MacDougal St., 3rd Fl.) While her friends are off to college, 17-year-old Mara is checked into Sunny Acres Mental Hospital where no one takes Mara’s concerns seriously. The only thing keeping her sane is her friendship with fellow patient, Lola. When Lola disappears and her family suddenly stops visiting, Mara suspects something sinister is taking place. And when she finds out things she shouldn’t, she finds herself in danger. Can she make it out of Sunny Acres alive? Can anyone? 11/7 thru 11/24. (playerstheatre.com)
GATZ (Public Theater,425 Lafayette St.) Told over a single 6½ hour production created by Elevator Repair Service, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece is delivered word for word by a low-rent office staff amid their inscrutable day-to-day operations. After an employee a finds a copy of The Great Gatsby on his desk and starts to read it out loud, his coworkers hardly notice until coincidences occur and it’s no longer clear whether he’s reading the book, or the book is transforming him. 11/1 thru 12/1. (publictheater.org)
Gaviota (BAM Fisher, 321 Ashland Pl., Brooklyn) The Argentinian company Cacace boldly experiments with storytelling, pace, and poetics by stripping down Chekhov’s The Seagull about a group of artists convening at a country estate. In an emotionally charged interpretation, five actresses sit at an oversized table and offer an extremely intimate presentation of the Russian playwright’s “spectacle of waste”. Presented in Spanish without supertitles. 10/24 thru 10/27 (bam.org)
Gazillion Bubble Show (New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St.) A family phenom for your family from the Yang family of bubble virtuosos. "We are so thrilled to be bringing bubbles back to the stage and smiles to our audiences,” says master bubble maker Melody Yang. (gazilllionbubbleshow.com)
Ben Fankhauser as Lindsey Graham. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.
Ghost of John McCain (SoHo Playhouse, 15 Vandam St.) In the world premiere of this new musical comedy, McCain contemplates a wonderful afterlife, but instead finds that “heaven” is inside Trump's brain, where a Greek Chorus of iconic figures, including Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, Eva Peron, Teddy Roosevelt, Robert Jordan, and Lindsey Graham, rebel against the former President's relentless demands for affirmation. Thru 11/10. (sohoplayouse.com)
Ghosts (Lincoln Center Theater’s Mitzi Newhouse Theater, 150 W. 65th St.) After several years abroad, Helena Alving’s son has returned home, carrying with him a terrifying secret. Ibsen’s Ghosts is a devastating moral thriller in which ideas of love, duty and family are mercilessly put to the test. This spectacular new version, written by Irish playwright Mark O’Rowe, you by the throat from the outset and refuses to let go – all the way to its electrifying climax. From 2/13/25. (lct.org)
Give Me Carmelita Tropicana (Soho Rep, 46 Walker St.) Part love letter to an iconic performance artist, part intergenerational debate about the legacy of “downtown” New York, part theatrical interrogation of the uses/abuses of nostalgia, real estate, “representation”, and the “avant-garde,” 100% fantastical journey in which Tony-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins attempts to buy Carmelita Tropicana (Alina Troyano) from her creator… but at what cost? From 10/23. (sohorep.org)
Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp. (Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St.) A girl made of glass. Gods and murders. A pack of ghosts. And a secret in a bottle. A kaleidoscope of stories, each short play is a testament to how playwright Caryl Churchill has “remade the landscape of contemporary drama—and earned herself a place among the greats” (The Guardian). Spring, 2025. (publictheater.org)
The Goldberg Variations (Theater for the New City, 155 1st Ave.) In George Tabori’s backstage comedy, a play based on the Old and New Testaments is in rehearsal in Jerusalem. The characters are the director, Jay, and his assistant, Goldberg, an Auschwitz survivor. The play’s plot points include the creation, fall of man, near-sacrifice of Isaac, golden calf, and Crucifixion -- all presented with seriousness, farce and bad jokes. Jay and Goldberg play out the roles, and everything goes wrong. 9/19 thru 10/6. (theaterforthenewcity.net)
Golem Owned a Tropical Smoothie (The Tank,312 W. 36th St.) The story of Golem, a creature who owns a non-copyright infringing smoothie shop called Tropical Smoothie in Panama City Beach, Florida. All is going well – until Smeegle, the notorious CEO of the mega-corporate Smoothie Kingdom, threatens to drive him out of business with tax loophole trickery. To save the shop, Golem and his loyal employees must come up with a plan to raise $60,000 in one week – or maybe 5 days. 10/17 thru 11/10 (thetanknyc.org)
Good Bones (Public Theater,425 Lafayette St.) After Aisha and her husband begin to renovate an old house in the blighted neighborhood in which she grew up, she finds her contractor’s memories of the area are of more than dangerous streets and hollowed-out homes. As their professional relationship gives way to heated debate about who gets to stay and who must go, Aisha must deal with the choices she’s made to get ahead and the ghosts that haunt her dreams and dream house. By Pulitzer-winning playwright James Ijames. 9/19 thru 10/13. (publictheater.org)
Gotham Storytelling Festival (UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place) Whether you’re looking to escape into someone else’s story, to commiserate with an artist, or laugh out loud, this unique festival has something for you. Join legendary hitters and new friends for an international event featuring Keenan Scott II, Iris Bahr, Tracey Erin Smith, and others. 11/3 thru 11/17. (frigid.nyc)
Grangeville (Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 W. 42nd St.) Across a void of thousands of miles and oceans of hurt, two half-brothers tentatively reconnect over the care of their ailing mother. Grangeville is a new play about the fallibility of memory, the stories we tell to make sense of our suffering, and the complexity of forgiveness. 2/4 thru 3/16/25. (signaturetheatre.org)
Grief Camp (Atlantic Theater Company’s Linda Gross Theater, 336 W. 20th St.) It’s summer in Hurt, Virginia, where a lone cabin fills each year with campers. There's homecooked breakfast and an army of box fans and lots of shifting in the dark. Welcome to Grief Camp: study of loss and adolescence. January-February, 2025. (atlantictheater.org)
The Hand That Feeds You (Players Loft Theatre, 115 MacDougal St., 3rd Fl.) John plans to knock down the butcher shop he’s inherited from his estranged father, until he discovers a meat monster has taken up residence inside. The creature fights against John’s will, using its supernatural powers to turn John’s upside down. a strange, raw dark comedy about otherness, inheritance, and how at the end of the day, we’re all just sacks of meat looking for a place to call home. 12/5 thru 12/22. (playerstheatre.com)
the heaux chruch (Ars Nova 511 W. 54th St.) Written and performed by Brandon Kyle Goodman (Netflix’s “Big Mouth”), this world premiere is a rousing, shame-free service on the birds and the bees, in which the heaux church leads each night’s congregation in a celebration of good sex and thot mess. With humor, music, and some bold-ass demonstrations, Goodman tenderly reveals the parts of our humanity we struggle to embrace. Spring, 2025. (arsnovanyc.com)
Henry IV (Theater for a New Audience, Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Pl., Brooklyn) Actor/playwright Dakin Matthews’ condensed adaptation of Henry IV, Parts I & ii explores questions about legitimate authority and how the private lives of rulers conflict with their public lives. A king, beset with nagging doubts about his means to power, frets over the dissolute habits of his son. Shakespeare’s vivid and indelible characters carouse, war, snipe, and trick one another in these dramas about civil war. 1/26 thru 3/2/25. (tfana.org)
Hold Me in the Water (Playwrights Horizons. 416 W. 42nd St.) When Ryan falls for a man he just met, he’s ready for the romance of his dreams. But as their connection grows, Ryan learns that new heights of joy can bring deep insecurities to the surface. Disarmingly vulnerable and playfully provocative, Hold Me in the Water is a funny and tender solo play about the passion and intimacy of first love. Spring, 2025. (playwrightshorizons.org)
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Hold On To Me Darling (Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St.) On learning of his mother’s death, country music icon Strings McCrane (Adam Driver) decides to abandon superstardom in favor of the simple life, so he moves back to his hometown in Tennessee. The simple life turns out to be anything but simple in this tragicomedy, as the consequences of Strings’s success and mind-bending effects of his fame prove all but impossible to outrun. 9/24 thru 12/22. (holdontomedarling.com)
Holiday Spirits Readings (UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place) It was once tradition to tell ghost stories on Christmas Eve, something that has fallen by the wayside with the exception of A Christmas Carol -- but the darkness is still out there. From scary to sentimental, ghosts can bring forth all kinds of emotions and memories. Perhaps the spirit of a favorite uncle is pulling pranks from the other side or maybe the Christmas goose is out for blood. Whatever they might be, we want to meet your holiday spirits. 12/7 & 12/8. (frigid.nyc)
Honeyland (Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St.) Set against the backdrop of the revolutionary 1960s Boston, this coming-of-age musical trip through 1960s counterculture follows a group of college graduates navigating the era's defining moments—the civil rights movement, feminism, and the anti-Vietnam protests. 10/13 thru 11/2. (honeylandthemusical.com)
Hothouse (Irish Arts Center, 726 11th Ave.) From Malaprop, one of Ireland’s most talked-about emerging theatre companies, comes the award-winning Best Production of the 2023 Dublin Fringe Festival. A zany, poignant story of love, loss, and legacy is set on an Arctic cruise ship that takes you on a journey to bid farewell to the ice caps. Sail through an intergenerational tale complete with horny songbirds, a mad captain, Rachel Carson, and wanting to change, but not knowing how. 10/23 thru 11/17. (irishartscenter.org)
Hurricane Season (Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd St., Theatre Four) Set against a backdrop of news headlines and pornography, a husband and wife each become entangled in extra marital affairs with young people eerily resembling their own likeness. A chance encounter leads the couple to opposite ends of the earth in search for love and meaning in their doppelgängers. Combining elements ranging from Ingmar Bergman to Anne Carson to Sarah Kane for a production teeming with sexual energy, melancholy, and whimsy. Thru 9/7. (bfany.org/theatre-row)
Hypnotique – A Late Night Sultry Spectacle (McKittrick Hotel, 530 W. 27th St.) This lavish, late-night spectacle featuring dazzling showgirls. Invites you to Immerse yourself in a theatrical fever dream, as sultry impromptu performances, red-hot musical tracks, and mesmerizing dances move all around you for a truly unforgettable evening. Cocktails inspired by the experience are available from The Club Car’s bar. Thru 9/29.(mckittrickhotel.com/events/hypnotique)
I Am Going to Eat You Alive (CultureLab LIC, 5-25 46th Ave, Queens) This horror theater play by Riley Elton McCarthy s a terrifying lead poisoning trip of a play interweaving dance, hallucination, indie folk rock, and nonbinary identity through the journey of a young nonbinary documentarian and their relationship with their love of rocks. 10/3 thru 10/27. (culturelablic.org)
If Words Could Talk (Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. @ E. 10th St.) Set in a stream-of-consciousness inside the enclosures of Mama’s house, this play explores the dysfunctional relationship between a mother and her deceased daughter paying a visit with distance through closed-door memories. Part of this year’s Dream Up Festival. Thru 9/8. (dreamupfestival.org)
I’m Almost There (Minetta Lane Theatre, 16 Minetta Lane) Love at first sight is easy; letting it through the front door is a goddamn Odyssey. All performer/songwriter/playwright Todd Almond wants to do is let the perfect man in, but can he overcome his unhinged neighbor, a seductive cult, a self-obsessed vampire, and a cat intent on dragging him to hell? 9/26 thru 10/5. (audible.com)
I’m Assuming You Know David Greenspan (Atlantic Stage 2 Theater, 330 W. 16th St) One 68-year-old man plays four millennial women in a comedy (full of drama) about how to make a living as a playwright (or to try.) January-February, 2025. (atlantictheater.org)
i’m going to eat you alive (Culture Lab LIC, 5-25 46th Ave, Queens) In this queer horror play by Riley Elton McCarthy, pica-afflicted geologist Roach is documenting his van life road trip across America. When the anniversary of the death of his mother coincides with the unfortunate parole release of his ex who put her in the ground, more than just his thesis on “the Mineral Compositions of America’s Greatest National Landmarks” is put into peril. 10/3 thru 10/27. (culturelablic.org)
The Imaginary Invalid (Red Bull Theater, venue TBA) In Molière’s comedy, Monsieur Argan (Mark Linn-Baker) is a notorious hypochondriac whose nonexistent illnesses blind him to the con men and women (his new wife) who prey on his fears to fatten their purses. His plan: marry his daughter to a doctor so he'll have free round-the-clock on-site healthcare for the rest of his life. Newly translated by Mirabelle Ordinaire and adapted for Red Bull by Jeffrey Hatcher. Spring, 2025. (redbulltheater.com)
In the Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot (Playwrights Horizons, 416 W. 42nd St.) As the oceans rise, a band of queer warehouse workers travel from job to job, running from the encroaching coastline. An unlikely love story, and a startling new work of speculative fiction, the play is a quietly revolutionary tale of queer aging, chosen family, and the search for home in a volatile world. From 9/22. (playwrightshorizons.org)
The Infinite Wrench (Theatre 154, 154 Christopher St.) A barrage of 30 short plays the in a single hour, each one offering something different, be it funny, profound, elegant, disgusting, topical, irrelevant, terrifying, or a song. Inspired by experiences of the performers, new plays every week, this is NY Neo-Futurists’ ongoing and ever-changing attempt to shift the conventions of live performance and speak to audiences including those unreached or unmoved by traditional theater. Thru 10/19. (nyneofuturists.org)
Intimate Apparel (Gracemoon Arts Theatre, 13 Grattan St., Brooklyn) Set in New York City in 1905, this play by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage centers around Esther, a talented, young African-American seamstress who creates lingerie for wealthy women. Thru 9/20. (gracemoon.org)
InunDATEd (York Theatre, Theatre at St. Jeans, 150 E. 76th St.) They say “it only takes one,” but it’s tough to find him among New York City's 8.8 million. Just ask Lucy, a singer-songwriter whose new mission is to date every guy with a shred of potential. It seems she has to slog through 999,999 guys to get to her one-in-a-million. At least she has material for her songs in this new musical by Alice Scovell (book) and Christine Lavin (music & lyrics). 10/4 thru 10/13. (yorktheatre.org)
Jack Tucker: Comedy Standup Hour (Connelly Theatre, 220 E. 4th St.) Fresh off an international run of sold-out shows, bad boy of clown Zach Zucker returns to New York with his award-winning, high-energy, absurdist, standup alter-ego, Jack Tucker Thru 9/14. (connellytheater.org)
Jason, Medea, and the Tragedy at the PS19 Talent Show (UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place) Dea and Jay met at drama school over 15 years ago. They now live in the East Village with their 9-year-old son when Dea, a rising film star, drops a bombshell during a Lincoln Center Q&A for her new action flick: she killed her brother out of self-defense. Thus begins a media firestorm and a passionate, messy affair between Jay and the non-binary adult child of Dea's agent. 11/22 thru 12/7. (frigid.nyc)
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party (Birdland Jazz Club, 315 W. 44th St.) A potent mix of Broadway stars, jazz swingers and cabaret legends, in addition to new faces and rising talent from every genre. The buoyant, sharp and charming Caruso guides the entire affair, while musical genius Billy Stritch holds court at the ivories and leads the Cast Party Symphony Orchestra (Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums). Monday nights @ 9:30pm.(birdlandjazz.com)
Judith Champion Caribbean MixFest (Atlantic Stage 2 Theater, 330 W. 16th St.) A series of free readings, including full-length plays by Nelson Diaz Marcano, Fedna Jacquet, Iraisa Ann Reilly, Karl O’Brian Williams, and La Daniellaas well as short one-acts by Karina Billini, Nehassaiu deGannes, Juliette Jeffers, and Phanésia Pharel that will be presented alongside a short play by Erlina Ortiz. Visit website for complete descriptions and playing schedule. 9/14 thru 9/20. (atlantictheater.org)
Kafkaesque! (154 Christopher, 154 Christopher St.) As Franz Kafka awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a new musical comedy celebrating the author’s body of work by layering predicaments from his stories onto one contemporary American family. The result is horrifying bodily transformations, artistic eating disorders, and cancel culture run amok, all under the dark umbrella and relentless grind of late-stage capitalism. 10/18 thru 11/11. (kafkashow.com)