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Complete Cast Set for the Roundabout’s Chinese Americans Off-Broadway

Beth Stevens — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:09:01 +0000

The complete cast and design team is set for the world premiere of Chinese Republicans by Alex Lin. The Roundabout Theatre Company production, directed by Chay Yew, will begin performances on February 5, 2026 and officially open on February 26 at off-Broadway’s Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre. The limited engagement will play through April 5.

The piece follows three high-powered businesswomen meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they’re certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.

The cast will feature Jennifer Ikeda (Vietgone, Top Girls) as Ellen/Ailin, Ben Langhorst as Waiter/Daniel, Jully Lee (KPOP The Musical) as Iris, Emmy winner Jodi Long (Dash & Lily) as Phyllis/Young Phyllis and Anna Zavelson (Masquerade) as Katie.

The production will features scenic design by Wilson Chin, costume design by Anita …

8 Things to Know About Tracy Letts' Bug on Broadway, Starring Carrie Coon

Mara Reinstein — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:40:41 +0000

Never mind that Halloween is long gone. Thanks to Bug, you can still scratch your itch for a deeply creepy psychological thriller that preys on paranoia. Set in a shabby motel room in Oklahoma, the story focuses on Agnes (Emmy and Tony nominee Carrie Coon), an on-the-lam cocktail waitress, and Peter (Namir Smallwood from Broadway's Pass Over), a mysterious war veteran and drifter. Over one night, the two hole up and the conversations become increasingly unhinged—about government surveillance, secret mind-control experiments and the insects that Peter insists are burrowing into his skin and teeth. No, audiences never see the terrorizing parasites. But their effects on the two characters are still on full physical display.

Despite that tiny title and intermission-less 90-minute run time at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Bug is a cult classic that boasts a surprisingly long history. Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts in the 90s, it’s been staged around the world for decades and was even adapted into a movie. But this production—which arrives from a 2020-21 run at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago with the full cast and Tony-winning director David Cromer (The Band’s Visit) intact—marks the …

Spice It Up! Alex Newell Sings 'When You're Good to Mama' From Chicago

Jonah de Forest — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:02:23 +0000

Tony winner Alex Newell, currently lording over the Cook County Jail as Matron “Mama” Morton in Chicago on Broadway, made a pit-stop at the Broadway.com studio to deliver the character’s signature number, “When You’re Good to Mama.” Can’t get enough of Newell’s fierce vocals? Pay a visit to the Ambassador Theatre, where they bring down the house eight shows a week.

Watch the full video below!

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Odds and Ends: Jonathan Bailey & Ariana Grande Rumored to Lead Sunday in the Park Revival, Heathers' McKenzie Kurtz Passes the Crown

Jonah de Forest — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 20:56:29 +0000

Here's a quick roundup of stories you might have missed.

Jonathan Bailey and Ariana Grande in Talks to Make Color and Light

All things are beautiful! Wicked superstars Jonathan Bailey and Ariana Grande are reportedly in talks to lead a revival of Sunday in the Park with George in London. The Pulitzer Prize winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine is rumored to be mounted in 2027 under the direction of Tony winner Marianne Elliot. Elliot previously worked with Bailey on a 2018 West End revival of Sondheim’s Company for which he won an Olivier Award. Though nothing is set in stone, Bailey is said to be cast as stoic painter George Seurat with Grande joining him as his illiterate lover Dot. Deadline reporter Baz Bamigboye wrote that he has been “reliably informed that all involved are understood to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ that the show will go on with Grande and Bailey in 2027.” The article also reports that London’s Barbican Theatre is being eyed as the venue for this production.

A Very Tovah Trailer

Broadway legend Tovah Feldshuh is the subject of a new documentary, which just dropped a trailer. The documentary, entitled Tovah, premieres at the …

Little Bear Ridge Road Star Laurie Metcalf on Character Work, College Memories and Death of a Salesman

Jonah de Forest — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:57:23 +0000

The ferociously talented Laurie Metcalf may be a celebrated film and television actress, but her commitment to theater has made her one of Broadway’s boldest mainstays. This season, the two-time Tony winner stars in Little Bear Ridge Road at the Booth Theatre, a work she and director Joe Mantello commissioned from playwright Samuel D. Hunter. After Little Bear closes on December 21, Metcalf will get to work on a buzzy revival of Death of a Salesman alongside renaissance man Nathan Lane. Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek spoke to Metcalf about her rehearsal process, how she gets into character and her relationship to make-believe.

From her Oscar-nominated performance as Saoirse Ronan’s prickly but well-meaning mother in Lady Bird to an Emmy winning run as the downtrodden Jackie on Roseanne (a role she reprised on the show’s spin-off The Conners), Metcalf has a knack for toggling comedy with tragic flourishes of vulnerability. This is present in Little Bear, where she plays Sarah, a hard-edged nurse who reunites with her estranged nephew as the two of them prepare to sell her late brother’s estate.

Metcalf’s performances have a lived-in quality to them, which is honed by the time she …

Alden Ehrenreich, Linda Emond and Patrick Ball Join Broadway's Becky Shaw Cast; Tickets on Sale

Jamie Kravitz — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Tickets are now on sale for Second Stage Theater's Becky Shaw on Broadway, which begins performances at the Helen Hayes Theater on March 18 and opens on April 6, 2026. Written by Gina Gionfriddo and directed by Trip Cullman, the company will feature Patrick Ball as Andrew, Alden Ehrenreich as Max and Linda Emond as Susan. Casting for the roles of Suzanna and Becky will be announced in the coming weeks.

Ball makes his Broadway debut in the production. He is best known for playing Dr. Frank Langdon in the Emmy Award-winning HBO Max series The Pitt, which returns for season 2 this January. Onstage, Ball most recently starred in the title role in the Center Theatre Group production of Hamlet, directed by Robert O'Hara.

Ehrenreich, also making his Broadway debut, played Paul in the 2025 horror film Weapons and recently wrapped on The Last Resort, a two-hander opposite Daisy Ridley, and Switzerland opposite Helen Mirren. His other screen credits include the Marvel series Ironheart, portraying Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Cocaine Bear.

On Broadway, Emond has starred in Death of a Salesman, Cabaret, Life (x) 3 and 1776 …

Come Closer: Get a First Look at Ne-Yo in Hell's Kitchen on Broadway

Jamie Kravitz — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 17:58:36 +0000

See a first look photo of Ne-Yo as Davis in Hell's Kitchen on Broadway, where the three-time Grammy winner made his Broadway debut on December 4. Ne-Yo plays a limited engagement in the role through January 25, 2026. As previously announced, Ne-Yo will host the return of Hell's Kitchen's Encore Sessions following the evening performance on December 18. He will be joined by additional company members for a special holiday edition featuring intimate musical performances for fans.

Hell's Kitchen is currently led by Amanda Reid, Kelsee Kimmel, four-time Grammy Award winner Yolanda Adams, Ne-Yo and Lamont Walker II. The multi-award-winning Broadway musical created and inspired by Alicia Keys features Keys’ greatest hits, along with new songs written for the show. Hell's Kitchen is directed by Michael Greif with choreography by Camille A. Brown and a book by Kristoffer Diaz.

Get tickets to Hell’s Kitchen!

Hogwarts Express: Backstage at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child With Aidan Close, Episode 2: I'd Rather Stay at Hogwarts This Christmas

Jonah de Forest — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 17:33:23 +0000

Aidan Close plays Scorpius Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. For six weeks, he’s taking fans backstage at the Lyric Theatre to see where the real magic happens.

The holidays are in full swing at the Lyric, with homemade Christmas trees and twinkling lights galore. In this episode, Close chats with resident Sorting Hat Chadd Alexander, receives a visit from his “tour dad” Ben Thys and attends Broadway bowling. Keep an eye out for a confab with Tom Felton about self-care and a new installment of John Skelley’s Harry Potter readings—this time from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Episodes are released weekly on Tuesdays. You can also catch highlights on The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal.

Get tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!

Simu Liu Will Make His Broadway Debut in Oh, Mary!

Jamie Kravitz — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:56:49 +0000

Actor Simu Liu will make his Broadway debut in Oh, Mary! as Mary's Teacher. He joins the Broadway comedy on February 3, 2026, for performances through April 21. Liu is best known for his starring role in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as well as in the comedy series Kim’s Convenience and Greta Gerwig's Barbie. Liu stars in and serves as an executive producer on the upcoming Peacock series The Copenhagen Test. Up next, he will reprise his iconic role as Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release in December 2026.

The production also announced that current cast members John-Andrew Morrison (Mary’s Husband), Jenn Harris (Mary’s Chaperone) and Tony Macht (Mary’s Husband’s Assistant) will extend their engagements, continuing alongside Liu at the historic Lyceum Theatre through April 26. As previously announced, Tony and Obie Award-winning actor, writer and director John Cameron Mitchell will join the company as Mary Todd Lincoln from February 3–April 26.

Written by 2025 Tony Award winner Cole Escola and directed by 2025 Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary! opened on Broadway on July 11, 2024 at the Lyceum Theatre, where it became the first show in …

Beaches, A New Musical Starring Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett to Open on Broadway This Spring

Jamie Kravitz — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:29:32 +0000

Beaches, A New Musical will open on Broadway this spring at the Majestic Theatre. Based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Iris Rainer Dart that inspired the blockbuster film, the Broadway premiere will star Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett as best friends Cee Cee and Bertie, respectively. The limited New York engagement will launch the show's multi-city national tour. Performances begin March 27, 2026 with opening night set for April 22. The musical will run through September 6, 2026.

Co-directed by Tony nominee and Emmy winner Lonny Price and Matt Cowart, the musical features a score by Grammy winner Mike Stoller, lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart and a book by Dart and Thom Thomas. The musical was developed in collaboration with David Austin. Choreography is by Jennifer Rias, with orchestrations by Tony winner Charlie Rosen. Scenic design is by James Noone, costume design by Tracy Christensen, lighting design by Tony winner Ken Billington, sound design by Tony winner Kai Harada, projection design by Tony nominee David Bengali and wig, hair and makeup design by J. Jared Janas. Joseph Thalken serves as music supervisor.

The musical had its international premiere in 2024 at Theatre Calgary in Alberta, Canada, starring …

Tracy Letts' Bug, Starring Carrie Coon, Crawls Onto Broadway Tonight

Darryn King — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Psychological thriller Bug, starring Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood, begins performances at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on December 16. The official opening is set for January 8, 2026.

Written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winning playwright Tracy Letts, Bug is about an unexpected and intense romance between a lonely waitress and a mysterious drifter. What begins as a simple connection between two broken people in a seedy Oklahoma motel room twists into something far more dangerous. When reality slips out of grasp, paranoia, delusion and conspiracy take over.

The cast features Coon as Agnes White, Smallwood as Peter Evans, Randall Arney as Dr. Sweet, Jennifer Engstrom as R.C. and Steve Key as Jerry Goss.

Bug made its debut in 1996 at London's Gate Theatre, with Shannon Cochran as Agnes and Michael Shannon as Peter. The pair also starred in the play's off-Broadway debut at the Barrow Street Theatre in 2004, under the direction of Dexter Bullard. Legendary film director William Friedkin adapted Bug into a feature film in 2006 with Shannon, Ashley Judd and Harry Connick Jr. featured in the cast.

Get tickets to Bug!

Off-Broadway Hit Titanique Will Dock on Broadway

Darryn King — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 15:14:57 +0000

The unsinkable off-Broadway hit Titanique is coming to Broadway. The campy send-up of the blockbuster film Titanic—narrated by Céline Dion and driven by her songbook—will play Broadway's St. James Theatre. The production, co-created by Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue and directed by Blue, will begin performances on March 26, 2026 and open on April 12 (a notable day for Titanic historians). Mindelle will reprise her turn as Céline Dion on Broadway, a role she originated off-Broadway.

Titanique opened off-Broadway in June 2022 at the Asylum Theater, starring Mindelle and Rousouli as Céline Dion and Jack Dawson, directed by Blue and choreographed by Ellenore Scott. After several sold-out extensions, the musical transferred to the Daryl Roth Theatre on November 20, 2022, where it played 1,221 performances until closing on June 15, 2025. The show is currently playing in Montréal, Québéc City and London—that production won two Olivier Awards—and has played in Sydney and Paris.

Joining Blue and Scott on the Broadway creative team are music supervisor, arranger and orchestrator Nicholas James Connell, scenic designer Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and Grace Lauchbacher for Iron Bloom Creative Production, costume designer Alejo Vietti, lighting designer Paige Seber, sound designer Lawrence Schober …

Christopher Lowell on Experiencing Catharsis and Being Profoundly Inspired by June Squibb in Marjorie Prime

Jamie Kravitz — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Christopher Lowell is watching the beauty and heartbreak of humanity play out onstage in Marjorie Prime on Broadway, and there's nowhere he'd rather be. Written by Jordan Harrison and directed by Anne Kaufman, the drama follows Marjorie, an aging woman suffering from dementia who is spending her final months with a holographic replica—a "Prime"—of her late husband, Walter. Played by Lowell, the Prime is a young, handsome, artificial intelligence-driven projection intended to serve as a companion for Marjorie. Physically identical to the person he once was, but far from sentient, Walter's "memories" are programmed through conversation. But this isn't Black Mirror; audiences aren't left with a warning about the unintended consequences of not-so-futuristic technology. Rather, the show is an exploration of mortality, memory and the inevitable grief experienced by the loved ones we leave behind.

GeffriMaya, Christopher Lowell and Audra McDonald in 2007's “Private Practice” (Photo: Ron Tom/ABC)

Lowell first made a splash as Dell Parker on Private Practice, the Grey's Anatomy spinoff starring Kate Walsh along with Broadway's Audra McDonald, Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel. He credits his co-stars not only with showing him the ropes early in his career, but also instilling in him …

Tony Nominee Robyn Hurder Returns to Chicago on Broadway Tonight

Jonah de Forest — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Tony nominee Robyn Hurder is back in action, returning to the Broadway cast of Chicago to play Velma Kelly from December 15, 2025 to January 11, 2026. She last played the role at the Ambassador Theatre in 2024 and has previously played the roles of Roxie, Matron “Mama” Morton and Mona. Hurder's other Broadway credits include Nini in the original Broadway cast of Moulin Rouge!, for which she earned a Tony nomination, Smash and A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond Musical.

Hurder is joined by Kate Baldwin as Roxie Hart, Tam Mutu as Billy Flynn, Alex Newell as Matron “Mama” Morton, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine. The cast also includes Zach Bravo, David Bushman, Max Clayton, Jennifer Dunne, Jessica Ernest, Arian Keddell, James T. Lane, Marty Lawson, Joseph London, Barrett Martin, Sharon Moore, Drew Nellessen, Celina Nightengale, Kristen Faith Oei, Denny Paschall, Mikayla Renfrow, Sean Samuels and Samantha Sturm.

Chicago is directed by Tony winner Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Tony winner Ann Reinking. The long-running musical features a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Ebb.

Get tickets to Chicago!

A Huge Hugh Jackman Surprise on This Week's Elaine Paige on Sunday

Broadway.com Staff — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Olivier-winning actress Elaine Paige is giving Broadway.com listeners a chance to hear her BBC Radio 2 show Elaine Paige on Sunday. This week, Paige has an array of festive and non-festive show tunes and movie songs—and a huge surprise. (Spoiler alert: It's Hugh Jackman-related!)

Odds and Ends: Jeremy Jordan Honors Jean Smart, Alex Newell Revisits Once on This Island & More

Jonah de Forest — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:44:29 +0000

Here's a quick roundup of stories you might have missed.

Mama Will Reprise!

Tony winner Alex Newell made their Broadway debut as Asaka in the 2017 revival of Once on This Island and will be returning to the role for a one-night concert staging of the musical at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The cast also includes Jamael Westman as Daniel Beauxhomme, Casey Al-Shaqsy as Andrea Deveraux, Waylon Jacobs as Armand Beauxhomme, Ako Mitchell as Tonton Julian and Wendy Mae Brown as Mama Euralie. Newell, who is currently playing Matron “Mama” Morton in Chicago on Broadway, previously performed at Drury Lane in a 50th anniversary concert staging of Pippin. The concert will be directed by Annabel Mutale-Reed. London audiences can see Newell and company “Tell the Story” on February 8, 2026.

Jeremy Jordan Gives Jean Smart Her Flowers

This past year, Jean Smart continued her award-winning run as comedy queen Deborah Vance on HBO Max’s Hacks and returned to Broadway in the one-woman show Call Me Izzy. Smart has another accomplishment on the horizon, as she has been selected to receive The Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre at Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2026 gala. The event will take …

D.L. Coburn, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright of The Gin Game, Dies at 87

Beth Stevens — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:52:10 +0000

D.L. Coburn, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright whose debut play The Gin Game became an enduring work that is still widely produced, died of colon cancer on December 3 in Dallas, Texas. He was 87.

Born Donald Lee Coburn on August 4, 1938 in Baltimore, Coburn did not follow a traditional path to the theater. After graduating from high school, he served in the U.S. Navy and later worked as an advertising copywriter. He eventually opened his own marketing business in Dallas. He wrote his first play at the age of 39.

D.L. Coburn with wife Marsha in 2015 (Photo: Broadway.com)

That play, The Gin Game, premiered in Los Angeles in September 1976. The two-character drama centers on two elderly residents of a nursing home who form a complicated bond while playing gin rummy. After the premiere’s positive reception, the play was produced at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, where it was discovered by married actors Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy, who brought The Gin Game to Broadway under the direction of Mike Nichols. The production ran for more than 500 performances and garnered four Tony Award nominations with Tandy winning for Best Actress in a Play. Coburn won the …

One Battle After Another: Operation Mincemeat Extends Broadway Run Through July 2026

Jonah de Forest — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:48:44 +0000

We have to salute Operation Mincemeat on the news of yet another Broadway extension. The farcical retelling of how Britain successfully disguised the 1943 Allied Invasion of Sicily will continue delighting audiences at the Golden Theatre through July 5, 2026. Originally scheduled to run for 16 weeks, this marks the sixth extension for the uproarious historical comedy.

Operation Mincemeat began its life across the pond, snagging an Olivier for Best Musical in 2023 before transferring to Broadway in 2025. The musical romp is written and composed by the British comedy group SpitLip, comprising David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts. In addition to Cumming, Hodgson and Roberts, the cast also features Claire-Marie Hall and Jak Malone, the latter of whom won a Tony award for his vivid performance as unlikely war hero Hester Leggatt (among other characters). Robert Hastie directs.

Wednesday evening performances will be replaced by Sunday evening performances beginning on Sunday, March 22, 2026.

Get tickets to Operation Mincemeat!

John Patrick Collins to Step in as Bob in Broadway's The Outsiders Before Kevin William Paul Returns

Jamie Kravitz — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:27:04 +0000

The Outsiders' Kevin Csolak will play his final performance as Bob on December 14. Current swing John Patrick Collins will assume the role for three weeks, from December 16 to January 4 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. As previously announced, original Broadway cast member Kevin William Paul returns to the role on January 6, 2026. Paul is currently appearing in Classic Stage Company's revival of The Baker's Wife.

Based on the coming-of-age novel by S.E. Hinton and the 1983 film, The Outsiders centers on the Tulsan adolescents Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade and their chosen family as they fight to survive in 1967 Oklahoma.

With Tony-winning direction by Danya Taymor, The Outsiders has a book co-written by Adam Rapp and Justin Levine, and a score by the folk duo Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Levine. The musical opened on Broadway April 11, 2024 and won four 2024 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It made its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse in spring 2023.

Get tickets to The Outsiders!

Samuel D. Hunter's Little Bear Ridge Road, Starring Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock, to Close Early on Broadway

Beth Stevens — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:11:07 +0000

Samuel D. Hunter's Little Bear Ridge Road, starring two-time Tony winner Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock, is closing early. The play, which was originally scheduled to close on December 30, will now play its final performance at Broadway's Booth Theatre on December 21. The show, directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello, began performances on October 7 and opened on October 30.

The play takes place on the remote outskirts of a small Idaho town, where a razor-tongued aunt (Metcalf) and her long-estranged nephew (Stock) find themselves suddenly back in each other’s orbit—two lonely souls with a crumbling house to sell and a tangled history to unravel.

Metcalf and Stock are joined in the cast by John Drea and Meighan Gerachis. All four cast members are reprising their roles from the world premiere Steppenwolf production in Chicago.

Little Bear Ridge Road marks the Broadway debut of playwright Hunter, whose work The Whale was adapted into the 2022 film of the same name, earning Brendan Fraser an Academy Award for his performance.

The production features scenic design by Scott Pask, costume design by Jessica Pabst, lighting design by Heather Gilbert and sound design by Mikhail Fiksel.

Metcalf and …