What to Look Out for in the 2024 Theater Season, or an Attempt to Figure Out How to Have the Time and $ to See So Many Shows
It's past time to create a "theater" category in my budget.
It feels like every day my Instagram has five of the same posts in a row with news of a show coming to the NY theater scene. There’s a lot to be excited about, from new work and revivals to more movies being turned into musicals. There are cool writers and directors and some really star-studded casts.
The theater season runs until late April; the cutoff date for the 2023-2024 Tony Awards is officially April 25th, 2024, and many shows have recently announced dates quite close to that. Here are shows premiering before then that I’m looking out for (and hopefully getting tickets and looking forward to).
Reminder: Broadway Week started on January 16th and ends February 4th, and Off-Broadway Week is February 3rd to March 12th! At those links, you can get 2-for-1 tickets with the codes on the site. If you can’t make it this time, these sales also run again later in the year.
Musicals
The Connector
Jason Robert Brown is a composer who’s written music for “Parade,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” and “The Last Five Years,” among others. “The Connector” is his new musical about two journalists, premiering at MCC Theater. I’m hearing original musical, JRB, and journalism — what’s not to love?
Performances begin: Happening now until February 18th.
Once Upon a Mattress
Sutton Foster gets some time to shine before her “Sweeney Todd” run, along with a stacked cast, including Michael Urie (“Ugly Betty” and “Spamalot,” which I did not like but I did like him!) and J. Harrison Ghee (“Some Like It Hot,” which just closed but I enjoyed!). I’ve never seen this classic musical, but I remember the name making the rumor mill of potential shows we’d do in high school.
How to get discount tickets: New York City Center has a $25 Access City Center Club if you’re under $35.
Performances begin: January 24th, but this show only runs for two weeks, until February 4th!
The Notebook
Yes, this is another “based on a movie” musical. (“The Notebook” is based on the Nicholas Sparks book and one of the biggest rom-coms of the 2000s). However, everything I’ve seen about how this production is staged and cast has been overwhelmingly positive. The show apparently casts three different couples as the two leads, which is intriguing, and the music is written by Ingrid Michaelson!
Performances begin: February 10th
Teeth
Michael R. Jackson, who wrote “A Strange Loop,” has written a musical along with Anna K. Jacobs about the movie of the same name. If you’re not familiar with “Teeth” — which I wasn’t, until I saw some awesome Google search results — the story follows an evangelical Christian teen whose vagina literally has teeth. I have no idea how this will be a musical, and I am so excited.
How to get discount tickets: Playwrights Horizons has a volunteer usher program as well as $20 tickets if you’re under 30 (or $10 if you’re a student).
Performances begin: February 21st
My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?)
Led by social media star Rob Madge, this autobiographical show tells the coming-of-age story of growing up queer in a supportive family. I’ve seen Rob Madge’s TikToks and honestly, all of the show’s marketing — the colors, sparkles, quotes, and short videos explaining the show — make me think this will be both fun and emotional. According to one 60-second explainer, Madge says “I will teach you how to turn your house into Disneyland, but more importantly, how to raise your queer child with love.”
How to get discount tickets: The show ran an advanced digital lottery earlier this month, so while that opportunity is done, it gives me some hope they might have more discount opportunities in the future...or maybe I’m being naive?
Performances begin: February 27th
Lempicka
This musical is about the life of the Polish artist Tamara de Lempicka, who, I must admit I do not know anything about! I’m being a big follower here and am mostly excited to see this musical because just everyone’s excited about it. I mean, you can’t go too wrong when Rachel Chavkin, who directed Hadestown, is the director, and you have Eden Espinosa as your leading actress.
Performances begin: March 19, 2024
Suffs
More musicals about famous women! Shaina Taub, who has composed and starred in different Shakespeare adaptations (including a production of “Twelfth Night” I saw in London and “As You Like It” at The Public Theater two summers ago!), brings her musical about the American suffragist movement to Broadway, this time co-produced by Hillary Clinton and Malala Yousafzai (I am not joking). Despite entering the virtual lottery every day promptly at 9 a.m., I did not see “Suffs” when it was Off-Broadway and am so excited to try and make its Broadway run. The cast was just announced, with many main players returning, but not Philippa Soo! Curious what she’ll be working on instead.
Performances begin: March 26th
The Great Gatsby
The show is having quite a quick turnaround from its Off-Broadway run at PaperMill Playhouse, despite mixed reviews. “The Great Gatsby” is one of two adaptations of the novel on stage this year; the other, “Gatsby,” premieres in Boston in late May. I wonder if the earlier Broadway push was to avoid some warring Gatsby Tony competition? Stars Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada will be transferring, which is honestly enough for me to go again. I’m really curious how much they’ll change in this new run.
Performances begin: March 29th
The Wiz
There’s no question: My high school absolutely should NOT have done “The Wiz,” a typically all-black version retelling of “The Wizard of Oz.” Even though I am shaking my head putting that information on the internet, that production did introduce me to the show and make me excited about this revival. Nichelle Lewis, who plays Dorothy, is only 24 and sounds so incredible. This show’s tour has gotten rave reviews and I have high hopes.
Performances begin: March 29th
Cabaret
It feels almost silly putting this one here knowing tickets are going for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but I will dream. This West-End transfer is a revival of “Cabaret” starring Eddie Redmayne that aims to immerse you into the Kit Kat Club — apparently, they’ve completely transformed the theater and even offer a dining option for special tickets. New York’s new hottest club, you say?
Performances begin: April 1st
Plays
Doubt
I haven’t seen the play or movie “Doubt” before, but this dark revival scares and excites me. “Doubt” tells the story of an all-boys Catholic school where a sister suspects there’s an inappropriate relationship between a student and the priest. This particular production stars Tyne Daly and Liev Schreiber, which means I’m trying to convince my mom to go because she loves “Ray Donovan.”
How to get discount tickets: Roundabout Theater has a program called HipTix that offers $30 discounts for people ages 18-40.
Performances begin: February 2nd
Job
“Succession” actors Sydney Lemmon and Peter Friedman jump to theater in “Job,” which I’ve heard is a very intense play described as a “psycho thriller.” This production already premiered at SoHo Playhouse last year and is coming back to NY because of its sold-out and already extended run. I’m interested in seeing it because of the actors, the playwright went to Wesleyan, and I write about work and careers for a living.
How to get discount tickets: Ushering! I filled out an usher form for the Connelly Theater where “Job” is running, not expecting to hear back (they said they don’t always need volunteer ushers). Instead, I got a really nice email from their company manager sending tons of usher opportunities. If you’re interested, send me your email and I’ll forward the email so you can see the show for free, too!
Performances begin: January 19th
Prayer for a French Republic
Honestly, I was first interested in seeing this show because of a theater influencer’s video. She said it was the play in the last three years that had the biggest impact on her; I saw this right after watching her video where she revealed she’d seen over 300 shows in the last year. It’s a story of five generations of a French Jewish family, told over three hours — but Brittani Samuel, arts journalist and co-founder of 3 Views (goooo Emily!) — said so emphatically that the three hours were worth it that I am sold.
How to get discount tickets: Manhattan Theatre Club has a 30 under 35 program.
Performances begin: Running now!
Enemy of the People
I believe I saw this Ibsen show at a field trip to Yale when I was in an acting class at Wesleyan, and my inability to remember says enough about how I feel about the show: not strongly. This one is on my radar, though, because of Jeremy Strong from “Succession.” Cold take: I love him in that show and every video of him describing his acting process. The rest of the announced cast is also stacked, with Michael Imperioli (for my dad, “The Sopranos,” but for me, “The White Lotus”) and Victoria Pedretti (who was great in “You”).
Performances begin: February 27th
Mother Play
Paula Vogel is such an incredible playwright — she’s most well-known for her plays “Indecent” and “How I Learned to Drive” — and she has a new play coming to Second Stage, which is currently home to “Appropriate.” If seeing a new work from a Pulitzer Prize winner isn’t enough to entice you, Jessica Lange, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Jim Parsons make up the cast.
How to get discount tickets: Second Stage has an usher program you can sign up for where you work for an hour before the show and see it for free. They also have $30 tickets for people under 30!
Performances begin: April 2nd
Stereophonic
I know what you’re thinking. Zoe, you didn’t like “Stereophonic”! This is partly true. I didn’t like the length of “Stereophonic” so much that I was being really grumpy in Times Square. Yet this play is truly transformative, dropping you into the era of a band recording an album. The costumes are spot-on, the music is beautiful, and the set is magically clever. If I see the runtime is cut (no hope from the Telecharge view yet), or I’m feeling patient, I’m running to get a ticket.
How to get discount tickets: “Stereophonic” is running a previews pricing deal where tickets are $40, $80, and $120 from April 3rd to April 18th. I did this to get cheap tickets for “Shucked” last year and loved it!
Performances begin: April 3rd
Uncle Vanya
I’m really looking forward to this cast. So many stars! Steve Carrel leads, along with William Jackson Harper, Jayne Houdyshell, Mia Katigbak, Alfred Molina, Alison Pill, and Anika Noni Rose. I feel like every time they promoted a new cast member I was more and more convinced to go.
How to get discount tickets: Usually, I would say LincTix! Those are tickets for 21-35 year-olds for $35. Apparently tickets for this show are already sold out on LincTix :( I loved using this program to get great seats for “Camelot” last year. The cheapest tickets on sale now are $48 with fees.
Performances begin: April 24th
What’d I Miss? Let me know if you’re getting tickets, have gotten tickets, or what else you’re excited for. I’ve got tickets for just a few of these for now, and I’m heading to D.C. to see The Kennedy Center’s “tick, tick... BOOM!” for its short run at the end of the month. 2024 reviews incoming!