This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, May 30
Girl from the North Country, the Broadway production, written & directed by Conor McPherson, featuring Todd Almond, Jeannette Bayardelle, Colin Bates, Colin Bates, Colin Bates, Robert Joy, Craig Bierko, Luba Mason, Tom Nelis, Matt McGrath, Austin Scott, Austin Scott, Jay O. Sanders, and Mare Winningham, airs 9 PM on PBS.
Saturday, May 31
Rigoletto, directed by Tomer Zvulun, directed Tomer Zvulun, featuring Quinn Kelsey (Rigoletto), Lissett Orop (Gilda May 21 – June 15), Kathryn Lewek (Gilda, June 18-21 ), René Barbera Duke of Mantaua), Blake Denson Ccount Mnterone), Peixin Chen (Spara Fucile), and Sara Saturnino (Maddalena), and more… opens at LA’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
Bob & Jean: A Love Story, by Robert Schenkkan, directed by Matt August, featuring Mary Mattison (Jean) and Scott Wentworth (Narrator), opens at Long Island’s Bay Street Theatre.
Nice Girl, by Melissa Ross, directed by Ann Bronston, featuring Anaïs Fairweather (Jo), Bailey Humiston (Sherry), Jeff Lorch (Donny), and eahl (Francine), opens at LA’ Rogue Machine at the Matrix Theatre.
Lyrics & Lyricists: Louder Than Words: The Songs and Legacy of Jonathan Larson concert, with special guests Julian Hornik, Michael R. Jackson, Anna K. Jacobs, Daniel and Patrick Lazour, Zoe Sarnak & Shaina Taub, featuring Adam Kantor, L Morgan Lee, DeMone Seraphin, Rotana Tarazbouni, and Keaton Whittaker, opens at NYC’s 92NY.
Glengarry Glen Ross, by David Mamet, directed by Patick Marber, featuring Kieran Culkin (Richard Roma), Bob Odenkirk (Shelley Levene), Bill Burr (Dave Moss), and Michael McKean (George Aaronow). TDonald Webber Jr. (John Williamson), Howard W. Overshown (Baylen), and John Pirruccello (James Lingk), closes at Broadway’s Palace Theatre.
Audible, adapted by Jen Silverman, directed Ian Rickson, featuring Liev Schreiber (Gustav), Maggie Siff (Tekla), and Justice Smith (Adi), closes at Off-Broadway’s Minetta Lane Theatre.
Speakeasy Stage‘s JaJa’s African Hair Braiding, by Jocelyn Bioh, directed by Summer L. Williams, featuring Ashley Aldarondo, Dru Sky Berrian, Catia, MaConnia Chesser, Yasmeen Duncan, MarHadoo Effeh, Crystin Gilmore, Joshua Olumide, Hampton Richards, and Kwezi Shongwe, closes at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.
Sunday, June 1
Life of Pi, by Lolita Chakrabarti, directed by Max Webster, featuring Taha Mandviwala (Pi), Jessica Angleskhan (Amma/Nurse/Orange Juice), Alan Ariano (Mr. Okamoto/Captain), Emmanuel Elpenord (Cook/voice of Richard Parker), Rishi Jaiswal (Mamaji/Pandit Ji), Sinclair Mitchell (Admiral Jackson/Russian Sailor/Father Martin), Mi Kang/Lulu Chen/ Mrs. Biology Kumar / Zaida Khan), and Sorab Wadia (Father), closes at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre.
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A new production of Chess will open this Fall (dates TBA) at the Shubert Theater, by Benny Anderson, Björn Ulvaeus, Tim Rice & Danny Strong, directed by Michael Mayer.
Aaron Tveit (Freddie Trumper), Lea Michele (Florence Vasse), Nicholas Christopher (Anatoly Sergievsk), and more TBA.
America versus Russia at the World Chess Championship, where the espionage and romance are as complicated and exhilarating as the game itself. For the two players and the woman torn between them, everything—personal, professional, and political—is at risk… and nobody’s rules are the same.
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John Philip’s Say Yes, conceived & directed by Marilyn Maye, will take place Sun. June 22 at 7:30 PM at The Iridium NYC (1650 Broadway),with music direction by David Pearl.
Marilyn Maye, with David Pearl.
A vibrant celebration of identity, love, and life. Following the success of his 2024 production Oceans of Love and Life, this new creation is once again conceived and directed by the legendary Marilyn Maye, featuring her original lyrics that pulse with wit, warmth, and wisdom.
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The world premiere of Douglas Lyons, Bryan McCaffrey & Ethan D. Pakchar’s Beau the Musical, will run June 6–July 27 at 154 Christopher Street (formerly known as the New Ohio theatre), directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes, with music direction by Chris Gurr.
TBA.
A young queer man whose life is forever changed when he discovers his deceased grandfather is actually still alive. Family secrets unravel as Ace rushes to make up for lost time with a man who changes his life by putting a guitar in his hand. eight actor-musicians telling the story of Ace Baker, a young queer man whose life is forever changed when he discovers his deceased grandfather is actually still alive.
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The filmed cast recording of London’s Next to Normal, directed by Michael Longhurst, will be released May 30 on most platforms.
Caissie Levy (Diana Goodman), Jack Wolfe (Gabe), Trevor Dion Nicholas (Dr. Madden), Jack Ofrecio (Henry), Jamie Parker (Dan), Eleanor Worthington-Cox (Natalie), and Trevor Don Nicholas.
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DC’s Kennedy Center has announced its 2025-26 season:
Shear Madness (Oct. 7, 2025 – Oct. 4, 2026)
Champions of Magic: Holiday Spectacular (Nov. 18-23
Shamrock Tenors: Christmas in Belfast (Nov. 25-30)
The Improvised Shakespeare Company (Nov. 28 – Dec. 23)
Monty Python’s Spamalot (Dec. 16 – Jan. 4, 2026)
Chicago (Mar. 31 – Apr. 5)
Moulin Rouge! (June 16 – July 5)
Bluey Returns (June 4 – July 5)
Back to the Future: The Musical (July 7-19)
The Outsiders (July 28 – Aug. 16)
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Video: Jonathan Groff performs “Splish Splash” from Broadway’s Just in Time.
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Yazmina Reza’s ART will run Aug. 28 – Dec. 21 (opening Sept. 16) at the Music Box Theatre, directed by Scott Ellis.
Bobby Cannavale, James Corden, and Neil Patrick Harris.
The play follows hree friends as their friendship is tested by Serg’s purchace of a controversial white on white painting. The painting becomes a symbol of their differing views on art, modern culture, and ultimately, their own values. The play explores how this seemingly innocuous purchase reveals deeper insecurities and resentments within their relationships.
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Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor is the Villain has been esxtended through Sun. July 13 at Broadway’s Booth Theatre, directed by Danya Taymor.
Sadie Sink (Shelby Holcomb), Nihar Duvvuri (Mason Adams), Gabriel Ebert (Carter Smith), Molly Griggs (Bailey Gallagher), Maggie Kuntz (Ivy Watkins), Hagan Oliveras (Lee Turner), Morgan Scott (Nell Shaw), Fina Strazza (Beth Powell), and Amalia Yoo (Raelynn Nix)
Five young women – fueled by pop music, optimism, and fury – clash with their school, their Georgia town, and the stories they’ve been instructed to believe. As their class dissects The Crucible, they begin to question who we deem heroic, who we call a villain, and who gets burned in the process. With biting humor and a beating heart, this explosive new play – “one of the most anticipated of the season” (The New York Times) – shines a blazing spotlight on the eternal fight to claim your own narrative in a world that’s still stuck in the past.
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The world premiere of Tom Hanks & James Glossman’s The World of Tomorrow will run Oct. 30 – Dec. 21 at the Shed Theater, directed by Kenny Leon.
Tom Hanks (Bert Allenberry) and more TBA.
Bert Allenberry is a scientist from the future who travels through time to 1939’s World’s Fair in Queens, New York, in search of true love. The story comes from a collection of Hanks’ short stories that was published in 2017.