It's Awards Season! Today the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town, national, and digital news publications, has announced the nominees for the 2025 Outer Critics Circle Awards, honoring the 2024-2025 Broadway and Off-Broadway season. Leading the pack with the most honors of the season is the Broadway musical Death Becomes Her, with twelve nominations, followed by Maybe Happy Ending with nine nominations. Stranger Things: The First Shadow leads in the play categories with a total of seven nominations, followed by The Hills of California with six. See the full list below:

Harvey! Today, The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today that legendary actor and writer, and four-time Tony Award winner, Harvey Fierstein will receive the 2025 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

Whether you have binged every episode on Netflix or you are walking in fully blind to the Stranger Things universe, there is one thing for certain: you are bound to fall in love with this zany cast of characters. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a prequel to the series and takes us back 30 years to the late 1950s where we meet this ragtag group and go on one thrilling adventure. I caught up with the cast during rehearsals to chat with them and dive into the world of Stranger Things. 

One of America’s most beloved films is coming to New York…kinda. Today, producers announced that Ginger Twinsies, a hilarious send-up of the beloved 1998 film The Parent Trap, will play a limited engagement at the downtown Orpheum Theatre beginning July 10, 2025. Directed and written by Kevin Zak, an official opening is set for July 10 for a 16-week run through October 26.

He’s coming home! Leslie Odom, Jr. will return to the Richard Rodgers Theatre to reprise his Tony-winning role as Aaron Burr in Hamilton; this comes nine years after he took his final bow in July 2016. Odom begins performances Tuesday, September 9, 2025 for a limited engagement through Sunday, November 23, 2025. 

The curtain is officially up! Last night, Smash opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre and Theatrely photographer Carianne Older was on the scene to celebrate Bella Coppola who stars as Chloe in the hit new musical. 

Today it was announced that Audible and Together, the new theatrical partnership led by Sonia Friedman and Huge Jackman, have a new collaboration including two fully-produced plays, readings, panels, workshops, and more this spring. Headlined by two plays directed by Ian Rickson and presented in repertory – the New York premiere of Hannah Moscovitch’s Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, with Ella Beatty and Hugh Jackman (April 28 – June 18), and Jen Silverman’s new adaptation of August Strindberg’s Creditors, with Liev Schreiber, Maggie Siff, and Justice Smith (May 10 – June 18) – the collaboration rounds out Audible Theater’s sixth off-Broadway season at the Minetta Lane Theatre, where the company has produced numerous live shows since 2018, and marks the debut stage productions for Friedman and Jackman’s recently announced company, TOGETHER. Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes and Creditors will also be recorded and released on Audible at a later date, extending their reach to millions of listeners around the world.

The wait is almost over! Tomorrow, Ghostlight Records will release the Original Broadway Cast Recording in digital and streaming formats of Maybe Happy Ending. Theatrely has received the exclusive track debut of “The Way That It Has to Be” from the new Broadway musical starring Darren Criss and Helen J Shen. 

Today it was announced that The Queen of Versailles will play the St. James Theatre this fall, with performances beginning Wednesday, October 8, ahead of an official opening night on Monday, November 10. Following its out-of-town tryout at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre this past summer, Versailles will reunite Kristin Chenoweth and songwriter Stephen Schwartz on Broadway for the first time since Wicked. Chenoweth will star as Jackie Siegel and F. Murray Abraham will star as David Siegel. Additional casting will be announced at a later date. 

Today it was announced that six-time Emmy winner Jean Smart will return to Broadway in the world premiere of Call Me Izzy. A 12-week limited engagement at Studio 54 will be May 24 and run through August 17, 2025. An official opening night is set for June 12. 

Today, Roundabout Theatre Company announced their plans for the 2025-2026 Broadway and Off-Broadway season. While the Todd Haimes undergoes a renovation, this fall Robert Icke’s Oedipus will head to Studio 54. In the spring, Sam Pinkleton will direct Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show at Studio 54. In addition, Scott Ellis will direct Kelli O’Hara and Rose Byrne in Noël Coward’s Fallen Angels at the Haimes next spring. 

We are truly counting down the days until Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years finally makes its way to Broadway, and thankfully we don’t have too much longer to go. Today, producers Seaview, ATG Productions, and The Season have released the original music video for “Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You” from The Last Five Years starring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren. 

Suddenly Milo! This morning it was announced that Elizabeth Gilles and Milo Manheim are set to join the Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors next month. Gillies who has previously been on Broadway in 13 and most well known for her turn on Victorious stars as Audrey opposite Milo Manheim, most well known for Disney’s Zombies franchise. The duo plus Broadway vet Jeremy Kushnier will join the company Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at the Westside Theatre. 

Producers of BOOP! The Musical announced the full cast who will originate the new musical when it starts previews on March 11, 2025 before an official opening night on April 5 at the Broadhurst. The principal cast of BOOP!, who received critical acclaim in the Chicago pre-Broadway run last year, is headed by Jasmine Amy Rogers as Betty Boop and Tony Award-winner Faith Prince as Valentina, Ainsley Melham as Dwayne, Erich Bergen as Raymond, Stephen DeRosa as Grampy,Anastacia McCleskey as Carol, Angelica Hale as Trisha, Phillip Huber (Pudgy the Dog), and Aubie Merrylees as Oscar. 

It seems The Jonathan Larson Project has found its cast. The new musical celebrates the dozens of unheard songs, unfinished and unproduced musicals, and pop songs found in files and boxes when Larson died suddenly at the age of 35 in 1996. The company is set to include Adam Chanler-Berat, Taylor Iman Jones, Lauren Marcus, Andy Mientus, and Jason Tam.

Seems more people are joining the Upside Down! Today, further casting was announced for the upcoming Broadway production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow which brings performances at the Marquis Theatre on Friday, March 28, 2025 before an official opening night on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Joining the previously announced Louis McCartney as Henry Creel, the company will include Rosie Benton (Patriots) as Virginia Creel, Alex Breaux (“Stranger Things” Season 5) as Dr. Brenner, Nicky Eldridge (Broadway Debut) as Bob Newby, Andrew Hovelson (Lucky Guy) as Principal Newby, Alison Jaye (“Shameless”) as Joyce Maldonado, Emmy Award nominee T.R. Knight (“Grey’s Anatomy”) as Victor Creel, Emmy Award nominee Gabrielle Nevaeh (Nickelodeon’s “That Girl Lay Lay”) as Patty Newby and Burke Swanson (Back to the Future: The Musical) as James Hopper, Jr. 

The cast is shaping up for who will be joining Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin in Just In Time on Broadway this March. He will be joined by Joe Barbara, Tony Award winner Michele Pawk, Lance Roberts, Caesar Samayoa, Christine Cornish, Julia Grondin, Valeria Yamin, John Treacy Egan, Tari Kelly, Matt Magnusson, Khori Michelle Petinaud, and Larkin Reilly.

Theatrely31 alum Jack Serio will direct Danger and Opportunity, a new play by Ken Urban this March. The new production will premiere at the East Village Basement, located at 321 East 9th Street in Manhattan. 

Today, principal casting was announced for Boop! The Musical which will being previews at the Broadhurst Theatre on March 11, 2025 before an official opening night on April 5, 2025. The company, who received critical acclaim in the Chicago pre-Broadway run last year, is headed by Jasmine Amy Rogers as Betty Boop and Tony Award-winner Faith Prince as Valentina, Ainsley Melham as Dwayne, Erich Bergen as Raymond, Stephen DeRosa as Grampy, Anastacia McCleskey as Carol, Angelica Hale as Trisha, Phillip Huber (Pudgy the Dog), and Aubie Merrylees as Oscar.

Today it was announced that pop music superstar Joey Fatone will return to Broadway for the first time in 20 years in the company of & Juliet as ‘Lance’ beginning January 21, 2025. A founding member of NSYNC, Fatone made his Broadway debut in Rent in 2002 and went on to star in Little Shop of Horrors in 2004. He will play a limited 9-week engagement in & Juliet through March 16, 2024. He takes over the role from Paulo Szot. 

More Succession stars are headed to the stage! Following a sold out, critically acclaimed run in the West End, Sarah Snook will make her Broadway debut playing 26 characters in the new production of The Picture of Dorian Gray. The stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s only novel is adapted and directed by Kip Williams, the Artistic Director of Sydney Theatre Company, where the production originated. The Picture of Dorian Gray will open at a Shubert theatre in March for a strictly limited engagement.

Today it was announced that Riverdance 30 - The New Generation is headed back to Radio City Music Hall as part of the new anniversary production of the international Irish dance phenomenon for five performances only from Friday, March 28 through Sunday, March 30, 2025. This will be the first time the dance troupe is back at the famed Music Hall since 2020. 

Tomorrow, Center Stage Records and Keaka Productions will release the world premiere recording of Wild About You in digital and streaming formats and Theatrely has your first listen to one of the upcoming tracks. This new musical features music and lyrics by Chilina Kennedy – currently starring on Broadway in The Great Gatsby – and a book by Eric Holmes.

It was announced that Theatrely31 alum Joy Woods will join Audra McDonald and Danny Burstein in the upcoming revival of Gypsy as Louise. Joining them will be Jordan Tyson as June, Lesli Margherita as Tessie Tura, Lili Thomas as Miss Mazeppa, and Mylinda Hull as Miss Electra. 

Tony Award Winner Danny Burstein will star as Herbie opposite six-time Tony Award Winner Audra McDonald in the upcoming Broadway revival of Gypsy.

Shailene Woodley, Zachary Quinto, Barbie Ferreria and more are set to star in Leslye Headland's Cult of Love on Broadway directed by Trip Cullman.

Part Goosebumps part E.T. - sign us up! Last week it was announced that the new musical Watcher In The Woods will have a fully staged showcase production as part of their development process starring the hilarious Jackie Hoffman. Directed by Chase Kniffen, the new musical based on the 1976 novel by Florence Engel Randall features music & orchestrations by Johanna Telander, book & lyrics by Douglas Thompson, and music direction by Brian Walters. The production showcase will perform Wednesday, September 11 - Sunday, September 15 at UrbanStages on West 30th Street. 

Today it was announced that Savannah Hankinson’s The 2 Queers a Lesbian Meets at The Home Depot will make its New York premiere at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres from September 20, 2024 through October 6, 2024. 

Center Theatre Group in Los Angels is joining forces with Deaf West Theatre to bring a new production of Green Day’s iconic rock opera American Idiot to the stage. As previous reported, The production will run October 2, 2024 through November 10, 2024, with an official opening night set for Wednesday, October 9 at the Mark Taper Forum. Daniel Durant returns to the stage after his star turn in the Academy-Award winning film CODA, which is also being adapted for the stage. The company also includes Milo Mannheim and Mason Alexander Park, the recent Emcee in the West End production of Cabaret. 

This year, the USTA and ESPN are partnering with Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen to showcase the music of the show across three weeks of the US Open. Tony nominee Shoshana Bean will sing the national anthem on the tournament’s opening day on August 26, and a video narrated by Tony winner Kecia Lewis was just released celebrating the partnership.

Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart will reprise his role as Louis Armstrong on Broadway in A Wonderful World this fall following its out of town production in New Orleans and Chicago. He will be joined by Darlesia Cearcy as Lucille Wilson, Dionne Figgins as Daisy Parker, Kim Exum as Alpha Smith, and Jennie Harney-Fleming as Lil Hardin; the four wives of Armstrong. Rounding out the company is Trista Dollison, DeWitt Fleming, Jr., Jason Forbach, Gavin Gregory, Jimmy Smagula, James T. Lane, Brandon L. Armstrong, Wesley Barnes, Willie Clyde Beaton II, Ronnie S. Bowman, Jr., Eean S. Cochran, Kate Louissaint, Matt Magnusson, Jodeci Milhouse, Alysha Morgan, Khadijah Rolle, Tally Sessions, Brett Sturgis, Renell Taylor, Meridien Terrell, and Dori Waymer. 

Tony Award-winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s new play, Purpose, is coming to Broadway this season. Directed by Two-time Tony Award-winner Phylicia Rashad in her directing debut, the production will begin previews at the Helen Hayes Theater on Tuesday February 25, 2025, with an official opening night set for mid-March.

Today it was announced that Caroline Bowman will standby for the role of Norma Desmond in the much anticipated revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Blvd. directed by Jamie Lloyd. The production is headed to Broadway’s St. James Theatre with previews beginning Saturday, September 28, ahead of an official opening night on Sunday, October 20. 

Ghostlight Records will release a new remix and remastered 15th Anniversary Edition of the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Next To Normal. It will be released in streaming and digital formats tomorrow, August 9 and will be issued on CD and its first-ever vinyl pressing later this year. Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to one of the tracks. 

Tony Winner Patrick Marber will direct David Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play Glengarry Glen Ross in a brand new production this spring on Broadway. An all star cast including Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk, and Bill Burr lead the production at a Broadway theatre that will be announced at a later date.

Today it was announced that Rachel Zegler, global touring artist Lizzy McAlpine, Jordan Fisher, Darren Criss, Tony Award-winner John Gallagher Jr., Will Butler, Joy Woods, and Alaska Thunderf*ck are set to perform at this year’s Elsie Fest on September 8 at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in NY. 

Joining Marla Mindelle in The Big Gay Jamboree Off-Broadway is Alex Moffat (Keith), Paris Nix (Clarence), Constantine Rousouli (Bert), Natalie Walker (Flora), with Jaden Dominique, Brad Greer, Jeremiah Ginn, Amanda Lee, Jillian Mueller, Olivia Puckett, Melvin Tunstall, Clyde Voce, Cortney Wolfson, and John Yi rounding out the ensemble.

Today, producers announced that director Jamie Lloyd will bring a new production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter to Broadway. The production will open at an ATG theater to be announced soon in Fall of 2025. Reeves will play Estragon and Winter will play Vladimir. 

Tomorrow Nick Cartell, the current Jean Valjean on the national tour of Les Misérables, is set to release his upcoming album A Thousand Spotlights and Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to one of the tracks. 

It was announced that Grammy nominee Adam Lambert and Auli’i Cravalho will be their Broadway debuts as the Emcee and Sally Bowles this fall in the Tony-winning Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club at the August Wilson Theatre. 

The hilarious Hannah Gadsby is set to return to New York City this fall with their latest stand-up show, Woof!, directed by Jenney Shamash. After sold-out engagements in Australia and across the US, Woof! will play a limited four-week engagement at the Abrons Art Center on the Lower East Side starting Friday, September 27 before an official opening night on Sunday, October 6, 2024. 

Multimedia theatre collective The Fricks have announced that they will present Tomorrow People at the recently opened East Village Basement next month. 

A slew of Broadway favorites will join Sutton Foster and Michael Urie in Once Upon A Mattress when the musical revival heads to the Hudson Theatre beginning Wednesday July 31, 2024. Foster as Winnifred and Urie as Prince Dauntless will be joined by Brooks Ashmanskas as The Wizard, Daniel Breaker as The Jester, Will Chase as Sir Harry, Nikki Renée Daniels returns as Lady Larken, David Patrick Kelly returns as King Sextimus, and Ana Gasteyer as Queen Aggravain.

Theatrely's Los Angeles review of POTUS by Selina Fillinger.

Theatrely's review of The Engagement party, currently playing at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles until November 5, 2023.

Theatrely's Los Angeles Review of Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan MacMillan with Johnny Donahoe and starring Daniel K. Isaac at the Geffen Playhouse.

Theatrely's Los Angeles review of Our Dear Dead Drug Lord by Alexis Scheer now in performance at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre

Theatrely's Los Angeles review of Ava: The Secret Conversations written by Elizabeth McGovern and Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel at the Geffen Playhouse.

Theatrely's Los Angeles review of The Lonely Few at the Geffen Playhouse starring Damon Daunno, Ciara Renée and Lauren Patten.

Theatrely's review of Mindplay at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, starring Vinny DePonto.

Theatrely's review of Lindsay Joelle's Trayf currently in production at the Geffen playhouse's Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater in Los Angeles, California. Directed by Maggie Burrows, the performances include Ben Hirschhorn, Ilan Eskenazi, Garret Young, and Louisa Jacobson.

Theatrely's review of Power of Sail by Paul Grellong now at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, California. Bryan Cranston stars in the new drama alongside Amy Brenneman, Hugo Armstrong, Donna Simone Johnson, Tedra Millan, Seth Numrich, and Brandon Scott. The production is directed by Weyni Mengesha.

Walking into the atrium for The Geffen Playhouse’s The Enigmatist, you are greeted by clumps of audience members peering at clues around the room, trying to solve puzzles before entering the auditorium. These are merely an amuse-bouche for David Kwong’s feast of puzzle, wit, and illusion that will commence shortly. There are ushers at hand to help out with hints, but almost everyone seemed game to get to the solutions on their own. Upon entering the Geffen’s intimate Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater, one notices that the room has been transformed from a traditional theater space to a paneled room that is reminiscent of an old pub, or a vintage study. The walls are lined with knickknacks that appear random, but on closer inspection make up a series of secret codes that exist solely for the audience’s decoding pleasure. 

The Getty Villa, a Los Angeles museum of Greek and Roman antiquities, is not the first location one might think of when mounting a musical tribute to Liza Minnelli. When that musical, however, is based on Aristophanes’ Lysistrata and set in an amphitheater against the backdrop of an ancient Roman villa, everything falls into place. 

The Barn Theatre, based in Cirencester, is breaking the mold for virtual theatre yet again with their production of The Secret Society of Leading Ladies. Part concert, part choose-your-own-adventure, this short performance packs a punch that will undoubtedly leave audiences satisfied.

After revealing her ALS diagnosis this past February, Luker tirelessly advocated for the over 30,000 Americans living with ALS, taking part in fundraisers benefiting new drug treatments, and urging fans and followers to write their legislators to increase funding for these therapies.

Filmed each night with a four-camera setup, the show feels just as intimate, regardless of viewing location. The theatre has even been expanding its geographical footprint, with online audience members tuning in from far and wide.

The First Deep Breath is playing at the Geffen Playhouse through March 5.