Today, the Boston Theater Critics Association have announced the nominees and five awards for visiting productions in the New England Area. The awards will take place Monday, June 1, 2026 at 7pm at the Huntington Theatre. In addition to the nominees, the 2026 Elliot Norton Price for Sustain Excellence goes to producer Bill Hanney for his work with the North Shore Music Theatre and Theatre By The Sea. Special Citations will be awarded to Commonwealth Shakespeare Company in honor of its 30th Anniversary Season, Blue Man Group for its 30-year residency in Boston, and to arts administrators Temple Gill and Jim Torres for their decades of service to the arts community.
In an era where regional theatre seasons are looking bleaker and bleaker, the Huntington in Boston has come out strong with a bold 2026/2027 season including new world premieres putting Boston on the map. Next April will see the world premiere of Unorthodox based on the best-selling memoir written by Deborah Feldman. Three Broadway heavy hitters are helming the new musical including composer Benj Pasek (EGOT winner, Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land, Only Murders in the Building); composer Shaina Taub (two-time Tony winner for Suffs); and playwright Joshua Harmon (Tony nominated for Prayer for the French Republic). Jordan Fein, who’s daring Into The Woods at London’s Bridge Theatre turned into one of my favorite performances this year, is set to direct.
It was announced today that Billy Crystal will return to Broadway this fall in a new one-man show, 860, written and performed by Crystal, and directed by Scott Ellis. The new production will play a 12-week engagement at a Shubert Theater to be announced beginning in October.
See, we are ALL smiling. Tonight, from the stage of the Hollywood Bowl (iconic), Jason Robert Brown, Ben Platt, and Rachel Zegler announced that Atlantic Records will release a live recording of The Last Five Years (25th Anniversary Live at the London Palladium). The new album arrives on Monday, April 20th, pre-orders and pre-saves are available now HERE. Captured live during the limited, sold-out concert residency at the historic London Palladium from March 24-29, 2026, the recording documents the electric chemistry of Platt and Zegler in this special 25th Anniversary staging. Conducted and directed by Brown (Parade, The Bridges of Madison County), the album brings the intimate, non-linear story of Cathy and Jamie to life with a symphonic scale and emotional depth.
Lin-Manuel Miranda will direct the musical film adaptation of Dave Malloy’s Octet as his next feature film.