Fall isn’t just a busy time on Broadway! Plenty of shows, from new works to exciting revivals, are playing Off-Broadway this season, and we’ve got a peek at 13 that are worth keeping an eye on.
August Wilson’s Seven Guitars, Lincoln Center Theater
Begins performances November 5
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who is considered one of the foremost experts on August Wilson, is returning to Seven Guitars, the play that won him a Tony Award for acting in 1996, this time as the production’s director. As described by the production, “Set in 1940s Pittsburgh, Wilson’s haunting drama follows blues musician Floyd ‘Schoolboy’ Barton (Russell Hornsby), a man determined to win back the woman he loves and build a future beyond the limitations of Black life in America.”
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Public Theater
Now playing through December 20
After taking home the Olivier Award for Best Musical for its premiere run in London’s West End, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has made its way across the pond. Based on the book of the same name that inspired the 2008 film, the musical follows the life of an old man who ages in reverse. Playing the titular character is theatre favorite Andrew Durand, most recently seen in last season’s The Rocky Horror Show. The musical has been extended twice at The Public Theater and now runs through December 20.
The Heart, Laura Pels Theatre
Now playing through December 13
A new musical is captivating audiences this fall at Roundabout Theatre Company. The Heart stars a host of Broadway favorites including Heidi Blickenstaff, Drew Gehling, Joaquina Kalukango. A description of the show reads: “A young surfer’s life is cut short. A stranger suddenly has a second chance. And the life-force of one beating heart drives two families and a medical team through 24 hours that couldn’t matter more.” Recently declared a Critic’s Pick by The New York Times, The Heart has just extended through December 13.
The Holes, wild project
Now playing through November 29
Following up his last Off-Broadway sensation, JOB, which ultimately transferred to Broadway, Max Wolf’s The Holes is sure to be just as much of a conversation starter. Set in a mysterious backroom at a rundown bar in Kingston, New York, The Holes also marks the Off-Broadway producing debut of Robert Pattinson and the return to the stage of Bubba Weiler, playwright of Well I’ll Let You Go.
A Kidman Carol, New World Stages
Begins performances November 16
From the mind of Kevin Zak (Ginger Twinsies) comes A Kidman Carol this holiday season. Think A Christmas Carol, but make Scrooge Cate Blanchett and the three ghosts Nicole Kidman. Comedian Josh Sharp plays Blanchett, while Titanique‘s Marla Mindelle trades Celine Dion for Kidman. Viral sensation Ashby Florence is also part of the cast, marking her New York stage debut.
Imitation of Life, The Shed
Begins performances November 21
Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren is back onstage this fall alongside theatre favorite Jessica Vosk in a new musical written by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and EGOT winner John Legend. Inspired by Fannie Hurst’s best-selling 1933 novel and the 1934 and 1959 Universal films of the same name, Imitation of Life follows “two single mothers—one Black, one White—and their daughters build a life together, chasing success and love by very different rules,” as described by the production.
In the Heights, New York City Center
Now playing through November 15
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s much-adored first musical is back in New York City! With a Tony-winning score written by Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, the musical returns nearly two decades after its 2008 Broadway premiere with a brand-new production at New York City Center, directed by David Mendizábal. Taking on the role of Usnavi, originated by Miranda himself, is Matte Martinez, who was most recently seen playing the titular role in MJ. Featuring modern classics like “96,000” and “Breathe,” this revival is spreading a whole lot of joy onstage this fall.
Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen, The Night Egg at the Culture Club
Now playing through January 3, 2027
In addition to his return to Spring Awakening (more on that in a moment), the late Duncan Sheik also has a brand-new musical opening this fall: Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen. Starring Sophia Anne Caruso in her first musical since becoming a fan favorite in the original Broadway cast of Beetlejuice, the show is based on the manga graphic novel of the same name and follows “a witty young dreamer in 20th-century Paris, who finds her power through writing,” played by Caruso. The show takes place at The Night Egg, a brand-new venue designed in the former home of the iconic ’90s Twilo nightclub and the infamous Sleep No More, and is on sale through January 3, 2027.
MIDNIGHT, Daryl Roth Theatre
Now playing through January 3, 2027
After wrapping up a second successful development run in London earlier this year, Todrick Hall brings his brand-new musical MIDNIGHT to the Off-Broadway stage this fall. Set in the American South during the 19th century, the new musical, written, directed by, and starring Hall, follows “twelve interconnected lives, six Black characters and six white characters, whose relationships challenge the worlds they have inherited and the assumptions they carry,” as described by the production. Following a recent extension, MIDNIGHT runs through January 3, 2027, at the Daryl Roth Theatre.
Sea Wall, Studio Seaview
Limited run through October 30
After his acclaimed performance in Vanya last year, Andrew Scott returned to the New York stage for a very limited engagement, ahead of what is sure to be a busy film awards season for the actor with the upcoming Elsinore. At Studio Seaview for just 20 performances, Scott performed Simon Stephens’s Sea Wall, a 50-minute play in which he first starred more than a decade ago. The play was previously presented as the first part of Sea Wall/A Life on Broadway in 2019, starring Tom Sturridge alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. If you weren’t able to grab a ticket, never fear: The show is being filmed for a later release!
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Spring Awakening, Studio Seaview
Begins performances November 29
Twenty years after its Broadway premiere, Spring Awakening returns to New York City this fall, directed by Tony Award winner Danya Taymor (The Outsiders, John Proctor Is the Villain). Last seen in New York during its 2015 Broadway revival, Spring Awakening returns at a poignant time following the recent passing of the show’s composer, Duncan Sheik.
A View from the Bridge, La MaMa
Begins performances November 27
If you’re craving more Arthur Miller after this year’s Tony-winning revival of Death of a Salesman, you’re in luck. Miller’s A View from the Bridge returns to New York City this fall, starring Sam Rockwell, Carla Gugino, and Alfred Molina. Performances for the strictly limited, 13-week engagement begin November 27 at La MaMa.
Wild Rose, New York Theatre Workshop
Begins performances November 24
Based on the movie that kicked off Oscar winner Jessie Buckley’s film career, Wild Rose heads Off-Broadway this fall. Featuring a book by Nicole Taylor, the BAFTA-winning writer of the original film, and direction by Tony winner John Tiffany (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Once), Wild Rose will star Madeline Brewer (The Handmaid’s Tale, Becky Shaw) as Rose-Lynn, an aspiring country singer from Glasgow, Scotland. The U.S. premiere will include songs from country music legends Wynonna Judd, The Chicks, Patty Griffin, Caitlyn Smith, Chris Stapleton, and more, alongside the film’s award-winning original song “Glasgow (No Place Like Home).”
