A Few Good Men opened at the Vivian Beaumont, The Heart and I Became We drew warm notices Off-Broadway, and Broadway lost Patrick Stewart and Barbara Barrie. Here is the New York week from October 23 to 30, with links to our full reports.
Openings
Lincoln Center Theater’s A Few Good Men, the first Broadway revival of Aaron Sorkin’s 1989 courtroom drama, opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on October 29. Michael Arden directs Tom Blyth as Daniel Kaffee and Bradley Whitford as Col. Nathan Jessep. The critics divided over both leads, and several picked out John Zdrojeski as Lt. Kendrick. What the critics said about A Few Good Men, and the first production photos.
Off-Broadway, The Heart opened at Roundabout’s Laura Pels Theatre on October 29, the first show Christopher Ashley has directed for the company since he became its artistic director. Most reviewers think the 90-minute compression of Maylis de Kerangal’s novel works, though they part company over the electronic dance score (The Heart reviews). Mona Pirnot’s I Became We, sung by a 16-voice choir, opened at Atlantic Theater Company’s Linda Gross Theater on October 27 to overwhelmingly warm notices (I Became We reviews).
The notices also arrived for Roundabout’s The Imaginary Invalid, with Bill Irwin as Argan at the Todd Haimes Theatre, and the critics split almost evenly (Imaginary Invalid reviews). Also reviewed this week: Mint Theater Company’s American premiere of Cicely Hamilton’s Phyl at Theatre Row (Phyl reviews), David Zax’s Aftermath at A.R.T./New York (Aftermath reviews), Machine Learning at Manhattan Neighborhood Network (Machine Learning reviews) and The Bald Soprano at the Sheen Center (Bald Soprano reviews).
City Center’s gala staging of In the Heights opened on October 28 and runs through November 15 (first look at In the Heights). Drew Michael opened his solo show Love Me at SoHo Playhouse on October 29, a limited run of 22 performances (Love Me first look), and Paul David Young’s Livia: A Roman Tragedy opened at The Flea on October 26 (Livia at The Flea).
In memoriam
Patrick Stewart died on October 28 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 86. His Broadway career ran from Peter Brook’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1971 to Waiting for Godot and No Man’s Land opposite Ian McKellen in 2013 and 2014 (Remembering Patrick Stewart). Barbara Barrie, who created Sarah in the original Broadway production of Company, died the same day at 95 (Remembering Barbara Barrie).
Casting
The National Theatre’s Inter Alia has its full Broadway company around Rosamund Pike ahead of previews at the Music Box Theatre on November 10, and has set a $45 rush and digital lottery alongside a new block of $69 seats (the Inter Alia company and rush). Jeanna de Waal and Martin Landry complete It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play as standbys; performances at the Broadhurst begin November 4 (the last two places).
Eight stars of The Real Housewives will share two casts in Neil Simon’s Rumors at MCC’s Newman Mills Theater, directed by Zhailon Levingston, with previews from January 9, 2027 (Rumors Off-Broadway). Eva Noblezada and Juyeon Song lead Lloyd Suh’s The Heart Sellers at MCC this winter (The Heart Sellers casting), and Constance Shulman joins The Holes as Martha on November 2 (Shulman joins The Holes).
For one night only, George Clooney, Adam Scott, Betty Gilpin and Laverne Cox read Clark Gregg’s political comedy Smear on November 1 (the Smear reading), and Busy Philipps, Constance Zimmer and James Lance are among seven names added to The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway at the Todd Haimes Theatre on November 2 (the 24 Hour Plays lineup).
Extensions
Billy Crystal’s 860 now runs at the Imperial Theatre through February 14, 2027, six weeks past its January 3 closing (860 extends). Small Mouth Sounds has moved its Broadway dates forward: previews at the Ethel Barrymore now begin February 10, 2027, and opening night is March 11 (the new Small Mouth Sounds dates).
Off-Broadway, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button takes a final extension at The Public, to December 20 (Benjamin Button extends). The Holes at the Wild Project (The Holes extends), Slanted Floors at the Astor Place Theatre (Slanted Floors extends) and Waiting for Lefty at Classic Stage Company (Waiting for Lefty extends) all now run through November 29. Soon (Soon extends again) and I Became We (I Became We extends) run through November 22, and Irish Rep’s The Hairy Ape through December 6 (The Hairy Ape extends).
Deals and honors
TDF has added four musicals to its autism-friendly season, including the first such performance of The Book of Mormon on February 28, 2027 (TDF’s autism-friendly season). New 42 and TDF are also offering free and discounted Broadway and Off-Broadway seats to NYCHA families who already attend the New Victory (the New Victory program).
Rent’s 30th-anniversary concert on October 26 raised $4,571,464 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (the Rent total). Bernadette Peters will receive the Drama Desk’s Harold S. Prince Award on May 23, 2027 (Peters to be honored), and Michael Mayer the SDC Foundation’s 2027 “Mr. Abbott” Award (the Mr. Abbott Award). The American Theatre Wing has named the judges for the 71st Obie Awards (the Obie panel).
Coming up
Off-Broadway opening nights next week: Waiting for Lefty on November 2, Rope at the Theater at St. Clement’s on November 3 (Rope first look), Parcel from America at Theatre Row on November 4 (Parcel from America in previews) and The Unbelievers at New York City Center Stage I on November 5 (The Unbelievers first look).
On Broadway, Wanted opens at the James Earl Jones Theatre on November 8, with the Equal Justice Initiative now among its producers (first look at Wanted; EJI joins Wanted). Vineyard Theatre’s MS. BLAKK FOR PRESIDENT opens the same night (MS. BLAKK first look), and Second Stage’s The Visitors on November 9 (The Visitors cast). STREB Extreme Action’s Do Not Try This At Home plays the New Victory November 14–29 (STREB at the New Victory), and Playwrights Horizons has American Sing-Song’s Hole! through January 10, 2027 (Hole! at Playwrights Horizons).
Planning ahead? Our guides track what is closing soon and opening soon on Broadway and Off-Broadway, and how to enter this week’s ticket lotteries and rush.
