From December 31, 2016, through January 29, 2017, Broadway will see 13 of its stages go dark—but not for long. Over the next two-and-a-half months a new crop of shows (eight of which are musicals) will begin previews at these theatres, ushering in a new slate of revivals, original musicals, and two Broadway playwriting debuts.
Here’s a look at the shows scheduled to close and the new productions heading our way.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
The revival of Bock and Harnick’s enduring musical ends its run December 31 after a year of performances at the Broadway Theatre. The stark production, which incorporates a timely dramatic framing device, is directed by Bartlett Sher. Danny Burstein, who stars as Tevye, was Tony nominated for his performance. The musical was also nominated for Best Revival and Best Choreography. The production will have played 463 performances when it closes. Up next at the Broadway Theatre is the anticipated revival of the British mega-musical Miss Saigon, which begins previews March 1.
THE ILLUSIONISTS—TURN OF THE CENTURY
The limited holiday return of the touring magic act ends its month-long run at the Palace Theatre January 1. This is the third consecutive holiday season that The Illusionists has made a stop on Broadway. Up next at the Palace is the return of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, with Glenn Close recreating her Tony-winning performance as Norma Desmond. Boasting a 40-piece orchestra (the largest on Broadway), the production begins February 2.
MATILDA THE MUSICAL
The Tim Minchin-scored tuner based on Roald Dahl’s children’s novel plays its final Broadway performance January 1, at the Shubert Theatre after 37 previews and 1,555 regular performances. The hit London import opened on Broadway April 11, 2013, taking Tony Awards for Best Book (Dennis Kelly), Best Lighting Design (Hugh Vanstone), Best Scenic Design (Rob Howell), Best Featured Actor (Gabriel Ebert), and a Tony Honor for Excellence for the original four Matildas (Milly Shapiro, Bailey Ryon, Oona Laurence, and Sophia Gennusa). The Shubert will next play host to one of Broadway’s hottest spring tickets, the Bette Midler revival of Hello, Dolly!, which begins previews March 15.
SOMETHING ROTTEN!
The original work that skewers Shakespeare while celebrating the Broadway musical will end its run at the St. James Theatre January 1, after 742 performances. Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, it was nominated for 10 Tony Awards. It opened to critical acclaim March 23, 2015, and is the only new production from the 2014–15 season still running on Broadway. The next tenant of the St. James will be a limited revival of Present Laughter starring Kevin Kline. Previews begin March 10. The theatre will then go under renovation in preparation for the anticipated arrival of Disney’s stage adaptation of the hit animated film musical Frozen, which arrives in 2018.
THE COLOR PURPLE
The Tony Award-winning revival plays its final performance January 8 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre after 33 previews and 449 regular performances. This stripped-down stage adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer-winning novel featured the Broadway debut of Cynthia Erivo, who earned a Tony Award for her performance as Celie. The Jacobs will next play host to the new Broadway musical Bandstand, starring Laura Osnes and Corey Cott, with performances set to begin March 31.
LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES
The Broadway transfer of the Donmar Warehouse’s London revival ends its run January 8 at the Booth Theatre, two weeks ahead of its originally scheduled closing date. Josie Rourke directs Janet McTeer and Liev Schreiber, who passionately duel in Christopher Hampton’s play. Up next at the Booth is the Broadway transfer of Joshua Harmon’s Significant Other. The production, which marks Harmon’s Broadway playwriting debut, begins February 14.
THE ENCOUNTER
Simon McBurney’s solo play, based on the true story of a photographer who finds himself lost among the remote people within the Amazon jungle, requires the audience to wear headphones that immerse them in an auditory experience. It ends its limited Broadway run as scheduled January 8 at the John Golden Theatre. Up next at the Golden is Laurie Metcalf in Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House, Part 2, which begins April 1.
FALSETTOS
The limited revival of William Finn and James Lapine’s musical, about a 1980s nuclear family struggling to maintain its center at the dawn of the AIDS crisis, ends its limited 14-week run January 8 at the Walter Kerr Theatre. The cast is headed by Christian Borle, Stephanie J. Block, and Andrew Rannells. The Kerr’s next tenant is the stage musical adaptation of Amélie, starring Hamilton’s Phillipa Soo in the title role. Previews begin March 9.
JERSEY BOYS
The long-running Broadway hit that had baby boomers flocking to Broadway ends its record-breaking 11-year run January 15 after 4,642 performances at the August Wilson Theatre. It is now the 12th longest-running show in Broadway history. Inspired by the true story of the Four Seasons, Jersey Boys won the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical. Up next is the London transfer of Tim Minchin’s Groundhog Day musical, starring Tony nominee Andy Karl. Previews begin March 16.
THE HUMANS
Stephen Karam’s family drama concludes its extended Broadway run at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre January 15. It premiered Off-Broadway at Roundabout Theatre Company in 2015 and transferred with its six-person cast intact. The play, which marked Karam’s Broadway debut as a playwright, won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Play. The next show to take up residence at the Schoenfeld is the new musical Come From Away, which examines the bond forged by travelers who find themselves stranded together during the events of 9/11. Previews begin February 18.
HOLIDAY INN
The new Irving Berlin stage musical based on the film of the same title ends its extended run January 15 at Studio 54. Gordon Greenberg, who also directs, co-wrote the book to the stage adaptation with Chad Hodge. Studio 54’s next tenant is Sweat, the new play from Pulitzer-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, who makes her Broadway debut with her drama about blue-collar workers in a Pennsylvania town at the turn of the millennium. Previews begin March 4.
OH, HELLO ON BROADWAY
Comedians Nick Kroll and John Mulaney star as Gil Faizon and George St. Geegland, opinionated, 70-something, native New Yorkers, in the comedy that ends its extended run January 22 at the Lyceum Theatre. Up next is the London import of The Play That Goes Wrong, the Olivier Award-winning comedy about an amateur university production that goes hopelessly awry. Previews begin March 9.
THE FRONT PAGE
Packed with A-list stars, the revival of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s classic 1928 comedy is set in the world of the Chicago newspaper business and ends its limited run at the Broadhurst Theatre January 29. Nathan Lane, John Slattery, John Goodman, Jefferson Mays, Sherie Rene Scott, Holland Taylor, and Robert Morse head the cast. The Broadhurst will next welcome the buzzed-about stage adaptation of Anastasia, based on the 1997 Ahrens and Flaherty animated film musical. Previews begin March 23.
