5 New Broadway Plays to See This Spring

With more than 15 (!) productions set to open on Broadway before the end of the 2025-2026 season, it can seem like a daunting prospect to choose which shows to see. Playbill recently suggested five musicals that are well worth a visit, and this week we continue with five noteworthy plays—a mix of brand-new work, London imports, and shows that previously sparkled Off Broadway. Check out these five productions, all making their Main Stem bows, below.

And, why stop at five? For even more possibilities, make sure to check out our full upcoming Broadway shows list!

Dog Day Afternoon

Inspired by the true events that captivated attendees of the Oscar-nominated 1976 film of the same name, Dog Day Afternoon will make its Broadway debut beginning March 10 at the August Wilson Theatre. Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Adly Guirgis (Between Riverside and Crazy, The Motherf***er with the Hat) with direction by two-time Olivier winner Rupert Goold (King Charles III), opening night at the Wilson is set for March 30. 

Set in the sweltering summer of 1972 New York City, this gritty gay-themed drama follows a Brooklyn bank robbery that goes awry. Playwright Guirgis says the play is “a love story at its heart" about a man who commits a crime to win back his trans lover. Leading the starry cast will be The Bear costars Emmy winners Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Rounding out the cast is Drama Desk nominee John Ortiz (Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train), three-time Tony nominee Jessica Hecht (Eureka Day), and SAG Award nominee Spencer Garrett (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). The play is sure to grab fans of the 1975 Al Pacino film and newcomers alike.

Giant

A giant of the stage—two-time Tony winner John Lithgow (The Changing Room, Sweet Smell of Success)—will play literary giant Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda) in Mark Rosenblatt's Giant, which will begin previews March 11 at the Music Box Theatre. Directed by two-time Tony winner Nicholas Hytner (One Man, Two Guvnors), the new play about the famed children's author comes to Broadway following an award-winning London engagement that earned the production three 2025 Olivier Awards: Best New Play, Best Actor for Lithgow, and Best Supporting Actor for Elliot Levey, who will also be seen in the Broadway staging. 

The play spotlights a real-life controversy that arose after Dahl made some anti-Semitic remarks. It officially opens at the Music Box March 23.

Becky Shaw

Gina Gionfriddo’s Becky Shaw—a 2009 Pulitzer finalist for its Off-Broadway debut—will make its Broadway bow beginning March 18 at the Hayes Theater, courtesy of Second Stage. Directed by Trip Cullman (Cult of Love, Choir Boy), opening night for the dark comedy is set for April 6. Examining a blind date that spirals spectacularly off the rails, the cast will feature an exciting mix of stage and screen stars. Heading the company will be Emmy nominee Madeline Brewer (You, The Handmaid’s Tale) in the title role with Tony winner Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill), Patrick Ball (The Pitt), Alden Ehrenreich (Weapons), and three-time Tony nominee Linda Emond (Life x 3, Death of a Salesman, Cabaret). 

Brewer, Ball, and Ehrenreich, as well as playwright Gionfriddo, will all be making their Broadway debuts.

The Fear of 13

After an acclaimed run in London, where it was nominated for Best New Play at the Olivier Awards, The Fear of 13 arrives on Broadway March 19 at the James Earl Jones Theatre with its original star, the Olivier-nominated Adrien Brody. The two-time Oscar winner—for his performances in The Brutalist and The Pianist—will be making his Broadway debut in Lindsey Ferrentino's (The Queen of Versailles) drama. 

Based on David Sington's documentary and featuring direction by Tony winner David Cromer (The Band's Visit), the new play explores the true story of Nick Yarris, who spent more than two decades on death row for a murder he did not commit. Brody will be joined on stage by Golden Globe nominee Tessa Thompson (Hedda), who plays a volunteer named Jacki who falls for Yarris. It's two stars in one show! Catch Brody and Thompson in their Broadway debuts; The Fear of 13 opens April 15.

The Balusters

A neighbor-versus-neighbor battle royale that breaks out during a meeting of The Vernon Point Neighborhood Association is the driving force of Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Kimberly Akimbo)'s new comedy The Balusters. It will officially open at Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman April 21 following previews that begin March 31. Directed by Tony winner Kenny Leon (Raisin in the Sun), this wild ride also features an esemble cast of stage and screen favorites, including Tony winner Anika Noni Rose (Caroline, or Change), Drama Desk winner Marylouise Burke (Fuddy Meers), Kayli Carter (Mrs. America), Ricardo Chavira (Desperate Housewives), Carl Clemons-Hopkins (Hacks), Drama Desk nominee Margaret Colin (Carousel, Gossip Girl), Michael Esper (Appropriate), Maria-Christina Oliveras (Between Riverside and Crazy), Emmy winner Richard Thomas (Our Town, The Waltons), and Jeena Yi (Network). 

Just how far these neighbors will go in their battle over a new stop sign will be revealed in the eagerly awaited world premiere.