Will Broadway‘s upcoming fall season match the starry line-up of last spring, when George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and other performers best known for their film and TV work brought in big audiences and bigger bucks?
In a word, yes.
Among the big names taking the stage in the months ahead are Keanu Reeves (and his erstwhile “Bill,” Alex Winter), Bobby Cannavale, Carrie Coon, Mark Strong and Lea Michele as well as such Broadway stalwarts as Neil Patrick Harris, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, James Corden and Laurie Metcalf.
Some new plays are in the mix (Proof, Liberation, Little Bear Ridge Road, Marjorie Prime), as well as an original musical (The Queen of Versailles) and plenty of revivals (Art, Ragtime, Oedipus, Chess), a return engagement (Beetlejuice) and even a magic show (Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets).
By the way, Off Broadway has its share of bold-names this season too, including Michelle Williams, Tom Sturridge (replacing the previously announced Mike Faist) and Brian d’Arcy James in the St. Ann’s Warehouse (Brooklyn) production of Anna Christie, and Tom Hanks in This World of Tomorrow, a play he co-wrote being staged at The Shed’s Griffin Theater in Manhattan. Click the links for dates.
Read on for the list of Fall 2025 Broadway shows, listed in order of opening nights.
ART
Art (Music Box Theatre)First Preview: August 28, 2025Opening Date: September 16, 2025Closing Date: December 21, 2025
Synopsis: “Three longtime friends. One ridiculously expensive painting. Is it art, or is it just the world’s priciest inside joke? What begins as a polite debate over aesthetics and taste devolves into a clash of egos and resentments. Can their friendship survive, or will one of them finally draw the line? It’s just 100 minutes of minimalist art, maximalist laughs, and a moving look at what we really see and forgive in the people we love.”
The revival of Art is the fall season’s first Hollywood star-packed entry with a cast featuring Bobby Cannavale, James Corden and Neil Patrick Harris. Written by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton, the production is directed by Scott Ellis. The original Broadway production landed in 1998, with Alan Alda, Victor Garber and Alfred Molina starring, with the latter taking the season’s Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and Reza taking the Best Play trophy.
WAITING FOR GODOT
Waiting for Godot (Hudson Theatre)First Preview: September 13, 2025Opening Date: September 28, 2025Closing Date: January 4, 2026
Synopsis: Two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, chat their way through seemingly endless waiting and waiting for, well, Godot, who never arrives. Beckett’s existentialist masterpiece, say producers, “is acknowledged as one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.” Reeves will play Estragon, and his Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure co-star will portray Vladimir. As if the re-teaming of the ’80s stoner dude icons wasn’t enough, Jamie Lloyd, fresh off his Sunset Blvd. triumph, is on board as director.
PUNCH
Punch (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)First Preview: September 9, 2025Opening Date: September 29, 2025Closing Date: November 2, 2025
Synopsis: “As Jacob tears through Nottingham in a whirlwind of drugs, girls, and bar fights, he makes a fatal mistake that lands him in prison. But as he struggles to accept the consequences of his actions and build a new life, he finds an unusual source of salvation: the parents of the boy he killed.”
With a large cast that includes the great Victoria Clark (Kimberly Akimbo) and Will Harrison (A Complete Unknown, Daisy Jones & The Six) as Jacob, the guy who throws a fatal punch, the play by James Graham, directed by Adam Penford, is based on the memoir of the real-life puncher Jacob Dunne. In an unusual move, the acclaimed UK production is transferring to the West End, where it will run concurrently with the Broadway staging. Producers have dedicated the Broadway production to “James Hodgkinson and all victims of one-punch.”
BEETLEJUICE
Beetlejuice (Palace Theatre)Opening Date: October 8, 2025Closing Date: January 3, 2026
Synopsis: “Based on Tim Burton’s dearly beloved film, Beetlejuice tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. With an irreverent book, an astonishing set, and a score that’s out of this Netherworld, Beetlejuice is a remarkably touching show about family, love, and making the most of every Day-O!”
Originally opening at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre in 2019 and later transferring, post-Covid shutdown, to the Marquis Theatre, the musical makes its Broadway return via the national touring company following an 88-city tour. Justin Collette stars as Beetlejuice, with Madison Mosleyas Lydia. Music and lyrics are by Eddie Perfect and book by Scott Brown and Anthony King. Alex Timbers (Just In Time, David Byrne’s American Utopia) directs.
RAGTIME
Ragtime (Vivian Beaumont Theater)First Preview: September 26, 2025Opening Date: October 16, 2025Closing Date: January 4, 2026
Synopsis: “Ragtime is a sweeping musical adaptation of E. L. Doctorow’s novel that follows three fictional families in pursuit of the American Dream at the dawn of the 20th Century: Black pianist Coalhouse Walker, Jr. (Joshua Henry) and his beloved Sarah (Nichelle Lewis), Jewish immigrant Tateh (Brandon Uranowitz) and his little girl, and a wealthy white family led by matriarch Mother (Caissie Levy). All grasping for the same dream, if only they can hold onto it.”
Joining Henry, Lewis, Levy and Uranowitz in the principal cast will be Colin Donnell, Ben Levi Ross, Shaina Taub, John Clay III, Rodd Cyrus, Anna Grace Barlow, Nick Barrington as “The Little Boy,” and Tabitha Lawing as “The Little Girl.”
The original Broadway production opened in 1998 and, though receiving mixed reviews, won Tony Awards for its rousing score (by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens), book (by Terrence McNally) and orchestrations (William David Brohn). Last year’s Encores! revival – the very one now transferring to Broadway – was so rapturously received by audiences and critics that director Lear deBessonet chose it as her inaugural production as the newly installed artistic director of Lincoln Center Theater.
LIBERATION
Liberation (James Earl Jones Theatre)First Preview: October 8, 2025Opening Date: October 28, 2025Closing Date: January 11, 2026
Synopsis: “1970, Ohio. Lizzie gathers a small group of women to talk. But talking quickly becomes a necessary and bracingly funny attempt to change their own lives and the world. Fifty years later, her daughter is shocked to find herself asking the very same questions her mother did, and goes on a search through the past for answers.”
Debuting last season in a uniformly praised Off Broadway production, Bess Wohl’s play, directed by Whitney White (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding), arrives on Broadway with the acclaimed cast intact: Betsy Aidem (Prayer for the French Republic, Leopoldstadt), Audrey Corsa (Poker Face), Kayla Davion (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), Susannah Flood (Birthday Candles), Kristolyn Lloyd (1776), Irene Sofia Lucio (Slave Play), Charlie Thurston (Here There Are Blueberries), and Adina Verson (Indecent).
LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD
Little Bear Ridge Road (Booth Theatre)First Preview: October 7, 2025Opening Date: October 30, 2025Closing Date: February 8, 2026
Synopsis: Produced by Scott Rudin and Barry Diller, Little Bear Ridge Road by Samuel D. Hunter and starring Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock is set on the remote outskirts of a small Idaho town, where “a razor-tongued aunt and her long-estranged nephew find themselves suddenly back in each other’s orbit—two lonely souls with a crumbling house to sell and a tangled history to unravel. Bitingly funny and quietly explosive, Little Bear Ridge Road is a sharply etched portrait of two people reaching across emotional galaxies—searching for meaning and fumbling toward connection, even as they fear it might swallow them whole.”
The play, which had its premiere last year at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company, is the seventh collaboration between the winning combo of director Joe Mantello and Metcalf. Little Bear Ridge Road marks Metcalf’s seventh time on Broadway in 10 years.
ROB LAKE MAGIC WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE MUPPETS
Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets (Broadhurst Theatre)First Preview: October 28, 2025Opening Date: November 6, 2025Closing Date: January 18, 2026
Synopsis: Producers Joe Quenqua and Gareth Lake of Glass Half Full Productions say, “After years of touring the world, we are so excited that Broadway audiences will finally get to marvel at the exceptional talents of Rob Lake. Pairing his mind-blowing illusions with The Muppets and their singular classic humor is truly a dream come true – for all of us!”
Lake’s appearances on NBC’s America’s Got Talent (2018) reached over 80-million YouTube and Facebook video views. He also served as creative consultant and illusion designer for Adele’s sold-out Las Vegas residency.
THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES
The Queen of Versailles (St. James Theatre)First Preview: October 8, 2025Opening Date: November 9, 2025
Synopsis: “From computer engineer to Mrs. Florida to billionairess, Jackie Siegel sees herself as the embodiment of the American Dream. Now, as the wife of David ‘The Timeshare King’ Siegel and mother of their eight children, they invite us to behold their most grandiose venture yet: they’re building the largest private home in America in Orlando, Florida – a $100 million house big enough for her dreams and inspired by the Palace of Versailles. But with the Great Recession of 2008 looming, Jackie and David’s dreams begin to crumble, along with their lavish lifestyle. The Queen of Versailles explores the true cost of fame and fortune, and one family’s pursuit of the American Dream – at any cost.”
Starring Tony and Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth and Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, with direction by Michael Arden, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Lindsey Ferrentino, this musical is based on Lauren Greenfield’s riveting 2012 documentary film and the life stories of Jackie and David Siegel. Last year’s Boston premiere won plaudits by the critics, with heaps of praise lavished on the perfectly cast Chenoweth and Abraham.
OEDIPUS
Oedipus (Studio 54)First Preview: October 30, 2025Opening Date: November 13, 2025Closing Date: February 8, 2026
Synopsis: “Sophocles’ epic tragedy is transformed into an explosive political thriller. Visionary director Robert Icke – the youngest Olivier Award-winning director in history – reimagines Ancient Greek mythology to bring the secrets of the past bursting into the present.”
The production stars Olivier Award winner Mark Strong as ‘Oedipus’ – reprising his celebrated role from the West End – and Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville – who is making her Broadway debut after garnering the Olivier Award for her performance as ‘Jocasta.’ Critics and Olivier voters adored it, with The Guardian calling the production a “gasp-inducing tale of truth and lies [that] sets the stage on fire.”
CHESS
Chess (Imperial Theatre)First Preview: October 15, 2025Opening Date: November 16, 2025Closing Date: March 15, 2026
Synopsis: “Chess is the iconic musical where power and passion collide, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. It’s America versus Russia at the World Chess Championship, where the espionage and romance are as complicated and exhilarating as the game itself. For the two players and the woman torn between them, everything—personal, professional, and political—is at risk…and nobody’s rules are the same.”
With a power-cast that includes Tony Award winner Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rouge), Lea Michele (Funny Girl) and Nicholas Christopher (Sweeney Todd), this first-ever Broadway revival of the 1988 musical features a new book by Danny Strong (Dopesick)- the old one by Tim Rice was generally considered the show’s weak link – to accompany the music and lyrics by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and Rice. Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening) directs. If you don’t have “One Night In Bangkok” buzzing around your head already, you will, you will.
TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK)
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) (Longacre Theatre)First Preview: November 1, 2025Opening Date: November 20, 2025
Synopsis: “An original new musical comedy about timing, connections, and unexpected detours. Meet Dougal, an impossibly upbeat Brit who has just landed in New York City for the first time to attend the wedding of the father he’s never met. Meet Robin, the sister of the bride and a no-nonsense New Yorker with a lot of errands to run—including picking up the groom’s estranged son from the airport. These two strangers begin their journey together, navigating New York City, secrets, and second chances.”
Written and composed by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan and directed and choreographed by Tim Jackson (who choreographed the smash Merrily We Roll Along), Two Strangers stars Sam Tutty (Dear Evan Hansen) in his Broadway debut as Dougal, and Christiani Pitts (A Bronx Tale, King Kong) as Robin, reprising their roles from the show’s acclaimed run at Boston’s American Repertory Theater. The Boston Globe wrote, “the irresistible Tutty and Pitts have terrific chemistry… the couple’s fearless energy and spot-on timing are perfectly combined.”
MARJORIE PRIME
Marjorie Prime (Hayes Theater)First Preview: November 20, 2025Opening Date: December 8, 2025Closing Date: February 15, 2026
Synopsis: “What would you say to someone you lost, if you could see them again? What if they’re a better listener now than when they were alive? Pulitzer Prize finalist Jordan Harrison reinvents the family drama in his richly spare, wryly funny, and powerful Marjorie Prime. A heart-achingly beautiful rumination on aging and artificial intelligence, memory and mortality, love and legacy, Marjorie Prime examines the blurred line between a life lived and a life remembered.”
Directed by Anne Kauffman (Mary Jane), Marjorie Prime features Tony Award-winner Danny Burstein (Gypsy, Moulin Rouge! The Musical), Christopher Lowell (Cult of Love), two-time Tony Award-winner Cynthia Nixon (The Gilded Age, Sex and The City, The Little Foxes), and Oscar nominee June Squibb (Eleanor the Great, Thelma, original production of Gypsy) in the title role of Marjorie Prime.
Harrison’s poignant, funny, sci-fi Pulitzer finalist play premiered at LA’s Mark Taper Forum in 2014 with a cast Lois Smith, Lisa Emery, Frank Wood and Jeff Ward. Subsequently staged Off Broadway and adapted into a 2017 film starring Jon Hamm, Tim Robbins, Geena Davis and Lois Smith, Marjorie Prime is finally making its Broadway debut with a stellar cast that will likely prove worth the wait.
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