T/theater

How ‘Data’ Channels the Shock of Right Now

In Matthew Libby’s play, a brilliant young computer programmer finds himself at the center of one of the most contentious issues of the moment: immigration.

On Broadway, frustration mounts as curtains rise amid the snowfall.

Museums From Texas to Massachusetts Close for Storm, but Broadway Shows Go On

The Smithsonian said all of its museums, research centers and the National Zoo would be closed on Sunday and Monday. Most Broadway shows were still expected to make their curtains.

The Plotzes and Zetzes of a Life in the Musical Trenches

Broadway, Hollywood and television have been kind to Marc Shaiman. But there’s a reason the subtitle of his new memoir is “Showbiz Stories From a Sore Winner.”

Turning 4 Miles of Silk Into a Stunning Theater Spectacle

Miet Warlop’s work is visually breathtaking, but there are deep questions to ponder beneath the showy surfaces.

Broadway Shows Closing Soon: ‘Mamma Mia!,’ ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ and More

The curtain is about to come down on two jukebox musicals, a thriller by Tracy Letts, and other Broadway productions.

Mothers, Men and Majorettes: Finding the Dance in Theater

January is not a dry month for performance in New York, and this season, there were wide-ranging views of how bodies — more than words — can tell stories.

‘An Unbelievable Mess’: Artists Are Stymied by Trump Travel Bans

Musicians, theater groups and others from overseas are facing visa challenges and rising costs, posing a looming crisis for the performing arts sector.

‘Masquerade’ Reimagined ‘Phantom,’ and the Fans Are Flocking

The immersive adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical is a hit, with some people coming back a dozen times since it began performances last summer.

Tina Packer, Powerhouse of Shakespeare Performance, Dies at 87

She was a founder and the longtime artistic director of Shakespeare & Company, a repertory theater in western Massachusetts, and directed all his plays.

How a Play Skewering Modern Russia Evaded a Crackdown to Become a Hit

Everyone expected “The Kholops,” a drama exploring oppression, to be shut down soon after it opened in St. Petersburg. Instead, it is two years into a sold-out run.

‘The Disappear’ Review: A Couple on the Rocks and Out of Sync

Erica Schmidt’s discordant comedy, starring Hamish Linklater and Miriam Silverman, is a farce clumsily straddling two genres.

Cambridge Was a Culture Shock. She’s Getting the Last Laugh.

Jade Franks mines the awkwardness of social mobility in her one-woman show “Eat the Rich.”

John Cunningham, Character Actor and Broadway Stalwart, Dies at 93

He was a familiar face from Broadway productions of “Company,” “Titanic” and “Six Degrees of Separation” and numerous film and TV appearances.

Tessa Thompson in ‘Hedda,’ and More Theater to Stream

Other picks include “Bat Out of Hell: The Musical,” a new season of Playing on Air podcasts and “Lazarus,” featuring the music of David Bowie.

Alicia Keys Says ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Will End Broadway Run and Open Overseas

Though the show will close in New York next month, a North American tour will continue, and productions in Australia, Germany and South Korea are planned.

Frank Dunlop, 98, Dies; Gave British Theater a Free-Spirited Spin

In 1970, he founded London’s Young Vic, an adventurous “people’s theater” — the Who took the stage at one point — before shaking up the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Applying Richard Foreman’s Off-Kilter Aesthetic (and Ducks) to Opera

The composer Michael Gordon collaborated with Foreman on “What to Wear” in 2006. The opera makes its belated New York premiere at BAM on Thursday.

Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson to Make Broadway Debuts in ‘Fear of 13’

The play, about a man who spends decades on death row before being exonerated by DNA evidence, will have a 16-week run this spring.

Follow Ian McKellen Into the Mixed Reality Future in ‘An Ark’

Audiences can embark on a very different type of theatrical experience in a new play at the Shed, blending the physical world with digital content.

Why on Earth Have I Seen the Same Broadway Show 13 Times? An Investigation.

As a journalist, I thought I’d never join the ranks of obsessive superfans — until I suddenly became one.

Qué puede salvar el arte cuando no queda nada más

Ante la desgarradora fragilidad de nuestra existencia, son las palabras, las películas, los libros quienes nos extienden una mano salvadora.

Bob the Drag Queen Is ‘Fully Obsessed’ With League of Legends

“I see why nerd culture is so exciting and fun,” said the “Drag Race” alum ahead of his Broadway debut in “Moulin Rouge.”

Bahram Beyzaie, Filmmaker Who Led Iran’s New Wave, Dies at 87

Despite a ceaseless battle against government censors, he was celebrated as one of his country’s greatest auteurs, winning praise from luminaries like Martin Scorsese.

Handing Out Free Tickets, Mamdani Says Theater Should Not Be ‘a Luxury’

The mayor said a new initiative by the Under the Radar festival exemplified an arts affordability agenda that he intends to pursue.

‘Bug’ Review: Carrie Coon Is Superb in an American Gothic Tale

Tracy Letts’s eerily topical, decades-old play about a woman’s descent into a world of conspiracy theories makes its nerve-rattling Broadway debut.

Can A.I. Match Molière’s Wit? These Researchers Think So.

Scholars and artists at Sorbonne University trained artificial intelligence to imitate the French playwright’s themes, structures and sense of humor. The result is a new play.

For Theater in January, the Under the Radar Festival Reigns Supreme

Several festivals run across New York this month, but none are as big and eclectic as Under the Radar, founded in 2005. Here are our picks for what to see.

His Plays Are Silent for a Reason: ‘Words Can Limit Things’

The Albanian Greek director Mario Banushi talks about his dreamlike “Mami,” which leads the Under the Radar festival in New York this month.

To Be or Not to Be: That Is the Question Filmmakers Can’t Resist

The Shakespearean monologue that is featured twice in “Hamnet” has long informed the movies, often in surprising ways that can make us rethink the words.

A Case for Beauty in a Fleeting World

We turn to art to make sense of a life that is heartbreakingly fragile.

Robert Heide, Angsty Playwright and Warhol Collaborator, Dies at 91

He helped create the Off Off Broadway theater scene, wrote and acted in Andy Warhol’s films, and made his apartment into a singular exhibit of Americana.

Julie Halston Sees Herself in Dorothy Parker

She stole the show in “And Just Like That …,” but theater is where the actress’s heart lies.

Stephen Schwartz Criticizes Kennedy Center, Saying He Won’t Host Gala

The Washington National Opera said the “Wicked” composer was scheduled to host its annual event at the center this spring.

On ‘Best Medicine,’ Josh Charles Has a Heart

After years of playing smarmy characters, the actor is stepping up as the lead in a comedy about a grumpy but charming doctor.

This Playwright Has Seen the Future. It Isn’t Human.

In “Marjorie Prime” and other works, Jordan Harrison delivers sweet-bitter anatomies of human connection mediated through technology destined to supersede us.

24 Things to Do in N.Y.C. in January

Welcome to a new year. It promises Ian McKellen, fresh jazz, free exhibitions, restored films and comedy with latkes.

Los personajes queridos, inquietantes y circunstanciales que se fueron en 2025

Directores, actrices, políticas, médicos. Todos ellos tuvieron su momento bajo los reflectores y dejan una marca indeleble en la historia.

Carmen de Lavallade, Dancer Whose Career Spanned the Arts, Dies at 94

Over six decades she worked in theater, opera, film and television alongside luminaries like Alvin Ailey, Lena Horne, Agnes de Mille and Harry Belafonte.

When Sammy Davis Jr. Knocked Out Broadway

The entertainer, who would have turned 100 this month, reinvented himself by starring in the musical version of Clifford Odets’s prizefighting drama “Golden Boy.”

Deaths in 2025: A Yearlong Procession of Giants

Marquee names all, they found international fame in the arts, politics, the sciences and beyond.

A Story of Hip-Hop Rehabilitation With the Body as Battleground

Dahlak Brathwaite’s “Try/Step/Trip,” part of the Under the Radar festival, uses the language of step to express the liberating and restricting power of groups.

London’s 2025 Theater Highlights

Critics look back on a year when the balcony scene in “Evita” became a social media phenomenon and audiences swooned for the bear in “Paddington: The Musical.”

As Regional Theaters Struggle, Some Defy the Odds

Naples, Fla., and Milwaukee are quite different, but have one thing in common: They are home to regional theaters that are thriving.

5 Years After Covid Closed the Theaters, Audiences Are Returning

Broadway is almost back, and pop music tours and sports events are booming. But Hollywood, museums and other cultural sectors have yet to bounce back.

Off Broadway, Labor Tension Heats Up

Stagehands and other backstage workers have gone on strike against a prominent theater, and two productions have been canceled.

Stratford-Upon-Lake-Michigan: Royal Shakespeare Company Plays Chicago

With less touring, it’s been a while since all the world has been its stage, but the troupe is working with the Chicago Shakespeare Theater — where it has family ties.

On Broadway, a Covid Switcheroo: Marsha Mason in for Mia Farrow

Mason, an associate director of “The Roommate,” which opened on Broadway last week, stepped in as Patti LuPone’s counterpart.

Does a Smash Hit Like ‘Lion King’ Deserve a $3 Million Tax Break?

Broadway is still recovering from the pandemic. A state tax-credit program has helped, but watchdogs say it aids some shows that don’t need a boost.

Audience Snapshot: Four Years After Shutdown, a Mixed Recovery

Covid brought live performance to a halt. Now the audience for pop concerts and sporting events has roared back, while attendance on Broadway and at some major museums is still down.

Is Earlier Better for Theater Start Times?

In an effort to entice audiences back after the pandemic, Britain’s National Theater is testing a 6:30 p.m. curtain.

Off Broadway, a Vital Part of New York Theater, Feels the Squeeze

The small theaters that help make the city a theater capital are cutting back as they struggle to recover from the pandemic.

Luring Theater Audiences Back After Covid

Readers discuss the decline in theater subscribers after the pandemic. Also: Northern Ireland; food allergies; a Covid playmate; anti-China bias.

72 Regional Theaters, One Shared Crisis

Michael Paulson spoke with producers and artistic directors at nonprofit theaters across the country about the crisis their industry is facing.

A Crisis in America’s Theaters Leaves Prestigious Stages Dark

As they struggle to recover after the pandemic, regional theaters are staging fewer shows, giving fewer performances, laying off staff and, in some cases, closing.

In ‘Plays for the Plague Year,’ the Soundtrack of Our Lives

Suzan-Lori Parks wrote one play a day for 13 months during the pandemic. Those stories come to life onstage in the form of monologues, dialogues and songs at Joe’s Pub.

As Presenters Cut Back on Streams, Some Disabled Arts Lovers Feel Left Out

When shuttered venues embraced streaming during the pandemic, the arts became more accessible. With live performance back, and streams dwindling, many feel forgotten.

‘Covid Vortex Anxiety Opera’ Review: Gloom, Zoom and a New Bloom

The veteran performance artist Karen Finley leads the audience through the troubles that plagued New York City at the peak of the pandemic.

Obie Awards Honor ‘English’ as Best New Play

A ceremony for the awards, celebrating work Off and Off Off Broadway, will be held Monday, but organizers decided to announce the winners in advance.

Broadway Bounces Back With ‘Best Week Since the Before Times’

Broadway shows grossed $51.9 million during the holiday week, the most since 2019, and “The Lion King” set a record for the most earned by any show in a single week.

‘Broadway Rising’ Review: Surviving the Pandemic

Stakeholders including Patti LuPone and Lynn Nottage share their real-time reactions to New York theater’s shutdown and reopening in Amy Rice’s documentary.

Onstage, It’s Finally Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Again

After one holiday season lost to the pandemic and another curtailed by Omicron, seasonal staples including “The Nutcracker,” “A Christmas Carol” and “Messiah” are back in force.

Lynn Nottage’s ‘Clyde’s’ Is the Most-Staged Play in America

An annual survey, suspended during the pandemic, resumes and finds theaters nationally doing fewer shows and torn between escapism and ambition.

Did Fauci Lead America Astray on Covid?

Responses to an essay that criticized Anthony Fauci’s handling of the pandemic. Also: Migrants as props; abortion rights; David Milch; theater’s lessons.

To Mask, or Not to Mask: Theaters and Concert Halls Face a Dilemma

Some audience members are turned off by mask mandates. Others won’t attend indoor performances without them. Arts presenters are taking different approaches this season.

‘It’s My Tradition Too’: A Town’s Centuries-Old Passion Play Evolves

After a two-year pandemic delay, villagers in the German town of Oberammergau are once again re-enacting the story of Jesus’s life and death, with some changes.

On Broadway, One Show Decides to Keep Masks. No, It’s Not ‘Phantom.’

“American Buffalo,” at Circle in the Square, is sticking with masking till it closes, July 10, citing the “proximity of the audience to the actors” and “the staging in the round.”

You Don’t Want to Wear a Mask? Do It for Hugh Jackman

Beginning in July, Broadway will no longer require audiences to mask up. Actors and theater workers aren’t loving the idea.

You Don’t Want to Wear a Mask? Do It for Hugh Jackman.

Beginning in July, Broadway will no longer require audiences to mask up. Actors and theater workers aren’t loving the idea.

Broadway Will Drop Mask Mandate Beginning July 1

Most theaters stopped requiring proof of vaccination this spring. Now they are going “mask optional.”

‘A Strange Loop’ Wins Best Musical as Tonys Celebrate Broadway’s Return

“The Lehman Trilogy” won best play, “Company” won best musical revival and “Take Me Out” won best revival of a play at the 75th Tony Awards.

‘Come From Away’ to Close, the Latest Broadway Show to End Run

The musical, which opened in 2017, is the third to announce a closing in two days, as many shows struggle in a pandemic-softened marketplace.

Broadway theaters will continue requiring patrons to wear masks at least through June 30.

The decision comes at a time when New York City has declared a “high Covid alert.”

The Twisting Trail to the Tonys: ‘Can You Believe That We’re Here?’

At times it felt like a game of survival. But during a Broadway season unlike any other, productions showed their resourcefulness while learning how to live with Covid.

‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ to Close on Broadway, After Reopening

The musical, which shuttered temporarily in January as the Omicron variant spread, has struggled with the slow return of tourists to the theater.

Your Monday Evening Briefing

Here’s what you need to know at the end of the day.

Most Broadway theaters have ended vaccination checks as coronavirus cases are rising.

Most of Broadway Ends Vaccine Checks as Cases Rise in New York

While for-profit theater owners and operators agreed to stop checking proof of vaccination this week, several nonprofit Broadway theaters continue to require it.

Manhattan Springs Back to Life

Broadway enthusiasts, art aficionados and food lovers will find new offerings in and around Times Square and in neighborhoods below 42nd Street, heralding the promise of a vibrant recovery.

‘For Colored Girls’ to Close on Broadway, Reflecting Tough Season

The revival, directed by Camille A. Brown, received strong reviews but struggled to attract audiences and overcome challenges posed by Covid.