T/theater

David Byrne’s ‘Here Lies Love’ Reaches Deal With Broadway Musicians

After the musicians’ union raised objections to the show’s plans to use recorded music instead of a live band, the show agreed to use 12 musicians.

7 Decades Later, Arthur Miller’s ‘The Hook’ Comes Home to Brooklyn

An adaptation of Miller’s 1950 screenplay about a Red Hook longshoreman’s killing gets its first American staging aboard the Waterfront Museum.

‘Deep Blue Sound’ Review: Searching for Orcas and Longing for Community

In Abe Koogler’s latest play, melancholy islanders try to band together to investigate where their beloved orcas have gone.

Can You Find the Hidden Titles of These 12 Books About Broadway Icons?

As you wait for the Tony Awards to start, try your hand at this literary title-search puzzle.

In Paris, Young Theater Makers Swing Big

Ariane Mnouchkine, a grande dame of French theater, helped to set up a new festival where emerging companies can try out ambitious stagings.

5 Things to Do This Weekend

Selections from the Weekend section, including predictions for who will win the Tony Awards on Sunday night.

Tony Predictions: Expect Wins for ‘Kimberly Akimbo’ and ‘Leopoldstadt’

Our theater reporter talked to one-fifth of the Tony voters ahead of Sunday’s ceremony. Here’s hoping they steered him right.

For Under the Radar, the Experiment Is Over, for Now

“It wasn’t a choice I would have made,” said Mark Russell, whose festival of experimental work will no longer be produced by the Public Theater.

A ‘Crown Jewel of Comedy’: The Joan Rivers Card Catalog of Jokes Finds a Home

Take a look at some of the artifacts from her archive, which includes 65,000 cross-referenced gags and is headed to the National Comedy Center.

Smoke Leads to Cancellations of ‘Hamilton’ and ‘Camelot’ on Broadway and ‘Hamlet’ in Central Park

The poor air quality sent a star offstage mid-play and forced the cancellation of one of Broadway’s most popular musicals, a classic revival, and Shakespeare in the Park.

John Beasley, Late-Blooming Actor Known for Playing Sages, Dies at 79

A former railroad clerk, he didn’t became a full-time actor until his 40s, but he made up for lost time in films like “Rudy” and TV shows like “Everwood.”

Jodie Comer Leaves Broadway Show Because of Air Quality Concerns

The actress has been nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in the play “Prima Facie.”

In ‘This Land Was Made,’ Huey Newton Walks Into a Bar

Tori Sampson’s look at the Black Panther movement is a warm sitcom that becomes a jarring inquest into a real murder.

As the Tonys Head Uptown, Step Inside the United Palace ‘Dream World’

The ceremony honoring Broadway’s top shows and performers will take place at the majestic former “Wonder Theater” in Washington Heights.

‘Wet Brain’ Review: A Vodka-Spiked Horror Show

The children of a severely alcoholic widower navigate his incapacity, and his legacy, in John J. Caswell Jr.’s pitch-black comedy about addiction.

‘Being Mr. Wickham’ Tracks a Rake’s Progress

In this “Pride and Prejudice” spinoff from Original Theatre, Jane Austen’s infamous knave attempts to set the record straight.

What It’s Like to Play Putin in ‘Patriots’

Will Keen embodies Russia’s president in a West End production. “It’s been fascinating how the perception of him and the play keep changing,” he said.

Miriam Silverman Is ‘Unafraid of Embracing the Darkness’

In “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” the Tony Award nominee inhabits her character, a racist Upper Manhattan snob, in all her flaws.

A Tony Nominee Shows Off Her Snug Upper West Side Rental

Bonnie Milligan, a star of the musical “Kimberly Akimbo,” has been the lucky occupant of a rent-controlled apartment in Manhattan for 15 years.

In ‘Days of Wine and Roses,’ Two Souls Lost in an Ocean of Booze

In Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel’s jazzy new musical, Kelli O’Hara and Brian d’Arcy James are a glamorous couple succumbing to alcoholism.

In ‘The Comeuppance,’ a Bigger, Chillier Big Chill

In his haunting new play, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins updates the reunion genre with too much jungle juice and an otherworldly visitor.

‘It’s Intoxicating’: 39 Tony-Nominated Performers on Why They Act

Each year we photograph Tony nominees, and talk with them about their craft. This year we focused on actors.

In ‘Love + Science,’ a Meet Cute Becomes a Medical Mystery

In 1980s Manhattan, two medical students find themselves at the forefront of the AIDS crisis in David J. Glass’s new play at New York City Center.

Peter Simonischek, Beloved Austrian Actor, Is Dead at 76

He played a prankster and adoring father in “Toni Erdmann,” the Oscar-nominated 2016 comedy that made him an international star, but he had long been a celebrity at home.

How a Neurodiverse Musical Theater Artist Spends Sundays

Sarah Kaufman writes, acts, sings and makes podcasts and TikToks — and not to mention works a day job.

For Her New Play, Tori Sampson Revisited Her ‘Black Power Household’

“This Land Was Made,” at the Vineyard Theater, is rooted in the playwright’s personal connection to a political movement’s awakening.

What Makes a Great Performance? Backstage Drama, That’s What.

“The Motive and the Cue,” a new play in London, imagines fraught behind-the-scenes maneuvering by John Gielgud, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor during rehearsals for a classic Broadway production.

Broadway’s American Airlines Theater to Be Renamed for Todd Haimes

Roundabout Theater Company’s flagship theater will honor Haimes, the transformational leader who died in April.

In ‘Grey House,’ Broadway Gets an Expert Haunting

A new play about a sisterhood of sorrows brings something scary to the stage, but is delivering shocks and icks enough?

Alicia Keys Is Making a Musical. Her Own Life Inspired the Story.

The show is a highlight of the Public Theater’s new season, which will also include plays by Suzan-Lori Parks, Itamar Moses, Mary Kathryn Nagle and Ife Olujobi.

New York Public Library Acquires George C. Wolfe’s Archives

More than 50 boxes of ephemera from the playwright and director’s career include notes on “Angels in America” and research for “Jelly’s Last Jam.”

Tyne Daly and Liev Schreiber to Lead Broadway ‘Doubt’ Revival

The production, presented by the nonprofit Roundabout Theater Company, is to begin performances in February.

‘Prayer for the French Republic’ Transferring to Broadway

The play, which is scheduled to open in January, joins a string of Broadway shows that confront antisemitism in the U.S. and abroad.

Coming to City Center: ‘Pal Joey,’ ‘Titanic’ and the 20th Fall for Dance

Also among next season’s highlights: Encores! revivals of “Once Upon a Mattress” and “Jelly’s Last Jam,” and dance works from Pam Tanowitz and Lyon Opera Ballet.

Robin Wagner, Set Designer Who Won Three Tony Awards, Dies at 89

He created sets for more than 50 of Broadway’s most celebrated productions, including “Hair,” “A Chorus Line,” “On the Twentieth Century” and “The Producers.”

In a City of Monuments, History Lives Onstage and in the Streets

Three new plays at theaters in Washington explore how the past is both erased and inescapable.

5 Shows, 94 Actors, 450 Costumes: Emilio Sosa Dresses Broadway

With two Tony Award nominations in a single season, this prolific costume designer lets textiles tell the story.

Broadway Musicians Object to David Byrne’s ‘Here Lies Love’

The show plans to use recorded music instead of a live band, but a labor union says its contract for the theater requires musicians for musicals.

For Lorna Courtney of ‘& Juliet,’ New York Has Always Been Her Stage

From LaGuardia High School to Broadway, this Tony Award-nominated star has traveled many miles on her journey to theater stardom.

Rosalind Franklin’s Role in DNA Discovery, Once Ignored, Is Told Anew in Song

“Double Helix,” at Bay Street Theater, illuminates the British scientist’s contributions, which became the basis for James Watson and Francis Crick’s 1953 breakthrough.

Ed Ames, Singing Star Who Became a Familiar Face on TV, Dies at 95

After more than a decade of hit records with his brothers, he found success as a solo performer and a star of the series “Daniel Boone.”

‘Bernarda’s Daughters’ Review: Grieving a Father, and a Home

In her adaptation of Lorca, Diane Exavier emphasizes the importance of belonging to a place, and how painful it is to consign memories of it to the grave.

Problematic Attachments in ‘Aspects of Love’

A London revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s partner-swapping musical is a camp amoral romp. But is this obsession really the same as romance?

‘Primary Trust’ Review: Sipping Mai Tais, Until Bitter Reality Knocks

In Eboni Booth’s new play, William Jackson Harper performs with astonishing vulnerability as a man alone and adrift.

He Made a Show About Grief. She Saw Herself in It.

Audible Theater’s leader and the creator of “Sorry for Your Loss” hope the autobiographical comedy helps others learn to talk about grief.

It’s Finally (Almost) Summer! Here’s What to Do in New York in June.

Summer is just around the corner. We’ll help you navigate all the city has to offer — with some help from New York-based experts.

‘The Inheritance’ Arrives at a Festival of German Drama

A new production of Matthew López’s seven-hour play was among 10 shows chosen for Theatertreffen, a celebration of the best theater from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

‘Work Hard Have Fun Make History’ Review: Labor, Meet Greed

Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks festival opener, written by ruth tang, rages against the machines and examines human alienation.

‘Demons’ Review: Grief Is the Thing With Red Fur

A family processes its bereavement in the midst of a demonic haunting in Keelay Gipson’s new play for Bushwick Starr.

How America’s Playwrights Saved the Tony Awards

The screenwriters’ strike threatened next month’s broadcast, a key marketing moment for the fragile theater industry. That’s when leading dramatists sprang into action.

Arian Moayed Plays Creepy Men for Thoughtful Reasons

In roles in HBO’s “Succession” and “A Doll’s House” on Broadway, politics are never far from mind for the Iranian American actor.

In ‘Monsoon Wedding,’ an Arranged Marriage of Musical Styles

Mira Nair’s 2001 movie about a couple brought together by their families becomes a song-filled pageant, with mixed results.

In ‘Bees & Honey,’ Love Is Both Sweet and Sticky

In this play by Guadalís Del Carmen, a couple’s shared heritage is integral to their meeting and the ups and downs of their daily relationship.

How the Arts Can Benefit Your Mental Health (No Talent Required)

Drawing, music and writing can elevate your mood. Here are some easy ways to welcome them into your life.

Onstage in ‘An American Tail,’ a Family’s Jewishness Comes to the Fore

The Children’s Theater Company production, based on the animated film, elevates the depiction of its characters’ religious and ethnic backgrounds.

James de Jongh, Who Put Stories of Slavery Onstage, Dies at 80

His play “Do Lord Remember Me,” constructed from interviews with formerly enslaved people in the 1930s, was first staged in 1978 and has been revived multiple times since.

‘The Fears’ Review: Group Therapy Was Never More Triggering

For the fragile souls in this new play, presented by Steven Soderbergh, a Buddhist group that once offered them solace loses its way.

A ‘Brokeback Mountain’ Lacking Some Intensity

A new West End adaptation, starring Lucas Hedges and Mike Faist, recasts Annie Proulx’s 1997 short story as a memory play.

Our Theater is Fighting About Diversity. Who’s Right?

The magazine’s Ethicist columnist on how to cast an upcoming rendition of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

In Broadway’s ‘Grey House,’ Something Nightmarish This Way Comes

Levi Holloway on his psychological thriller starring Laurie Metcalf: “It wears the jacket of horror. But I think it’s more heart than horror.”

‘King James’ Review: We’ll Always Have LeBron

Two men’s kindred obsession with a basketball player is the scaffold for Rajiv Joseph’s examination of male friendship at the Manhattan Theater Club.

Ralph Lee, Father of Puppets and a New York Parade, Dies at 87

In 1974 he decided it would be fun to parade through Greenwich Village with some of his creations on Halloween. A tradition was born.

Tony Awards Broadcast Can Proceed After Striking Writers’ Union Agrees

The Tony Awards, a key marketing opportunity for Broadway, can go ahead in an altered form after the striking screenwriters’ union said it would not picket this year’s broadcast.

Tony Awards Officials Ask Striking Writers to Reconsider Broadcast

The strike by the Writers Guild of America is endangering the June 11 broadcast of the Tony Awards, one of the biggest marketing opportunities for an industry recovering from the pandemic.

A ‘Romeo and Juliet’ That Clowns Around With Tragedy

Directed by Hansol Jung and Dustin Wills, this sportive, vividly acted production fails to make a convincing case for its new gags and directorial flights.

‘Antigone in the Amazon’ Review: The Drama Is Brazil’s Land War

The Swiss director Milo Rau drapes a traumatic episode of Brazilian history with a Greek tragedy on a Belgian stage.

New Play Looks for Dark Humor Beneath the Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult Ordeal

A small production that involves faculty and graduates largely mirrors Lawrence Ray’s yearslong exploitation of vulnerable students. Some of his victims object.

Despite the Primping, ‘The Cotillion’ Is Far From Flawless

Colette Robert’s play takes aim at antiquated rites of passage, and how they can promote classism, colorism and retrograde gender politics.

‘The Beautiful Lady’ Review: A Cabaret for the New Order

Artists and dreamers sing of revolution in a musical set on the cusp of the birth of the Soviet Union.

Jeremy Strong to Star in Broadway Revival of ‘An Enemy of the People’

The production, with a new script by Amy Herzog and directed by Sam Gold, will begin early next year.

New York Theater Workshop Announces New Artistic Director’s First Season

The Off Broadway nonprofit will embrace risk, said Patricia McGregor, its leader, favoring fresh over established works.

Striking Writers’ Union Denies Waiver, Imperiling Tony Awards Telecast

The Writers Guild of America indicated it would not grant a waiver to allow a live telecast of the Tonys on June 11, threatening one of Broadway’s biggest marketing moments.

Onstage, ‘Brokeback Mountain’ Is Still a Tragedy

Much has changed for L.G.B.T.Q. people since Annie Proulx’s short story was published in 1997. But a new theatrical version is a reminder that homophobia is far from over.

5 Things to Do This Weekend

A selection of entertainment highlights this weekend, including "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story."

At ‘Tartuffe’ in the Park, Hypocrisy Is No Picnic

The 17th-century play, staged by the theater company Molière in the Park, skewers those who preach morality yet practice anything but.

Onstage in Brooklyn, ‘Monsoon Wedding’ Tries to Capture the Film’s Spirit

Mira Nair’s long-gestating musical, based on her 2001 hit indie film, arrives at St. Ann’s Warehouse.

‘Daddy’ Review: Deeper Into the Internet’s Darkest Corners

In Marion Siéfert’s much-anticipated new show, the French director explores the dynamics of online grooming.

‘Bad Cinderella’ to Close on Broadway, Ending Lloyd Webber’s Streak

When it concludes on June 4, an unbroken string of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows since 1979 will come to an end. His latest opened only in March.

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.