Where Do Theater Artists Go to Ask Questions? Poughkeepsie.
Culture, Today
New York Stage and Film provides an unlikely haven for inquiring writers of new plays and musicals.
Abrons Arts Center’s Fall Season Celebrates Trailblazers
Culture, Today
Highlights include a photography exhibition on female leaders in public housing and a contemporary play about the life of Mary Shelley, the author of “Frankenstein.”
Marsha Mason’s ‘New York Loft in a Hayfield’
Real Estate, Today
After more than two decades in New Mexico, the actress and director is back on the East Coast, with new digs and a renewed focus on the theater.
Marsha Mason on the Art of Downsizing
Slideshow, Today
After more than two decades in New Mexico, the actress and director is back on the East Coast, with new digs and a new focus on theater work.
After 40 Years, a Luminary of Theater’s Avant-Garde Departs
Culture, Today
“I have the energy, I have the interest,” says Blanka Zizka of the Wilma Theater. “But I need to go a different way.”
‘Wicked’ Hits the Road, Carrying the Hopes of Broadway Tours
Culture, Yesterday
The production, which starts Tuesday in Dallas, is the first Broadway tour back onstage, a test as American theaters seek to rebound from the pandemic shutdown.
In Carl Hancock Rux’s ‘Vs.,’ the Jury Is Out
Culture, August 1
Where justice is virtual, crimes have no names and audience members step up to the dock to examine anonymous witnesses.
Broadway Audiences Will Need Proof of Vaccination and Masks
Culture, July 30
Children under 12, who cannot be vaccinated, can show a negative test to attend. But the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall plan to bar them for now.
New York City Awards $3 Million for Latino and Puerto Rican Theater
Culture, July 30
The Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater will use the funds, along with $7 million from the city over the last eight years, for an expanded South Bronx space.
Always a Bride and Groom, Now Together as a Married Couple
Styles, July 30
Denise Fennell and Rick Pasqualone were married an estimated 5,000 times between them as stars in “Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding,” the Off Broadway hit.
After a Winter of Discontent, a Glorious Summer in Salzburg
Culture, July 29
The theater offering at the Alpine festival features reworked classics by Shakespeare and one of the event’s founders.
5 Things to Do This Weekend
Weekend, July 29
Our critics and writers have selected noteworthy cultural events to experience virtually and in person in New York City.
Onstage, the Pen Is Usually Duller Than the Sword
Culture, July 28
Plays about writers, including “Mr. Fullerton,” a new potboiler probing Edith Wharton’s love life, too often undermine the real brilliance of their subjects.
Side by Side With Sondheim: Alan Cumming Reviews a New Book About ‘Sunday in the Park’
Book Review, July 28
In “Putting It Together,” James Lapine recounts how he and Stephen Sondheim created the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical.
Sunday in the Trenches With George
Arts & Leisure, July 28
James Lapine’s book shows how he and Stephen Sondheim invested two years of work to burnish their musical from an avant-garde near-disaster to a mainstream classic.
Little Island Unveils Free Monthlong Festival With Over 450 Artists
Culture, July 27
The festival, which runs from Aug. 11 to Sept. 5, features a flurry of music, dance, and comedy performances from both established and emerging artists.
Williamstown Theater Festival Tries to Weather the Storms
Culture, July 26
The annual summer festival in Massachusetts has tried to adapt amid the pandemic and calls for more diversity onstage.
Elliot Lawrence, Award-Winning Conductor, Dies at 96
Obits, July 26
He led a big band, conducted on Broadway, collected Emmys and for nearly 50 years led the orchestra on the annual Tony Awards broadcast.
Should Big States Be Broken Up?
Letters, July 25
Readers take sides pro and con on a controversial question. Also: Proof of vaccination at cultural venues; Black colleges; student loan forgiveness; decluttering; Amazon's business model.
Jackie Mason, 93, Dies; Turned Kvetching Into Comedy Gold
Obits, July 24
He kept the borscht belt style of comedy alive long after the Catskills resorts had closed and eventually brought it, triumphantly, to Broadway.
Positive Coronavirus Test Halts Shakespeare in the Park for Third Night
Culture, July 23
“Merry Wives,” an adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy, had already pushed back its opening night by nearly two weeks after an injury to its leading man.
‘The Two Noble Kinsmen’ Review: Shakespeare, With a Hint of Celine Dion
Weekend, July 22
The Drilling Company returns to live theater with this slapdash tragicomedy about two cousins who fall for the same woman.
Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago Names New Artistic Directors
Culture, July 22
Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, both ensemble members, will be the first pair to lead the company in its history.
Avignon Festival Forges Ahead, Despite Virus Restrictions
Culture, July 22
The French theater festival’s Fringe offering is giving some respite from the pandemic, even as new rules to stop coronavirus transmission are making it harder to get to the shows.
Unearthing the Late Curiosities of Tennessee Williams
Culture, July 21
“Hilton Als Presents,” from New York Theater Workshop, features three of the playwright’s overlooked and often disparaged works.
Goodbye, Dolly: With Their Bids, Fans Hold Onto Carol Channing
Arts & Leisure, July 21
Awards and autographs, costumes and wigs have recently been sold at auction. Even the glamorous red gown from “Hello, Dolly!” found a home.
Theater to Stream: ‘The Wolves,’ and More Archival Treasures
Culture, July 21
Productions from the National Theater in Britain, a project from Billy Porter and a Yiddish musical celebration are among the highlights.
Restaurant Week Makes a Comeback
Metro, July 20
The industry has started to recover, but many businesses are still struggling. It is hoped the promotion, through Aug. 22, will help.
Andrew Lloyd Webber Delays ‘Cinderella’ Musical in West End
Culture, July 19
The composer and producer blamed Britain’s coronavirus restrictions for the delay.
Head of Classic Stage Company to Depart in 2022
Culture, July 19
The Tony Award-winning director John Doyle will leave after six years at the theater — but not before directing two musicals.
Historic Cherry Lane Theater Sold for $11 Million
Culture, July 19
The Lucille Lortel Theater Foundation, which has managed the 97-year-old theater for the past decade, will take over the building in Greenwich Village.
Can I Go to See This Show? Must I Wear a Mask? It Depends.
Culture, July 18
Vaccination and mask requirements vary by venue. It’s a weird pandemic summer for the performing arts.
Endorphins Fuel an Awakening in ‘Endure’
Culture, July 18
A solo show about a marathoner rebuilding her life takes its audience on a 5K through Central Park. Running is optional, our critic insists.
As New York Reopens, It Looks for Culture to Lead the Way
Culture, July 17
The arts — Broadway, nightclubs, museums, concert halls — are coming back to life after the shutdown. Getting it right will be vital to the city’s comeback.
Rattlestick Theater Focuses on Social Change in New Season
Culture, July 16
The theater will produce three plays in an ambitious 2021-22 season, but it has also committed to a five-day workweek and reforms that prioritize artists.
Following Theater Graduates Who Were Left Without a Stage
Summary, July 16
The Times’s theater reporter tracked drama students who emerged from a well-regarded North Carolina conservatory into a world with performance on pause.
‘Schmigadoon!’ Has a Song in Its Heart, and Everywhere Else
Weekend, July 15
The Apple TV+ series both mocks and embraces the glories of classic musicals like “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma!” and “Carousel.”
Broadway Is Back! A Guide to Shows, Tickets and Covid Protocols.
Weekend, July 15
We break down everything you need to navigate Broadway as it reopens.
Covid Surge Shuts Down West End Shows
Culture, July 15
Many London theaters are canceling performances, and people in the industry fear that more productions will have to close when England ends distancing and mask-wearing requirements next week.
BAM’s Fall Season Kicks Off With a Beach Opera
Weekend, July 15
“Sun & Sea,” which won top honors at the Venice Biennale in 2019, will make its U.S. premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music this fall.
5 Things to Do This Weekend
Arts, July 15
Our critics and writers have selected noteworthy cultural events to experience virtually and in person in New York City.
Ryuichi Sakamoto on Life, Nature and ‘Time’
Culture, July 14
The musician and artist, currently undergoing cancer treatment, unveils a music-theater work about dreams, reincarnation and humanity’s struggle.
New Playwrights Horizons Season Includes Will Arbery World Premiere
Culture, July 14
Arbery’s “Corsicana” was added to the theater’s slate for next summer, along with four plays previously announced for 2021.
‘Dana H.’ and ‘Is This a Room’ Will Share Broadway Stage
Culture, July 14
In an unusual joint venture, the two acclaimed documentary plays will alternate performances at the Lyceum Theater this fall.
California Theaters, Facing a Shaky Future, to Get $50 Million in Aid
Culture, July 14
Gov. Gavin Newsom and fellow Democrats responded to strong lobbying from small nonprofit theaters to support their reopening.
Broadway, Awaiting Crowds’ Return, Will Get More Wheelchair Access
Express, July 13
Jujamcyn Theaters, which operates five theaters on Broadway, had been accused by federal prosecutors in Manhattan of violating the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Charlie Robinson, Actor Best Known for ‘Night Court,’ Dies at 75
Obits, July 13
Mr. Robinson became a fan favorite as Mac, a levelheaded clerk surrounded by oddballs, on the long-running NBC courtroom comedy.
Paul Huntley, Hair Master of Broadway and Hollywood, Is Dead at 88
Obits, July 13
The many famous heads he worked on included those of Elizabeth Taylor and Carol Channing. Some actors requested him in their contracts.
Emerging From Covid, Small Theaters in Los Angeles Face a New Challenge
Culture, July 12
A state law threatens to drive up labor costs for the city’s hand-to-mouth small theater scene as it tries to emerge from the pandemic.
Eric Adams in the Limelight
Metro, July 12
The nominee for mayor sent a message to Democrats around the country during Sunday talk show appearances.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s New Act: Activism
Arts & Leisure, July 12
On questions of reopening, the theater impresario has become a surprising thorn in the British government’s side.
In ‘Seize the King,’ ‘Richard III’ Goes to Harlem
Culture, July 11
It’s a tale that Will Power intends as cautionary, with cycles of history and human violence in mind.
Serving Murder in ‘The Dumb Waiter’
Culture, July 9
Harold Pinter’s one-act play, starring Daniel Mays and David Thewlis as hit men, is available to stream live via the Old Vic Theater.
‘Fruma-Sarah (Waiting in the Wings)’ Is a Mangled Love Letter
Weekend, July 8
There’s great pleasure in seeing the actress Jackie Hoffman take center stage, even if the play, by E. Dale Smith, doesn’t quite deliver.
Theater Is in the Streets of New York, if You Listen
Weekend, July 8
Recent audio and walking tours provide a gentle return to spectatorship while also revealing overlooked corners of the city.
Always Leave Them Smiling: The Art of Al Hirschfeld
Book Review, July 8
In a new biography, Ellen Stern brings the great Broadway caricaturist to life.
5 Things to Do This Weekend
Weekend, July 8
Our critics and writers have selected noteworthy cultural events to experience virtually and in person in New York City.
‘How Do I Become Happy?’ Advice From a Professional Fool
Metropolitan, July 8
Stanley Allan Sherman, one of the niche artisans of New York theater, makes leather masks for the stage. And the occasional pro wrestler.
At the Avignon Festival, a Bleak Start
Culture, July 8
Grief. Rising fascism. Utopias gone wrong. The plays were grim in the early days of the annual theater event in France.
From the Schlump With the Shiv, Two Plays Turned Podcasts
Culture, July 7
In new versions of “The Designated Mourner” and “Grasses of a Thousand Colors,” Wallace Shawn brings moral horror right to your ear.
These Drama Students Trained for Years. Then Theater Vanished.
Arts & Leisure, July 7
How one North Carolina class of 2020 made it through the launch that wasn’t — hurting, hustling and dreaming.
‘Waitress’ Is Returning to Broadway. So Is Sara Bareilles.
Culture, July 7
The popular musical secured a limited engagement at the Ethel Barrymore Theater this fall. The singer and songwriter will reprise her role for six weeks.
Theater to Stream: Revivals, One-Man Shows and Docu-Theater
Culture, July 7
An adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Notes on Grief,” Russell Brand’s take on Shakespeare and a two-day event anchored by a Milo Rau film are among the highlights.
Disney, With Benefit Concert, Makes an Early Return to Broadway
Culture, July 7
Disney stage alumni will give four performances at the New Amsterdam Theater, two months before the curtains rise on “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” in New York.
With Venues Reopening Across New York, Life Is a Cabaret Once Again
Culture, July 6
The Great American Songbook, jazz, drag and more are returning to the small stages where intimacy and audience interaction are so key.
In ‘What to Send Up,’ I See You, Black American Theater
Culture, July 6
Our critic reflects on the significance of Aleshea Harris’s play, at BAM Fisher, for Black audiences.
Processing the Pandemic at the Manchester International Festival
Culture, July 6
The annual arts event in the north of England suggests that focusing on community and inclusiveness could be a natural, post-pandemic outcome for artists.
Hot Vax Summer? Falstaff and Shakespeare in the Park Are Ready.
Arts & Leisure, July 6
The Delacorte Theater in Central Park is reopening with a Harlem-set version of Shakespeare’s comedy “The Merry Wives of Windsor.”
A Call to Diversify Those Calling the Cues
Culture, July 5
New initiatives aim to broaden the pool of stage managers of color and introduce antiracist practices into graduate training.
On the Scene: ‘Springsteen on Broadway’ 🎸
Interactive, June 28
On Saturday night, New York City reached a milestone with “Springsteen on Broadway,” the first full-length event for a paying audience on Broadway since March 12, 2020.
Broadway Shows Announce Reopening Plans
Interactive, May 11
This morning, three of the biggest recent hits on Broadway — “Hamilton,” “The Lion King” and “Wicked” — announced plans to resume performances on Sept. 14.
A First Look at Lincoln Center’s Outdoor Spaces
Interactive, May 6
I visited the new outdoor performance and rehearsal spaces at Lincoln Center where there will be all kinds of art this summer.
What Happens to Aspiring Actors When Hollywood Is Closed?
Interactive, April 23
They came to L.A. with a dream, but then came the pandemic.
Reanimating ‘Cabaret,’ One Frame at a Time
Interactive, April 14
A first look at extraordinary images from the groundbreaking 1966 musical turns Broadway history into something that’s (literally) moving.
What Happens to Theaters When They're Closed?
Interactive, April 9
A peek inside the performance spaces shuttered during the pandemic.
Sawing Someone in Half Never Gets Old. Even at 100.
Interactive, January 29
The classic illusion is still with us, a century after its first performance.
A Big List of Podcasts for Little Kids
Interactive, January 21
To keep your little ones occupied, look no further than the world of podcasts. Here are a few ideas for kids ages 2 to 6.
This Year’s Standout Moments in the Arts
Interactive, December 29
Though museums, theaters and galleries were closed, and concerts and festivals canceled, many artists continued creating indelible work.
Our Critics’ Top Picks of 2020
Interactive, December 11
The great film, TV, performance, art and books that emerged in a not-so-great year.
Miss Live Theater? You’re Not Alone.
Interactive, October 15
We miss theater. And we know you do too. So we asked you to share some memories with us.
Performing in a Pandemic
Interactive, September 23
Most professional theater in America has been shut down since March. So how did this production of “Godspell” come together?
The Creative Circles Defining the Culture
Interactive, April 13
Whether united by outlook or identity, happenstance or choice, these communities have shaped the worlds of art, fashion, film and more.
How the 2005 Revival of ‘Sweeney Todd’ Inspired a New Wave in Theater
Interactive, April 13
A minimalist staging by John Doyle of the tale of the barber of Fleet Street emphasized the raw talents of its cast.
Why ‘Hair’ Has Endured
Interactive, April 13
An appreciation of the 1967 love-rock musical, which, against the odds, won over audiences across the world.