Upcoming Broadway Shows for 2024

Swept Away comes to Broadway in October 2024 after hit runs at both Berkeley Rep in California and Arena Stage in Washington DC. With music by the Avett Brothers, book by John Logan, and direction from Michael Mayer, this musical follows two brothers who leave home to find themselves on the high seas, only for the bonds of brotherhood to be tested after an untimely shipwreck. SFGate called it, “a riveting, foreboding ride.”

Why You Should Be Excited About Swept Away: In addition to the popular cast, Swept Away features music by the Avett Brothers and has proved very popular with audiences at both Berkeley Rep and Arena Stage. And it has some truly impressive set design!

Elf, with book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, plays at the Marquis Theatre during the holidays starting November 9, 2024. Based on the beloved movie of the same name, Grey Henson stars as Buddy the Elf, an orphan who crawls into Santa’s sack of toys as a baby and ends up being raised in the North Pole as an elf. Now an adult, he makes a trip back to his hometown of New York to find his real father. While there, he meets a new family and spreads Christmas cheer. The Chicago Tribune said, “If you’re looking for a big, glitzy, feel-good downtown show that is a good time…’Elf’ will likely exceed your expectations.”

Why You Should Be Excited About Elf: It’s a feel-good holiday classic! Grey Henson is known for his performance as Damian in Mean Girls, and Storyteller 2 in Shucked, and he’s sure to bring his humor and charm to the role of Buddy. This is a great choice for the whole family.

Gypsy will play at the Majestic Theatre (previously home to the long running hit The Phantom of the Opera) starting November 21, 2024 in a production directed by George C. Wolfe. This much-revived musical about the ultimate stage mom, Rose, and her attempts to make stars out of her two daughters June and Louise is known for songs like “Rose’s Turn,” “If Mamma Was Married,” “Let Me Entertain You,” and “Some People.” This time Audra McDonald will star as Rose, following in the footsteps of legends like Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, and Imelda Staunton. Get a ticket while you can, this one is sure to sell quickly!

Why You Should Be Excited About Gypsy: Two words: Audra McDonald. She is the only performer to have won Tony Awards in all four acting categories and is equally at home in plays and musicals. She was most recently seen in Ohio State Murders in 2022/2023, but she hasn’t helmed a musical on Broadway since 2016, making audiences even more eager to see her performance!

Eureka Day, written by Jonathan Spector and directed by Anna Shapiro, will play at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre starting November 25, 2024. Set during an administrative meeting at an elementary school, the board must reevaluate its own values and priorities surrounding their vaccine policy during a mumps outbreak. Variety said of the London production, “The ever-increasing roars of laughter of recognition at the nonstop online accusations, whataboutery, age-old squabbles, pure viciousness and inevitable Nazi name-calling drown everything out to such hilarious effect that the scene’s lights-out first act ending is greeted not just with rampant applause but cheers.”

Why You Should Be Excited About Eureka Day: First and foremost, it’s very funny. It has already had popular runs both off-Broadway and in London, and the Broadway production includes a starry cast with Amber Gray, Jessica Hecht, Bill Irwin, and Thomas Middleditch.

English, written by Sanaz Toossi and directed by Knud Adams, heads to the Todd Haimes Theatre starting January 3, 2025. It originally premiered off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre Company in 2022 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2023. The play follows a group of adults studying for the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam. The New York Times said, “Both contemplative and comic, it nails every opportunity for big laughs as its English-learning characters struggle with accents and idioms. But the laughter provides cover for the deeper idea that their struggle is not just linguistic.”  

Why You Should Be Excited About English: English has already had a successful life on stage and won the Pulitzer, one of the most prestigious writing awards.

Redwood plays at the Nederlander Theatre starting January 24, 2025 after a sold-out run in San Diego at the La Jolla Playhouse. With book and direction from Tina Landau, music by Kate Diaz, and lyrics by Diaz and Landau, Forbes called the musical “a must-see…Listening to Idina Menzel sing is pure joy…I’ve seen the future of Broadway musicals and its name is Redwood.” Idina Menzel plays Jesse, a successful businesswoman who heads to the redwoods after an unexpected and shocking event. What follows is a journey of love, healing, and new horizons.

Why You Should Be Excited About Redwood: Idina Menzel, known for her performances in Rent, Aida, Wicked, and If/Then – and for voicing Elsa in Frozen – comes back to Broadway at last! This musical has already had a successful run in California and is generating lots of buzz.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set before the events of the TV show, in Hawkins, 1959. Characters you already know and love – Jim Hopper and Joyce Maldonado – are joined by entirely new characters in this prequel that shows us how it all began. Directed by Stephen Daldry and co-directed by Justin Martin with an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Kate Trefry, Stranger Things: The First Shadow is written by Kate Trefry and will play at the Marquis Theatre in March 2025. The Guardian said in its 5-star review, “This is breathtaking theatre with its own arresting imagination…Those familiar with the series will be able to trace storylines back but the production is not just a clever parlour game for fans. If you come at it afresh, it is still irresistible.”

Why You Should Be Excited About Stranger Things: The First Shadow: The TV show remains one of Netflix’s biggest hits, and the stage show took London audiences by storm. With a top-notch creative team and design that is meant to blow you away, this is sure to be an arresting watch.

The Last Five Years finally comes to Broadway in March 2025! This fan favorite musical by Jason Robert Brown (known for Parade and Bridges of Madison County) will be directed by Whitney White and will star Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren as a couple going through ups and downs in the professional and romantic lives. Previous productions have played off-Broadway and in London, and there has also been a film adaptation. Time Out London called it a “magnificently bittersweet musical.”

Why You Should Be Excited About The Last Five Years: Fans are excited to see Adrienne Warren and Nick Jonas star in this musical that already has a huge fan-base. Adrienne Warren won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Tina Turner in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, and Nick Jonas is back on Broadway for the first time since his performance in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in 2012.

The Pirates of Penzance stars David Hyde Pierce and Ramin Karimloo in a whole new adaptation of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic by Rupert Holmes. This time the pirate ship docks in New Orleans bringing new sounds of jazz and blues to this story about young love, fast-talking Major-Generals, and Pirate Kings. The show will play at the Todd Haimes Theatre beginning April 4, 2025.

Why You Should Be Excited About The Pirates of Penzance: The Pirates of Penzance is a popular musical comedy, and fans are eager to see two popular actors in the musical - David Hyde Pierce is most known for his portrayal of Dr. Niles Crane on Frasier, but is equally at home on the stage, and Ramin Karimloo most recently played Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl on Broadway.