It’s 2020, which means we’re getting a new wave of Broadway musicals that will be starting previews soon.  But in case you don’t want to wait for those to open, here’s a general overview of what to look out for this Broadway season!

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Musicals of the Season (in order of opening date)

• Moulin Rouge! – Al Hirschfeld Theatre
  First Preview: June 28, 2019
  Opening: July 25, 2019
  On Sale Until: November 8, 2020
  Possibly one of the most anticipated screen-to-stage adaptations, Moulin Rouge! has been a hard ticket to get ever since it opened, with the highest ticket prices this side of Hamilton.  You definitely get your money’s worth though, as the design elements are incredible and the show overall is a ton of fun if you can look past the sheer volume of pop songs that have been added to the script (some more gracefully than others).  This is definitely a show that will rack up a ton of Tony nominations, though my guess is that it will mostly only sweep in the design categories. (You can also hear more of what we have to say in our podcast covering the first act.)
  
• The Lightning Thief – Longacre Theatre
  First Preview: September 20, 2019
  Opening: October 16, 2019
  Closing: January 5, 2020
  Based on the first of the Percy Jackson books and fresh off of a national tour, The Lightning Thief adapts the story of how Percy discovers his demigod heritage and his quest to save the world.  It’s already closed, but if you want to catch it, they announced a second national tour, cities TBA.  I’d recommend reading the book first, as the show definitely caters to fans of the book series, but you should be able to follow along just fine without any background.  While the show does have a good story and some great messages, it doesn’t quite seem up to snuff with what most people would consider Broadway-caliber, so make sure to adjust your expectations accordingly.  It’s not necessarily a bad show, as it has some catchy tunes and a few great character actors, but it does seem more suited to a smaller, scrappier off-Broadway space. That said, I think its best shot at the Tonys race would be a possible Best Score nomination, especially given the large number of jukebox musicals this year.  
  
• TINA: The Tina Turner Musical – Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
  First Preview: October 12, 2019
  Opening: November 2, 2019
  On Sale Until: September 20, 2020
  The newest entry in the recent line of jukebox bio-musicals, Tina transferred from the West End with Adrienne Warren reprising her Olivier-nominated role as Tina. While it received mixed reviews from critics here, unanimous raves about Adrienne Warren make it a show to keep an eye on (and the box office numbers would agree!).  Though the story may be pretty typical, this show presents a great way to relive some of Tina Turner’s greatest songs, sung by a fantastic cast. Much like Ain’t Too Proud last year, this show may be critic-proof, as it’s selling out to near full capacity every night.
  
• Jagged Little Pill – Broadhurst Theatre
  First Preview: November 3, 2019
  Opening: December 5, 2019
  On Sale Until: July 5, 2020
  Another jukebox musical, though one with an original story, Jagged Little Pill uses the Alanis Morissette album (along with a few of her other songs and two new songs written for the production) to tell the story of the Healys, a family in a primarily white suburban neighborhood, and the conflicts that each member faces.  It’s a very sleek musical, with possibly the best integration of songs and script to ever come from a jukebox musical. While some people think the book too over-stuffed with story lines, I had no trouble following along and thought it was fairly well-balanced.  The world it creates is super modern and tackles current issues as it peeks into the lives of the family members and the community around them. This would be my personal frontrunner for both Best Book and Best Musical so far, and I’d also expect Best Leading/Featured Actress nominations for Elizabeth Stanley and Lauren Patton, respectively.
  
• West Side Story (revival) – Broadway Theatre
  First Preview: December 10, 2019
  Opening: February 20, 2020
  On Sale Until: September 6, 2020
  West Side Story kicked up controversy early on with its casting of Amar Ramasar (who was suspended from the New York City Ballet for inappropriate behavior) and again when director Ivo Van Hove announced substantial cuts to the script and songs.  With an unusually long preview period of 2 months, I expect a lot of things to change before opening night, and I’m sure people will be divided in their thoughts on this new production, though when I saw it in its first week I found it an absolutely electrifying take on the original.  A lot is up in the air right now regarding this show, but expect at least a Tony nomination for Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for Choreography in the first major production that won’t be using Jerome Robbins’s original, and keep an eye on Isaac Powell as Tony, who I think would be the frontrunner in the Best Actor category.
  
• Girl From the North Country – Belasco Theatre
  First Preview: February 7, 2020
  Opening: March 5, 2020
  On Sale Until: September 27, 2020
  After a couple of turns on the West End and an Off-Broadway run at the Public Theatre, Girl From the North Country has the distinction of being the second Bob Dylan jukebox musical to come to Broadway.  Described as staged more like a play with music than a musical, it tells the story of middle America during the Great Depression, receiving rave reviews in all its former incarnations.  As one of the more intimate musicals of this season, it’s probably the closest in tone we have to something like The Band’s Visit this year, so keep an eye on that Best Musical prize, as well as a number of acting awards.
  
• SIX – Brooks Atkinson Theatre
  First Preview: February 13, 2020
  Opening: March 12, 2020
  On Sale Until: September 13, 2020
  Six tells the story of the six wives of Henry VIII, each reimagined as a pop diva competing in a vocal talent show, allowing them to tell their side of a marriage that’s often relegated to “just one word in a stupid rhyme”.  As a high-energy small-scale show, it’ll be interesting to see how it fares in a larger Broadway house, especially since it seems to have a large fanbase driven by social media.  With some clever turns of phrase and catchy hooks, this should be a shoo-in for a Best Score nomination, and I’d expect Best Musical, Best Choreography, and Best Lighting nominations as well.
  
• Company (revival) – Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
  First Preview: March 2, 2020
  Opening: March 22, 2020
  On Sale Until: September 27, 2020
  Director Marianne Elliot’s gender-swapped version of Company has gotten a lot of buzz overseas and it’ll be opening just a month shy of its 50th anniversary with a brand new all-star cast led by Katrina Lenk as Bobbie (though we get to keep Patti Lupone in her Olivier-winning turn as Joanne).  While some of the changes can be seen in the West End cast album, it looks like the team is tweaking it a bit more for the States.  This is my most anticipated show of the year, as it truly shocked me how authentic and relevant each of these characters still are in this exploration of relationships and marriage in New York City.  
  
• Diana – Longacre Theatre
  First Preview: March 2, 2020
  Opening: March 31, 2020
  On Sale Until: November 29, 2020
  With a team that won top awards for Memphis in another jukebox-heavy year, Diana comes to Broadway in this jukebox-heavy year after a San Diego tryout last spring.  Focusing on the love triangle between Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and Camilla Parker Bowles, the story unfolds through rock music, inspired by the songs that Princess Di herself loved.  I’ll admit that while I found the music lackluster and the book in need of a framing device during the San Diego run, I’m excited to see what the team has done with it since then.  At the very least it’ll probably snag a Best Costumes nomination for William Ivey Long’s work in recreating so many of Diana’s iconic looks.
  
• Mrs. Doubtfire – Stephen Sondheim Theatre
  First Preview: March 9, 2020
  Opening: April 5, 2020
  On Sale Until: September 13, 2020
  In a surprisingly bold (and somewhat questionable) move, the producers of this musical based on the 1993 film announced that it would transfer to Broadway before its first out-of-town preview in Seattle. It comes on the heels of Tootsie, another musical based on a movie where a man pretends to be a woman, which will result in inevitable comparisons between the two.  Regardless, it has a great cast lined up, and a creative team best known for the underappreciated Something Rotten! so it should be interesting to see how they bring this show into the modern era, and whether or not it will encounter the same pitfalls that Tootsie did, though like with Santino Fontana in Tootsie, Rob McClure as the title character seems to be the definite highlight of the show.
  
• Caroline, or Change (revival) – Studio 54
  First Preview: March 13, 2020
  Opening: April 7, 2020
  On Sale Through: June 28, 2020
  This transfer of the West End production heralded a ton of buzz when first announced, and will no doubt heat up the Best Actress category, as leading lady Sharon D. Clarke took home the Olivier for her role, and those joining her stateside include Caissie Levy, Tamika Lawrence, and Chip Zien.  The musical examines the relationship between an African-American maid and the white family she works for, particularly their young son, in the changing times of 1963 with a sung-through score by Jeanine Tesori and book/lyrics by Tony Kushner. This is a show that I’m not too familiar with, but between the cast and creative team, I’m very excited to see this first Broadway revival of it.
  
• Flying Over Sunset – Vivian Beaumont Theatre
  First Preview: March 12, 2020
  Opening: April 16, 2020
  On Sale Through: June 28, 2020
  Possibly the most surprising announcement of the season, Flying Over Sunset seemed to come flying out of nowhere led by a trio of fantastic performers: Carmen Cusack, Harry Hadden-Patton, and Tony Yazbeck (not to be confused with David Yazbek, no relation).  Written and directed by James Lapine and with music by Tom Kitt, Flying Over Sunset tells the story of Clare Booth Luce, Aldous Huxley, and Cary Grant on a shared LSD trip in LA in 1957.  There’s really no telling what this musical is going to be, but there’s no denying that the talent involved is incredible, and this would probably be my second pick for my most anticipated musical.
  
• Sing Street – Lyceum Theatre
  First Preview: March 26, 2020
  Opening: April 19, 2020
  On Sale Through: November 8, 2020
  Sing Street, based on the movie from the same creative team as Once just announced it’s transfer from its Off-Broadway run at NYTW (also the original Off-Broadway home of shows like Hadestown and Slave Play). The story itself is fairly simple, about a band of Dublin teenagers in 1982 escaping personal and economic issues by making music together. The Off-Broadway run yielded some mixed, but optimistic reviews so it looks like the creative team might be making some changes in the two months before Broadway performances start, which could make it a real awards contender.

Tony Possibilities

It is, admittedly, a bit early to be talking Tony Awards, since we don’t know all the contenders yet, though I’m fairly certain the lineup of shows is set (barring the possible addition of a limited run show in the Marquis).  And while we know that the Tonys aren’t the be all and end all of Broadway shows, they do provide a nice structure for highlighting particular standout components of each show.

Best Musical – Girl From the North Country
Generally the biggest award of the night, I see the nominees being Moulin Rouge!, Girl From the North Country, Jagged Little Pill, SIX, and either Sing Street or Flying Over Sunset.  As of now, my guess would be Girl From the North Country to take home the prize, though Jagged Little Pill, SIX, and possibly Flying Over Sunset may have strong cases to present.  While Moulin Rouge! has been doing fantastic business at the box office, I don’t think it has the same kind of quiet artistic side to it that the Tony voters seem to have favored in the past few years.

Best Revival of a Musical – Company
As per usual, it’s almost completely certain that all three revivals will get nominated.  I think the choice will come down to Company and West Side Story, both quite different from their original incarnations, but both which seem to draw out different aspects of what was originally there (somewhat like last year’s Tony winner, Oklahoma!).  While West Side Story could still undergo any number of changes until opening night, I think Company might take the award in this category, as it seems less divisive while equally revelatory (though keep an eye on Ivo van Hove in the Director category).

Best Score – SIX
With only five new musicals in contention for original score (Lightning Thief, SIX, Diana, Flying Over Sunset, and Mrs. Doubtfire), only four will get nominated, assuming no ties.  I think Diana might be the one to lose out, as I found the songs rather unforgettable and somewhat trite.  Of course, since they had time to do some rewrites, it might be Lightning Thief left out of the race, or possibly a play (The Rose Tattoo or The Inheritance?) that takes the fourth slot, leaving both of them out.

Best Book – Jagged Little Pill
For me, the thing that can really make or break a musical is the book (one of the reasons that Hadestown did not quite land for me last year), and my current pick of the season would be Jagged Little Pill, which I think struck a good balance between social issues and internal struggle.  Other possible contenders include Tina, Girl from the North Country, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Flying Over Sunset or SIX, though in this case it’s really quite hard to tell without seeing or knowing anything about some of the spring shows.

Best Director – Marianne Elliot/Ivo van Hove/Alex Timbers
This is always a tough category simply because the director does so much to craft a show, whether it’s converting it to a stage experience, updating an old show, or pulling together the pieces of a new show.  I could definitely see Alex Timbers taking the award here for creating the spectacle of the Moulin Rouge!, or either Marianne Elliot or Ivo van Hove for what they’ve done in updating an old work (it’s possible that whichever show doesn’t win for best revival could be honored in the director category instead).  Girl from the North Country and Jagged Little Pill will probably also get nods here, though I think this is really a three-way race.

Best Choreography – Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge!
It’s an exciting year for choreography, with a lot of new choreographers bringing a different touch to Broadway, like Sonya Tayeh for Moulin Rouge!, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for West Side Story, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui for Jagged Little Pill getting the most buzz.  Liam Steel (Company) and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille (SIX) both received Olivier nominations for their work last year, and could possibly round out the Tonys category this year with a wild card in Michelle Dorrance (Flying Over Sunset), which would create a group of nominees all making their Broadway debut!

Just Play-ing Around

Plays are definitely not our forte, and we don’t seem to feel the all-encompassing need to go see every single play as much as we do musicals, but the past few years have definitely been strong for both new plays as well as revivals, and this year is no exception, so I wanted to highlight the new plays that I think are particularly noteworthy.

• Slave Play – Golden Theatre
  First Preview: September 10, 2019
  Opening: October 6, 2019
  Closing: January 19, 2020
  This is honestly a pretty wild play from start to finish, and I recommend anyone interested in seeing it to go in knowing as little as possible.  The basic concept is the examination of different interracial (specifically of African American and Caucasian partners) couples and how each person’s cultural history may impact their relationship in different ways.  The play is structured in a way that examines these ideas through a unique lens, and while I’m not sure I agree with what seems to be the final conclusion of the play, it definitely gives you a lot to think about.
  
• The Sound Inside – Studio 54
  First Preview: September 14, 2019
  Opening: October 14, 2019
  Closing: January 12, 2020
  Described as a “thriller” of a play, and written by Adam Rapp (not to be confused with Anthony Rapp of Rent fame), The Sound Inside features the first of two leading engagements by Mary-Louise Parker this season (the second being How I Learned to Drive).  She stars as an Ivy League professor who connects with a student in her creative writing class, and the play slowly reveals more about each character as they continue to have conversations with each other. With some fantastic reviews and a unique premise, I think this could really be a dark horse for the Best Play Tony, and possibly one of two acting nominations for Mary-Louise Parker this season.
  
• The Inheritance – Barrymore Theatre
  First Preview: September 27, 2019
  Opening: November 17, 2019
  On Sale Through: June 7, 2020
  As another two-part 6+ hour play about living with AIDS, The Inheritance seems to be the heir-apparent of the recently-revived Angels in America.  And while I didn’t see Angels, I did see the first part of The Inheritance, which felt fresh and modern, able to discuss the AIDS epidemic without beleaguering it, and really connecting it to a new generation of gay men. Originally, I would’ve put this in a two-way race with Slave Play for the Best Play Tony Award, but the reviews and public opinion weren’t as favorable as I had expected, mostly citing a lack of diversity and representation.  It’ll be interesting to see if the Tony voters feel the same way, but I think the play category is definitely more open than I had thought.
  
• The Minutes – Cort Theatre
  First Preview: February 25, 2020
  Opening: March 15, 2020
  Closing: June 14, 2020
  After it was supposed to premiere on Broadway in 2018, The Minutes is finally making it to Broadway this year with a starry cast.  A Pulitzer Prize finalist about a small-town city council meeting, playwright Tracy Letts (who will also be performing in this production) spent hours watching city council meetings on Youtube as research, so I’m sure he has some insightful points to make about government and politics as a whole.
  
• The Lehman Trilogy – Nederlander Theatre
  First Preview: March 7, 2020
  Opening: March 26, 2020
  Closing: June 28, 2020
  This was a show that I definitely wanted to see last year but just never got the chance to, so I was thrilled upon hearing it would be coming to Broadway after rave reviews both in the West End and Off-Broadway.  Telling the story of the Lehman Brothers, both past and present, over the course of three hours, it’s another long one, but one that I’m eager to dive into. It’ll be playing the stage at the Nederlander Theatre, which will be vastly different from the 55,000 square foot space it occupied Off-Broadway at the Park Avenue Armory, so I’m interested to see if that will change how the play is perceived.

While these five plays would be the ones I consider highlights of the season, I also really enjoyed Sea Wall/A Life, which featured two monologues performed by Tom Sturridge and Jake Gyllenhaal, and while they were simple, they were both quite heartfelt with some very strong performance.  This one is an interesting case, since Sea Wall was a pre-existing play, but A Life is a new play, so it’s unsure whether this will be ruled as a new play or revival, though my money’s on new because they haven’t been presented together before.  

As for plays that are definite revivals, Harold Pinter’s Betrayal was definitely one that seemed to be a significant one this season, with many people calling it the best version of the play.  I didn’t feel very compelled by it despite some strong performances, since the text of the play seemed pretty circuitous and almost pointless to me, though it could just be that I’m not a fan of Pinter plays.  I had similar thoughts about Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, which was the first show to both open and close this season.  As directed by Arin Arbus, I was actually a little bit shocked at how misogynistic it felt in its first iteration with a female director, so I couldn’t quite appreciate the intended impact of the piece (especially since I think a lot of my issues could’ve been fixed with some minor differences in either direction or casting).

Meanwhile, A Christmas Carol I absolutely adored.  It’s a new take on the original story, and while playwright Jack Thorne changes some things, I thought it all flowed together very well.  Not to mention the absolutely gorgeous design, which was definitely what convinced me to go in the first place (there’s something to be said about books and covers, after all).  Despite seeing it in early November, I left the theater ready to get into the Christmas spirit, and that’s coming from someone who firmly believes in Christmas only after Thanksgiving.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for staying with me.  And I’ve only covered part of the season regarding plays, having not touched on shows like How I Learned to Drive and A Soldier’s Play, both Pulitzer Prize winners making their Broadway debuts over 20 years after their first premiere.  So whether you’re here for musicals, plays, or just any kind of theatrical event happening on Broadway, it’s definitely a jam-packed year!

-Christine