2025 Broadway spring musical preview: ‘Boop!,’ ‘Smash,’ ‘Old Friends,’ and 9 more
We’re about halfway through the 2024-25 Broadway season, and there are 12 productions of musicals (nine new, one revival, two older works making their main stem debuts) set to open this spring. Could any of them contend at this year’s Tony Awards? Below, find the summaries of each plot, as well as its author, cast, composer, and director. You’ll also get the opening, and (where applicable) closing dates.
Redwood
Previews began: Jan. 24
Opens: Feb. 13
More from GoldDerby
Official synopsis: Jesse seems to have it all, a successful career and devoted family, until a life-altering event drives her far from everyone and everything she knows. When she finds herself at the foot of the redwoods in Northern California, a chance encounter and a leap of faith will change her life forever.
Book by Tony nominee Tina Landau
Score by Kate Diaz and Tina Landau
Directed by Tina Landau
Starring Tony winner Idina Menzel, Tony nominee De’Adre Aziza, Michael Park, Zachary Noah Piser, and Khaila Wilcoxon
Operation Mincemeat
Previews begin: Feb. 15
Opens: March 20
Official synopsis: Operation Mincemeat, the 1943 British deception operation to disguise the Allied invasion of Sicily, during World War II. This production follows a successful premiere in London’s West End, where it won two Olivier Awards (including Best New Musical).
Book and score by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zo? Roberts
Directed by Olivier nominee Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge)
Starring David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Jak Malone, and Zo? Roberts
Buena Vista Social Club
Previews begin: Feb. 21
Opening: March 19
Official synopsis: The story takes place in Havana from the 1950s to the 1990s. It follows the lives of four prominent musicians, the effect communism and the rise of Fidel Castro had on them at the time, and their eventual collaboration in 1997 on the landmark album Buena Vista Social Club. This production follows a successful premiere off-Broadway, where it earned seven Lortel nominations (including Outstanding Musical).
Book by Marco Ramirez
Directed by Tony nominee Saheem Ali
Starring Natalie Venetia Belcon, Isa Antonetti, Mel Semé, Wesley Wray, Jainardo Batista Sterling, Leonardo Reyna, Julio Monge, Da’Von Moody, Renesito Avich, Justin Cunningham, and Ashley De La Rosa
Boop! The Betty Boop Musical
Previews begin: March 11
Opens: April 5
Official synopsis: Adapted from Max Fleischer and Grim Natwick‘s cartoon character, Betty leaves the black-and-white world and finds adventures in present-day New York City.
Book by Tony winner Bob Martin
Score by 16-time Grammy winner David Foster and two-time Tony nominee Susan Birkenhead
Directed by two-time Tony winner Jerry Mitchell
Starring Jasmine Amy Rogers, Tony winner Faith Prince, Ainsley Melham, Erich Bergen, Stephen DeRosa, Angelica Hale, Phillip Huber, and Anastacia McCleskey
SEE2025 Tony Awards: ‘Eureka Day’ crashes revival race, ‘Wonderful World’ may make history
Smash
Previews begin: March 11
Opens: April 10
Official synopsis: Adapted from NBC’s short-lived Emmy-winning drama series. A hilarious behind-the-scenes rollercoaster ride about the making of a Marilyn Monroe musical called Bombshell.
Book by four-time Tony nominee Rick Elice and Bob Martin
Score by Tony winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
Directed by five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman
Starring Tony nominee Robyn Hurder, two-time Tony nominee Brooks Ashmanskas, Krysta Rodriguez, John Behlmann, two-time Tony nominee Kristine Nilsen, and Caroline Bowman
Floyd Collins
Previews begin: March 27
Opens: April 21
Official synopsis: The true story of cave explorer Floyd Collins in Kentucky in 1925. While chasing a dream of fame and fortune by turning Sand Cave into a tourist attraction, he becomes the attraction when he gets trapped 200 feet underground. The main stem premiere of Tina Landau and Adam Guettel‘s 1996 classic. The original off-Broadway production earned six Drama Desk nominations (including Outstanding Musical).
Directed by Tina Landau
Starring Tony nominee Jeremy Jordan, Jason Gotay, Lizzy McAlpine, three-time Tony nominee Marc Kudisch, Jessica Molaskey, Taylor Trensch, and Tony nominee Sean Allan Krill
SEE‘Sunset Blvd’ revival could surpass Tony nominations of original 1994 Broadway production
Just in Time
Previews begin: March 28
Opens: April 23
Official synopsis: The story follows legendary singer Bobby Darin, whose short but remarkable life took him from teen idol to global sensation.
Book by Tony winner Warren Leight and Isaac Oliver
Directed by Tony winner Alex Timbers
Starring Tony winner Jonathan Groff, Erika Henningsen, Joe Barbara, Tony winner Michele Pawk, Lance Roberts, Caesar Samayoa, Emily Bergl, and Gracie Lawrence
Real Women Have Curves
Previews begin: April 1
Opens: April 27
Official synopsis: In the summer of 1987, Ana García dreams of flying away from East Los Angeles. Yet when her family’s garment business receives a make-or-break order for 200 dresses, she finds herself juggling her own ambitions, her mother’s expectations, and a community of women all trying to make it work against the odds. Adapted from Josefina López‘s 1990 play and its subsequent 2002 film adaptation.
Book by Lisa Loomer with two-time Tony nominee Nell Benjamin
Score by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez
Directed by Tony winner Sergio Trujillo
Starring Tatianna Córdoba and SAG winner Justina Machado
SEEWill Robert Downey Jr. earn a 2025 Tony nomination for ‘McNeal’ following 2024 Emmy and Oscar wins?
The Last Five Years
Opens: April 6
Closes: June 22
Official synopsis: The story follows two New Yorkers, rising author Jamie and aspiring actress Cathy, as they fall in and out of love over the course of five years. The main stem premiere of Jason Robert Brown‘s 2002 classic. The original off-Broadway production received seven Drama Desk nominations (including Outstanding Musical).
Directed by Tony nominee Whitney White (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding)
Starring two-time Grammy nominee Nick Jonas and Tony winner Adrienne Warren
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends
Opens: April 8
Closes: June 1
Official synopsis: A revue celebrating the life and work of legendary eight-time Tony-winning musical theater songwriter Stephen Sondheim. This production presented by Manhattan Theatre Club follows a successful premiere in London’s West End.
Devised by four-time Tony-winning producer Cameron Mackintosh
Directed by Tony winner Matthew Bourne
Starring two-time Tony winner Bernadette Peters, Tony winner Lea Salonga, Tony winner Beth Leavel, two-time Tony nominee Gavin Lee, three-time Olivier nominee Jason Pennycooke, and two-time Olivier winner Joanna Riding
SIGN UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
Dead Outlaw
Previews begin: April 12
Opens: April 27
Official synopsis: The bizarre true story of outlaw-turned-corpse-turned-celebrity Elmer McCurdy. As his body finds even more outlandish adventures in death than it could have ever hoped for in life, the show explores fame, failure, and the meaning — or, utter meaninglessness — of legacy. This production follows a successful premiere off-Broadway, where it won three Drama Desk Awards (including Outstanding Musical).
Book by Tony winner Itamar Moses
Score by Tony winner David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
Directed by Tony winner David Cromer
Cast: Andrew Durand, Jeb Brown, Eddie Cooper, Dashiell Eaves, Julia Knitel, Ken Marks, Trent Saunders, and Thom Sesma
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Opens: April 24
Closes: June 22
Official synopsis: A reimagining of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan‘s 1879 comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance, a pirate ship docks in New Orleans in this jazzy-bluesy vision of the crowd-pleasing classic, in an outrageously clever romp sizzling with Caribbean rhythms and French Quarter flair. The previous remounting from 1981 won three Tonys (including Best Revival).
New book by Tony winner Rupert Holmes
Directed by nine-time Tony nominee Scott Ellis
Cast: Tony nominee Ramin Karimloo, Jinkx Monsoon, four-time Emmy and Tony winner David Hyde Pierce, Nicholas Barasch, Preston Truman Boyd, and Samantha Williams
Best of GoldDerby
Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
