On Broadway this spring, a surprising roster of new shows and classic favorites
What's new?
Under the sun, nothing. But on Broadway — surprisingly — quite a bit.
"Suffs," "Lempicka," "Mary Jane," "Mother Play," "Patriots" and "Stereophonic" are among the spring offerings on the New York stage that are not revivals, not warhorses, not based on a movie, a book or somebody's song catalog.
“We are thrilled to see so many productions from new playwrights and new voices on Broadway along with a number of incredible revivals opening up this season," said Jason Laks of the Broadway League.
You'd almost think there are some actual playwrights out there. Or, more to the point, some courageous producers — willing to gamble their $3 million to $6 million (typical for a play) or $8 million to $12 million (musical) on something with no track record, not even the secondhand insurance of being based on a successful book or film.
"The mavericks that are willing to put $3 million to $6 million into a play — as opposed to a product — strictly on its merits, those are the unsung heroes," said writer-director-producer Michael Bias of Bergenfield, who knows a bit about this process (his own play "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" is having backers' auditions in the spring).
"It's challenging to get new works up on Broadway," he said. "The fact that these people are is very exciting."
Old favorites
Which is not to say there's anything wrong, inherently, with a revival, a new production of an old classic or a musicalization of a favorite movie. Of which there are also many examples this spring.
Among the familiar characters who will be singing their hearts out to you:
? Joe (Brian D'Arcy James) and Kirsten (Kelli O'Hara), the two alcoholic lovebirds of "The Days of Wine and Roses," (Studio 54, closes April 28) based on the 1962 Blake Edwards movie.
? Circus veterinarian Jacob Jankowski (Grant Gustin) in "Water for Elephants," (Imperial Theatre, opens March 21; previews from Feb. 24) based on the 2006 Sara Gruen novel and 2011 film.
? Ponyboy (Brody Grant), the troubled teen of "The Outsiders," (Jacobs Theatre, April 11, previews from March 16) based on the cult 1967 S.E. Hinton book and 1983 Francis Ford Coppola film about youth gangs.
? Noah (Dorian Harewood, Ryan Vasquez, John Cardoza) and Allie (Maryann Plunkett, Joy Woods, Jordan Tyson), the poor-boy rich-girl lovers seen at different stages of life in "The Notebook," (Schoenfeld Theatre, March 14; previews from Feb. 10) based on the 1996 Nicholas Sparks novel and the 2004 film.
? Jay Gatsby (Jeremy Jordan), the lovesick Jazz Age millionaire of "The Great Gatsby" (Broadway Theatre, April 25; previews from March 29) — one of two musical "Gatsbys" that are opening this year (the other is in Cambridge, Massachusetts) now that F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 classic is finally in the public domain. This one began life at Millburn's Paper Mill Playhouse.
Back with us, too, this season are some classic dramas: Ibsen's "An Enemy of the People" with Jeremy Strong and Michael Imperioli (Circle in the Square, March 18, previews from Feb. 27), Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" with Steve Carell and Alfred Molina (Vivian Beaumont Theater, April 24, previews April 2), John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt" with Amy Ryan and Liev Schreiber (Todd Haimes Theatre, March 7 to April 14, previews from Feb. 7) and Samm-Art Williams' "Home" (Todd Haimes Theatre, previews from May 17).
Also some classic musicals: "Cabaret" starring Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin (August Wilson Theatre, April 21; previews from April 1), "The Wiz" (Marquis Theatre, April 17; previews from March 29) and "The Who's Tommy" (Nederlander Theatre, March 28, previews from March 8). And a couple of new jukebox shows brimming with classic songs: "The Heart of Rock and Roll" (James Earl Jones Theatre, April 22; previews from March 29), based on the Huey Lewis song catalog; and "Hell's Kitchen" (Shubert Theatre, April 20; previews from March 28), based on the collected works of Alicia Keys.
Such shows, to a greater or lesser extent, sell themselves. They are brands.
No one needs to be told who Gatsby is, who Alicia Keys is, why life is a cabaret, old chum. The producers of "The Outsiders" or "The Notebook" have a target audience in mind. Even "Days of Wine and Roses" must have a fanbase — if only AA.
Shock of the new
But this spring also offers us some mystery boxes. And those, some would say, are the most fun of all.
Who knows what new characters will make us laugh, intrigue us, break our hearts? Who knows what new songs we'll come out humming?
These shows have had no previous life — except smaller, regional productions. Which in itself tells you something about the health of American theater. Not only on Broadway, but beyond city limits, said Bias, of Bergenfield.
"It says that regional theaters are very strong right now, because all of these shows are I'm sure coming out of regional theaters," Bias said. "Nothing comes out of nowhere."
So let's unwrap all those pretty new packages and see what's underneath.
? "Suffs"? Sounds like a laundry detergent. But "suffs" is short for "suffragists," and that's what this Shaina Taub musical, transferring from the Public Theater, is all about (Music Box Theatre, April 18; previews starting March 26). The female and non-binary cast plays a panoply of historical characters, from Ida B. Wells to Woodrow Wilson.
? "Lempicka"? Sounds like a condition. In fact, it refers to Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka, the subject of this new musical by Matt Gould and Carson Kreitzer (Longacre Theatre, April 14; previews from March 19). The artist, fleeing the Russian Revolution, winds up in Paris under the tutelage of a free-spirited prostitute. As one does.
? "Mary Jane"? Sounds like an illicit substance. But Amy Herzog's Mary Jane (Rachel McAdams) is a mother with a chronically ill son, who builds a support network of women (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, April 23; previews from April 2).
? "Stereophonic" (Golden Theatre, April 19; previews from April 3), billed as a "play with music," boasts a score from a distinguished source: Arcade Fire’s Will Butler. The drama by David Adjmi, set in a 1970s recording studio, focuses on a moment of crisis for a band about to break into superstardom.
? "Patriots" (Ethel Barrymore Theatre, April 22; previews from April 1), coming to us from the West End, is Peter Morgan's timely drama about the rise of the Russian oligarchs after the collapse of the Soviet Union, as seen through the story of billionaire Boris Berezovsky (Michael Stuhlbarg).
? "Mother Play" (Hayes Theater. April 25; previews from April 2) stars Jessica Lange, Jim Parsons and Celia Keenan-Bolger in playwright Paula Vogel's drama of a mother (overbearing) and children (disaffected).
"It's wonderful that there's an opportunity for new works at this level," Bias said. "I think it's great."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Broadway 2024 season: Best spring shows coming to Great Bright Way
