For a lot of people, summer means having the time and freedom to do whatever you want. But for us theater geeks, it means one thing: a chance to see an incredible array of plays and musicals in one jam-packed season. Are you wondering which shows are worth watching this summer? Read ahead our top recommendations!
Who doesn’t love theater? With its melodramatic tics, glittering costumes and stage designs, it’s an old form of timeless entertainment that we will always adore and love. And this summer, our dear old friend has so many wonderful plays and musicals to offer. From classic renditions of our childhood favorites to witty comedies that have socio-political undertones. No matter what your tastes are, this summer, Broadway has a few magical things to offer you.
New On Broadway
We all adore watching our favorite classics retold on stage. However, sometimes, we just want something fresh and sparkly new. This summer, we’re delighted to say that Broadway is showcasing some new material by both up-and-coming and established playwrights that might just become new favorites of ours.
Straight White Men
.@2STNYC's STRAIGHT WHITE MEN opens on Broadway tonight → https://t.co/eQQXJEyN04 pic.twitter.com/qWQpdeuqZb
— TheaterMania (@theatermania) July 23, 2018
Synopsis:
“It’s Christmas Eve, and Ed has gathered his three adult sons to celebrate with matching pajamas, trash-talking and Chinese takeout. But when a question they can’t answer interrupts their holiday cheer, they are forced to confront their own identities.” – from Broadway.
Brand new on Broadway is history-maker’s Young Jean Lee‘s satirical play, “Straight White Men.” The comedy might have a predominantly-white cast, but the fact that Young is the first Asian-American woman playwright to show on Broadway makes it a history’s first. Call Me By Your Name actor Armie Hammer is in the lead role. Other notable actors performing are Stephen Payne, Josh Charles, and Paul Schneider.
“Straight White Men” will be up at Helen Hayes Theatre until Sept. 9. Click here to buy tickets.
Gettin’ the Band Back Together
Real friends will back you in your boy band any day of the year, but especially on #NationalFriendshipDay! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/lcyvk89uek
— Gettin' The Band… (@GettinTheBand) August 5, 2018
Synopsis:
Mitch Papadopolous always dreamed about being the next Bon Jovi, but he chose security over stardom and left those daydreams behind for a day job. For a while, he thought he had everything—the high paying job, the high-rise apartment—until his 40th birthday when he got handed a pink slip and had to move back in with his Mom in Sayreville, New Jersey. And when his high school arch nemesis (with a 20-year-old grudge and a tangerine spray tan) threatens to foreclose on their house, this big-shot banker must save his small-town home the only way he can… by winning The Battle of the Bands. So he dusts off his guitar, gathers his old gang (the math teacher who isn’t good at math, the Irish cop who dreams about being on Broadway, the dermatologist who can’t get a date, and a 16-year-old Jewish rapper who makes Vanilla Ice look cool), and sets out to win the battle, and maybe even win back the high school sweetheart he left behind, proving it’s never too late to give your dreams one last shot. – from Broadway
This summer, the theater gods are blessing us with another musical comedy by Tony winner John Rando with choreography by Chris Bailey. The screenplay is by Ken Davenport while music and lyrics by Mark Allen. Actor Mitchell Jarvis is in the lead role.
The play is set to open on August 13 at the Belasco Theatre. Click here to buy tickets.
Broadway Revivals
This list won’t be complete without our favorite Broadway revivals. And this summer, we have the most spectacular ensembles from all of the eras you love.
Mean Girls
We're going to let you in on a secret since we're such good friends—you can get an exclusive listen to the full #MeanGirlsBway #OBCR on @people right now! https://t.co/2GC4jIK0Vv pic.twitter.com/80dy40f3g0
— Mean Girls Broadway (@MeanGirlsBway) May 17, 2018
Synopsis
Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But, when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung. – from Broadway
And here comes something you really don’t want to miss. Anyone who was born within the last 30 years knows who Regina Spectre is and probably a couple of well-quoted lines in the movie Mean Girls as well. Truthfully, we’re all still waiting for a 10-year reunion movie or even a movie remake. But this year we’ve been blessed to get a revival in the shape of a ferociously funny new musical on Broadway. You really don’t need to know more. Just buy yourself a ticket and watch the unmissable remake.
Click here to buy tickets.
Aladdin
Hold your breath, it gets better. pic.twitter.com/CeedRAcOri
— Aladdin the Musical (@aladdin) September 11, 2016
Synopsis:
In the middle-eastern town of Agrabah, Princess Jasmine is feeling hemmed in by her father’s desire to find her a royal groom. Meanwhile, the Sultan’s right-hand man, Jafar, is plotting to take over the throne. When Jasmine sneaks out of the palace incognito, she forms an instant connection with Aladdin, a charming street urchin, and reformed thief. After being discovered together, Aladdin is sentenced to death, but Jafar saves him by ordering him to fetch a lamp from the Cave of Wonders. Where there’s a lamp, there’s a Genie, and once Aladdin unwittingly lets this one out, anything can happen! Will Aladdin’s new identity as “Prince Ali” help him win Jasmine’s heart and thwart Jafar’s evil plans? Will the Genie’s wish for freedom ever come true? – from Broadway.
Prepare yourself for a Disney-kind of magical performance with this season’s Aladdin on Broadway. With music and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Alan Menken, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin, you will surely sing along. And if the rave reviews from critics are not enough to convince you to watch the spectacle, perhaps the promise of amazing performances of Broadway veterans Arielle Jacobs and Tell Leung will.
Alladin is set to show in New Amsterdam Theatre in New York until March 2019. Click here to buy tickets.