‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: Christopher Jackson, Rita Wilson & Nia Vardalos. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Created by Eugene Pack
Developed & directed by Eugene Pack & Dayle Reyfel
Through August 16, 2026
Shubert Theatre
225 West 44th Street
https://celebrityautobiography.com/

By Scott Harrah

Originally created in 2006, Celebrity Autobiography gained a cult following through recurring engagements at the Triad Theatre Off Broadway after first being developed in Los Angeles, featuring famous actors and show-biz luminaries reading autobiographies, memoirs and poetry by other well-known entertainers. Two decades later, the show has arrived on Broadway with a rotating roster of boldface names. The show’s got a gimmick: Actors read excerpts from celebrity memoirs whose complete sincerity turns them into accidental camp. Since the celebrity lineup changes frequently, audiences should check the website or box office for current casting.

Pulp nonfiction

Bad books, like bad movies, can be unintentionally entertaining. As the late Susan Sontag wrote in Notes on “Camp,” “In naïve, or pure, Camp, the essential element is seriousness, a seriousness that fails.”

As a result, the books selected for the evening offer plenty of examples of the accidental camp Ms. Sontag described, with many of the celebrity memoir excerpts proving far funnier than their authors likely intended.

Celebrities in the readers theater roundup on opening night included morning TV talk-show icon Gayle King; Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz; Tony winner Andrea Martin; former “Saturday Night Live” stars Bobby Moynihan and Kenan Thompson; Nia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame; actresses Rita Wilson and Jackie Hoffman; Hamilton star Christopher Jackson; comedian Mario Cantone; TV actors Scott Adsit and Emmy winner Jeff Hiller; as well as Celebrity Autobiography creators Dayle Reyfel and Eugene Pack.

The cast at the performance this reviewer attended commits fully to the material and earns steady laughs from passages that often seem unintentionally ridiculous. Mr. Pack pops onstage early in the show to explain that the concept of Celebrity Autobiography was inspired by “Wheel of Fortune” star Vanna White’s 1987 memoir Vanna Speaks, in which she devotes an entire chapter to the grueling task of turning letters on the classic TV game show.

‘Reading’ the stars

Actor Scott Adsit opens the evening by reading a chapter from David Hasselhoff’s 2007 memoir Don’t Hassel the Hoff about the arduous demands of starring on Broadway in the musical Jekyll & Hyde for three months. Theater fans may remember the “Baywatch” star’s performance was savaged by critics and find the passages amusing. However, those unfamiliar with Hasselhoff’s infamous attempt at treading the boards on Broadway might not fully appreciate the unwitting humor.

Highlights include reflections on the late Neil Sedaka’s healthy food choices (and digestive issues). Jeff Hiller gets many laughs reading from one of Cher’s books about why she loves M&Ms and finds eating fruit too much work.

From Dolly to Dion

Dayle Reyfel captures the essence of Dolly Parton’s down-home humor by reading a passage from the country superstar’s memoir Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business about how she eats whatever she wants but only in small portions, chewing and savoring all the flavors and then spitting the food out. To many, this may sound like the country icon has a serious eating disorder, but Ms. Reyfel reads it with winning warmth in Ms. Parton’s bubbly Southern accent, making the concept sound lighthearted and guileless instead of disturbing.

Meanwhile, Rita Wilson is hilarious reading, in a thick French-Canadian accent, an absurd excerpt from Celine Dion’s My Story, My Dream about swimming with a manatee in a canal near her Jupiter, Florida home.

‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: Mario Cantone & Bobby Moynihan. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

Carol, Liza & Oprah

Elsewhere, Mario Cantone is outrageous as ever, reading from Carol Channing’s memoir Just Lucky, I Guess in the late star’s inimitable gravelly voice. He milks every laugh from Channing’s reflections on Barbra Streisand and a particularly memorable moment in Broadway and Hollywood history. Mr. Cantone also does spot-on impersonations of Liza Minnelli and Arnold Schwarzenegger with manic aplomb.

Jackie Hoffman elicits chuckles by reading Oprah Winfrey’s ludicrous literary ruminations about why she loves chai tea.

Kenan Thompson and Andrea Martin crack up the audience by poking glorious fun at two often-ridiculed celebrities and their books containing passages about the Louvre and the Mona Lisa in Paris. Mr. Thompson reads a vacuous, narcissistic excerpt from Justin Bieber’s First Step 2 Forever while Ms. Martin reads an equally silly passage from Kris Jenner…and All Things Kardashian.

Ben Mankiewicz mines Geraldo Rivera’s memoir Exposing Myself for nonstop laughs as the famed journalist and TV talk-show host brags about his romantic exploits. Nia Vardalos clearly relishes delivering gloriously vapid passages from Khloé Kardashian’s memoir and lifestyle book Strong Looks Better Naked. Christopher Jackson wrings every possible laugh from Type A, Ryan Seacrest’s memoir, including reflections on his love of prosciutto pizza and what he describes as the most erotic experience of his life.

‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: Kenan Thompson & Andrea Martin. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

Debbie, Eddie, Liz & Dick

Appropriately, the grand finale revisits one of Hollywood’s most infamous celebrity scandals involving Debbie Reynolds, Eddie Fisher, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Ms. Reyfel draws from Debbie Reynolds’ Unsinkable, Mr. Pack tackles Eddie Fisher’s Been There, Done That, while Rita Wilson delivers excerpts from Elizabeth Takes Off and Mr. Adsit takes on selections from The Richard Burton Diaries. Anyone familiar with the tangled relationships and tabloid frenzy surrounding the stars will appreciate how the production milks the melodrama for wild comic effect.

Direction & design

The staging is intentionally simple, with minimal set pieces and understated lighting that preserve the intimate feel of an old-school readers theater while keeping the focus squarely on the performers and the absurdity of the material.

Mr. Pack and Ms. Reyfel wisely keep the presentation simple and the pace brisk, allowing the performers and the absurdity of the source material to remain center stage. Not every selection lands equally well, however, and some of the evening’s celebrity references may resonate more with audiences old enough to remember when these personalities dominated tabloids, TV and bookstore shelves. Younger theatergoers, for instance, may be unfamiliar with books by figures like football legend Joe Namath or the late “Three’s Company” star Suzanne Somers and miss some of the humor that comes from recognizing their public personas.

Breezy summer fare

Ultimately, the cast’s total commitment keeps the evening entertaining even when the references feel dated. Much of the comedy comes not from mocking celebrities but from hearing stars describe ordinary experiences with complete sincerity and outsized importance. In that sense, Celebrity Autobiography succeeds by embracing exactly the kind of accidental camp Susan Sontag described: seriousness that somehow becomes funny.

Celebrity Autobiography is not a perfect show, but it makes for breezy, lighthearted summer entertainment for audiences eager to watch celebrities “read” the stars of the past and present.

Published May 23, 2026
Reviewed on May 18, 2026.

‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: Gayle King and Nia Vardalos (top left); Andrea Martin (top right and bottom left); Jeff Hiller (bottom right). Photos: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: Gayle King. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: (left & right) Kenan Thompson. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: Rita Wilson. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: Jackie Hoffman. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: Scott Adsitt & Rita Wilson. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY’: Dayle Reyfel, Christopher Jackson, Eugene Pack & Jackie Hoffman. Photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

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New York, NY – May 21, 2026 – Veteran theatrical press agents Heath Schwartz and Michelle Farabaugh have acquired principal ownership of Boneau/Bryan-Brown, Inc., a publicity firm with over three decades of experience serving the theater industry, rebranding the company effective June 1, 2026 as Aperture Public Relations.

Formed in 1991 by legendary press agents Chris Boneau and Adrian Bryan-Brown, who established the modern theatrical press agency model, Boneau/Bryan-Brown, Inc. has represented more than 400 theatrical productions on and off-Broadway, on national tour, and across the globe. Their campaigns have won 254 Tony Awards, 12 Pulitzer Prizes, 244 Drama Desk Awards, 178 Outer Critics Circle Awards, and countless other recognitions for clientele over more than a quarter century. A full list of the firm’s history on Broadway can be found at IBDB.

Heath Schwartz and Michelle Farabaugh, both long-time employees of Boneau/Bryan-Brown, Inc., will lead Aperture Public Relations as Partners and Co-Presidents while Adrian Bryan-Brown will continue providing client services for the new business and Chris Boneau will be an independent consultant.

The firm’s current clients include the Tony Award-winning Broadway productions Chicago, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, The Outsiders, and SIX: The Musical; off-Broadway hits Mexodus and The Play That Goes Wrong; and institutions including Atlantic Theater Company, Audible Theater, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Classic Stage Company, and Paper Mill Playhouse. The company also serves as a consultant to The Broadway Cruise, The Cape Playhouse, International Literary Properties, and Lively McCabe.

Statement from Heath Schwartz and Michelle Farabaugh

“Boneau/Bryan-Brown has long set the gold standard among entertainment communication firms, serving not only as an industry leader but as an incubator for some of the most accomplished press agents working today. As Broadway and the media landscape continue to evolve, we embrace this next chapter with intention and vision. With our trusted team, Aperture will open the lens of opportunity to what’s possible for our clients, framing new perspectives and cutting through the noise to bring their stories into sharp and compelling focus. We are deeply grateful to Chris and Adrian for their years of mentorship and for the trust they’ve placed in us to carry this legacy forward.”

Statement from Chris Boneau and Adrian Bryan-Brown

“We know Heath and Michelle are going to lead a new era in communications marketing for theatre—in New York, nationwide, and globally. With their extensive industry knowledge, experience and expertise, not only will they continue to offer timely unparallelled direction and support to the industry, but they will also drive innovation and redefine how theatre is promoted. We are so excited for the launch of Aperture.”

BIOGRAPHIES

Heath Schwartz (Partner & Co-President)

Heath Schwartz began working as a press agent at Boneau/Bryan-Brown in 2004.

Over his 22-year career, he has led campaigns for current Tony Award-winning hits Chicago, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, and The Outsiders, as well as such past shows as Mean Girls, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Elephant Man, Living on Love, Pippin, The Heiress, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Stick Fly, Follies, The House of Blue Leaves, The Motherf**ker With the Hat, Fences, Next Fall, A Little Night Music, Shrek The Musical, and more.

Other Broadway credits include the international smash hit Jersey Boys, which he opened and worked on throughout its entire 11-year Broadway run, along with Is He Dead?, The Farnsworth Invention, Frost/Nixon, The Year of Magical Thinking, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, The Drowsy Chaperone, Doubt, and more, including productions on and off-Broadway for Manhattan Theatre Club and Signature Theatre.

Heath is a Texas native and graduate of Baylor University.

Michelle Farabaugh (Partner & Co-President)

Michelle Farabaugh joined Boneau/Bryan-Brown as an intern in 2012.

In the years since, she has represented more than 160 shows on and off-Broadway, including the recent Broadway return of Mamma Mia!; the Tony Award-winning Best Plays Leopoldstadt and The Ferryman; David Byrne’s American Utopia; Mean Girls; The Notebook; Groundhog Day; Deaf West’s Spring Awakening; Here Lies Love; The Hills of California; and more.

She currently works with the Tony Award-recognized Paper Mill Playhouse and has represented Audible Theater productions since Audible’s theatrical division launched eight years ago.

She also spent ten seasons at Manhattan Theatre Club with shows including August Wilson’s Jitney, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Cost of Living, and Constellations.

Michelle sits on the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers’ Board of Governors – Press Agent Chapter and its Apprentice Committee.

She is a graduate of Villanova University and a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where a summer internship with Pittsburgh CLO cemented her decision to pursue a career in the theater.

Follow

Website: www.AperturePR.com
Instagram: @Aperture.PR

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NEW YORK—The Drama Desk Awards celebrated the best of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway theater at The Town Hall in New York City on Sunday, May 17, 2026. Hosted by Titanique star Marla Mindelle, the ceremony marked the awards’ return to the historic venue for the first time since the 2020 shutdown.

Outstanding Play

• Caroline, by Preston Max Allen
• Cold War Choir Practice, by Ro Reddick
• Meet the Cartozians, by Talene Monahon
• Prince Faggot, by Jordan Tannahill
• WINNER: The Balusters, by David Lindsay-Abaire
• The Porch on Windy Hill, by Sherry Stregack Lutken, Lisa Helmi Johanson, Morgan Morse, and David M. Lutken
• Well, I’ll Let You Go, by Bubba Weiler

Outstanding Musical

• Beau the Musical
• Mexodus
• WINNER: Schmigadoon!
• The Seat of Our Pants
• Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Outstanding Revival of a Play

• Becky Shaw
• Ceremonies in Dark Old Men
• WINNER: Death of a Salesman
• Los Soles Truncos
• Titus Andronicus
• You Got Older

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

• Amahl and the Night Visitors
• Chess
• WINNER: Ragtime
• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
• The Baker’s Wife
• The Rocky Horror Show

Additional Categories

The awards also honored performances, direction, choreography, design, music, orchestrations, adaptations, and special theatrical experiences. Productions receiving multiple awards included Ragtime, Death of a Salesman, Oedipus, Mexodus, and CATS: The Jellicle Ball.

Winner Count

5 Wins

• Ragtime

4 Wins

• Death of a Salesman
• Oedipus

3 Wins

• CATS: The Jellicle Ball
• Mexodus

2 Wins

• Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
• Kenrex
• Schmigadoon!
• The Lost Boys

1 Win

• About Time
• Amaze
• Becky Shaw
• Burnout Paradise
• Giant
• The Baker’s Wife
• The Balusters
• The Monsters
• The Porch on Windy Hill
• Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Special Awards

• A Letter To Lyndon B Johnson or God
• Initiative
• Marjorie Prime
• Masquerade
• Spread
• What If They Ate the Baby?

Source: dramadesks.com

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Longtime New York Observer columnist and celebrated entertainment journalist leaves behind a six-decade legacy in film, theater, and pop culture criticism

NEW YORK—Legendary journalist, film, and cultural critic Rex Reed died early Tuesday morning, May 12, at his home in Manhattan after a short illness. He was 87.

According to a statement from Sean Katz of Katz PR, “Legendary journalist, film, and cultural critic Rex Reed died early this morning, Tuesday, May 12, at his home in Manhattan after a short illness, surrounded by his closest loved ones. His death was confirmed by longtime friend William Kapfer.”

The statement continued: “Since the early 1960s, Mr. Reed has been known for his outspoken movie criticism and stylishly written profiles of Hollywood and Broadway icons, featured in publications ranging from The New York Times to GQ, Esquire, and Vogue, as well as for his column in the New York Observer over the last four decades. His writings were collected in numerous books, including his first, Do You Sleep in the Nude?”

Six decades of candid reviews

For more than 60 years, Mr. Reed remained one of America’s most recognizable and polarizing entertainment critics. Audiences knew him for his razor-sharp wit, flamboyant personality, and unapologetically candid reviews. As a result, he became a defining voice in film criticism during an era when critics themselves became celebrities.

Born Rex Taylor Reed on October 2, 1938, in Fort Worth, Texas, Mr. Reed graduated from Louisiana State University before moving to New York City. At first, he pursued acting. However, he soon transitioned into journalism. By the 1960s, his celebrity profiles and film criticism had earned national attention.

Throughout his career, Mr. Reed wrote for major publications including The New York Times, Esquire, GQ, and Vogue. However, he became most closely associated with the New York Observer, where his film criticism and cultural commentary appeared for decades.

In addition, Mr. Reed published several bestselling books, including Do You Sleep in the Nude?, Conversations in the Raw, People Are Crazy Here, and Valentines & Vitriol. Beyond journalism, he occasionally appeared as an actor in films such as Myra Breckinridge and Superman.

Controversial critic

Although Mr. Reed often sparked controversy with his blunt assessments and colorful remarks, even many of his detractors acknowledged the distinctive literary flair of his writing and his lasting influence on entertainment journalism.

StageZine.com publisher Scott Harrah recalled frequently seeing Mr. Reed attending Broadway press performances throughout New York City over the years.

“Rex Reed was one of the most influential critics of our lifetime,” Mr. Harrah said. “Even well into his 80s, his reviews were always witty and often spot-on and insightful.”

Mr. Reed continued writing well into his later years and maintained a visible presence in arts criticism long after many of his contemporaries retired.

He is survived by extended family members and close friends.

Sources: Information for this obituary was provided by Sean Katz of Katz PR, along with reporting and biographical information from Variety, The Observer, and Wikipedia.

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NEW YORK—The nominations for the 79th Annual Tony Awards recognize the best of Broadway from the 2025-2026 season. This year, the ceremony returns to Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7.

P!NK will host the awards, which broadcast live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ from 8:00-11:00 PM ET. For more information, visit TonyAwards.com

Below is the full list of nominations, with producer lists omitted for readability.

Full List of 2026 Tony Award Nominations

Best Book of a Musical

The Lost Boys – David Hornsby and Chris Hoch

Schmigadoon! – Cinco Paul

Titaníque – Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) – Jim Barne and Kit Buchan

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman – Music: Caroline Shaw

August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone – Music: Steve Bargonetti

The Lost Boys – Music & Lyrics: The Rescues

Schmigadoon! – Music & Lyrics: Cinco Paul

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) – Music & Lyrics: Jim Barne and Kit Buchan

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Will Harrison, Punch

Nathan Lane, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

John Lithgow, Giant

Daniel Radcliffe, Every Brilliant Thing

Mark Strong, Oedipus

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Rose Byrne, Fallen Angels

Carrie Coon, Bug

Susannah Flood, Liberation

Lesley Manville, Oedipus

Kelli O’Hara, Fallen Angels

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Nicholas Christopher, Chess

Luke Evans, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show

Joshua Henry, Ragtime

Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!

Stephanie Hsu, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show

Caissie Levy, Ragtime

Marla Mindelle, Titaníque

Christiani Pitts, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Christopher Abbott, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Danny Burstein, Marjorie Prime

Brandon J. Dirden, Waiting for Godot

Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw

Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Richard Thomas, The Balusters

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Betsy Aidem, Liberation

Marylouise Burke, The Balusters

Aya Cash, Giant

Laurie Metcalf, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

June Squibb, Marjorie Prime

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Lost Boys

André De Shields, Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Bryce Pinkham, Chess

Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime

Layton Williams, Titaníque

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Shoshana Bean, The Lost Boys

Hannah Cruz, Chess

Rachel Dratch, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show

Ana Gasteyer, Schmigadoon!

Nichelle Lewis, Ragtime

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Hildegard Bechtler, Oedipus

Takeshi Kata, Bug

Chloe Lamford, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

David Korins, Dog Day Afternoon

David Rockwell, Fallen Angels

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

dots, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show

Soutra Gilmour, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Rachel Hauck, Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys

Scott Pask, Schmigadoon!

Best Costume Design of a Play

Brenda Abbandandolo, Dog Day Afternoon

Qween Jean, Liberation

Jeff Mahshie, Fallen Angels

Emilio Sosa, The Balusters

Paul Tazewell, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Linda Cho, Ragtime

Linda Cho, Schmigadoon!

Qween Jean, Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Ryan Park, The Lost Boys

David I. Reynoso, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Isabella Byrd, Dog Day Afternoon

Natasha Chivers, Oedipus

Stacey Derosier, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Heather Gilbert, Bug

Heather Gilbert, The Fear of 13

Jack Knowles, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, Chess

Jane Cox, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show

Donald Holder, Schmigadoon!

Adam Honoré, Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Adam Honoré and Donald Holder (Lighting Design) and 59 Studio (Projection Design), Ragtime

Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys

Best Sound Design of a Play

Justin Ellington, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Tom Gibbons, Oedipus

Lee Kinney, The Fear of 13

Josh Schmidt, Bug

Mikaal Sulaiman, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Kai Harada, Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Kai Harada, Ragtime

Adam Fisher, The Lost Boys

Brian Ronan, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show

Walter Trarbach, Schmigadoon!

Best Direction of a Play

Nicholas Hytner, Giant

Robert Icke, Oedipus

Kenny Leon, The Balusters

Joe Mantello, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Whitney White, Liberation

Best Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden, The Lost Boys

Lear deBessonet, Ragtime

Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!

Tim Jackson, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Best Choreography

Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!

Ellenore Scott, Ragtime

Ani Taj, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show

Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, The Lost Boys

Best Orchestrations

Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, Schmigadoon!

Ethan Popp, Kyler England, Adrianne “AG” Gonzalez and Gabriel Mann, The Lost Boys

Lux Pyramid, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Brian Usifer, Chess

Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder and Doug Schadt, Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Best Play

The Balusters – Author: David Lindsay-Abaire

Giant – Author: Mark Rosenblatt

Liberation – Author: Bess Wohl

Little Bear Ridge Road – Author: Samuel D. Hunter

Best Musical

The Lost Boys

Schmigadoon!

Titaníque

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Best Revival of a Play

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Becky Shaw – Author: Gina Gionfriddo

Every Brilliant Thing – Author: Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe

Fallen Angels

Oedipus – Author: Robert Icke

Best Revival of a Musical

Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Ragtime

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show

Tony Nominations by Production

The Lost Boys – 12 nominations

Schmigadoon! – 12 nominations

Ragtime – 11 nominations

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman – 9 nominations

Cats: The Jellicle Ball – 9 nominations

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show – 9 nominations

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) – 8 nominations

Oedipus – 7 nominations

August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone – 5 nominations

The Balusters – 5 nominations

Chess – 5 nominations

Fallen Angels – 5 nominations

Liberation – 5 nominations

Bug – 4 nominations

Giant – 4 nominations

Titaníque – 4 nominations

Dog Day Afternoon – 3 nominations

Becky Shaw – 2 nominations

Every Brilliant Thing – 2 nominations

The Fear of 13 – 2 nominations

Marjorie Prime – 2 nominations

Little Bear Ridge Road – 1 nomination

Punch – 1 nomination

Waiting for Godot – 1 nomination

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‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’: (left to right) Amber Gray, Juliette Lewis, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez & Andrew Durand. Photo: Joan Marcus.

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
Book, music & lyrics by Richard O’Brien
Directed by Sam Pinkleton
Through November 29, 2026
Roundabout Theatre Company at Studio 54
254 West 54th Street
https://rockyhorrorshowbroadway.com/

By Scott Harrah

“Let’s do the Time Warp again!” The beloved cult classic The Rocky Horror Show returns to Broadway for the first time in 26 years. It still bursts with infectious songs and bizarre, lovable characters. Now, Tony and Olivier Award-winning director Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!) reimagines it for a new generation.

Meanwhile, the film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, just marked its 50th anniversary. Its legend comes as much from unruly midnight audiences as from Richard O’Brien’s subversive creation. Anyone who attended those screenings (including this reviewer) may feel surprised by this first Broadway revival since 2000. “It’s Live Theater, Not a Movie,” signs warn in the Studio 54 lobby. During the opening number, cast members even hold up signs that read “Don’t Be an A**hole.”

Restrained but divinely decadent new spin

This is not the cult-film free-for-all many remember. No shouted callbacks erupt. No flying props or shadow-cast antics take over. Instead, restraint drives the evening. Even so, the show remains a great deal of fun. Pinkleton delivers a sleeker, more controlled Rocky Horror. He still invites you to do the “Time Warp”…just not as loudly.

Juliette Lewis makes her Broadway debut as Magenta. The Oscar-nominated actress (Cape Fear, “Yellowjackets”) plays the demented domestic servant with a delicious edge. When she sings “Science Fiction Double Feature,” she nearly talks her way through it, and the choice lands beautifully. Her ghoulish glamour sets the tone. Throughout the show, she shifts between a punked-out French maid fantasy and a kooky usherette. As a result, the performance and her look both land somewhere between Siouxsie Sioux and a glam-rock banshee.

Brad & Janet enter a weird & wacky world

Soon, straight-laced couple Brad (Andrew Durand) and Janet (Stephanie Hsu) run into car trouble. They search for a telephone and stumble upon the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Luke Evans). Then, the eerie Riff Raff (Amber Gray), a Nosferatu-style hunchback, answers the door. He pulls them into a world of seduction and self-discovery. With bold contemporary casting, the revival goes further into the weird, the wacky, and the gleefully gender-bending.

Inside, the couple meets a string of eccentrics. Each proves stranger than the last. There is the twitchy Riff Raff, Magenta, and the quirky, unhinged groupie Columbia (Michaela Jaé Rodriguez). All remain loyal to their flamboyant master. That master, of course, is Dr. Frank-N-Furter. He presides over the chaos with total authority. Soon enough, he unveils his latest creation: Rocky (Josh Rivera), a musclebound creature built for pleasure.

At first, Brad and Janet simply want help. However, the night quickly spirals into sexual awakening, blurred identities, and rising tension. As the castle’s inhabitants draw them deeper inside, the story turns increasingly surreal. Unexpected arrivals shift loyalties. Gradually, something sinister emerges beneath the surface. In the end, the couple plunges far beyond its comfort zone and into a free-fall of anything-goes sexuality and mayhem.

Controlled chaos

Here, director Sam Pinkleton blends genres with confidence. The show feels part creature feature, part alien invasion flick, and part rock ’n’ roll fever dream. He mixes everything into a glitter-drenched, gender-bending fantasia. At the same time, he maintains tight control. His staging favors precision over audience chaos, and it works.

Design elements support that vision. Dot leans into a retro B-movie aesthetic with heightened flair. David I. Reynoso’s costumes carry much of the storytelling. They swing between kitschy excess and sleek glamour. Meanwhile, the staging keeps everything moving at a brisk, almost cinematic pace.

Killer performances

The cast commits fully, and their killer performances drive the night.

Luke Evans commands the stage from his first entrance. His Frank-N-Furter feels as camp as Christmas, yet something sharper lurks underneath. He pushes the role further than Tim Curry’s iconic take while keeping it distinctly authentic. When he launches into “Sweet Transvestite,” he owns the room. He moves with seductive swagger and total confidence. In that moment, he embodies “Don’t dream it, be it” without slipping into caricature.

Andrew Durand grounds Brad with clean-cut sincerity. Even as chaos builds, he keeps the character rooted. Stephanie Hsu brings Janet to life with bright, searching energy. Each shift in her performance registers clearly, and her powerful vocals soar with glee.

Amber Gray delivers a striking Riff Raff. She pairs eerie physicality with a surprisingly beautiful voice. Meanwhile, Juliette Lewis continues to haunt the edges of scenes. Her watchful, conspiratorial presence adds unpredictability.

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (TV’s “Pose”) reshapes Columbia into something darker yet grounded. She strips away the “cutesy” edges and finds a quieter strength. Josh Rivera plays Rocky with playful charm rather than brute force, which adds warmth. Harvey Guillén as Eddie/Dr. Scott and various ensemble actors add energy to the production. Finally, Rachel Dratch anchors the evening as narrator. Her droll delivery and winking irony keep the show self-aware without slowing it down.

Sinful splendor

Ultimately, this Rocky Horror feels more restrained than its midnight-movie counterpart. Still, it remains wildly entertaining. Sam Pinkleton celebrates liberation and self-expression, even as he asks audiences to behave just a bit better. The result is a decadent delight, and an evening of sinful splendor for longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Published May 3, 2026
Reviewed at press performance on May 1, 2026.

‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’: (left to right) Juliette Lewis, Andrew Durand, Stephanie Hsu & Amber Gray. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’: (left to right) Larkin Reilly, Stephanie Hsu, Andrew Durand & Caleb Quezon. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’: Luke Evans & Josh Rivera. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’: Luke Evans. Photo: Sarah Krulwich/The New York Times/Redux.

‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’: Rachel Dratch. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’: (left to right) Stephanie Hsu, Paul Soileau, Harvey Guillén, Caleb Quezon & Larkin Reilly. Photo: Joan Marcus.

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NEW YORK—The 70th Annual Drama Desk Awards nominations are here, highlighting the best of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway from the 2025–2026 season. The ceremony returns on Sunday, May 17 at 7:30 PM at The Town Hall in New York City. Notably, this marks the first time the awards return to the venue since the 2020 shutdown. Raúl Esparza and Helen J. Shen announced this year’s nominees at The Lambs.

Leading nominations

Beau the Musical and Mexodus lead the field with 10 nominations each. Meanwhile, The Seat of Our Pants follows with nine. Ragtime and The Balusters each earned eight nominations.

Top categories

Outstanding Musical nominees include Beau the Musical, Mexodus, Schmigadoon!, The Seat of Our Pants, and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). Outstanding Play nominees include The Balusters, Prince Faggot, Caroline, Cold War Choir Practice, and Meet the Cartozians. Revival contenders include Death of a Salesman, Becky Shaw, Ragtime, and The Rocky Horror Show.

Performance highlights

Notable acting nominees include Nathan Lane, Laurie Metcalf, Kara Young, Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, and Amber Iman.

Full list of categories and nominations

See below for the complete list of nominees across major categories, followed by productions with multiple nominations.

Outstanding Play: Caroline; Cold War Choir Practice; Meet the Cartozians; Prince Faggot; The Balusters; The Porch on Windy Hill; Well, I’ll Let You Go.
Outstanding Musical: Beau the Musical; Mexodus; Schmigadoon!; The Seat of Our Pants; Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).
Outstanding Revival of a Play: Becky Shaw; Ceremonies in Dark Old Men; Death of a Salesman; Titus Andronicus; You Got Older.
Outstanding Revival of a Musical: Ragtime; The Baker’s Wife; The Rocky Horror Show; Chess; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Productions with multiple nominations

10 nominations: Beau the Musical; Mexodus
9 nominations: The Seat of Our Pants
8 nominations: Ragtime; The Balusters
7 nominations: The Baker’s Wife
6 nominations: Death of a Salesman; The Rocky Horror Show
5 nominations: The Lost Boys; Well, I’ll Let You Go
4 nominations: Becky Shaw; CATS: The Jellicle Ball; Goddess; Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole; Oedipus; Schmigadoon!; Spelling Bee; Titus Andronicus

Ticket and website information

Tickets for the ceremony are now available to the public. Visit www.DramaDesks.com for more information and to purchase tickets. A limited number of tickets are also available via Ticketmaster.

2026 Drama Desk Awards: Full nominations list 

Outstanding Play

Caroline

Cold War Choir Practice

Meet the Cartozians

Prince Faggot

The Balusters

The Porch on Windy Hill

Well, I’ll Let You Go

Outstanding Musical

Beau the Musical

Mexodus

Schmigadoon!

The Seat of Our Pants

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Outstanding Revival of a Play

Becky Shaw

Ceremonies in Dark Old Men

Death of a Salesman

Los Soles Truncos

Titus Andronicus

You Got Older

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Amahl and the Night Visitors

Chess

Ragtime

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

The Baker’s Wife

The Rocky Horror Show

Lead Performance in a Play

Quincy Tyler Bernstine – Well, I’ll Let You Go

Noah Galvin – The Reservoir

John Krasinski – Angry Alan

Nathan Lane – Death of a Salesman

Laurie Metcalf – Death of a Salesman

Kara Young – Gruesome Playground Injuries

Lead Performance in a Musical

Joshua Henry – Ragtime

Caissie Levy – Ragtime

Amber Iman – Goddess

Brian Quijada – Mexodus

Sam Tutty – Two Strangers

Brandon Uranowitz – Ragtime

Featured Performance in a Play

Linda Emond – Becky Shaw

Alden Ehrenreich – Becky Shaw

David Greenspan – Prince Faggot

Richard Thomas – The Balusters

Featured Performance in a Musical

Stephanie Hsu – The Rocky Horror Show

Judy Kuhn – The Baker’s Wife

Ruthie Ann Miles – The Seat of Our Pants

Layton Williams – Titanique

Direction of a Play

Trip Cullman – Becky Shaw

Kenny Leon – The Balusters

Joe Mantello – Death of a Salesman

Direction of a Musical

Lear deBessonet – Ragtime

David Mendizábal – Mexodus

Leigh Silverman – The Seat of Our Pants

Choreography

Christopher Gattelli – Schmigadoon!

Omari Wiles – CATS: The Jellicle Ball

Music

Ethan Lipton – The Seat of Our Pants

Douglas Lyons – Beau the Musical

Quijada & Robinson – Mexodus

Lyrics

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

The Seat of Our Pants

Mexodus

Book of a Musical

Beau the Musical

The Seat of Our Pants

Mexodus

Productions with multiple nominations

10: Beau the Musical; Mexodus

9: The Seat of Our Pants

8: Ragtime; The Balusters

7: The Baker’s Wife

6: Death of a Salesman; The Rocky Horror Show

5: The Lost Boys; Well, I’ll Let You Go

The post 2025-2026 Drama Desk Awards nominations announced appeared first on StageZine.

‘FALLEN ANGELS’: Kelli O’Hara, Mark Consuelos & Rose Byrne. Photo: Joan Marcus.

FALLEN ANGELS
By Noël Coward
Directed by Scott Ellis
Through June 7, 2026
Roundabout Theatre Company
Todd Haimes Theatre
227 West 42^nd St.
https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/2025-2026-season/fallen-angels/performance

By Scott Harrah

Broadway veteran Kelli O’Hara and Oscar nominee Rose Byrne are a hilarious dynamic duo as two booze-swilling best friends in this knockout revival of Noël Coward’s 1928 comedy Fallen Angels.

Mr. Coward’s play hasn’t been on Broadway since 1956. That production featured a revised script by Mr. Coward, moved the story from London to New York, and starred Nancy Walker.

Now, 70 years later, Fallen Angels returns in its original form as a sophisticated, zany farce set in a posh London apartment. Julia (Kelli O’Hara) and Jane (Rose Byrne) are two wealthy society women who spend a girls’ night swilling champagne and dishing about everything from their husbands to a former lover with whom they both allegedly had an affair. While their husbands are away on a golf trip, the two best friends discuss the impending arrival of former French lover Maurice (Mark Consuelos) and argue over whether to stay in London and face him or leave town entirely.

As they slowly get drunk on champagne, they reflect on whether they are still happy in their marriages. They grow increasingly competitive and revealing as they become more inebriated. Watching Ms. O’Hara and Ms. Byrne’s comic chemistry is completely riveting and consistently hilarious.

Comic masterclass

Ms. O’Hara is best known for playing leading ladies in musical theater and serious dramas. She received a Tony nomination in 2024 for her portrayal of struggling alcoholic Kirsten Arnesen in Days of Wine and Roses. As Julia, Ms. O’Hara plays a more lovable drunk who may remind some of Edina Monsoon in the 1990s BBC Brit-com “Absolutely Fabulous.” She delivers Edina-style physical pratfalls, juggling cigarettes and champagne, pacing nervously, and falling into furniture.

Ms. Byrne received an Oscar nomination this year for playing Linda in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, a disturbing drama about a psychotherapist unable to cope with caring for a daughter with a severe pediatric feeding disorder. She is also renowned for her work in the blockbuster comedies Bridesmaids, Neighbors, and Spy. As Jane, Ms. Byrne is more impulsive than her friend. She staggers and flings herself across the room with a mix of excitement and hysteria. Every emotion manifests physically as she drinks, like a more refined version of Patsy Stone in “Absolutely Fabulous.” Ms. Byrne brings a sense of elegance and cosmopolitan wit to the character of Jane. Both Ms. Byrne and Ms. O’Hara have a harmonic rapport onstage. They truly seem like two friends having a blast together.

Fallen Angels is a classic comedy by Noël Coward, steeped in posh, Art Deco elegance. Nearly a century later, it still sparkles, thanks largely to the electrifying performances of Kelli O’Hara and Rose Byrne. Both actresses lean fully into Coward’s champagne-soaked farce, playing society women who go off the rails into giddy, uninhibited chaos. Ms. O’Hara reveals a dazzling comic edge as Julia, tossing off physical gags with precision while steadily descending into deliciously sloppy drunkenness. Ms. Byrne matches her beat for beat, and together they create a whirlwind of impeccable timing and gleeful excess.

Coward’s world

Noël Coward’s world is one of polished surfaces and carefully curated appearances, where even a casual remark carries weight. He peppers the dialogue with references to London neighborhoods and fashionable destinations, using geography as a sly marker of class and taste. A passing mention of a hotel in Bayswater signals status, aspiration, and the subtle hierarchies that define these characters’ lives. The joke lands differently depending on what you know, but it always lands.

Julia and Jane aren’t the only ones getting laughs in this evening of excess. Tracee Chimo plays the lovable maid Saunders, often serving as a deadpan counterpoint to their antics. Saunders loves to interrupt the ladies with long-winded, often irrelevant anecdotes. She also boasts about how knowledgeable and worldly she is, citing her work with the Red Cross, the Foreign Legion, concert pianists, and countless aristocrats.

Saunders also hilariously condones the duo’s drinking. “Several drinks never do any harm,” she quips. “It is only the first which is dangerous, after that the damage is done.”

Later, when Jane mentions a hotel in Bayswater, it’s not simply a generic line. Mr. Coward plays the same game “Absolutely Fabulous” perfected decades later, using London neighborhoods like Shepherd’s Bush and Holland Park as a wink to those in the know and a subtle dig at social climbing for everyone else.

When the men arrive

Julia and Jane’s husbands Fred (Aasif Mandvi) and Willy (Christopher Fitzgerald) soon come home and instantly know things aren’t normal. The apartment is a mess, and both women try far too hard to appear sober, insisting that everything is fine and nothing out of the ordinary transpired.

Maurice soon arrives and chaos ensues. He is now much older and less handsome than the women remember. (Mark Consuelos, of course, is still very dashing and attractive in real life and he’s perfect as Maurice.) Julia and Jane realize they have risked their marriages for nothing.

Both husbands grow suspicious as they try to figure out what really happened, while the wives attempt to do damage control.

Direction & design

Scott Ellis directs this gifted ensemble with skillful precision, allowing each actor to shine. The set design by David Rockwell is gorgeous, and Jeff Mahshie’s period costumes are stunning, particularly those for the leading ladies. Noël Coward’s comedies are best known for sending up the shortcomings of the British upper classes with razor-sharp dialogue. One could argue that Mr. Coward is not known for plays that are slapstick-driven vehicles. However, in Fallen Angels, the physical chaos really is the story. Watching the two women come unglued before pulling themselves together is what makes the show so much fun.

Aasif Mandvi, Christopher Fitzgerald, and Mark Consuelos provide strong comic support in less showy roles. The three men help give the farce just enough structure as everything spirals delightfully out of control. Fallen Angels is an effervescent, bubbly comedy and one of the best revivals of a Noël Coward play in many years.

Published April 26, 2026
Reviewed at press performance on April 23, 2026.

‘FALLEN ANGELS’: Christopher Fitzgerald, Mark Consuelos & Aasif Mandvi. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘FALLEN ANGELS’: Tracee Chimo & Aasif Mandvi. Photo: Joan Marcus.

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‘SCHMIGADOON!’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

SCHMIGADOON!
Book, music & lyrics by Cinco Paul
Based on the Apple TV+ series “Schmigadoon!” co-created by Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio
Directed & choreographed by Christopher Gattelli
Through January 3, 2027
Nederlander Theatre
208 West 41st St.
https://schmigadoonbroadway.com/

By Scott Harrah

No, this isn’t another revival of Brigadoon. Schmigadoon! affectionately goofs on the Golden Age of Broadway with a snarky, modern sense of humor.

Schmigadoon! is based on the 2021 Apple TV+ series co-created by Cinco Paul. The show draws inspiration from classic Broadway musicals, including Brigadoon. That original property later became a 1954 film directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Gene Kelly.  It follows two New Yorkers who stumble upon a mystical Scottish village that appears once every 100 years.

However, don’t come to this must-see show expecting anything remotely like the original. Instead, Schmigadoon! delivers a colorful, feel-good send-up of Brigadoon and countless classic musicals of yesteryear. It’s consistently funny, and it ranks among the season’s best new musicals.

In this version, the stage adaptation resets the premise with a modern twist. It relocates the action to a fictional town somewhere in North America rather than Scotland. At the center is a New York couple with romantic problems. Josh (Alex Brightman) is a sarcastic doctor with commitment issues, while his girlfriend Melissa (Sara Chase) wants something more. Soon, they’re transported to a strange town where everything seems picture-perfect at first. However, appearances quickly prove deceptive.

Schmigadoon is a make-believe town that blends elements from many classic Broadway musicals. Here, characters burst into high-spirited, emotional production numbers in technicolor style. Before long, Josh and Melissa learn the rules: no one can leave this idyllic place until they find “true love.” Naturally, things get complicated. Both are tempted by beguiling locals. As a result, the town’s charm begins to expose the cracks in their relationship.

‘SCHMIGADOON!’ Ana Gasteyer (center) & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

The townsfolk

The town’s filled with characters who serve as affectionate composites of vintage Broadway musical archetypes.

For example, Mildred Layton (Ana Gasteyer), the preacher’s wife, parodies Eulalie Shinn from The Music Man. She claims her great-great-grandfather founded the town. As a result, she sees herself as the ultimate arbiter of morality. She expects everyone to be as pious, righteous, and holier-than-thou as she is—or else.

Elsewhere, schoolteacher Emma Tate (Isabelle McCalla) is a dead ringer for Marian the librarian from The Music Man. Meanwhile, Danny Bailey (Max Clayton) is a charismatic yet destructive carnival barker modeled after Billy Bigelow in Carousel. Betsy (McKenzie Kurtz) is an innocent, guy-crazy farm girl who blends traits of Ado Annie from Oklahoma! with one of Farmer McDonough’s seven daughters in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Finally, Mayor Menlove (Brad Oscar) and his doting wife Florence (Ann Harada) appear to be the perfect couple. In reality, theirs is a “lavender” marriage.

Direction, design & score

Director and choreographer Christopher Gattelli keeps the action moving briskly, staging the musical numbers with energy and precision. Meanwhile, visually, the production embraces a vibrant, color-saturated aesthetic, with sets and costumes that gently poke fun at the originals. This reviewer hasn’t seen all the musicals Schmigadoon makes fun of, and I don’t think others need to either. The musical is funny enough on its own even for those who haven’t seen many of the golden oldies.

The score is where Schmigadoon! really shines. The full-company opening number, “Schmigadoon,” cleverly goofs on Oklahoma! and immediately sets the tone. “Corn Puddin’,” a hilarious send-up of Carousel’s clambake, is a comic highlight, while “With All of Your Heart” affectionately winks at “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music. In Act Two, Ana Gasteyer ignites the crowd with “Tribulation,” a showstopping number in which she revels in the town’s moral decay with sanctimonious glee while showcasing her powerhouse vocals. At times, the humor’s broad, but the show’s craft and sheer enthusiasm keep it consistently entertaining.

As in any parody, not every joke lands. Some of the humor plays it too safe and may click most with audiences familiar with the classic musicals being mocked. Still, the show delivers plenty of universal comic gems, including an “interfaith” bake sale featuring goods from Presbyterians and Methodists. Sight gags like this artfully highlight just how homogenized and delightfully “white bread” the town really is.

The players

Alex Brightman embraces Josh’s cynicism with sharp comic timing, grounding the show’s more absurd elements. Sara Chase provides a warm and appealing counterbalance, giving Melissa emotional clarity even as the world around her spirals into musical fantasy.

Ana Gasteyer, however, is the standout. As the show’s deliciously wicked villain, she delivers a campy, over-the-top performance that may remind some of Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians. She’s outrageously cruel and hilariously self-righteous, fully embracing the role’s heightened style. Her Act Two showstopper “Tribulation” elicits thunderous applause, blending trenchant satire with powerhouse vocals. It’s the kind of unforgettable performance that should put her firmly in the conversation this awards season.

The supporting cast is uniformly strong, fully committing to the show’s stylized world and musical pastiche.

Ultimately, Schmigadoon! delivers big laughs and sharp, skewering humor, emerging as a high-octane standout of the season’s new musicals.

Published April 25, 2026
Reviewed at press performance on April 22, 2026.

‘SCHMIGADOON!’ Sara Chase, McKenzie Kurtz, Brad Oscar, Alex Brightman & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SCHMIGADOON!’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SCHMIGADOON!’: Isabelle McCalla & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SCHMIGADOON!’: Sara Chase & Ann Harada. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SCHMIGADOON!’: Sara Chase & Max Clayton. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SCHMIGADOON!’: Brad Oscar & Maullik Pancholy. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SCHMIGADOON!’: Alex Brightman & McKenzie Kurtz. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SCHMIGADOON!’: Alex Brightman & Ayaan Diop. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

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‘BEACHES’: Kelli Barrett & Jessica Vosk. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

BEACHES: A NEW MUSICAL
Book by Iris Rainer Dart & Thom Thomas
Music by Mike Stoller
Lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart
Directed by Lonny Price & Matt Cowart
Through May 24, 2026
Majestic Theatre
245 W 44th St.
https://beachesthemusical.com/

By Scott Harrah

The beloved 1988 hit “chick flick” Beaches, starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey, arrives on Broadway as a new musical. Composer Mike Stoller provides the score, while Iris Rainer Dart returns to write the book and lyrics. The film was a box-office blockbuster. However, does this adaptation hold up, and does the story still resonate nearly 40 years later?

An iconic film like Beaches does not need reinvention. It needs restraint. The musical closely follows the original emotional blueprint. It traces a lifelong friendship shaped by ambition, class differences, loyalty, and loss. As a result, longtime fans will find much that feels familiar. At the same time, the show offers enough theatricality and vocal power to engage new audiences. Still, the shift from cinematic intimacy to stage spectacle raises a key question: Can a quiet, deeply personal story sustain itself when the emotions must carry the narrative through song?

Beaches follows more than 30 years of friendship between Cee Cee Bloom (Jessica Vosk) and Bertie White (Kelli Barrett). Cee Cee is brassy and ambitious. Bertie is shy and comes from a wealthy, conservative family.

Under the boardwalk

As in the film, the story chronicles the two women from a childhood meeting on the Atlantic City boardwalk through years of letters, reunions, and diverging paths. Cee Cee pursues show business with relentless drive. Meanwhile, Bertie searches for identity beyond her family’s expectations. She dreams of becoming a lawyer and navigates love, marriage, and motherhood.

Scenes featuring the younger versions of Cee Cee and Bertie stand out. Mayim Bialik famously got her start as Little Cee Cee. Here, Samantha Schwartz and Zeya Grace deliver engaging performances. The young actors feel natural and well-cast. As a result, they ground the early scenes with warmth and authenticity. However, from a mid-orchestra seat, some dialogue and lyrics are difficult to understand.

As the years pass, the two women drift together and apart. Their friendship reflects ambition, circumstance, and the different lives they choose. Cee Cee remains driven by her career. In contrast, Bertie seeks stability while wrestling with her own sense of identity.

Mama’s girls

Both women feel the strong influence of their mothers. Leona (Sarah Bockel), Cee Cee’s mother, is flashy and boisterous. She favors garish clothes and Yiddish-inflected humor. She is like a Jewish Mama Rose, pushing her daughter toward stardom at any cost. Meanwhile, Bertie’s mother Rose (Lael Van Keuren) is the quintessential patrician “WASP,” controlling and icy. She dismisses Cee Cee as “vulgar” and insists Bertie marry well. Ms. Bockel delivers strong comic energy. At the same time, Ms. Van Keuren gives the role a haughty, imperious edge.

The relationship between Cee Cee and Bertie cycles through closeness and conflict. Long stretches of separation follow. Letters and reunions reconnect them. Ultimately, the story leans into sentimentality in its final act. The emotional arc feels familiar. Its success depends on how well the production earns those moments.

‘BEACHES’: Jessica Vosk & cast. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

The old razzle-dazzle

The show opens with Cee Cee’s TV variety-show number, “You Believe in Me.” Jessica Vosk belts the song alongside backup singers. The staging recalls Bette Midler’s early work with the Harlettes. It also evokes the glossy look of “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.” Iris Rainer Dart once wrote for that series, which makes the reference feel intentional. The number sets a razzle-dazzle theatrical tone from the start.

Vosk commands the stage immediately. She delivers powerhouse vocals and a brassy confidence that fits Cee Cee perfectly.

Star turns & spotlight moments

Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett anchor the show. Both bring strong acting chops and emotional weight. Their voices are powerful and expressive. Songs like “My Best” highlight their range and control.

Brent Thiessen plays John Perry with charm and complexity. He creates a character who attracts and unsettles Bertie. Ben Jacoby plays Michael Barron, the wealthy suitor favored by Bertie’s mother. He represents the “appropriate” match she expects.

Where it washes ashore

Lonny Price and Matt Cowart direct the production. The show runs over two and a half hours with an intermission. As a result, it feels long, especially in the first act. The directors extract strong performances from the cast. However, the material would benefit from tighter editing. Several scenes and songs could be trimmed.

The adaptation stays faithful to its source. It delivers the expected emotional beats. Still, the heavy use of flashbacks creates challenges. Onstage, time shifts feel abrupt at times. The musical feels more like a translation than a reinvention. The episodic structure across the years seems rushed, a problem that is common with epic films turned into musicals.

The show also reflects a familiar creative pattern. Iris Rainer Dart’s earlier 2011 World War II musical, The People in the Picture, used similar themes. Both works blend memory, humor, tragedy, and Jewish cultural identity. At times, sentimentality dominates. The tone feels heightened, with emotions pushed beyond what the material earns.

The finale, set to “Wind Beneath My Wings,” embraces spectacle. The staging is visually striking and slightly camp in a fun way. Multiple versions of Cee Cee and Bertie appear together, including the younger performers. The moment is a crowd-pleaser. However, a tighter journey would make the payoff stronger. Beaches is a fun musical that makes waves but struggles to stay afloat.

Published April 22, 2026
Reviewed at press preview on April 17, 2026.

‘BEACHES’: Jessica Vosk & Kelli Barrett. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘BEACHES’: Jessica Vosk & Kelli Barrett. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘BEACHES’: Zeya Grace (left) & Samantha Schwartz. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘BEACHES’: Jessica Vosk. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘BEACHES’: Kelli Barrett. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘BEACHES’: Brent Thiessen & Ben Jacoby. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘BEACHES’: Kelli Barrett (center) & cast. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

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