Our Guide to Broadway's Coolest Shows, AKA Your Must-See List Next Time You're in NYC
Fall is officially upon us, and along with a new wardrobe of cute clothes (and more pumpkin spice than we know what to do with) comes a slew of must-see Broadway shows. If you're planning a trip to the Big Apple this autumn, do yourself a favor and catch at least one of the best acts of the season, which might even mean you'll get to see your favorite movie stars IRL (cough Ron Weasley cough). All we'll say is this: When you put Rupert Grint and Matthew Broderick on a stage, magic happens—and now's your chance to nab a front row seat.
Click through the slideshow above to find out which productions to watch when you're in NYC, then be sure to let us know if you already have scored tickets down in the comments!
Photo: Courtesy of This Is Our Youth1/10This Is Our Youth
Where: Cort Theater
Starring: Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin, and Tavi Gevinson
If you haven’t already heard about this ’80s era coming-of-age story, we’re here to tell you to snag tickets while you still can. The charming play chronicles two days in the lives of three teen friends played by Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin, and Tavi Gevinson (talk about a dream team!). One part poignant and one million parts hilarious, This Is Our Youth is at the top of our list for a reason.
Photo: Courtesy of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella2/10Holiday break trip, anyone?
Photo: Courtesy of This Is Our Youth3/10Kinky Boots
Where: The Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Starring: Billy Porter, Andy Kelso, Jeanna De Waal, Daniel Stewart Sherman, Cortney Wolfson, and Marcus Neville
Are you a fan of Cindy Lauper's classic hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"? Join the club, and while you're at it, check out Kinky Boots because Cindy wrote the original score—and won a Tony to boot! (See what we did there?) Inspired by a true story, this unmissable show is about a struggling shoe shop owner who partners with a drag queen and turns his business around by selling—you guessed it—kinky boots.
Photo: Courtesy of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time4/10The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Where: Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Starring: Alexander Sharp, Ian Barford, Helen Carey, Francesca Faridany, Enid Graham, Jocelyn Bioh, Mercedes Herrero, Richard Hollis, Ben Horner, and David Manis
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is about an autistic teen named Christopher who's accused of killing his neighbor's dog. Intrigued? It gets weirder. As Christopher attempts to find out the truth, he stumbles upon surprising mysteries and comes to terms with his own treasure-trove of family secrets. The production's stint in London had amazing reviews, so you can definitely expect great things in New York City as well.
Photo: Courtesy of Les Misérables5/10Les Misérables
Where: Imperial Theatre
Starring: Ramin Karimloo, Will Swenson, Caissie Levy, Nikki M. James, Andy Mientus, and Samantha Hill
If you sobbed your way through the film adaptation of Les Misérables (guilty!), you're in for some major ugly-crying during the show's Broadway revival. Les Mis has everything you could hope for in a musical: Great acting, a beautiful score, and the highly-addictive song "I Dreamed a Dream." It's a triple win!
Photo: Courtesy of The Book of Mormon6/10The Book of Mormon
Where: Eugene O’Neill Theatre
Starring: Ben Platt, Nikki Renée Daniels, Grey Henson, Daniel Breaker, Lewis Cleale, and Derrick Williams
The New York Times called The Book of Mormon "the best musical of this century," and we’re right there with them. The show will have you hysterical with laughter (for an accurate description, just picture the cry-laughing emoji), which is hardly a surprise given that it’s a satire from the creators of South Park. Need we say more? OK fine, it also won nine Tony Awards and a Grammy. And it stars Ben Platt, who you’ll remember as the lovable Benji from Pitch Perfect. We’re done now, promise.
Photo: Courtesy of You Can't Take It With You7/10You Can't Take It With You
Where: Longacre Theatre
Starring: James Earl Jones, Rose Byrne, Annaleigh Ashford, and Kristine Nielsen
Loved Rose Byrne in Bridesmaids? Well she and James Earl Jones are bringing their A-game to the stage with an all-star cast in one of the most popular shows of all time. No, seriously: You Can't Take It With You is a cult favorite. This three-act play is about America's first wacky family (AKA The Sycamores), and it won a Pulitzer Prize. If oddball Manhattanites, stellar acting, and stray kittens are your thing, you've come to the right place.
Photo: Courtesy of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella8/10Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Where: Broadway Theatre
Starring: Keke Palmer, Joe Carroll, Peter Bartlett, Todd Buonopane, Stephanie Gibson, Ann Harada, Judy Kaye, NeNe Leakes, and Sherri Shepherd
Keke Palmer, Nene Leakes, and Sherri Shepherd are taking this classic fairy tale by storm, and their performances are out-of-this-world fantastic. Not only does Keke shine as Ella, but Sherri makes a pretty great evil stepmother. And here are our exclusive behind-the-scenes pics to prove it!
Photo: Courtesy of The Lion King9/10The Lion King
Where: Minskoff Theatre
Starring: Gareth Sa, Alton Fitzgerald White, Nteliseng Nkhela, Jeffrey Kuhn, Ben Jeffrey, Fred Berman, Aaron Nelson, Chantel Riley, James Brown-Orleans, Bonita J. Hamilton, and Enrique Segura
At this point, The Lion King is a Broadway legend, and no trip to New York City is complete without seeing it. The show is absolutely majestic and flawless in every way: Let's just say there's a reason it just broke the box office record! How can you go wrong with a musical about a lion who makes friends with a warthog? Answer: You can't.
Photo: Courtesy of It's Only a Play10/10It's Only a Play
Where: Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Stockard Channing, Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally, Rupert Grint, and Micah Stock
Can you believe this insanely talented cast? As far as we're concerned, the only thing that could make this powerhouse show better would be if Rupert Grint wore his Harry Potter robes throughout the entire production. Chances are you'd buy tickets just to sit in the same room as these A-listers (Ron Weasley, guys!), but the fact that It's Only a Play is an absolutely hilarious take on what goes on behind the scenes at the theater makes it even more unmissable.
