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Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is April 20, 2026 and it’s time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed over the weekend:
Good morning, Broadway fans! Start your day with a delightful look at BroadwayWorld’s latest highlights. Get a sneak peek at stunning production photos from Schmigadoon! on Broadway featuring Alex Brightman and Sara Chase. Dive into a breakdown of the exciting 2025/26 Broadway season as we gear up for award time with Breaking Down the 2025/26 Broadway Season. Meanwhile, check out the dazzling photos of Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara in Fallen Angels. Don’t miss the exclusive video of a scene from Becky Shaw on Broadway, and get wowed by Nicholas Christopher’s showstopping note in CHESS. Plus, see photos from Lea Michele’s Sardi’s portrait unveiling!
But first…
Tuesday, April 21
2026 Outer Critics Circle nominations announced
The Balusters opens on Broadway
Wednesday, April 22
Beaches opens on Broadway
Thursday, April 23
The Rocky Horror Show opens on Broadway
Saturday, February 25
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone opens on Broadway
Sunday, February 26
The Lost Boys opens on Broadway
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Breaking Down the 2025/26 Broadway Season The 2025/26 Broadway season is slowly coming to a close, and what a season it has been! Audiences have enjoyed a ton of exciting performances over the past twelve months, and with awards season now upon us, we’re looking back at how this year’s productions add up and compare to seasons past.
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Exclusive: Watch a Scene from BECKY SHAW on Broadway
by Nicole Rosky
! Becky Shaw is now in performances at Second Stage’s Hayes Theater on Broadway, where it is running through June 14, 2026. BroadwayWorld is very excited to bring you an exclusive clip from the first scene of the show! Watch in this video.. (more…)
Jason Robert Brown’s THE CONNECTOR Is Now Available to License
by Nicole Rosky
Music Theatre International just announced the licensing availability of The Connector, featuring a book by Jonathan Marc Sherman, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, and conceived by director Daisy Prince.. (more…)
South Korean Theaters Are Using AI Glasses to Break the Language Barrier
by Joshua Wright
Korean pop music, film and TV have already conquered the world. Now, a handful of theater producers in Seoul are asking whether live performance can be next – and they’re betting on AI-powered smart glasses to get there.. (more…)
Puppeteer James Ortiz to be Honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition
by Josh Sharpe
Drama Desk-winning puppeteer James Ortiz will receive the Artistic Excellence Impact Award from The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) for his voice performance and puppetry as ‘Rocky’ in Project Hail Mary.. (more…)
The Licensing House Acquires Rights to FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME—THE FOREIGNER MUSICAL
by Stephi Wild
The Licensing House has acquired exclusive worldwide licensing rights to FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME—THE FOREIGNER MUSICAL, a jukebox musical featuring Foreigner hits, as the show makes its world-premiere debut directed by Tony nominee Adam Pascal.. (more…)
Guillermo Diaz, Barrett Foa and Rory O’Malley to Lead LA Reading of PURE GLITTER
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Celebration Theatre will present a one-night-only staged reading of Douglas Lyons’ Pure Glitter at the Renberg Theatre, featuring Guillermo Diaz, Rory O’Malley, and Chris Renfro as part of the WeHo Pride Arts Festival.. (more…)
Why Two River Theatre Is Shifting to 7:30 PM Curtains
by Guest Author
Not long ago, I found myself doing that familiar pre-theater math: watching the clock at the end of the workday, checking train times, wondering if there was time to grab a quick dinner, and thinking, “Can I actually make this curtain without it feeling rushed?” It is a small thing, but it can make the difference between a great night out and a stressful one. . (more…)
Joanne Akalaitis to be Honored With SDCF Gordon Davidson Award for Lifetime Achievement
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation has named acclaimed director JoAnne Akalaitis as the recipient of its 2025 Gordon Davidson Award, recognizing her lifetime achievement and enduring impact on the national nonprofit theatre landscape. . (more…)
Review Roundup: AVENUE Q Returns to The West End
by Aliya Al-Hassan
On Avenue Q, puppets and people intermingle in this show about the trials and tribulations of life as a grown-up: love, sex, money, race, and how to tell your roommate he’s gay. After two decades, the three-time Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q has returned to the West End in all its glory. With original Broadway director Jason Moore and original puppet designer Rick Lyon, a brand new cast takes on the puppet show with a difference.. (more…)
Review Roundup: THE APPROACH Opens at Irish Repertory Theatre
by Chloe Rabinowitz
See what the critics are saying about The Approach at Irish Repertory Theatre in BroadwayWorld’s Review Roundup here. The production is currently playing Off-Broadway.. (more…)
Review Roundup: OFF THE RECORD: Acts of Restorative Justice at HERE Arts Center
by Chloe Rabinowitz
See what the critics are saying about Off the Record: Acts of Restorative Justice, now playing Off-Broadway at the HERE Mainstage. Read reviews in BroadwayWorld’s Review Roundup!. (more…)
Review Roundup: Lily Allen Brings WEST END GIRL Tour to North America
by Josh Sharpe
Lily Allen is now on the road with her concert tour for West End Girl, her critically acclaimed album that arrived at the end of last year. Find out what critics think of her concert in our roundup below.. (more…)
Review: INTERNATIONAL DRAFT WORKS 2026, Royal Ballet And Opera – Linbury Theatre
by Matthew Paluch
The Linbury Theatre at the Royal Ballet and Opera felt transformed last night for the opening of International Draft Works 2026 – but not always by the choreography.. (more…)
Review: AVENUE Q, Shaftesbury Theatre
by Aliya Al-Hassan
The puppet show pumped full of profanity is back. Jason Moore’s outrageous Avenue Q premiered in the West End two decades ago, bringing issues such as racism, the housing crisis and youth identity crisis to the stage in a unique and incredibly clever format. Oh yes, and there is explicit puppet sex too.. (more…)
| Around the Broadway World |
Former Kennedy Center Arts Curator Details ‘Cronyism, Incompetence, and Bizarre Moves’ Amidst Trump Takeover
by Stephi Wild
In a new article, Josef Palermo, an artist who served as the Kennedy Center’s first curator of visual arts, detailed his experience amidst the Trump administration’s takeover of the institution.. (more…)
Actress, 10, Goes Viral After Landing Regional Gig — and Broadway Stars Rejoice in Her Success
by Michael Gioia
A young Wichita, Kansas-area actress made hearts melt after her mother shared the moment Phoebe Forsberg learned she’d been cast in her first production on “the big stage.” . (more…)
Ben Stiller, Billy Eichner, Ali Stroker and More to Star in THE NORMAL HEART Anniversary Reading
by Chloe Rabinowitz
The cast has been revealed for The Public Theater’s one-night-only reading of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart, including Ben Stiller, Billy Eichner, Ali Stroker and more.. (more…)
Christine Baranski and Richard E. Grant Will Lead HAY FEVER in London
by Stephi Wild
Two-time Tony winner Christine Baranski and Academy Award nominee Richard E. Grant will star in Noël Coward’s HAY FEVER at Wyndham’s Theatre, marking Baranski’s West End debut and Grant’s return to the West End stage after 20 years.. (more…)
Maryland High School Theater Technician Arrested for Allegedly Filming Students in Changing Room
by Joshua Wright
A media services technician at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland, was arrested Wednesday after allegedly placing a recording device in a girls’ changing room near the school’s theater, Montgomery County police said.. (more…)
CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL Cast to Perform on GOOD MORNING AMERICA Next Week
by Josh Sharpe
The cast of Cats: The Jellicle Ball is set to perform next week on Good Morning America. Viewers can tune in to watch the performance on Tuesday, April 21, airing during the 7:00-9:00 EDT am block on .. (more…)
TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK) Broadway Cast Album Will Be Released on Vinyl and CD
by Stephi Wild
The original Broadway cast recording of Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) will be released in vinyl and CD format on May 15, 2026. Pre-order is available now.. (more…)
Listen: Anne Hathaway Performs MOTHER MARY Songs on New Soundtrack
by Josh Sharpe
The soundtrack is here for Mother Mary, the new psychosexual pop opera starring Anne Hathaway as the titular pop diva. The album features original songs written and produced by Jack Antonoff and the artist Charli xcx, as well as music by the film’s co-star FKA twigs.. (more…)
Listen: West End Star Sydnie Christmas Drops Original Single ‘Run’
by Josh Sharpe
Singer, songwriter, and star of the West End, Sydnie Christmas has shared her new single ‘Run’ through Westway Music. The song is written by Christmas alongside Gabrielle Aplin and Ash Howes. Listen to it here.. (more…)
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See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!
