Before all the holiday madness takes over (hello, they already have Christmas/winter cups in Starbucks!), make some time for yourself and your sanity. The BroadwayBox team combed through a humungous list of NYC events and happenings and handpicked these 15 awesome Big Apple offerings for you to check out this November (in no particular order).
1. So Rock of Ages has always been the Broadway equivalent of the best campus rager you can imagine, but this November, the party is off the hook. The ‘80s musical has its original Tony-nominated headliner Constantine Maroulis back as Drew, it has sexy YouTube celeb Chester See as Stacee Jaxx, MTV Elle Woods hopeful Lauren Zakrin as Sherrie and Big Brother’s breakout star Frankie J. Grande as the flamboyant, unitard-wearing Franz. And they serve you drinks at your seat. Nov. 10-Jan. 18.
2. Real Housewives grande dame NeNe Leakes makes her Broadway debut as Ella’s wicked stepmother Madame in Broadway’s Cinderella on November 25. And with that, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical takes the glass slipper for best celeb casting.
3. The sex appeal in Broadway plays has been raised to the maximum decibel level as Bradley Cooper and Hugh Jackman pack ‘em in for The Elephant Man and The River, respectively. There are no discounts for either, but it's almost worth full price just to look at them, no?
4. Go see The Fortress of Solitude before it’s too late. The show got mixed reviews and yes, it's flawed, but it's also one of the best, most talent-packed musicals running in NYC right now. Michael Friedman takes it to another level with the score; and since there has been no announcement about a cast recording, you’ll just need to hear it live at the Public Theater.
5. Tony Danza and Rob McClure will stop at nothing to win Brynn O’Malley’s heart in the new Broadway musical Honeymoon in Vegas. With a fun, upbeat score by Tony winner Jason Robert Brown and a clever book by the film’s screenwriter Andrew Bergman, this show has all the makings of a musical theatre jackpot. Nederlander Theatre beginning Nov. 18.
6. Tickets are already hard to come by for the star-studded revival of A Delicate Balance, and it’s bound to be a big contender for big awards come spring—so why not buy discount tickets to see one of Albee’s best plays while you can? Because after opening night on November 20, it's going to be crazy.
7. Broadway’s Love Letters is giving a tug of the ear to current stars Carol Burnett and Brian Dennehy on November 8 and welcoming new headliners Candice Bergen and Alan Alda beginning November 9. Any way you slice it, you can see a living legend live at Broadway’s Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
8. This is not a drill! Hollywood 'It Girl' Emma Stone is officially Cabaret’s new Sally Bowles beginning November 11. How perfectly marvelous.
9. Former View host and Emmy-winning comedian Joy Behar makes her solo show debut in off-Broadway’s Me, My Mouth and I. The clever title and the promise of hearing 30 years worth of showbiz shenanigans are enough to get us to the Cherry Lane Theatre. Nov. 6-Dec. 21.
10. Golden Globe nominee Joely Richardson stars as Emily Dickinson in the off-Broadway revival of the one-woman-play The Belle of Amherst. The original was a career-defining performance for Julie Harris (Tony Award win included), and so you don’t want to miss what the super talented Ms. Richardson is doing with the role at the Westside Theatre.
11. Shame be damned, we can’t get enough of 54 Below. This month, any month. Highlights in November include solo shows by Patti LuPone, Jeremy Jordan (him singing “Broadway Here I Come” live is worth the price of admission. A high point in the entire fall season.), David Burtka (directed by hubby NPH) and the shows A Night Like This, Assassins in the Park with George, If It Only Even Runs a Minute 13 (that’s a lot of showstoppers from flops) and We Got You Babe: 54 Shares Cher because duh.
12. Richard Chamberlain, Holly Hunter and Bill Pullman headline the first major New York revival of David Rabe’s super dark Vietnam comedy Sticks and Bones. Yes, you read that right and yes, you should hurry over to The Pershing Square Signature Center to see these wonderful actors in this truly mesmerizing play.
13. Encores! presents the musical adaptation of the classic MGM film The Band Wagon, a showbiz tale of a washed-up Hollywood actor attempting to make a comeback on Broadway. (Hmmm.) And now here’s the best part: the limited run stars Tony winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, the lovely Laura Osnes, Tracey Ullman (!!), Michael McKean and Tony Sheldon. New York City Center, Nov. 6-16.
14. The Tony-winning revival of Pippin has a brand-new star, TV’s Josh Kaufman. We can’t wait to hear The Voice winner just own one of Stephen Schwartz’s best scores.
15. Not since Noah’s Arc has a boat been this exciting. Avery Fisher Hall will play host to a starry concert presentation of Kern and Hammerstein’s classic musical Show Boat. Norm Lewis, Vanessa Williams, Julian Ovenden, Lauren Worsham, Fred Willard and Jane Alexander star, all backed by the New York Philharmonic. Nov. 5-8.
