Here are 10 shows we can all be thankful for this November.
1. November is the time to head over to the Heaviside Layer and revisit Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats
—doesn’t matter if you saw the original back in the day or you just saw it last month with Leona Lewis, you must go back for Mamie Parris as Grizabella. Actually, all the female cats are slaying the house down at the Neil Simon—Christine Cornish Smith as Bombalurina, Eloise Kropp as Jennyanydots, & Sarah Jean Ford as Jellylorum are all serving it at 100%. See for yourself, you’ll agree it’s the show of the month.
2. If you want major laughs and major star power check out the delightful comedy about newspaper men in 1928 Chicago, The Front Page
. I was truly howling watching greats like Nathan Lane, Robert Morse, and Jefferson Mays performing genius physical comedy—the entire theatre was eating out of their hands. And bless John Slattery who was everything you want in the role. Running at the Broadhurst Theatre through January 29, 2017
3. Another revival that’s slaying right now is Keen Company’s Tick, Tick…BOOM!
. Nick Blaemire is the perfect Jonathan, Ciara Renee sings the shit out of “Come to Your Senses” and George Salazar is total BFF material as Michael. From the dance party in “No More” to Blaemire sitting alone at the piano for “Why”, this production was everything someone who was obsessed with that original cast recording would want to see live. Running at the Acorn Theatre through December 18
4. Sutton Foster is Charity Hope Valentine in an edgy, cool New Group production which reunites Foster with her Violet and Wild Party director, Leigh Silverman. It’s going to be Sweet Charity
on a thrust stage so it’s already unlike any production you’ve seen before. Supporting Foster are Broadway loves Emily Padgett, Shuler Hensley, Joel Perez, and Asmeret Ghebremichael. There’s going to be nothing better than this. Running at the Pershing Square Signature Center through December 30
5. Judy Kuhn and Danny Burstein as Golde and Tevye, what more do you need?! The three-time Tony nominee takes over as Fiddler on the Roof
's matriarch on November 22 (just in time for the holidays). That gorgeous Kuhn voice is going to sing “Sabbath Prayer”, “Sunrise, Sunset” and “Do You Love Me” in this stunning production; I’m already verklempt. Running at the Broadway Theatre through December 31
6. Chazz Palminteri’s autobiographical A Bronx Tale
has been a beloved solo show, a hit movie, and now it’s a flashy new Broadway musical. With Jersey Boys on its way out, this is the Broadway show to bring dad, your boyfriend, your brother, etc because they are going to LOVE it. Also, you’re going to love it because the score and choreography are beyond infectious. Running at the Longacre Theatre7. Adam Pascal is the man behind the cod piece in Broadway’s Something Rotten!
beginning November 7. The Rent and Aida icon is the final William Shakespeare in the hilarious musical comedy. You already know you want to hear that voice live, and the killer combo of him and Rob McClure is just too good to pass up. Running at the St. James Theatre through January 1, 2017
8. As a novel, Cheryl Strayed’s Tiny Beautiful Things is beautiful, inspiring, and wildly emotional. It’s a compilation of her popular “Dear Sugar” advice columns, and each story speaks to everyone on some level. It’s remarkable, so expectations are high for The Public Theater’s stage adaptation directed by Thomas Kail and starring My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s Nia Vardalos as Sugar/Strayed. Chances are you’ll laugh and cry and be seriously moved. Running November 15-December 31 at The Public Theater
9. Another exciting off-Broadway adaptation this month is Classic Stage Company’s Dead Poets Society
. TV and film star Jason Sudeikis leads the world premiere production as unconventional but inspiring teacher John Keating in the new play based on the beloved 1989 film about an all-boys prep school. Tony winner and CSC’s artistic director John Doyle is at the helm of this thrilling adaptation. Running at Classic Stage Company through December 1810. New York (and it seems the world) is obsessed with hearing our Founding Fathers rap, so why not Billy Shakespeare? The award-winning Q Brothers (the guys behind The Bomb-itty of Errors & I <3 Juliet) star in their latest work, Othello: The Remix
. It’s the classic tale of Othello, Iago, Cassio, and Desdemona set in the modern day hip-hop industry. It’s astounding and original and a total must-see. Running at the Westside TheatreNew Jersey Bonus
The Paper Mill Playhouse (New Jersey’s Tony-winning incubator of Broadway’s next big hits) presents the North American premiere of The Bodyguard
starring Deborah Cox as Rachel Marron and featuring a score of Whitney Houston’s greatest hits. Get ready to live your full life lip-synching along in your seat as you watch Cox slay hit after hit. Running at Paper Mill through January 1, 2017
