Play Broadway Shows You Can’t Miss

Avid fans may even want to make multiple trips to the theatre over the course of a year to take in a few different shows. Typically, the first half of each year has new and exciting plays, which are released to capture the attention of Tony judges. While Tony season may have come and gone this year, there are still new and interesting shows opening throughout the rest of 2017 you cannot miss. Take a look at a few of the most anticipated shows below, and be sure to book your tickets today.

A Nickelodeon children’s show may seem like an odd choice for a Broadway play. However, the names behind the music alone are worth the price of admission. SpongeBob SquarePants features music by some of today’s best artists, including John Legend, Steven Tyler, They Might Be Giants, Cyndi Lauper, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Panic! At The Disco, Plain White T’s, Sara Bareilles, David Bowie.

With a list of the song writer’s like that, music fans, children’s show fans, and theatre fans alike are eager for the show’s Dec. 4 opening. The play enjoyed a Chicago tryout last summer and was well received by many. Visionary director Tina Landau and the designers behind plays such as Spring Awakening and Fun Home bring SpongeBob’s world to life. Preview performances begin on Nov. 6, in advance of the play’s opening at the Palace Theatre.

This hotly anticipated play opens at the end of June. The play, written by Scott McPherson, has been around for quite some time off-Broadway. It became a major motion picture in 1997 starring Meryl Streep. This version stars Lili Taylor, Janeane Garofalo, and Celia Weston. Fans of many comedies in the 1990s may recognize Garofalo, who is making her Broadway debut in this play. The show marks Taylor’s return to the Broadway stage after a 20-year absence. Obie winner Anne Kauffman directs.

Marvin’s Room tells the story of a family reunited after one sister receives a leukemia diagnosis. Garofalo and Taylor play the sisters, while Weston plays their aunt. You can catch the Broadway debut of this emotional and highly anticipated drama at the Roundabout Theatre Company starting June 29. It runs through Aug. 27.

The Terms Of My Surrender is bound to be a controversial play, so you may want to get your tickets now. Protestors, theatre fans, and supporters of the play’s perspective alike are eager to get their hands on tickets. Opening Aug. 10, 2017, at the Belasco, this play takes aim at the current political climate. Written and starring Michael Moore, the show is bound to be critical of the current United States administration.

Moore is a famed filmmaker, known for his left-wing takes on political issues. His films cover topics such as health care in the United States, gun control, and the economic crisis in Flint in the mid-90s. The Terms Of My Surrender is a one-man show and marks Moore’s first time on Broadway. Tony Award winner Michael Mayer directs. A limited preview begins July 28, just before the show’s Broadway debut.

If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, you should grab your ticket for Time and The Conway’s fast. Oscar nominee and Downton Abbey star Elizabeth McGovern star in this period drama, exploring the Conway family before and after the events of World War I. Time and The Conway’s has not graced a Broadway stage since 1938, making it one that many fans cannot wait to see. The play opens on Oct. 10, though limited previews begin on Sept. 14.

McGovern is no stranger to the stage, though her film and television career have kept her away since 1992. Her last appearance was as Ophelia, in a well-reviewed production of Hamlet. Since then, she has won numerous awards and earned even more nominations. Time and The Conway’s runs at the American Airlines Theatre until Nov. 26.

Julie Taymor, the Tony-award-winning director behind Lion King and The Green Bird, is set to bring this 1988 drama back to the stage. M. Butterfly originally starred John Lithgow and B.D. Wong when it first arrived on the scene. Clive Owen is set to appear in this production, which opens on Oct. 26. Fans need to keep their eyes open for theatre and additional casting information. Columnist Michael Riedel called Taymor’s vision for this particular revival a “stunning visual concept.”

Based on a true story, M. Butterfly explores the relationship between a French diplomat and a Chinese opera singer. The diplomat, presumably played by Owen in the revival, carried on an affair with the singer for many years until he discovered his female lover is a man – and a spy.

After having its world premiere in California last summer, Junk finally makes it to Broadway. This new drama tells the story of Robert Merkin, a man who believes he is the brains behind the investment firm that employs him. Merkin has an interesting take on economic success, one that, when shared with the world, puts us all on the brink of economic collapse.

While the play is set in 1985, there are eerie parallels to many modern economic crises, including the housing market collapse of 2008. Ayad Akhtar, a Pulitzer Prize winner, wrote the play, which is directed by Doug Hughes. Junk opens on Nov. 2 at the Vivian Beaumont, with limited previews beginning on Oct. 5.