Why be a ghost when you can be glamorous, undead, painted, bewitched, bewigged, robotic, romantic, and delightfully theatrical? This year, skip the generic costumes and pull your Halloween inspiration straight from Broadway, where clothing becomes character and drama is the dress code.
From camp horror to high-gloss glamour, here is how to dress Broadway for Halloween using inspiration from this season and last.
Beetlejuice: The Demon’s in the Details
For the Halloween personality who thrives on chaos and eyeliner. Think black and white stripes, gravity-defying hair, corpse bride lace, and the unhinged smirk of someone who absolutely should not be trusted with ancient magic.
Carry a sandworm-striped bag for candy. Required line: “It’s showtime.”
The Queen of Versailles: Haunted Luxury
Sequins. Sky-high hair. Diamonds for days. A look that says “I built my empire” with undertones of “and now I haunt the foyer.”
Serve billionaire glam with a ghostly twist. Think undead Palm Beach royalty meets Broadway spotlight.
ART: A Walking Canvas
Minimalist but dramatic. Wear white from head to toe and add bold paint streaks as if you left a gallery fight or started one.
Carry a miniature blank canvas. Gaze at strangers like their taste in art disappoints you deeply.
The Rocky Horror Show: Time Warp Energy
Corsets, pearls, fishnets, platform heels, smoky eyeliner. This costume is about power, sensuality, camp confidence, and zero shame.
If you break into the Time Warp in the kitchen, you are doing it right.
Maybe Happy Ending: Romantic Retro Robots
A softer sci-fi look. Pastel tones, gentle wiring accents, subtle metallic glow, vintage headphones, and a record tucked gently under your arm.
You are a robot discovering love and vinyl. The most important accessory is sincerity.
Death Becomes Her: Immortal Glamour
Old Hollywood elegance with a supernatural glitch. Sleek satin, refined pearls, immaculate hair and makeup plus one tasteful sign of stylish demise.
Suggest eternal beauty with slightly cursed undertones. Just try not to lose an arm at the party.
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York): Sweet Meet-Cute Style
For those who prefer charm over fear. Effortlessly cool New York wardrobe, a bakery box, and rom-com energy.
A love story costume for people who arrive fashionably late but with dessert.
More Broadway Inspirations to Steal
Water for Elephants: vintage circus glamour and sawdust sparkle The Wiz: technicolor emerald chic with gold-power energy Back to the Future: 1980s denim, lab coat, messy genius hair, hoverboard prop Hadestown: industrial romance, deep colors, flower crown with edge Cabaret: Berlin club decadence, smoky eyes, suspenders, satin shorts Suffs: historical sashes, structured jackets, hats, determined purpose
When quadruple threat (writer, composer, director, and producer) Eli Bauman began sketching out what would become 44: The Musical, he wasn’t in a writers’ room or a rehearsal hall; he was sitting alone in a Ramada Inn near the Charlotte airport.
What started as a moment of disbelief in 2016 has grown into one of Off-Broadway’s most surprising hits: a satirical pop-R&B musical about the Obama years, written, composed, directed, and produced by a man who freely admits he “had no idea what he was doing.”
Finding the spark
Jim Glaub: Was there a moment where you thought, I’ve got to make a musical?
Eli Bauman: Yeah, I can fairly pinpoint it. It was 2016. I want to say November 5th, right on Election Day of 2016. I worked on the Obama campaign in 2008. I spent a fairly frustrating two weeks working on the Hillary campaign [in 2012], which is about as much as I could do at that time. So the results came in. I was alone in a hotel room by the Charlotte airport and I thought back. I was like, “Wow, only eight years ago I was on the strip of Las Vegas celebrating. How did we get here?”
I just started laughing to myself as I do in moments of pain. And I just thought, you know, this is so absurd. And I had been thinking about taking a stab at writing a musical. I had no experience at all. But I was coming off of working on a show called Maya and Marty, and I ended up writing most of the music that appeared on that show basically out of sheer terror. I somewhat lied—well, it’s hard to say—I kind of lied to get that job. They were looking for a comedy writer who wrote music and they were like, “You can do that, right?” And I was like, “Sure, give me a weekend to just clean something up and send it to you.” There was nothing to clean up because there was nothing. So, in a panic, I went home over the weekend and plunked out something on the piano to write for Maya Rudolph because she did a Michelle Obama impression.
That song is actually in the show. I’m incredibly productive under immense amounts of pressure and entirely unproductive with anything short of an immense amount of pressure. I wrote the majority of the show during the pandemic because I couldn’t work. My wife and I had a three-year-old and then she was pregnant. So, my wife kept working and I took care of the kids and wrote this musical.
“The beauty of not knowing what you’re doing.”
JG: It’s such a dual thing—the politics and the theatre, both having the fake it till you make it energy. You said, “Well, yeah, I can do it,” and then you actually did it.
EB: I did. And it’s the beauty of not knowing what you’re doing—you also don’t know what you’re not supposed to do.
JG: Because you were fresh to the world of theatre, it freed you from the tropes?
EB: It helped creatively, too, because I couldn’t—and still can’t—write anything that’s particularly recognizable as musical theatre from a trophy standpoint. It’s just not in my wheelhouse. The whole show is just pop songs, R&B songs—they’re all very radio friendly. That turns out to be the thing I can do: write hooks. So I feel like this show works for people who have seen Wicked 25 times and also people who had never heard of Wicked until the movie came out.
Building the sound of satire
JG: You wouldn’t have called yourself a composer before this. How did you land on what kind of music it should be?
EB: There’s a song that I’m very proud of in the show called How Black Is Too Black… and obviously I am not Black—spoiler alert—so I suppose it is risky for me to take this on. But I thought, what is a style of music that rides the edge of something that is a traditionally Black musical form, but white people are able to digest it? And I thought, okay, Motown is kind of that sound. How Black Is Too Black is a very kind of Motown-feeling, evergreen type of sound.
In the show, Sarah Palin has a big opening number. I conceived of her as this big rock figure—knee-high leather boots, verging on dominatrix. I had this one kind of cool guitar line in my head that feels almost like Black Sabbath. That song, which is called Drill Me, is completely that style. To me it’s all about the hook. Once I have the hook, the rest falls into place.
Most of the songs have a pop-song structure, so the lyrics are the easy part for me. Once I have the hook, then I know what I’m building towards. The way I write comedy, the way our scenes are written, are very percussive and melodic and have their own flow to them.
I say to the guy who plays Mitch McConnell in our show—he’s hilarious—I have the most fun writing that character because in real life Mitch McConnell says everything in a drawl, so our Mitch McConnell says everything in a drawl. Larry Cedar, who’s played the role since the first reading, is a drummer, and so I write that character very percussively. All of the dialogue in that is musical. If I put a score to it, it would work.
Our music director Anthony Brewster, “Brew,” would get my demos and we’d flesh them out together. He’d say, “Oh, okay, I guess we learned gospel passing chords this weekend,” and I’d say, “That’s right, Brew.” Learning on the job is the best way to do it. Pressure is good—and fear of humiliation is a good motivation for me.
Campaigns, creativity, and connection
JG: It’s so rare that we in theatre get to engage with someone who’s actually worked in politics. Are there overlaps between that world and this one?
EB: It is very true. There’s a lot of overlap in skill set. Managerially you’re running a structure—similar to how campaigns operate. From a directing standpoint, our audience is very engaged in the show and we love that, and I pay a lot of attention to what strikes a chord with people. It’s very similar to campaign messaging. Ultimately, you throw a bunch of stuff at the wall, and you’re listening to feedback. I don’t listen to that much feedback from experts. I listen to feedback from the audience.
At the first show, I came out and addressed the audience and said, “Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen here at all. This could be a big mess. What I can promise you is that all of the noise out there… we’re going to leave that out there for the next couple hours. I want to invite everyone into a spirit of joy in this room. This is not going to be a typical musical theatre thing where everyone has to sit quietly. I want people to have fun.”
What I’ve stumbled upon is that our audience comes out feeling joyful and hopeful. It’s come all the way around and reflects what 2008 felt like. There’s something tragic in it too, but something beautiful about feeling like at one point we all felt hopeful and joyful, and we’ll get there again.
Nostalgia and now
JG: You’ve called it nostalgic, even though that era wasn’t that long ago.
EB: I think we’re nostalgic for a feeling, and our audience responds to that. These are all characters that exist in real time. The show lives both in the past and the present because all of these people are still doing stuff—good, bad, and in between. I didn’t set out to write a nostalgia piece, it’s just how our audience has taken it.
It started in that hotel room in 2016. I love studying history, it’s fascinating to me how nonlinear it is. There’s something instructive but also beautiful about being able to look back and feel both puzzled and wise. I try not to live in the past, but I do try to learn from it. This is somewhat my way of trying to make sense of how history has moved—and moved so quickly—over the last dozen years.
Breaking into Broadway’s “machine”
JG: Has it been eye-opening navigating Broadway and its red tape?
EB: Yes. Like any industry that you don’t belong to or have experience in, you’re like, “Wait, what’s that?” I’ve had some frustrations with how risk averse I sometimes find theatre. I’m somewhat of a renegade by nature and I don’t really like conventional wisdom. Sometimes it’s just how much machine you have to get through (and honestly how expensive that machine is) where I’m just like, come on guys, we’re trying real hard here to just put something up on its feet.
It’s Monica and I who make all of the decisions. We have more outsiders than insiders. Now we have insiders where we need to have insiders in the management level, and outsiders where we need to have outsiders, in the big decisions and in some of the creative. I don’t ever want to lose the original spirit of the show, which is a bunch of people who didn’t know what they were doing. There’s something beautiful and unique about that. But we definitely needed professionals in the managerial departments. I’m the first one to admit that I don’t know everything.
What’s next for 44’s accidental auteur
JG: Now that you’ve had a taste of the musical theatre bug, are you going to keep going?
EB: Yeah. I’m writing something that kind of combines things—a TV project that has a ton of music in it and basically a musical within it. I think I need a break. This was such a herculean effort to get up on its feet. Every venue is different, every city is different. [44 played in Los Angeles and Chicago prior to New York.] I need a break from the grind. But creatively, it feels like it’s right in my wheelhouse.
The writing is the easy part for me. The directing I basically got into just to avoid a director coming in over top. It was a practical decision more than a passion decision. Now I love it, but to some extent I just didn’t want someone coming in and—even if my voice is not perfect—it at least comes from one place. The producing is exhausting. I love it and I hate it. Everything lands on my desk… from the construction of a staircase to someone twisting their ankle. It never ends.
Unfortunately, I think the addiction has started. I am a control freak, so I can’t promise that I’ll stop. I just need a break. I also have a seven-year-old and a four-year-old, so I’m surrounded by chaos—but that’s for my therapist to figure out.
JG: You’re really choosing chaos.
EB: Well, I have chosen that path.
44: The Musical is playing at the Daryl Roth Theatre through December 7, 2025. For tickets and more information, visit 44theobamamusical.com.
Broadway has always danced its way into history—one step, kick, and pirouette at a time. From Balanchine’s groundbreaking ballet in On Your Toes to Justin Peck’s haunting modern storytelling in Illinoise, choreography has been the heartbeat of the American musical. These are the numbers that stopped shows, broke rules, and redefined what movement could mean on stage.
1936 – “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue,” On Your Toes Choreography: George Balanchine This was the moment ballet crashed Broadway’s party. Balanchine’s “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue” combined classical technique with the grit of gangsters and showgirls, turning a tongue-in-cheek story ballet into a thrilling, dramatic centerpiece. It was the first time a full-length ballet sequence was integrated into a musical’s plot. The number marked the arrival of serious dance on Broadway and opened the door for choreographers to become storytellers, not just decorators.
1943 – “Dream Ballet,” Oklahoma! Choreography: Agnes de Mille Broadway changed forever the moment Laurey fell asleep. Agnes de Mille’s “Dream Ballet” wasn’t just a dance, it was the first time choreography told a character’s subconscious story. Fifteen minutes of swirling tulle, heartbreak, and innovation that announced that dance could think instead of a shout, and Broadway never stopped listening.
1957 – “Cool,” West Side Story Choreography: Jerome Robbins Snaps, slides, and explosions barely contained. Robbins gave the American musical a new vocabulary: ballet laced with street tension. “Cool” is still studied as the moment dance became emotion’s twin.
1975 – “One,” A Chorus Line Choreography: Michael Bennett Gold hats, high kicks, heartbreak. “One” immortalized the chorus: uniform, dazzling, and unseen. The finale that turned dancers into myth and mirrors.
1975 – “All That Jazz,” Chicago Choreography: Bob Fosse Smoky, syncopated, and sinister. The opening of Chicago reintroduced Fosse’s aesthetic as cultural gospel: hips low, fingers alive, everything precise and dangerous. It’s Broadway stripped to attitude and anatomy.
1980 – “We’re in the Money,” 42nd Street Choreography: Gower Champion A tap extravaganza gleaming with Depression-era optimism. Champion’s staging turned tap into a glittering survival dance, resilience in rhythm.
1992 – “Slap That Bass,” Crazy for You Choreography: Susan Stroman A jazz fantasia where bodies become instruments. Stroman’s dancers pluck invisible strings and bounce like basslines, proving that dance is music made visible.
2002 – “Movin’ Out,” Movin’ Out Choreography: Twyla Tharp Billy Joel’s music meets Tharp’s muscular modern dance in a show that tells its story entirely through motion. Jazz, ballet, and rock collide in a piece that made Broadway feel brand new.
2005 – “Electricity,” Billy Elliot Choreography: Peter Darling A working-class boy discovers his power through motion. The number builds from confusion to catharsis, part tap, part rebellion. A child discovering freedom mid-air.
2014 – “An American in Paris Ballet,” An American in Paris Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon Wheeldon’s luminous dream ballet brought Gershwin’s score to life with balletic sweep and cinematic grace. The sequence blurs realism and reverie, transforming post-war Paris into living art. It reignited Broadway’s love affair with classical form.
2019 – “El Tango de Roxanne,” Moulin Rouge! The Musical Choreography: Sonya Tayeh Raw, sensual, and explosive. Tayeh’s fusion of contemporary and ballroom forms turns desire into violence and heartbreak into art. It’s a masterclass in emotional choreography.
2024 – “Illinoise Ballet,” Illinoise Choreography: Justin Peck No words, no dialogue, just bodies and Sufjan Stevens’ music translating memory and loss into dance. Illinoise is the latest reminder that Broadway choreography can still astonish without uttering a line. If Agnes de Mille invented narrative dance, Justin Peck made it human again.
Across decades, Broadway has proven that the stage can be a powerful place for protest. From groundbreaking musicals to provocative plays, these productions turned resistance into art, reminding audiences that theatre has always had the power to challenge, inspire, and spark change.
Hair: Flower Power, Anti-War, and Social Revolution From its opening, Hair broke the mold. Against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and a rapidly changing America, Hair brought anti-war sentiment, sexual freedom, and racial integration into Broadway’s spotlight. Songs like “Aquarius” and “Let the Sunshine In” became anthems for a generation disenchanted with traditional norms. It wasn’t just a show, it was a movement, embodied night after night in public protest, civil disobedience, and counterculture style.
Les Misérables: Barricades That Resonate Across Time Set in 19th-century France but speaking to so many modern struggles, Les Misérables became a perennial symbol of revolution and unity. The iconic moments, including the barricade scenes into “Do You Hear the People Sing?”, transforms political despair into collective hope. It deepened with every revival, every global protest, carrying forward the message that when the few oppress the many, resistance is inevitable.
Parade: Unearthing Injustice, Out in the Open Parade tells the true story of Leo Frank, a Jewish industrialist in the early 1900s who was wrongly accused, tried, and lynched in Georgia. The musical forces audiences to confront racism, antisemitism, and miscarriage of justice, not through allegory, but through character, testimony, and heartbreak. The 2023 Broadway revival brought even more urgency, with protesters outside the theater echoing the very biases Parade indicts, proving that the past is never as far behind us as we might like to think.
John Proctor Is the Villain: Rewriting the Myth for Today’s Reckonings Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor Is the Villain reframes The Crucible’s Salem mythos in a rural Georgia high school, between teenage girls and their complicity, accusations, and silences. The play becomes protest theatre. It interrogates gender, power, and the legacy of witch hunts, literal and metaphorical. It’s a sharp reminder that the stories we’ve inherited aren’t neutral; they shape what we accept or fight against.
Liberation: Reclaiming Feminist Voices In Bess Wohl’s Liberation, six women convene in a 1970s Ohio rec center to form a consciousness-raising group. Through candid conversations about their lives, the play delves into the complexities of second-wave feminism, memory, and generational change. Praised as “the best play I’ve seen this season” by Vulture, Liberation intertwines personal narratives with broader social movements, highlighting the enduring relevance of feminist activism. Liberation is in performances at the James Earl Jones Theatre through January 11, 2026: https://liberationbway.com/
These Broadway moments remind us that protest takes many forms, and that art, at its most fearless, can move hearts and minds.
There’s nothing quite like the lights, music, and energy of Broadway, but those ticket prices can dim the excitement fast. The good news is that scoring affordable seats isn’t a secret art. It’s a mix of timing, flexibility, and knowing where to look. Whether you’re a local theatre fan or visiting the city for the first time, here are the best ways to land a great deal and still get swept up in the magic of Broadway.
Top Ways to Get Discount Broadway Tickets
TKTS Booths (by TDF) Classic same-day deals, often up to 50% off. Visit the red-steps booth in Times Square or Lincoln Center. Check the TKTS app first to preview what’s available.
Digital Lotteries Many shows offer $10–$40 tickets through daily online lotteries. Enter early, and act fast if you win since claims close quickly.
Rush and Student Rush Tickets Day-of bargains, usually $30–$60, sold when the box office opens. Some are open to everyone, others require a student ID.
Standing Room Only When shows sell out, a few standing spots open for cheap. Ask at the box office; these go fast for popular productions.
Promo Codes and Discount Sites Websites like BroadwayBox, TheaterMania, and Playbill Deals regularly post limited-time codes for 20–50% off.
Membership Discounts Join programs like TDF or industry groups for exclusive early access to discounted tickets.
Special Promotions Keep an eye on seasonal events like Broadway Week or Kids’ Night on Broadway, which offer two-for-one or free youth tickets.
Group Sales If you’re seeing a show with ten or more friends or coworkers, call the theater’s group sales office. Bulk bookings often mean built-in discounts.
Papering Lists Some organizations quietly “paper the house” with free or ultra-cheap tickets for members. Try Club Free Time or local arts newsletters.
Affordable Broadway seats do exist; you just have to know where and when to look. With a bit of planning, patience, and the right mix of apps, booths, and insider programs, you can see world-class theatre without emptying your wallet.
This October, Broadway offers a striking mix of revivals and premieres. From a cult-favorite musical rising again to an intimate family drama, the fall season promises variety and impact. Here are the four productions opening this month.
Beetlejuice
Palace Theatre | October 8, 2025 Broadway’s favorite ghost makes his return in Alex Timbers’ high-octane staging. With its blend of outrageous humor, eye-popping design, and devoted fan following, Beetlejuice reclaims the spotlight at the newly reopened Palace Theatre.
Ragtime
Lincoln Center Theater | October 16, 2025 One of Broadway’s most sweeping and powerful musicals comes back in a revival directed by Lear deBessonet. Starring Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, and Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime offers a timely reflection on identity, change, and the American dream.
Liberation
Broadway Theatre | October 22, 2025 Set in 1970s Ohio, Liberation follows Lizzie as she gathers a circle of women determined to reshape their lives and their world. Decades later, her daughter steps back into that unfinished revolution and confronts what it means to inherit a movement. Written by Bess Wohl and directed by Whitney White, this new play examines freedom, legacy, and the fight to carry change forward.
Little Bear Ridge Road
Booth Theatre | October 30, 2025 Playwright Samuel D. Hunter and director Joe Mantello bring a quiet intensity to this new drama starring Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock. Set in rural Idaho, Little Bear Ridge Road explores grief, family, and endurance with Hunter’s trademark emotional precision.
Jim Glaub sat down with Mike McLinden (Our Town, Hello Dolly!, Purpose, and the upcoming Little Bear Ridge Road) to discuss the pivotal and thankless job of Company Management; Broadway’s most under appreciated role. They balance the books, manage the cast, serve as first line HR, liaise with producers, and keep the machine running, all while staying out of the spotlight. For our Unsung Heroes series, Mike talks about what it really means to hold a show together.
Q: For people who don’t know: what is a company manager?
Mike: We’re hired by the producer and general manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the show. We run payroll, pay the bills, settling with the box office, and keep the show on budget. But we’re also the first people to see problems brewing, whether that’s a dressing room that’s too warm or an actor who needs support. At the end of the day we are a conduit for communication. Basically, if you look at a show and wonder, ‘Who does that?’ it’s probably the company manager.
Q: As far as I can assume, nobody grows up saying, ‘I want to be a company manager.’ How did you find your way into this world?
Mike: I studied stage management and lighting design in college. My first company management internship was almost by accident, at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, a scrappy operation where the CMs also were on the run crew. Later, I spent summers at the Glimmerglass Festival, and that’s when I realized this work played more to my strengths. I wasn’t also running a show and juggling things outside my wheelhouse. Eventually, I landed at the Frankel office in New York on Standing on Ceremony Off-Broadway and then Leap of Faith. That was my front row view of legendary company managers like Kathy Lowe, and from there, every job I’ve gotten has traced back to those connections.
Q: Has there been a moment where you thought, I can’t believe this is my job?
Mike: All the time. During the Hello, Dolly! revival, I watched a rehearsal where the title number was just supposed to be marked. Suddenly Bette and the ensemble were full-out performing it, and I thought, ‘wow, small town Illinois kid in a Broadway theatre, pinch me.’ On the flip side, I’ve also dealt with stars threatening not to go on over something relatively trivial. That’s when you think, ‘Really? This is what I’m juggling today?’
Q: What’s harder: the numbers or the people?
Mike: Definitely the people. Everyone has lives outside the theatre… bad news at home, stress, illness. My job is to support them through that. If they don’t feel safe or valued, the show suffers.
Q: Has empathy ever changed the course of a situation?
Mike: Coming back after COVID, morale was low. People were on edge, worried about shutdowns. Small gestures like bagel Sundays, drinks after rehearsal, gave the company a chance to breathe. It bought goodwill and shifted the mood.
Q: Company management is so under the radar. How do you help people discover this as a career?
Mike: The NMAM apprentice program through our union is a huge step . It’s two years of seminars, training, and mentorship before becoming a full member. I also jump at any chance to talk to colleges. Students need to know you don’t have to sing or dance to build a career in theatre. And I love showing them: I didn’t move to Chicago like my peers, I tried New York, and it worked.
Q: What kind of person thrives in this role?
Mike: Someone with a knack for data, but who’s also a people person. And someone who doesn’t need the spotlight. If people outside the company know my name, something probably went wrong.
Q: If you could company manage any show in Broadway history, which would it be?
Mike:Phantom of the Opera. My grandma played the soundtrack constantly. And to be at the center of that phenomenon, a show that became a household name before the internet, that would’ve been extraordinary.
Q: This is a thankless job. What’s the best thank you you’ve ever received?
Mike: Glenda Jackson thanked me in her Tony speech. Nothing will ever top that. She was an icon, and to hear my name from that stage… I fell out of my chair.
Company managers are rarely in the spotlight, but without them, Broadway wouldn’t run. As McLinden proves, the role is equal parts accountant, counselor, negotiator, and cheerleader. Perhaps it’s time Tony speeches made ‘thank you, company manager’ as common as thanking agents and producers.
Pictured: Mike, Glenda Jackson, and SMs for Three Tall Women. Backstory on this photo from Mike: “Glenda had this sweatshirt that she wore EVERYWHERE. NYT Panel, she wore it. Tony Nominee luncheon, she wore it under a green camo jacket from Ann Roth. It drove some folks on the team a little crazy, so for closing we all got one and wore it.”
Your Broadway night deserves more than just a quick bite. Luckily, the theater district offers everything from glamorous institutions to tucked-away gems. To help you choose your pre-show dinner, we’ve grouped our favorites into categories so you can find the perfect match for your mood (and your Playbill).
The Glamorous Crowd-Pleasers
Red Eye Grill: Seafood With Star Power
Seafood towers that feel like stage props, sushi that sings, and a buzzing, art-filled space that’s as lively as the shows down the block.
Bond 45: Antipasto Takes Center Stage
Hand-rolled pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and that show-stopping antipasto bar make this Italian trattoria in the heart of Times Square a true headliner.
The Broadway Legends
Joe Allen: The Cast Party Classic
Unpretentious American fare, theater folks at every table, and the infamous “flop wall” of short-lived productions. A must for Broadway insiders.
Sardi’s: Where Legends Dine
Martinis, continental cuisine, and caricatures of Broadway’s best covering every inch of wall space. Tradition with a side of nostalgia.
Pasta, Wine & Comfort
Becco: Unlimited Ovations for Pasta
The all-you-can-eat pasta tasting menu is worth a standing ovation. Add a generous wine list and you’ve got fuel for an unforgettable Act Two.
Glass House Tavern: The Chic Ensemble Member
Modern American plates, a polished vibe, and cocktails that practically demand a toast, including a nitro espresso martini served tableside.
Hidden Gems & Insider Picks
Vida Verde: A Colorful Quick Hit
Casual Mexican plates, tacos that shine in the spotlight, and mural-filled walls that buzz with energy.
Danji: The Cozy Scene-Stealer
Modern Korean small plates served in an intimate setting with bold flavors in a low-key atmosphere just steps away from the neon lights.
Obao: Where East Meets West Side
A Thai-Vietnamese fusion spot with bold flavors and a stylish atmosphere. Think pad Thai with a twist, crispy duck, and cocktails that pack as much drama as a Broadway finale.
Nizza: Pasta’s Neighborhood Darling
A snug Italian bistro on 9th Avenue, Nizza serves rustic plates, house-made pastas, and thin Roman-style pizzas. Comforting, unfussy, and beloved by locals.
Sushi of Gari 46: A Hidden Hit
For sushi fans, this unassuming Midtown outpost delivers some of the city’s most creative omakase bites. Elegant, refined, and a perfect prelude to a sophisticated show.
Marseille: A French Accent on 9th Avenue
A charming brasserie blending French and Mediterranean flavors. Mussels, steak frites, and wine by the glass make it a pre-theater gem with European flair.
Jim Glaub sat down with Casting Director Peter Van Dam to talk about his journey from actor to casting, his philosophy on discovering talent, and how he’s reimagining classics like Chez Joey for a new generation.
Q: What first inspired you to pursue casting as a career?
Peter Van Dam: Growing up, I didn’t really know what a casting director did. I thought directors just picked the actors. But I was fascinated by theatre, listening to cast recordings, comparing different versions, and noticing how a single role could be transformed by different performers.
At 15, I went to Walnut Hill, a performing arts boarding school, and tried acting. I studied at NYU and then Boston Conservatory. But during senior year, when industry professionals came to speak, I realized I was more excited giving feedback to classmates than performing myself.
That’s when it clicked.
I interned with Roundabout Theatre Company’s casting office, and being in that culture confirmed this was the right path. Later, I even worked as Lonny Price’s assistant — years later, I ended up casting his shows, which felt full-circle.
Q: Did your acting background make you a better casting director?
Van Dam: Absolutely. Having studied acting, voice, and dance gives me empathy for what actors go through and vocabulary to assess stamina and technique. Add to that my time with directors and talent agencies, and it’s made me understand the collaborative nature of the theatre industry of musicals from all angles.
Q: What do people misunderstand most about casting?
Van Dam: Everyone asks, “So what do you do?” Some assume we pick the people, but we don’t. We build lists, organize auditions, and advise the team. Directors, choreographers, music supervisors, and producers all have different priorities — we’re the connective tissue helping balance them.
Q: Have you had moments where your instinct was proven right?
Van Dam: Casting Peppermint in Head Over Heels was one. The role was written as non-binary, and we reached out to the trans community. She sent in tapes, came into the room, and it was undeniable. It was groundbreaking — the first openly trans woman cast in a principal Broadway role — and the production’s celebration of diversity was something I’ll always be proud of.
Q: You also recently worked on Dead Outlaw. How did that process evolve?
Van Dam: That began as a workshop for what was then the “untitled Yazbek/Moses/Della Penna musical.” Because it was TheBand’s Visit team, it was easy to get people in the room. But the material wasn’t traditional musical theatre — it was rock-folk. We needed versatile actors who could play multiple roles convincingly. Watching it grow from workshop to Broadway was incredibly rewarding.
Q: With Pal Joey (now Chez Joey) being reimagined, how do you approach casting a classic?
Van Dam: It starts with the re-imagined book — Joey as a Black jazz singer in Chicago, and the interracial relationship with Vera. Working with Savion Glover and Tony Goldwyn, auditions feel more like rehearsals. We have a jazz band in the room, and actors are encouraged to play, not just perform perfectly. That creative freedom makes the process thrilling.
Q: How has technology changed casting?
Van Dam: Self-tapes have always been around, but after the pandemic, virtual auditions and Zoom callbacks became common. It means we can work with actors in LA or abroad without flying them in. Virtual open calls also expand the net — like when we recast Phantom of the Opera’s Christine, we saw 4,000 submissions and discovered someone in Texas we never would’ve found otherwise.
But nothing replaces the energy of being in a room. Live theatre is about presence, and that’s something you only feel in person.
Q: Do you find talent on social media?
Van Dam: Constantly. I’m on YouTube and TikTok, and people send me links all the time. For Six, we found performers that way. If we only relied on agents’ submissions, we’d miss out. Discovery is part of the job.
Q: What advice do you give young actors?
Van Dam: Don’t walk in asking, “How am I doing?” Instead, ask, “What am I doing?” Be bold in your preparation and show what makes you unique. Forget “type” — focus on what makes you stand out.
Q: If you could go back and cast any show in history, which would it be?
Van Dam: The original A Chorus Line. The auditions for that must have been fascinating — casting a show about casting.
Q: Last fun one: what’s the audition song you never want to hear again?
Van Dam: Songs about the business. Unless it’s A Chorus Line or Smash, I want to see a human being, not just someone singing about showbiz. Otherwise, I don’t mind “overdone” songs — it’s about the take. Ultimately, what I’m looking for is the same as any audience member: to be moved.
Broadway is preparing for a season of homecomings. A parade of celebrated actors are returning to its stages, bringing new works, long‑delayed premieres and high‑profile revivals. The 2025 calendar shows why New York’s theatre scene remain a magnet for stars who could easily continue working in film or television. Many performers talk about the unique intimacy of the theatre and the chance to inhabit a character night after night, building energy with an audience. After pandemic disruptions and time spent in Hollywood, these artists are choosing to reconnect with their stage roots in a year that promises both nostalgia and novelty.
The season’s most talked‑about reunion pairs Kristin Chenoweth with F. Murray Abraham in The Queen of Versailles. Adapted from Lauren Greenfield’s documentary, the musical charts the saga of Jackie and David Siegel, time‑share moguls whose lavish dream home became a symbol of overreach. A Boston tryout confirmed that the show captures the couple’s ambition and downfall, and the Broadway production will begin previews at the St. James Theatre on October 8, 2025. Chenoweth will tackle Jackie while Abraham plays David.
Just down the block at the Booth Theatre, Laurie Metcalf will anchor the Broadway premiere of Little Bear Ridge Road. The one‑act, written by Samuel D. Hunter and directed by Joe Mantello, centers on a razor‑tongued aunt and the nephew who returns to help sell her crumbling Idaho home. Previews begin October 7, and the play’s combination of wry humor and emotional candour seems tailor‑made for Metcalf’s talents.
Comedy is taking center stage with Bobby Cannavale and James Corden team with Neil Patrick Harris in Yasmina Reza’s Art. The modern classic, which first opened in 1994, follows three friends whose relationship is threatened when one of them buys an expensive white painting. The new revival began previews August 28 and runs through December 21, 2025. Cannavale, Corden and Harris could make this a standout in a season full of drama.
Broadway fans are buzzing as Lea Michele and Aaron Tveit prepare to make their return to the stage in the first-ever Broadway revival of Chess. Set to play at the Imperial Theatre, the production begins previews on October 15 with an official opening on November 16.
Kelli O’Hara will headline Noël Coward’s Fallen Angels at Roundabout’s newly renovated Todd Haimes Theatre. The 1925 farce about two wives awaiting the return of an old flame has rarely been seen on Broadway, and this production pairs O’Hara with Emmy‑nominated Rose Byrne.
Carrie Coon, last seen on Broadway more than a decade ago, returns in Tracy Letts’s psychological thriller Bug. The Manhattan Theatre Club production, opening December 18, 2025 with an official opening January 8, 2026, follows a waitress who becomes consumed by conspiracy theories and delusions after meeting a disturbed Gulf War veteran. Coon’s penchant for inhabiting complex characters should bring new life to Letts’s unsettling play.
Tragedy will not be neglected. Studio 54 will host the U.S. transfer of Robert Icke’s adaptation of Oedipus starring Mark Strong and Lesley Manville. Critics hailed the London production for turning Sophocles’ classic into a political thriller set on election night. The American engagement begins October 30, 2025 and will run for a limited fourteen‑week engagement.
Other notable comebacks include Leslie Odom, Jr.‘s return to his Tony winning role as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, Betsy Aidem as Margie in Liberation by Bess Wohl, and Broadway Stalwart Danny Burstein, who is set to take on the role of Jon in the upcoming production of Marjorie Prime at the Hayes Theater.
