There’s a delightful new romantic comedy about two strangers carrying a cake across NYC. It happens to be a musical direct from London called Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York), now playing on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre.
It delivers on that premise, but I can also promise you’ll laugh, smile, swoon, and be moved. Weeping is not out of the question. Being charmed by its two leads is guaranteed. Developed in the UK but set in Manhattan and Brooklyn over two days in December, Two Strangers makes New Yorkers, Brits, and any romcom aficionado feel right at home.
Unlike the average musical comedy, Two Strangers has only two cast members — and you guessed it, they’re the two strangers in question. One is Dougal, fresh off the plane from London to attend his estranged father’s NYC wedding, and the other is Robin, a busy New Yorker and sister of the bride who is tasked with picking up “the kid.” Do they vibe at first? Of course not! Do things change? Well, it’s a romcom after all!
Luckily, a classic meet-cute leads to some surprising developments, as truths about both characters are revealed and they begin to care for each other. It follows a formula without being formulaic, largely thanks to the tiny cast, unique direction and a memorable score that spans genres.
The other referenced characters never appear, and while that can occasionally it feel incomplete, Two Strangers thrives on the chemistry and comic timing of its two leads, who are developed beautifully through their maximal stage time. Sam Tutty, known for his Olivier-winning turn as the titular character in the West End’s Dear Evan Hansen, shines as Dougal, who is at times corny, at times vulnerable, and always very adorable and very British. He played the role in London, but his costar, the phenomenal Christiani Pitts as the pessimistic (and secret-carrying!) barista Robin, is new to the Broadway transfer. Pitts, who appeared in King Kong and A Bronx Tale on Broadway, is from New York, which is clear in her referential one-liners about NYC culture.
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan have written a script both wholesome and clever, weaved between catchy songs well-suited for online virality, all sung expertly by Tutty and Pitts. The unique set of oversized suitcases on a Hamilton-esque turntable, designed by Soutra Gilmour, has a few surprises of its own. Its abstract nature and simplicity contrasts with the realistic image on the Playbill cover of Dougal and Robin on the subway.
Directed by Tim Jackson, Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York) is another welcome British addition to the Great White Way. It’s neither radical nor revolutionary, but it’s special to see two talented actors perform a musical romantic comedy all on their own. I’d wager that there’s a bright word-of-mouth future for the production and that its score will develop a young and passionate fandom. Appealing to lovers of both situational comedy and wholesome romance, Two Strangers, set in NYC in December, is a sweet treat for the holiday season. Tickets at https://twostrangersmusical.com/
The 54th Annual Tony Awards marked a vibrant moment in Broadway history, celebrating a slate of performers and creatives whose work helped define a new era of theatrical storytelling. As these winners celebrate two and a half decades since their big night, we look back at what earned them Broadway’s top honor and where their careers have taken them since.
Brian Stokes Mitchell – Best Actor in a Musical (Kiss Me, Kate)
One of Broadway’s most iconic leading men, Brian Stokes Mitchell earned his Tony for his performance as Fred Graham / Petruchio in the 1999 revival of Kiss Me, Kate.Today, he remains a cornerstone of the Broadway community. In the years since his win, he has starred in King Hedley II (earning another Tony nomination), Man of La Mancha, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and Shuffle Along. During the pandemic, Mitchell became a symbol of hope with his nightly balcony serenades on West 98th Street, which raised awareness for the Entertainment Community Fund (then called The Actors Fund), where he also served as Chairman of the Board. He continues performing in concerts nationwide and remains one of Broadway’s most beloved ambassadors, even acting as the voice of God during the 2025 Tony Awards.
Heather Headley – Best Actress in a Musical (Aida)
Heather Headley’s electrifying performance in Disney’s Aida made her a Broadway legend overnight. After her Tony win, she shifted into a successful recording career and earned a Grammy Award.Headley later returned to the stage with acclaimed performances as Shug Avery in The Color Purple, the Witch in Into the Woods and Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard. She has also built a robust television résumé with roles in Chicago Med, Sweet Magnolias, and She’s Gotta Have It. Today, Headley remains a multi-hyphenate force who moves between stage, screen, and studio.
Boyd Gaines – Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Contact)
Boyd Gaines won his third Tony Award in 2000 for Susan Stroman’s groundbreaking dance musical Contact. Already a respected stage veteran, Gaines has continued to show his versatility across genres.
He went on to appear in Gypsy (earning another Tony), Journey’s End, Twelve Angry Men, Pygmalion, Driving Miss Daisy, and An Enemy of the People. His screen credits include The Good Wife, Law and Order, and The Goldfinch. Though he has taken a step back from stage acting, with his last role being in 2012, Gaines remains one of the most decorated performers in Tony history.
Karen Ziemba – Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Contact)
Karen Ziemba’s luminous performance in Contact earned her a well-deserved Tony, solidifying her status as one of Broadway’s most dynamic triple threats.In the years since, she has appeared in Curtains, Bullets Over Broadway, Prince of Broadway, The Visit, and Hot Mikado. Ziemba continues to work steadily in regional theatre, Off Broadway, and concert settings, bringing her blend of warmth, dance expertise, and comic timing to every project. She remains a beloved figure in the musical theatre landscape.
Stephen Dillane – Best Leading Actor in a Play (The Real Thing)
Stephen Dillane’s quietly smoldering performance as Henry in The Real Thing earned him a Tony Award cemented his status as one of the most compelling actors of his generation. A British actor known for his intellectual intensity and emotional precision, Dillane has moved fluidly between stage and screen throughout his career. Interestingly, though, this was his only foray to Broadway, with all of his other stage roles coming on the West End
After The Real Thing, he continued to deliver acclaimed theatrical work, most notably in Macbeth and The Tempest, while also branching into film and television with roles in The Hours, John Adams, and Game of Thrones. With a degree in history and politics from Exeter, Dillane remains a master of thoughtful, layered character work, celebrated for bringing a scholar’s mind and a poet’s sensitivity to every role.
Jennifer Ehle – Best Leading Actress in a Play (The Real Thing)
Jennifer Ehle’s luminous performance as Annie in The Real Thing showcased her natural warmth, keen intelligence, and effortless charisma, earning her a Tony Award and introducing Broadway to one of its most versatile talents. She went on to build a distinguished career across mediums, appearing in productions such as The Coast of Utopia (winning another Tony), Oslo, and Design for Living. On screen, Ehle is known for her work in The King’s Speech, Zero Dark Thirty, Contagion, and Fifty Shades of Grey. Whether on Broadway or in film, Ehle continues to impress with performances marked by grace, emotional depth, and impeccable craft.
Blair Brown – Best Featured Actress in a Play (Copenhagen)
Blair Brown won her Tony for her nuanced work in Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen, a play that dominated the 2000 season, with wins for Best Play and Best Direction of a Play.After her win, she continued a prolific career on stage and screen, appearing in The Minutes, The Parisian Woman and Mary Page Marlowe. On television, she is widely known for memorable roles in Orange is the New Black, Fringe, and Limitless. Brown remains a respected actor whose work spans drama, science fiction, comedy, and high profile streaming hits.
Roy Dotrice – Best Featured Actor in a Play (A Moon for the Misbegotten)
Roy Dotrice’s commanding turn as the rough-edged yet fiercely devoted Phil Hogan in A Moon for the Misbegotten earned him a Tony Award and reaffirmed his reputation as one of the great character actors of his era. A master storyteller with a booming presence and meticulous craft, Dotrice brought Eugene O’Neill’s world to life with humor, heart, and unmistakable grit. Following his Tony win, he continued a wide-ranging career on stage and screen. Dotrice holds the Guinness World Record for most character voices by an individual for an audiobook for A Song of Ice and Fire. Though he passed in 2017, Dotrice’s wide breadth of work cemented him as a singular talent whose voice and versatility left an indelible mark on audiences worldwide.
Susan Stroman – Best Choreography (Contact)
Susan Stroman’s elegant, movement-driven storytelling transformed the Broadway musical when she won her third Tony Award for Best Choreography for Contact.Since then, Susan Stroman has become one of the most influential directors and choreographers working today. Her credits include the blockbuster The Producers (which earned her two more Tonys in 2001), Bullets Over Broadway, The Scottsboro Boys, Young Frankenstein, New York, New York, and Crazy for You. She remains an essential artistic voice in contemporary musical theatre, championing new works and nurturing rising creators.
One might think a new play based on an Ancient Greek myth would offer thought-provoking modernizations and great performances, but perhaps not too much shock value. One would be mistaken, at least when it comes to the brilliant transfer of the West End’s hit Olivier-winning production of Oedipus, which opened on Broadway on November 13 at Studio 54.
This Oedipus, adapted and directed by Robert Icke and set in the modern world of politics, uses almost entirely new language, while remaining faithful to the infamous dramatic plot points of Sophocles’ play — though they’re revealed differently through an original narrative. The character names are the same and the text displayed on screens is in Greek, though the all-British cast suggests the election occurs in the UK.
Beyond these names and motifs, Icke crafts a new, hyper-realistic political and familial drama in real time, set over two uninterrupted hours before the results of an election. Here, Oedipus (Mark Strong) is in his campaign headquarters on the precipice of victory, surrounded by his family and staff. These include his wife Jocasta (Lesley Manville), his mother Merope (Anne Reid, spectacular at age 90!), his brother-in-law/campaign manager Creon (John Carroll Lynch), and his children Eteocles, Polyneices, and Antigone (Jordan Scowen, James Wilbraham, and Olivia Reis, respectively).
The horrifying plot twists, which I won’t describe here but are well-known to most — through the original play, Shakespeare’s version, or the corresponding Freudian psychological concepts — are inevitable, yet they hit Studio 54 with such force most of the audience leaves stunned into a silent daze. This is a testament to Icke’s writing and direction and the haunting lead performances by Strong and Manville. Both are Tony-worthy, but at the very least, Manville should be a lock to win Best Actress in a Play, as she did for this role earlier this year at the Olivier Awards.
Strong and Manville are both veterans of West End theatre perhaps more familiar to American audiences for their onscreen work — Strong for films such as Kingsman, Zero Dark Thirty and Sherlock Holmes, and Manville for her Oscar-nominated performance in Phantom Thread and Emmy-nominated role as Princess Margaret in The Crown. In Oedipus, they both reach new dramatic heights, telling their characters’ tragic tales with nuance, raw emotion, and even humor. The audience laughs before it gasps, transfixed from its start to its stunning finish.
What transpires in between is edge-of-your-seat drama that is salacious (naturally), but also deeply devastating when set in this modern context. I left simultaneously horrified, heartbroken, and awestruck. It’s a tragedy in every sense of the word, and one that anyone who appreciates top-tier stage acting and playwriting should not miss. (Except children. Don’t bring them!)
Oedipus will shock you, sicken you, and sadden you — and it will stick with you in a way most new plays cannot. Witness it at Studio 54 now through February 8, 2026. Tickets at https://oedipustheplay.com/
It was recently announced that Oscar winners Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence will be producing a Miss Piggy film with a script penned by Oh, Mary! Tony winner Cole Escola. For those who can’t wait to see Piggy in action, she’s currently costarring in a Broadway show — but probably not the one you expected.
Miss Piggy and her Muppet friends cameo in Rob Lake Magic, currently playing at the Broadhurst Theatre. The show is what it sounds like: an interactive Vegas-style magic show starring Rob Lake of America’s Got Talent fame. Is the inclusion of the Muppets somewhat random? Definitely. Is it a bad thing? Not at all. If anything, they’re underutilized.
Cole Escola’s script will almost certainly contain raunchy adult humor, but at Rob Lake Magic, the Muppets are as family-friendly as it gets. Lake performs a mix of his famous illusions — not new ones — and includes significant audience participation. There were occasional technological hiccups, but it was clear that magic lovers and child attendees had a ball. And that’s who this production is catered to, rather than a general adult audience or Broadway fans. It’s perfectly enjoyable, if not slightly underwhelming, as a non-magic-obsessed adult, but in many ways it’s a Vegas show on a Broadway stage and operates as such.
Make no mistake: there are plenty of mystifying moments to go around, with several leaving the audience, myself included, dumbfounded. Other tricks employ what seems to be prerecorded video and audio and are less shocking. There are classic illusions like “woman sawed in half” that are not mind-blowing to an adult audience — but again, this is a family show for kids and magic superfans, most of whom seemed to leave amazed.
Even if some illusions run smoother than others, but children under 10 won’t be bothered. Many get to participate, which yields adorable moments. Adults are called to the stage, too, and many of them were no less bewildered. The final trick has a great payoff.
Rob Lake has a good stage presence and grew more comfortable throughout the show, bantering with audience members and leading with self-deprecating humor. These moments land best, compared to the classic Vegas magician moments of bravado. While this is a classic magician trope, the arms-spread-wide pose after the illusion to soak up the glory can come off inauthentic. This is likely because Lake really is a normal, nice, non-egotistical guy with a special talent, though some may come with an expectation of Vegas-level drama. I noticed Lake’s costume — a basic blue sweater on top, leather pants below — almost reflected this interesting mixed persona.
If you love illusions — or have kids who would be excited by them — you’re sure to have a great time full of oohs and ahhs at Rob Lake Magic. If you fit into neither category, it may not be catered to you. It’s playing on Broadway, but it’s certainly more of a “Special Event,” and one that any magic-loving child would adore as a family outing. And while I wish we’d seen more of them, the Muppets are the legendary scene stealers we know and love. As Miss Piggy asks the audience, “It’s good to see moi, isn’t it?” No need to respond — that was rhetorical!
Rob Lake Magic is playing at the Broadhurst Theatre through November 16, 2025. Tickets at www.roblake.com/broadway
As Broadway looks ahead to its next big season of revivals and fresh voices, it’s worth pausing for a look back to the year 2000, when a bold new generation of shows helped shape what modern Broadway would become. Now, a quarter-century later, those musicals and plays are celebrating their silver anniversaries, and many remain as relevant, resonant, and revolutionary as ever. From Aida and Contact to Proof and The Full Monty, the class of 2000 marked a turning point in how Broadway told its stories with pop scores, dance-driven storytelling, and emotionally intimate plays that expanded the definition of what a hit could be.
Aida
When Aida opened at the Palace Theatre in March 2000, it redefined the “pop Broadway musical.” With music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice, the show fused pop, rock, and classical influences into a sweeping retelling of the classic story of forbidden love between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier. Starring Heather Headley in the titular role in a breakout, Tony-winning performance, Aida ran for more than 1,800 performances and left a cultural imprint far beyond its Broadway run, inspiring international productions and even a rumored revival. Its influence still shows up today in the era of pop-driven musicals like & Juliet and Six.
Contact
Few shows captured Broadway’s imagination quite like Contact. Conceived by Susan Stroman and John Weidman, this dance musical blurred the line between theatre and ballet, using existing music instead of an original score. The production, which moved to Broadway after a successful Off-Broadway debut at Lincoln Center, went on to win the 2000 Tony Award for Best Musical. It was a groundbreaking moment for a show told almost entirely through movement. Stroman’s kinetic storytelling paved the way for other dance-forward works like Movin’ Out and The Times They Are A-Changin’, and her influence continues today in revivals like Crazy for You and new choreography-driven projects across Broadway like 2024 Tony Award nominee Illinoise.
Proof
David Auburn’s Proof, which premiered at the Manhattan Theatre Club before transferring to Broadway later that year, became one of the defining plays of the early 2000s. Its mix of intellectual intrigue, family tension, and emotional vulnerability won both the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Twenty-five years later, Proof is returning to Broadway this season starring Ayo Edebiri, Don Cheadle, Jin Ha, and Samira Wiley — a timely revival for a play that still feels urgent in its exploration of genius, grief, and trust. Its original run also made stars of Mary-Louise Parker and Ben Shenkman, solidifying MTC’s reputation as a launching pad for smart, emotionally rich new writing.
The Full Monty
Before Kinky Boots and Billy Elliot, there was The Full Monty — the blue-collar musical that brought heart, humor, and a little striptease to Broadway. With a score by David Yazbek and a book by Terrence McNally, the show told the story of out-of-work steelworkers in Buffalo who decide to form an unlikely strip act. Opening at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre in October 2000, The Full Monty was an instant crowd-pleaser and earned ten Tony nominations. Its blend of laughter, working-class realism, and sincerity set a tone for the decades of “feel-good” musicals that followed.
Seussical
A fantastical mash-up of Dr. Seuss stories, Seussical was a bright, family-friendly entry into the 2000 season. Written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime), it brought together Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and a colorful ensemble of Whoville characters in a whirlwind of rhymes and rhythm. While its initial Broadway run was short-lived, Seussical found massive success in schools and community theaters, becoming one of the most-performed shows in the U.S. Its enduring popularity speaks to the show’s charm — and to the timelessness of Seuss’s message about imagination and inclusion.
Dirty Blonde
Claudia Shear’s Dirty Blonde, directed by James Lapine, explored the life and legend of Mae West and the way her image continued to resonate decades later. With Shear herself in the leading role, the 3-hander offered a fresh, feminist take on celebrity and identity. Dirty Blonde earned five Tony nominations (and is one of the few plays in Broadway history to have its entire cast receive a Tony nom) and remains a benchmark for actor-driven, biographical storytelling on Broadway. Its influence can be felt in later pieces like I Am My Own Wife and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical — shows that blur biography and performance to reveal something deeper about fame and self-invention.
Copenhagen
Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen brought physics, philosophy, and moral ambiguity to Broadway — and made it thrilling. The play dramatized a 1941 meeting between physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, turning a scientific mystery into a riveting human drama. The Broadway production won the 2000 Tony Award for Best Play and showcased the power of intellectual theater at a time when musicals often dominated the conversation. Its success paved the way for other smart, idea-driven plays — from The History Boys to Oslo — that prove audiences will lean in when the writing sparks curiosity.
Broadway’s Best Shows sat down with Justin Adams and Emely Rachela of Broadway Crew, a company that provides event staffing and street team services for Broadway shows and beyond.
Founded in 2018 by Sam Clark, Broadway Crew began as a simple idea: give theatre artists a flexible and connected parallel career. Today, that idea has blossomed into a nationwide promotional staffing agency whose crews don’t just hand out flyers, they represent shows, engage audiences, and collect real-time feedback for producers and marketing teams.
From Street Team to Ad Agency
“We started with that classic image of the Times Square street team,” Justin explains. “Now we’re a full-fledged staffing agency. We help assemble opening night gifts, survey audiences, and even do mascot work.”
That mascot work has ranged from Romeo the Raccoon for The Public Theater to Elf activations at the Marriott Marquis, complete with Santa appearances and holiday brunches. “It’s a little bit camp, a little bit chaos,” Justin laughs, “but always fun.”
The Crew at Work
Emely, one of Broadway Crew’s Team Leads, spends her days at the TKTS booth, leading and mentoring the team that greets thousands of tourists. “We’re the people chatting with folks in line, helping them pick a show, finding out what they love, and sending them to see something that fits,” she says.
Some visitors arrive with no plan. “They just stand in line because it’s there,” Emely jokes. “We help them find their match so they’ll come back for more.”
Her favorite part? Watching shows grow from word-of-mouth to sell-outs. “Maybe Happy Ending was one we started promoting when the show was relatively unknown,” she recalls. “Now people literally grab flyers from our hands.”
Actors, Artists, and True Fans
Roughly 90 percent of Broadway Crew’s staff are working actors. The rest are dancers, playwrights, or devoted fans who want to stay close to the energy of the stage. “Some even have nine-to-five jobs but work weekends with us because they love the community,” Justin says.
Recruitment happens mostly through word of mouth and social media, though listings on Playbill, Backstage, and college networks also help. “It’s a word-of-mouth company powered by good vibes,” he adds.
Why Every Show Needs a Street Team
So why should a producer hire one? Justin doesn’t hesitate. “Every show — hit or not — needs people on the ground. We’ve worked with Hamilton to help fill its last few seats and with new shows trying to get noticed. We’re not just handing out flyers; we’re giving producers real-time insights into what audiences are saying.”
He also urges producers to start earlier. “A month before previews is perfect,” he says. “Don’t wait until you’re panicking about sales. We can be out at fall festivals, Halloween events, even commuters’ spots — meeting audiences where they are.”
Emely agrees. “When a show first appears on the TKTS board, people hesitate because it’s often the first time they’ve heard of it. If they’d seen our team talking about it weeks earlier, that recognition would already be there.”
The People Behind the Paper
Street teams aren’t anonymous promo machines, they’re theatre lovers. “Talk to our crew,” Emely says. “They’re not pressuring anyone. They’re just passionate about the art form.”
Justin nods. “We’re all part of the same club — the theatre nerds keeping the spark alive.”
Broadway Crew proves that the heart of Broadway beats not only onstage but also on the sidewalks, one conversation, one flyer, and one fan at a time.
When The Phantom of the Opera arrived at the Majestic Theatre in 1988, no one knew it would become Broadway’s longest-running show. The chandelier, the romance, the mystery — unforgettable. But it was the original cast who brought this gothic love story to life and set the tone for decades of performers to come.
Here is where those iconic stars are now.
Michael Crawford (The Phantom)
There is only one first Phantom, and Michael Crawford set the bar at a level that performers still chase. His intensity, vulnerability, and soaring vocals created a Phantom who was both terrifying and heartbreakingly human.
After more than 1,300 performances, Crawford has returned to Broadway only once more, in Dance of the Vampires in 2002. He also performed on the West End in The Woman in White, The Wizard of Oz, and other major productions. Health challenges led to quieter periods, but his occasional public appearances remain moments of celebration in the theatre world.
A true Broadway legend whose shadow looms as majestically as the Phantom’s cape.
Sarah Brightman (Christine Daaé)
Sarah Brightman’s shimmering soprano and dreamlike presence defined Christine for a generation. She was ethereal, curious, and the perfect muse for Phantom’s dark devotion.
After departing the show, she launched a global classical-crossover career, recording chart-topping albums and touring the world. Brightman has the honor of performing the theme song for the Olympic Games twice, in Barcelona with “Amigos Para Siempre” and in Beijing with “You and Me.” Her duet “Time to Say Goodbye” with Andrea Bocelli is one of the best-selling singles of all time.
From opera houses to arenas, she turned Christine’s innocence into full-scale international stardom and is still performing today.
Steve Barton (Raoul)
Steve Barton brought a warmth and sincerity to Raoul that balanced Phantom’s gothic drama. His voice, charm, and grounded presence made Christine’s love story feel real and heartfelt.
He continued to perform widely across Europe and the United States, oftenworking in Germany and Austria in shows such as Cats, West Side Story, Evita, Guys and Dolls, Dance of the Vampires, Beauty and the Beast, Jekyll & Hyde, and more. He was a respected leading man in musical theatre until his passing in 2001. His legacy remains deeply cherished by fans and colleagues alike.
Judy Kaye (Carlotta)
Judy Kaye entered Phantom with comedic firepower and vocal brilliance, turning Carlotta into far more than a prima donna punchline. Regal, ridiculous, commanding — she played it all with style.
She went on to become one of Broadway’s most versatile stars, winning two Tony Awards and dazzling audiences in everything from opera to musical comedy. Her career continues to shine bright.
Her Broadway résumé is packed, including On the Twentieth Century (Tony Award), Mamma Mia! (Tony Award nomination), Wicked, Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, Nice Work If You Can Get It (Tony Award), Anastasia, and Diana: The Musical.
Nicholas Wyman (Monsieur Firmin)
Nicholas Wyman played Firmin, one half of the overwhelmed opera managers caught between diva tantrums and paranormal chaos. His dry humor and authority made him a beloved part of Phantom’s world.
Wyman continued his career in theatre (Sly Fox, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, A Tale of Two Cities, Catch Me If You Can, Network) film, and television, and also took on leadership roles in the arts. His varied work reflects the same poise and polish he brought to the stage.
Cris Groenendaal (Monsieur André)
As André, Cris Groenendaal delivered impeccable timing, warmth, and just the right amount of controlled panic. He helped shape Phantom’s blend of grandeur and humor — and did it with charm to spare. After Phantom, he continued performing in opera and musical theatre, including Passion, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Ragtime, and Sunday in the Park with George, and became a respected vocal coach and educator. His artistry and work in many Sondheim musicals influenced a new generation of performers.
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
A hilarious, side-splitting lesson on the power of subjectivity and personal conviction between friends.
Performing for only 17 weeks at The Music Box Theatre, ART on Broadway delivers laughs as big as the A-list cast. Set in Paris, present day, you can easily expect to be tickled by the dry quips shared between three best friends, as early as the opening act.
Bobby Cannavale’s character, Marc, finds himself utterly confused by the six-figure purchase of a painting acquired by his friend, Serge, played by Neil Patrick Harris. The tug of war between two strong opinions, where Marc sees a silly, expensive mistake while Serge sees a modern masterpiece, can only be won with a third player playing both sides. Enter their friend, Yvan, played by the delightfully dizzying James Corden, who’s too consumed with his own potentially expensive predicament to care about another’s art choice.
Corden is the angsty, high strung, high octane compliment to Cannavale’s confident swagger and Harris’ steady matter-of-factness. The chemistry and playful dynamics between the three friends are most convincing. The battle of differing opinions or the inability to commit to one at all, tests the loyalty between the friends, revealing the sneaky ways in which subjectivity can crack even long held bonds.
Will one painting ruin the friendships of three grown men? See ART on Broadway by December 21, 2025 at New York’s storied Music Box Theatre to find out. Playwright Yasmina Reza and Director Scott Ellis have executed a very fun and funny feat that’s only 100 minutes long.
It’s easy to expect critiques of fine art to be dramatic. But if you can make it hilarious as well, then why not go ahead and call it a masterpiece. Depending on who you ask, of course.
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.
