Oct 6, 2026
·Mary Callahan
October is one of the busiest months of the 2026 Broadway season, with major new plays and musicals beginning previews, star-led revivals reaching opening night and several limited engagements entering their final weeks.
Billy Crystal is back on Broadway with his deeply personal solo show 860. Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men returns with Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth. Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell bring Much Ado About Nothing to the Winter Garden Theatre, while Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joe Keery, Ed Harris, Allison Janney and Lily Rabe headline Other Desert Cities. Beyond the new openings, October also brings major cast changes to Just In Time, Little Shop of Horrors, Maybe Happy Ending and Buena Vista Social Club.
Whether you're planning a fall theater trip or deciding which new production belongs at the top of your list, here's what Broadway fans should know about the biggest shows, openings, closing dates and casting news in October 2026.
What’s new on Broadway in October 2026?
October's Broadway calendar combines six productions beginning previews with several important opening nights for shows that started performances in late September. That means fans can choose between seeing a production early in previews or waiting until after critics weigh in on opening night.
Among the month's biggest draws are Broadway debuts from Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joe Keery, Tom Blyth and Hayley Atwell, along with the return of established Broadway stars including Billy Crystal and Bradley Whitford.
New Broadway shows starting previews in October 2026
Six Broadway productions begin previews during October, ranging from new musicals and a deeply provocative drama to Shakespeare and the Broadway premiere of one of musical theater's most enduring titles.
Billy Crystal's 860 brings a personal story to Broadway
Billy Crystal's 860 is not a traditional stand-up show or Broadway musical. The autobiographical solo production finds Crystal reflecting on family, memory, loss and resilience after the 2025 Palisades fire destroyed the Los Angeles home where he and his family had lived for decades. The title comes from the address of that home.
For fans who saw or know Crystal's Tony-winning 700 Sundays, 860 offers another opportunity to see him use humor and storytelling to explore deeply personal material. Scott Ellis directs the strictly limited engagement, which runs through January 3, 2027. With Crystal alone at the center of the production, this is particularly suited to fans interested in intimate, story-driven theater and his blend of comedy and memoir.
Status: In previews; opens October 21 Theater: Imperial Theatre
A Few Good Men returns to Broadway with Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth
Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men returns to Broadway in a new Lincoln Center Theater production directed by Michael Arden. The military courtroom drama follows Lt. Daniel Kaffee as he defends two Marines accused of killing a fellow serviceman and gradually uncovers a much larger conflict involving obedience, responsibility and the military chain of command.
Bradley Whitford plays Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep, while The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes star Tom Blyth makes his Broadway debut as Kaffee. Krysta Rodriguez also stars. Fans of Sorkin's dialogue-heavy writing can expect a tense legal drama driven more by verbal confrontation and moral questions than spectacle.
The play originally premiered on Broadway in 1989 before Sorkin adapted it into the Oscar-nominated 1992 film. That history makes this revival particularly interesting for audiences who know the movie but have never experienced the story in its original stage format.
Status: Previews begin October 8; opens October 29 Theater: Vivian Beaumont Theater
Wanted tells the story of outlaw sisters Mary and Martha Clarke
Wanted, previously titled Gun & Powder, is a new musical inspired by the mostly true story of sisters Mary and Martha Clarke. Set in Texas in 1893, the musical follows two Black sisters who can pass as white and find themselves navigating two very different Americas while fighting to protect their family and its future.
When the forces working against them become impossible to ignore, Mary and Martha turn to increasingly dangerous measures. The result is a story about sisterhood, race, identity, survival and the lengths people will go to claim the life they believe belongs to them.
Solea Pfeiffer plays Mary opposite Liisi LaFontaine as Martha, with Grammy winner Ledisi as Tallulah and Grammy nominee Luke James as Elijah. Angelica Chéri, a descendant of the real Clarke sisters, wrote the book and lyrics, with music by Ross Baum. Stevie Walker-Webb directs.
For audiences looking for a completely new Broadway musical rather than an adaptation or revival, Wanted is one of the most notable original productions arriving this fall.
Status: Previews begin October 15; opens November 8 Theater: James Earl Jones Theatre
Downstate brings Bruce Norris' provocative drama to Broadway
Bruce Norris' Downstate centers on four men living together in a state-sanctioned group home after serving prison sentences for sex crimes against minors. Their uneasy existence is disrupted when a survivor arrives to confront the man who abused him, setting off a confrontation over punishment, remorse, justice and whether a debt to society can ever truly be paid.
The subject matter makes this one of the season's most challenging plays. It is intended for mature audiences, and fans should expect an intentionally uncomfortable drama rather than an easy night at the theater. The Broadway production follows acclaimed earlier runs at Steppenwolf and Playwrights Horizons.
Joe Mantello directs, with original Steppenwolf cast members Francis Guinan and K. Todd Freeman appearing alongside Thomas Sadoski and Liza Colón-Zayas.
Status: Previews begin October 17; opens November 15 Theater: Booth Theatre
The Fantasticks finally makes its Broadway debut
After becoming one of the most famous Off-Broadway musicals ever written, The Fantasticks is finally coming to Broadway.
This new interpretation centers on two young men, Matt and Lewis, whose mothers secretly devise a scheme designed to make their sons fall in love. What begins as a whimsical romantic fable grows into a story about idealism, disappointment, reconciliation and what happens when fantasy collides with real life.
Tom Jones revised his original book and lyrics before his death, reshaping the traditionally heterosexual central romance as a love story between two men and changing the meddling fathers into mothers.
The show retains Harvey Schmidt and Jones' familiar score, including "Try to Remember," while Christopher Gattelli directs and choreographs. Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Ruthie Ann Miles are among the cast.
For longtime musical-theater fans, the Broadway arrival itself is historic: The Fantasticks began Off-Broadway in 1960 and became the world's longest-running musical.
Status: Previews begin October 22; opens November 16 Theater: Hayes Theater Key date: Limited run through February 7, 2027
Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell star in Much Ado About Nothing
Shakespeare's battle of wits between Beatrice and Benedick gets major star power from Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston in Jamie Lloyd's production of Much Ado About Nothing.
The romantic comedy follows two very different courtships. While young lovers Hero and Claudio move quickly toward marriage, Beatrice and Benedick insist they cannot stand each other — even as everyone around them recognizes something else is happening. Schemes, misunderstandings and deception put both relationships to the test.
Lloyd's production arrives from London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane and emphasizes the comedy, chemistry and celebratory atmosphere of Shakespeare's play rather than treating it as a museum piece. For Marvel fans, the pairing of Hiddleston and Atwell adds another draw, while Atwell makes her Broadway debut.
The production is scheduled for only 10 weeks, making it one of the shortest and potentially most in-demand engagements of the fall.
Status: Previews begin October 31; opens November 19 Theater: Winter Garden Theatre Key date: Limited run through January 10, 2027
Broadway shows opening in October 2026
Not every major October opening actually begins performances this month. Several productions started previews in September and reach their official opening nights in October, making them important additions to the fall Broadway calendar.
Other Desert Cities opens with an all-star Broadway cast
Jon Robin Baitz's family drama Other Desert Cities begins with what should be a holiday reunion and quickly becomes something much more volatile.
Writer Brooke Wyeth returns to her politically connected parents' Palm Springs home with a new memoir that threatens to reveal a long-buried family secret. What follows is a battle over memory, loyalty, politics and a fundamental question: Who has the right to tell a family's story?
The cast is one of the biggest reasons this revival is drawing attention. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Joe Keery both make their Broadway debuts alongside Ed Harris, Allison Janney and Lily Rabe. John Benjamin Hickey directs.
For fans who prefer actor-driven dramas, this is one of the fall's clearest showcases: five recognizable performers sharing the stage in a play built around escalating family confrontation.
Opening night: October 18 Theater: Hudson Theatre Key date: Limited run through January 17, 2027
The Imaginary Invalid gives Molière's comedy a new adaptation
Bill Irwin adapts and stars in a new version of Molière's The Imaginary Invalid, playing Argan, a wealthy hypochondriac who is so obsessed with his illnesses and medical treatments that he plans to marry his daughter to a doctor in hopes of cutting down his healthcare bills.
The problem: his daughter has her own ideas about whom she wants to marry.
That setup turns into a fast-moving comedy about medicine, money, family manipulation and the absurd lengths people will go to convince themselves something is wrong. Brandon J. Dirden directs the 90-minute production, which is presented without an intermission.
Fans looking for a shorter Broadway comedy or a modern interpretation of a classic play may find this one especially approachable.
Opening night: October 22 Theater: Todd Haimes Theatre Key date: Limited run through November 22
Broadway shows closing soon in fall 2026
Limited engagements can disappear quickly once a final performance approaches. These Broadway shows already have confirmed closing dates, so fans considering them have a defined window in which to go.
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play closes November 15
Jocelyn Bioh's comedy, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, takes place at Ghana's Aburi Girls Boarding School, where reigning queen bee Paulina believes winning the Miss Ghana 1986 pageant could transform her future. Her plans are disrupted by Ericka, a new American student whose arrival changes the social hierarchy and catches the attention of a pageant recruiter.
What initially looks like a sharp high-school comedy gradually explores colorism, beauty standards, friendship and the pressures young women face when the world decides which kinds of beauty deserve attention.
Denée Benton, Patina Miller and Jasmine Amy Rogers are among the cast. The production recently extended its Broadway run by two weeks and now closes November 15.
Closing: November 15, 2026 Theater: Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
The Imaginary Invalid closes November 22
Bill Irwin's adaptation of Molière's comedy has one of the shorter fall Broadway runs, closing November 22 at the Todd Haimes Theatre.
The comedy follows Argan, a man so convinced of his poor health that his obsession begins controlling the lives of everyone around him. At roughly 90 minutes without an intermission, it can also work well for theatergoers looking for a compact Broadway experience.
Closing: November 22, 2026 Theater: Todd Haimes Theatre
Broadway extensions and added performances to know about
Not every Broadway update means fewer opportunities to go. Some productions have extended their engagements or added special performers, creating new reasons for fans to revisit their plans.
Bernie Williams joins Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club combines the music associated with the legendary Cuban album with a story that moves between pre-revolutionary Havana and the musicians' later reunion.
This fall brings an unusual crossover between Broadway, music and baseball. Former Yankees center fielder and Latin Grammy-nominated guitarist Bernie Williams joins the onstage band from October 22 through November 29.
Former MLB player and recording artist José Iglesias, also known as Candelita, has also extended his engagement as the show's narrator through November 15.
For baseball fans who have already considered seeing Buena Vista Social Club, the overlap gives late October and early November performances a lineup they won't get during the rest of the Broadway run.
Theater: Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Current run: Open-ended Key cast dates: José Iglesias appears as narrator through November 15, 2026; Bernie Williams joins the band October 22–November 29
In the Heights returns to New York City Center
In the Heights returns to New York in a special New York City Center presentation beginning October 28.
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes' musical unfolds over several summer days in Washington Heights as Usnavi, Vanessa, Nina, Benny and their neighbors navigate love, family, money, identity and the question of what it means to call a place home.
This is not a Broadway revival or a replica of the original production. David Mendizábal directs a City Center staging that puts the music and orchestra at the center of the experience, giving fans a rare chance to hear songs like "96,000," "Breathe" and "The Club" performed live in New York again.
Theater: New York City Center Status: Runs October 28 through November 15, 2026
Broadway cast changes to know about in October 2026
October has several major Broadway and Off-Broadway cast transitions, including a final performance from Jeremy Jordan and limited appearances from Stella Cole and Bernie Williams.
Jeremy Jordan leaves Just In Time and Matthew Morrison returns
Jeremy Jordan plays his final performance as Bobby Darin in Just In Time on October 18 at Circle in the Square Theatre.
The immersive jukebox musical transforms the theater into a nightclub as it traces Darin's life and career through songs including "Beyond the Sea," "Mack the Knife," "Splish Splash" and "Dream Lover."
Matthew Morrison returns to the role beginning October 20 for a limited engagement. That gives fans two distinctly different opportunities in October: catch Jordan before his final bow or see Morrison return as Darin.
Carrie St. Louis also finishes her run as Sandra Dee on October 18.
Theater: Circle in the Square Theatre Current run: Open-ended Key cast date: Jeremy Jordan and Carrie St. Louis play their final performances October 18, 2026; Matthew Morrison returns as Bobby Darin October 20
Ethan Slater and Betsy Wolfe leave Little Shop of Horrors
Ethan Slater and Betsy Wolfe play their final performances as Seymour and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors on October 25 at the Westside Theatre.
T.R. Knight and Hannah Cruz take over the roles beginning October 27.
Although Little Shop of Horrors is Off-Broadway rather than Broadway, the long-running production remains one of the most prominent theater attractions around Times Square. The intimate Westside Theatre puts audiences considerably closer to Seymour, Audrey and Audrey II than they would be in a traditional Broadway house.
For fans deciding when to go, October effectively offers two different lead pairings within the same production.
Theater: Westside Theatre Upstairs Current run: Open-ended Key cast date: Ethan Slater and Betsy Wolfe play their final performances October 25, 2026; T.R. Knight and Hannah Cruz begin October 27
Stella Cole makes her Broadway debut in Maybe Happy Ending
Jazz vocalist Stella Cole joins Maybe Happy Ending as Gil Brentley for a four-week limited engagement from October 20 through November 15.
The Tony-winning musical follows two obsolete HelperBots, Oliver and Claire, whose chance meeting in Seoul develops into a friendship, an adventure and an unexpectedly human love story. Gil Brentley is the smooth-voiced jazz singer whose music runs through Oliver's collection of records and the emotional world of the show.
Cole steps in while original cast member Dez Duron takes a temporary leave. Duron returns November 17.
Theater: Belasco Theatre Current run: Open-ended Key cast dates: Stella Cole plays Gil Brentley October 20–November 15, 2026; Dez Duron returns November 17
Bernie Williams and José Iglesias bring baseball to Buena Vista Social Club
October is an especially unusual month at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.
Former New York Mets infielder José Iglesias continues as narrator through November 15, while Yankees legend Bernie Williams joins the band on guitar beginning October 22 through November 29.
The overlap makes the production a unique Broadway option for fans whose interests cross between live music, New York baseball and theater.
Theater: Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Current run: Open-ended Key cast dates: José Iglesias appears as narrator through November 15, 2026; Bernie Williams joins the band October 22–November 29
Jennifer Simard stars in Schmigadoon!
Jennifer Simard is now playing Mildred Layton in Schmigadoon! at the Nederlander Theatre after succeeding Ana Gasteyer in September.
Based on the Apple TV series, the musical follows New York doctors Melissa and Josh after they accidentally wander into a magical town governed by the rules of Golden Age musicals. The only way out is to find true love — which may or may not mean staying together.
Simard plays the town's formidable preacher's wife, a role that gives her a major comic showcase. Fans of her work in Death Becomes Her, Company and Disaster! now have another chance to see one of Broadway's most recognizable comedic performers.
Theater: Nederlander Theatre Closing: April 4, 2027 Key cast update: Jennifer Simard is currently playing Mildred Layton, succeeding Ana Gasteyer
New Broadway cast announcements and upcoming shows
October isn't only about productions already playing. Several major upcoming Broadway shows have announced casts and performance dates, giving fans an early look at the 2026–27 season.
Damn Yankees announces Neil Patrick Harris, Julianne Hough and Austin Scott
The first Broadway revival of Damn Yankees in more than 30 years has announced its three principal stars.
Neil Patrick Harris will play the devilish Applegate, Julianne Hough will star as Lola and Austin Scott will play Young Joe. Tony winner Sergio Trujillo directs and choreographs the new production, which begins previews March 24, 2027 at the Marquis Theatre before officially opening April 20.
The new adaptation updates the musical's baseball story to the early 2000s. Diehard fan Joe Boyd dreams of seeing the Baltimore Orioles return to glory when Applegate offers him the opportunity to become the superstar player who could change the team's fortunes. The deal comes with a catch, and Lola is sent in when Joe's loyalty begins complicating Applegate's plan.
The score includes Broadway standards like "Heart," "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets" and "Two Lost Souls." Will Power and Doug Wright provide the new adaptation, with additional lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.
For both Broadway and baseball fans, Damn Yankees is shaping up to be one of the biggest crossover events of the spring 2027 season.
Theater: Marquis Theatre Status: Previews begin March 24, 2027; opens April 20, 2027 Currently on sale through: November 14, 2027
DOLLY: A True Original Musical announces its principal Broadway cast
The principal cast is now set for DOLLY: A True Original Musical, the autobiographical musical built around Dolly Parton's life and songs.
Katie Rose Clarke will portray Dolly Parton, while Carrie St. Louis plays Dolly during an earlier stage of her career and 11-year-old Norah Nunes appears as Little Dolly. John Behlmann will play Parton's husband, Carl Dean, while Tony winner Gabriel Ebert plays Porter Wagoner.
The story traces Parton's journey from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to international superstardom and combines new material with songs including "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," "9 to 5" and "I Will Always Love You."
Parton co-wrote the book with Maria S. Schlatter and wrote the music and lyrics. Bartlett Sher directs.
Status: Previews begin December 7, 2026; opens January 19, 2027 Theater: St. James Theatre
It's a Wonderful Life brings a live radio play to Broadway
Andrew Rannells, Megan Hilty, Tituss Burgess, Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna will star in It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at the Broadhurst Theatre this holiday season.
Rather than recreating the movie scene-for-scene, Joe Landry's adaptation places the audience inside a 1940s radio studio. The cast performs the familiar story of George Bailey live on the air while a Foley artist creates sound effects onstage and holiday music helps recreate the atmosphere of an old-fashioned Christmas broadcast.
Rannells plays George Bailey, Hilty plays Mary Bailey, Burgess plays Clarence, Hamlin plays Mr. Potter and Rinna plays Violet. Jerry Zaks directs.
For families or fans looking for a seasonal Broadway show, the format offers a different way to revisit the Frank Capra story without simply reproducing the film.
Status: Previews begin November 4; opens November 18 Theater: Broadhurst Theatre Key date: Limited run through January 3, 2027
Broadway shows to watch in November 2026
Many of October's most anticipated first previews become November's major opening nights.
Wanted opens November 8, followed by Downstate on November 15, The Fantasticks on November 16 and Much Ado About Nothing on November 19.
November also brings the Broadway premiere of It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, while the holiday season starts to increase demand for long-running favorites including Hamilton, Wicked and The Lion King.
For fans choosing between October and November, the tradeoff is straightforward: previews can offer the chance to see new productions before opening night, while November gives audiences more reviews and word of mouth to help decide what belongs on their list.
How to get Broadway tickets on SeatGeek
From brand-new Broadway productions to long-running favorites, SeatGeek makes it easy to compare show dates, sections and ticket prices before heading to the theater.
Search for Broadway tickets or the specific production you want to see.
Browse available performance dates and choose the one that works for your schedule.
Compare seats by section, price and Deal Score to find the option that fits your budget.
Review the full ticket price before checkout so you know what you'll pay.
Complete your purchase securely and access your tickets through the SeatGeek app.
Whether you want to see Billy Crystal return to Broadway, catch Jeremy Jordan's final Just In Time performance, watch Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell trade Shakespearean insults or get ahead of next spring's Damn Yankees revival, Broadway's fall calendar gives fans plenty to choose from.
October is where much of the 2026–27 Broadway season starts taking shape. Pick your show, find your seats and get in the room before the next big opening becomes Broadway's next tough ticket.