Aug 10, 2026
·Mary Callahan
The best Broadway seasons have a way of making you feel like you're running out of time before they even start. Fall 2026 is one of those seasons — a stretch where Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tom Hiddleston, Billy Crystal and Rosamund Pike are all making Broadway debuts or returns within weeks of each other, and nearly every marquee production comes with a closing date already printed on the calendar.
Broadway’s fall landscape is being shaped by celebrity-led openings, Tony-winning extensions and a number of limited engagements with tight ticket windows. Shows including Much Ado About Nothing, Other Desert Cities and 860 are arriving alongside major cast changes at long-running favorites like Hadestown and Hamilton.
New Broadway shows to watch in Fall 2026
From celebrity-led plays to long-awaited musical revivals, here are the new Broadway shows, previews and upcoming openings to keep on your radar this fall.
Paranormal Activity: A New Story, Live on Broadway
Broadway rarely attempts full-scale horror, which immediately makes “Paranormal Activity” one of the season’s most unusual nights out. This is not a recreation of the first movie. It tells an original story about a couple who move from Chicago to London hoping to escape their past, only to discover that the haunting may have followed them.
The creative team is what makes the production especially intriguing. Director Felix Barrett helped create the immersive phenomenon “Sleep No More,” while illusion designer Chris Fisher worked on “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.” Rather than relying on a movie screen’s jump cuts, the production uses live illusions, sound and the proximity of the theater to make the audience feel trapped inside the haunting. It arrives on Broadway after an Olivier Award-nominated West End engagement and sold-out North American runs.
Status: In previews | Theater: August Wilson Theatre Key dates: Opens August 25, 2026; closes January 3, 2027
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play
Jocelyn Bioh’s comedy, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, may begin with the familiar politics of a teenage clique, but its beauty-pageant plot quickly opens into a sharper examination of colorism, class, Western beauty standards and who society decides is allowed to represent a country.
Set at a Ghanaian boarding school in 1986, the play follows queen bee Paulina and her classmates as they compete for a chance to enter the Miss Ghana pageant. The arrival of Ericka, a new student from the United States, upends both the competition and Paulina’s control of the group. Denée Benton plays Paulina, Jasmine Amy Rogers plays Ericka and Patina Miller plays former pageant queen Eloise Amponsah. This is the play’s Broadway premiere rather than a revival, following its acclaimed Off-Broadway history.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: Samuel J. Friedman Theatre Key date: Previews begin September 8, 2026; opens September 28, 2026
The Imaginary Invalid
Bill Irwin is one of Broadway’s great physical comedians, and Molière gives him an ideal character to inhabit: Argan, a wealthy hypochondriac so obsessed with doctors and imagined illnesses that he plans to marry his daughter to a physician to reduce his medical bills.
Irwin is not only starring in the production of The Imaginary Invalid, but adapting the 17th-century comedy himself. That makes this less of a formal period revival and more of an opportunity to see a master clown reshape a classic around his own precision, movement and comic timing. With a run of less than two months, it is also one of the easiest fall engagements to miss.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: Todd Haimes Theatre Key dates: Previews begin September 25, 2026; opens October 22, 2026; closes November 22, 2026
Other Desert Cities
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is making her Broadway debut in Other desert Cities, a family drama built for combustible performances. She plays Brooke Wyeth, a writer who returns to her politically prominent parents’ Palm Springs home with a memoir that exposes a painful family secret. What begins as a holiday reunion turns into a fight over memory, loyalty and who has the right to tell a family’s story.
The cast is unusually stacked even by Broadway standards. Louis-Dreyfus appears opposite Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Lily Rabe and Joe Keery, who is also making his Broadway debut. The play was a Pulitzer Prize finalist after its original Broadway production, but its conflict between public reputation and private truth may feel even more pointed in 2026.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: Hudson Theatre Key date: Previews begin September 29, 2026; opens October 18, 2026; closes January 17, 2027
860
Billy Crystal’s “860” takes its title from the address of the Pacific Palisades house where he and his wife lived for 46 years before it was destroyed in the January 2025 wildfires. Rather than presenting a straightforward account of the fire, Crystal uses the home as a doorway into stories about family, friendship, marriage, career and the objects that accumulate meaning over a lifetime.
The concept recalls the autobiographical intimacy of Crystal’s Tony-winning “700 Sundays,” but the emotional starting point is radically different. “860” is a show about losing a physical place while trying to preserve everything that happened inside it, with Crystal balancing grief and the observational humor that has defined his career.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: Imperial Theatre Key date: Previews begin October 1, 2026; opens October 21, 2026; closes January 3, 2027 after a limited 14-week engagement
A Few Good Men
Aaron Sorkin’s breakthrough courtroom drama, A Few Good Men, returns to Broadway with Bradley Whitford as Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep and Tom Blyth as Lt. Daniel Kaffee. The casting carries more history than it may initially appear: Whitford performed in the original Broadway production before becoming one of Sorkin’s most recognizable collaborators on “The West Wing.”
Now Whitford is taking on the play’s most imposing authority figure, while Blyth makes his Broadway debut in the young military lawyer role played by Tom Cruise in the movie. Michael Arden directs the first Broadway revival, bringing the pace and theatrical precision behind productions including “Parade” to Sorkin’s rapid-fire examination of loyalty, institutional power and moral responsibility.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: Vivian Beaumont Theatre Key date: Previews begin October 8, 2026; opens October 29, 2026; 13-week limited run
Wanted
Formerly titled “Gun & Powder,” “Wanted” tells the mostly true story of Mary and Martha Clarke, Black twin sisters who passed as white in 1893 Texas as they transformed from farm girls into outlaws. The musical blends a Western framework with gospel and R&B influences, giving Broadway a historical story that does not resemble a conventional period musical.
The project also has a direct connection to the women it depicts. Book writer and lyricist Angelica Chéri is a descendant of the Clarke sisters, allowing the musical to reclaim a family story that was largely left outside traditional histories of the American West. Solea Pfeiffer and Liisi LaFontaine reprise the roles they developed in earlier productions, with Grammy winner Ledisi joining the Broadway company.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: James Earl Jones Theatre Key date: Previews begin October 15, 2026; opens November 8, 2026
The Fantasticks
“The Fantasticks” ran Off-Broadway for more than four decades and became the longest-running musical in history, yet it has never previously played Broadway. Its arrival at the Hayes Theatre therefore represents a genuine theater milestone rather than another routine revival.
The new production also reimagines the show’s central romance. Two boys fall in love while their mothers secretly manipulate the relationship, updating the story while retaining Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt’s intimate score, including “Try to Remember” and “Soon It’s Gonna Rain.” Christopher Gattelli directs and choreographs a production designed to preserve the musical’s simplicity while reconsidering who gets placed at the center of its love story.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: Hayes Theater Key date: Previews begin October 22, 2026; opens November 16, 2026
Much Ado About Nothing
Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell reunite as Benedick and Beatrice, but Jamie Lloyd’s “Much Ado About Nothing” is far removed from a traditional, carefully preserved Shakespeare revival. The production turns Messina into a modern dance party, surrounding the play’s verbal sparring with contemporary music, movement and the stripped-down visual style that has become Lloyd’s signature.
The Broadway transfer follows an acclaimed London run where Hiddleston and Atwell’s chemistry became the main event. Marvel fans may come to see Loki and Peggy Carter together onstage, but the real attraction is watching two actors attack Shakespeare’s sharpest romantic rivalry at full speed. The production runs for only 10 weeks, creating one of the fall’s tightest windows.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: Winter Garden Theatre Key date: Previews begin October 31, 2026; opens November 19, 2026; closes January 10, 2027
Inter Alia
Rosamund Pike makes her Broadway debut as Jessica Parks, a London Crown Court judge accustomed to analyzing evidence and controlling a courtroom. Her confidence begins to fracture when a devastating accusation enters her own family, forcing her to confront the distance between applying the law professionally and living through its consequences personally.
Playwright Suzie Miller previously turned legal procedure into gripping theater with “Prima Facie.” “Inter Alia” expands that focus to include motherhood, modern masculinity and the impossible expectation that professional authority should translate into control over every part of a woman’s life. Pike earned an Olivier nomination for the London production before bringing the role to Broadway.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: Music Box Theatre Key date: Previews begin November 10, 2026; opens December 1, 2026
Galileo
Raúl Esparza returns to Broadway for the first time in more than 13 years to play Galileo Galilei, a scientist whose discoveries place him in direct conflict with the most powerful institution in Europe. That makes “Galileo” both a major Broadway comeback and a new musical about the cost of defending observable truth when authority demands obedience.
The creative team gives the production additional weight. “Dopesick” creator Danny Strong wrote the book, Zoe Sarnak and Michael Weiner created the original score and Michael Mayer directs. Joy Woods and Jeremy Kushnier join Esparza in a story that may be set more than 400 years ago but is being positioned around strikingly current questions about knowledge, censorship and political power.
Status: Opening soon | Theater: Shubert Theatre Key date: Previews begin November 10, 2026; opens December 6, 2026
Dolly: A True Original Musical
Dolly: A True Original Musical is not simply placing Dolly Parton's greatest hits around a familiar celebrity biography. Parton co-wrote the book, contributed new songs and is telling the story in her own voice, tracing her path from the Smoky Mountains to Nashville, Hollywood and global stardom.
Songs including “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You” give the production an immediate emotional foundation, but its strongest selling point may be access to the parts of Parton’s story she has previously shared only in fragments. The show arrives after a sold-out Nashville world premiere and opens on January 19, 2027 — Parton’s 81st birthday.
Status: Previews begin December | Theater: St. James Theatre Key date: Previews begin December 7, 2026; opens January 19, 2027
Broadway shows closing soon or recently closed
Several Broadway productions have announced final performance dates, while others have just wrapped their Broadway runs.
Cats: The Jellicle Ball has a final Broadway date
This is not simply the final chance to see another revival of “Cats.” “The Jellicle Ball” rebuilt the musical as a ballroom competition, replacing literal feline costumes with categories, voguing, runway battles and performers rooted in New York’s queer and trans ballroom community.
The production won three Tony Awards, including honors for its choreography and Qween Jean’s costume design, but announced an unexpectedly early closing after initially extending into 2027. That makes its final Broadway performances a narrow opportunity to experience one of the most radical reinterpretations of a familiar musical in years.
Every Brilliant Thing with Tracee Ellis Ross closes its Broadway run
Tracee Ellis Ross’s Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing is neither a conventional solo play nor a passive theater experience. Audience members are enlisted to help tell the story, reading entries from a growing list of life’s small joys as Ross guides the room through a funny and emotionally direct exploration of depression, family and survival.
Because every audience responds differently, the play’s interactive structure makes each performance genuinely distinct. The 85-minute, no-intermission production closed August 9, ending Ross’s first Broadway run.
Ragtime ends its Tony-winning Broadway revival
The Tony-winning revival of “Ragtime” has already extended three times, but its final performance is now set for August 16. Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy both won leading-performance Tonys, while the production won Best Revival of a Musical and Best Sound Design.
The scale is another reason the Broadway run is worth prioritizing. A 28-piece orchestra supports Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’ score, giving songs including “Wheels of a Dream” and “Make Them Hear You” the sweep that smaller future productions may struggle to match.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical has a final Broadway date
After nearly 2,300 regular performances, Broadway’s “Moulin Rouge!” will take its final bow at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The production became the highest-grossing show in the theater’s history and helped lead Broadway’s reopening in 2021.
Its closing means the end of one of Broadway’s most maximalist rooms: the giant elephant, glowing windmill, heart-shaped portals and nightclub-like auditorium that begin the experience before the first song. The musical will continue elsewhere, but August is the last chance to see the production in the Broadway home it transformed.
Fall 2026 Broadway extensions and added performances
Some Broadway productions are adding performances or extending their runs, giving you more chances to see them.
Schmigadoon! adds more performances
“Schmigadoon!” is no longer just a television adaptation testing its Broadway potential. After winning the 2026 Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Book and Best Original Score, the musical has extended its run at the Nederlander Theatre through January 3, 2027.
The show is built as both a love letter to Golden Age musicals and a comedy for people who know exactly how strange those musicals can be. Alex Brightman and Sara Chase play a modern couple trapped in a town where every emotional development triggers a production number and the only route home is finding true love.
The Rocky Horror Show adds more performances
“The Rocky Horror Show” has grown from a limited spring revival into a fall destination at Studio 54. Luke Evans leads the cast as Frank-N-Furter alongside Stephanie Hsu, Rachel Dratch, Amber Gray, Harvey Guillén, Juliette Lewis and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez.
The extension also gives audiences more opportunities to experience the show in its natural state: somewhere between a Broadway musical, a rock concert and a midnight cult screening where the crowd arrives ready to participate. Performances are now scheduled through November 29.
Fall 2026 cast changes and celebrity Broadway news
Cast changes can quickly shift demand, especially when a major star joins a limited run or a fan-favorite performer announces a final date.
Hadestown welcomes an all-new principal cast
“Hadestown” begins one of its most substantial cast changes on September 1, with all five principal roles receiving new performers. “Yellowjackets” star Jasmin Savoy Brown makes her Broadway debut as Eurydice, “American Idol” finalist Kayko steps in as Orpheus, two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz becomes Hermes and Tony nominee Amber Iman takes over as Persephone.
Ben Davis completes the new company as Hades, bringing the commanding voice and classical stage presence the ruler of the Underworld demands. The Tony honoree most recently played Father in Broadway’s Tony-winning “Ragtime” revival, while his credits also include “Les Misérables,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” “Dear Evan Hansen” and “New York, New York.” Pairing Davis with Iman gives the musical a completely new Hades-Persephone dynamic, while the simultaneous arrival of five principal performers makes September an especially compelling time to revisit the Walter Kerr Theatre.
Christopher Jackson returns to Hamilton
Christopher Jackson returns to the role of George Washington in Hamilton from September 8, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Jackson originated the role on Broadway and earned a Tony nomination for his performance before leaving the production in 2016.
His return is more than another celebrity replacement. Audiences will hear “Right Hand Man,” “History Has Its Eyes on You” and “One Last Time” performed by the actor who helped define the role during “Hamilton’s” original cultural explosion.
Ivy and Mark Ballas join Chicago for limited engagements
Chicago continues its tradition of celebrity casting with Mark Ballas returning as Billy Flynn from July 20 through August 16 and South Korean pop star Ivy joining as Roxie Hart through September 6. Ivy's K-pop fanbase adds a new audience dimension to the long-running revival.
Bowen Yang joins “Oh, Mary!”
Bowen Yang will make his Broadway debut as Mary Todd Lincoln in "Oh, Mary!" beginning September 15 for a limited 12-week run. The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member joins a growing list of performers who have taken over Cole Escola’s wildly inaccurate, cabaret-obsessed version of the first lady.
The role is an especially natural match for Yang’s combination of theatrical absurdity and emotional commitment. His engagement also gives “Oh, Mary!” another major casting event after the comedy became one of Broadway’s most durable surprise hits.
Tony Awards buzz is shaping Broadway demand
The 79th Annual Tony Awards took place on June 7, 2026 at Radio City Music Hall, hosted by P!NK, and the results are directly reshaping the fall Broadway landscape.
Best Musical: Schmigadoon! (now extended through January 3, 2027)
Best Play: Liberation
Best Revival of a Musical: Ragtime (four Tonys total; closing August 16)
Best Revival of a Play: Death of a Salesman
“Schmigadoon!” converted its awards momentum into a January extension, while “Ragtime” is finishing its Tony-winning run with Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy now recognized as the season’s leading musical performers. “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” despite winning three awards, is heading toward an unexpectedly early closing. Awards can drive demand, but they cannot extend every production indefinitely.
More Fall 2026 Broadway news to know
Beyond openings and closings, a few more Broadway updates are worth keeping in mind as you plan your fall.
NYC Broadway Week returns in September
NYC Broadway Week runs September 8–20, 2026, offering two-for-one tickets to participating productions. The full lineup is scheduled to be announced August 18 at 10 a.m. ET.
The strongest inventory for popular shows can move quickly once the offer opens, so it is worth identifying several possible shows and dates before the participating lineup is released.
“Dreamgirls” is preparing for its Broadway return
The first newly directed Broadway revival of “Dreamgirls” remains announced for fall 2026, with Camille A. Brown directing and choreographing. A worldwide casting search was launched for the women who will play the Dreams, but exact Broadway dates, a theater and principal casting had not been confirmed as of August 4.
That uncertainty is part of the intrigue. The musical has not received a Broadway revival since its original 1981 production, and any casting announcement involving Effie White and “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” will immediately become major theater news.
Limited engagements may require faster decisions
The season’s highest-profile plays also have some of its shortest runs. “Much Ado About Nothing” lasts 10 weeks, “A Few Good Men” is scheduled for 13 weeks, “860” closes January 3 and “Other Desert Cities” closes January 17.
That does not necessarily mean you need to buy the first ticket you see. It does mean you should compare multiple performances rather than assuming the show will still be available during a later trip.
Spring 2027 is already taking shape
If you're planning a Broadway trip beyond fall, the spring 2027 calendar is already worth watching. Rachel Zegler in Evita begins February 2027, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis' Warriors is announced for spring 2027 and a Paddington musical is confirmed for Broadway in spring 2027.
How to get Broadway tickets on SeatGeek
A fall season with this many limited runs and confirmed closing dates means the best seats for shows like 860, Much Ado About Nothing and Other Desert Cities won't sit around for long. Here's how to find your way in.
Search for Broadway tickets or a specific show — whether it's Billy Crystal's limited run at the Imperial Theatre or Christopher Jackson's Hamilton return at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.
See full prices upfront for every Broadway show with no hidden fees.
Use Deal Score to compare value across dates and sections, so you can find fair pricing even for high-demand runs like Galileo or Wanted.
Filter by date, price, section or quantity to match your schedule and budget.
Check out securely and access your Broadway tickets in the SeatGeek app.
Whether you're catching Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell at the Winter Garden Theatre before January 10 or getting ahead of the Dreamgirls rush, SeatGeek makes it easy to find Broadway tickets before the curtain goes up.
📁 Categories: Broadway