These 9 new Broadway shows are the best of the season

Who doesn’t love a splashy new Broadway show? Or, for that matter, an edgy, intimate Off-Broadway one?

Luckily, you’ll find both – and every kind of performance in between – in New York City, one of the best places in the world to see live theater. Whether you’re looking for high-octane musicals, star-studded dramas, revivals of revered classics or more-boundary-pushing fare, you’ll find it under Broadway’s bright lights and at intimate theaters all over town.

Plenty of fantastic shows from the just-concluded season are still well worth checking out. The Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play Purpose closes at the end of August. Prince Faggot – the emotionally raw, salacious summer hit at Playwrights Horizons – recently extended its run to August 3. While Cole Escola (and their “bratty curls”) have ended their run in Oh, Mary!, worthy replacements are now lining up to wear Mrs Lincoln’s wig: funnyman Tituss Burgess (through August 2), followed by drag icon Jinkx Monsoon. Maybe Happy Ending is selling tickets through January 2026 – and this Tony Award–winning musical about amorous robots is one worth booking advance tickets for.

But if you truly want to keep up with NYC’s theater cognoscenti, now’s the time to snag tickets to new shows that have yet to start previews. Here are some of the buzziest productions debuting in the second half of 2025 – plus a guide to scoring tickets and how to attend performances like the most culture-savvy New Yorker.

New Broadway musicals to see this fall

1. The Queen of Versailles 

Previews begin October 8; opens November 10
St James Theater 

Think of this as the 21st century’s Floridian Grey Gardens – a social satire about the American Dream gone awry. Pint-sized soprano Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked’s original Glinda) plays over-the-top TV personality Jackie Siegel as she embarks on building a $100-million Palace of Versailles–style mansion – just as the 2008 recession hits. The production boasts plenty of Broadway pedigree: Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) has composed the score, with Tony Award winner Michael Arden (Parade, Maybe Happy Ending) directing. 

2. Ragtime 

Previews begin September 26; opens October 16
Vivian Beaumont Theater 

Tensions around class, immigration and race explode against a backdrop of political corruption and capitalist greed. You’d almost think this musical by composing team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty was written in 2025 – but this production takes a fresh look at the 1998 Tony winner, based on EL Doctorow’s 1975 novel set in early-20th-century New York. The latest revival comes straight from a lauded run at New York City Center, where Broadway stalwarts including beltress Caissie Levy and trumpet-voiced Joshua Henry provided powerhouse vocals for the soaring score. It’s bound to be a cathartic night at the theater. 

3. Chess

Previews begin October 15; opens November 16  
Imperial Theater 

The original Broadway production of this rock opera flopped when it opened in 1988 – but the score, written by part of the ABBA team, went on to become a cult favorite (cue up “I Know Him So Well” for a preview). There’s hope this revival fixes its issues, thanks to screenwriter Danny Strong having penned a new book and Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening) directing. Most exciting is the cast: Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rouge), Nicholas Christopher (Hamilton) and Lea Michele (Glee, Funny Girl) take on the main characters, who are locked in a love triangle set during a Cold War–era chess tournament between American and Soviet grandmasters. Even if the story sags, the singing will be pitch-perfect. 

New Broadway plays to see this fall

4. Art 

From August 28 to December 21
Music Box Theater

Star power may be the initial draw for this one-act comedy of manners, featuring stage-and-screen celebs Bobby Cannavale, James Corden and Neil Patrick Harris (all blessed with plenty of awards, not to mention charisma in spades). But what elevates the production is French playwright Yasmin Reza’s script – an explosive exploration of fragile egos and the subjectivity of art itself. Tickets will likely be in high demand; book seats well in advance. 

5. Waiting for Godot 

From September 13 to January 4
Hudson Theater 

Big on Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, the 1989 comedy starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter as absent-minded teens? Almost 40 years later, the now-wizened actors will be reunited, this time in the brilliant play by Samuel Beckett about the absurdity of existence. Director Jaime Lloyd – whose stripped-down reinterpretations of well-known titles like Sunset Boulevard – promises a contemporary spin on the existential classic.

Off-Broadway productions to see this summer and fall 

6. Twelfth Night

From August 7 to September 14
Delacorte Theater 

Central Park’s annual celebration of the Bard, Shakespeare in the Park is always an exuberant and generally star-studded highlight of the summer theater season. And this year promises to be particularly spectacular: the alfresco Delacorte Theater is fresh off a multi-million-dollar renovation, providing audiences with wider seats and greater accessibility. Twelfth Night will inaugurate the revamped house, with Black Panther star Lupita Nyong’o and her real-life brother Junior playing shipwrecked twins Viola and Sebastian in this romantic comedy about mistaken identities. The cast is stacked with top-tier talent, including Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family) and Sandra Oh (Killing Eve). The best part? It’s free. Which means tickets are sure to be in very high demand indeed. 

Planning tip: Free tickets to each day’s performance are distributed in several ways. If you’re on the go, enter the digital lottery on the TodayTix app – though you’ll be competing with tens of thousands of others. Insiders who have some time know to queue up as early as possible at the Delacorte, where tickets are distributed on a first-in-line, first-served basis at noon. You may have your best shot if you can make it to the Public Theater in NoHo, where tickets get handed out via an old-school raffle-cage lottery at noon. As long as you’re there by 11:55am, you’ll have a shot at seeing the stars that night.

7. The Tune Up 

Through August 3
Little Island 

It’s worth seeing a show at Little Island if only to soak up the Hudson River park’s scenery. The seats of its outdoor amphitheater overlook the water, and as night descends, New Jersey’s lights begin glittering in the distance. Programming here tends to favor the avant-garde – as seen in last year’s one-man The Marriage of Figaro, where a video projection showcased countertenor Anthony Roth Costanza’s fluttering vocal folds in action. He returns this September with Galas to deliver more opera-style camp. 

The imaginative programming continues with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ The Tune Up. Her nine-piece band SLP & The Joyful Noise will back a genre-bending evening of short plays, music and special guests, including tap dance titan Ayodele Casel. All tickets cost just $25 – making this one of the cheapest tickets in town for top-tier entertainment. 

8. Ginger Twinsies 

Through October 26
Orpheum Theater 

If you’re into internet meme culture and UCB-style yuck-yuck performers – or grew up watching the Lindsay Lohan Parent Trap remake on repeat – this 80-minute comedy is for you. Writer and director Kevin Zak parodies the Nancy Meyers film and more ’90s movies with a camp-tastic crew of queer comedy darlings, including Matt Wilkas (Gayby) and viral TikTok personalities like thespian satirist Mitch Wood. If you can’t make the show, give Zak a follow on Instagram. His posts are catnip for jaded theater kids. 

9. Heathers: the Musical 

Through September 28 
New World Stages 

A murderous mezzo-belter and her sociopath paramour take on their high school’s nasty cool-girl clique in this stage adaptation of the 1989 film. Winona Ryder starred in the original black comedy – a precursor to biting teenage satires like Clueless and Mean Girls. After debuting Off-Broadway in 2014 and earning a cult following during a hit London run, the show has become a favorite among young audiences who relate to its dark humor and unflinching take on teen violence. Grab tickets, and you may become a “Corn Nut” – a fan nickname referencing a line uttered right before one of the Heathers meets her demise. 

Broadway FAQs

When should I buy tickets?

If you’re dead set on seeing a particular show, purchase tickets as soon as possible, even if it’s a few months in advance – especially for well-reviewed musicals and limited-engagement runs with A-list performers. You’re unlikely to find discounts for the hottest tickets in town, so it’s worth ponying up extra dough to ensure you don’t miss the season’s best performances. (Read reviews in the New York Times and Vulture for a sense of what’s best.)

How do I purchase tickets – and where can I find discounts?

If you’re looking for the best seats in the house or highly in-demand shows, try buying tickets through the show’s website. Better yet, a trip to the theater’s box office to buy tickets in person will save you often-steep digital transaction fees.

The TodayTix app is another reliable source for securing tickets, offering discounted pricing and digital lotteries. Some shows allow you to pick exact seats through the app; others only let you choose a general seat section.

If you’re in NYC and want steep discounts, head to the Theatre Development Fund’s TKTS booth under Times Square’s red steps, where you can score tickets to same-day shows and next-day matinees at up to 50% off. You won’t find major hits here – productions listed have usually been around for a while, aren’t selling well at the box office or are still in previews (before reviewers cast judgment) – but you will find plenty of options. Check the TKTS website to see what’s on sale in real time – but know that tickets might sell out before you get to the booth.

For the cheapest tickets in town, try same-day lottery and rush programs; several shows also sell standing-room tickets. Read through Playbill.com’s cheat sheet for show-by-show policies. Scoring these super-limited, day-of-performance tickets is tough – so always prepare a backup plan.

What’s the best time to see a Broadway show?

Most shows run six days a week. While schedules vary, the majority of theaters close on Monday and present matinee and evening performances on Wednesday and Saturday. Tuesday performances tend to start earlier – ideal if you like an early night. Weekend evening crowds tend to be rowdier – fantastic for laughter-fueled comedies. It’s easiest to find discounted tickets for weekday matinees.

What can I bring to the theater?

You can bring a bag, so long as it’s small enough to fit under your seat (think purse, backpack or shopping bag). Avoid suitcases and oversized items. While most theaters have a coat check for safe storage, waiting in line before and after the performance can be time-consuming.

Theaters don’t allow outside food or drink, though many allow sealed water bottles. Expect a brief bag check upon entrance as part of the security process.

What should I wear?

People dress in all sorts of attire for the theater: cocktail dresses, suits, jeans, tees and shorts are all acceptable. Opt for smart-casual to fit in with locals (wedding attire is too formal; gym clothes are too pedestrian). Don’t overthink it, for everyone looks the same once the lights go down.