LAST UPDATED: 5/27/2023
ALWAYS UPDATING! CHECK BACK REGULARLY!
Friends always ask me how I see so many plays that they’ve never even heard of. The long answer is, “I get recommendations, pay attention to playwrights whose work I’ve liked in the past and most crucially, I also subscribe to (and skim) many, many individual theater’s newsletters.” The short answer is, “It’s weirdly hard and annoying!” And EXPENSIVE.
This is a free newsletter, but it’s also an ever-updating landing page and a list of what I’m seeing, as well as what I’d like to see in-theater. But I am not a theater critic! Just a fan. And I’ll annotate when it feels right: a star* means I have tickets and a double star** means I saw something and really enjoyed it. If something disappears from this list, wellllllll, it wasn’t that good. This letter will appear in your inbox when there’s enough worthy of an update. Otherwise, please check back! Now get out there and buy some theater tickets.
currently running (and about to run)
Teach Me How to Die by Lisa Monde (April 6 – 29, The Onomatopoeia Theatre Company)
we were promised honey! by Sam Ward (May 9 – May 21, YESYESNONO)
BEING CHAKA by Tara Amber, Chuk Obasi, & Nalini Sharma (May 6 – 27, New Ohio Theatre)
Let Me Cook for You by Orietta Crispino (April 28 – May 28, Theaterlab)
demons. by Keelay Gipson (May 16 - June 3, Connelly Theater)*
Open Mic Night by Peter Mills Weiss and Julia Mounsey (June 1 - 3, JACK)*
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare [in a modern verse translation by Hansol Jung] (May 9 - June 3, NAATCO)*
Bernarda’s Daughters by Diane Exavier (May 4 - June 4, The New Group)
Baby Jessica's Well-Made Play by Philip Santos-Schaffer (April 27 - June 6, on the phone)**
King James by Rajiv Joseph (May 2 - June 18, Manhattan Theatre Club)
The Comeuppance by Branden Jacob-Jenkins (May 16 - June 25, Signature Theater)**
The Doctor by Robert Icke (June 3 - Aug 19, Park Avenue Armory)
Love + Science by David J. Glass (May 26 - July 6, New York City Center Stage II)
festivals
Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks #26 by Various (May 18 - July 1, The Wild Project)
These are now on sale! ft WORK HARD HAVE FUN MAKE HISTORY by ruth tang, DEEP BLUE SOUND by Abe Koogler & GRIEF HOTEL by Liza Birkenmeier.
2023 INK’D Festival of New Plays by various — dates TK!
theater over $50 & probably worth it
Sorry For Your Loss by Michael Cruz Kayne (April 30 — June 10th, Minetta Lane)*
A Simulacrum by Lucas Hnath (May 25 – June 25, The Atlantic Theater Company)*
Primary Trust by Eboni Booth (May 4 – July 2, Roundabout Theatre Company)
ILLINOIS by Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury (June 23 – July 2, Fisher Center at Bard)
I’ll make an exception to my “no musicals” rule (it’s not really a rule), by including this show that is inspired by and uses music from Sufjan Steven’s perfect 2005 concept album, Illinois. He’ll never finish the states, but he will help make this potentially great show.
The Fears by Emma Sheanshang (April 25 - July 9, The Pershing Square Signature Center)*
“Steven Soderbergh presents…” 👀
This Land Was Made by Tori Sampson (May 18 - June 25, Vineyard Theater)
Primary Trust by Eboni Booth (May 4 – July 2, Roundabout Theatre)
Flex by Candrice Jones (June 23 —Aug 20, Newhouse Theater, LCT)
on the horizon
TK
Quite a few theater companies have “Under 35” OR student discounts. I won’t be noting them here, but you should check for them when you’re buying tickets and you happen to be blessed with the gift of youth. (Or you have an active student ID.) Other ways to get cheaper tickets: sign up for the theater’s newsletter (they’ll often send out codes for discounts) or check TodayTix.
TAKE $5 OFF TICKETS WITH CODE 'BARROWST'.
Students + Seniors: use code STUSEN0523 for $15 preview tickets and $20 reg. tickets.
Apparently, tickets “as low as $30 (plus fees) during previews, June 3–13.”
Get 25% off Orchestra and Mezzanine tickets using code BVMCK (choose DATE Click UNLOCK Enter BVMCK and SAVE 25%.)