On paper, this fall isn't nearly as exciting as recent previous seasons. There are not too many shows generating much enthusiasm or even conversation. But there is one thing that several shows have going for them that has us excited this fall: they have really stacked casts. So many productions have casts chock full of Broadway favorites from leading roles to ensemble members. Here are 10 performers coming in leading roles that we are very excited to see.
10 Leading Players We Can't Wait to See This Fall
Kerry Butler and Taylor Trensch in Bat Boy (City Center)
Not only is this a show that has long been on our bucket list, but to finally get to see it with so many of our favorite performers feels like a gift. And how cool to see an original cast member, Kerry Butler (albeit in a different role)! Her singing and comedic skills have always been top notch, and not many actors can pull off camp like she can. Trench, who has never been less than stellar every single time we've seen him, should be quirky and captivating as the titular Bat Boy. The minute they were announced, we knew we had to get tickets!
Lea Michele and Aaron Tveit in Chess (Imperial Theatre)
I've written several items (including reviews of 2 productions) about my love for the musical Chess, so seeing it in its first-ever Broadway revival was a given the minute this was confirmed. The chance to see one of our favorites, Aaron Tveit, as Freddy, leave it all on the floor with "Pity the Child," and swoon at his cocky swagger during "One Night in Bangkok" is an opportunity not to be missed. Truth be told, it is Lea Michele I am really excited to see, not having seen her on stage since Spring Awakening. I look forward to seeing how her life experiences inform her take on the conflicted Florence, and how her stunning voice will bring new thrills to her songs in this score.
Casey Likes in Heathers (New World Stages)
In addition to seeing the new staging, book changes and score additions, I am most looking forward to watching Casey Likes lead his third consecutive show. I know he can be angsty from Almost Famous, and sweet and goofy from Back to the Future. Now I am excited to see what he can do with a darker, more dangerous character. Will he be three for three? I'm pretty sure.
Jane Krakowski in Oh, Mary! (Lyceum Theatre)
The minute the show was over the last time we saw it, we've been itching to see Oh, Mary! again. Well, when the Jane Krakowski administration was announced for this fall, we couldn't put off our return any longer. I've been a fan of hers from her debut in Starlight Express, and I'm so excited to see her chew some scenery (and puke in a bucket). And I just know her cabaret act will be legendary!
For my money, both Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy are two of modern Broadway's greatest talents. And now, they are taking on two of modern Broadway's greatest musical roles, Coalhouse Walker and Mother in Ragtime. I don't think their inclusion on this list requires much more explanation!
Ariana DeBose and Scott Bakula in The Baker's Wife (Classic Stage Company)
As a musical theater aficionado, this is one of those shows that is on my list of must-see no matter what musicals. The incredible cast of the upcoming revival is superb from top to bottom, but with the two leading roles being taken on by Ariana DeBose and Scott Bakula, I had to snap up tickets minutes after they went on sale! I loved her as "the bullet" in Hamilton, of course, and I was in love with her Anita the minute she appeared on screen. Then, too, is my nearly thirty years crush on him since I first saw him in Romance/Romance. Three decades is a long time to wait to see one of the really good guys on stage again. I. Can. Not. Wait.
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