Looking Forward to Fall: September - November 2026

Fall is my favorite time of year, I think. I love that it gets cooler, and the leaves change color. New York City is my favorite place, and so fall in The Big Apple is the best of all possible worlds for me. This fall on the theater scene looks to be a rich and busy time, and I'm excited for several productions that are starting in the coming months!

As always, before we look forward, we look back at the season that was. Over the summer months, we didn't get to as many things as we had hoped to - just two to be exact, both on Broadway - Becky Shaw (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) and a return visit to The Lost Boys (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️), an average of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½⭐. Not bad!

This fall, we are looking to catch up on a show we missed previously, some off-Broadway shows, Broadway revivals and new shows, and even something regional!

Looking Forward to Fall:

September - November 2026

(** - We have tickets!)

Catching Up From Summer:

** Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody (off-Broadway at The Culture Club) Well, we didn't find the time to see this in the heat of summer, but as luck would have it, they extended, and now we'll get to it before it closes this fall. And, though I'm disappointed that we won't be seeing Jimin Moon, I am super excited to see Troy Iwata as Shane Hollander! I've been crushing on him since his charming turn in Netflix's Dash and Lily. Of course, as our loyal readers know, we are serious Jay Armstrong Johnson fans, so we are thrilled we won't be missing him as Ilya Rozanov. (Have you seen the video for "The Gym Song"? 🔥🔥🔥)

Regional:

Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares (At Baltimore Center Stage) This season, Maryland's State Theater is bringing the Broadway divas! First up is one of my favorite musical actresses who is great at both drama and comedy, Laura Benanti. I love her self-aware, self-depricating humor. Throw in a few songs, and I am there!

Mama I'm a Big Girl Now (At Baltimore Center Stage) How fun to have three of Broadway original cast members of Hairspray coming here with their acclaimed act. "Good Morning, Baltimore" will take on a special meaning for sure. I've probably seen each of these spectacular women more than a dozen times, but only once together when I saw them in Hairspray. I really hope I get to see them this time around!

New Shows:

Galileo (On Broadway at The Shubert Theatre) At first blush, it is yet another bio-musical. But here is not a trip down memory lane, but rather a modern look at an historic figure - no jukebox hits to be found. Instead, a rock musical a la Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita and Hamilton with a fresh score and a kick ass cast that includes the long awaited Broadway return of Raul Esparza, along with Jeremy Kushnier and always thrilling Joy Woods. I know nothing beyond the very basics about Galileo, so who knows? Maybe we will learn a thing or two to boot!

** The Heart (off-Broadway at The Laura Pels Theatre) Here's a show that snuck up on me - apparently it has been building up to its New York debut, with eyes on Broadway in the future. The story about the heart of a victim being transplanted into another person and everything that comes after sound intriguing. Well, when they announced that Heidi Blickenstaff and Joaquina Kalukango, Drew Gheling and Jason Tam would be heading the off-Broadway company, getting tickets was a no-brainer. And the preview price was just right, too!

Wanted (On Broadway at The James Earl Jones Theatre) Our October Trip was going to include this show, but budget and seat selection wasn't the best for when we were going, so we are shelving it until later in the fall. The premise intrigues me in the same way Galileo does. And who doesn't love Solea Pfeiffer and a stacked cast of powerhouse vocalists? Even though we put it off, it is definitely a production I am excited to see.

Revivals:

** A Few Good Men (On Broadway at The Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center) I saw the original production's first national tour, and remember the extreme tension that filled the theater. In the years since, of course, the film version has cemented its place in American culture. "You can't handle the truth!" has taken on a life of its own. Perhaps the element of surprise will be gone, but I have confidence that Michael Arden and his esteemed company of actors headed by Bradley Whitford, Tom Blyth and Krysta Rodriguez will find ways to make it exciting and current.

Much Ado About Nothing (On Broadway at The Winter Garden Theatre) This is one of Shakespeare's plays I've never seen, so there's that to look forward to. And if anyone can make it fun, exciting and riveting, it is director Jamie Lloyd. Throw in legit British actors like Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell, and I don't see how we can miss it!

** The Fantasticks (On Broadway at The Hayes Theatre) We saw this perfect little jewel of a show a few years ago off-Broadway. It is utterly charming, life-affirming and sweet. These days, it is the perfect antidote to a world on fire. With a tweaking of the story to center on two gay boys and their scheming mothers, it sounds fresh again. I do hope they don't do too much to it, though. It is just wonderful as is. But I have full trust in Christopher Gattelli, and an amazing cast that includes no less than Tony-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and the riotous Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer. I can't wait for this one!

If Money and Time Were No Object:

Other Desert Cities (On Broadway at The Hudson Theatre) Saw the original Broadway production. Twice. Love this play, and the cast can't be beat this time around. But even the cheapest seats aren't. And the view from up there for a play seems less than ideal.

School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play (On Broadway at The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre) I have heard nothing but solid raves about this play, and I really hope we can squeeze it in. The cast is very exciting. Fingers crossed for an open slot in our fall itineraries and maybe a decent discount.

REVIEW: The Fantasticks

Review of the Sunday, July 27th matinee at The Jerry Orbach Theater at The Snapple Theater Center in New York City.  Starring Max Crumm, Michael Sharon, Samantha Bruce, Don Sharkey, Kevin R. Free, MacIntyre Dixon, Michael Nostrand and Pierce Cravens. Music by Harvey Schmidt.  Book, lyrics and direction by Tom Jones. 2 hours 5 minutes, including one intermission.

It is a true classic, a living landmark, really.  And well into the 20,000 performance range, it is by far the world's longest running musical (a record that would still be true even if you only counted the 17,000+ performances that happened pre-4-year "hiatus").  So, as a devout musical theatre enthusiast, I am almost ashamed to admit that I am just now seeing The Fantasticks live on stage for the very first time.  I managed to get through roughly 15 minutes of the horrible film version before shutting off the DVD player.  I am thrilled to report that I really enjoyed the production at the charming Snapple Center's Jerry Orbach Theatre.

There is that show that is Broadway's longest-running musical a few blocks away, and there's that other show that claims to be "the world's longest-running musical," currently in revival a couple blocks closer.  But there are two reasons why this little show holds the title, despite being the anti-spectacle musical that it is.  First, and perhaps most importantly, the story is both timeless (Boy Meets Girl a la Pyramus and Thisbe with a dash of Romeo and Juliet) and still feels fresh and modern.  The heart wants what the heart wants, right?  And secondly, this show revels in and celebrates its theatricality, wearing its big heart on its mystical, magical sleeve.

The Mute (Pierce Cravens) and The Narrator (Michael Sharon)

From the minute it starts, the show is in-your-face presentational, with the Narrator and the entire company speaking directly to us throughout. The staging (on a space roughly the size of a dining room table) is simple, yet effective, with a bench, a chair, a trunk and a sheet with the show logo painted on it, being the entirety of the scenery.  A few props handled by the Mute (the absolutely terrific Pierce Cravens - who also serves as a wall!) fill in the visual blanks.  The rest of the show is left up to our imagination, a relatively easy task, given the sharp book, witty, poetic lyrics and the delightfully simple staging by Tom Jones.  The music - including the standard "Try to Remember" and "Soon It's Gonna Rain" by Harvey Schmidt is just as lovely, and is actually aided by the fact that it is played by an orchestra of two - Robert Felstein at the piano and Maria Banks at the harp. Occasionally does the show feel its age, like when its mysticism gets a tad too self-aware.  Only then does the show betray its trippy early 60's birth.

The current eight member company is very good.  MacIntyre Dixon, as The Old Actor, is a very charming presence, managing to seem both world weary and vibrantly alive at the same time.  His partner in crime, The Man Who Dies - his specialty is faking his death in a variety of ways - is played with superb timing and really amazing physicality by Michael Nostrand. The feeling of spontaneity that this guy exudes is remarkable in and of itself, given that he has played the role over 1,000 times!

The Old Actor (MacIntyre Dixon) and 

The Man Who Dies (Michael Nostrand)

The Boy's Father (Don sharkey) and

The Girl's Father (Kevin R. Free)

The two fathers, a pair of conniving co-conspirators, Don Sharkey and Kevin R. Free work wonderfully together, with both of their duets being show highlights.  Both infuse their performances with an excellent mix of modern musical comedy finesse and vaudevillian style.  The Narrator (aka El Gallo) is superbly rendered by Michael Sharon, whose sly looks and off-putting dimpled smile are the perfect recipe for an actor who must guide us as well as provide a mysterious "bad guy" character in the story.  I loved his smooth delivery of "Try to Remember."

Girl (Samantha Bruce) meets Boy (Max Crumm)

As the central characters, The Boy (aka Matt) and The Girl (aka Luisa) must carry the romantic story in a believable way, of course.  But they also get some great (and very important) opportunities for sharp comedy and some relatively impressive physical demands.  Samantha Bruce is delightful throughout, with a terrific voice and a warm sincerity, while Max Crumm (most famous for his reality show/Broadway turn in Grease) has an engagingly off-handed, low-key delivery and a nice singing voice. If he isn't entirely convincing as a swashbuckling adventurer, he is an interesting actor to watch at all times.  Together, they have chemistry to spare, and I found myself pulling for them every second, despite the obvious-from-the-start and inevitable conclusion of their tale.

What made this show especially good for me, though, was a lovely surprise.  There was a little girl there, who was attending her first "grown up" play.  She was thoroughly enthralled and giggled in delight at every turn, and gasping in awe when the two old actors made their entrance from within the onstage trunk.  And every time fist fulls of confetti were thrown about, her face lit up.  Considering how many times there was confetti in the air, she was lit up a lot.  In this day and age of fancy special effects and cellphone video games to bombard the senses, it is great to see that simple theatricality can still excite.  I suspect that we all witnessed the birth of a life-long theatre lover.  And that was, well, "fantastick."

(Photos by Carol Rosegg)

JKTS GRADE GRID: THE FANTASTICKS

WRITING

25 pts

Book (10)

8

Score: Music (5)

5

Score: Lyrics (5)

5

Orchestrations (5)

23

5

DIRECTION

25 pts

Staging (15)

15

Choreography (10)

23

8

ACTING

20 pts

Leading Roles (7)

6

Supporting Roles (7)

6

Ensemble (6)

18

6

TECHNICAL ELEMENTS

20 pts

Scenery (5)

4

Costumes (5)

4

Lighting (5)

4

Sound (5)

17

5

ARTISTIC IMPRESSION

10 pts

Unity of Concept (5)

5

Entertainment Value (5)

9

4

FINAL GRADE

90

A-

100 - 98 A+

97 - 93 A

92 - 90 A-

89 -  88 B+

87 - 83 B

82 -  80 B-

79 -  78 C+

77 -  73 C

72 - 70 C-

69 - 68 D+

67 - 63 D

62 -  60 D-

59 and lower F

Jeff
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