It’s the season of known quantities in theater-land. A beloved ’80s movie comes to fresh dancing life. Harry Potter beats back evil yet again, this time as an adult. And the semi-fictionalized life of Alicia Keys storms across the stage to the tune of her hits and new songs. Over the next few months, the motto is “go with what you know.”
‘Dirty Dancing: The Musical’
Not everything is yet known about this stage reboot of the iconic 1987 movie. Per the production’s press info, this incarnation of “Dirty Dancing” will be a “fresh creative approach to the timeless love story.” What is established is that the celebrated director Lonny Price, who played Neil Kellerman in the movie, is helming this version and Darrell Grand Moultrie, who has a robust background in choreographing both ballet and Beyoncé, is in charge of the dancing. Sounds promising, no? (tour begins Aug. 12)
‘The Great Gatsby’
The design team for this musicalization of the iconic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel “pulled out all the stops,” achieving a kind of design “nearly unprecedented in terms of scale and quality,” said Christian Lewis at Variety. This “The Great Gatsby” leans heavy on the glitz of the roaring twenties: The production numbers are grand, and the performances rousing. (through Aug. 22, 2027)
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‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’
This forward-looking sequel to the original Harry Potter series follows the children of Harry and Ginny, and Hermione and Ron, as they begin their own journey through the halls of Hogwarts. It is a fun, fast-paced romp, and the stage magic and special effects are potent and head-scratching: Wait? Wasn’t Hermione on that side of the stage, so how did she appear on the other side seconds later? Know that the Dementors do appear — and it is terrifying. (through Oct. 11, 2026)
‘Hell’s Kitchen’
Alicia Keys took her hit songs and her life story and melded them into a vibrant musical, “Hell’s Kitchen.” Keys’ stand-in protagonist, Ali, is a 17-year-old growing up in the show’s namesake neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan. Expect to catch “No One,” “Fallin’” and “Empire State of Mind,” along with new songs written for the show. It’s “thrilling from beginning to end,” said Elisabeth Vincentelli in The New York Times. (through Aug. 15, 2027)
‘The Lion King’
The Disney behemoth just will not quit. Nor should it. Because 29 years after its Broadway debut, director-designer Julie Taymor’s singular vision of “The Lion King” made a good movie into a startling, inspired piece of live theater. (through May 30, 2027)
‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’
Baz Luhrmann’s 2011 movie musical is lush and riotous. The stage adaptation is much the same: deliriously fun and over the top. Songs appearing in the show include “Roxanne,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Brick House” and “Material Girl.” There are more than 70 hits sprinkled like glitter across this tale of a pair of lovers and a cast of performers at the Moulin Rouge cabaret club. (currently through Aug. 9, 2026)
‘The Notebook’
The book-to-movie-to-musical pipeline hits its heartstring-tugging zenith with the Broadway-ification of “The Notebook.” In an attempt to breathe fresh life into the romantic tale of Allie and Noah, three pairs of actors play the characters across different time periods in their lives. The adjustment is novel, but the resulting version of the story hasn’t “lost its romantic magic,” said Gloria Oladipo in The Guardian. Brace yourself for Alysha Deslorieux’s barn-burning Act One number, “My Days,” as Middle Allie. (through May 16, 2027)
