Broadway

Boop-oop-a-Broadway! [*BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/39187-boop-the-betty-boop-musical) is set to open on Broadway in April 2025, with exact dates and a venue to be announced.

The show had a critically acclaimed world premiere at the CIBC Theatre in Chicago from November to December 2023. *BOOP!* follows Betty as she takes a break from her celebrity life in black and white and steps into the colorful world of New York City for an adventurous day...

'BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical' to premiere on Broadway in April 2025

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The show had a pre-Broadway run in Chicago in November 2023, which starred Jasmine Amy Rogers in the title role and opened to widespread critical acclaim.

This show is still a thriller! [*MJ The Musical*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/23379-mj-the-musical-tickets) has released a new block of tickets through April 27, 2025 in celebration of its 1,000th Broadway performance at the [Neil Simon Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/neil-simon-theatre). Get [*MJ The Musical* tickets](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/23379-mj-the-musical-tickets) on New York Theatre Guide.

The musical about Michael Jackson reached the...

'MJ' tickets now available through April 2025

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The four-time Tony Award-winning musical has played the Neil Simon Theatre since 2021, putting a new theatrical spin on the songs and career of Michael Jackson.

Grant Gustin, who currently stars in [*Water for Elephants*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/34684-water-for-elephants-on-broadway) on Broadway, will play his final performance in the show at the [Imperial Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/imperial-theatre) on September 1.

Gustin is best known for playing the title role in the TV show *The Flash*, and he is now making his Broadway debut in the leading role of Jacob Jankowski. Based on the 2006 bestselling historical...

Grant Gustin to depart 'Water for Elephants' this fall

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The star of the TV shows *The Flash* and *Glee* originates the role of Jacob Jankowski in the musical adaptation of Sara Gruen's circus-inspired 2006 novel.

You're gonna hear her roar! Tony Award nominee Jeannette Bayardelle will join the cast of [*& Juliet*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/25598-and-juliet-tickets) on Broadway, playing her first performance June 29 at the [Stephen Sondheim Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/stephen-sondheim-theatre).

Bayardelle will replace [Charity Angél Dawson](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/charity-angel-dawson), who is taking a temporary leave of absence, in the...

Jeannette Bayardelle to join '& Juliet' Broadway cast

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The Tony Award-nominated actress will temporarily join the critically acclaimed pop musical, which has played the Stephen Sondheim Theatre since 2022.

Rejoice! [Christian Borle](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/christian-borle) will join the cast of the new musical [*Tammy Faye*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/37219-tammy-faye) on Broadway this fall, which begins performances on October 19 ahead of a November 14 opening at the [Palace Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/palace-theatre-ny).

Borle, a Broadway veteran, is best known for his Tony Award-winning performances as Shakespeare in *Something...

Christian Borle to star in 'Tammy Faye' on Broadway

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The Tony Award-winning actor, last seen on Broadway in *Some Like It Hot*, will replace Andrew Rannells in the new musical about Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker.

Second Stage Theater will present the New York premiere of *Cult of Love* on Broadway, a new play by Emmy Award nominee Leslye Headland. Performances begin on November 20 ahead of a December 12 opening night at the [Hayes Theater](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/hayes-theater).

*Cult of Love* takes place at a gathering of the Dahl family at Christmastime. Parents Bill and Ginny are deeply Christian and raised their four kids as such, but now, they’re all adults with their own...

New play ‘Cult of Love’ to open on Broadway this fall

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The show is part of the fall season of nonprofit institution Second Stage Theater, which also announced its fall Off-Broadway show, *Lunar Eclipse*.


[*The Hills of California*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/41190-the-hills-of-california-on-broadway) on Broadway has set initial casting ahead of its North American premiere at the [Broadhurst Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/venues/broadhurst-theatre) this fall. Performances begin September 11 ahead of a September 29 opening.

The eight cast members announced all led the play's world-premiere run in London last fall. They include Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee...

'The Hills of California' sets Broadway cast

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The award-winning play written by Jez Butterworth and directed by Sam Mendes features multiple actors from its critically acclaimed world premiere in London.

See it, hear it, feel it — but only for a few more weeks. [*The Who's Tommy*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/36395-the-whos-tommy-tickets) has set its Broadway closing date, playing its final performance on July 21 at the [Nederlander Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/nederlander-theatre). The show will have played 152 performances at the time of closing.

The *Tommy* musical, which premiered on Broadway in 1993, is adapted from British rock band The Who's landmark...

'The Who's Tommy' to close on Broadway

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The Tony Award-nominated production at the Nederlander Theatre is the first revival of The Who's landmark 1993 rock opera, adapted from the band's 1969 album.

Beat the summer heat inside a theatre this July! If you need a break from beaches and barbecues, the theatre is the place to be. The venues are air-conditioned, but the shows there are hot, buzzy productions both on and off Broadway. Thrilling [new Broadway openings](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/whats-on/broadway-shows-opening-soon) are popping up alongside buzzy [Off-Broadway shows](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/whats-on/off-broadway-shows) and [Tony Award-winning...

Top theatre to see in New York in July

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Discover our top picks for Broadway shows and Off-Broadway shows to see this month, including new shows premiering and last-chance shows closing this month.

Top theatre to see in New York in July | New York Theatre Guide

Here are our top picks of New York theatre to check out in July 2023, including summer blockbusters and exciting new Off-Broadway shows across the city.

Pop the bottles, put on your flapper dresses and pinstripe suits, and get ready to party like it's 1920! *The Great Gatsby* on Broadway, the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Jazz Age novel, tells a story of love, class, obsession, and unfulfilled dreams, all set to jazz-pop music that brings the Roaring Twenties into the 2020s.

Tony Award-nominated Broadway favorites [Jeremy Jordan](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/jeremy-jordan) and [Eva...

Everything you need to know about 'The Great Gatsby' on Broadway

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Step back into the 1920s at the first Broadway musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic American novel, starring Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada.

This show is still a thriller! [*MJ The Musical*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/23379-mj-the-musical-tickets) has released a new block of tickets through April 27, 2025 in celebration of its 1,000th Broadway performance at the [Neil Simon Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/neil-simon-theatre). Get [*MJ The Musical* tickets](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/23379-mj-the-musical-tickets) on New York Theatre Guide.

The musical about Michael Jackson reached the milestone today, having begun performances on Broadway in December 2021. The show takes place at rehearsals for Jackson's Dangerous World Tour, where a documentary crew arrives to film. As Jackson opens up, key moments from his life and career come alive by way of his hit songs, including "Bad," "Thriller," "Beat It," "Billie Jean," and [many more](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/how-mj-the-musical-puts-a-new-spin-on-michael-jackson-songs). 

"*MJ* is the platinum standard," New York Theatre Guide's critic wrote in a [five-star review](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/reviews/mj-the-musical-broadway-review), adding that it "is the perfect salutation to the life of an imperfect but gifted icon."

The show, featuring a book by Lynn Nottage and direction and choreography by Christopher Wheeldon, won four 2022 Tony Awards, including Best Choreography.

Get [*MJ The Musical* tickets](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/23379-mj-the-musical-tickets) now.

*Photo credit: MJ The Musical on Broadway. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)*

Ages 8+. Children under 4 are not permitted. 

MJ The Musical on Broadway - NYC [23379]

Genre: Musical (US and AUS)

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Production shot of MJ The Musical in New York, with Elijah Rhea Johnson as MJ.

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Production shot of MJ The Musical in New York, featuring the cast singing.

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Production shot of MJ The Musical in New York, featuring the ensemble dancing.

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Michael Jackson fans rejoice! MJ The Musical is now at the Neil Simon Theatre. Get MJ The Musical tickets on Broadway now.

MJ The Musical is set primarily at a rehearsal for Jackson's Dangerous World Tour in 1992. There, an MTV camera crew arrives to get footage and interviews for a documentary on the singer's career. As he sings his hit songs and gradually opens up to the interviewer, his memories and key moments in his career come to life.

The world premiere of MJ The Musical (previously titled Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough) officially debuted on Broadway in 2021. Under the direction of Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon (who also won a Tony Award for choreographing the production), the new bio-musical features a plethora of Michael Jackson's greatest hits and a new book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.

Nottage got her first Tony Award nomination in 2017 for her Broadway debut,&nbsp;Sweat. She made history as a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, being honored in 2009 for Ruined and in 2017 for Sweat, and her work has also been produced regularly off Broadway, including productions of Intimate Apparel, Mlima's Tale, and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark. Wheeldon is perhaps best known to New York audiences for directing and choreographing the 2015 Broadway premiere of An American in Paris.

With over 350 million records worldwide, Michael Jackson was an artist unlike any other. His career put him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, and made him the only recording artist in the Dance Hall of Fame.

## What songs are in *MJ The Musical*?

MJ The Musical showcases more than 25 of Jackson's cherished hits, including "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Rock with You," "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Thriller," "Bad," "Man in the Mirror," "Smooth Criminal," "Black or White," and "Heal the World." These songs are reimagined in innovative ways to tell Jackson's career story.

## How long is the *MJ* musical?

*MJ The Musical* runs 2 hours and 30 minutes, including an intermission.

MJ The Musical on Broadway provides an electrifying experience for Michael Jackson fans across the globe to visit and relive the memories.

Get tickets to MJ The Musical in New York now.

MJ The Musical - NYC - New York Theatre Guide

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Get tickets to MJ The Musical on Broadway from the official New York Theatre Guide. Relive the life and music of Michael Jackson at this Tony-winning show.

MJ The Musical Tickets | The Official New York Theatre Guide

See a new side of the cultural trailblazer, complete with gorgeous renditions of his greatest hits and his iconic dance moves, in *MJ The Musical*. Michael Jackson takes center stage, circa 1992, as an MTV camera crew's interview unlocks memories and key moments of the icon's rise to stardom. Find out more about *MJ The Musical* tickets.

The *MJ* Broadway musical is mostly set in a rehearsal studio, where Jackson is preparing for his 1992 Dangerous World Tour. An MTV reporter arrives to interview Jackson for a documentary, and he gradually opens up about his childhood and the moments that shaped his career.

The songs are Jackson’s, of course, and the book is by Lynn Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright for her plays *Ruined* and *Sweat*. She also received a Tony nomination for *MJ*.

*MJ The Musical* uses Jackson’s tunes in creative ways. For example, an adult Jackson reckons with his rocky relationship with his father through the horror-infused “Thriller”. But the choreography is also a major storytelling tool, which sets *MJ The Musical* apart from a Michael Jackson tribute concert. It’s fitting that the music and dance are equally key in the story of a man inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame (he’s the only music artist in the latter!).

Jackson is also in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — twice. He has 15 Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 39 Guinness World Records including Most Successful Entertainer of All Time.

## What to watch for

- When you walk into the theatre, look closely at the semi-sheer curtain hanging in front of the stage. Jackson’s handwritten rehearsal notes are projected onto it.
- Wheeldon choreographed *MJ The Musical* alongside Rich and Tone Talauega, two of Jackson’s former backup dancers and collaborators. They have since become renowned choreographers for two other Jackson-inspired shows in the U.S. and for pop stars including Madonna, Missy Elliott, and the Backstreet Boys.
- *MJ The Musical* creatives Nottage and Wheeldon describe *MJ The Musical* as an in-depth look at Jackson’s life and creative process, and not just a jukebox musical. “You will leave with a better understanding of who he was as a human being,” Nottage told The New York Times.
- According to set designer Derek McLane, the show frequently transports audiences “into Michael’s mind — his memories and dreams,” including a flashy streetscape design dotted with neon and fire escapes.
- Nottage is everywhere on the New York theatre scene. Her new play *Clyde’s* also premiered on Broadway in 2021, with performances beginning two months before the first performance of *MJ The Musical*. An opera adaptation of her play *Intimate Apparel* played at Lincoln Center in January 2022, making her the only person to have a play, musical, and opera in New York at the same time.
- Jackson was the first artist to have singles in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in five separate decades — he achieved early success leading the Jackson 5 with his brothers as a child before launching his solo career.

MJ The Musical on Broadway [23379]  - TodayTix

MJ The Musical on Broadway Tickets | New York | TodayTix

Experience the story behind the King of Pop's singular career and greatest hits. The Tony-winning musical offers a deep look into his creative process and all the energy of a Michael Jackson concert, complete with more than 20 of his classic songs and signature dance moves.

Michael Jackson, one of the most beloved and influential musicians of all time, chased perfection his entire existence. It's unfortunate he is not alive to witness the flawless production of <a href="https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/mj-the-musical" target="_blank">MJ the Musical</a>, a model biographical musical now open at the <a href="https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/neil-simon-theatre" target="_blank">Neil Simon Theatre</a> on Broadway.Under the exemplary direction and choreography of Christopher Wheeldon, the production gives context to Jackson's inherited demons and zooms in on his daunting creative process and peerless genius. MJ is the platinum standard the often uninspired, generic jukebox musical could benefit to emulate.&nbsp;The musical doesn't tell his full life story. The book by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage narrows in on Jackson's Dangerous Tour rehearsals in 1992 — well before allegations of child molestation charges against Jackson arose. With the Jackson estate on the production team, Nottage has fixed this musical's lens on the stories the artist told through his music. Jackson's troubled childhood, pain, and loneliness fueled creativity and inspired the lyrics he wrote.Nottage's brilliant book gives the character of Jackson depth, and Myles Frost (who plays the eldest of three MJs who share the role) embodies the musician's complex persona. With every "hee-hee" and pelvic thrust, one can almost forget they're not seeing the King of Pop before their eyes. It's not easy to sing a Jackson song or move with the late star's precision, flexibility, and finesse. Many American Idol auditions have proven this true. But here, Frost has immersed himself into the spirit of Michael Jackson, producing distinct parallels to the icon's childlike behavior, restlessness, and paranoia.Frost gives this show not only his divine voice, but also a nuanced performance that humanizes the flawed superstar. In fact, all three generations of MJ exceed expectations. Little Michael (a talented Christian Wilson at the performance I saw) and young adult Michael (a fierce Tavon Olds-Sample) work together in seamless transitions to tell the full story of Jackson's early years.Both Quentin Earl Darrington (Once On This Island), and Ayana George (Broadway debut), who play Joe and Katherine Jackson, respectively, give powerhouse vocal performances. George especially shines during "I'll Be There," an affectionate duet with Little Michael. Though one can read Katherine as an enabler to Joe's rampant physical and emotional abuse, this number gives a tender softness to her love and vowed protection of Jackson.&nbsp;Darrington also plays Rob, Jackson's trusted tour manager. The smooth and swift changes between a man Jackson fears and a man he trusts give scene transitions delicate density.Musical numbers like "They Don't Really Care About Us," "Human Nature," "Stranger in Moscow," and "Thriller" are the show's highlight reels. The numbers are filled with Wheeldon's masterful choreography, blending modern dance, Jackson's iconic moves from the 90s, and deep, soul-stirring storytelling of the artist's triumphs and tribulations. The dance ensemble delivers paramount performances that leave an imprint on the memory. This team is a true tour-de-force.In the audience, some longtime fans sang along and cried, others who never experienced Jackson live remained mesmerized, and even a few skeptics cheered thunderously. They'd gasped loudly every time Frost changed a jacket or put on the iconic bedazzled glove.Paul Tazewell's magnificent costume design carries the cast through the MJ timeline seamlessly. A killer set by Derek McLane, amplified by gorgeous lighting by Natasha Katz, gives the show a visual beauty that makes it hard to look away.While Jackson's story is flawed, it's too complicated for anyone who hasn't danced in his shoes. MJ The Musical, however, is the perfect salutation to the life of an imperfect but gifted icon.<a href="https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/mj-the-musical" target="_blank">MJ The Musical is at the Neil Simon Theatre. MJ The Musical tickets will be available on New York Theatre Guide soon.</a>Photo credit: Myles Frost and the company of MJ The Musical. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)

'MJ The Musical' review — a flawless tribute to a flawed icon

MJ The Musical

MJ The Musical is at the Neil Simon Theatre. MJ The Musical tickets will be available on New York Theatre Guide soon.

MJ The Musical Review | New York Theatre Guide

The Neil Simon Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp for the real estate mogul Alexander Pincus. The Neil Simon Theatre officially opened on November 22, 1927 as the Alvin Theatre. It was named after producers Alex Aarons and Vinton Freedley, as an amalgamation of their first names.

The inaugural production at the venue was George and Ira Gershwin's *Funny Face*, which starred Fred and Adele Astaire. During the Great Depression, the venue was used as a radio studio by CBS. The Nederlander Organization purchased the property in 1977 and rechristened it in honor of the American playwright Neil Simon on June 29, 1983. The building earned New York City landmark status in 1985. 

## How to get to the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway

The closest subway station to the Neil Simon Theatre is 50th Street on the C, E, and 1 lines. The closest bus stops are 7th Av/W 41st St. on the M7, M20, or M104 line and 7th Av/W 42nd St. on the M42, SIM8, SIM8X, SIM22, SIM25, SIM26, and SIM30 lines.

## Restaurants near the Neil Simon Theatre

Popular restaurants near the Neil Simon Theatre include Haswell Green's (American), Gallagher's (steakhouse), Cha Pa's Noodles and Grill (Vietnamese), and Rosie O'Grady's (steak and seafood). Also nearby is Ellen's Stardust Diner, a famous New York institution featuring singing waiters.

'MJ' tickets now available through April 2025

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