Top theatre to see in New York in November

Check out our picks for must-see Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre in November, including new musicals, award-winning plays, and Off-Broadway premieres.

With the cold weather setting in across New York, you can warm up by donning a sweater, drinking hot cocoa — or cozying up in a theatre. The shows on offer in New York are sure to warm your heart, too.

It's the season of giving, after all, and the city's theatres are giving audiences plenty of funny, poignant, and classic shows to see. Christmas shows are opening on and off Broadway this month to get you in the holiday spirit, and there are plenty non-holiday shows to discover, too, including multiple new Broadway musicals and standout new plays.

Check out our list of theatre to see in November 2024, and see our list of New York shows that started in October for even more new theatre you can still catch.

Broadway shows in November

Noteworthy musicals and plays start performances on Broadway this month, including exciting revivals and new shows by award-winning artists. Be sure to check out these widely celebrated shows, many with celebrities in the cast.

Get tickets to a Broadway show on New York Theatre Guide.

A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

A legend's life takes center stage as Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart embodies Louis Armstrong in this new Broadway musical. Learn more about the man who transformed jazz forever, all while hearing Armstrong's most beloved hits including "La Vie En Rose" and "What a Wonderful World" woven throughout his journey from New Orleans to international stardom.

Get A Wonderful World tickets now.

Maybe Happy Ending

Love goes digital in this new musical starring Emmy and Golden Globe winner Darren Criss (Glee, American Crime Story) and Helen J. Shen, with The Voice alum Dez Duron. When obsolete HelperBots Oliver (Criss) and Claire (Shen) cross paths in their apartment building, their ordinary programming gives way to an extraordinary connection – proving that even artificial hearts can fall in love.

Get Maybe Happy Ending tickets now.

Tammy Faye

There's divine drama aplenty in this heavenly new Broadway musical about televangelists Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker. Tony winner Christian Borle and Olivier-winning British actress Katie Brayben lead this glittering production, featuring music by Elton John and Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters. Tony-nominated writer James Graham and director Rupert Goold (Ink) reunite to bring this larger-than-life story to the stage.

Get Tammy Faye tickets now.

Death Becomes Her

Now a warning? The battle for eternal youth comes to Broadway as Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard step into the immortal roles made famous by Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. This musical adaptation of the cult classic 1992 film follows frenemies Madeline (Hilty) and Helen (Simard) as they compete over beauty, men, and success – with a little help from a mysterious potion. Destiny's Child star Michelle Williams also performs as the potion keeper.

Get Death Becomes Her tickets now.

Swept Away

Set sail for adventure with this stirring, original musical featuring the folk rock songs of The Avett Brothers. When four sailors find themselves stranded at sea, their fight for survival pushes them to their limits. As the days stretch on, they discover that staying alive may demand unthinkable choices.

Get Swept Away tickets now.

Elf The Musical

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! Tony nominee Grey Henson (Mean Girls, Shucked) goes on a heartwarming journey as Buddy the Elf, who travels from the North Pole to the Big Apple in search of his true family. Oscar nominee Sean Astin (The Lord of The Rings, The Goonies) also makes his Broadway debut as Santa in this musical adaptation of the 2004 Will Ferrell film.

Get Elf The Musical tickets now.

Cult of Love

Shailene Woodley, Zachary Quinto, Barbie Ferreira, David Rasche, Mare Winningham, and more star in this razor-sharp holiday drama. Behind the cheerful decorations and cherished traditions, the deeply religious Dahl family – parents, four grown children, and their partners – confront simmering tensions and fresh wounds during one unforgettable Christmas dinner.

Get Cult of Love tickets now.

Gypsy

It's Audra's turn. Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald takes on musical theatre's most iconic stage mother in the first Broadway revival of Gypsy since 2008. Watch as the unstoppable Momma Rose pushes her daughters toward stardom, no matter the cost, and hear beloved showtunes like "Let Me Entertain You," "Everything's Coming Up Roses," and "Rose's Turn."

Get Gypsy tickets now.

Eureka Day

When a mumps outbreak hits the progressive Eureka Day School, its proudly inclusive community faces an unexpected crisis. Fresh from acclaimed London performances, Jonathan Spector's timely drama follows the school board as they grapple with vaccine policies and discover their commitment to consensus, for once, might not satisfy everyone. Jessica Hecht, Thomas Middleditch, Amber Gray, and more star.

Get Eureka Day tickets now.

Off-Broadway shows in November

Off-Broadway theatres have it all this month: innovative new plays, comedy shows, and more. Whatever your taste in theatre, you’ll find it off Broadway, so check out these shows starting New York performances this month and find one that's best for you.

Get tickets to an Off-Broadway show on New York Theatre Guide.

Nutcracker Rouge

The Land of Sweets just got sexier. The classic Nutcracker tale, about a girl whose toy comes to life in her dreams, gets a racy redo in Company XIV’s bold burlesque version. This show features circus, music, acrobatics, dance, and themed drinks, and it's been a seasonal favorite since its 2013 premiere.

Get Nutcracker Rouge tickets now.

Strategic Love Play

Heléne Yorke and Michael Zegen star in this new romantic drama by Succession writer Miriam Battye. After meeting on an app, the pair meet up in person — and the date's a total mess. But for some reason, they stick around long enough for the date to go in ways neither one expects.

Get Strategic Love Play tickets now.

The Blood Quilt

Four sisters return to their Georgia family home following their mother's passing, gathering to create a quilt in her memory as per tradition. As they piece together fabric squares rich with history, they also read their mother's will. Long-buried secrets and unspoken resentments surface in this powerful exploration of family bonds.

Get The Blood Quilt tickets now.

Mama I'm a Big Girl Now

Hairspray fans, this one's for you! Mama I'm a Big Girl Now reunites Marissa Jaret Winokur, Laura Bell Bundy, and Kerry Butler — three original cast members of the Broadway musical — as they reflect on their decades-long friendship and becoming mothers along the way. And of course, the revue features plenty of Hairspray songs.

Get Mama I'm a Big Girl Now tickets now.

Babe

Oscar winner Marisa Tomei returns to the New York stage as a Abby, music producer who sacrificed a lot in her personal life to build her professional one. She's one half of a successful music producing duo at the top of her game — but when a new hire calls Abby out for the questionable choices she's made, she must face the music and fight for herself.

Get Babe tickets now.

Walden

In a near-future world ravaged by climate change, two sisters (Emmy Rossum and Zoë Winters) reunite in a remote woodland cabin. One's a NASA botanist returning from a year-long Mars mission, and the other left NASA behind long ago. Their opposing views on humanity's future spark an intimate debate about progress, preservation, and what we owe to Earth.

Get Walden tickets now.

Gatz

In this ambitious theatrical event, an office worker discovers a copy of The Great Gatsby and begins reading it aloud. Over the course of 6 hours (plus multiple intermissions), the entire novel is performed word-for-word as the modern workplace gradually transforms into Fitzgerald's glittering Jazz Age world.

Get Gatz tickets now.

Burnout Paradise

Sometimes little tasks pile up until you're running yourself ragged trying to get everything done. Burnout Paradise, a hit show from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, captures this experience in a wild way: Four performers attempt to do a series of tasks while collectively running 20km on treadmills. If they fail, they offer the audience their money back. Who will win the wager?

Get Burnout Paradise tickets now.

King Lear

The legendary Kenneth Branagh co-directs and tackles the title role in Shakespeare's towering tragedy at The Shed. Watch as the aging king's rash decision to divide his kingdom between his daughters sets in motion a devastating chain of betrayal, madness, and loss.

Check back for information on King Lear tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

Photo credit: Helen J. Shen and Darren Criss in Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)