A Class Act

The Beautiful City Project will present FAME: THE MUSICAL at the McGrath Family Performing Arts Center in Wilmette, IL, with proceeds benefiting a yet-to-be-announced charity. The cast includes veterans of Marriott, Drury Lane, and Music Theater Works productions.

The stage production does make a lot of strides that strengthens the endurance and popularity of this love story. It repeats iconic moments from the popular 2004 film, but isn’t aping the original screenplay in any way. A new libretto offers a fresh take that borrows the basic structure of the novel and memorable film moments, whilst breathing in new voices and new scenes that add different layers to these familiar characters.

Greg Doran, former artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and celebrated Shakespearean, revives his acclaimed production of Venus and Adonis, Shakespeare's greatest narrative poem, for a limited UK tour starting in June.

Now having its Southern California regional production, MEAN GIRLS - THE MUSICAL continues performances at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through May 3, 2026. Produced by McCoy Rigby Entertainment, this fun, high-energy, youthfully-targeted new iteration of the 2018 stage adaptation of Tina Fey’s beloved 2004 film comedy looks and feels like a brand new show—boosted by impressive new visuals and a highly-caffeinated ensemble whose enthusiasm and verve is quite infectious. A dazzling, entertaining show with high-caliber polish, La Mirada's production is a slick, electrically-charged iteration that is a worthwhile new chapter in the show’s evolution.

The Tanglewood Popular Artist Series, which each year brings a star-studded lineup of musicians and performers to Tanglewood’s Koussevitzky Music Shed, continues to expand its 2026 summer season with the addition of Jon Stewart among a roster of major artists across genres including rock, country, pop, Broadway, and soul.

Adapted from Nicholas Sparks' ubiquitous 1996 novel (and its popular 2004 film iteration featuring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling), THE NOTEBOOK - THE MUSICAL re-stages a generational love story into a quietly sweeping, memory-fractured stage romance that subtly promotes emotional accumulation over plot novelty. Now on stage at OC's Segerstrom Center for the Arts, this 2024 three-time Tony-nominated Broadway musical's first national tour continues performances in Costa Mesa through February 8, 2026.

SFJAZZ will present a diverse lineup of jazz performances in February 2026, featuring renowned artists and ensembles. The month-long event will take place at the iconic SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco.

You certainly won’t find the location of Almost, Maine on any map. That’s because the inhabitants of this upper Maine settlement never bothered to properly incorporate their area into a town. That’s a clue for what lies ahead in Almost, Maine, which opened this weekend at Wichita Community Theatre. The clever uplifting play is a collection of brief vignettes, loosely linked and confined to this remote area. As imagined by playwright John Cariani, Almost, Maine is often as mysterious as its title. Twenty-one actors play various townsfolk who come and go in nine scenes.

The iconic rock musical Hair is back in a bold new Brazilian production directed by Charles Möeller and Claudio Botelho. Opening at São Paulo’s BTG Pactual Hall, the show celebrates the spirit of the 1960s counterculture — peace, love, and rebellion — through powerful anthems like Aquarius and Let the Sunshine In. With a cast of 30 led by Rodrigo Simas and Eduardo Borelli, this vibrant staging fuses rock, poetry, and raw emotion to explore freedom, identity, and protest in a turbulent era. Nearly six decades after its debut, Hair still pulses with youthful defiance and idealism, inviting audiences to sing, reflect, and feel the rhythm of a revolution that never truly ended.

Sharpe Dunaway is no stranger to being in the spotlight, whether it be behind a microphone, behind the drums, or behind the video camera. And though he’s enjoyed his success and attention, he beams with pride when he talks about his children, father to Quint, Grey, and London (the youngest one who is taking great strides in the same vein as her father). In a free-wheeling conversation with Broadway World, Sharpe and his daughter London—a budding music journalist, concert photographer, and frontwoman in the making—dig into craft, community, and the power of doing the work. 

In honor of the Aida’s 25th anniversary, BroadwayWorld spoke to stars Heather Headley (Aida), Adam Pascal (Radames), Sherie Rene Scott (Amneris), Schele Williams (Nehebka), as Thomas Schumacher (original producer and Disney Theatrical Group chief for its first three decades), lyricist Tim Rice, and book writer David Henry Hwang to compile an oral history of the show’s early days, transition to Broadway, and legacy beyond the boards.

An award-winning LGBTQ novel, adapted for the stage by playwright of the moment Jack Holden (Cruising; Kenrex)... It sounds like a surefire hit for the Almeida, and sure enough, the entire run is currently fully sold out. But can a production be too sure of itself? Slick but straightforward, this premiere bucks the venue’s recent trend of plays that push the envelope.

At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, a play by Terry Guest, will receive two invite-only industry presentations at Open Jar Studios next month. Learn more here!

The National Tour of THE NOTEBOOK is now underway! The tour launched on September 6, 2025, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, OH. Read the reviews here!

In October 2025, SFJAZZ will continue its 2025/26 season with an eclectic mix of world-class artists—from jazz legends and rising stars to genre-defying innovators in soul, global music, and beyond. See the lineup here!

Heathers is currently playing to sold out crowds at New World Stages, the off-Broadway complex on 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. It’s a New York City return for the teen musical with a relatively short turn-around time since the original off-Broadway premiere of Heathers opened in 2014.

While on the surface, a play with basketball and one of its prominent players may seem a bit odd, KING JAMES proves to be a deep exploration of male friendship, its complexities, and how sports can bring people together and create a bond that goes beyond just grabbing a beer and watching the game.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts has revealed its 25/26 season of programming, running September 2025 through May 2026. See full programming here!

Mamma Mia! is back on Broadway! As we celebrate the homecoming of this iconic Broadway staple, we're taking a look back on some of the notable stars who have appeared in various productions of Mamma Mia! around the world!

What did our critic think of MARY POPPINS at Birmingham Hippodrome?

The recent UK premiere of Here We Are, Stephen Sondheim’s final musical, certainly demonstrated that the much-mourned legend had his flaws. His aficionados already knew this, though – Sondheim had nearly as many flops as he had successes, and The Frogs was one of them.

Few honors in entertainment are as coveted—or as rare—as achieving EGOT status. This elite distinction marks a career filled with versatility, longevity, and extraordinary talent across multiple mediums. What does it all mean? We're taking a closer look at the artists who have managed to join one of the industry’s most exclusive clubs.

The new musical Goddess can currently be seen in its New York premiere production at the Public Theater on Lafayette Street. Directed by the Public’s associate artistic director and resident director Saheem Ali, who is currently Tony Award-nominated for directing Buena Vista Social Club, Goddess is playing at the Public’s largest space by capacity, the Newman Theatre.

And the Plastics of North Shore High School – the self-obsessed, their-way-or-the-highway trio of “mean girls” at the center of the eponymous hit 2004 feature-film comedy, the 2018 Broadway musical it inspired, and the 2024 feature film based on the musical  – have done just that, becoming an enduring part of pop culture.

 Irvine Barclay Theatre, one of Orange County’s top performing arts venues, will kick off its 35th season of bringing top-tier artists to Southern California with a community celebration of music and dance.