Darren Criss, Alex Edelman and More Join Emerson Colonial Theatre 125th Anniversary Lineup

​The Emerson Colonial Theatre, an ATG Entertainment venue, has announced additional programming for the theatre's 125th anniversary year. This year-long celebration highlights the Colonial's Broadway legacy and brings back both artists and shows that have previously graced the Colonial stage. Included in today's announcement are beloved author Anne Lamott, returning to the Colonial with writer–speaker Neal Allen to discuss their latest book, Good Writing, on March 30; Tony, Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award winner Darren Criss returning to the Colonial with a special concert event on May 29; and Tony and Emmy Award winner Alex Edelman returning to the Colonial with his latest comedy show, What Are You Going To Do.

These special events join the Colonial's previously announced 125th lineup, which includes evenings with both Sutton Foster and Fran Lebowitz, the return of the smash-hit The Simon & Garfunkel Story, and the family-friendly adaptation of the bestselling book series Dog Man: The Musical. Additional 125th anniversary programming will be announced at a later date.

GOOD WRITING: AN EVENING WITH ANNE LAMOTT & NEAL ALLEN

Monday, March 30 at 7:30pm

Join beloved author Anne Lamott and writer–speaker Neal Allen for a warm, funny, and insight-packed evening celebrating their forthcoming collaborative book, Good Writing: How to Improve Your Sentences. Appearing together onstage, the married co-authors will dive into the heart of what they call “the 36 ways to turn a worthy sentence into a memorable one,” sharing the origins of their ideas, the joys and perils of co-writing as a couple, and the art of crafting language that truly lands with readers.

Whether you're just starting out or deep into a lifelong writing practice, this conversation promises to be generous, practical, and delightfully human – much like Anne and Neal themselves. Come for the inspiration; stay for the stories, the laughter, and the reminder that anyone can learn to write better, one sentence at a time.

AN EVENING WITH Darren Criss

Friday, May 29 at 8pm

Darren Criss – star of the smash Broadway hit Maybe Happy Ending and now Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee – returns to the Colonial for a special one-night-only concert!

Criss has earned raves for his moving performance in the show, building upon Golden Globe, SAG, and Emmy-winning work in "Glee," and on and off Broadway in Little Shop of Horrors, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and more. Don't miss this rare solo evening of songs spanning Broadway, standards, and originals from with one of musical theater's most magnetic performers.

Alex Edelman: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO

Saturday, May 30 at 7pm

“There's always a way to navigate complicated stuff,” Alex Edelman told Variety about his newest show, What Are You Going to Do, a venture into difficult political and personal territory. 

One of the most critically hailed comedians of his generation, Edelman is a Bostonian best known for solo shows that blur the line between his stand-up roots and narrative-driven storytelling. He makes his triumphant return to the Colonial after multiple sold-out runs of Just for Us, which played over 500 shows worldwide and garnered a Tony for its Broadway incarnation and an Emmy for the resulting HBO special. He's also written for many TV shows, including Peacock's “The Office” spin-off, "The Paper.”

The Colonial's 125th anniversary lineup also includes:

AN EVENING WITH Sutton Foster

Saturday, January 24 at 8pm

LIMITED AVAILABILITY!

Two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie and The Music Man) makes her Colonial debut with an intimate evening of Broadway hits and personal favorites, including selections from Anything Goes which had its pre-Broadway engagement at the Colonial back in 1934.

AN EVENING WITH Fran Lebowitz

Thursday, February 19 at 7pm

Fran Lebowitz returns to the Colonial to share her wickedly sharp take on the world as it is. In a cultural landscape with endless pundits and talking heads, she stands out as one of the most insightful social commentators.

THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY

Friday, April 3 at 7pm

Saturday, April 4 at 2pm & 7pm

Sunday, April 5 at 2pm

Following sold-out previous engagements, The Simon & Garfunkel Story return to the Colonial. The immersive concert-style theater show chronicles the amazing journey shared by the folk-rock duo, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel – featuring all their greatest hits such as “Mrs. Robinson,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Sound of Silence,” and many more.

DOG MAN: THE MUSICAL

Saturday, April 11 at 2pm & 5pm

Sunday, April 12 at 2pm