Helen Shaw

Review Roundup: What Did Critics Think of the 79th Annual Tony Awards?
by Josh Sharpe - Jun 8, 2026

Broadway's biggest night has come and gone! What are the critics saying about the 2026 ceremony? Check out the reviews for this year's Tony Awards here!

SLANTED FLOORS Returns to Its Greenpoint Apartment for Limited Run
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 22, 2026

SLANTED FLOORS, the site-specific play starring Kyle Beltran and Adam Chanler-Berat, returns to its original Greenpoint apartment for a strictly limited 150-seat engagement, directed by Ryan Dobrin.

Industry Pro Newsletter: Sardi's Sold, Broadway Booms & Phantom Makes History in Sydney
by Alex Freeman - Mar 30, 2026

This week's theater news spans the globe, from a massive outdoor Phantom of the Opera making history on Sydney Harbour to Shakespeare's birthday celebrations in Chicago, a landmark West End awards night in London, and a new home for one of New York's most celebrated Off-Broadway companies. Closer to home, Broadway is reporting record-breaking grosses and attendance even as international tourism dips, while one of the Theatre District's most beloved institutions — Sardi's — prepares for a temporary farewell as it changes hands. And as the world marked World Theatre Day on March 27, the stories this week serve as a fitting reminder of just how alive and far-reaching the art form remains.

As Female Playwrights Lose Ground, Female Critics Are Making History
by Cara Joy David - Mar 30, 2026

The biggest change from prior years is at The New York Times, where Helen Shaw became the first female chief theater critic at the paper of record earlier this year. Previously, The Times has had plenty of female second-string critics, but the top seat was always held by a man.

RENT Reunion Panel and More Set For BroadwayCon 2026
by Stephi Wild - Jan 21, 2026

BroadwayCon has announced additional programming for the 2026 Convention, taking place this week. Learn more about the full upcoming lineup for the event here!

Industry Pro Newsletter: HAMNET Triumphs at the Golden Globes as Arts Institutions Face Change
by Alex Freeman - Jan 12, 2026

Awards season brings high-profile recognition for acclaimed film and design work, while New York headlines spotlight both expanded access to theater and the loss of a respected arts leader. Elsewhere, major institutions in Chicago and Paris enter new leadership chapters, and a Canadian orchestra announced a significant policy shift.

Industry Pro Newsletter: Broadway League Leadership Awards, ACTF Drops Affiliation with Kennedy Center
by Alex Freeman - Jan 5, 2026

Happy New Year! This week, we’re catching up on a few different stories that you might have missed while you were out for the holidays - including the ongoing tumult at the Kennedy Center, multiple Broadway box office records, and the controversial reopening of a theatre in Mariupol.

Industry Pro Newsletter: Near Record Broadway Attendance, Some Good News for Theater Real Estate
by Alex Freeman - Dec 15, 2025

This week’s newsletter brings together stories of growth, innovation, and transformation across the theater and performing arts landscape. Inside, you’ll find updates on new BroadwayWorld features and partnerships, strong Broadway attendance figures, and evolving development plans in the heart of Times Square. We also spotlight major real estate and venue news shaping theater communities in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, alongside a look at artists pushing creative boundaries in dance.

Wake Up With BroadwayWorld December 9, 2025- Go Inside BUG with Carrie Coon and More
by - Dec 9, 2025

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is December 9, 2025 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

Industry Pro Newsletter: Woolly Mammoth Announces New AD, RSC Faces ‘financial peril’
by Alex Freeman - Dec 8, 2025

This week’s stories highlight a theater landscape in motion, with notable leadership shifts, community celebrations, and major institutional changes shaping the field. Helen Shaw’s appointment as Chief Theater Critic at The New York Times marks a significant moment in arts journalism, while audiences worldwide engage with the newly opened voting for the 2025 BroadwayWorld Regional Awards. Onstage, Broadway prepares for star-studded fundraising at Red Bucket Follies, and regional companies navigate both exciting transitions and unexpected setbacks. Internationally, major UK institutions confront financial challenges and ambitious renovations, reflecting a moment of both reckoning and renewal across the global arts community.

Helen Shaw Joins The New York Times as Chief Theater Critic
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 3, 2025

Helen Shaw has joined The New York Times' Culture desk as chief theater critic. She will begin the position in mid-January. Helen was previously the theater critic and a staff writer at The New Yorker.

John Lee Beatty Will Receive Ming Cho Lee Award For Lifetime Achievement
by Nicole Rosky - Sep 8, 2025

Scenic designer John Lee Beatty will be honored with the Ming Cho Lee Award for Lifetime Achievement in Design bestowed by the Henry Hewes Design Awards .

Nikiya Mathis, MAYBE HAPPY ENDING, & More Earn 2025 Hewes Design Awards
by Josh Sharpe - Sep 4, 2025

The Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee has revealed the 2025 Henry Hewes Design Awards Honorees who will be recognized at the 61st annual ceremony on October 20 in New York.

UNDER THE RADAR 2026 Unveils Programming Highlights
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 23, 2025

Under the Radar will return for its 21st edition. Since its reemergence in 2024, Under the Radar has gathered artists, audiences, and theater industry experts around a thrilling array of contemporary performances shaped by fearless experimentation.  

Photos: The 14th Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 1, 2025

You can now check out photos from the 14th Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards. Learn more about the awards, hosted by an organization of Off-Broadway producers, theaters, general managers, press agents, and marketing professionals.

2025 Off Broadway Alliance Award Winners Revealed
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jun 3, 2025

The Off Broadway Alliance has revealed the winners of the 14th Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards, honoring commercial and not-for-profit productions that opened Off Broadway during the 2024-2025 season.

2025 Off Broadway Alliance Awards Nominations
by Nicole Rosky - May 7, 2025

The Off Broadway Alliance, an organization of Off-Broadway producers, theaters, general managers, press agents, and marketing professionals, has announced the nominees for the 14th Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards. We have the full list here!

MAYBE HAPPY ENDING and PURPOSE Take Top Prizes At New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards
by A.A. Cristi - May 5, 2025

The New York Drama Critics' Circle has named Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s Purpose Best Play of the 2024-25 season. The award for Best Musical went to Maybe Happy Ending, book by Will Aronson and Hue Park, music by Will Aronson, lyrics by Hue Park.

New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards Will Be Announced Next Week
by Stephi Wild - Apr 30, 2025

The winners of the 2025 New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards will be announced next week. The awards include a cash prize of $2,500 for Best Play, made possible by a grant from the Lucille Lortel Foundation.

New York Drama Critics' Circle Unearths Long-Lost Award Plaque
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 24, 2025

The New York Drama Critics' Circle has unearthed the plaque that originally accompanied its annual award for Best American Play, and will return to awarding the plaque this year.