On the Lock-In - 1977 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 5

OFC Creations Theatre Center will present the regional premiere and pilot production of Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas as part of its 2025–2026 Broadway in Brighton Series. See photos from inside rehearsal.

The Classic Albums Live series will return to the Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre in 2026 with performances of ABBEY ROAD, LED ZEPPELIN II, PURPLE RAIN, and RUMOURS.

Theatre Rhinoceros will present the world premiere of Pirates! by John Fisher, running December 4–13, 2025 at its 18th Street venue in San Francisco. The new drama follows two husbands abducted by East African pirates.

The stories about the latest entry in the Royal Albert Hall’s Film In Concert series are insane. There was the intense secrecy over that moment, Daniel Craig’s secret cameo, Mark Hamill’s perma-beard and then the issues with Harrison Ford’s long hair and broken foot. With a sky-high budget north of 500 million dollars, the most anticipated movie of 2015 went on to break the $2bn barrier at the box office and JJ Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now the sixth-highest grossing flick ever made. 

Pontine Theatre will present the 2025 edition of A New England Christmas from November 28–December 14 at its 1845 Plains Schoolhouse venue in Portsmouth.

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.

With Chamber Music America, Kaatsbaan Cultural Park will present an evening of jazz performed by Rising Star jazz vocalist (DownBeat's Critic's Poll) Aimée Allen with François Moutin (bass), Tony Romano (guitar), and Kenn Salters (drums).

Eagles have added new 2026 dates to their Sphere residency, marking the longest-running residency at the venue with a total of 56 shows. They will now play Friday, March 20; Saturday, March 21; Friday, March 27; and Saturday, March 28.

OUT/PLAY proudly continues its 'Queers Thru the Years' Season 3 with a celebration of LGBTQ+ women in Wendy Wasserstein's production of Uncommon Women and Others, running Thursday December 11, Friday December 12, and Saturday December 13 at 7 p.m.

Sheba Mason stars in a musical about her father, comedian Jackie Mason, written by Jackie's ex, Ginger Reiter. Read a conversation with Mason about the show.

San Francisco Opera Center Artistic Director Carrie-Ann Matheson and General Manager Markus Beam announced the 9 recipients of the 2026 San Francisco Opera Adler Fellowship. Learn more here!

I had the pleasure of seeing the original Broadway production of Stereophonic that ruled the 2023 awards season becoming most Tony Award-nominated play of all time, winner of five. My thoughts then were brilliant concept excellently executed, and this touring production, making its San Francisco debut duplicates the magic of this intimate look into the recording of a studio album.

In a conclusion to their 2025 season, Bach Akademie Australia’s Artistic Director, Madeleine Easton, will lead 20 musicians in a 2-hour performance of all six Brandenburg Concertos at The Neilson concerts, with four concertos to be performed at The Joan.

Award-winning SF contemporary chamber group Ensemble for These Times has announced the guest pianists for its E4TT/RMF New Music Piano Summit. Learn more here!

Rufus Wainwright has shared “Lost in the Stars (feat. Metropole Orkest),” the latest offering from his upcoming tribute album exploring the songbook of German-American composer Kurt Weill. Listen to the track now.

While different tryout theaters have different relationships to the development of new shows, it’s worth looking at both which commercial rental theaters and which non-profit theaters have had the most Best Musical Tony Award winners come from their stages.

Open Stage will host the Pennsylvania premiere of Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, a heartwarming live stage musical based on the 1977 Jim Henson holiday television special and the illustrated book by Russell and Lillian Hoban.

Diane Keaton made her Broadway debut in the original Broadway production of Hair at the age of 22. The landmark musical started out at the Public Theater off-Broadway in 1967 before transferring to the Biltmore Theatre on Broadway in 1968. Keaton joined the cast for the Broadway run, originating her track in the show.

The Theatrical division of International Literary Properties has acquired the literary works of Jean Shepherd from Dalfie Entertainment Inc. Learn more here!

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame will be 'movin' out' the extremely popular Billy Joel, My Life: A Piano Man's Journey exhibit with a special event entitled: The Billy Joel Collectors Presentation. 

The Gold Coast Jazz Society will launch its 2025–2026 concert season with the explosive energy of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, live next month. Learn more here!

M+, Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) in Hong Kong, will present Zao Wou-Ki: Master Printmaker. Learn more here!

I Was Born This Way, a new documentary exploring the life and legacy of Archbishop Carl Bean, has set its theatrical release. The movie made its world debut earlier this year at the Tribeca Festival.

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 have been added to the band’s residency at SPHERE in Las Vegas. The new shows will take place Friday, February 20; Saturday, February 21; Friday, February 27; and Saturday, February 28, 2026.

Final tickets have been released for the Brisbane season of the new Australian production of the ever-popular Broadway musical Annie, which begins in December.