The Return - 1989 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 1

What did our critic think of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Orpheum Theatre Memphis?

Peabo Bryson, the Grammy-winning R&B vocalist known for Disney hits 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'A Whole New World,' has died at the age of 75. His career spanned more than five decades across R&B, pop, and musical theater.

These performers may have received other awards and accolades, but a Tony Award is shockingly not on their résumé.

Ava DeMary and Tony Award nominee Jeanette Bayardelle will join the cast of Heathers The Musical next month. DeMary will play the role of Heather McNamara, and Bayardelle will play Ms. Fleming/Veronica’s Mom.

Heathers the Musical will launch its first-ever North American tour in May 2027 at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, MD, traveling the country to play more than 35 cities in multiple touring seasons.

World Music Institute will present World of Percussion Re-Imagined at Bryant Park, reviving the 1989 event as part of WMI's 40th Anniversary Legacy Series.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announced its 40th Anniversary Season, featuring Shakespeare classics in repertory, a bilingual ROMEO Y JULIETA, the return of ILLINOISE, and the world premiere of HEARTBREAKERS.

The best of the New York City theatre community was at Town Hall for the 70th Annual Drama Desk Awards, the theater award honoring excellence across all of New York City’s theatrical landscape. Check out a full list of winners here.

HEATHERS THE MUSICAL will serve as the inaugural production at Arts at Marble Arch before embarking on an extensive UK and Ireland tour, with stops in over a dozen cities across two seasons.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis announced eight newly elected board members, joining as the company celebrates its 60th Anniversary Season. Ann Cady Scott returns as Board President for a third term.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra will perform the score to BATMAN live at NJPAC as the 1989 film screens in concert. The event is part of the DC in Concert series and will take place in Prudential Hall.

Pleasance Theatre Trust has added 95 new shows to its Edinburgh Fringe programme, featuring Tim Vine, Alex Edelman, and Flo & Joan among the highlights spanning comedy, theatre, and new writing.

Raúl Esparza and Helen J Shen will announce the 70th Annual Drama Desk Awards nominations on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 10:00AM ET. Check out the nominees so far and check back later for teh complete list.

What did our critic think of THE WIZARD OF OZ at Hot Springs World Class High School Theater?

August Wilson is back on Broadway with Taraji P. Henson and Cedric “The Entertainer” and more in a new production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone, directed by  the legendary Debbie Allen. The critics are weighing in on the show! See what they're saying in tonight's review roundup!

Over 1,200 high school singers from 41 Southern California schools will perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall for the LA Master Chorale's 37th Annual High School Choir Festival, including a tribute to the late architect Frank Gehry.

From Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater suspending operations and Central Works announcing its closure after 36 years, to Duluth Playhouse navigating a leadership transition, regional companies across the U.S. are grappling with the pressures of rising costs and uncertain funding. Across the Atlantic, the UK theatre sector is meeting similar headwinds head-on, with the government distributing £127.8 million to 130 cultural organizations, Stagetext securing funds to expand captioning access nationwide, and SOLT and UK Theatre sounding the alarm over strains on the touring ecosystem.

Bryant Park Picnic Performances, the free outdoor performing arts festival in the heart of Midtown, will return in May with its most expansive season yet as it celebrates America’s 250th anniversary.

The Kruger Brothers will perform at the historic Vergennes Opera House in Vermont, closing out the 2025-2026 season in a donor-underwritten concert expected to sell out, as it did during their previous visit.

Tony and Emmy Award-winner Billy Crystal will return to Broadway this fall in a new one-man show, 860, written and performed by Mr. Crystal and directed by Olivier Award-winner Scott Ellis. We have all of the details!

Boston Ballet will present Spring Experience, a compelling mixed-repertory program that highlights the Company's versatility and artistic depth through three distinct works.

A second batch of shows for this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been announced, bringing the current total number on sale for 2026 to 2,083. Learn more here!

PALM BEACH SYMPHONY announced the addition of three new members, Carol Baxter, Mary Demory, and Percy Kavasmaneck, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors, enhancing its leadership team.

Broadway has a long history of one-person shows, including many that have been added to the canon in this century.  Seeing one actor powerfully create a whole world on stage can be an exceptional experience. Of course, one handers are hardly one-person projects; while there may only be one actor on stage, they are collaborating with an entire team of creatives, designers, and behind-the-scenes personnel to bring a show to life. 

Jersey City Theater Center, in partnership with the The New Jersey Play Lab, will present the return of the Garden State New Play Festival, an innovative three-week celebration of new theatrical works and emerging voices.