Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023

Top-selling shows this week include The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window,  New York, New York, and more!

By: May. 01, 2023
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Looking for the best deals on Broadway shows? Welcome to our new weekly guide to the most popular shows listed on BroadwayWorld.


This Week's Top Broadway Shows

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 1) The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window Buy Tickets Tickets from: $45 - Oscar Isaac (Scenes from a Marriage, Hamlet, Star Wars) and Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Dead for a Dollar, Othello) star in Lorraine Hansberry's (A Raisin in the Sun) sweeping drama of identity, idealism, and love. With direction by Anne Kauffman, BAM's production marks the first major New York revival since the original Broadway run. Hansberry invites us into Greenwich Village in the 60s, crafting a razor-sharp portrait of a diverse group of friends whose progressive dreams can't quite match reality. At the center are Sidney and Iris Brustein, fighting to see if their marriage-with all its crackling wit, passion, and petty cruelty-can survive Sidney's ideals. As if reaching across the decades, Hansberry's incisive final work offers shockingly contemporary provocations. Discover this "astonishing force" (The Chicago Tribune) from one of America's greatest playwrights when it finally returns to New York.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 2) New York, New York Buy Tickets Tickets from $59 - A brand-new musical bringing Broadway legends back together, New York, New York is a glittering love letter to the greatest city in the world. It is 1946, the war is over, and a resurgent New York is beginning to rebuild. As steel beams swing overhead, a collection of artists has dreams as big and diverse as the city itself. But do these singers, dancers, musicians and makers have what it takes to survive this place, let alone to succeed? If they can make it here, they can make it anywhere. New York, New York is a spectacular show for a singular city.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 3) Prima Facie Buy Tickets - Tessa is a thoroughbred. A young, brilliant barrister who loves to win. She has worked her way up from working-class origins to be at the top of her game; defending; cross-examining and lighting up the shadows of doubt in any case. An unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge. Suzie Miller's award-winning Prima Facie takes us to the heart of where emotion and experience collide with the rules of the game. Justin Martin directs this solo actor tour de force from Jodie Comer.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 4) Funny Girl Buy Tickets Tickets from $69 - With music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill and book by Isobel Lennart, Funny Girl has become one of the most beloved Broadway classics, famous for skyrocketing Barbra Streisand to stardom. This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she'd never be a star, but then something funny happened-she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway. Michael Mayer's bold new production marks the first time Funny Girl has returned to Broadway since its debut 58 years ago.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 5) Grey House Buy Tickets - When a couple crashes their car in the mountains, they seek shelter in an isolated cabin. Its inhabitants, though somewhat unusual, are eager to make their guests feel right at home. But as the blizzard outside rages on and one night turns into several, the couple becomes less and less sure of what's true-about their hosts, themselves, and why that sound in the walls keeps getting louder.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 6) Good Night, Oscar Buy Tickets Tickets from: $99 - Anything can happen on live TV. And one night, it did. Sean Hayes stars as the irrepressible Oscar Levant. It's 1958, and Jack Paar hosts the hottest late-night talk-show on television. His favorite guest? Character actor, pianist and wild card Oscar Levant. Good Night, Oscar explores the nexus of humor and heartbreak, the ever-dwindling distinction between exploitation and entertainment, and the high cost of baring one's soul for public consumption.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 7) Peter Pan Goes Wrong Buy Tickets Tickets from: $87 - The team behind the global hit, The Play That Goes Wrong, brings their trademark comic mayhem to the J.M. Barrie classic Peter Pan. Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a highly physical comedy packed with finely-tuned and inspired slapstick, delivered with split-second timing and ambitious daring. The play sees the 'Cornley Drama Society' back on stage battling technical hitches, flying mishaps and cast disputes as they attempt to present J.M Barrie's much-loved tale. But will they ever make it to Neverland?

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 8) Shucked Buy Tickets Tickets from: $61.50 - What do you get when you pair a semi-neurotic, New York comedy writer with two music superstars from Nashville? A hilarious and audacious farm-to-fable musical about the one thing Americans everywhere can't get enough of: corn. Shucked is the new musical comedy that proves sometimes tearing down a few walls, rather than growing them, is the only way to preserve our way of life. Shucked is about to turn Broadway on its ear and offer a kernel of hope for our divided nation. The new original musical comedy features a book by Robert Horn and score by the Nashville songwriting team of Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 9) & Juliet Buy Tickets Tickets from: $87 - What if Juliet didin't die? That should almost be the start of the play! & Juliet is a multi-generational story of self-discovery, empowerment and love, imagining what would happen next if Juliet hadn't ended it all over Romeo, and got a second chance at life and love - on her terms. Juliet's new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, all written by Max Martin and his collaborators. The musical features a book by David West Read, direction by Luke Sheppard and choreography by Jennifer Weber.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 10) Wicked Buy Tickets Tickets from: $112 - Before Dorothy, before the flying house, and before the yellow brick road, there was Elphaba and Galinda. Born with emerald-green skin, Elphaba is smart, fiery, misunderstood and possesses extraordinary talent. When circumstances force her to room with the bubbly blonde and exceptionally popular, Galinda, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships. From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, Wicked tells the story of Oz that you've never heard.

This Week's Top Off-Broadway Shows

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 1) The Habit of Art Buy Tickets - Original Theatre (Caroline's Kitchen, Brits Off Broadway 2019; Invincible, Brits Off Broadway 2017) return to 59E59 Theaters with the US Premiere of The Habit of Art by one of Britain's most prolific playwrights Alan Bennett (The History Boys, The Madness of King George, and Talking Heads). Benjamin Britten, sailing uncomfortably close to the wind with his new opera, Death in Venice, seeks advice from his former collaborator and friend, W.H. Auden. During this imagined meeting, their first for twenty-five years, they are observed and interrupted by, amongst others, their future biographer and a young man from the local bus station. The Habit of Art looks at the unsettling desires of two difficult men, and at the ethics of biography. Exploring friendship, rivalry, and heartache this multi layered masterpiece examines the joy, pain, and emotional cost of creativity.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 2) Breathless Buy Tickets - What happens when the things we covet hide us from ourselves? Opening up to new experiences in her late-thirties, Sophie is exploring long repressed sides of herself. When a secret she's keeping from those she loves, and even from herself, threatens to unravel it all, she must make a choice. Who or what will she decide to give up? Breathless is a funny, honest, and stylish exploration of the knife-edge of hoarding, from the joy to the addiction and suffocating shame.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 3) God of Carnage Buy Tickets Tickets from: $66 - Winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play, God of Carnage is described as a comedy of manners without the manners. Set in present day NYC, God of Carnage is the story of two couples who meet for the first time shortly after their respective sons have a nasty schoolyard tangle. Any attempt at a civilized discussion quickly devolves into finger-pointing, name-calling, stomping around and throwing things. And that's before they break out the rum! This is the first NYC production of God of Carnage since its 2009 Tony Award winning production. TBTB will incorporate supertitle captioning and audio description into the design of their production of "God of Carnage," making every performance fully accessible to all. Starring David Burtka, Carey Cox, Gabe Fazio and Christiane Noll

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 4) The Beautiful Lady Buy Tickets - La MaMa presents the New York premiere of The Beautiful Lady, an unconventional musical written and composed by Tony Award-nominee Elizabeth Swados, one of Ellen Stewart's earliest and most frequent collaborators. Set in an artists' café during the Russian Revolution, the piece uses the words of influential poets from the time, translated by Helen Hayes Award-winner Paul Schmidt. As the revolution quickly turns and begins to persecute its own, the performers advocate for a free and just society, seeking meaning and purpose in their resistance. In the light of the pressing issues our world faces today, The Beautiful Lady is a poignant reminder of the necessity of free speech and the enduring power of art. Bessie and Obie Award-winning director Anne Bogart directs the music-theatre piece.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 5) The Great Gatsby Buy Tickets - You are invited to one of Jay Gatsby's infamous parties. As invites go, this is the hottest ticket in town. A world of red-hot rhythms, bootleg liquor, and pure jazz age self-indulgence awaits. Spend the evening dancing and clinking glasses with Nick Carraway, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson, and Jay Gatsby himself. As the champagne flows, all the drama unfolds. Dress to the nines and immerse yourself in this heart racing adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's seminal tale. Welcome back to the roaring twenties!

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 6) Cecil Beaton's Diaries Buy Tickets - For the first time, the diaries of photographer and designer Sir Cecil Beaton come to the stage to accompany his most iconic images of everyone from film stars like Marilyn Monroe to political figures like Winston Churchill. Beaton's photographs showed his versatility while his diaries exposed his inner turmoil. Not even his triumphant designs for My Fair Lady could quiet his restless mind and his passion for Greta Garbo was as complicated as it was powerful. Blisteringly funny, with appearances ranging from the Queen Mother and Elizabeth Taylor to Audrey Hepburn and Truman Capote, the diaries paint a self-portrait of the 20th century's most compelling dandy.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 7) Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground Buy Tickets - Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground is a candid and fascinating fictional eavesdropping on President Dwight D. Eisenhower at his Gettysburg, Pennsylvania farm. It is 1962 and New York Magazine has published its first list ranking the American Presidents in order of greatness. Pondering his placement on the list, Eisenhower looks back on his life - his Kansas upbringing, his decorated Army career, his victories in World War II, and his two terms as President - contemplating the qualities and adversities that make an American President great. Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground is adapted from a vast array of General Eisenhower's memoirs, speeches, and letters, with the support of the Eisenhower Foundation and permission from David and Susan Eisenhower and the Eisenhower family.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 8) Lionel Bart's Oliver! Buy Tickets Tickets from $35 - Nominated for 10 Tony Awards and winner of six Academy Awards for the iconic Carol Reed film adaptation, Lionel Bart's adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist has been a household name since its premiere in 1960. Yet Oliver! hasn't been seen on a New York City stage since its Broadway revival nearly 40 years ago. The story of a child who dares to trust in others, search for love, and ask for more in London's seedy underworld, Bart's coming-of-age classic finds new life in this landmark Encores! revival featuring Lilli Cooper (Nancy), Raúl Esparza (Fagin), Julian Lerner (The Artful Dodger), Tam Mutu (Bill Sikes), Brad Oscar (Mr. Bumble), Benjamin Pajak (Oliver), and Mary Testa (Widow Corney).

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 9) Sorry For Your Loss Buy Tickets Tickets from: $47.50 - Like all the world's most insightful theatrical works, it began with a tweet. On the tenth anniversary of a profound loss, comedian Michael Cruz Kayne felt compelled to describe his feelings of grief in 140 characters or less. Much to his surprise, more than 140,000 messages of support came back to him from all corners of the globe. Overwhelmed by the response, the Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer and host of "A Good Cry" created "Sorry for Your Loss," a sidesplitting, heartrending look at life - and death. This powerfully personal world premiere cuts through the platitudes, directly reaching out to anyone who has ever experienced loss - or will. So... everyone.

Broadway Buying Guide: May 1, 2023 10) Little Shop of Horrors Buy Tickets Tickets from: $61.50 - Seymour is a down-on-his-luck florist with a crush on his co-worker Audrey. When he discovers a mysterious - and voracious - plant, suddenly Seymour and Audrey are thrust into an epic battle that will determine the fate of the entire human race. Little Shop of Horrors made its highly-anticipated return home to Off-Broadway, in an intimate new production directed by Michael Mayer that offers an unprecedented opportunity to get close - maybe too close - to an incredible plant with an insatiable appetite.



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