PREVIEWS
December 4: The Los Angeles tryout of the Broadway-aimed musical Amélie begins at the Ahmanson Theatre for an engagement scheduled to run through January 15, 2017. Phillipa Soo, who wowed audiences in the original Off-Broadway run of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and earned a Tony nomination as Best Actress in a Musical for her Broadway debut as Eliza Schuyler in Hamilton, stars in the title role.
OPENING
December 1: Chazz Palminteri’s A Bronx Tale makes its official Broadway debut, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, and a book by Palminteri. The new musical, recently seen at Paper Mill Playhouse, is co-directed by two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro, who helmed the award-winning film, and four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Tony nominee Sergio Trujillo.
December 4: Off-Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen officially opens on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre. Pitch Perfect's Ben Platt, who starred in the world and New York premieres, returns to the title role. The original musical features a score by the Tony and Emmy-nominated songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dogfight, A Christmas Story), a book by Steven Levenson (Masters of Sex), choreography by Danny Mefford (Fun Home), and direction by three-time Tony nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, If/Then).
December 5: Richard Greenberg’s The Babylon Line, directed by Steppenwolf co-founder Terry Kinney, opens at Lincoln Center Theater. Set in 1967, Josh Radnor stars as a Greenwich Village bohemian and writer who forms a special connection with one of his writing students.
December 6: Dan LeFranc’s Rancho Viejo officially opens at Playwrights Horizons, a show billed by the Off-Broadway theatre as a comedy of anxiety and awkward neighbors. The production is directed by three-time Obie Award winner Daniel Aukin and features a cast of Broadway vets, including Marti, the pup last seen onstage in Annie.
December 7: The world premiere of Tiny Beautiful Things, based on the acclaimed book by Cheryl Strayed, and adapted for the stage by Oscar-nominated writer Nia Vardalos, opens at the Public Theater. Vardalos stars as Sugar, the anonymous online advice columnist—revealed to be Strayed—who thousands of people have turned to for words of wisdom, honesty, and hope.
December 8: The world premiere of The Band’s Visit, based on the award-winning film of the same name, opens at Atlantic Theater Company. The new musical features a book by Drama Desk Award nominee Itamar Moses and music and lyrics by Tony Award nominee David Yazbek, and a cast that includes John Cariani and Monk star Tony Shalhoub.
December 11: Broadway’s first a cappella musical, In Transit, opens at Circle in the Square. Inspired by the vibrant rhythms of life on the subway, and featuring a score from the talents behind Frozen and Pitch Perfect, the show follows the intertwining lives of 11 New Yorkers.
SPECIAL EVENTS
December 1: Fathom Events partners with BroadwayHD to present She Loves Me in select U.S. cinemas at 7 PM. In addition to the performance, the one-night cinema event includes interviews with the show’s stars, Laura Benanti, Jane Krakowski, and Zachary Levi, as well as members of the creative team. For details on tickets and theatre locations, visit fathomevents.com/event/she-loves-me.
December 1-2: The anticipated release of The Hamilton Mixtape, the new album that features pop, rap, and R&B artists putting their own twists on songs from the hit musical, is celebrated with a live-streamed concert December 1 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Billed as an “unprecedented #Ham4Ham,” the 1 PM concert is set to feature surprise artists who sing on the album, which includes the likes of Busta Rhymes, Ashanti, Kelly Clarkson, Sia, Usher, Queen Latifah, John Legend, Aloe Blacc, and the Roots. Release date for the Atlantic Records album is December 2.
December 4: Broadway blockbuster Wicked surpasses Beauty and the Beast and becomes the 9th longest-running show in Broadway history. Since opening in 2003, the show has been performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world and has been translated into six languages so far.
December 5-6: The 28th annual Gypsy of the Year competition, produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, is presented over two afternoons at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre. The annual event celebrates the talented singers and dancers in the ensembles of Broadway shows, historically known as “gypsies.” More than 200 gypsies and special guests perform original skits, songs, and dances, with awards presented to the best presentation and for the top fundraisers from the preceding six weeks.
December 6: Terrence McNally, Will Eno, Arthur Kopit, and John Guare are among those honoring Edward Albee at the August Wilson Theatre. The memorial in honor of the late playwright is also open to the general public.
December 7: Filmed live at the Universal Studios lots in Los Angeles, CA, NBC presents Hairspray Live! The all-star cast features Maddie Baillio as Tracy Turnblad, Kristin Chenoweth as Velma Von Tussle, Andrea Martin as Prudy Pingleton, Ariana Grande as Penny Pingleton, Ephraim Sykes as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Shahadi Wright Joseph as Little Inez, Sean Hayes as Mr. Pinky, Rosie O’Donnell as the gym teacher, Paul Vogt as Mr. Spritzer, Derek Hough as Corny Collins, Garrett Clayton as Link Larkin, Martin Short as Wilbur Turnblad, and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson as Motormouth Maybelle.
