Even as the spring Broadway season heats up over the next few weeks, many new productions will debut Off-Broadway.
Below are a dozen Off-Broadway productions worth noting, ranging from reinterpretations of Chekhov and Ibsen to new plays about sumo wrestling, whales, and being a trans rabbi.
Ghosts: Henrik Ibsen’s once incendiary 1881 drama tackling morality, religion, sexually transmitted disease, and incest is being reinterpreted by Irish playwright Mark O’Rowe and Jack O’Brien with a cast that includes Billy Crudup, Lily Rabe, and Hamish Linklater. Through April 13 at Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center, lct.org.
A Streetcar Named Desire: Irish actor Paul Mescal (“Gladiator 2”) is making his U.S. theater debut in a new production of Tennessee Williams’ classic 1947 drama, which is directed by Rebecca Frecknall (current Broadway revival of “Cabaret”) and previously played London’s West End. Through April 6 at BAM Harvey Theater, bam.org.
The Jonathan Larson Project: More than 20 unknown songs from the archives of Jonathan Larson (the author of “Rent,” who tragically died on the eve of its debut in 1996 at age 35), including songs that were cut from “Rent” and various other projects, have been spun together into a new 90-minute musical about a young man striving to make it in New York City. Through June 1 at the Orpheum Theatre, thejonathanlarsonproject.com
Sumo: Lisa Sanaye Dring’s new drama will bring audiences into the world and culture of sumo wrestling, depicting six men at a sumo training facility in Tokyo, with elaborate fighting sequences and live taiko drumming. Through March 30 at the Public Theater, publictheater.org.
Deep Blue Sound: The Public Theater is presenting an encore run of Abe Koogler’s acclaimed 2023 drama in which members of an island community in the Pacific Northwest confront the disappearance of the local family of whales. Through March 29 at the Public Theater, publictheater.org.
The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar): Nia Akilah Robinson’s play, the first to be performed by Soho Rep at Playwrights Horizons as part of a new partnership between the companies, is described as “a darkly comic play about our nation’s long practice of harming Black bodies in the name of scientific progress.” Through March 23 at Playwrights Horizons, sohorep.org.
We Had a World: The newest work by playwright Joshua Harmon (“Prayer for the French Republic”) depicts a dying woman asking her grandson to write a play about their family. Through April 13 at City Center, manhattantheatreclub.com.
Wine in the Wilderness: LaChanze (“Once on This Island,” “The Color Purple”) makes her New York directing debut with a new production of a little-known drama by Alice Childress (“Trouble in Mind”) about the Black community against the backdrop of the Harlem riot of 1964. Performances begin March 6 at Classic Stage Company, classicstage.org.
Nayatt School Redux: The Wooster Group, one of the country’s most prominent experimental theater companies, revisits a 1978 production that included the first monologue by the late Spalding Gray, a red tent, and selections from T.S. Eliot’s “The Cocktail Party.” Performances begin March 8 at the Performing Garage, thewoostergroup.org.
Vanya: Chekhov’s frequently-revived ensemble drama “Uncle Vanya” is reinterpreted by Andrew Scott (“Ripley,” “All of Us Strangers”) as a one-man drama penned by Simon Stephens (“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”). Performances begin March 10 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, vanyaonstage.com.
Becoming Eve: Emil Weinstein’s play (based on a memoir by Abby Chava Stein) about a Hasidic rabbi who reveals her transgender identity has found a new home after being canceled by the Connelly Theater due to its content. The cast includes Tommy Dorfman (“Romeo + Juliet”), Richard Schiff (“The West Wing”), Brandon Uranowitz (“Leopoldstadt”), and Judy Kuhn (“Fun Home”). Performances begin March 19 at Abrons Arts Center, nytw.org.
The Cherry Orchard: A new version of Chekhov’s final drama which originated at London’s Donmar Warehouse and features an international cast will play Downtown Brooklyn. Performances begin March 26 at St. Ann’s Warehouse, stannswarehouse.org.
