13 Broadway Shows You Need to See This Spring

Feb. 2 is coming to Broadway this spring — again, and again, and again, and again — with this production that earned raves in London before making its way across the pond. Based on the hit 1993 Bill Murray film, the stage version of Groundhog Day stars Tony nominee Andy Karl (Rocky the Musical) as arrogant weatherman Phil Connors, and features music and lyrics from Tim Minchin (Matilda the Musical) and a book by Danny Rubin, who co-wrote the original film’s screenplay with the late Harold Ramis.

In previews as of March 16, opens April 17 — get tickets here.

This stage adaptation, based on both the 1997 animated musical Anastasia and the Ingrid Bergman-starring 1956 film, follows a young woman who travels from Russia to 1920s Paris to find the secrets of her past. (The cast includes Mamma Mia!’s Christy Altomare, Dogfight’s Derek Klena, and Les Misérables’ Ramin Karimloo.) Transferring to Broadway after a successful run in Hartford last year, Anastasia features beloved songs like the Oscar-nominated “Journey to the Past” along with a brand new score.

In previews as of March 23, opens April 24 — get tickets here.

Didn’t get to see Phillipa Soo as Eliza Schuyler in Hamilton? The Tony nominee is now back on Broadway starring as the title character in this musical based on the charming 2001 French film about a shy young woman who covertly executes small, surprising acts of kindness for those around her. “It’s just light, lovely, and joyful,” Soo told EW of the show earlier this year. (Want an early taste? Listen to Soo sing “Times are Hard for Dreamers” right here.)

Now playing — get tickets here. 

Bette Midler back on Broadway — really, do we need to say more? The Divine Miss M is hitting the boards as Dolly Gallagher Levi in this revival, marking the first time a new staging of Dolly! has appeared on Broadway in more than 50 years — and it’s so nice to have her back where she belongs.

In previews as of March 15, opens April 20 — get tickets here.

One of two Stephen Sondheim productions currently playing in New York (the other being the wickedly delightful Off Broadway version of Sweeney Todd), Sunday features stellar performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford in Sondheim’s poignant musical about painter Georges Seurat, his famed painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” and the passion and sacrifice it takes to make art. This show is only running through April 23, so be sure to catch it before it’s gone.

Now playing — get tickets here.

Joshua Harmon’s thoughtful play is packed with laughs, a few tears, and a recurring Celine Dion reference as it follows a New York gay man in his late 20s struggling to find love, and grappling with the fact that all his closest female friends are pairing up and getting married. If you feel like you’ve sat through a million and a half engagement announcements, wedding toasts, and baby shower invites, you’ll feel for this show’s protagonist, whether you’re single yourself or not.

Now playing — get tickets here.

Yes, Tennessee Williams’ famed play was just revived on Broadway four years ago (with Zachary Quinto and Cherry Jones), but Sally Field and Joe Mantello’s performances as Amanda and Tom Wingfield make a strong case for its quick return. Director Sam Gold’s (Fun Home) bare-bones staging lets Williams’ words take center stage. Another standout: Madison Ferris as Tom’s sister Laura, a role described as a shy girl with a limp and made more powerful and vulnerable by Ferris, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair.

Now playing — get tickets here. 

The story of a tiny town in Newfoundland, Canada that welcomed thousands of stranded passengers from around the world after planes were grounded in the wake of 9/11 might not seem like likely source material for a musical, but this new show takes that real-life tale and gives it a heartwarming stage adaptation that hits all the right emotional notes. If you’re feeling frustrated or distraught about the current divisiveness in the news and around the world, this story of extreme kindness in the face of unspeakable horror might ease those fears for an hour and 40 minutes.

Now playing — get tickets here.

Last year, the buzziest show on Broadway was Hamilton. That’s still a hot ticket, but this year’s theatrical darling is this touching, beautiful musical about a lonely teen (played by Pitch Perfect’s Ben Platt) whose life gets flipped around after he writes a pivotal letter that impacts everyone around him. Evan Hansen’s music was penned by Oscar-winning La La Land lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul — and chances are the duo could be adding even more hardware to their mantle once the Tony Awards come around this June.

Now playing — get tickets here.

When Miss Saigon first played on Broadway in 1991, it starred Lea Salonga in what would become a star-making turn as a young Vietnamese bargirl in a doomed romance with an American GI near the end of the Vietnam War. In this new revival, it’s Eva Noblezada making her Broadway debut — and she’s a worthy successor to Salonga in the role. One other interesting note: Jon Jon Briones, who plays the Engineer, has performed in various productions of Miss Saigon since its inception, when he was just 22 years old.

Now playing — get tickets here. 

You don’t have to have read Tolstoy’s War and Peace to fall in love with this lush, innovative production about the romantic and societal entanglements of Russian aristocrats in the 19th century. The musical boasts a robust ensemble, an eclectic score, and immersive staging — there are banquettes on the stage, making the whole thing a 360-degree affair — plus Josh Groban and UnREAL’s Denée Benton as the titular Pierre and Natasha.

Now playing — get tickets here.

The Play That Goes Wrong lives up to its name and then some. Coming off a well-reviewed run in London, the show focuses on a fictional theater troupe putting on a murder mystery play — or trying to, since lines get flubbed, the set begins to fall apart, and more unfortunate (but funny) mishaps happen as the show goes on. It’s got laughs aplenty, and a certain producer you might have heard of: J.J. Abrams.

Now playing — get tickets here. 

Fresh from a run in London’s West End, Roald Dahl’s classic tale about Willy Wonka and his famous factory is hitting Broadway with a musical starring Tony winner Christian Borle (Something Rotten!, Peter and the Starcatcher) as the mysterious Mr. Wonka, who opens his doors to young Charlie Bucket and the other lucky few Golden Ticket winners. The musical features music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, a book by David Greig, and choreography by Joshua Bergasse.

In previews as of March 28, opens April 23 — get tickets here.