Broadway in March: This Month's Openings and Previews

March is one of Broadway’s busiest months as shows rush to open before the deadline for the Tony Awards in early May. We’ve already had a bunch of shows open over the winter, and many more are slated to either begin previews or full performances before April rolls around. Courtesy of Playbill.com, here are the new shows to catch...

ROCKY

We're already hearing amazing things about the staging of this musical adaptation of the Sly Stallone classic. Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (best known for Ragtime) wrote the score, and the musical opens March 13 at the Winter Garden Theatre. (The theatre was previously home to Cats and then Mamma Mia!, so this one seems poised to stick around a while.)

MOTHERS AND SONS
Already in previews and slated to open on March 24 at the John Golden Theatre, Terrence McNally’s 20th Broadway play is a look at modern families and relationships. This play has some top-notch Broadway talent, with Tyne Daly, Bobby Steggert and Frederick Weller starring. 

ALADDIN

Can you believe the Disney animated movie starring the voice of Robin Williams is 22 years old? Neither can we, and we’re also amazed (and a bit delighted) that it’s coming to the New Amsterdam Theatre on 42nd Street with one of the original voice talents recreating his role. (Jonathan Freeman, who voiced Jafar way back when, gets to repeat his performance. James Monroe Iglehart takes over as the Genie.) This show is also already in previews and will open on March 20. 

LES MISERABLES
How can we miss this show if it won’t go away? The one-time longest-running Broadway musical ever comes back to the Imperial Theatre for a 25th-anniversary production starring some big Broadway names (Will Swenson, Nikki M. James and Caissie Levy; as well as the debut of West End star Ramin Karimloo). The show opens on March 23. 

IF/THEN

This new, original musical (yes, a real original musical!) examines how small decisions can change a person’s life (think of it as a musical variation of that 1990s film Sliding Doors, but with a score by the guys who won a Pulitzer for Next to Normal). The show stars Tony-winners Idina Menzel (fresh from voicing Queen Elsa in Disney’s Frozen) and LaChanze as well as Menzel’s Rent co-star Anthony Rapp. It opens March 30 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. 

A RAISIN IN THE SUN
Oscar- and Tony-winner Denzel Washington comes back to Broadway to star in this revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s classic about family, racism and dreams deferred. (Sophie Okonedo and Anika Noni Rose co-star.) The play begins previews on March 8 and officially opens on April 3 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. 

BULLETS OVER BROADWAY
Dianne Wiest got her second Oscar playing a Broadway diva in Woody Allen’s 1994 comedy, and now we’ll get to see what Broadway baby Marin Mazzie will do with the role in this musical adaptation. Allen wrote the book of the musical, Scrubs’ Zach Braff stars, Tony-winner Susan Stroman directs, and the musical begins previews on March 11 at the St. James. 

THE REALISTIC JONESES

How’s this for a solid-gold cast? Michael C. Hall, Toni Collette, Marisa Tomei and Tracy Letts star in this new play by Will Eno that begins previews March 13 at the Lyceum Theatre. 

OF MICE AND MEN
Here’s another play with a dream cast: James Franco, Chris O'Dowd, Leighton Meester and Jim Norton are set to star in a revival of the John Steinbeck classic Depression-era story of how the best-laid plans go awry. The play begins previews March 19 at the Longacre Theatre. 

ACT ONE
Every serious theater fan has read the autobiography by legendary Broadway director Moss Hart--and now Broadway writer and director James Lapine has adapted the story into a play starring Tony Shalhoub, Frozen’s Santino Fontana and Tony-winners Andrea Martin and Chuck Cooper. Previews begin March 20 at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre. 

CABARET
The revival of Cabaret closed 10 years ago this January, so naturally it’s due for yet another revival (it’s third, for those keeping count). Alan Cumming returns to the role that made him a star, and three-times Oscar-nominee Michelle Williams makes her Broadway debut as the toast of Mayfair, Sally Bowles. Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall share direction duties, and the musical begins previews on March 21.

LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL
Will Audra McDonald earn a record-breaking sixth Tony Award this season? Maybe. This musical follows the life and career of jazz icon Billie Holliday using the songs she made famous, and will give McDonald plenty of opportunities to show off her voice and dramatic chops. Previews begin March 25 at the Circle in the Square theater. 

VIOLET
Two-time Tony-winner Sutton Foster is headlining the Broadway bow of this oft-performed off-Broadway gem that may well have a special appeal to the travel community: A young woman who was disfigured in a childhood accident sets off on a journey to heal her scars, and winds up changing the way she sees the world as she crosses the country. The musical begins previews at the American Airlines Theatre on March 28.

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH
Another off-Broadway favorite finally comes to the Great White Way: In his first return to Broadway after How I Met Your Mother, Neil Patrick Harris will play a transgendered East German rock singer (you read that right) who tells the story of her dramatic life in one over-the-top concert. Previews begin March 29 at the Belasco Theatre. 

Tickets to many of these shows are available on TeleCharge.com.