In the wake of last week's Drama Desk and Tony Award nominations, several shows both on and off Broadway have announced closing dates. This is normal for the end of awards season in New York City, but it can be challenging for people looking to catch a few shows while here for the summer (at least until the next season gets properly underway in autumn).
Broadway already lost the one-woman drama The Testament of Mary this weekend, which generated plenty of controversy along with award nods for leading lady Fiona Shaw. This announcement was followed by the news that the limited-run revival of Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll & Hyde, lead by pop stars Constantine Maroulis and Deborah Cox, would close on May 12 as opposed to the previously announced June 30. And today, the similarly limited-run of Lyle Kesser's 1980s guy-drama Orphans, which was also scheduled to close on June 30, posted May 19 as its new end date.
But on brighter notes, several shows are opening or extending their runs. On Broadway, Douglas Carter Beane's tragicomedy The Nance, starring Nathan Lane, has been extended to August 11, and The Assembled Parties was extended to June 16. Nikolai and the Others, a new play by Richard Nelson, just opened off-Broadway at Lincoln Center's Mizti Newhouse Theater. Jonathan Tolins' Buyer & Cellar, a one-man comedy starring Michael Urie (of Ugly Betty fame) just ended its run at the 99-seat Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, but will reopenat the 199-seat Barrow Street Theater in mid-June. Several new plays have opened at the 59E59 Theaters complex as part of the Brits Off Broadway series which will run through the end of June.
So there is plenty to see both on and off-Broadway this summer. Matilda, Pippin and Kinky Boots will inevitably be the big crowd-pleasers, but take some time to look off the beaten path for a good show. There are some great gems to catch before fall.