This fall, New York offered musical theatre enthusiasts a diverse line-up, spanning from revivals of cult musicals to Broadway spectacles and intimate cabaret. Patrick Honoré reports on all of these projects plus a pre-Broadway run in Washington, D.C.
Picture: Joan Marcus
Bat Boy: The Musical – New York City Center
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
City Center showcased the quirky charm of the rarely seen musical Bat Boy, a delightfully twisted revival that had audiences howling with laughter, even if at first glance it would seem an odd choice for the venue’s gala.
This cult-favourite gem – book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming and score by Laurence O‘Keefe (who also co-wrote the scores for Legally Blonde and Heathers) – follows the hilarious and heart-wrenching tale of a half-boy, half-bat creature discovered in a West Virginia cave, adopted by a dysfunctional family, and thrust into a whirlwind of small-town scandal and self discovery.
Directed with razor sharp wit by Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge!, Beetlejuice), whose innovative staging infused every scene with playful flair, the production soared under the musical direction of Andrew Resnick, who brought O’Keefe’s clever, genre-bending score to vibrant life, while Connor Gallagher’s choreography added kinetic energy throughout.
The creative team’s genius lay in balancing the show’s macabre humour with poignant emotional beats and pure entertainment. As it adds new dimensions to a neglected work, this production is worthy of a transfer to Broadway.
The cast was nothing short of phenomenal, an ensemble of Broadway veterans and rising stars who embodied their roles with infectious energy and impeccable timing.
Leading the pack was the magnetic Taylor Trensch (Tony nominated for Floyd Collins) as the titular Bat Boy, his transformation from feral foundling to wide-eyed innocent utterly captivating, especially ‘A Home for You’, where his crystalline vocals soared alongside the orchestra.
As the beleaguered Dr Parker, Christopher Sieber delivered a tour de force of comedic menace, his chemistry with the hilariously unhinged Kerry Butler in the role of Meredith Parker crackling. Butler’s belty vocals were also a highlight, blending maternal warmth with delicious eccentricity.
The ensemble, including standout turns from Jacob Ming-Trent as Reverend Hightower and Gabi Carrubba as young Shelley, wove a tapestry of quirky villagers that felt alive and absurdly endearing. The scaled up revival was definitely an unexpected delight and one of the best surprises of my trip to New York Theatreland.
Lorna Courtney and Casey Likes in Heathers: The Musical at New World Stages. Picture: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
Heathers: The Musical – New World Stages
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
Now extended until 24 May 2026, Heathers: The Musical scorches the stage at New World Stages, a carbon copy of the London revival, which captured the raw angst and dark hilarity of the 1980s cult film, with several West End transfers following The Other Palace.
Adapted for the stage, with book, music, and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and again Laurence O’Keefe, this biting tale of high school hell, where social hierarchies reign supreme and teen turmoil erupts in explosive, song-fuelled chaos, is elevated by director Andy Fickman’s kinetic vision – his staging turns the intimate space into a pressure cooker of cliques and confessions.
Choreographer Gary Lloyd, with additional choreography from Stephanie Klemons, amplifies the frenzy with jagged, athletic moves that mirrors the characters’ inner turmoil, while the score’s pop-punk anthems are unleashed with ferocious precision. The creative team’s triumph lies in honouring the source material’s savage wit while infusing fresh layers of empathy, making every ‘candy store’ explosion of melody feel both nostalgic and urgently modern – yet, just like its companion piece Mean Girls, lacks in hummable or even memorable songs.
At the helm of this powerhouse cast is the electrifying Lorna Courtney as Veronica Sawyer, her powerhouse vocals in ‘Kindergarten Boyfriend’ slicing through the sarcasm to reveal a vulnerable core that tugs at the heartstrings. Opposite her, the broodingly charismatic Casey Likes as J.D. brings smouldering intensity to ‘Dead Girl Walking’, his chemistry with Courtney a volatile cocktail of desire and danger.
The Heathers trio – led by McKenzie Kurtz as Heather Chandler, with Olivia Hardy as Duke and Elizabeth Teeter as McNamara – steal scenes with their venomous glamour, their comedic timing in ‘Candy Store’ a riotous masterclass in mean girl menace. So, a very professional production, but still you can’t help but notice the difference between Broadway and Off-Broadway, not in the next one, though!
Picture: Valerie Terranova
Beau: The Musical – St Luke’s Theatre
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
Gracing St Luke’s Theatre since October, Beau: The Musical offers a contemporary coming of age story set against the backdrop of Nashville, exploring the relationship between a queer boy and his grandfather with tenderness and authenticity.
With book, music, and lyrics by Douglas Lyons and music by Ethan D Pakchar, the production is directed and choreographed by Broadway veteran Josh Rhodes whose fluid, emotionally resonant staging captures both the intimacy of family bonds and the expansiveness of self discovery in sequences that feel deeply personal yet universally relatable. The creative team’s sensitivity transforms what could have been a simple intergenerational story into something profoundly poetic, blending humour and heartache with nuanced craftsmanship that respects the complexities of identity, belonging and unconditional love.
The cast brings authenticity and emotional depth to their roles, with Matt Rodin as Ace Baker and Jeb Brown as Beau anchoring the production with performances that are both vulnerable and strong, their chemistry capturing the evolving dynamics of a grandfather-grandson relationship tested by difference and deepened by acceptance.
Supporting performers – notably Amelia Cormack as Ravin – create a vivid Nashville landscape populated by characters who feel fully realised rather than merely functional, their ensemble work weaving a community that both challenges and embraces the central family. Under Rhodes’ assured direction, the troupe inhabits this world with tender authenticity and emotional resonance, proving that contemporary musical theatre can tackle complex themes with both sophistication and heart. Too bad the immersive staging doesn’t leave much space for choreography, but this original is still not to be missed.
Linda Eder: Play It Forward – 54 Below
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
On 5 November the legendary 54 Below transformed into Broadway’s cosiest living room for Linda Eder’s Play It Forward, a cabaret evening that radiated warmth and wonder, showcasing the artist’s vast repertoire of favourites alongside fresh surprises of pleasant, but rather unmemorable, original compositions.
By calling it Play It Forward, a musical twist on the idea of pay it forward, she meant to share her legacy by literally ‘playing’ songs forward, passing them on to the next generation, especially through her collaboration with her son Jake (whose father is legendary Broadway composer Frank Wildhorn).
Music director Keith Cotton, at the piano, elevated every ballad with lush, responsive accompaniment, his arrangements breathing new life into Eder’s timeless hits – revisiting ‘Someone Like You’ from Jekyll & Hyde, performed with an emotional depth that brought tears and cheers in equal measure.
A mother-son medley of Jake’s own compositions crackled with familial magic and raw talent as his youthful tenor harmonised with Eder’s powerhouse range beautifully, creating moments of pure, unfiltered connection that transcended performance to become something more personal and profound.
The intimate ensemble, including Cotton’s subtle backing vocals, wove a seamless tapestry that felt both personal and universal, leaving the sold-out crowd uplifted and humming into the night in a generous outpouring of artistry that proved Eder remains not just a star but a beacon of vocal excellence and emotional authenticity. Despite her grey hair, which she humorously flaunts, neither her beauty nor her voice has diminished with time. Her vocals and interpretations are still perfection.
Caissie Levy and Brandon Uranowitz in Ragtime. Picture: Matthew Murphy
Ragtime – Lincoln Center Theater
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Opening on 16 October, and extended through to 14 June 2026, at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, the transfer of last year’s gala concert at City Center Ragtime emerges as a majestic revival of Terrence McNally’s book, Stephen Flaherty’s score and Lynn Ahrens’ lyrics.
Drawn from EL Doctorow’s novel, it’s a profound exploration of America’s fractured dawn at the turn of the 20th century, when Black pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr, Jewish immigrant Tateh and a privileged Mother collide in pursuit of the elusive American Dream.
Directed by the visionary Lear deBessonet – whose previous Encores! staging of Into the Woods and Once a Mattress both transferred to Broadway – the production pulses with contemporary relevance while honouring the original’s orchestrations, letting Flaherty’s ragtime rhythms beat like a heart through every scene. deBessonet’s empathetic staging blurs eras with fluid, immersive tableaux that makes history feel urgent and immediate, and the creative team’s reverence for the material, paired with bold staging updates, makes history feel alive and intimate.
The cast, weaving historical figures and fictional characters into the fabric with seamless grace, is a constellation of brilliance, anchored by performances that redefine iconic roles while creating fresh interpretations that respect the original text.
Colin Donnell is impressive as the father; Nichelle Lewis, though still looking pretty young when her character matures, is a moving Sarah, especially in her delivery of ‘Your Daddy’s Son’; John Clay III, standing in for Joshua Henry in the role of Coalhouse Walker Jr, has a commanding, spectacular voice; Brandon Uranowitz is excellent, as usual, as Tateh; and Ben Levi Ross is heartbreaking as Mother’s younger brother.
Still, my personal favourite is Caissie Levy, clearly the best Mother I’ve ever seen (I unfortunately missed Marin Mazzie in the original production), especially in her rendition of ‘Back to Before’, bringing the packed house to its feet in a standing ovation.
The collective energy onstage – a sprawling company, including a powerful children’s chorus – creates a tapestry of intersecting lives and competing dreams that captures the chaos and promise of early 20th century America. Their performances are infused with emotional truth that makes every triumph feel hard-won and every tragedy devastatingly real.
This production of Ragtime now stands as the definitive version of a masterpiece, a testament to theatre’s power to illuminate the past while speaking directly to present struggles, uniting audiences through a shared recognition of both how far society has come and how far it still must go.
Kristin Chenoweth and F Murray Abraham in The Queen of Versailles. Picture: Julieta Cervantes
The Queen of Versailles – St James Theatre
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Just opening on 9 November at the St James Theatre, the last show of my trip and this year’s last big musical, The Queen of Versailles glitters with the opulent highs and crushing lows of Lauren Greenfield’s sleeper hit of a movie, captured well by Stephen Schwartz’s versatile score, his first on Broadway since Wicked just over 20 years ago.
A adaptation not of a novel, movie or series, but rather a documentary, this new breed of musical chronicles Jackie Siegel’s ascent from engineer to billionaire matriarch, building the largest private residence in America, only for the 2008 recession to topple her Versailles-inspired empire and test the bonds of her sprawling family.
Directed by the inventive Michael Arden, whose lavish yet lean aesthetic captures the excess with wry elegance that never descends into mockery, the show sparkles under choreographers Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant’s dynamic flourishes that evoke both ballroom galas and boardroom battles.
Music director Stephen Oremus amplifies Schwartz’s witty anthems – from bubbly pop to poignant ballads – creating a sonic palette as varied as the Siegels’ fortunes, while the team’s bold strokes turn tabloid fodder into a surprisingly empathetic examination of ambition, resilience and the American Dream’s shiny facade.
Kristin Chenoweth, a true Broadway star, reigns supreme as Jackie, her pixie power and golden pipes in ‘Build a House’ creating a whirlwind of wide-eyed wonder and steely grit – a star turn so vivacious it lights up the theatre like a chandelier, finding unexpected depth and humanity in a character who could have been merely cartoonish.
F Murray Abraham brings gravitas and sly humour as the enigmatic David Siegel, his scenes with Chenoweth crackling with marital mischief that reveal both genuine affection and fundamental disconnection, their duet work capturing the complexity of a partnership built on shared ambition but tested by divergent values.
With excellent supporting cast and high production values, The Queen of Versailles is a big show indeed, worthy of its constant references to the real Versailles Castle, complete with period costumes. Despite what many critics have said, this show has heart along with its satire; it’s not just lavish entertainment but a mirror reflecting contemporary dreams, anxieties and the American belief that bigger is always better.
An old-fashioned star vehicle for modern times, Chenoweth breathes life into a potentially not-so-interesting character – Jackie’s cry of loneliness when she’s left alone in her unfinished ‘palace’, asking her workers to stay with her for champagne and caviar, really resonated with me! She proves that the lavish and the substantive need not be mutually exclusive.
Ana Villafañe and Jordan Donica in Damn Yankees. Picture: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Damn Yankees – Arena Stage, Washington, D.C.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Another revival of a classic musical deserving a transfer to Broadway, completing a sold-out run at Arena Stage’s Fichandler space in Washington, D.C., is Damn Yankees. Reimagining Richard Adler and Jerry Ross’ 1955 original, with a new adaptation by Will Power and Doug Wright and additional lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, this devilish baseball fable of a frustrated fan is indeed timeless, as is the story of Joe Boyd, who trades his soul for a shot at Senators glory as young slugger Joe Hardy, only to grapple with love, loyalty and the devil’s temptations.
The production is directed and choreographed with buoyant athleticism by Sergio Trujillo, whose in the round staging turned the audience into cheering bleachers while his high-kicking routines evoked the crack of a baseball bat. Original swingin’ standards like ‘Heart’ had a contemporary energy and were injected with a fresh perspective through Power and Wright’s updated book. The creative team’s savvy blend of nostalgia and novelty, combined with Ahrens’ thoughtful lyric additions, made this tale of Faustian fandom speak more to modern sensibilities about ambition, ageing and the price of glory.
The cast knocked it out of the park, led by Rob McClure as the diabolic Applegate, whose charismatic menace brought fresh interpretation to the tempter role. Ana Villafañe’s sultry Lola slinked through ‘Whatever Lola Wants’ with feline grace and fiery vocals, her rendition a sizzling standout that, with its blend of seduction and surprising vulnerability, ignited applause, just as it did at the Birmingham Rep when she filled the shoes of Ava Gardner in Sinatra: The Musical, directed by Kathleen Marshall.
Jordan Donica, as Joe Hardy, brought swagger and soul to the dual role’s demands, his transformation seamless and stirring, while Quentin Earl Darrington’s everyman Joe Boyd delivered poignant pathos to ‘Goodbye Old Girl’, capturing the desperation of a man watching his dreams slip away. Bryonha Marie as Meg Boyd anchored the emotional core with warmth and dignity, her chemistry with both Darrington and Donica making the central love story genuinely moving, while the ensemble roared through ‘The Game’ with infectious team spirit that transformed athletic choreography into theatrical thrills.
Under Trujillo’s whip-smart guidance, this troupe batted a thousand, blending vaudeville verve with heartfelt performances in a production that proved classic musicals can be both preserved and reimagined – a grand slam of joy that demonstrated how thoughtful adaptation can be true to the source material while making it resonate for new generations.
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.