#1
Posted: 8/8/25 at 10:08am
I know we're expecting WANTED and MIDNIGHT GARDEN, anything else rumored at the moment?
2025-2026 Musicals to Be Announced
#3
Posted: 8/8/25 at 11:00am
I would not expect MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN, given its response out of town, budget, and alleged money-raising challenges. WANTED appears to be on track for a Spring opening.
It seems like a thin slate on paper right now, and hard to make advance judgements about quality and financial likelihood.
Things that have played Off-Bway or regionally:
- CATS?
- DOLLY? Quality might not matter for that one.
- SATURDAY CHURCH could open by Tony time if the response at NYTW is great; Tim Levy and Cindy Tolan are the lead producers.
- WORKING GIRL opens at La Jolla this fall...if it's fantastic and money is there, that could get fast tracked. (big "if"s.) Robyn Goodman is producing and it would be her first Bway lead-producing effort in 13 years...
- MILLIONS is aiming for Broadway if Sonia Friedman & Jeffrey Richards can play nicely together.
- TAKE THE LEAD? (perhaps Eva Price will have better luck with this than with Redwood)
- THE BEDWETTER? (Barry Weissler & Tom Kirdahy; I don't really see this being a commercial hit, though I enjoyed it greatly at the Atlantic)
- GODDESS is a possibility and has ambitious producers (No Guarantees & Mara Isaacs). I think it needs a substantially revised book and a big workshop, though.
- PURPLE RAIN?
London imports:
- BENJAMIN BUTTON?
- DEVIL WEARS PRADA? (Kevin McCollum producing)
- TWO STRANGERS CARRY A CAKE? (Kevin McCollum producing)
- 42 BALLOONS? (Kevin McCollum producing)
- SING STREET? (Barbara Broccoli & Orin Wolf producing...maybe they should just skip Bway)
- EVITA?
Updated On: 8/22/25 at 11:00 AM
#4
Posted: 8/8/25 at 11:16am
The lack of an on-paper slam dunk even among those is disconcerting.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#5
Posted: 8/8/25 at 11:18am
Kad said: "The lack of an on-paper slam dunk even among those is disconcerting."
Yep...... BENJAMIN BUTTON being the closest thing quality-wise, but that title could have its challenges selling if it doesn't get MAYBE HAPPY ENDING-level reviews.
#6
Posted: 8/8/25 at 11:23am
I’m very surprised “Benjamin Button” continues to be discussed as coming here. I’m not saying it should or shouldn’t but that one (for me) is such a gamble, stateside.
But this season needs some big heavy hitters to announce ASAP because as of right now, ZZZZZZZZZZZZ……..
Like we need that long rumored Cate Blanchett/Julie Andrews “Night Music” level exciting show to come in to wake this season up.
#7
Posted: 8/8/25 at 11:41am
The best shows are never the star driven ones, always the unexpected ones. WANTED is an amazing musical that is a crazy wild roller coaster ride of a musical. Right up my alley. Amazing book and amazing score, i hope it’s well produced because it should be a front runner for best musical.
Also BULL DURHAM at paper mill is also looking to come in the spring. That’s another excellent one.
#8
Posted: 8/8/25 at 11:45am
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Yep...... BENJAMIN BUTTON being the closest thing quality-wise, but that title could have its challenges selling if it doesn't get MAYBE HAPPY ENDING-level reviews."
have you even seen WANTED? Sure doesn’t sound like it. It was praised across the board for both regional productions it had, and even got a nyt critics pick. Similarly, Bull Durham has been well received both times, and Carmen Cusack is a shoe in for leading actress. I can’t see Benjamin being nearly as good as either.
#9
Posted: 8/8/25 at 11:47am
Crusty Bagel said: "The best shows are never the star driven ones, always the unexpected ones. WANTED is an amazing musical that is a crazy wild roller coaster ride of a musical. Right up my alley. Amazing book and amazing score, i hope it’s well produced because it should be a front runner for best musical.
Also BULL DURHAM at paper mill is also looking to come in the spring. That’s another excellent one."
I live fairly far from Papermill. Is it worth taking the trip to see Bull Durham?
#10
Posted: 8/8/25 at 11:50am
Do we know if Mystic Pizza is still trying to come in?
#11
Posted: 8/8/25 at 11:55am
Oh it’s definitely worth seeing. Amazing musical numbers by Josh Bergasse, great score, clever lyrics, and amazing performances by Carmen Cusack and Nik Walker. It’s a hit.
#12
Posted: 8/8/25 at 12:16pm
THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS, Hercules, preachers wife, hippest trip, Sinatra, my best friends wedding
#13
Posted: 8/8/25 at 12:19pm
Does Papermill know one of their interns is absolutely unhinged online?
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#14
Posted: 8/8/25 at 12:29pm
No, no intern here, I just deal in the facts. Something you have a hard time with, we know. I told you great Gatsby would be a hit and it was. I knew it was based on how quickly it sold out at paper mill, and from looking at the pamphlet display at the port authority and in that little park across Lincoln center, and how the pamphlets for great Gatsby were running low whereas the ones for lempicka and heart of rock and roll were all full. There’s other hit indicators that I follow, but I won’t share any more of my secrets. And now I am telling you, WANTED and BULL DURHAM will be coming in hot from paper mill to battle it out for best musical 2026, it will be quite something
#15
Posted: 8/8/25 at 12:35pm
Wanted, at least thematically, seems like a show that will go into the Longacre and flop.
#16
Posted: 8/8/25 at 12:42pm
From what I’ve heard, it sounds gorgeous. It needs a name tho.
#17
Posted: 8/8/25 at 12:46pm
Yeah they should either restore Gun & Powder or find a way to incorporate it into the title.
#18
Posted: 8/8/25 at 1:05pm
From conversations I've had with various producers and industry folks:
Wanted, Dolly, and Benjamin Button are 100% done deals for this season.
The producers of Cats: The Jellicle Ball and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil are actively working to come in this season but are having issues with theaters and funding. Cats will figure it out...I am highly skeptical that Midnight manages to get its finances in order for this season.
Producers of Galileo, Millions, and Goddess are seeing a relatively vacant spring (compared to usual) and Tony season, and are looking at pushing up their timeline from next season to this season. Galileo will have no problem raising funds so I'd give them the best odds at making it happen. The Goddess team definitely feels like they have a prestige hit on their hands and wants to chase a Best Musical win. It probably needs another revision, imo, but perhaps that could be achieved in time.
#19
Posted: 8/8/25 at 1:12pm
Curious what theaters they've secured.
Wanted to the Broadhurst, Dolly to the August Wilson, Benjamin Button to the Barrymore?
#20
Posted: 8/8/25 at 1:18pm
Frankly, I am shocked that Midnight and Goddess are trying to get to Broadway so quickly after runs didn't exactly set the world alight.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#21
Posted: 8/8/25 at 1:31pm
AKarp2013 said: "Curious what theaters they've secured.
Wanted to the Broadhurst, Dolly to the August Wilson, Benjamin Button to the Barrymore?"
August Wilson feels like wise assumption for DOLLY since it's produced by ATG. Or possibly Al Hirschfeld?
There are tons of small-ish houses that will be available come springtime. Almost any show that could play the Barrymore could also play the Longacre or JEJ or Lyceum. It's a game of Tetris by the theatre owners (mainly by Shubert).
It's unclear at the moment what shows will last into 2026. We could see a bunch of closings in December-January. Mincemeat? Stranger Things? Moulin? HK? Just In Time? Great Gatsby? Oh Mary (depending on star interest)? & Juliet? There are also some limited runs that could theoretically extend if demand is there (Mamma Mia extension being more likely than Ragtime/LCT). And as always, a few long runners that I won't make predictions about (Hadestown, Mormon, Chicago).
#22
Posted: 8/8/25 at 1:33pm
Kad said: "Frankly, I am shocked that Midnight and Goddess are trying to get to Broadway so quickly after runs didn't exactly set the world alight."
Goddess could go either way, IMO. There's a world where it becomes kind of a populist crowdpleaser, OR a 10-months-on-Broadway-then-tour show, OR LEMPICKA 2.0. There's good stuff there, it just needs to be clarified, and it will be a big test of Saheem Ali as a director-writer if he can kill some darlings.
Updated On: 8/8/25 at 01:33 PM
#23
Posted: 8/8/25 at 1:40pm
There’s also that new musical Christopher Ashley and kait Kerrigan are doing at La Jolla called HEART. Choreography by Mandy Moore
#24
Posted: 8/8/25 at 1:44pm
Speaking of La Jolla, isn't 3 Summers of Lincoln trying to come in as well?
#25
Posted: 8/8/25 at 1:49pm
WANTED- music box
midmight in the garden- nederlander
Benjamin button- hudson
dolly (if they come this season)- st James
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