CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY 2026 Previews

They couldn’t make this stuff up!

Kicking off the 2026-27 Broadway season, the comic revue Celebrity Autobiography returns to New York tomorrow night (May 16) at the Shubert Theatre. Created by Eugene Pack and developed by Dayle Reyfel, the show boasts a large rotating cast of stars from all different mediums; for a full schedule of appearances, visit celebrityautobiography.com. Opening night is May 18 for a limited run through August 16. 

“Celebrity Autobiography is the 90-minute (give or take a few laughs) international hit comedy sensation featuring a constantly-expanding rotating cast of today’s celebrities from TV, film and stage, sports, and yes, even politics, acting out OTHER celebrities’ unintentionally hilarious autobiographies live on Broadway. 

In addition to solo excerpts, the show combines passages from various autobiographies to create unforgettable ensemble ‘mashups’ that ping-pong into riotously funny ‘he said, she said’ scenarios, famous love triangles, and wildly different takes on the same experience.”

Who’s going?

I unfortunately did, for free, and found it to be truly awful. It started with an introduction to the evening and how we “wouldn’t believe these stories are true…” but all of them were rather dull. I truly couldn’t wait for it to end. 

I cannot recommend it to anyone.

Also, Jackie Hoffman did a reading of Mr T’s autobiography and did a full on Black man voice that was incredibly uncomfortable.

And yet it got a standing ovation from most of last night's crowd. It's a puzzlement because the posters must be more enlightened than the ticket buyers.

Updated On: 5/17/26 at 10:40 AM

Ensemble1671017357 said: "And yet it got a standing ovation from most of last night's crowd. It's a puzzlement because the posters must be more enlightened thanthe ticket buyers."

You mean the papered and "friends of" crowd?   I don't know anything.  People might enjoy it.  I understand what some of you say that this is just filler for available real estate.  And I understand that my expectation of what belongs on broadway is not a reality these days.  Just makes me sad.  Happy to have been able to enjoy broadway during its golden age.  Yes it is all perspective.  

I thought this was a hoot and a half. I expected this show to be a throwaway, but there's more here than meets the eye. Mario Cantone was on fire. He was hilarious reading from Carol Channing's autobiography, and of course he did his Liza. Jeff Hiller was another standout. He really leaned into the ridiculousness of it all. But all the readers were funny. (Jackie Hoffman is no longer doing a Black voice as Mr. T, at least as far as I noticed.) And a lot of research went into this show, as apparently 300 books were mined for material. Several themes were explored, including food, sports, and Broadway (of course). The Poetry Corner was another inspired segment. I would recommend this highly.

Updated On: 5/17/26 at 06:36 PM

EDSOSLO858 said: "DiscoCrows said: "Is this getting reviews tonight?"

Tomorrow is the listed opening... I guess we'll see reviews?"

Ah I don’t know why I thought it was tonight lol.

Saw the evening show. It's very uneven. When it's funny, it's very, very, very funny. Jackie Hoffman and Andrea Martin were great. Jeff Hiller and Christopher Jackson, also. 

I really disliked everything Mario Cantone was doing. Just read the material, It doesn't need your impressions.

Rita Wilson was fine -- if there weren't a better impression of Celine Dion being done a few blocks away, this would have been quite funny.

Definitely worth it for the poetry segment alone.

willep said: "So is it a set script that they just divide between however many actors/celebs they have on a given night? I noticed it's not the same number of people each night."

I imagine every performance is different. There was no Mr. T. segment tonight.

pagereynolds said: "Saw the evening show. It's very uneven. When it's funny, it's very, very, very funny. Jackie Hoffman and Andrea Martin were great. Jeff Hiller and Christopher Jackson, also.

I really disliked everything Mario Cantone was doing. Just read the material, It doesn't need your impressions.

Rita Wilson was fine -- if there weren't a better impression of Celine Dion being done a few blocks away, this would have been quite funny.

Definitely worth it for the poetry segment alone."

 

Got a comp and saw this last night (didn't know it was the "opening"). This is... at BEST... a mediocre date night show for middle-aged, straight, non-theatre folk, to which the woman seated in front of me who needed to comment  throughout on every other line, full voiced, to her husband, can attest!

Jeff Hiller as Cher is ASTOUNDINGLY good (or at least good enough to make me feel like the evening wasn't a total bust) and he's also very funny doing a bit as Sandy from Annie in the "Broadway" section. Andrea Martin, Mario Cantone, Chris Jackson and Jackie Hoffman are all perfectly fine, if doing their usual schtick. 

But all in all... why? Why was this necessary? I can't even justify the low budget, summer run, "money grab" aspect if they're seemingly comping 75% or more of the house. No chance in hell this makes it to August.

If a favorite performer is going in and you want to see them live to say that you have, then grab a drink and (try to) have fun. Otherwise, this is entirely... missable.

 

 

 

This feels like reheated nachos. Does everything that is cute, campy and successful Off-Broadway need a Broadway run at Broadway prices? Apparently so. 

Just DMed you, haveagoodshow.