Chicago

By Mark A. Robinson 
 
It’s hits galore on the menu this May, with many big name, long-running shows on our list of must-sees. For those of you who haven’t seen these top shows yet, perhaps it’s time to find out why everyone keeps going back. If you have seen them, now’s the perfect time for a revisit. Whether you’re a Broadway newcomer or a seasoned theatergoer, you’re in for a real treat this May. 
 
Wicked 
The story of the two witches of Oz has been inspiring audiences with its messages of empowerment and friendship since it first opened on Broadway in 2003. Galinda is a popular, pretty and ambitious sorceress in training. Elphaba has green skin, an unpopular way of looking at the world and magical powers that outshine all her contemporaries. When one becomes a beloved leader while the other becomes the reviled Wicked Witch of the West, can their friendship withstand such opposing positions? Wicked features a much-loved score by Stephen Schwartz (Pippin and Godspell).   

Chicago 
It has been running for decades, inviting audiences into the boozy, jazzy world of Chi Town in the 1920s. Chicago follows Roxie Hart, an ambitious housewife who dreams of being a star in vaudeville. She wants it so bad, in fact, that she commits murder when her plans go awry. Never one to be daunted, Roxie spins her infamy into the publicity she needs to reach her dreams. With a score by Kander and Ebb, Chicago crackles and pops with electricity. Disney Channel and Cruel Summer star Olivia Holt stars as Roxie Hart through June 4th! 
 
Hamilton 
This is not your typical history lesson. In fact, nothing about the Broadway musical smash Hamilton could be labeled cliched or old hat. Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda had the brilliant notion of retelling the story of one of America’s most controversial founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, through a contemporary lens, with rap, hip-hop and pop music, featuring inclusive casting choices. Witness how the titular character explodes onto the political scene and works his way toward the top, irritating some key figures and inspiring others along the way.  
 
Moulin Rouge! The Musical 
Star-crossed romances are always an audience favorite. We love to root for a couple in love, especially when the universe appears to be conspiring against them. On Broadway, you can have your dose of the ill-fated love affair with Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Bohemian writer Christian and exotic Satine (played by actress and pop singer Joanna “JoJo” Levesque through July 16th) fall hopelessly in love, but her engagement to a powerful duke makes it impossible for them to be together. A jukebox extravaganza chock full of decades of radio hits and show-stopping choreography, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is everything a theatergoer could wish for!  
 
Hadestown 
“Way down, Hadestown, way down under the ground” may sound like a sinister location, but it is one of the “hottest” locales on Broadway these days. The Greek myth of “Orpheus and Eurydice” plays out in a dystopian society where the two lovers must literally go to hell and back to be together, while King Hades and his beloved Persephone attempt to revive their own love story. Hadestown features a book and score by Tony winner Anais Mitchell.  
 
SIX 
Six leading ladies with six fascinating stories come together to take the sixth and final spot on our list of shows to see this month. The musical we are referring to is, of course, SIX. The wives of King Henry VIII are finally given the spotlight to set the record straight on their “her” stories after leading difficult lives under the thumb of their royal husband. Equal parts theatrical experience and pop concert, SIX soars with an infectious, Tony-winning score by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. 

By Mark A. Robinson 
 
We are always on the lookout for new opportunities to catch some of our favorite celebrities live and in person. In the coming months, Broadway is brimming with chances to do plenty of stargazing. Be sure to check out the following shows for a chance to see your favorite stars in action! 
 
A Doll’s House – Jessica Chastain 
Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain (Interstellar, The Help) makes her return to the Broadway stage in a revival of Henrik Ibsen’s 1979 play A Doll’s House. Chastain takes on the role of Nora, a housewife who refuses to accept conventionality and defies women’s limited prescribed roles in society and decides to go on a journey of self-fulfillment.

Parade – Ben Platt 
Tony Award winner Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen) makes his triumphant return to the Broadway stage as Leo Frank in the eagerly-anticipated revival of Jason Robert Brown’s and Alfred Uhry’s Parade. The musical is based on the true story of the murder of a thirteen-year-old Georgia girl named Mary Phagan and the media circus surrounding the Jewish man who was convicted of the crime despite there being no concrete evidence that he committed it. Platt lends his exceptional voice to Leo Frank, the pivotal character at the center of this haunting tale. 

Sweeney Todd – Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, Jordan Fisher & Gaten Matarazzo 
You get a lot of celebrity bang for your buck with the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR huge names appear in the show. Multi-platinum recording artist Josh Groban takes on the title role of Sweeney Todd, the vengeful barber with a score to settle, joined by Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford (You Can’t Take It With You, TV’s Welcome to Chippendale’s) as the manipulative pie maker Mrs. Lovett. Jordan Fisher (TV’s Grease: Live!, Disney Channel’s Liv and Maddie) plays the romantic sailor Anthony, and Gaten Matarazzo (TV’s Stranger Things) is the suspicious shop boy Tobias. One of the most anticipated shows of the season is the most star-studded as well!

Moulin Rouge – Aaron Tveit and Joanna “JoJo” Levesque 
Aaron Tveit has returned to his Tony Award-winning role as the young Bohemian Christian in the Broadway musical spectacular Moulin Rouge!The Musical. Tveit, who is known for his roles on Broadway in Next to Normal and Catch Me If You Can as well as TV’s Schmigadoon, is a winning romantic lead, perfectly believable as the love interest of the nightclub’s main attraction, the beautiful Satine. Tveit will perform through April 9th, and beginning April 11th, pop star/actress Joanna “JoJo” Levesque joins the cast. Levesque, the youngest solo artist to have a number one single in the United States with 2004’s “Leave (Get Out)” has also been seen on both big and small screens, in movies such as Aquamarine and RV, as well as TV’s The Masked Singer (Levesque was the runner up in the 5th season as the Black Swan). The role of Moulin Rouge’s sparkling diamond Satine will be Levesque’s Broadway debut, and it’s sure to be a must see!

Little Shop of Horrors – Maude Apatow 
The Off-Broadway revival of the perennial musical classic Little Shop of Horrors has featured some of theatre’s greatest talents in its lead roles. Currently in the role of the sweet but mistreated Audrey is Maude Apatow. Apatow is one of the stars of the critically acclaimed HBO drama Euphoria, and has also appeared in Hollywood, Other People, Assassination Nation and The King of Staten Island. Apatow will continue to yearn for “Somewhere That’s Green” through April 30th. 
 
Chicago – Jinkx Monsoon and Olivia Holt 
Two-time winner of Ru Paul’s Drag Race Jinkx Monsoon has been bringing audiences to their feet as Matron Mama Morton in the long-running hit musical Chicago. A multi-faceted performer, Monsoon’s sass and larger-than-life audaciousness are perfect to bring new life to the showstopper “When You’re Good to Mama.” Monsoon is only in Chicago through March 26th, so don’t miss your chance to see her before she sashays away. Also joining the cast for a limited run (April 10-June 4) is former Disney star Olivia Holt. Holt, who also appeared in the TV series Cruel Summer, brings her sunny smile and excellent voice to the role of Roxie Hart, one of Chicago’s infamous merry murderesses. 
 
Anthony Rapp’s Without You – Anthony Rapp 
If you grew up in the 80s, perhaps you first fell in love with Anthony Rapp in the film Adventures in Babysitting as the smart-mouthed Daryl. Theatergoers, however, know him for his auspicious career on the stage, particularly for portraying filmmaker Mark in the original production of Rent. Now you can catch Rapp in the critically acclaimed one-man musical Without You, based on his memoir of the same name where he recounts his experiences working on that game-changing phenomenon.

Pictures from Home – Nathan Lane 
Three-time Tony Award winner Nathan Lane (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Producers, Angels in America) is back on the boards this season with Pictures from Home, a new play by Sharr White, adapted from Larry Sultan’s photo memoir of a family and the visual record they created.Lane, who is equally adept at playing comedy and drama (as evidenced by his movie and TV work such as The Birdcage and American Crime Story), is joined by Danny Burstein and Zoë Wanamaker.